CITY COUNCIL MEETING
AGENDA SUMMARY
Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 6:00 p.m.
In person at:
Arroyo Grande City Council Chamber
215 E. Branch Street, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
AND via Zoom at:
https://arroyogrande-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NRsyFrUIQ_6179_iBTyDVA Please click the link above to register to join the Zoom Meeting This City Council meeting is being conducted in a hybrid in-person/virtual format. Please be advised that while the City will endeavor to ensure these remote participation methods are available, the City does not guarantee that they will be technically feasible or work all the time. Further, the City reserves the right to terminate these remote participation methods (subject to Brown Act restrictions) at any time and for any reason. Members of the public may participate and provide public comment on agenda items during the meeting in person at the location identified above, by joining the Zoom meeting, or by submitting written public comments to the Clerk of the Council at [email protected]. Meetings will be broadcast live on Channel 20 and streamed on the City’s Website.
CLOSED SESSION:
None.
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
3. MOMENT OF REFLECTION
4. FLAG SALUTE
5. AGENDA REVIEW
5.a Closed Session Announcements
None.
5.b Ordinances read in title only
Recommended Action:
Move that all ordinances presented at the meeting shall be read by title only and all further readings be waived.
6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
6.a Honorary Proclamation Honoring the South County Historical Society for its 50th Anniversary
6.b Honorary Proclamation Declaring June 2026 as "Pride Month"
6.c City Manager Communications
(DOWNING)
Recommended Action:
Receive correspondence/comments as presented by the City Manager and Provide direction, as necessary.
7. CITY COUNCIL REPORTS
None.
Reports are made during the Second Council Meeting each month.
8. COMMUNITY COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS
This public comment period is an invitation to members of the community to present issues, thoughts, or suggestions on matters not scheduled on this agenda. Comments should be limited to those matters that are within the jurisdiction of the City Council. Members of the public may provide public comment in-person or remotely by registering and joining the Zoom meeting utilizing the link provided below. Once in the meeting, please use the “raise hand” feature to indicate your desire to provide public comment.
Click the link below to register to join the webinar: https://arroyograndeorg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NRsyFrUIQ_6179_iBTyDVA •
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
•
Please be advised that while the City will endeavor to ensure these remote participation methods are available, the City does not guarantee that they will be technically feasible or work all the time.
Further, the City reserves the right to terminate these remote participation methods (subject to Brown Act restrictions) at any time and for any reason. Please attend in person or submit your comment via email to the City Clerk by 2:00 p.m. the day of the meeting to have it included as part of the record.
The Brown Act restricts the Council from taking formal action on matters not published on the agenda. In response to your comments, the Mayor or presiding Council Member may:
• Direct City staff to assist or coordinate with you.
• A Council Member may state a desire to meet with you.
It may be the desire of the Council to place your issue or matter on a future Council agenda.
•
Please adhere to the following procedures when addressing the Council:
• Comments should be limited to 1 minute or less.
Your comments should be directed to the Council as a whole and not directed to individual Council members.
•
Slanderous, profane or personal remarks against any Council Member or member of the audience shall not be permitted.
•
9. CONSENT AGENDA
The following routine items listed below are scheduled for consideration as a group. The recommendations for each item are noted. Any member of the public who wishes to comment on any Consent Agenda item may do so at this time. Any Council Member may request that any item be withdrawn from the Consent Agenda to permit discussion or change the recommended course of action. The City Council may approve the remainder of the Consent Agenda on one motion.
9.a Approval of Minutes
(MATSON)
Recommended Action:
Approve the minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting of April 28, 2026, as submitted.
9.b Cash Disbursement Ratification
(VALENTINE)
Recommended Action:
Review and ratify the attached listing of cash disbursements for the period of April 1 through April 15, 2026.
9.c Statement of Investment Deposits for March 2026
(VALENTINE)
Recommended Action:
Receive and file the attached report listing investment deposits of the City of Arroyo Grande as of March 31, 2026, as required by Government Code Section 53646(b).
9.d Appointment to the Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee (MATSON)
Recommended Action:
1) Adopt a Resolution appointing Cynthia Shaheen to the San Luis Obispo Council of Government’s Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee; and 2) Determine that approving the appointment is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) because it has no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, §§ 15060, subd. (c)(2)-(3), 15378.).
9.e San Luis Obispo County Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact (DOWNING)
Recommended Action:
1) Adopt a Resolution approving the San Luis Obispo County Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact; and
2) Find that approving the Resolution is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) because it has no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, §§ 15060, subd. (c)(2)-(3), 15378. Alternatively, the adoption of the Resolution is exempt from CEQA on the basis that it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, § 15061, subd. (b)(3).)
9.f Resolutions Ordering the Preparation of Annual Engineer’s Reports for Assessment Districts for FY 2026-27
(ROBESON)
Recommended Action:
1) Adopt Resolutions ordering the preparation and filing of Annual Engineer's Reports for the Parkside Village Assessment District ("Parkside Village"), Grace Lane Assessment District ("Grace Lane"), and Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District No. 1, within Tract 1769 ("Tract 1769"), for FY 2026-27; and
2) Determine that adopting the Resolutions ordering the Engineer's reports is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") because the activity is not a “project” subject to CEQA and it has no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines,§§ 15060, subd. (c)(2)-(3), 15378.)
10. PUBLIC HEARINGS
10.a Architectural Review 25-004; Public Art on Private Property; Location – 227 East Branch Street
(PEREZ)
Recommended Action:
1) Adopt a Resolution approving Architectural Review 25-004 for a proposed mural at 227 East Branch Street; and
2) Find that the project is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 for minor alterations to existing structures.
10.b Amendments to the Comprehensive FY 2026-27 User Fee Schedule (VALENTINE)
Recommended Action:
1) Adopt a Resolution Establishing Additional User Fees and Adjusting the Rates and Charges for all User Fees for Regulatory Activities, Programs, and Services set forth in the Comprehensive Fee Schedule Effective July 1, 2026; and
2) Determine that adopting amendments to the Comprehensive FY 2026-27 User Fee Schedule is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) because the activity is not a “project” subject to CEQA and it has no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, §§ 15060, subd. (c)(2)-(3), 15378).
11. BUSINESS ITEMS
11.a Amendments to the Municipal Code Regarding Cross-Connections (ROBESON)
Recommended Action:
1) Introduce an ordinance amending Chapter 13.16 of Title 13 of the Arroyo Grande Municipal Code regarding cross-connections; and
2) Find the Ordinance is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) because amending Chapter 13.16 of the AGMC has no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, §15060 (c)(2) and (3), 15378). Alternatively, this organizational or administrative activity to amend Chapter 13.16 of the AGMC will not result in direct physical changes in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines §15378(b)(5).)
11.b Ten Year Capital Improvement Program, Measure E-24 Local Sales Tax Fund Expenditure Program, and Measure O-06 Local Sales Tax Fund Expenditure Program (VALENTINE)
Recommended Action:
1) Adopt a Resolution approving the 10-Year Capital Improvement Program for Fiscal Year 2026-27 through Fiscal Year 2035-36; and
2) Find that the approval of the Resolution is statutorily exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under State CEQA Guidelines, Section §15061(b)(3), as such approval does not have the potential to result in an effect on the environment. The approval does not commit the City to any of the identified projects in the CIP. Each individual project in the plan will be subject to CEQA review as required by law. Secondly, this action constitutes an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in a physical change in the environment and is therefore not subject to CEQA pursuant to Section §15378(b)(5).
12. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS
Any Council Member may ask a question for clarification, make an announcement, or report briefly on his or her activities. In addition, subject to Council policies and procedures, Council Members may request staff to report back to the Council at a subsequent meeting concerning any matter or request that staff place a matter of business on a future agenda. Any request to place a matter of business for original consideration on a future agenda requires the concurrence of at least two other Council Members.
13. ADJOURNMENT
All staff reports or other written documentation, including any supplemental material distributed to a majority of the City Council within 72 hours of a regular meeting, relating to each item of business on the agenda are available for public inspection during regular business hours in the City Clerk’s office, 300 E. Branch Street, Arroyo Grande. If requested, the agenda shall be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with a disability, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. To make a request for disability-related modification or accommodation, contact the Legislative and Information Services Department at 805-473-5400 as soon as possible and at least 48 hours prior to the meeting date.
This agenda was prepared and posted pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2 Agenda reports can be accessed and downloaded from the City’s website at www.arroyogrande.org If you would like to subscribe to receive email or text message notifications when agendas are posted, you can sign up online through the “Notify Me” feature.
City Council Meetings are streamed live on the City’s Website and recorded for replay on Arroyo
Grande’s Government Access Channel 20.
Item 6.a.
Item 6.b.
1 Item 9.a.
ACTION MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
April 28, 2026, 5:00 p.m.
Hybrid City Council Chamber/Virtual Zoom Meeting
215 East Branch Street, Arroyo Grande
Council Members Present: Mayor Caren Ray Russom, Mayor Pro Tem Jamie Maraviglia, Council Member Jim
Guthrie, Council Member Kate Secrest,
Council Member Aileen Loe
Staff Present: Deputy City Clerk Julie Hawkins, City Attorney Isaac Rosen, City Manager Matthew
Downing, Assistant City Manager/Public
Works Director Bill Robeson, Recreation
Services Director Sheridan Bohlken, Human
Resources Officer Ashley Garcia, City
Engineer Shannon Sweeney
This meeting was conducted in a hybrid in-person/virtual format.
CLOSED SESSION: 5:00 P.M.:
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Ray Russom called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
Deputy City Clerk Hawkins took roll call.
3. FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Ray Russom led the flag salute.
4. PUBLIC COMMENT ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS
Mayor Ray Russom invited public comment. No comments were received.
5. CLOSED SESSION
City Attorney Rosen announced that the City Council will recess to a closed session for the following and will report any reportable action at the City Council Regular meeting at 6:00 p.m.:
a) LABOR NEGOTIATION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957.6:
Meet with City-designated negotiators described below. Negotiation will include salary, compensation and benefits:
1. Employee Organization: Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 620
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
APRIL 28, 2026
PAGE 2
2 Item 9.a.
City-designated negotiators: Che Johnson, Special Labor Counsel; Ashley Garcia, Human Resources Officer; Nicole Valentine, Director of Administrative Services
2. Employee Organization: Arroyo Grande Police Officers’ Association (POA) City-designated negotiators: Che Johnson, Special Labor Counsel; Ashley Garcia, Human Resources Officer; Nicole Valentine, Director of Administrative Services
3. Employee Organization: Unrepresented Management Employees City-designated negotiators: Che Johnson, Special Labor Counsel City Council adjourned to Closed Session.
6. ADJOURNMENT
City Council adjourned Closed Session.
REGULAR MEETING 6:00 P.M.
_____________________________________________________________________
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Ray Russom called the Regular City Council Meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
Deputy City Clerk Hawkins took roll call.
3. MOMENT OF REFLECTION
4. FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Ray Russom led the flag salute.
5. AGENDA REVIEW
5.a Closed Session Announcements
City Attorney Rosen announced that there was no reportable action from the following meeting:
April 28, 2026
LABOR NEGOTIATION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957.6:
Meet with City-designated negotiators described below. Negotiation will include salary, compensation and benefits:
1. Employee Organization: Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 620
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
APRIL 28, 2026
PAGE 3
3 Item 9.a.
City-designated negotiators: Che Johnson, Special Labor Counsel; Ashley Garcia, Human Resources Officer; Nicole Valentine, Director of Administrative Services
2. Employee Organization: Arroyo Grande Police Officers’ Association (POA) City-designated negotiators: Che Johnson, Special Labor Counsel; Ashley Garcia, Human Resources Officer; Nicole Valentine, Director of Administrative Services
3. Employee Organization: Unrepresented Management Employees City-designated negotiators: Che Johnson, Special Labor Counsel
5.b Ordinances read in title only
None.
6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
6.a Honorary Proclamation Declaring The Month of May 2026 As "National Bike Month" Mayor Ray Russom read the Honorary Proclamation declaring the Month of May 2026 as "National Bike Month." Meghan Fields, SLO Air Pollution Control District Public Information Officer accepted the proclamation.
No action was taken on this item.
6.b Honorary Proclamation Declaring May 3-9, 2026 As "Public Service Recognition Week" Mayor Ray Russom read the Honorary Proclamation declaring May 3-9, 2026 as "Public Service Recognition Week." Police Chief Culver accepted the proclamation.
No action was taken on this item.
6.c City Manager Communications
City Manager Downing provided updates regarding the recent CSTOC meeting, upcoming virtual community meetings on a possible cannabis measure, and the Mother's Day Tea event.
No action was taken on this item.
7. CITY COUNCIL REPORTS
The City Council provided brief reports from the following committee, commission, board, or other subcommittee meetings that they attended as the City’s appointed representative.
7.a MAYOR RAY RUSSOM:
1. Audit Committee
2. California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (CJPIA)
3. Five Cities Fire Authority JPA Board
4. San Luis Obispo County Mayor's Meeting
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
APRIL 28, 2026
PAGE 4
4 Item 9.a.
5. South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District (SSLOCSD)
6. Other
7.b MAYOR PRO TEM MARAVIGLIA:
1. Five Cities Fire Authority JPA Board
2. Visit SLO CAL Advisory Board
3. Other
7.c COUNCIL MEMBER GUTHRIE:
1. Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) Policy Board
2. Integrated Waste Management Authority Board (IWMA)
3. REACH Economic Development Roundtable
4. Other
7.d COUNCIL MEMBER SECREST:
1. Air Pollution Control District (APCD)
2. Homeless Services Oversight Council (HSOC)
3. South County Chambers of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee
4. Other
7.e COUNCIL MEMBER LOE:
1. Council of Governments/Regional Transit Authority (SLOCOG/SLORTA)
2. County Water Resources Advisory Committee (WRAC)
3. Zone 3 Water Advisory Board
4. Other
8. COMMUNITY COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS
Mayor Ray Russom invited public comment. Speaking from the public was Patty Welsh. No further public comments were received.
9. CONSENT AGENDA
Mayor Ray Russom asked the Council if there were any questions or any items to be pulled from the consent agenda for further discussion. Council Member Guthrie requested to pull Item 9.e. for separate consideration.
Mayor Ray Russom invited public comment. No public comments were received.
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
APRIL 28, 2026
PAGE 5
5 Item 9.a.
Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Maraviglia
Seconded by Council Member Guthrie
Approve Consent Agenda Items 9.a. through 9.d., excluding Item 9.e., with the recommended courses of action and the modification to the Item 9.a.
AYES (5): Mayor Pro Tem Maraviglia, Council Member Guthrie, Council Member Secrest, Council Member Loe, and Mayor Ray Russom
Passed (5 to 0)
9.a Approval of Minutes
Approved the minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting of April 14, 2026, as amended.
9.b Cash Disbursement Ratification
Reviewed and ratified the listing of cash disbursements for the period of March 16 through March 31, 2026.
9.c Monthly Water Supply and Demand Update
Received and filed the Monthly Water Supply and Demand Update.
9.d General Plan Update Progress Report – April 2026
Received and filed a progress report on the Comprehensive General Plan Update.
9.e Adoption of a Resolution Approving Architectural Review 25-005 Council Member Guthrie commented on his previous vote on the Item.
Moved by Council Member Loe
Seconded by Council Member Secrest
1) Adopted a Resolution entitled: "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE APPROVING ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW 25-005 FOR A PROPOSED MURAL AT 201 EAST BRANCH STREET"; and
2) Found that the project is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 for minor alterations to existing structures.
AYES (4): Council Member Loe, Council Member Secrest, Mayor Pro Tem Maraviglia, and Mayor Ray Russom
NOES (1): Council Member Guthrie
Passed (4 to 1)
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
APRIL 28, 2026
PAGE 6
6 Item 9.a.
10. PUBLIC HEARINGS
10.a Public Hearing to Consider the AGTBID Annual Assessment and FY 2026-27 Budget Mayor Ray Russom declared a conflict of interest due to ownership of a short-term rental and left the meeting.
Mayor Pro Tem Maraviglia presided.
Director of Recreation Services Bohlken presented the report and responded to questions from Council.
Mayor Pro Tem Maraviglia opened the public hearing. Upon hearing no public comments, Mayor Pro Tem Maraviglia closed the public hearing.
Council Member Guthrie commented on the TBID and TOT.
Deputy City Clerk Hawkins reported that no protests were received.
Moved by Council Member Loe
Seconded by Council Member Secrest
1) Conduct a Public Hearing to receive public comment and protests regarding the continuation of the Arroyo Grande Tourism Business Improvement District (AGTBID), confirm the Annual Assessment Report (the ‘Annual Report’), and levy an annual assessment for FY 2026-27; 2) Determine if a majority protest has been received; if no majority protest has been received, adopt a Resolution entitled: "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ARROYO GRANDE CONFIRMING THE ANNUAL REPORT AND ASSESSMENT TO BE
LEVIED WITHIN THE ARROYO GRANDE TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026-27"; and
3) Find that the recommended actions are not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) because these efforts have no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, §§ 15060 (c)(2) and (3), 15378).
AYES (4): Council Member Loe, Council Member Secrest, Council Member Guthrie, and Mayor Pro Tem Maraviglia
ABSENT (1): Mayor Ray Russom
Passed (4 to 0)
11. BUSINESS ITEMS
11.a City Workforce Vacancies, Recruitment, and Retention Trends Presentation (Assembly Bill 2561)
Mayor Ray Russom returned to the meeting.
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
APRIL 28, 2026
PAGE 7
7 Item 9.a.
Human Resources Officer Ashley Garcia presented the Item.
Senior Police Officer Enriqueda Peinado provided a report for the Arroyo Grande Police Officer's Association.
Mayor Ray Russom invited public comment. Speaking from the public was Anthony. No further public comments were received.
No action was taken on this item. The report was received and filed.
11.b Traffic Way Bridge Replacement Project Detour Elements Discussion City Engineer Sweeney presented the report and responded to questions from Council.
Mayor Ray Russom invited public comment. Speaking from the public were Cheryl Storton, Alexandria Davis, and Judy Cecchetti. No further public comments were received.
Council discussion ensued. Council directed staff to make no changes to Bridge/Branch Street; make no changes to Fair Oaks Avenue/Highway 101/Orchard Street; leave the temporary traffic circle in place at this time, add speed feedback signs, increase education and enforcement, remove two trees, and work towards installing a larger, more permanent roundabout as space is obtained or becomes available; and bringing back a more detailed staff report for formal action to include discussion of signage, potential for curb removal and tree removal, and directing staff to reach out to the agriculture community regarding potential concerns, as well as the school district.
11.c Halcyon Complete Streets Project Pre-Bid
City Engineer Sweeney presented the staff report and responded to questions from Council.
City Manager Downing responded to questions from Council.
Mayor Ray Russom invited public comment. Speaking from the public were Cheryl Storton, Laura Mullen, and Judy Cecchetti. No further public comments were received. Staff responded to questions from the public including the amount of outreach conducted for this project.
Council discussion ensued.
Moved by Mayor Ray Russom
Seconded by Council Member Secrest
Direct staff to advertise the Halcyon Complete Streets Project for construction as designed and to include a monument sign at entrance to the City at The Pike.
AYES (5): Mayor Ray Russom, Council Member Secrest, Council Member Guthrie, Council Member Loe, and Mayor Pro Tem Maraviglia
Passed (5 to 0)
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
APRIL 28, 2026
PAGE 8
8 Item 9.a.
11.d Proposed Second Amendment to City Manager Employment Agreement City Attorney Rosen presented the staff report.
Mayor Ray Russom invited public comment. No public comments were received.
Moved by Mayor Ray Russom
Seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Maraviglia
Approve the Second Amendment to the Employment Agreement Between the City of Arroyo Grande and Matthew Downing (“Second Amendment”) following an oral report by the City Attorney summarizing any changes in the salaries, salary schedules or compensation paid in the form of fringe benefits consistent with the Brown Act.
AYES (5): Mayor Ray Russom, Mayor Pro Tem Maraviglia, Council Member Guthrie, Council Member Secrest, and Council Member Loe
Passed (5 to 0)
12. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS
Council Member Secrest noted the beautiful flowers in Arroyo Grande and nice weather.
Council Member Loe commented on her attendance of a workshop by SLOCOG to discuss transportation and housing; expressed appreciation for the service of 5 Cities Homeless Coalition Executive Director, Janna Nichols, upon her retirement; and toured the MERF Recycling facility with Staff.
