Title
Accept the Status Report of Emergency Response Services for the Homeless in the City of Alameda
Body
To: Honorable President Sarah Lewis and Members of the Social Service Human Relations Board
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
By creating The Road Home: A Five-Year Strategic Plan to Prevent & Respond to Homelessness in Alameda (The Road Home <https://www.alamedaca.gov/files/assets/public/departments/alameda/econ-dev-amp-comm-services/the-road-home-plan-adopted.pdf>), the Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB), working with Community Development Department Staff (staff) and City Council (Council), provided a road map of goals, strategies, and metrics to meet the needs of the most vulnerable member of our community. According to the 2022 Alameda County Every One Counts! Point-in-Time Count (PIT), the number of homeless individuals in the City of Alameda (City) increased by 14% since the last count in 2019. The PIT is a comprehensive overnight count conducted by teams composed of dedicated citizens, community-based organizations, elected officials, and staff who walk the streets, the parks, and hidden spaces in the City of Alameda (City) to find and account for each and every homeless person. The 2022 PIT took place on February 22, 2022. This status report is presented to SSHRB on a bi-annual basis and is intended to provide an overview of key programs serving unhoused Alameda residents.
BACKGROUND
The Council and SSHRB have identified addressing homelessness as a key priority.
• In 2016, Council tasked SSHRB with reviewing City policies and procedures around homelessness.
• In 2018, Council adopted the Homelessness Report <https://www.alamedaca.gov/files/assets/public/departments/alameda/econ-dev-amp-comm-services/community-services/alameda-homelessness-report.pdf> authored by SSHRB’s Homeless Action Plan Work Group in collaboration with Alameda Housing Authority and City staff. As a direct result of the report, the City received funding for services and programs to address homelessness.
• Later the same year, the City supported the recommendations in the EveryOne Home 2018 Strategic Update to align local priorities, ordinances, and policies in support of ending homelessness through expanding permanent and affordable housing.
• In 2018, Council declared a shelter crisis, which allowed the City to access State of California (State) funding through the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP).
• In January of 2021, SSHRB began work on a five-year plan to address homelessness, culminating with the publication of The Road Home, which was approved by Council on October 5, 2021.
• On June 6, 2022, Council further endorsed through resolution the Alameda County Home Together 2026 Community Plan: A 5-Year Strategic Framework Centering Racial Equity to End Homelessness in Alameda County (Home Together). A side-by-side comparison of The Road Home and Home Together goals highlights a need to acknowledge and address the disproportionate effects of poverty and racism on minority members of our community, understand the root causes of homelessness, use broad-based public education to increase the compassion and understanding of homelessness, and foster cooperation between counties and cities to serve those in need.
The last Status Report of Emergency Response Services for the Homelessness in the City of Alameda (Status Report) was presented to SSHRB on August 25, 2022.
DISCUSSION
The Road Home outlines the following goals:
• GOAL 1: Secure a Housing Future for All Alamedans
• GOAL 2: Increase Access to Homeless Emergency Response Services
• GOAL 3: Mobilize Citywide Response to Homelessness
This staff report covers the goals, action steps and metrics related to programming offered through Homeless Services. The report specifically reviews the continued progress on the following seven strategies that support The Road Home’s three goals:
• Strategy 1.2: Protect and Expand Affordable Housing through Local Policy
• Strategy 1.3: Coordinate Short- and Long-term Housing Solutions with the County and Neighboring Cities
• Strategy 2.1: Develop Flexible Resources for Diversion, Prevention, and Housing Retention
• Strategy 2.2: Provide Low-Barrier Temporary Housing Solutions
• Strategy 2.3: Expand Outreach and Supportive Services to Unsheltered Households
• Strategy 3.1: Engage the Community on the Regional Crisis of Homelessness
• Strategy 3.2: Strengthen the homeless response system infrastructure
Affordable Housing Development
In 2022, the City had four developments, which contributed units to the Inclusionary Housing Program (also referred to as the Below Market Rate Program), that were either under construction or in the process of being leased up. They are shown below:
• Bay 37 - 39 units for sale
• The Launch, Alameda Marina Phase 1 - 49 rental units
• Alta Star Harbor - 24 rental units
• The Starling - 69 rental units plus 1 manager’s unit
Collectively, the four developments listed above will yield 142 rental and 39 homeownership units that will be affordable to households earning between 50% and 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI). In addition, the Housing Authority of the City of Alameda completed reconstruction of Rosefield Village, a 92-unit affordable housing development.
