Title
Recommendation to Provide Direction on Constructing or Installing Temporary Shelters, Transitional Housing, and/or Permanent Supportive Housing in the City of Alameda; and Provide Direction on the Type of Homeless Housing Project to Pursue. (Community Development 10061833)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
There is a need for homeless housing in the city of Alameda. Five individual sites, as well as one multi-site option, have been identified by staff as possible locations for these housing types. Additionally, several examples of homeless housing types, including temporary shelters, transitional housing and permanent supportive housing, have been considered. Staff recommends that City Council provide direction to pursue a project that includes the construction/installation of temporary units/shelters and provide direction as to which of the sites identified by staff in this report should be pursued.
BACKGROUND
Alameda County's homeless population grew by 43% (from 5,629 to 8,022) as shown by the 2017 and 2019 Point in Time (PIT) counts. Alameda had a homeless population increase of 13% from 204 to 231 individuals during the same period. On October 2, 2018, the City declared a Shelter Crisis. Job loss, mental health, substance use, evictions, foreclosures, and incarceration have been identified in the final report by EveryOne Home in the 2019 PIT survey as causes of homelessness. Based on observations, staff believes that homelessness in Alameda has further increased since 2019. However, due to COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) required 2021 Point-in-Time count, officially documenting the number of homeless every two years in all of Alameda County incorporated and unincorporated areas, was delayed to 2022.
Cities are challenged with finding housing solutions for those who are currently unhoused while also supporting the rise in homelessness. Meanwhile, encampme...
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