Mayor Pro Tem Maraviglia commented on her attendance of at the affordable housing summit.
13. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the City Council, Mayor Ray Russom adjourned the meeting at 8:33 p.m.
_________________________
Caren Ray Russom, Mayor
ATTEST:
_________________________
Jessica Matson, City Clerk
Item 9.b.
MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council
FROM: Nicole Valentine, Director of Administrative Services BY: Megan Schotborgh, Finance Manager
SUBJECT: Cash Disbursement Ratification
DATE: May 12, 2026
RECOMMENDATION:
Review and ratify the attached listing of cash disbursements for the period of April 1 through April 15, 2026.
IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
There is a $1,308,771.10 fiscal impact for the period of April 1 through April 15, 2026, that includes the following items:
Accounts Payable Checks $793,162.87
Payroll & Benefit Checks $515,614.23
BACKGROUND:
Cash disbursements are made weekly based on the submission of all required documents supporting the invoices submitted for payment. Prior to payment, Administrative Services staff review all disbursement documents to ensure that they meet the approval requirements adopted in the Municipal Code and the City’s Purchasing Policies and Procedures Manual.
ANALYSIS OF ISSUES:
The attached listing represents the cash disbursements required for normal and usual operations during the period. The disbursements are accounted for in the FY 2025-26 budget.
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternatives are provided for the Council’s consideration:
1. Approve staff’s recommendation;
2. Do not approve staff’s recommendation; or
3. Provide other direction to staff.
Item 9.b.
City Council
Cash Disbursement Ratification
May 12, 2026
ADVANTAGES:
The Administrative Services Department monitors payments of invoices for accountability, accuracy, and completeness using standards approved by the City Council.
Invoices are paid in a timely manner to establish goodwill with merchants. Discounts are taken where applicable.
DISADVANTAGES:
There are no disadvantages identified in this recommendation.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Ratifying the cash disbursements is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) because it has no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, §§ 15060, subd. (c)(2)-(3), 15378.)
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The Agenda was posted at City Hall and on the City’s website in accordance with Government Code Section 54954.2.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. April 1 through April 15, 2026 – Accounts Payable Check Register
2. April 3, 2026 – Payroll & Benefit Check Registers
City of Arroyo Grande
INV GROUP PUBLICATION LIST
Report generated: 05/01/2026 08:24
User: mschotborgh
Program ID: appdwarr
INV GROUP RANGE:040126 TO 041526 DATES: 07/01/25 TO 06/30/26
ACCOUNT
VENDOR NAME AMOUNT
100 1111 ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE - FCFA
HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCE CTR 49.41
100 2206 DEPOSITS-COMMERCIAL BLDG.
LANGSTAFF, DUANE 100.00
ONE TIME PAY 104.00
100 2208 DEPOSITS-SMIP
ONE TIME PAY 1.30
100 2223 DEPOSITS--STATE GREEN BLDG STD
ONE TIME PAY 1.00
100 2231 STATE SB 1186 FEE
DIVIS. OF THE STATE ARCHITECT -1,594.26
10004000 4050 BUSINESS LICENSE TAX
DIVIS. OF THE STATE ARCHITECT 1,771.40
ONE TIME PAY REFUND 225.00
10004000 4181 BUILDING PERMIT
ONE TIME PAY 391.66
10004000 4203 PARKING FINES
SLO COUNTY AUDITOR-CONTROLLER 1,404.00
10004000 4521 GENERAL PLAN UPDATE FEE
ONE TIME PAY 11.82
10004000 4522 TECHNOLOGY FEE
ONE TIME PAY 7.88
10004000 4605 SPEC.INT.CLASSES
BEENE, ASHLEY 45.00
BIEL, MELISSA 80.00
CALORA, DEBRA 80.00
CARNEY, JULIE 80.00
COOK, JEANNETTE 130.00
GIANNINI, LEAH 100.00
HARKER, BRENDA 80.00
LAMBERTZ-BERNDT, KRISTEN 100.00
LAPUTZ, PAT 80.00
LIEBERMAN, STEPHEN 130.00
ONE TIME PAY 784.00
RAMALHO, CINDA 80.00
SMITH, JUDITH 20.00
WILSON, ROBIN 80.00
10014001 5201 SUPPLIES-OFFICE
AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES 31.99
10014002 5201 SUPPLIES-OFFICE
AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES 8.22
10014002 5301 ADVERTISING
NEW TIMES 187.00
10014002 5501 TRAVEL/CONFERENCE/TRAINING
REYNOLDS, KENDRA 387.00
10014002 5503 MEMBERSHIPS & SUBSCRIPTIONS
MATSON, JESSICA 40.00
10014099 5132 DENTAL INSURANCE
DELTA DENTAL 2,361.30
10014099 5133 VISION INSURANCE
VISION SERVICE PLAN 574.70
10014101 5303 CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
Attachment 1
City of Arroyo Grande
INV GROUP PUBLICATION LIST
Report generated: 05/01/2026 08:24
User: mschotborgh
Program ID: appdwarr
INV GROUP RANGE:040126 TO 041526 DATES: 07/01/25 TO 06/30/26
ACCOUNT
VENDOR NAME AMOUNT
GOVERNANCE SCIENCES GROUP INC 9,900.00
TOWNSEND PUBLIC AFFAIRS INC 5,500.00
TRIPEPI SMITH 8,266.25
10014102 5602 MAINTENANCE-OFFICE EQUIPMENT
FLEXTG LLC 112.01
10014110 5303 CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
PUBLIC SECTOR PERSONNEL CONSUL 8,000.00
10014120 5201 SUPPLIES-OFFICE
AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES 22.73
10014120 5501 TRAVEL/CONFERENCE/TRAINING
SCHOTBORGH, MEGAN 298.00
VALENTINE, NICOLE 496.49
VELAZQUEZ, SUSAN 298.00
10014145 5147 EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCE CTR 197.64
10014145 5208 POSTAGE/MAILING
US POSTAL SERVICE 3,000.00
10014145 5401 UTILITIES
CITY OF GROVER BEACH 119.58
PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO 13,146.37
SOCALGAS 131.03
10014145 5403 TELECOMMUNICATIONS
AT&T 30.26
10014145 5503 MEMBERSHIPS & SUBSCRIPTIONS
SOUTH COUNTY CHAMBERS 500.00
10014145 5553 RENT-BUILDINGS & LAND
ATLAS PERFORMANCE INDUSTRIES I 2,163.00
10024130 5501 TRAVEL/CONFERENCE/TRAINING
ALVAREZ, CHRISTINA 292.11
10034201 5201 SUPPLIES-OFFICE
AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES 129.24
10034201 5272 PROTECTIVE/SAFETY CLOTHING
TEMPLETON UNIFORMS LLC 31.73
10034201 5303 CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
ATC SEQUOIA LLC 142.57
VITAL RECORDS CONTROL 124.05
10034201 5315 PRE-EMPLOYMENT PHYSICALS
MILLER MENDEL INC 108.96
10034201 5328 TASK FORCE SERVICES
SLO COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT 4,600.00
10034201 5403 TELECOMMUNICATIONS
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS 199.98
10034201 5501 TRAVEL/CONFERENCE/TRAINING
CULVER, DAVID 375.00
10034201 5605 MAINTENANCE-GROUNDS
FRANK'S LOCK & KEY 122.34
10034201 5615 JANITORIAL SERVICES
BRENDLER JANITORIAL SERVICE 500.00
10034201 6201 MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT
ADAMSON INDUSTRIES, INC 973.32
10034203 5272 PROTECTIVE/SAFETY CLOTHING
AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES 570.54
Attachment 1
City of Arroyo Grande
INV GROUP PUBLICATION LIST
Report generated: 05/01/2026 08:24
User: mschotborgh
Program ID: appdwarr
INV GROUP RANGE:040126 TO 041526 DATES: 07/01/25 TO 06/30/26
ACCOUNT
VENDOR NAME AMOUNT
BRAND CREATIVE 49.68
SKAGGS PUBLIC SAFETY UNIFORMS 256.65
10034203 5501 TRAVEL/CONFERENCE/TRAINING
BIO, REGGIE 375.00
SPENCER, VINCENT 225.00
10034203 5601 MAINTENANCE-VEHICLES
BACK ON THE ROAD AUTOMOBILE 438.77
QUINN COMPANY 150.00
10034204 5255 SPECIAL DEPARTMENT SUPPLIES
AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES 1,768.01
10034204 5303 CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
FLEXTG LLC 162.99
PHOENIX GROUP 251.20
TRANSUNION RISK 100.00
10034204 5324 FORENSIC MANDATE SERVICES
AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES 100.00
SLO COUNTY SHERIFF-CORONER 497.00
10034204 5501 TRAVEL/CONFERENCE/TRAINING
DAVIS, CASEY 375.00
10034204 5601 MAINTENANCE-VEHICLES
AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES -893.27
10034204 5606 MAINTENANCE-RADIO COMM.
APPLIED TECHNOLOGY GROUP INC 168.55
CODE FOUR 1,620.00
10044420 5143 UNIFORM ALLOWANCE
PRUDENTIAL OVERALL SUPPLY 113.19
10044420 5255 SPECIAL DEPARTMENT SUPPLIES
BRISCO MILL & LUMBER YARD 219.80
10044420 5274 CHEMICAL SUPPLIES
SITEONE LANDSCAPE SUPPLY LLC 142.95
10044420 5303 CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
JTS INC 4,200.00
SOUTH COUNTY SANITARY SVC, INC 458.18
10044420 5307 DISPOSAL FEES
JTS INC 100.00
10044420 5601 MAINTENANCE-VEHICLES
BACK ON THE ROAD AUTOMOBILE 120.58
10044420 5603 MAINTENANCE-MACH & EQUIP
CALIFORNIA TURF EQUIPMENT & 644.94
10044420 5605 MAINTENANCE-GROUNDS
ARROYO GRANDE IN BLOOM INC 1,424.01
FARM SUPPLY CO 22.24
MIER BROS LANDSCAPE PRODUCTS 212.06
MINER'S ACE HARDWARE, INC 54.96
SITEONE LANDSCAPE SUPPLY LLC 130.51
10044421 5201 SUPPLIES-OFFICE
AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES 58.78
10044424 5250 SUPPLIES-VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
REYNOLDS, KELLY 34.58
10044424 5251 SUPPLIES-RECREATION CLASSES
AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES 54.63
FIRST UNITED METHODIST 1,100.00
Attachment 1
City of Arroyo Grande
INV GROUP PUBLICATION LIST
Report generated: 05/01/2026 08:24
User: mschotborgh
Program ID: appdwarr
INV GROUP RANGE:040126 TO 041526 DATES: 07/01/25 TO 06/30/26
ACCOUNT
VENDOR NAME AMOUNT
LIFEPOINT 250.00
10044424 5351 SERVICES-CLASSES
BOWLING, KENDRA 623.00
CUDDY, GAYLE 1,013.60
DIGIOIA, DEE 298.20
FIVE CITIES DUPLICATE BRIDGE 1,708.00
FRYER, ELIZABETH 1,400.00
HONEYCUTT, MADISON 96.00
LEONG, PRINCESS 252.00
MANGIARDI, HEIDY 1,906.80
MAULE, TAMMY L CROSS 361.20
NELSON, NICCOLA 380.80
NICHOLS, MICHAEL 448.00
STUMP, ANN M 284.20
TENNIS TIME ACADEMY LLC 1,260.00
YOUTH EVOLUTION BASKETBALL 847.00
10044424 5352 SERVICES-LEAGUES
MENDOZA, JESSE DAVID 67.60
10054301 5303 CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
ABALONE COAST ANALYTICAL INC 2,244.00
MNS ENGINEERS INC 7,221.43
10054301 5503 MEMBERSHIPS & SUBSCRIPTIONS
SWEENEY, SHANNON 201.00
10054305 5143 UNIFORM ALLOWANCE
PRUDENTIAL OVERALL SUPPLY 62.05
10054305 5255 SPECIAL DEPARTMENT SUPPLIES
COASTLINE EQUIPMENT 63.07
10054305 5303 CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
NWESTCO LLC 160.00
10054305 5601 MAINTENANCE-VEHICLES
O'REILLY AUTO PARTS 51.06
10054307 5303 CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
SP MAINTENANCE SERVICES, INC 7,342.50
WILSON ELECTRIC COMPANY INC, L 7,763.07
10054307 5402 POWER
PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO 22,763.01
10054308 5143 UNIFORM ALLOWANCE
PRUDENTIAL OVERALL SUPPLY 53.24
10054308 5255 SPECIAL DEPARTMENT SUPPLIES
BRISCO MILL & LUMBER YARD 219.83
10054308 5303 CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
ALPHA FIRE & SECURITY ALARM CO 405.00
BREZDEN PEST CONTROL, INC 250.00
PRUDENTIAL OVERALL SUPPLY 148.38
SOUTH COUNTY SANITARY SVC, INC 733.28
WATERBOYS PLUMBING 150.00
10054308 5604 MAINTENANCE-BUILDINGS
BURKE AND PACE OF AG, INC 74.78
MINER'S ACE HARDWARE, INC 65.18
STREATOR PIPE & SUPPLY 310.75
WATERBOYS PLUMBING 365.75
10054308 5615 JANITORIAL SERVICES
Attachment 1
City of Arroyo Grande
INV GROUP PUBLICATION LIST
Report generated: 05/01/2026 08:24
User: mschotborgh
Program ID: appdwarr
INV GROUP RANGE:040126 TO 041526 DATES: 07/01/25 TO 06/30/26
ACCOUNT
VENDOR NAME AMOUNT
BRENDLER JANITORIAL SERVICE 1,135.00
10054330 5143 UNIFORM ALLOWANCE
PRUDENTIAL OVERALL SUPPLY 50.06
10054330 5255 SPECIAL DEPARTMENT SUPPLIES
THE SHERWIN-WILLIAMS CO INC 466.27
10054330 5273 SMALL TOOLS
BSN SPORTS, LLC 696.00
10054330 5274 CHEMICAL SUPPLIES
SITEONE LANDSCAPE SUPPLY LLC 329.26
10054330 5303 CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
CREATIVE FENCE CO. 758.66
10054330 5605 MAINTENANCE-GROUNDS
FASTENAL COMPANY 650.54
110 2110 DENTAL INSURANCE
DELTA DENTAL 8,264.55
110 2113 LIFE INSURANCE
STANDARD INSURANCE CO 3,027.52
110 2114 GARNISHMENTS
SLO COUNTY SHERIFF'S CIVIL DIV 767.67
110 2117 DEFERRED COMPENSATION
ICMA RETIREMENT CORP PLAN ID 1 1,937.48
ICMA RETIREMENT CORP, PLAN ID 27,178.04
110 2119 VISION INSURANCE
VISION SERVICE PLAN 2,116.80
21654560 5304 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
RAINSCAPE 484.37
21754560 5355 PARKWAY MAINTENANCE-TR 1769
PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO 13.62
21954560 5304 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
RAINSCAPE 1,201.41
22064303 5143 UNIFORM ALLOWANCE
PRUDENTIAL OVERALL SUPPLY 65.38
22064303 5255 SPECIAL DEPARTMENT SUPPLIES
BRISCO MILL & LUMBER YARD 17.39
FARM SUPPLY CO 26.09
HEACOCK TRAILERS 28.28
MINER'S ACE HARDWARE, INC 119.60
22064303 5273 SMALL TOOLS
MINER'S ACE HARDWARE, INC 270.79
22064303 5303 CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
SCHEIDT, TYLER JAMES 3,800.00
SP MAINTENANCE SERVICES, INC 7,342.50
22064303 5552 RENT-EQUIPMENT
HARVEY'S HONEY HUTS 106.08
22064303 5601 MAINTENANCE-VEHICLES
INDUSTRIAL TRUCK BODIES 2,714.13
22064303 5603 MAINTENANCE-MACH & EQUIP
COASTLINE EQUIPMENT 43.23
CONTRACTORS MAINT.SERVICE 179.92
22064303 5613 MAINTENANCE-STREETS & BRIDGES
BRISCO MILL & LUMBER YARD 433.49
BURKE AND PACE OF AG, INC 52.63
Attachment 1
City of Arroyo Grande
INV GROUP PUBLICATION LIST
Report generated: 05/01/2026 08:24
User: mschotborgh
Program ID: appdwarr
INV GROUP RANGE:040126 TO 041526 DATES: 07/01/25 TO 06/30/26
ACCOUNT
VENDOR NAME AMOUNT
CALPORTLAND CONSTRUCTION 644.57
FASTENAL COMPANY 102.50
KIMBALL MIDWEST 244.80
MINER'S ACE HARDWARE, INC 235.33
NOBLE SAW, INC 298.80
O'REILLY AUTO PARTS 68.54
STATEWIDE SAFETY & SIGNS INC 31.34
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS IN 1,065.76
22654306 5554 REBATES
ONE TIME PAY 3,373.00
24014150 5301 ADVERTISING
COMMUNE COMMUNICATIONS CORP 20,150.00
24014150 5303 CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
ARROYO GRANDE IN BLOOM INC 4,533.26
27134202 5255 SPECIAL DEPARTMENT SUPPLIES
APPLIED TECHNOLOGY GROUP INC 2,287.34
35055679 7001 CONSTRUCTION
GRANITE CONSTRUCTION CO 484,847.92
35055679 7501 DESIGN & SURVEY
CONSOR NORTH AMERICA INC 11,813.55
35055697 7001 CONSTRUCTION
RINCON CONSULTANTS, INC 363.25
35055794 7001 CONSTRUCTION
MAINLINE UTILITY COMPANY 1,800.00
61204000 4751 UTILITY BILLING
CITY OF GROVER BEACH 201.04
61254610 5143 UNIFORM ALLOWANCE
PRUDENTIAL OVERALL SUPPLY 36.30
61254610 5303 CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
BAKER, INC, R 9,906.17
61254610 5402 POWER
PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO 3,253.78
61254610 5555 BANK CHARGES
DATAPROSE LLC 142.66
61254610 5610 MAINTENANCE-LINES & PUMPS
BAKER, INC, R 2,276.14
640 2301 DEPOSIT RENTERS
ONE TIME PAY REFUND 1,657.47
64054710 5208 POSTAGE/MAILING
DATAPROSE LLC 3,651.69
THE UPS STORE 27.91
64054710 5303 CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
DATAPROSE LLC 400.00
GSI WATER SOLUTIONS 8,730.79
64054710 5555 BANK CHARGES
DATAPROSE LLC 570.64
64054711 5402 POWER
PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO 9,581.02
64054712 5143 UNIFORM ALLOWANCE
PRUDENTIAL OVERALL SUPPLY 105.64
64054712 5273 SMALL TOOLS
MINER'S ACE HARDWARE, INC 23.90
Attachment 1
City of Arroyo Grande
INV GROUP PUBLICATION LIST
Report generated: 05/01/2026 08:24
User: mschotborgh
Program ID: appdwarr
INV GROUP RANGE:040126 TO 041526 DATES: 07/01/25 TO 06/30/26
ACCOUNT
VENDOR NAME AMOUNT
64054712 5402 POWER
PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO 9,443.76
64054712 5610 MAINTENANCE-LINES & PUMPS
FAMCON PIPE AND SUPPLY INC 278.85
64505030 7701 CONCEPT STUDIES
CK CONSULTING 1,875.00
TOTAL 793,162.87
** END OF REPORT - Generated by Megan Schotborgh **
Attachment 1
.