Dignity Village - Interim Supportive Housing (47 units, up to 61 beds): The City, with co-applicants Five Keys Schools and Programs (Five Keys), Dignity Moves, acting as the developer, and Alameda’s Successor Agency to the Community Improvement Commission (SACIC), received a Homekey Round 2 conditional award of $12,251,380 to aid in the construction of 47 units of interim supportive housing and the first five years of onsite service operations. Dignity Village will be located at 2350 5th Street on City-owned land. Five Keys will provide the 24/7 onsite supportive services, inclusive of a full-time mental health professional. A harm reduction approach to homelessness will be practiced. Pets will be permitted. The project will serve the chronically homeless, homeless, and transitional age youth who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.
Staff and Five Keys met independently with the leadership at College of Alameda in October of 2022 to inform them directly about the project, its goals, and the mandate to set aside five units for transitional age youth. Community information meetings for both individuals served and neighbors took place in November and December 2022, and a third meeting is scheduled for the end of January 2023.
The City received a funding match from Alameda County of $2,350,000 for capital reserves. Referrals to Dignity Village will come through the County’s Coordinated Entry System (CES). The Housing Resource Center (HRC) responsible for entering individuals and families into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is staffed by Building Futures for Women and Children (Building Futures). Building Futures works with the City and homeless service providers on the Coordinated Outreach Team (COT) to identify and serve Alameda’s homeless. (Action Steps 1.2.f, 1.3.f, 2.1.c, 2.2.a, 2.2.b, 2.2.c, 2.2.d, 2.2.e, 2.2.g, 3.2.a, Metric 1.3)
Emergency Supportive Housing at Alameda Point (14-19 beds): In November 2022, the City opened three City-owned properties to house formerly homeless individuals and families. Supportive services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provided by The Village of Love Foundation (VOL). Counseling, case management, and permanent housing assistance are offered onsite in a comfortable, home setting. The addition of the emergency housing beds meets Goal 2’s short-term performance metric of expanding year-round, low-barrier shelter capacity to serve an additional ten individuals experiencing homelessness. (Action Steps 2.2a, 2.2.b, 2.2.c, 2.2.d, 2.2.e, Metric 2.1)
Midway Shelter (25 beds): Alameda County has contracted with Building Futures to provide shelter for homeless women and children. The typical stay lasts three to 12 months. Residents work on securing permanent housing and are assisted with child care through Head Start or by referral to Bananas, Inc. In addition to support ending homelessness, services include groups addressing domestic violence/healthy relationships and children’s programming. Three of the four modular units making up the shelter as well as the deck are scheduled to be replaced with new materials in 2023. (Action Steps 2.2.b, 2.2.c, 2.2.d)
Winter Warming Services (7 beds): The City has contracted with Building Futures to provide hotel rooms to a minimum of seven elderly and/or medically vulnerable homeless adults and/or families during the winter season, which stretches from November 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023. Services include daily meals, case management, housing assistance, and referrals to services. People in the program are able to stay for the entirety of the winter season and if permanent housing is not identified by the end of the season, each household will be evaluated for participation in Dignity Village, the City’s developed interim supportive housing program. (Action Steps 2.2.a, 2.2.b, 2.2.c)
Winter Warming Shelter (20 beds): The City has contracted with Christ Episcopal Church (Christ Church) to open a seasonal congregate shelter providing up to 20 beds, meals, access to showers, and referrals to housing and services Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights from December 23, 2022 to April 30, 2023. Christ Episcopal Church has subcontracted with the Housing Consortium of the East Bay (HCEB) to operate the shelter. HCEB is a well-regarded residential service provider working in Alameda and Contra Costa counties serving communities and individuals with disabilities. Due to the weather-related state of emergency established in December 2022, Christ Church pivoted to cooperate with HCEB and VOL to operate the shelter open seven days a week, for the entire month of January 2023. Individuals seeking shelter will be assessed for bridging to established Alameda services for continued care beyond the winter season. (Action Steps 2.2.a, 2.2 b, 2.2.c, 2.2.e)
Day Center / Day Center Overnight Services (10 beds): The City has contracted with VOL, with a diverse staff that includes those with lived experience, to provide Day Center services through to June 30, 2023. The Day Center provides a safe, secure and welcoming place for unhoused individuals to relax, get information, connect to services and be supported by staff and peers. The Day Center is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday, year-round, including federal holidays. The Day Center provides overnight services for up to eight individuals (under COVID-19 mitigation measures) from 9:00 pm to 8:00 am. (Action Steps 2.2.b, 2.2.c, 2.2.d, 2.2.e, 2.3.d)
