201 S. Anaheim Blvd.
Tenth Floor
Anaheim, CA 92805
Tel: (714) 765-4300
Fax: (714) 765-4360
www.anaheim.net
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
City of Anaheim
HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT
DATE: APRIL 18, 2023
FROM: HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: ANAHEIM HOMELESSNESS INCLEMENT WEATHER
RESOURCES
ATTACHMENT (Y/N): NO ITEM # 29
GOVERNMENT CODE § 84308 APPLIES: NO
ACTION:
Receive an informational report on current policy for homelessness services in the City of Anaheim and provide direction to staff, as necessary, regarding shelter offerings during inclement weather.
DISCUSSION:
This report is at the request of the Mayor to discuss the possibility of local resources available to unhoused people without Anaheim ties during inclement weather. Efforts to provide inclement weather response are multifaceted, utilizing both regional and local resources. The city’s current protocol is to provide services to individuals with Anaheim ties.
Resources Available in the City of Anaheim Year-Round
The Anaheim homelessness system of care funds homelessness outreach and emergency shelter as part of our emergency response programs year-round. Our community outreach teams include the Community Care Response Team (CCRT) who work with all populations of unhoused people in the community, as well as HOPE Anaheim, who specialize in outreach to people with mental health or substance use-related medical conditions. The outreach teams work together to respond to the community, coordinate a response, and work to continuously improve the City’s outreach strategy.
CCRT was the first of the two outreach teams to begin interfacing with individuals experiencing homelessness directly in public spaces. As such, they established the process with the Salvation Army and the Anaheim Police Department (APD) to refer individuals into the Anaheim Emergency Shelter (AES). When AES was established, it was with the purpose of addressing and assisting individuals with Anaheim ties. As a result, CCRT works with APD and other City staff to confirm the status and then directly transports individuals seeking shelter to AES. CCRT is available 7 days a week, Anaheim Homelessness Inclement Weather Resources
April 18, 2023
between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. through a dedicated phone line (CCRT Hotline 714-820-9090).
Distinguished from CCRT, HOPE Anaheim has access to behavioral health and wellness services at their health campus in the City of Orange. HOPE Anaheim is available 7 days a week, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. through APD dispatch. Both outreach teams work closely with the Anaheim Housing & Community Development Department, who monitor and fund both program contracts.
In addition to the outreach teams, APD has dedicated officers assisting on calls that may have a criminal nexus or need escalation. Homeless Assistance Liaison Officers (HALO) are dedicated APD officers specifically trained to work with unhoused individuals who engage in unlawful activities. HALO officers, like CCRT, can identify and transport people experiencing homelessness to area shelters, including referrals into AES. The Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT) is a specialized outreach team consisting of APD officers and County-funded behavioral health clinicians who respond to calls for service that require law enforcement assistance and that have a nexus with behavioral health. Clinicians are able to offer in-field assessments and connections to County behavioral health resources to resolve a mental health crisis.
The County of Orange funds a similar community outreach team to CCRT in the North Service Planning Area (North SPA) of the County, which includes the City of Anaheim.
Volunteers of America – Los Angeles (VOALA) is the contracted organization for outreach in the North SPA. VOALA is able to serve Anaheim residents and have connections to County resources which include the County shelters located in Anaheim named Bridges at Kraemer Place and the Buena Park and Placentia Navigation Centers for those with ties to other North Orange County cities.
During inclement weather months, special efforts are put in place to respond to an increased need for shelter and safe harbor from the elements. HALO, CCRT, and HOPE Anaheim assist the City with public outreach when flood warnings and dangerous conditions pose a risk to the safety of the homeless population. Police officers and firefighters assist with emergencies such as a swift water rescue among people living within canals, tunnels, and other public structures to minimize potential injury and loss of life.
Resources Available During Cold Weather Conditions
In inclement weather, CCRT and HOPE Anaheim continue to conduct outreach activities and offer transportation services to people living unsheltered. The City of Anaheim has the ability to adjust outreach and shelter efforts in response to increased needs. Anaheim’s main shelter is the AES operated by the Salvation Army. The shelter is funded in part by Anaheim general funds and thus provides services exclusively for homeless with Anaheim ties for entry. During non-inclement periods, AES is typically 85% full; leaving capacity to accept ongoing referrals from CCRT, HALO, and to react to community need such as encampment clearings or extreme weather conditions. This effort is in addition to other shelter resources that are located in Anaheim but are not affiliated with or funded by the City. If needed, CCRT has the ability to facilitate connections to other Anaheim-based shelters.
Anaheim Homelessness Inclement Weather Resources
April 18, 2023
Given the availability of shelter beds for homeless with Anaheim ties, the City of Anaheim does not stand up warming shelters in the cold months due to available vacancies and partnership with the County. The County of Orange in the past months established a warming shelter in the City of Fullerton to accommodate inclement weather needs for the rest of the North SPA. The Fullerton Warming Center offered 90 sleeping spaces to people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, open to anyone in the County. The cold weather shelter was operated by People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) from February 2023 through to the end of March 2023. Access to the shelter was available through shuttle services that picked up from two stops within the City of Fullerton starting right before 5:00 p.m. and until capacity was reached. The shelter remained in operation from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. the next day, at which time patrons were required to exit the building and be shuttled in again the next night. High demand for the warming center had seen PATH expand its sleeping capacity by 13% to accommodate the need. A few weeks ago, due to extreme weather conditions and given that the Fullerton Warming Center was already above capacity, the City of Anaheim opened AES to non-Anaheim residents for 48 hours allowing an additional 30 people experiencing homelessness into our shelter.
Resources Available During Hot Weather Conditions
For individuals looking for respite from the heat in warmer months, the Anaheim Community Services Department coordinates the availability of cooling centers at City libraries, community centers, and family resource centers which are open to all members of the public. Hours of operation at certain locations are extended past regular business hours during heat waves to accommodate residents until the heat conditions cool in the evening hours. The Community Services Department releases educational materials about heatstroke and hydration to accompany physical services. Compared to cold weather shelters, cooling centers are not operated overnight as summer weather conditions tend to subside after sundown.
If people experiencing homelessness are in need, however, Anaheim community outreach teams operate during heatwaves and are available to transport people to the nearest cooling center or AES if an overnight stay is preferred.
The City of Anaheim’s outreach teams respond to requests for assistance before, after and during inclement weather conditions, and continuously offer shelter options as a safe haven. It is noted that even in inclement weather, outreach teams still ask for and confirm ties to Anaheim. The city relies on regional resources to service individuals without Anaheim ties.
IMPACT ON BUDGET
This report has no impact on the budget. However, if staff receives direction to provide more services, additional city resources would be required.
Anaheim Homelessness Inclement Weather Resources
April 18, 2023
Respectfully submitted,
Grace Ruiz-Stepter
Director of Housing & Community Development