General Fund 452,651.16 5101 Salaries Full time 296,325.64 Streets Fund 22,035.14 5101 Volunteer Employee Retirement - Sewer Fund 16,931.86 5102 Salaries Part-Time - PPT 6,178.05 Water Fund 23,996.07 5103 Salaries Part-Time - TPT 8,991.00 515,614.23 5105 Salaries OverTime 28,219.43
5106 Salaries Strike Team OT -
5107 Salaries Standby 2,181.22
5108 Holiday Pay 8,607.65
5109 Sick Pay 5,609.48
Administrative Services - 5110 Annual Leave Buyback -
Information Services - 5111 Vacation Buyback -
Community Development - 5112 Sick Leave Buyback -
Police 24,551.14 5113 Vacation Pay 7,065.77
Public Works - Maintenance 2,799.01 5114 Comp Pay 3,603.13 Public Works - Enterprise 869.28 5115 Annual Leave Pay 6,224.41 Recreation - Administration - 5116 Salaries - Police FTO 225.08 Recreation - Special Events - 5121 PERS Retirement 41,504.48 28,219.43 5122 Social Security 27,680.58
5123 PARS Retirement 225.08
5126 State Disability Ins. 4,763.05
5127 Deferred Compensation 1,937.48
5131 Health Insurance 59,224.23
5132 Dental Insurance 2,991.36
5133 Vision Insurance 744.04
5134 Life Insurance 372.11
5135 Long Term Disability 463.50
5137 Leave Payouts -
5142 Unemployment Insurance -
5143 Uniform Allowance 134.56
5144 Car Allowance 915.00
5146 Council Expense -
5147 Employee Assistance -
5148 Boot Allowance -
5149 Motor Pay 22.90
5150 Bi-Lingual Pay 175.00
5151 Cell Phone Allowance 1,230.00
515,614.23
OVERTIME BY DEPARTMENT:
CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE
DEPARTMENTAL LABOR DISTRIBUTION
PAY PERIOD
03/13/2026-03/26/2026
4/3/2026
BY FUND BY ACCOUNT
Attachment 2
Item 9.c.
MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council
FROM: Nicole Valentine, Director of Administrative Services BY: Megan Schotborgh, Finance Manager
SUBJECT: Statement of Investment Deposits for March 2026 DATE: May 12, 2026
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and file the attached report listing investment deposits of the City of Arroyo Grande as of March 31, 2026, as required by Government Code Section 53646(b).
IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
There is no funding impact on the City related to these reports. However, the City does receive interest revenue based on the interest rate of the investments. Little to no future staff time is projected.
BACKGROUND:
The Administrative Services department has historically submitted to the City Council a monthly report providing the following information:
1. Type of investment.
2. Financial institution (bank, savings and loan, broker, etc.).
3. Date of maturity.
4. Principal amount.
5. Rate of interest.
6. Current market value for all securities having a maturity of more than 12 months.
7. Relationship of the monthly report to the annual statement of investment policy.
ANALYSIS OF ISSUES:
This report represents the City’s investments as of March 31, 2026, and includes all investments managed by the City. As of March 31, 2026, the investment portfolio complied with all State laws and the City’s investment policy.
Item 9.c.
City Council
Statement of Investment Deposits for March 2026
May 12, 2026
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternatives are provided for the Council’s consideration:
1. Approve staff’s recommendation to receive and file the attached report listing the investment deposits;
2. Do not approve staff’s recommendation; or
3. Provide other direction to staff.
ADVANTAGES:
Safety of principal is the foremost objective of the City. Investments are undertaken in a manner that seeks to ensure the preservation of capital in the overall portfolio.
DISADVANTAGES:
Some level of risk is present in any investment transaction. Losses could be incurred due to market price changes, technical cash flow complications such as the need to withdraw a non-negotiable Time Certificate of Deposit early, or even the default of an issuer. To minimize such risks, diversification of the investment portfolio by institution and by investment instruments are being used as much as is practical and prudent.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The Statement of Investment Deposits is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) because it has no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, §§ 15060, subd. (c)(2)-(3), 15378).
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The Agenda was posted at City Hall and on the City’s website in accordance with Government Code Section 54954.2.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Portfolio Summary: March 31, 2026
CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE
Portfolio Summary
March 31, 2026
Investments Principal Value
Current Market
Value
Interest
Rate Date of Purchase Term Maturity Date
% of
Portfolio
Local Agency Investment Fund $ 9,685,006.55 $ 9,685,006.55 3.871% 38.712% Certificates of Deposit
Pacific Premier Bank 249,000.00 249,000.00 3.680% February 21, 2026 12 mos February 21, 2027 0.991% Live Oak Banking Company Inc 249,000.00 249,000.00 3.150% May 26, 2022 48 mos May 26, 2026 0.991% UBS Bank USA 249,000.00 249,000.00 0.900% July 21, 2021 60 mos July 21, 2026 0.991% Toyota Financial Savings Bank 248,000.00 248,000.00 0.950% July 22, 2021 60 mos July 22, 2026 0.987% Chartway Federal Credit Union 248,000.00 248,000.00 5.250% July 28, 2023 60 mos July 28, 2026 0.987% California Credit Union Glendale 243,000.00 243,000.00 5.450% October 26, 2023 36 mos October 26, 2026 0.967% Alliant Credit Union 248,000.00 248,000.00 5.500% November 15, 2023 36 mos November 16, 2026 0.987% Capital One Bank USA 248,000.00 248,000.00 1.250% December 8, 2021 60 mos December 8, 2026 0.987% Bank United NA 249,000.00 249,000.00 1.350% December 8, 2021 60 mos December 8, 2026 0.991% Paragon Bank TN 245,000.00 245,000.00 4.050% March 19, 2025 24 mos March 19, 2027 0.975% Discover Bank 246,000.00 246,000.00 3.200% May 18, 2022 60 mos May 19, 2027 0.979% United Teletech Financial Credit Union 248,000.00 248,000.00 5.100% November 8, 2023 48 mos November 8, 2027 0.987% Medallion Bank UT 249,000.00 249,000.00 4.000% March 14, 2025 36 mos March 14, 2028 0.991% Amerant Bank NA 245,000.00 245,000.00 4.050% March 28, 2025 36 mos March 28, 2028 0.975% Freedom Northwest Credit Union 249,000.00 249,000.00 4.000% March 28, 2025 36 mos March 28, 2028 0.991% Morgan Stanley Bank 244,000.00 244,000.00 4.650% April 6, 2023 60 mos April 6, 2028 0.971% Maine Savings Federal Credit Union 249,000.00 249,000.00 4.800% July 21, 2023 60 mos July 21, 2028 0.991% SkyOneFederal Credit Union 249,000.00 249,000.00 3.900% October 25, 2024 48 mos October 25, 2028 0.991% Merrick Bank UT 249,000.00 249,000.00 4.000% March 19, 2025 48 mos March 19, 2029 0.991% Bank Hapoalim BM New York 244,000.00 244,000.00 4.500% May 21, 2024 60 mos May 21, 2029 0.971% Morgan Stanley Private Bank 244,000.00 244,000.00 4.650% May 22, 2024 60 mos May 22, 2029 0.901% Goldman Sachs Bank USA 245,000.00 245,000.00 4.000% March 18, 2025 60 mos March 18, 2030 0.905% BMW Bank NA Salt Lake 245,000.00 245,000.00 4.000% May 16, 2025 48 mos May 16, 2029 0.975% Texas Exchange Bank Crowley 249,000.00 249,000.00 4.000% May 23, 2025 48 mos May 23, 2029 0.991% Security First Bk Lincoln Neb 245,000.00 245,000.00 3.950% July 3, 2025 48 mos July 3, 2030 0.975% Synchrony Bank 245,000.00 245,000.00 3.600% October 24, 2025 60 mos October 24, 2030 0.975% Institution for Svgs Newbury 249,000.00 249,000.00 3.650% October 28, 2025 60 mos October 28, 2030 0.991% Total Certificates of Deposit 6,670,000.00 6,670,000.00 26.405% Attachment 1
CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE
Portfolio Summary
March 31, 2026
Investments Principal Value
Current Market
Value
Interest
Rate Date of Purchase Term Maturity Date
% of
Portfolio
Agency Bonds
Federal Home Loan Bank 994,396.00 986,030.00 2.400% March 17, 2021 72 mos March 29, 2027 3.959% Federal Home Loan Bank 500,000.00 497,035.00 3.375% May 17, 2022 60 mos May 17, 2027 1.991% Federal Agriculture Mortgage Corp 495,174.00 498,270.00 3.580% October 28, 2024 36 mos October 7, 2027 1.971% Federal Agriculture Mortgage Corp 2,029,036.00 2,047,500.00 4.650% May 17, 2024 60 mos April 26, 2029 8.078% Total Agency Bonds 4,018,606.00 4,028,835.00 15.999%
Municipal Bonds
California State GO Various Purp Bond $ 491,810.00 $ 500,000.00 2.500% May 12, 2022 47 mos April 1, 2026 1.958% California State Taxable GO Unlimited 1,256,116.00 1,330,003.60 3.500% November 1, 2023 53 mos April 1, 2028 5.001% California State Taxable GO Unlimited 525,935.25 548,193.50 2.500% December 19, 2024 57 mos October 1, 2029 2.094% Total Municipal Bonds 2,273,861.25 2,378,197.10 9.053%
Treasury Obligations
U.S. Treasury Z-2026 Series 984,728.00 994,950.00 1.100% December 6, 2021 53 mos May 31, 2026 3.921% U.S. Treasury Note 1,484,520.00 1,472,400.00 3.625% March 16, 2026 52 mos November 30, 2030 5.910% Total Treasury Obligations 2,469,248.00 2,467,350.00 9.831% TOTAL INVESTMENTS $ 25,116,721.80 $ 25,229,388.65 100.000% Attachment 1
Item 9.d.
MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council
FROM: Jessica Matson, Director of Legislative & Information Services/City Clerk
BY: Julie Hawkins, Deputy City Clerk/Communications Coordinator SUBJECT: Appointment to the Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee DATE: May 12, 2026
RECOMMENDATION:
1) Adopt a Resolution appointing Cynthia Shaheen to the San Luis Obispo Council of Government’s Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee; and 2) Determine that approving the appointment is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) because it has no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, §§ 15060, subd. (c)(2)-(3), 15378.).
IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
There is no fiscal impact and minimal staff impact associated with preparing the staff report for this action.
BACKGROUND:
The Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC) reviews and prepares recommendations to the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) on all phases of their transportation planning program, including transit, streets and roads, bicycle facilities, airports, funding, and plan preparation. Its membership is comprised of appointments from each supervisorial district and each incorporated city, as well as four at-large appointments made by SLOCOG.
ANALYSIS OF ISSUES:
Former Committee Member Linda St. James notified the City on January 12, 2026, of her resignation. Cynthia Shaheen has applied to serve on the CTAC and, after review of her application, is recommended by Council Member Loe, the City Council’s designated representative for the SLOCOG.
Item 9.d.
City Council
Appointment to the Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee May 12, 2026
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternatives are provided for the Council’s consideration:
1. Adopt a resolution approving the appointment of Cynthia Shaheen to SLOCOG’s CTAC;
2. Do not approve the recommended appointment; or
3. Provide other direction to staff.
ADVANTAGES:
Approving the recommended appointment to the CTAC will fill the Arroyo Grande vacancy on the committee.
DISADVANTAGES:
No disadvantages have been identified.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Approving the appointment to the Committee is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) because it has no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, §§ 15060, subd. (c)(2)-(3), 15378.) PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The Agenda was posted at City Hall and on the City’s website in accordance with Government Code Section 54954.2.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution
2. Application – Cynthia Shaheen
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARROYO
GRANDE APPOINTING CYNTHIA SHAHEEN TO THE SAN LUIS
OBISPO COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT’S CITIZENS TRANSPORTATION
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
WHEREAS, the Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC) reviews and prepares recommendations to the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) on all phases of their transportation planning program, including transit, streets and roads, bicycle facilities, airports, funding, and plan preparation; and WHEREAS, its membership is comprised of appointments from each supervisorial district and each incorporated city, as well as four at-large appointments made by SLOCOG; and WHEREAS, on January 12, 2026, the City of Arroyo Grande received official notification that its representative on the CTAC Committee had resigned, effective immediately; and WHEREAS, the appointment of Cynthia Shaheen will fill the City’s vacancy on the Committee.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Arroyo Grande does hereby resolve as follows:
1. Recitals. The above recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Cynthia Shaheen is appointed to the Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee.
3. Environmental Review. The City Council hereby determines that approving appointment to the Committee is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) because it has no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, Cal.
Code Regs., tit. 14, §§ 15060, subd. (c)(2)- (3), 15378.)
4. Effective Date. This Resolution shall take effect upon adoption.
ATTACHMENT 1
RESOLUTION NO.
PAGE 2
On motion of Council Member , seconded by Council Member , and on the following roll call vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted this 12th day of May, 2026
RESOLUTION NO.
PAGE 3
CAREN RAY RUSSOM, MAYOR
ATTEST:
JESSICA MATSON, CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
MATTHEW DOWNING, CITY MANAGER
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ISAAC ROSEN, CITY ATTORNEY
"55"$).&/5
Item 9.e.
MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council
FROM: Matthew Downing, City Manager
BY: Aleah Bergam, Management Analyst
SUBJECT: San Luis Obispo County Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact
DATE: April 28, 2026
RECOMMENDATION:
1) Adopt a Resolution approving the San Luis Obispo County Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact; and
2) Find that approving the Resolution is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) because it has no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, §§ 15060, subd. (c)(2)-(3), 15378. Alternatively, the adoption of the Resolution is exempt from CEQA on the basis that it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, § 15061, subd. (b)(3).) IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
There is no impact on financial and personnel resources associated with the San Luis Obispo Countywide Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact and Regional Homeless Services Inventory.
Regional collaboration on addressing homelessness is often an important factor to the State when considering budget allocations and grant applications. The successful completion and support of the Regional Compact and Services Inventory may assist the County and its cities in advocating for additional state funding for homeless services.
BACKGROUND:
San Luis Obispo County (County) has a stated commitment to addressing homelessness, beginning with the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness (Attachment 2) in 2008 and continuing with the “San Luis Obispo Countywide Plan to Address Homelessness 2022-
Item 9.e.
City Council
San Luis Obispo County Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact April 28, 2026
2027 (Five-Year Plan), adopted in 2022 (Attachment 3). The Five-Year plan emphasizes a bold, housing-centric strategy to:
Reduce overall and unsheltered homelessness by 50% from 2022 Point in Time Count levels by 2027
Add 300 interim housing units, 500 permanent supportive housing units, and 1,667 affordable housing units by 2027
Achieving this goal requires a whole-of-community effort that includes increasing the availability of non-congregate shelters; reexamining and diversifying funding sources; strengthening regional partnerships; and modernizing the data systems and structures that address homelessness. Achieving this goal in a high-demand/low-supply local housing market requires a mix of housing approaches that vary by how they affect housing supply, the level of services they require, and the time and cost it takes to build them. The plan includes strategies to build or secure housing solutions for 2,050 additional people over five years.
The Five-Year Plan established six lines of effort as a roadmap for reducing homelessness.
1. Expand Housing Options: Create affordable housing and shelter opportunities for underserved populations.
2. Reduce Barriers to Stability: Strengthen prevention, diversion, supportive services, and housing navigation.
3. Improve Date Systems: Enhance the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and Coordinated Entry for data-driven decision-making.
4. Streamline Funding: Identify and align resources to maximize impact.
5. Strengthen Regional Collaboration: Foster partnerships across jurisdictions and sectors.
6. Build Public Engagement: Increase transparency and community involvement through outreach and information sharing.
As part of Line of Effort #5, County Homeless Services Division staff, in collaboration with the County’s Executive Office, worked closely with a steering committee comprised of City Managers within the county to develop a Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact. The Compact recognizes the complexity of addressing homelessness in San Luis Obispo County and sets forth a voluntary, collaborative framework.
ANALYSIS OF ISSUES:
Adoption of the Compact represents a continuation and formalization of ongoing interjurisdictional efforts, providing a clear framework to guide coordinated action while preserving local authority and policy discretion.
The shared commitments outlined in the Compact include:
Item 9.e.
City Council
San Luis Obispo County Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact April 28, 2026
1. Treat all people with dignity: We affirm that individuals experiencing homelessness are members of our community and deserve respect, compassion, and equitable access to services.
2. Strengthen regional collaboration: We will coordinate across jurisdictions to align services, share data, and pursue joint funding opportunities that advance local and regional plans.
3. Expand housing and services: We will work to increase access to shelter, supportive housing, affordable housing and essential services, recognizing that housing is foundational to health and stability.
4. Share responsibility and resources: We will equitably share the responsibility of addressing homelessness by advocating for and actively pursuing funding for homelessness and affordable housing and by engaging in collaborative planning.
5. Promote transparency and accountability: We will share data, communicate clearly with the public, and evaluate progress together to ensure effective, responsive action.
6. Foster community well-being and safety: We recognize homelessness as both a public health concern and a humanitarian crisis that requires a coordinated and compassionate response. We will manage encampments with empathy and collaboration, balancing the needs of individuals with neighborhood safety, public health, and environmental stewardship.
Regional Homeless Services Inventory
In addition to the Compact, County Homeless Services Division staff prepared a Regional Homeless Services Inventory (Attachment 4), intended to convey homeless services investments, commitments, and services provided by each jurisdiction. The inventory report was informed by a homeless services survey facilitated by the County Homeless Services Division staff. Each jurisdiction had the opportunity to provide feedback on its respective efforts to address homelessness through the survey.
The Homeless Services Inventory is organized into four sections:
Strategic Planning & Coordination activities
Funding contributions from each entity across the homeless services continuum, followed by a chart of funding sources
Land use and planning activities
Direct services provided by each entity, either specifically designed for individuals experiencing homelessness or with significant utilization by this population The Compact and Homeless Services Inventory was presented to the County Board of Supervisors on March 10, 20261 and was approved. As part of the agenda item, the Board of Supervisors also received an update on the progress of the County’s Five-Year Plan to Reduce Homelessness, which is included in the staff report.
1 https://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/iip/sanluisobispo/agendaitem/details/19965
Item 9.e.
City Council
San Luis Obispo County Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact April 28, 2026
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternatives are provided for the Council’s consideration:
1. Adopt a Draft Resolution entitled, “Approving the San Luis Obispo County Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact.
2. Council could decide not to adopt the Draft Resolution approving the Regional Compact. Under this alternative, the Regional Compact will not be complete and may not create the funding opportunities from the State that are hoped for by the parties.
3. Council could request modifications to the Regional Compact. Should Council pursue this option, clear direction should be provided to County staff on the recommended modifications.
4. Provide other direction to staff.
ADVANTAGES:
A County Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact offers clear advantages by aligning cities and the county around shared goals, improving coordination, and reducing fragmented approaches. It promotes coordination across jurisdictions to align services, share data, and pursue joint funding opportunities, while supporting increased housing production and preservation at a scale individual jurisdictions cannot achieve alone.
DISADVANTAGES:
There are no disadvantages identified.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The adoption of the Resolution is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) because it has no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, §§ 15060, subd. (c)(2)-(3), 15378.) Alternatively, the adoption of the Resolution is exempt from CEQA on the basis that it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, § 15061, subd. (b)(3).)
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The Agenda was posted at City Hall and on the City’s website in accordance with Government Code Section 54954.2.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution
Exhibit A – Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact
2. Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness
3. San Luis Obispo Countywide Plan to Address Homelessness 2022-2027” (FiveYear Plan)
Item 9.e.
City Council
San Luis Obispo County Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact April 28, 2026
4. SLO County Regional Homeless Services Inventory
ATTACHMENT 1
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARROYO
GRANDE APPROVING THE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY REGIONAL
HOMELESSNESS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPACT
WHEREAS, homelessness in San Luis Obispo County is a complex, countywide challenge requiring unified, compassionate, and strategic action; and WHEREAS, the County of San Luis Obispo and the seven incorporated cities recognize that addressing homelessness effectively requires shared responsibility, coordinated planning, and alignment of local and regional strategies; and WHEREAS, the County of San Luis Obispo and the seven incorporated cities have collaborated to develop the San Luis Obispo County Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact (“Compact”) which establishes a voluntary, collaborative framework through which participating jurisdictions commit to shared principles to guide individual and collective actions, including treating all people with dignity, strengthening regional collaboration, expanding housing and services, sharing responsibility and resources, promoting transparency and accountability, and fostering community wellbeing and safety; and
WHEREAS, adoption of the Compact is intended to strengthen regional partnerships, improve coordination across jurisdictions, and enhance competitiveness for state and federal funding opportunities to address homelessness and affordable housing needs; and
WHEREAS, all prerequisites to the adoption of this Resolution have occurred.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Arroyo Grande does hereby:
1. All recitals above are true, correct, and incorporated herein.
2. Find that approving the Resolution is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) because it has no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, §§ 15060, subd. (c)(2)-(3), 15378. Alternatively, the adoption of the Resolution is exempt from CEQA on the basis that it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines, § 15061, subd. (b)(3).)