Safe Parking (25 parking spaces): The City has contracted with VOL to provide safe parking at their site in Alameda Point, adjacent to their Day Center through to June 30, 2023. Safe parking participants can access the Day Center to remain indoors during the day. Recreational Vehicles are not included in this program. (Action Steps 2.2.b, 2.2.c, 2.2.d, 2.2.e)
Safe Sheltering (4 to 8 beds available during Shelter-in-Place order): The City has contracted with VOL to provide accommodations for COVID-19 asymptomatic individuals who are medically vulnerable and therefore have a high risk of developing acute disease or complications from COVID-19. Four trailers provide four to eight beds. This program is ongoing. (Action Steps 2.2.a, 2.2.b, 2.2.c, 2.2.d)
Mobile/Street Outreach: The City sent out a Request for Proposals (RFP) in May of 2022 to identify and secure full-time staffing for the Homeless Outreach Team (HOT). VOL was awarded a one-year contract, as approved by Council in September 2022. With the selection of VOL, homeless outreach services are now available seven days a week for eight hours a day. HOT visit with encampments and individuals living on the street to deliver hot meals, connect individuals with services like securing state identification, housing assistance, and mental health referrals, and provide transportation to services. HOT responds to City staff seeking assistance with encampments and/or unhoused individuals and to 2-1-1 calls.(Action Steps 2.3.b, 2.3.d)
Intensive Case Management: The City has continued the contract with Building Futures to support intensive case management services for a minimum of 12 chronically homeless individuals prioritized by the Housing Resource Center (HRC) staffed by Building Futures through June 30, 2023. Individuals served receive outreach, housing counseling, referrals to needed services, and intake into HMIS. (Action Step 3.2.a)
Alameda Homeless Information Hotline: The City has contracted with Eden I&R to provide staffing for the (510) 522-HOME hotline available for homeless-related issues Monday-Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm excluding federal holidays through June 30, 2023. The hotline is designed for people experiencing homelessness, individuals and families at-risk of becoming homeless, and/or local businesses and residents of Alameda to get referral information. The hotline is contracted to serve a minimum of 53 unduplicated individuals per year. (Action Step 3.2.e)
Showers and Laundry services: Showers have been installed in Christ Church to provide shower access to the unhoused population. Christ Church has recruited volunteer staffing and opens the showers on a weekly basis. While the Winter Warming Shelter is in operation, showers are open to overnight guests. Building Futures staff offer a weekly laundry opportunity at a local laundromat, which is used by VOL participants.
Dine & Connect Meal Distribution: Dine & Connect is a volunteer-driven effort by faith-based organizations to prepare and offer meals. While distributing the meals as a part of outreach on Monday evenings, Building Futures and VOL connect unhoused guests to health, housing, social services and resources. During the winter months, the organization distributes winter coats, warm clothing, and socks in coordination with community-based organizations like All Good Living Foundation and St. Vincent de Paul. In the fall of 2022, Dine & Connect welcomed two new member organizations, Islamic Center of Alameda (ICA) and St. Philip Neri-St. Albert (SPNSA) ICA added one Saturday a month to the meal distribution schedule and brings to Dine & Connect over 40 years of experience serving the homeless. SPNSA has committed to providing additional Monday meals on months when a fifth Monday occurs. The extra week is staffed by SPNSA volunteers and a new to Dine & Connect volunteer chef and hosted by First Congregational Church. (Action Step 3.1.c)
Alameda CARE Team: The Alameda CARE Team (Community Assessment Response & Engagement), launched in December 2021 and led by the Alameda Fire Department (AFD) is a program providing a 24/7 alternative response to nonviolent, noncriminal individuals facing a mental health crisis. The piloted program has received funding and approval from Council to continue through to June 30, 2023. (Action Step 2.3.f)
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 brought unprecedented funding to the City, some of which has been directed by Council to serve Alameda’s unhoused. The City has expanded access to shelter for unhoused individuals to 76 beds as of the writing of this report, but more capacity and funding is needed to meet the metrics outlined in The Road Home by 2026.
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the status report on Emergency Response Services for the Homeless.
Respectfully submitted,
Marcie Soslau Johnson, Social Services Manager