3. Approve the San Luis Obispo County Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact, attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by reference.
RESOLUTION NO.
PAGE 2
4. The City Council authorizes the Mayor to sign the Compact at a public signing event in collaboration and coordination with the County and the other six incorporated cities.
5. The City Council authorizes the City Manager, or designee, to take action and collaborate with the County, cities, and regional partners to align planning, data sharing, and implementation efforts consistent with the Compact, subject to applicable City policies, regulatory restrictions, and budgetary authority.
On motion of Council Member , seconded by Council Member , and on the following roll call vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted this th day of , 2026.
RESOLUTION NO.
PAGE 3
CAREN RAY RUSSOM, MAYOR
ATTEST:
JESSICA MATSON, CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
MATTHEW DOWNING, CITY MANAGER
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ISAAC ROSEN, CITY ATTORNEY
Exhibit A San Luis Obispo Countywide Regional Homelessness and Affordable Housing Compact
A united regional framework to address homelessness and strengthen community wellbeing Revision date:11/18/2025
Treat All People with
Dignity
We affirm that individuals experiencing homelessness are members of our community and deserve respect, compassion, and equitable access to services.
Strengthen Regional
Collaboration
We will coordinate across jurisdictions to align services, share data, and pursue joint funding opportunities that advance local and regional plans.
Expand Housing and
Services
We will work to increase access to shelter, supportive housing, affordable housing and essential services, recognizing that housing is foundational to health and stability.
Share Responsibility
and Resources
We will equitably share the responsibility of addressing homelessness by advocating for and actively pursuing funding for homelessness and affordable housing and by engaging in collaborative planning.
Promote Transparency
and Accountability
We will share data, communicate clearly with the public, and evaluate progress together to ensure effective, responsive action.
Foster Community
Well-Being and Safety
We recognize homelessness as both a public health concern and a humanitarian crisis that requires a coordinated and compassionate response. We will manage encampments with empathy and collaboration, balancing the needs of individuals with neighborhood safety, public health, and environmental stewardship.
We, the County of San Luis Obispo and the seven incorporated Cities, recognize that homelessness is a complex, countywide challenge that requires unified, compassionate, and strategic action. In San Luis Obispo County, individuals experiencing homelessness are most often long-term community members. According to the 2024 Point-in-Time Count, 81% of respondents reported living in the county for more than five years. This reinforces the importance of viewing people experiencing homelessness not as problems to be solved, but as neighbors and community members to be supported.
Together, our agencies embrace the following shared commitments. We agree to pursue policies that align with these principles and use them to guide future individual and collaborative actions to address homelessness in San Luis Obispo County. By strengthening our partnership, we can better respond to community needs and enhance our competitiveness for funding opportunities.
By signing this compact on this XX day of xxx, we commit to aligning our actions with these shared regional commitments. Through collaborative action, together, we will build a more inclusive, resilient, and hopeful future for all who call San Luis Obispo County home.
Our Shared Commitments:
X
City of Arroyo Grande
X
City of San Luis Obispo
X
City of Paso Robles
X
City of Pismo Beach
X
City of Morro Bay
X
County of San Luis Obispo
X
City of Grover Beach
X
City of Atascadero
Exhibit A
San Luis Obispo Countywide
10-Year Plan to End Homelessness
Path to a Home
ATTACHMENT 2
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements...........................................................................................................Pg 1 Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………….Pg 6
Plan Overview
Key Definitions
Priority 1 - Facilitating Access to Affordable Housing to Put an End to Homelessness……………………………………………………………………..Pg 14
Priority 2 - Stopping Homelessness Before it Starts Through Prevention and Effective Intervention………………………………………………………………………….Pg 27
Priority 3 – Ending and Preventing Homelessness Through Integrated, Comprehensive, Responsive Supportive Services…………………………………………………Pg 40
Priority 4 - Coordinating a Solid Administrative & Financial Structure to Support Effective Plan Implementation……………………………………………………………….Pg 53
Implementation and Phase I Timeline………………………………………………………Pg 64
Acknowledgments
Plan developed, drafted, and endorsed by
Leadership Council Committee Participants:
David Edge, County Administrator
Jim Patterson, Board of Supervisors
Jerry Lenthall, Board of Supervisors
Bruce Gibson, Board of Supervisors (alt.)
Lee Collins, Director
Star Graber, Division Manager
Karen Baylor, Behavioral Health Administrator
Julia Miller, Homeless Services Coordinator
Kim Barrett, Chief Probation Officer
Dana Lilley, Supervising Planner
Morgan Torell, Planner III
Jim Guthrie, City Council
Chuck Fellows, City Council
Steve Adams, City Manager
Tom O’Malley, City Council
Mike Brennler, Mayor
Wade McKinney, City Manager
Valerie Humphrey (alternate)
Chuck Ashton, City Council
Bill Nicolls, City Council
George Hansen, Community Dev. Director
Betty Winholtz, City Council
Rick Grantham, City Council (alternate)
Andrea Lueker, City Manager
Fred Strong, City Council
Ann Robb, Director Library & Rec. Services
Ted Ehring, City Council
Shelly Higginbotham, Mayor Pro Tem
Joe Cortez, Police Chief
Carolyn Johnson
Paul Brown, Vice Mayor
Ken Hampian, City Administrative Officer
Brigitte Elke, Principal Admin. Analyst
Deb Linden, Chief of Police
John Lauffer, President ECHO Homeless Shelter
Biz Steinberg, Economic Opportunity Commission
Dick Warren, Friends of Prado Day Center Board
Dave Smiley, President Friends of Prado Day Center
Path to a Home
The San Luis Obispo Countywide
10 Year Plan to End Homelessness
Path to a Home October 2008 1
Bull Chaney, Gryphon Society
Carol Hatley, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of SLO Vela Herrera, Director Housing Mgmt. Housing Authority of the City of SLO Richard Margetson, Homeless Advisory Council
Jeanette Duncan, Executive Director People’s Self Help Housing Corporation Scott Smith People’s Self Help Housing Corporation
Barry VanderKelen, Executive Director of San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation Judie Najarian, Board President (ret.) Sunny Acres
Jill Bolster-White, Executive Director Transitions Mental Health Association Joe Madsen, Transitions Mental Health Association
Rick London, Chief Executive Officer United Way of SLO County Michael Madriaga, Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee’s Office
Betsy Umhofer, Congresswoman Lois Capps’ Office
Mike Whiteford, Congressman Kevin McCarthy’s Office
Danielle Duboff, Senator Abel Maldonado’s Office
Abby Lassen, California Rural Legal Assistance
Donna Lewis, Chamber of Commerce SLO
James M. Duenow, James M. Duenow Law Corporation
Jean Williams, Associate Professor & Chair, Political Science Department Jim Roberts, CEO, Family Care Network, Inc.
Ann Travers, Trio
Lee Gulliver, Trio
Committees:
Finance and Administration Committee
David Kilburn, Aids Support Network (ASN)
Brigitte Elke, City of SLO
Dana Lilley, County Planning and Building
Biz Stenberg, EOC
Dee Torres, EOC (Prado Day Center)
Joan Limov, EOC
Jody Smith, EOC
Bobbi Smith, EOC
Bobbi Scott, Family Care Network, Inc.
Patrick Zalamen, Family Care Network, Inc.
Dave Smiley, Friends of Prado Day Center
Richard Margetson, Homeless Advisory Council
Carol Hatley (co-chair), Housing Authority of the City of SLO Cherri Neal, LifeSteps Foundation
Scott Smith, People’s Self Help Housing Corp.
Rich Chubon, Stanislaus County Housing Authority
Richard Phillips, Sierra Vista Regional Hospital
Judie Najarian, Sunny Acres Board
Denise Rea, Transitions Mental Health Association
Ann Travers (co-chair), Trio Associates
Lee Gulliver, Trio Associates
Marianne Kennedy, Women’s Shelter Program SLO
Path to a Home October 2008 2
Short Term and Permanent Housing Committee
Scott Smith (co-chair), People’s Self Help Housing Corp.
Denise Rea (co-chair), Transitions Mental Health
Jeanette Duncan, People’s Self Help Housing Corp.
Greg Buscho, West Coast Housing at Chorro Creek
Joe Madsen, Transitions Mental Health
John Lauffer, ECHO
Lee Gulliver, Consultant for EOC
Kim Murry, Deputy Director of Comm. Dev., City of SLO
Della Wagner, EOC Homeless Case Manager So Co.
Vela Herrerra, Housing Authority of the City of SLO
Pamela Hughes, EOC Case Manager
Pat Beck, Board of People’s Kitchen
Kevin Selman, Transitions Mental Health
Shona Pruitt, Women’s Shelter Program SLO County
Robb Koch, Department of Social Services
Mary Lou Zivna, EOC
Shawn Ison, EOC – Maxine Lewis Memorial Shelter
Paul Wolff, AFA & EOC
Pearl Munak, Transitional Food & Shelter
Jody Smith, EOC
Carol Phillips, Transitional Food & Shelter
Judie Najarian, Sunny Acres
Kathleen Doneff, Client
Morgan Torell, County of SLO Planning & Building
Prevention and Discharge Committee
Tyler Brown (co-chair), Mental Health Board
Rod Younquist (co-chair), Health Care
Don Dana, Duncan Group
Eric Michiellsen, Duncan Group
Al Gentle, PSHHC Supp. Services Coordinator
Jeanette Duncan, People’s Self Help Housing Corp.
Ray Fleming, EOC Health Services
Jody Smith, EOC
Pamela Hughes, EOC Case Manager
Chanel Channing, West Coast Housing at Chorro Creek
Lee Gulliver, Consultant for EOC
Mike Ball, County Mental Health
Jackie Sebro, Loaves and Fishes
Barri Dymott, Trio Associates
Judie Najarian, Sunny Acres
Phil Compton, SLO Mental Health MHSA
Dawn Latimer, CHC
Dee Torres, Prado/EOC
Ronnie Nevarez, EOC
Path to a Home October 2008 3
Biz Steinberg, EOC
Mary Cota, EOC
Lillian Bucton, Mental Health
Dolly Scruggs, EOC
Supportive Services Committee
Stephen Lamb (co-chair), Cal Poly
Joe Madsen (co-chair), Transitions Mental Health
Al Gentle, PSHHC Supp. Services Coordinator
Jeanette Duncan, People’s Self Help Housing Corp.
Joan Lawrence, People’s Self Help Housing Corp.
Ronnie Nevarez, EOC (North County)
Mary Lou Zivna, EOC (San Luis)
Larry Feldt, EOC (South County)
Dee Torres, EOC (Prado Day Center)
Lee Gulliver, Consultant for EOC
Della Wagner, EOC Homeless Services Case Manager So Co.
Janet Amanzio, County Mental Health Services
Mary Parker, People’s Kitchen Chair
Lisa Delk, Work Training Programs
Barri Dymot, Trio Association
Amber Tierney, Cal Poly
Norma Mueller, ECHO
Hildy Gal, ECHO
Jody Smith, EOC
Dave Smiley, Friends of Prado
Gene Bergman, Executive Director of PR City Housing Auth.
Julia Miller, Department of Social Services
Patti Diefenderfer, CHC
Shawn Ison, EOC
Mary Cota, EOC
Susan Matherly, SLO Superior Court
Amanda Garcia, EOC
Stacy Lough, EOC
Pam Hughes, EOC
John Lauffer, ECHO
Edie Kahn, ASN/SLO Hep
Dorie Larson, Prado/People’s Kitchen/Green Pastures
Judie Najarian, Sunny Acres
Ray Fleming, EOC
Path to a Home October 2008 4
Path to a Home
The San Luis Obispo County 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness Overview of Plan Recommendations
Homeless Governing Board: A countywide collaborative governing body overseeing and coordinating the system of care • Staffed by a full-time Homeless Coordinator and 2 other full-time staff overseeing fundraising and data collection/performance evaluation . Providing leadership
. Developing an annual work plan to guide plan implementation . Establishing funding priorities and overseeing allocations . Facilitating communication and coordination between jurisdictions, governmental departments, providers, homeless people & advocates . Organizing provider trainings
. Promoting system integration
. Overseeing & facilitating housing production
. Fundraising
. Carrying out a public communication campaign
. Conducting advocacy
. Overseeing systemwide program evaluation and quality improvement Housing
• Creation of regional Basic Housing Assistance Centers to facilitate access to housing & housing-related services (BHAC)
• Countywide Housing First Policy to get people into
housing quickly
• Development of a range of housing, including affordable housing, permanent supportive, no-demand housing, and
interim and transitional housing (for crisis situations or specific sub-population needs)
• Short term and shallow housing subsidies to help people regain & maintain housing
• Services linkages for all housing provided through
Primary Responders & Human Services Campuses
• Focus on facilitating and expanding affordable housing production through appointment of a point person,
creation of a Pipeline Committee, increasing available
funding and streamlining approval processes
Services
• 4 regional Human Services Campuses providing centralized access to comprehensive services
• Network of Primary Responders based on the campuses
coordinating a single case plan for each client & facilitating linkage of services w/ housing
• Use of triage approach to target services to those most in need
• Streamlined paperwork & single data system to support coordinated service provision
• Countywide Work Fast policy and homeless employment & training programs to get people into employment, training or volunteer work as quickly as possible
• Streamlined access to benefits
• Development of profit–generating micro-enterprises to fund service provision
• Promoting community participation and volunteering to support efforts to address homelessness
Prevention
• Use of comprehensive assessment tool at
intake to identify people who are homeless or
at-risk and designated discharge planner at all
publically funded institutions
• Discharge/Transition team coordinating a
collaborative case plan to ensure continuity of
care, involving discharge planners at all
institutions, Primary Responders and BHAC
• Creation of medical respite beds
• Homeless courts to divert people from criminal
justice system
• Eviction prevention housing assistance and
services (through BHAC)
• Performance mandates linked to Department
budgets and NGO contracts in support of
county focus on preventing and ending
homelessness
Path to a Home October 2008 5
Executive Summary
In January 2008, cities, agencies and groups throughout San Luis Obispo county began an important journey, aimed at improving the county’s approach to homelessness. The need for change was broadly recognized, as homelessness in the county was continuing to grow. More individuals and families were losing their housing; community members were increasingly frustrated by the effects of homelessness on their neighborhoods, city centers and public parks; homeless programs were struggling to meet growing need with dwindling resources, and local leaders were searching for solutions that were both effective and affordable.
Against this backdrop, and following a national trend to shift emphasis from “managing” homelessness to working to “end” it, a broad-based planning group came together to reevaluate current efforts within the county, consider best practices and lessons learned around the nation, and develop a Plan for a new and more effective response, aimed at ending homelessness in ten years. This document, Path to a Home is the outcome of that process.
Path to a Home lays out a clear central vision that focuses on ensuring that everyone has access to appropriate and affordable housing and to the services they need to sustain it. It provides a clear “path” of:
1) what needs to be done to help people who are homeless or at-risk arrive “home” to stable housing and a place in the community as productive and participating members and
2) the system, policy and program changes necessary for the Cities, Communities and County to arrive at their goal of ending homelessness in ten years.
Altogether, it is a new approach, one that puts as much attention on preventing homelessness as on helping people who are already homeless, and which calls for a variety of system level changes to facilitate integration and collaboration between mainstream and homeless agencies in their service provision. This new approach can be described as:
• system-focused, promoting greater effectiveness and efficiency in resource utilization;
Path to a Home
The San Luis Obispo Countywide
10 Year Plan to End Homelessness
Path to a Home October 2008 6
• collaborative, requiring all sectors of the county to contribute to this effort; • flexible and individualized, recognizing that each person in need is unique and requires a tailored response to his/her situation; and
• accountable, insisting on data collection and evaluation to document progress made and guide ongoing revisions and improvements.
The Journey’s Start -- Background
Recognizing The Need For Change: As with many other communities around the nation, efforts in San Luis Obispo county to address homelessness sprang up in the late 1980s as a response to what was seen as an emergency. A network of housing and service programs was created, parallel to the mainstream safety net system, to deal with the special needs of people who are homeless. However, twenty years later, it is clear that homelessness is much more than a short-term crisis, and that despite the hard work and commitment of many excellent programs, the current approach to homelessness is not working and must be changed.
Consider the following:
• Homelessness Continues To Grow, Affecting More And More People, Including Children: An estimated 2,408 people are homeless each night in San Luis Obispo county, and almost 2,800 experience an episode of homelessness each year. Of these, almost half (44%) are people in families and 22% are children under age 12. Almost a quarter (23%) are victims of domestic violence. 1 These numbers indicate not only untold human misery and forfeited dreams, but for the children, it too often is a preview of a poverty-stricken and marginalized future. Children who are homeless are more likely to have health problems2, to miss school and to have lower academic performance3. Those who are preschool age, are more likely to have one or more developmental delays.4 All in
all, childhood housing instability and homelessness have been identified as one of the indicators of future homelessness5.
1 Sources: SLO County Homeless Enumeration Report, Spring 2006 & 2007 SLO County Continuum of Care Application, Exhibit 1.
2 Weinreb, L., Goldberg, R., Bassuk, E., & Perloff, J. N. (1998). Determinants of health and service use patterns in homeless and low-income housed children. American Academy of Pediatrics 102(3): 554- 562.
3 Rafferty, Y. (1995). The Legal Rights and Educational Problems of Homeless Children and Youth.
Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 17(1), 42-45. http://webpage.pace.edu/yrafferty/yvonne/docs/Rafferty1995EEPA.pdf 4 Bassuk, E. L. & Rosenberg, L. (1990). Psychosocial characteristics of homeless children and children with homes. Pediatrics, 85(3): 257-261.
5 Burt, Martha R. “Demographics and Geography: Estimating Needs” for the 1998 National Symposium on Homelessness Research.
Path to a Home October 2008 7
• Many People Become Homeless Because The Mainstream Safety Net Has Not Met Their Needs: In San Luis Obispo county, almost a quarter of homeless people are victims of domestic violence. 68% of homeless people are estimated to have a mental illness and 37% a substance addiction.6 Unable to access the help they need, they become homeless, and too often, their problems begin to exacerbate.
• Some People Have Been Homeless For Years: Almost 10%7 of people who are homeless in the county are chronically homeless, having been continually homeless for a year or more or having had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years. This extended homelessness is an indication of a breakdown in our systems of care, in that people are unable to get the assistance they need to end this unhealthy and dangerous living situation. • The Current System Shelters Only A Tiny Fraction Of Those In Need: 92% of homeless people in the county are unsheltered, living outside or in vehicles.8 The current system clearly does not have the capacity to meet the volume and types of needs that exist in the county.
• Homelessness Is Expensive: People who are homeless are high users of emergency services, including hospital emergency rooms, shelters, mental health crisis services, and substance abuse detox programs. A study of homeless people with severe mental illnesses found that each used an average of $40,451 worth of publicly-funded services per year, including health and mental health services (86%), emergency shelter (11%) and incarceration in state prisons and local jails (3%).9
In San Luis Obispo county, a conservative estimate of the impact of homelessness on city services, including Police, Parks and Recreation, Public Works and Library, yields a figure of $121,904 per year.10 In addition, communities also bear quality of life costs related to increased crime, reduced public safety, and problems due to the congregation of homeless people in downtown city centers and public parks.
• Homeless Programs Cannot Solve The Problem On Their Own: Both the size of the homeless population as well as their multiple needs makes it impossible for the homeless service system to resolve this problem in its own. Many people who are homeless need access to mainstream services, including health and 6 2007 SLO County Continuum of Care Application, Exhibit 1. 7 2007 SLO County Continuum of Care Application, Exhibit 1. 8 Same as above.
9 Culhane, Dennis P., Metraux, Stephen and Hadley, Trevor. (2002). Public Service Reductions Associated With Placement of Homeless Persons With Severe Mental Illness in Supportive Housing.
Housing Policy Debate Vol 13, Issue 1, pp 107-163. Fannie Mae Foundation. 10 This figure is based on a cost study conducted in Santa Barbara County. The per person cost figures from that study are applied to a San Luis Obispo County homeless population of 802, which is 1/3 of the homeless population documented in the Homeless Enumeration Report.
Path to a Home October 2008 8
mental health services, drug and alcohol treatment, subsidized housing, employment and training services, and benefits. As noted above, homeless people are already incurring costs in many of these systems, repeatedly cycling in and out of these programs because their problems are not addressed in a coordinated way.
• Evidence From Around The Country Demonstrates That Re-Orienting The Approach To Homelessness Works: Over 300 communities around the country are engaged in federal government-promoted Ten Year Planning processes that shift the focus of their service systems from “managing” homelessness to “ending” it.11 This involves strategies such as making housing a central focus; increasing mainstream program involvement in preventing and ending homelessness; linking services with housing in a comprehensive and coordinated package of care; making prevention a priority; and collecting data to guide decisions and monitor progress. Many of these communities have reported significant reductions in the numbers of people homeless on their streets after beginning implementation of their Plans, such as a 60% reduction in Philadelphia, 28% in San Francisco, and 20% in Portland.12 • San Luis Obispo County Has Effective Programs Upon Which To Base Change:
While the current homeless system as a whole is not working to end homelessness, there are many excellent programs that have developed proven approaches to helping people regain and maintain housing throughout the county. Using these programs as a base and more fully involving mainstream agencies, the Cities and County can construct an effective system of assistance that will provide comprehensive and coordinated care aimed at helping people access and maintain housing for the long term.
The Homeless Outreach Program
A San Luis Obispo County
Success Story
The Homeless Outreach Program, operated by the County Behavioral Health Department, Mental Health Services, serves homeless individuals with mental illness through outreach services in the community where they congregate. HOP provides mental health counseling, medications, emergency assistance, transitional housing with case management, and assistance obtaining permanent housing. 2006-2007 Outcomes
• 92 clients served
• 90% received housing
11 http://www.ich.gov/slocal/index.html 12 The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness e-newsletter, June 8, 2006, http://www.ich.gov/newsletter/archive/06-08-06_e-newsletter.htm Path to a Home October 2008 9
• 63% involved in vocational development
• 40% have paid employment this year
• 7% are in educational programs
• Number of days homeless has been reduced by 13,346 days 2006-2007 Costs Savings
• $207,100 in cost savings from reduced incarceration of 2,071 days • $301,500 in costs savings from reduced acute hospitalization of 335 days A Call To Action: Recognizing the need to change the county’s approach to homelessness, the County Board of Supervisors undertook the development of the 10 Year Plan as a framework for effectively addressing how the county can better meet the most basic needs of its poorest residents. A central goal of the 10-Year Plan is to assist the county in stabilizing and sustaining critical services to people who are homeless and at-risk by enhancing interagency collaboration and increasing systemwide efficiency in provision of services and utilization of resources. The County reached out to all cities and community partners to solicit their participation in the planning process. Staff support was provided through the County Planning and Building Department, with assistance from the Department of Social Services. Consultant services were provided by HomeBase/The Center for Common Concerns.
On The Road -- The Planning Process
The planning process was initiated in January 2008. A Leadership Council was convened with 60 seats, composed of key representatives from County and City government, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, the business community, funders and people with experience of homelessness. The Leadership Council’s responsibility was to oversee the overall development of the Plan; solicit community feedback; develop an implementation and oversight body; and facilitate plan adoption by the Board of Supervisors, City Councils and other relevant bodies.
Four committees were formed, corresponding to the four priority areas that the Plan needed to address.
• Finance and Administration (including oversight, data, coordination) Committee • Short Term (including emergencies shelter) and Permanent Housing Committee • Prevention and Discharge Planning Committee
• Supportive Services (including Outreach, Health Care, Incomes) Committee Each committee met monthly, and strategies and action steps were developed based on general information about homelessness, its causes and solutions; pertinent county data on need and on the housing and services currently in place; and lessons from current research on homelessness and best practices from around the country.
Path to a Home October 2008 10
The final Plan is divided into four sections, each of which contains recommendations addressing one of the priority areas of action to end homelessness:
Priority 1. Facilitating Access to Affordable Housing to Put an End to Homelessness.
Priority 2. Stopping Homelessness Before it Starts through Prevention and Effective Intervention.
Priority 3. Ending and Preventing Homelessness through Integrated, Comprehensive, Responsive Supportive Services.
Priority 4. Coordinating a Solid Administrative & Financial Structure To Support Effective Plan Implementation.
The Plan encompasses a series of strategies and action steps aimed at transforming existing homeless and mainstream systems and programs into one comprehensive and coordinated system of care aimed at both preventing homelessness for those at-risk and ending it for those who have already lost their homes. These strategies and action steps are suggestions to guide County, City and Community partners in taking coordinated action to achieve this goal. While the Plan does not mandate action by any agencies, the strategies and actions steps it contains were developed through a countywide planning process and represent the strong consensus of the Leadership Council and its Committees on how San Luis Obispo county can best improve the effectiveness of its approach to homelessness and achieve its goal of ending homelessness in ten years.
Reaching Our Destination – Plan Implementation
The Leadership Council will be the lead agency overseeing the start of Plan implementation, as it oversaw the development of the Plan. The implementation timeline is at page 64. Action steps will be implemented as funding is secured, redirected from existing funding streams or through the development of new federal, state, local and private sector funding. The initial implementation can begin using existing funding streams adjusted to be consistent with the plan. State and federal funding (See Appendix C) with local jurisdictions and private resources will be needed to access housing services and boost system capacity to the scale needed to end homelessness. A successor Homelessness Governing Body is proposed for Phase I.
Path to a Home October 2008 11
Mission of the Leadership Council
• To foster involvement of all sectors of San Luis Obispo county working in collaboration and partnership to create a comprehensive and effective system of care that prevents and ends homelessness.
• To provide oversight and leadership that will promote ongoing innovation, accountability for outcomes and maximum efficiency in resource utilization.
The following vision statement and guiding principles were used to guide the development of the Plan and will be used to guide its implementation.
Vision Statement
We envision a future in which the housing and comprehensive services necessary to remain housed are available for all, affording everyone maximum self-sufficiency, and the opportunity to be productive and participating members of our community.
Guiding Principles
1. Community Partners Working Together – Ongoing coordination and collaboration between the County, Cities and Community partners is recognized as the cornerstone of our efforts to build a comprehensive and seamless system of care that ensures that no one is left out of housing.
2. Sharing Responsibility through Education and Outreach To All – Achieving results that matter will require involvement of all sectors of the community, including the business community, faith-based organizations and citizen volunteers. As such, education to build understanding of homelessness is essential in order to encourage broad involvement and cultivate support for solutions.
3. Continuous Community Building – Development of this system of care will be carried out through investment in affordable and supportive housing, treatment and services for the benefit of All county residents.
Path to a Home October 2008 12
4. Fostering Of Innovation & Excellence – Through continuing training, annual integration of lessons learned and emerging best practices, and openness to new ways of doing things, we will create a model system of care that is equal to the challenge of preventing and ending homelessness.
5. Flexible and Individualized Attention – Ending homelessness will happen one person at a time; as such, housing and service provision will be tailored to the specific needs of each individual or family.
6. Focus On Housing – All service provision will include ensuring the client’s housing stability, whether by helping people to obtain housing quickly, linking them with the services they need to sustain it, or identifying risk and intervening early to prevent housing loss.
7. Comprehensive Solutions With A Systemwide Perspective - No matter where the client enters the system, comprehensive solutions will be provided through access to the full range of care available within the system.
8. Strategic Thinking & Efficiently Targeted Interventions – Data collection to allow evaluation of emerging needs and program outcomes will enable us to target interventions for maximum impact and continuously monitor results and adjust for improvement.
Conclusion
The planning process that produced Path to a Home, the San Luis Obispo countywide ten-year plan to end homelessness, involved a diverse group of stakeholders and built a strong base of collaboration that can help to carry the Plan forward through the implementation process. Path to a Home provides a strong and compelling framework for joint action that can guide County, City and Community partner efforts to effectively address homelessness and utilize precious housing and service resources in the most efficient and productive manner possible.
Path to a Home October 2008 13
Priority 1: Facilitating Access to Affordable Housing
to Put an End to Homelessness
The centerpiece of any effort to end homelessness must be housing – safe, decent and affordable housing. Experience from all over the country demonstrates that housing provides the essential base that allows people to recover from homelessness and the crises that provoked it. With housing, they are able to more effectively address health, mental health and addiction disorders that play a role in their economic marginalization.
They are also better able to access and maintain employment or enroll in education or job training activities to enhance their employability and earning potential. Equally important, housing enables them to provide a stable environment to foster the healthy growth and development of their children. It also facilitates their ability to take their place in society as productive and participating members of the community.
Development of a Full Range of Housing
As such, a key priority for the county’s efforts to end homelessness is to expand its supply of housing. This involves the development of a full range of housing types to meet the need countywide. Of particular importance is making housing affordable to people who are homeless, as San Luis Obispo county has some of the least affordable housing in the country.
• Renters in San Luis Obispo county need to earn $20.67/hour in order to afford a modest two bedroom apartment; however, the average renter only earns $10.88/hour1.
• The median sales price of single-family homes in the county exceeded $600,000 in February 2006. Less than 10% of the county’s households can afford to buy housing at this price. In 2003, San Luis Obispo county had the fourth least affordable housing market in the nation. 2
1 San Luis Obispo County Housing Trust Fund. “Rental Housing is ‘Out of Reach’” in Housing For All, April/May 2008.
2 Data from the SLO County 2004 Housing Element and the SLO County Department of Planning & Building website.
Path to a Home
The San Luis Obispo Countywide
10 Year Plan to End Homelessness
Path to a Home October 2008 14
Also important is the development of permanent supportive housing to meet the needs of people who are chronically homeless, experiencing extended homelessness and suffering from health, mental health and addiction disorders. Permanent supportive housing links an array of services with the housing to facilitate ongoing residential stability. This type of housing is a nationally-recognized “best practice” with documented effectiveness, helping some of the most vulnerable and needy members of the homeless population to exit homelessness and improve their health and well-being.
At the same time, it has resulted in significant cost-savings for communities as, once in stable housing, use of expensive emergency services by this population drops precipitously.
• Studies of permanent supportive housing programs show that about three quarters of residents stay for at least two years, and about half retain the housing for three to five years.1
• A study in New York City documented a reduction in service use of $16,281 per housing unit per year by homeless people with severe mental health disabilities who are placed in supportive housing. More than 85% of the savings resulted from reduced usage of emergency and inpatient health and mental health services.2 Importantly, the reduced costs from lower service utilization cover 95% of the cost of developing and operating supportive housing.
Finally, interim housing, including both emergency housing and transitional housing are needed for emergency situations and for certain special need populations. 1 Wong YI, Hadley TR, Culhane DP, Poulin SR, Davis MR, Cirksey BA, Brown JL. Predicting Staying or Leaving in Permanent Supportive Housing that Serves Homeless People with Serious Mental Illness.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research, Washington DC. March 2006. and Lipton, F.R., Siegel, C., Hannigan, A., et al. Tenure in supportive housing for homeless persons with severe mental illness. Psychiatric Services 51(4): 479-486, 2000. 2 Culhane, Dennis P., Metraux, Stephen and Hadley, Trevor. (2002). Public Service Reductions Associated With Placement of Homeless Persons With Severe Mental Illness in Supportive Housing.
Housing Policy Debate Vol 13, Issue 1, pp 107-163. Fannie Mae Foundation.
Path to a Home October 2008 15
San Luis Obispo County Housing Needs5
Housing Type Estimated Unmet Need
Very Low and Low Income Housing (50-
80% of median income)
524 units
Permanent Supportive Housing
425 family beds
274 individual beds
Transitional Housing
449 family beds
401 individual beds
Emergency Housing
174 family beds
443 individual beds
Source: 2007 SLO County Continuum of Care Application, Exhibit 1, See Appendix A Path to a Home recommends increasing the overall supply of housing available to people who are homeless or at risk.
• For permanent affordable housing, it recommends streamlining the permit and approval process, facilitating production, exploring new cost-effective designs, and increasing the funding available from grants and other new sources. • For permanent supportive housing, it recommends developing strategies to link housing with support services targeted to meet the specific needs of the client population.
• For interim housing, it recommends increasing the supply in order to provide a supplement to permanent housing, not an alternative. Specifically, it recommends developing sufficient enriched interim housing to meet the countywide need for emergency housing and creating transitional housing to meet the needs of key target populations, including young people exiting foster care, victims of domestic violence, medically fragile, veterans returning from war, and those exiting prison.
• Finally, it recommends conducting public education and outreach to build support for the development of housing for homeless people.
See Appendix C for projected unit and service needs, with associated costs and potential revenue sources.
5 Data from San Luis Obispo HUD 2007 Continuum of Care Exhibit 1 and from 2004 SLO County Housing Element
Path to a Home October 2008 16
Rapid Re-Housing
Path to a Home also calls for the adoption of a “Housing First” policy by the County.
Housing First is an approach that puts a priority on helping people to quickly re-access permanent housing, thus minimizing the physical and emotional damage caused by homelessness and putting them in a position to recover more quickly. Under Housing First, people who are homeless will be assisted in obtaining housing as soon as possible, without any prerequisites such as spending time in interim housing or achieving sobriety. The housing provided will be linked with intensive case management, treatment and wrap-around services, and while services are not required, people will be encouraged and assisted in accessing those they need. This low demand approach has proven successful, even with people who are chronically homeless and/or have a health, mental health or addiction disorder. • A HUD-sponsored study of three Housing First programs [New York City’s Pathways to Housing, Seattle’s Downtown Emergency Services Center (DESC) and San Diego’s Reaching Out and Engaging to Achieve Consumer Health (REACH)] serving people who are chronically homeless and have a mental illness or a co-occurring disorder found that 84% of clients were still housed after 12 months6.
• Despite the fact that services are often not required in these programs, clients still access assistance that addresses their needs. An evaluation of the Closer to Home Initiative found that 81% of tenants were receiving health care services, 80% mental health treatment, 56% substance abuse treatment, 65% money management, 51% benefits assistance, and 41% employment services.7 Facilitating Access To Housing
Path to a Home also recommends strategies to help people access and maintain housing. This includes obtaining funding for additional housing vouchers/subsidies and creating a funding pool to provide rental and mortgage assistance to people at immediate risk of homelessness and deposit guarantees and initial move-in costs to homeless clients reentering housing. The Plan also calls for the development of 4 regional Basic Housing Assistance Centers to facilitate access to housing and housing supports for people who are homeless or at-risk. These Centers will allocate housing 6 Locke, G, Khadduri, J and O’Hara, A. Housing Models. Discussion Draft for the 2007 National Symposium on Homelessness Research. p. 14.
7 Barrow S, Soto G, Cordova p, Final Report on the Evaluation of the Closer to Home Initiative, Corporation for Supportive Housing, 2004.
Path to a Home October 2008 17
assistance funds, help people in finding appropriate units, and provide a range of services to facilitate successful tenancy.
Short Term Housing Assistance Success Stories
In Massachusetts, three pilot programs offering short term housing assistance were implemented to test alternative approaches to family emergency shelter which had become very costly (average annual cost of providing shelter to a family was $47,000 in 2004).
• The Rental Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program provided flexible funding for first/last month’s rent, security deposits and utility payments. 436 families were assisted at an average household cost of $1,365.
• Similar assistance was provided to 476 eligible families through the State’s TANF emergency assistance program to help them shorten a shelter stay or avoid homelessness. The average cost per family was $3,080.
• 207 families were assisted under the Shelter to Housing pilot with a one-time subsidy of $6,000 to cover rent and some stabilization services.
Two years later 80% of the families were still housed. In addition, these three programs were able to significantly reduce costs, housing 1,119 families for the same cost as 63 shelter rooms.8
8 One Family. Housing First: An Unprecedented Opportunity, Fall 2006. http://www.onefamilyinc.org/cgiscript/csArticles/uploads/466/PolicyPaperFINAL.pdf Path to a Home October 2008 18
The strategies and action steps outlined in the following pages are suggestions for how County, City and Community partners can improve the effectiveness of the county’s approach to homelessness. They were developed through a countywide planning process and represent the strong consensus of the Leadership Council and the Short Term and Permanent Housing Committee on how San Luis Obispo county can best achieve its goal of ending homelessness in ten years.
Strategy 1.1: CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE PERMANENT HOUSING AND
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS ACHIEVE LONG-TERM RESIDENTIAL STABILITY.
Action Step 1.1.1: Increase the supply of affordable housing for homeless people, including through new construction, acquisition and rehab, master leasing, set asides in existing buildings/developments and dedicated units in new developments (through inclusionary zoning and other strategies).
Action Step 1.1.2: Identify properties (land, retail or commercial space, motels, apartments, housing units, mobile home parks) in the county that can be acquired and converted into affordable permanent housing and permanent supportive housing for homeless people.
Action Step 1.1.3: Develop strategies for linking permanent housing with supportive services to meet the specific needs of the target subpopulation being served.
Strategies should address staffing and coordination among services and treatment providers and may include clinically trained staff on housing property manager team to coordinate and involve outside service providers. Individual case plans should be in place and integrated with provision of housing when the client enters the housing. [See Action Step 2.5.3]
Action Step 1.1.4: Explore creative new housing models for homeless people. • Conduct an annual review of best practices, emerging models, and new concepts in housing design, particularly in use with homeless people.
Convene those working with homeless people, homeless people, formerly homeless current tenants, and affordable housing developers to discuss possibilities. [See Action Step 4.4.1]
Path to a Home October 2008 19
• Re-invent housing models to be smaller, less costly, to foster communal living, and meet what homeless people want. Explore Greenbuild models and concepts, and consider SROs. Any innovative models should be good quality, politically feasible, meet funding criteria, be sustainable for management and maintenance, and socially acceptable as fit for human habitation.
Action Step 1.1.5: Appoint a countywide “Point Person” for affordable housing production and funding to lead an Affordable Housing Production Pipeline Committee that will meet bi-annually in order to facilitate development of affordable housing, including dedicated units for homeless people. The “Point Person” should be existing city/county staff. The Pipeline Committee members should be the affordable housing developers, the housing and community development staff of each city and the County, and other potential funders. [See Action Step 4.2.1.] The Point Person and Committee should:
• For each city and the County, project the number of units needed over ten years and the kind of units.
• Assist potential projects to get off the ground by identifying sponsors, funding, land and service providers.
• Annually, develop an overall matrix of projects “in the pipeline” to monitor and support their progress, including identifying and resolving barriers and providing assistance in accessing funding and in obtaining necessary permits and waivers.
• Explore mutually beneficial work with market rate developers, tap inclusionary zoning revenue, and stay abreast of all housing-related funding opportunities.
Action Step 1.1.6: Identify secure, sustainable funding sources to create affordable permanent housing and permanent supportive housing for homeless people, including funding for predevelopment, development, operations, administration, and tenant support services. Grant funds, as well as loans, are required to develop housing affordable for homeless people.
• Create a dedicated source of revenue for the County Housing Trust Fund and expand its mandate to include long term, below market rate financing for dedicated units of housing for homeless people, as well as for affiliated operations and services. [See Action Step 4.2.3.]
• Develop new sources of funding, such as in lieu fees, tax on commercial square footage. [See Action Step 4.2.3.]
Path to a Home October 2008 20
• Support the bill now pending on Housing Trust Funds in the California Legislature.
• Support Housing CA efforts to identify a permanent source of funding for extremely low income housing development.
• Work to create private funding sources for housing development for homeless people. [See Action Step 4.2.3.]
• Implement mechanisms to document and capture cost-savings in mainstream systems and programs due to reduced use of services by homeless people after implementation of Plan “best practices”, and reinvest cost savings in affordable housing. [See Action Steps 2.2.4, 2.4.2 & 4.2.5] Action Step 1.1.7: Enact local government policies, and create administrative procedures, that ease the process of developing permanent housing and permanent supportive housing for homeless people. Consider the following:
• Allowing more units per lot, waiving parking standards, school district fees, and other requirements that burden an affordable housing development for homeless people.
• Increasing the number of unrelated adults who may share a single family dwelling without a conditional use permit.
• Creating a replacement policy on any affordable units converted to market rate housing.
• Assessing the opportunity for creation of affordable units and the maximum number that can be created whenever the General Plan is amended and opportunity for growth identified.
• Adopting design models/standards for permanent supportive housing that allow automatic permitting.
• Appointing local government “affordable housing fast track specialists” as the “go to” desk for any proposed project to shepherd them quickly through the approval process.
Path to a Home October 2008 21
Expected Outcomes
• Supply of affordable housing increases to meet need
• Process of developing affordable housing is streamlined, through easier identification of sites, better and more efficient coordination of the production process and simplified and more efficient approval processes • Effective strategies in place to link housing and services • New cost-effective and high quality housing model options developed for homeless people
• Increased funding available for affordable housing
Strategy 1.2: INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF SHORT-TERM “INTERIM” AND
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AS A SUPPLEMENT, AND NOT AN ALTERNATIVE, TO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
Action Step 1.2.1: Create sufficient emergency housing capacity throughout the county using the enriched “interim housing” model. Permanent housing should be provided “first” when possible and appropriate to the individual’s needs, and interim and transitional housing should be used only for targeted populations or as a stop gap measure for a system in housing crisis. Interim housing should be linked with the Community Services Centers and structured so that it connects clients with deep support services and a case management plan to help them move toward greater stability. However access to permanent housing should NOT be conditioned on a “stint” in interim or transitional housing.
• Replace the current Maxine Lewis Homeless Shelter with interim housing to respond to current need. Interim housing should be developed with the vision of being able to convert facilities to other service and housing uses in the future as needs change.
• Concrete performance measures should be established for all interim housing programs, such as fostering self sufficiency; increasing housing stability; developing or strengthening a community support network of friends and family; and improving education, employment, and community participation. [See Action Steps 2.6., 3.1.1 & 4.3.2]
Action Step 1.2.2: Create transitional housing targeted to specific life experiences and offering appropriate services. Target populations include: young people exiting foster care, victims of domestic violence, medically fragile, veterans returning from war, and those exiting prison.
Path to a Home October 2008 22
Expected Outcomes
• Adequate emergency housing available to those in need, including interim housing and transitional housing for those with special needs Strategy 1.3: CULTIVATE AND FOSTER INCLUSIVE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.
Action Step 1.3.1: Create and fund a group to promote affordable housing for homeless people as part of the 10 Year Plan Homelessness Governing Body activity. Membership should include local elected officials. [See Action Step 4.2.3] This group should:
• Conduct education campaigns about affordable housing and permanent supportive housing targeted to local government officials and staff and to the general public. Campaigns should develop a yearly calendar of activities, including awards and tours and should address the importance and need for this type of housing, effective outcomes, process of development and the need for funding and neighborhood support.
• Conduct outreach and community education on issues of NIMBY to facilitate siting of projects.
• Promote the long-term financial advantage of affordable housing as an investment in the community and a community economic resource. Mention the years of affordability built into projects.
Action Step 1.3.2: Organize a peer support network of housing providers to facility siting of housing for people who are homeless or at risk. This group can develop strategies to encourage community acceptance when a problem is encountered or predicted.
Expected Outcomes
• Communities willing to accept proposed affordable housing development Path to a Home October 2008 23
Strategy 1.4: IMPLEMENT A HOUSING FIRST MODEL OF SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
Action Step 1.4.1: In concert with approval of this Plan, adopt “Housing First” as a countywide policy for ending homelessness. Encourage the use of mainstream discretionary funds to implement this policy. [See Appendix D for research and practice profiles on Housing First.]
Action Step 1.4.2: Provide housing units without conditioning access to meeting threshold behavioral criteria to those with alcohol, substance abuse, mental health, or personality disorders. These units should be linked with low case load intensive case management, treatment and wrap-around services provided through integrated service teams linked with master-leased housing units, “landlord integrated services” by affordable housing developers, and other effective methods. [Primary Responder agencies using the models contained in the Supportive Services Chapter will support success of this work – see Appendix D]
Action Step 1.4.3: Educate service providers and agencies on the importance of using a Housing First model. Provide ongoing staff training and develop a peer support network to support consistent implementation. Assist agencies in making necessary changes to streamline the process to and prerequisites for accessing housing. Look at redirecting services and treatment funds to support the conversion to Housing First. [See Action Steps 2.1.5, 2.2.2, 3.1.7 & 4.4.2] Action Step 1.4.4: Educate the general public about the effectiveness of, cost benefits of, and need for a Housing First approach in order to build support for the policy and programs. This should be carried out as part of the overall county Public Communication effort on homelessness. [See Action Step 4.2.3] Expected Outcomes
• Rapid access to housing by homeless people with health, mental health and addiction disorders
• Improved residential stability, health and well-being for the target population • Reduced costs to emergency services due to access to housing and services • Public support for Housing First approach
Path to a Home October 2008 24
Strategy 1.5: GENERATE MORE SHORT-TERM AND SHALLOW SUBSIDIES THAT HELP PEOPLE REGAIN AND MAINTAIN HOUSING.
Action Step 1.5.1: Implement a system of housing vouchers, both tenant-based rental subsidies and project-based subsidies to support development. Tenant-based subsidies should be designed to be immediately accessible in times of urgency.
Action Step 1.5.2: Create a substantial, new funding pool from which service providers can provide rental and very low income household mortgage assistance to people at immediate risk of homelessness and deposit guarantees and initial movein costs to homeless clients reentering housing. [See Action Steps 1.6.1 & 2.5.1] Expected Outcomes
• At-risk households are able to maintain housing and avoid homelessness • Homeless households quickly re-access housing through rental and other housing –related assistance
Strategy 1.6: FACILITATE AND STREAMLINE ACCESS TO HOUSING AND HOUSING SUPPORTS BY PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT-RISK.
Action Step 1.6.1: Create from existing agencies regional Basic Housing Assistance Centers to help people access housing and housing-related services. These designated Centers should serve people who are homeless, in shelters, transitional housing or on the streets; people who are discharging from hospitals, foster care, the corrections systems and other residential/custodial facilities; and people who are at-risk of homelessness due to eviction from current housing. They should:
• Maintain a database of affordable units and current availability. • Allocate housing assistance funds, including rental and very low income household mortgage assistance funds, deposit guarantees, and move-in costs, and manage the first-time homebuyer program. [See Action Steps
1.5.2 and 2.5.1]
• Forge relationships with landlords to encourage and support them in accepting homeless people as tenants. Landlords should be asked to accept housing vouchers and to waive credit review reports and housing application fees for homeless people.
Path to a Home October 2008 25
• Provide a range of services to facilitate successful tenancy, including housing skills for tenants, landlord-tenant dispute resolution, a repair fund, and direct rent payments to landlords when necessary to support residential stability. [See Action Step 2.5.2]
• With the Primary Responder network, create a support services plan for each tenant placed in housing that provides linkages with community-based services. [See Strategy 3.1 and Action Steps 2.1.3 and 2.2.1] • Be based at or closely linked with the Community Service Centers. [See Action Step 3.2.1]
• They should be developed in coordination with or by enhancing existing housing and social services assistance programs.
Expected Outcomes
• Coordinated access to housing assistance on a regional basis • Fewer people become homeless and those homeless regain housing more quickly due to ease of access to needed services
Path to a Home October 2008 26
Priority 2: Stopping Homelessness Before it Starts
through Prevention and Effective Intervention
“…homelessness should be reframed, and rather than focusing narrowly on bouts of outright lack of shelter, should address the broader experience of an imminent or existing housing emergency.”
Dennis P. Culhane and Stephen Metraux in “Rearranging the Deck Chairs or Reallocating the Lifeboats?”1 Effectively ending homelessness requires action not only to help those on the streets and in shelters back into housing, but also to prevent those at-risk of becoming homeless from hitting the streets. Such prevention makes sense on two levels. First, it is humane, in that the experience of homelessness is devastating and debilitating, disrupting virtually every aspect of people’s lives, damaging their physical and emotional health, and interfering with children’s education and healthy development. Second, it is cost-effective as it is far simpler and cheaper to help people maintain their housing than it is to help them once they are homeless.
• According to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study of homeless prevention programs, the cost of preventing a homeless episode is one-sixth the average cost of a stay in a shelter.2
• The annual cost of an emergency shelter bed is $8,6073 -- much higher than the $6,805 average annual cost of a HUD housing voucher.4
In addition, homelessness is expensive as people who do not have housing and supports tend to use costly emergency services, including hospital emergency rooms, shelters, mental health crisis services, and substance abuse detox programs. This is 1 Journal of the American Planning Association, Vol. 74, No. 1, Winter 2008, p.112. 2 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (1990). Homeless Prevention Programs. [OIG: 07-90-00100]. Washington, DC: Author. http://www.oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-07-90-00100.pdf 3 The Lewin Group, 2004.
4 15 Sard, B., Lawrence, P. & Fischer, W. 2005. Appropriations Shortfall Cuts Funding for 80,000 Housing Vouchers this Year: Congress rejected deeper reductions sought by Administrations. Washington, DC:
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Path to a Home
The San Luis Obispo Countywide
10 Year Plan to End Homelessness
Path to a Home October 2008 27
especially true for people who are chronically homeless and suffering from health, mental health and addiction disorders.
• A major study of homeless people with severe mental illnesses found that each used an average of $40,451 worth of publicly-funded services per year, including health and mental health services (86%), emergency shelter (11%) and incarceration in state prisons and local jails (3%). When they were placed in supportive housing, there was a net reduction of $12,146 in health, corrections and shelter services use per person per year.5
Path to a Home proposes action on two levels to help prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless: enhanced discharge planning for people being released from public institutions and facilities and early intervention to support people in retaining their housing.
Discharge Planning
Many people become homeless after release from public institutions (hospitals, mental health facilities, prisons and jails, substance abuse treatment facilities, and the foster care system). In addition, once homeless, the likelihood that they will return to these facilities is much higher.
• In California, 10% of parolees are homeless, and in urban areas, such as San Francisco and Los Angeles, 30-50% of parolees are homeless.6 • In New York City, more than 30% of single adults entering city shelters were recently released from city and state correctional institutions.7 • A study in a Florida metropolitan area found that 82% of repeat users of jail were transient or homeless at jail intake.8
• In Santa Clara County, a study of frequent users of hospital emergency rooms found that 62% lacked stable housing. 23% were on probation or parole and 51% had incomes of less than $500/month. Many had a history of mental illness or substance abuse, and 30% had co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.
5 Culhane, Dennis P., Metraux, Stephen and Hadley, Trevor. (2002). Public Service Reductions Associated With Placement of Homeless Persons With Severe Mental Illness in Supportive Housing.
Housing Policy Debate Vol 13, Issue 1, pp 107-163. Fannie Mae Foundation. 6 California Department of Corrections, Prevention Parolee Failure Program: An Evaluation (Sacramento:
California Department of Corrections, 1997).
7 NYC Department of Homeless Services, "Summary of DOC/DHS Data Match" (draft of data analysis submitted for review as part of the New York City Department of Correction and Department of Homeless Services Discharge Planning Initiative, January 22, 2004). 8 Ford, M.C., “Frequent Fliers – High demand Users of Local Corrections.” American Jails 19(3):18, 2005.
Path to a Home October 2008 28
In San Luis Obispo county, it is estimated that over 55 people exit public institutions and facilities into homelessness each month. While some discharge planning is happening, more resources and coordination are needed to ensure that all people exiting these facilities are linked with appropriate housing and support services so they can avoid homelessness.
Institution # of Homeless People Exiting
County Jail 10/month
Mental Health Facilities 10/month
Substance Abuse
Treatment Facilities
10–30/month
Youth 18-25 years old 25-40/month
Hospitals, Inpatient 80/year
Emergency Room Constant cycling in and out
Path to a Home recommends enhancing current discharge planning efforts and making housing status a central focus for all exit planning.
• In the corrections system, this means providing housing-focused discharge planning for inmates assessed as homeless or at-risk and initiating support services during incarceration to prepare for release. It also means developing diversion strategies so that homeless people who commit petty crimes are linked with housing and services to address their needs and reduce likelihood of future involvement with law enforcement.
• For hospitals, mental health facilities and substance abuse treatment programs, this means designating staff to conduct housing-focused discharge planning and supporting them in this role through training and care management meetings. It also means developing medical respite beds for people who are medically fragile and not able to enter permanent housing.
• For the foster care system, this means providing discharge planning that focuses on housing and acquisition of life skills needed to achieve independence and increasing the supply of specialized youth housing.
• In addition, Path to a Home also recommends the creation of an overall countywide Discharge/Transition Team to support the discharge efforts of each system.
Path to a Home October 2008 29
San Luis Obispo County
Eviction Prevention / Rental
Assistance Programs
1. SLO County Department
of Social Services
2. People’s Kitchen
3. Salvation Army
4. EOCSLO
5. ECHO
6. AIDS Support Network
7. Catholic Charities
8. Green Pastures
9. Housing Authority of SLO
City
10. St. Vincent De Paul
Society
11. Transitional Food &
Shelter Program
12. TMHA
Discharge Planning Success Stories
• Maryland’s Shelter Plus Care program, which provides rental subsidies, case management and support services to persons with serious mental illness coming from jails, has achieved low rates of both recidivism to jail and homelessness. Less than 7% of clients return to jail and less than 1% become homeless.9
• The Thresholds Jail Program in Cook County, Illinois, which assists people with mental illnesses who are released from jail in accessing housing, mental health services, entitlements and a host of other social services through Assertive Community Treatment, has resulted in an 82% drop in the number of days clients spend in jail. For the first thirty clients who completed one year of the program, savings are estimated at $157,640.10
Early Intervention
In 2006, 13.6% of San Luis Obispo county residents were living below the poverty line.11 This is almost 35,00012 people whose low incomes put them at-risk of
homelessness in the face of an unexpected emergency,
such as job loss, eviction, or a health crisis. Currently, 12 programs in the county provide eviction prevention / rental assistance services, but they are only able to serve a
portion of the demand.
Path to a Home recommends increasing the resources
available to prevent housing loss, including creation of a pool of resources that can be used to cover rent and
mortgage payments for low income households at-risk of
losing their housing; hiring crisis workers to work with these households to help them regain financial and
housing stability; and creating a countywide Support
Services Coordinator to oversee services linked with
9 Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). 2003. How States Can Use SAMHSA Block Grants to Support Services to People Who are Homeless. 10 Dincin, J. et al. “Preventing Re-Arrests of Mentally Ill Persons Released from Jail”, Thresholds Jail Program Study, 2007. http://www.thresholds.org/jailtables.asp 11 2006 Community Survey. 12 Based on 2006 US Census Bureau population estimate for San Luis Obispo County. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/06079.html
Path to a Home October 2008 30
housing.
Early Intervention Success Stories
• The Transitions to Housing Program in Portland, Oregon has provided short term emergency rental assistance to over 1,300 individuals and families who are newly housed after homelessness or at-risk of becoming homelessness.
Twelve-month estimates show that 71 percent of households retained permanent housing free of rent assistance, and the latest figures show that households, on average, have increased their monthly income by almost 35 percent.13
• Mediation with landlords under the auspices of housing court preserved housing for up to 85% of single adults with serious mental illness facing eviction in the Western Massachusetts Tenancy Preservation Project.
Compared to the housing outcomes of similar people who were waitlisted but did not receive services, this project cut the proportion becoming homeless by at least one-third.14
Finally, Path to a Home recommends that government agencies and community-based organizations with public contracts align their efforts with the countywide goal of preventing and ending homelessness. One approach for achieving this alignment could be through the creation of performance mandates linked with budgeting and development of a data system to track program and client outcomes. 13 National Alliance to End Homelessness, “A New Vision: What is in Community Plans to End Homelessness?”, November 2006, p. 27.
14 Burt, M, Pearson, C and Montgomery, AE. Community-Wide Strategies for Preventing Homelessness:
Recent Evidence, J Primary Prevent (2007) 28:213–228, p.219.
Path to a Home October 2008 31
The strategies and action steps outlined in the following pages are suggestions for how County, City and Community partners can improve the effectiveness of the county’s approach to homelessness. They were developed through a countywide planning process and represent the strong consensus of the Leadership Council and the Prevention and Discharge Planning Committee on how San Luis Obispo county can best achieve its goal of ending homelessness in ten years.
Strategy 2.1: CONDUCT HOUSING FOCUSED DISCHARGE PLANNING FOR
PEOPLE EXITING JAILS AND PRISONS IN ORDER TO PREVENT
HOMELESSNESS AND REDUCE RECIDIVISM.
Action Step 2.1.1: Develop and implement a comprehensive assessment tool that will identify people who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness. Assessment should include questions about housing options available upon discharge as well as other issues related to the individual’s ability to maintain housing, including employment, eligibility for benefits; family relationship status; and existence of health, mental health and/or drug and alcohol abuse disorders. The assessment tool can be structured so that when a certain percentage of trigger factors are noted, the individual is automatically referred to assistance in linking with housing. • Designate staff who will conduct the assessments. This could be by creating and hiring for a new staff position or by expanding an existing position to fulfill this function.
• Develop protocols for using the tool and organize trainings with staff who will conduct the assessments.
• Assess all prisoners upon entry to county jail, including before transfer to state prison.
• As the release data approaches, use assessment information to guide discharge planning.
• The existence of a case plan and identified housing can be a factor for consideration by county probation board.
Path to a Home October 2008 32
Action Step 2.1.2: Develop necessary systems to store assessment data and provide access to information as the release date approaches and discharge planning is initiated. [See Action Steps 2.6.2, 3.1.2 & 4.3.1] • Consider data synchronicity with the California Outcomes Measurement System (CalOMS) to be sure information collected can be cross-compared. (See Appendix E)
Action Step 2.1.3: Conduct discharge planning focused on housing for all discharging prisoners identified in the assessment as homeless or at-risk. • For state prison system releases, build on the existing PACT and Forensics Coordination Team work now underway, adding a specific emphasis on housing for those without stable housing options upon discharge. • For local jail releases, create a local parallel program that builds upon the state models, such as the new ReEntry Teams being launched by the Mental Health Department and the Sheriff and make housing a core emphasis. • All discharge planning efforts should include: identification of specific housing opportunities, both short and long term; linkage with needed support services and benefits; and pre-release matching with a community-based agency to facilitate the transition to the community.
• While short term jail stays do not allow for extensive discharge planning, people who are homeless or at-risk should be offered assistance, including signing up for agency meetings. An accountability mechanism should be built in to assure follow through.
• Discharge planning should be conducted in coordination with the Primary Responders [See Strategy 3.1] and Basic Housing Assistance Centers [See Action Step 1.6.1] for linkage with housing.
Action Step 2.1.4: Initiate services to prepare for and facilitate discharge while inmates are still serving their sentence. Utilize the help of volunteers and faithbased organizations to provide assistance, including mentoring, working with inmates to develop individualized re-entry plans, and offering services to prepare for release.
• Arrange for inmates to take classes on resources for re-entry, collaboratively make detailed housing and financial plans, prioritize meeting rehab needs, and conduct skills training.
Path to a Home October 2008 33
• Assist inmates in obtaining necessary identification so that they have it upon release. Consider creation of a temporary County identification card that can be used immediately upon release until permanent identification is obtained. (See Appendix E)
• Assist inmates in applying for benefits pre-release so that they have them at discharge. Implement benefits suspension for those incarcerated, with reactivation completed as part of re-entry process.
Action Step 2.1.5: Educate prison/jail staff, especially parole and probation officers, on the importance of housing focused re-entry support services. [See Action Steps
1.4.3, 2.2.2, 3.1.7 & 4.4.2]
• Consider using the “day in the life” experiential training process, as part of employee orientation and annual training.
• Explore feasibility of adding staff training to the San Luis Obispo Coastal Unified School District contract for life skills training.
Action Step 2.1.6: Divert homeless people arrested for “quality of life crimes” (such as sleeping in public areas, public urination, public inebriation, etc.) from the criminal justice system to case managed programs and housing. [See Appendix E, California’s AB 2034 program and San Diego’s Serial Inebriate’s program.] • Create diversion opportunity or specialized programs, such as homeless courts that understand and appreciate the unique needs and life circumstances of homeless people. [See Appendix E]
• Coordinate agencies involved (law enforcement, probation, District Attorney, Public Defender, Health Department) to provide the housing and services people need to avoid re-arrest and homelessness.
Expected Outcomes
• Elimination of releases into homelessness by the Corrections System • Reduced recidivism by people who are homeless or at-risk • Identification of people who are homeless or at-risk upon entry to jail or prison, and linkage with needed services during incarceration and with housing and services upon discharge
• Better preparation of inmates to re-enter the community and achieve housing stability and maximum self-sufficiency
Path to a Home October 2008 34
STRATEGY 2.2: CONDUCT COMPREHENSIVE, HOUSING FOCUSED DISCHARGE
PLANNING FOR PEOPLE EXITING HOSPITALS, MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES,
AND ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG TREATMENT CENTERS IN ORDER TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS.
Action Step 2.2.1: Designate staff, such as nurse case managers, at all healthrelated facilities, including hospitals and mental health and alcohol and other drug treatment facilities, to execute routine client discharge plans with a housing focus. • Discharge plans should include identification of specific housing opportunities, both short and long-term and linkage with needed support services and benefits.
• The facility discharge planner should coordinate the discharge plans and link clients to their previous or current case manager at Primary Responder or Community Safety Net agencies, if any, and with the county Basic Housing Assistance Centers which will ensure appropriate housing placement and linkage with needed services. [See Strategy 3.1 and Action Step 1.6.1] Action Step 2.2.2: Support coordination of all the health facility discharge planners through regular staff orientations, trainings, and care management meetings. [See Action Steps 1.4.3, 2.1.5, 3.1.7 & 4.4.2]
Action Step 2.2.3: Create more comprehensive medical respite beds for those being discharged from hospitals and mental health facilities who are not returning to permanent housing. Include small apartments where people can pay 20% of their income for rent.
Action Step 2.2.4: Identify and secure the funding to support the discharge planning and related services and housing.
• Advocate for the re-institution of AB 2034 as a funding stream to support these activities.
• Examine the dollars currently spent on the medically fragile, and investigate where money could be saved if cost efficient discharge plans were implemented. [See Action Steps 1.1.6, 2.4.2 & 4.2.5.]
• Target Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) resources to support housing focused transition planning, treatment, respite beds, services and permanent housing.
Path to a Home October 2008 35
Expected Outcomes
• Elimination of discharges to homelessness by health-related facilities • Creation of medical respite and hospice beds for people who are medically fragile and without other appropriate housing options
• Reduced recycling between health-related facilities and homelessness • Reduced inappropriate use of emergency and crisis services Strategy 2.3: CONDUCT COMPREHENSIVE, HOUSING FOCUSED DISCHARGE
PLANNING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE EXITING THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM IN ORDER TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS.
Action Step 2.3.1: For youth about to emancipate, age out, be discharged, or otherwise exit the foster care system or Juvenile Hall, create and implement discharge planning that focuses on housing and life skills training. The social worker discharge/transition planner should coordinate the transition plan (aka Independent Living Program Plan), linking to any previous or current case manager a youth may have.
• Strengthen, support, and expand upon the ability of the TAY (transition age youth -- 18-24 yrs) system, by dedicating housing units for them and adapting the Basic Housing Assistance Centers to meet their needs. [See Action Step
1.6.1]
• Form linkages to local colleges to orient this population to educational opportunity. Work with workforce investment programs to target this population.
• Develop mentoring program, provide life skills training and support for steps to independence.
• Ensure that youth are linked with any benefits for which they are eligible.
Action Step 2.3.2: Secure state and other funds to develop housing for this population. Continue participation in California’s Transitional Housing Placement (THP)-PLUS program in an effort to increase the number of young adults served.
Action Step 2.3.3: Develop housing assessments and interventions as needed for young people at the continuation high school.
Path to a Home October 2008 36
Expected Outcomes
• Elimination of discharges to homelessness from the foster care system • Development of special housing to help youth make the transition to independence after foster care
• Increase in number of youth exiting the foster care system who are able to achieve self-sufficiency and take their place in society • Reduction in number of people who are homeless or at-risk with foster care history
Strategy 2.4: CREATE AN OVERALL DISCHARGE/ TRANSITION COORDINATOR
TO SUPPORT AND COORDINATE THE DISCHARGE EFFORTS OF EACH SYSTEM (CORRECTIONS, HEALTH-RELATED PROGRAMS AND FOSTER CARE).
Action Step 2.4.1: Create a central discharge or transition coordinator to facilitate monthly case conferencing meetings involving discharge planning staff of each system and Primary Responders providing community-based care to people who have been or are being discharged. Case conferencing meetings should facilitate identification of mutual clients and care coordination, including collaborative development of post-discharge continuity of care plans that comprehensively address housing, income and other services needed to ensure stability. In addition, case conferencing meetings should provide opportunities to problem solve, share successful strategies and identify common system level barriers to be addressed.
Action Step 2.4.2: Collect data on “frequent users” of these systems to demonstrate cost-savings from provision of supportive housing to these clients. [See Action Steps 1.1.6, 2.2.4 & 4.2.5]
Expected Outcomes
• Elimination of discharges to homelessness from publically-funded institutions and facilities
• Reduction of recycling between the streets and these institutions and facilities Path to a Home October 2008 37
Strategy 2.5: CREATE EVICTION INTERVENTION STRATEGIES TO STOP HOMELESSNESS.
Action Step 2.5.1: Develop a pool of eviction intervention resources that can be used to meet rent or extremely low income household mortgage payments for individuals and families who are at risk of being evicted from their homes into homelessness. [See Action Steps 1.5.2 & 1.6.1]
• Significantly expand the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) resources to meet the need for prevention.
• Provide support services along with any rental and mortgage assistance, including overall assessment, landlord mediation, behavior-related eviction defense, case management, and skills training in order to prevent a similar recurrence of homelessness vulnerability.
• Attach an information sheet regarding this resource to eviction notices, and put information sheets in places where needy clients can see the information.
Action Step 2.5.2: Hire and train crisis workers to work with extremely low income individuals and families who are at risk of becoming homeless owing to eviction.
Assist them to remedy not only the immediate crisis, but also help to avoid further incidents by cultivating continuity in the client-case worker relationship, providing assistance in developing peer networks, and offering life skills training, treatment, medications management, education and employment opportunity. [See Action Step 1.6.1]
Action Step 2.5.3: Create Support Services Coordinator positions to ensure that housing units for people who are homeless or at-risk are linked with the services the tenants need to achieve stability and maintain their housing. These positions can be supported by landlords as they help ensure stable, rent paying tenants. For landlords, with a large number of units in their portfolio, the position can be in-house. [See Action Step 1.1.3] Affordable Housing Developers, Community Service Agencies, and Department of Social Services may serve as venues for these positions.
Expected Outcomes
• Homelessness prevented for households who are at-risk of losing their housing Path to a Home October 2008 38
Strategy 2.6: CREATE PERFORMANCE MANDATES TO SUPPORT NEW
COUNTYWIDE POLICY FOCUS OF KEEPING PEOPLE HOUSED AND/OR GETTING THEM QUICKLY RE-HOUSED.
Action Step 2.6.1: Create performance mandates on preventing and ending homelessness that are linked with local government department budgets and with department contracts with community-based organizations. [See Action Steps 1.2.1,
3.1.1 & 4.3.2]
Action Step 2.6.2: Put in a data system to track results in preventing and ending homelessness. [See Action Steps 2.1.2, 3.1.2 & 4.3.1]
Expected Outcomes
• County programs align with policy focus of preventing and ending homelessness Path to a Home October 2008 39
Priority 3: Ending and Preventing Homelessness
through Integrated, Comprehensive, Responsive
Supportive Services
Access to services is an essential component both of regaining residential stability after homelessness and of avoiding homelessness in the first place. Many people who are homeless, particularly those who are chronically homeless, have multiple needs in addition to their need for housing. Helping them to exit homelessness for the long term requires not only assisting them in accessing housing, but also supporting them in obtaining the services they need to obtain ongoing health and stability. Likewise, people who are at-risk of losing their housing may be able to avoid homelessness if they can access assistance to address the crisis they are facing. The types of services needed varies, depending on the specifics of each situation, but may include health care, mental health services, alcohol and other drug treatment, rental assistance, education and job training, benefits advocacy, employment services, child care, and/or life skills.
Accessible, Comprehensive & Coordinated Care
In order to be most effective, service provision should be accessible, comprehensive and coordinated. This requires an integrated system of care, structured so that individuals in need can enter the system at any point and still be assessed and referred to the full range of assistance they need. This ensures not only ease of access and comprehensiveness of care, but it also facilitates coordination so that services are delivered in a manner that maximizes their effectiveness and minimizes unnecessary duplication. Key components of an integrated system of care include structures, policies and procedures that facilitate inter-agency communication and collaboration in meeting client needs, such as a single case plan, uniform assessment and data collection instruments, inter-agency case conferencing, and common performance standards and evaluation mechanisms.
Such integration in service provision has been found to produce positive client outcomes:
• A study of two supportive housing projects using inter-agency integrated service teams found high rates of residential stability, with 81% of clients remaining in Path to a Home
The San Luis Obispo Countywide
10 Year Plan to End Homelessness
Path to a Home October 2008 40
their housing for a year and 62% for two years. In addition, after one year, client use of emergency rooms fell by 58%; use of hospital inpatient beds fell by 57%; and use of residential mental health programs disappeared.1 • The evaluation of the ACCESS (Access to Community Care and Effective Services and Supports) demonstration program concluded that systems that are better integrated have significantly better client housing outcomes.2 • An evaluation that looked at nine National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) demonstration projects to foster increased cooperation among alcohol treatment, drug treatment, and housing and other supportive services, found that individuals served in sites with more inter-program cooperation and formal linkages were significantly more likely to report improvement than comparison clients in most other sites.3
In San Luis Obispo county, integration and coordination of service provision is underway through the Family Resource Centers4.
Path to a Home recommends the establishment of comprehensive, integrated and flexible system of care to meet the needs of people who are homeless and at-risk. To do this, it suggests:
• Establishing common standards of care across agencies, the creation of a single data system and systemwide staff training.
• Use of a single case plan for clients and improved interagency communication about clients, including regional case conferencing teams. • Funding outreach workers throughout the county to facilitate and encourage access to care by people who are chronically homeless and outside of the service system.
1 Proscio, Tony. (2000). “Supportive Housing and Its Impact on the Public Health Crisis of Homelessness”, Corporation for Supportive Housing. pp. 7 and 15-18. 2 Goldman, H.H.; Morrissey, J.P.; Rosenheck, R.A.; Cocozza, J.; Blasinsky, M.; Randolph, F.; and the ACCESS National Evaluation Team. Lessons From the Evaluation of the ACCESS Program. Psychiatric Services, August 2002 Vol. 53 No. 8, pp. 967-969. http://psychservices.psychiatryonline.org 3 Orwin, R. G., Goldman, H. H., Sonnefeld, L. J., Ridgely, M. S., Garrison-Mogren, R., & O’Neill, E. (1994). Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment of Homeless Individuals: Results From the NIAAA Community Demonstration Program. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 5(4): 326-352. 4 The SAFE Family Resource Centers are collaboratively staffed from DSS, Probation, the Health Agency (Drug & Alcohol, public health, mental health), EOC (our local anti-poverty agency), school districts and local non-profits such as the Literacy Council or Hospice (depending on the community). Some agencies such as the Regional Center have parent resource centers also, as do some schools. Working with parent shared leadership principles there is also some development of more generic community resource centers but as far as I know there are no physical locations at this time. The intention is to integrate or at least coordinate all of the above
Path to a Home October 2008 41
• Creation of four regional Community Service Centers to provide centralized access to a broad range of services.
Integrated Services Success Story
California’s AB 2034 Program provided comprehensive services to adults with serious mental illness who were homeless, recently released from a county jail or state prison, or at significant risk of incarceration or homelessness unless provided with treatment. Meeting the multiple needs of this client population required integration of services within and across agencies, including outreach, supportive housing and other housing assistance, employment, substance abuse, mental health and health care services.
AB 2034 outcomes include:
• Reduction in Prison and Jail Incarceration: number of clients incarcerated decreased 58.3%, number of incarcerations decreased
45.9%, and the number of incarceration days decreased 72.1% • Decreased Homelessness: overall number of homeless days experienced by clients decreased by 67.3%
• Decreased Hospital Use: number of clients hospitalized decreased
42.3%, hospital admissions decreased 28.4%, and the number of hospital days decreased 55.8%
• Increased Income Levels: number of SSI recipients increased by
93.1% and the number of people receiving wages from employment increased by 279.8%5*
Community Participation
Homelessness represents a serious tear in the fabric of our communities in which some members fall through the cracks, not receiving the support and assistance they need to take their place or maintain their place as productive and participating members.
Repairing this rip requires communitywide support and participation. To this end, Path to a Home recommends actions to facilitate community involvement and understanding, including community meetings, organizing volunteers and use of media to both recruit support and educate the community.
5 Effectiveness of Integrated Services for Homeless Adults with Serious Mental Illness, Report to the Legislature 2003. California Department of Mental Health, Stephen W. Mayberg, Ph.D. Director. May 2003. pp. 9-13. www.dmh.cahwnet.gov/AOAPP/Int_Services/docs/Leg_Report_2003.pdf Path to a Home October 2008 42
Employment & Volunteerism
Employment is an important aspect of preventing and ending homelessness as it provides an income stream allowing people to obtain housing and meet other needs.
Jobs as well as volunteer work are important as they provide people with a sense of purpose and value, offering opportunities to make a contribution to the community. The enhanced sense of self-worth that comes from this is a crucial source of motivation for making the changes necessary to achieve long-term health and stability.
Employment services have been shown to be effective in helping people who are homeless to access employment, even those with serious barriers to employment. • Studies document that clients, even those with histories of homelessness and disability, who receive employment services as part of an integrated package of care are able to access employment.6
• Analysis of data from the ACCESS demonstration program suggests that use of vocational services is significantly associated with increased likelihood of paid employment.7 In addition, receipt of vocational and rehabilitation services delivered through case management has been found to be associated with a lower probability of shelter reentry after termination of ACCESS services.8 Path to a Home recommends actions to enhance access to employment and volunteer work by people who are homeless or at-risk through the creation of comprehensive work training programs, including job mentoring / job shadowing programs and the development of a database of employment and volunteer opportunities. It also recommends the development of profit-generating microenterprises to provide both employment and training opportunities for homeless people and income generation to support the work of key agencies in the system of care. 6 Cook, J.A., Pickett-Schenk, S.A., Grey, D., Banghart, M., Rosenheck, R., and Randolph, F. Vocational outcomes among formerly homeless individuals with severe mental illness in the ACCESS program.
Psychiatric Services 52(8):1075-1080, 2001 and Trutko, J.W., Barnow, B.S., Kessler-Beck, S., et al.
Employment and Training for America’s Homeless: Final Report of the Job Training for the Homeless Demonstration Program. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor, 1997. 7 Pickett-Shenk et al (2002) Employment history of homeless persons with mental illness, Community Mental Health Journal, 38(3):199-211.
8 Nin, Wong and Rothbard. Outcomes of shelter use among homeless adults with serious mental illness.
Psychiatric Services, 56:172-178, 2005.
Path to a Home October 2008 43
Employment Services Success Story
In New York City, The Doe Fund’s, Ready Willing and Able employment program assists homeless people to secure housing and personal stability through employment. 56% of all clients who completed the program obtained employment, either outside the Doe Fund or within it. 86% of the employed clients kept their jobs for at least 90 days, 57% for at least one year and 44% for two years.9 Enhanced Access to Benefits
Some people who are homeless are unable to access employment due to serious disabilities. For them, access to benefits is a means to obtain housing and maximize their self-sufficiency. Unfortunately, many of those eligible for benefits do not access them due to lack of information, difficulties in filing applications and other problems.
Benefits advocacy programs have been shown to increase access to entitlement programs, and receipt of benefits to improve client quality of life. • The federal SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery) Project’s training and technical assistance in 24 states and the County of Los Angeles have dramatically improved homeless access to this important benefit. SSI/SSDI application approval rates increased from 10-15% to 49-100% and the length of time for an application decision decreased from an average of more than 120 days to an average of less than 96 days. In addition, fewer follow-up consultative exams are being requested by DDS, evidence of better disability documentation in the applications.10
• A study of mentally-ill homeless veterans who applied for SSI or SSDI found that three months after the award decisions, those awarded benefits had significantly higher incomes and reported higher quality of life. They spent more on housing, food, clothing, transportation and tobacco products, but not on alcohol or illegal drugs.11
9 The Doe Fund, Inc.'s Ready, Willing and Able Program Client Profile and Outcomes 1999 – 2001.
Prepared March 2003 by Mika'il DeVeaux of Philliber Research Associates. http://www.doe.org/programs/program_eval.cfm
10 Preliminary Outcomes from the SOAR Technical Assistance Initiative, http://www.prainc.com/SOAR/about/SOARPreliminaryOutcomes.pdf 11 Long, D, Rio, J and Rosen, J. Employment and Income Supports for Homeless People. Discussion Draft for the 2007 National Symposium on Homelessness Research. pp. 21-22.
Path to a Home October 2008 44
Path to a Home recommends actions to increase homeless access to benefit programs, including development of partnerships between service provider agencies and benefits programs, outstationing of eligibility staff at the Community Services Centers and fast-tracking of SSI/SSDI applications using national models such as SOAR.
Path to a Home October 2008 45
The strategies and action steps outlined in the following pages are suggestions for how County, City and Community partners can improve the effectiveness of the county’s approach to homelessness. They were developed through a countywide planning process and represent the strong consensus of the Leadership Council and the Supportive Services Committee on how San Luis Obispo county can best achieve its goal of ending homelessness in ten years.
Strategy 3.1: CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE, INTEGRATED, FLEXIBLE SYSTEM OF
CARE WHICH OFFERS EFFECTIVE AND COORDINATED CARE TO THOSE IN NEED.
The comprehensive system of care will be comprised of “Primary Responders” and “Community Safety Net” Agencies. ONE client-centered case plan will be developed that coordinates care by all agencies serving the client. This will include a clinical assessment and evaluation. [See Action Steps 1.6.1, 2.1.3, 2.2.1, 3.4.1, 3.5.1 and 3.6.1] Primary Responders are those whose principal business is responding to housing, services, and treatment needs of extremely low income people, including those who become homeless. They typically include emergency shelters, day centers, the Housing Authorities, the Department of Social Services, Health Department, Health Care for the Homeless, Family Resource Centers and Outreach workers, and non profit housing providers. Primary responders reach out to engage the homeless population and those at immediate risk, assessing needs and creating individual action plans.
Community Safety Net Agencies provide assistance to a much broader range of people, but routinely include homeless people. These include the emergency rooms, hospitals, alcohol and drug treatment programs, schools and food pantries. Community Safety Net Agencies should participate in contributing information on needs, developing the action plan, and reporting on progress.
Regular case conferencing on individuals and families who are homeless should be convened, to assure progress. For Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) purposes, both groups of agencies may be legally permitted to participate pursuant to the client's informed consent, a business associates agreement or as a multidisciplinary team under Welfare and Institutions Code section 10850.1.
It is recommended that the development of a comprehensive system of care take place in phases, with the first phase (Years 1-3) focused on launching a pilot of coordinated care for people who are chronically homeless. As such, the following action steps should be implemented in Years 1-3 with a focus on the chronic homeless subpopulation. In subsequent years, the focus should expand to include other subpopulations to be served in the system of care.
Path to a Home October 2008 46
Action Step 3.1.1: For each County Department in contact with people who are homeless or at-risk, establish standards of care to use in carrying out work under this Plan and participating in the overall system of care. Involve homeless people in the development of the standards. [See Action Steps 1.2.1, 2.6.1 & 4.3.2] • Develop common standards for case management for all agencies in the system of care. Create a certificate program in case management at the CAL Poly continuing education center.
Action Step 3.1.2: Create a single data system to support the new coordinated system of care.
• Streamline administrative paperwork for reporting data and outcomes, identify common data elements to be collected, and establish shared standards and definitions for all participating agencies. [See Action Steps
2.1.2, 2.6.2 & 4.3.1]
• Create capacity for web-based case-conferencing (like Child Protective Services model).
Action Step 3.1.3: Create an interactive system of communication that can be used by shelters, multi-service centers and other programs to communicate regarding clients appointments, schedules, and transportation needs, in an effort to ensure that clients attend their appointments.
Action Step 3.1.4: Create a “Homeless Case Management Brain Trust” to develop a triage mechanism to ensure that those with the greatest or most severe needs get immediate assistance.
Action Step 3.1.5: Create case management case conferencing teams in each of the 4 primary geographic regions (North, South, SLO City, Coastal) of the county, with the Primary Responder agencies (above). Participation in the case conferencing teams should be directly by Department or Agency heads or by designated staff with decision-making authority, so that solutions can be identified and implemented at these sessions.
Action Step 3.1.6: Develop a single case plan for each client, addressing the full range of housing and services needed.
Path to a Home October 2008 47
• Case plans should seek to maintain the involvement of all those already engaged with the client and to create community support networks to support progress of the individual/family in reaching housing stability. This includes nurturing ties with friends, family, and commonplace community venues (grocery store, church, schools).
• Case plans should address the need for life skills, including tenancy skills, conflict management, parenting skills, money management and budgeting, among others.
Action Step 3.1.7: Offer an annualized staff training series, covering evidencebased practices, best practices, and emerging and promising practices. Critical Time Intervention and Continuous Community Treatment will be models underpinning the new system of care, and should be taught in Year 1. [See Action Steps 1.4.3, 2.1.5, 2.2.2 & 4.4.2]
Action Step 3.1.8: Re-fund the Adult System of Care Homeless Outreach Project workers, the front line workers of the system of care, with 6 staff regionalized in 5 cities. “Outreach and Engagement Services” are the critical first step to ending chronic homelessness. Having sufficient workers to establish relationships with people who are not in touch with services will reconnect people to community agencies, thus facilitating their exit from homelessness. Outreach workers should function using national evidenced-based practices and promising practices, such as Assertive Community Treatment, and the Integrated Services Team model. (See Appendix F)
Expected Outcomes
More effective care provided and greater efficiency in resource utilization Enhanced inter-agency communication about client care People who are homeless connected with housing and services Strategy 3.2: CENTRALIZE AND STREAMLINE ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE, COORDINATED SUPPORT SERVICES.
Action Step 3.2.1: Create four centralized Community Services Centers, one in each region of the county, at which people can access a comprehensive range of support services in one location. Each Center should include the Primary Responders, linkages to the Basic Housing Assistance Centers as well as Path to a Home October 2008 48
Community Safety Net Agencies and other agencies offering needed services. [See Action Step 1.6.1, 3.4.1, 3.5.1 and 3.6.2]
• Centers should be designed to serve as a single point of entry to the system of care, offering an “any door the right door to services” approach. • Design the Center to serve as a mixed-income Community Services Center that is an asset to the entire community, rather than segregating services for homeless people away from services for the general community. Build upon what exists in the 4 geographic areas, working with jurisdictions and existing buildings or facilities. Partner with Family Resource Centers and other existing programs to meet the needs of homeless people. Each should be unique physically, influenced and designed to fit what is in place, and may include homeless-related services as well as other services needed by the general community, such as Detox Centers, sobering stations, drug and alcohol treatment, child focused development services, food services, and health care. Co-location of key County and community services will facilitate meeting needs of homeless people.
• Mobile vans can supplement on site services with specialized care.
Action Step 3.2.2: Design a transportation system that will bring county residents in need of services to one of the Centers. Work with the Ride-on for buses. (See Appendix F)
Expected Outcomes
Accessible, coordinated services for those in need
Strategy 3.3: GENERATE GREATER COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THE PROVISION OF COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.
Action Step 3.3.1: Host community meetings at which the general community, service providers, homeless people, and those at risk of homelessness can communicate and forge partnerships. This can be based on the Project Homeless Connect and Stand Down models (See Appendix F)
Action Step 3.3.2: Establish a way of linking the many county residents who want to volunteer into a homeless-response system and mobilizing them to work at all Path to a Home October 2008 49
agencies. This can be centralized volunteer coordination using the Volunteer SLO database.
Action Step 3.3.3: Utilize all media including 211, web, radio, print, and public broadcasting stations as a way to recruit volunteers and educate the community as to homeless interventions happening in their neighborhood. Link to Spring Homeless Awareness Week at Cal Poly.
Expected Outcomes
Greater resources devoted to addressing homelessness
Increased public understanding of homelessness and support for action STRATEGY 3.4: FOSTER EMPLOYMENT, VOLUNTEERISM, AND A SENSE OF
PURPOSE AMONG HOMELESS PEOPLE, AS A CORE INTERVENTION TO
PREVENT AND END HOMELESSNESS
Action Step 3.4.1: Expand or incorporate a comprehensive work-training program for homeless individuals at the Community Services Centers to build confidence and skills. Primary Responder agencies should work with the Department of Rehabilitation, Vocation Rehabilitation, the One Stop Centers and others for whom employment is their core focus. [See Action Step 3.2.1 and Strategy 3.1] • Employability assessments should include the impact of earnings on receipt of benefits.
• Employment supports should be provided as needed, including child care, transportation.
• Preparation for employment may include education and training; retraining; provision of tools and uniforms; and paying union/apprenticeship fees and workers compensation coverage.
• Foster an expectation that everyone is able to contribute to the community, either by earning a wage or by volunteering.
• Build upon the work component of existing programs, considering such examples as Growing Grounds Farms, Shoreline Industries, Senior Work Training Programs, and others. (See Appendix E)
Path to a Home October 2008 50
• The Homelessness Governing Body should establish a Workforce Committee, and establish a formal relationship with the One Stop Centers.
Action Step 3.4.2: Establish a “temp” employment agency, and target employment sectors with potential for growth, such as agriculture.
Action Step 3.4.3: Create a database of all day labor job sites and job placement agencies, volunteer work, and community participation activity. Make this information available to clients.
Action Step 3.4.4: Utilize volunteers to create a job mentoring and/or job shadowing program for homeless people in order to help coach people to next step employment opportunity. Assist as needed with forms, resumes and paperwork.
Expected Outcomes
More homeless people achieving economic self-sufficiency and contributing to the community
Strategy 3.5: SUPPORT CREATION OF PROFIT-GENERATING BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO HOMELESSNESS “PRIMARY RESPONDER”
AGENCIES.
Action Step 3.5.1: Partner retired Business Executive or University Professors with Homeless Service Agencies to explore fields of interest and develop business plans. • Cal Poly Business School seniors could develop the Plans, as could RAMS, Mission Community Services Corporation, SCORE, and the Economic Vitality Corporation.
• Business development could be linked to Primary Responder agencies and regional Community Services Centers. [See Strategy 3.1 and Action Step
3.2.1]
Expected Outcomes
Path to a Home October 2008 51
Greater sustainable resources devoted to addressing homelessness STRATEGY 3.6: USE MAINSTREAM BENEFITS AND RESOURCES MORE
EFFECTIVELY IN SUPPORT OF COUNTY GOAL TO END HOMELESSNESS Action Step 3.6.1: Develop partnerships between homeless Primary Responder providers and mainstream benefits provider organizations. [See Strategy 3.1] • This may include “deputizing” community-based agency staff to do intake interviews or preliminary eligibility assessments for benefits. Look at the Food Stamps in a Day model (see
http://homebaseccc.org/PDFs/More_PDFs/Foodstamp%20Report%20v%204. pdf) and the DVA increased involvement in meeting the needs of homeless people model.
Action Step 3.6.2: Outstation intake eligibility staff from mainstream benefits programs at homelessness programs and at the Community Services Centers. [See Action Step 3.2.1]
Action Step 3.6.3: Facilitate access to SSI/SSDI by providing application assistance and advocacy to help eligible individuals obtain this benefit. Use the emerging national models and practices that have successfully raised first-approval applications for homeless people above 60%. (See Appendix F) Expected Outcomes
More homeless people accessing the benefits for which they are eligible Greater housing stability through access to benefits
Path to a Home October 2008 52
Priority 4. Coordinating A Solid Administrative &
Financial Structure To Support Effective Plan
Implementation
As can be seen in the previous chapters of this Plan, effectively responding to homelessness requires development of a system of care that offers coordinated and seamless access to a comprehensive range of housing and services.
Formation of such a system entails significant integration across mainstream and homeless systems and agencies to create new configurations and models of service provision that enhance access to assistance, improve the quality and comprehensiveness of care, and promote more efficient use of resources. A centralized Homelessness Governing Body is needed to both facilitate the system change needed to achieve enhanced integration and to provide continuing systemwide oversight.
To this end, Path to a Home recommends the creation of a countywide collaborative Homelessness Governing Body to administer the county’s integrated systems of care, coordinate efforts to prevent and end homelessness, and oversee Plan implementation. It is suggested that the Governing Body be based in an existing non-profit entity, which can act as host and fiscal agent, and have formal Memoranda of Understandings (MOUs) in place with all public and nonprofit agencies involved in the effort to respond to homelessness. This Governing Body and its committees should evolve from the Leadership Council and committees that developed the Plan. It should have the equivalent of fulltime dedicated staff to support its varied functions.
Implementation of the Plan will require significant resources that should be identified and developed in stages. The next three months (July-September 2008) focus on 1) gaining acceptance for the Plan from elected bodies and 2) launching strategic activities called for in the Plan. This second requires engaging homeless housing and service providers in new ways to work, initially focusing on mainstreaming and coordinating the response to homelessness and implementation of a Housing First approach. To this end, agencies should be engaged in identifying the changes they need to make in order to align with these Mapping The Path Home
The San Luis Obispo Countywide
10 Year Plan to End Homelessness
Path to a Home
The San Luis Obispo Countywide
10 Year Plan to End Homelessness
Path to a Home October 2008 53
two strategies and the resources they will need to support making these changes. Adjustment of the use of existing resources, small investments from local jurisdictions, and aggressive pursuit of state, federal, and private sources can support moving forward. [See Appendix B for evaluation profiles to be filled out by agencies.] Based on this information, a detailed budget and timeline should be developed for Year 1 of Phase 1 (Years 1-3) of implementation. Action steps should be implemented as funding is secured, redirected from existing funding streams or through the development of new federal, state, local and private sector funding. [See “The Map: Implementation Timeline” for description of the phases of implementation and the Phase 1 Implementation Chart, identifying lead agencies and benchmarks for all action steps.] To secure the funding needed to implement the Plan, Path to a Home recommends:
• “Spending smarter” by ensuring that existing funding sources are used as effectively and efficiently as possible, thereby serving clients better and maximizing positive impacts. Adjust these existing funds to carry out the Plan. In 2007, San Luis Obispo county spent at least $1,513,471 on homeless shelter, housing and services. In addition, another $848,222 was awarded from HUD Homeless Assistance Grant Programs. (See Appendix C)
• Aggressively pursuing additional federal, state, local and private funding opportunities. (See Appendix C for source locations
• Increasing local public and private investment in Plan implementation and addressing homelessness.
• Exploring the development of Social Enterprises and revenue-generating activity within non-profit organizations.
• Documenting and capturing cost-savings in mainstream programs, as is feasible, due to reduced use of services by homeless people after implementation of Plan strategies.
In addition, in order to facilitate the ongoing effectiveness of the new system of care created through the Ten Year Plan, Path to a Home recommends:
• Collecting data on homelessness and program performance to guide planning, program development and funding decisions. This requires the development of a Homeless Management Information System and the establishment of countywide performance standards to track progress in preventing and ending homelessness.
Path to a Home October 2008 54
• Promoting continuous quality improvement through ongoing incorporation of lessons and best practices and through quarterly staff trainings.
Path to a Home October 2008 55
The strategies and action steps outlined in the following pages are suggestions for how County, City and Community partners can improve the effectiveness of the county’s approach to homelessness. They were developed through a countywide planning process and represent the strong consensus of the Leadership Council and the Finance and Administration Committee on how San Luis Obispo county can best achieve its goal of ending homelessness in ten years.
Strategy 4.1: ESTABLISH A COUNTYWIDE COLLABORATIVE
HOMELESSNESS GOVERNING BODY TO COORDINATE EFFORTS TO
PREVENT AND END HOMELESSNESS AND OVERSEE PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION.
Action Step 4.1.1: Create a centralized county Homelessness Governing Body. It is suggested that it be based in an existing, appropriate non-profit entity. As such, a non-profit agency sponsor should be identified to act as host and fiscal agent for the Governing Body.
• Draft MOUs to define collaborative relationships between the Homelessness Governing Body and public and non-profit agencies serving people who are homeless or at-risk.
• The Homelessness Governing Body should provide oversight for two interconnected sub-regional homeless services systems: 1) San Luis Obispo/South County and 2) North County/North Coast. Each subregional homeless system should operate the services and housing within its area and engage in fundraising efforts for its programs.
However, all data, outcomes and fundraising information should be reported to the countywide Governing Body.
Action Step 4.1.2: Delineate the responsibilities of the Homelessness Governing Body and its members. These should include:
• Providing overall leadership of the effort to prevent and end homelessness.
• Development of Annual Work Plan to guide Plan implementation. • Initiation of new projects.
• Establishment of priorities for funding and allocation of resources in line with the priorities.
Path to a Home October 2008 56
• Facilitating communication, coordination and collaboration between jurisdictions, governmental departments, providers, homeless people and advocates.
• Promoting integration of systems to more effectively and efficiently address homelessness.
• Implementing and maintaining Housing First model and philosophy. • Approving contracts for services, treatment, housing as called for in the Plan.
• Securing grants, contracts and other resources to assure stability of funding to core agencies carrying out the new Plan.
• Promoting the development of affordable housing for people who are homeless and at-risk and identifying funding for both the housing and services to be linked to it. [See Action Steps 1.3.2 & 4.1.5.] • Developing a Public Communication effort, working with the media, businesses, social and civic organizations, to provide information about the causes of and solutions to homelessness and encourage volunteerism and donations to support efforts on homelessness. . [See Action Steps 1.3.1, 1.4.4 & 4.2.3]
• Advocacy for federal, state and local policy and funding changes to support efforts to effectively address homelessness.
• Overseeing all components of the system of care, including systemwide program evaluation and quality improvement
Action Step 4.1.3: Involve representatives from all sectors so the Homelessness Governing Body is broad-based and inclusive. Members should be in positions of responsibility and able to make policy decisions and allocate resources.
• Membership could include representatives from:
- County Board of Supervisors, 2 rotating members
- Cities, 3 members rotating among 7 cities
- County Services, 3 members representing the seven cities rotate among Public Health, Behavioral Health, Planning, Social Services and Veterans Services
- Non-Profit Service Providers, 3 regional members chosen by the Homeless Services Coordinating Council
- Affordable Housing Developers, 3 members
- Business, 3 members
- Schools, 1 member
- Law Enforcement, 1 member
- Academic, 1 member
Path to a Home October 2008 57
Action 4.1.4: Adequately staff the Homelessness Governing Body so that it can fulfill its leadership functions. Consider 3 full-time staff – 1 Homelessness System Director, 1 Fund/Resource Developer and 1 person overseeing data collection and performance evaluation. Staffing may be contracted out to existing non-profit sector staff or to consultants. The Homeless System Director should have standing to interact with all County and City Department heads.
Action 4.1.5: Form Standing, Ad Hoc and Working Committees as needed to carry out the work of the Homelessness Governing Body and implement the Plan. Committee membership can be broader than that of the Governing Body and should involve key leaders and stakeholders, including County agency staff, business leaders, philanthropists, law enforcement, housing and service providers, faith based organizations, community based organizations, formerly homeless persons, and consumers.
• HOUSING PRIORITY: The Short Term and Permanent Housing Committee should continue with an active role in implementing the Housing Priority of the Plan and in promoting the development of affordable housing for people who are homeless and at-risk. • PREVENTION PRIORITY: The Prevention and Discharge Planning Committee should coordinate with the Medically Fragile work group to implement the Prevention Priority of the Plan.
• SERVICES PRIORITY: The Homeless Services Coordinating Council (HSCC) should play an active role in implementing the Services Priority of the Plan. A Workforce and Business Development Committee should be created to assist the HSCC with the employment and revenue generating strategies.
• ADMINISTRATION & COORDINATION PRIORITY: The Plan Finance and Administration Committee should work as an Executive Committee with a Finance Sub-Committee to implement the new infrastructure needed to fully implement the Plan.
Co Chairs of each of these Committees should join the Executive Committee of the Governing Body, along with co-chairs of that body.
Path to a Home October 2008 58
Expected Outcomes
• Countywide Homelessness Governing Body established and providing leadership in addressing homelessness
• Improved cross-jurisdictional and cross-agency coordination • Enhanced effectiveness and efficiency in provision of housing and services Strategy 4.2: SUPPORT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION WITH DEDICATED REVENUE FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES.
Action Step 4.2.1: Ensure that existing funding sources are used as effectively and efficiently as possible, in accordance with the plan. This includes the use of “best practices” and action to integrate systems, coordinate housing and service delivery, streamline service delivery, and reduce unnecessary use of emergency and crisis services. The goal is to “spend smarter” so that the considerable housing and service resources being invested in preventing and ending homelessness in the county have the maximum positive impact possible. • Conduct annual presentations to City and County decision-makers on how existing funding streams are being utilized to respond to homelessness. Review funds available to the County and to local jurisdictions, such as Department of Social Services, Health Department, and other relevant sources. Include Redevelopment Agency funds, Inclusionary Zoning fees, Prop 63, Housing Trust Fund, CDBG, FESG, ESG, Continuum of Care grants and other funding, followed by discussion of how to best use funding to support local priorities and Plan implementation. (See Appendix C for initial list). • Create a “Pipeline Committee” to meet bi-annually in order to promote and facilitate affordable housing development, including dedicated units for homeless people. The Pipeline Committee should be composed of affordable housing developers, the housing and community development staff of each City and the County, and other potential funders. It should project City and County housing needs over ten years, assist potential projects get off the ground by identifying sponsors, funding, land, and obstacles which should be addressed, and develop an annual matrix to monitor the housing production pipeline. [See Action Step 1.1.5.].
• Review funding proposals and project synopses from agencies proposing homeless projects to any funding source within the county to Path to a Home October 2008 59
ensure that they are aligned with Ten Year Plan priorities. Issue statement of “consistency with 10 Year Plan to appropriate projects and advocate on their behalf.
Action Step 4.2.2: Aggressively pursue additional federal, state, local and private funding opportunities to support efforts to address homelessness and quickly secure local funds whenever needed to leverage state and federal resources.
Action Step 4.2.3: Increase local public and private investment to support Plan implementation and efforts to prevent and end homelessness. • Consider implementation of annual proportionate share contributions by jurisdictions to support both operation and administrative costs of Plan implementation.
• Create a dedicated source of revenue for the County Housing Trust Fund and expand its mandate to include long term, below market rate financing for dedicated units of housing for homeless people, as well as affiliated operations and services. [See Action Step 1.1.6.} • Systematically review feasibility of securing ongoing resources from a combination of sources, including: [See Action Step 1.1.6.] • Taxes
• Non-Tax Dedicated Revenue (E.g.: Assessments, Developer’s Fees, Recording Fees)
• Government Debt Mechanism (E.g.: Municipal Bonds, State Bonds)
• Existing Federal-State-Local Financing Streams (E.g.: Locally Controlled Federal Dollars, Local General Funds)
• Voluntary Sources (E.g.: Voluntary Business Improvement District Agreement, Membership Dues)
• Redevelopment housing set aside funds
• Inclusionary zoning in lieu fees
• Increase in real estate transfer tax
• Increase in hotel occupancy/transient tax
• Implement strategies to collect private contributions, such as: [See Action Step 1.1.6]
• Installing old parking meters with the homeless outreach number on city streets to collect donations.
Path to a Home October 2008 60
•Selling plastic cards at grocery stores with proceeds going to the effort to address homelessness
•Putting a surcharge on phone bills
•Soliciting support from business and civic organizations. • Develop a Public Communication effort, working with the media, businesses, social and civic organizations, to provide information about the causes of and solutions to homelessness and encourage volunteerism and donations to support efforts on homelessness. [See Action Steps 1.3.1, 1.4.4 & 4.1.2]
Action Step 4.2.4: Aggressively pursue the development of Social Enterprises and Revenue Generating activity within non-profit organizations, with profits dedicated to Plan Implementation.
Action Step 4.2.5: Implement mechanisms to document and capture costsavings in mainstream systems and programs due to reduced use of services by homeless people after implementation of Plan “best practices”. Reinvest cost savings in affordable housing. [See Action Steps 1.1.6, 2.2.4 & 2.4.2] • Create a baseline of the costs of homelessness by tracking service utilization by homeless people for first three years of Plan implementation. This should encompass costs incurred by police, hospitals, mental health and substance abuse crisis centers, social service programs, and the corrections system/jail and prison. • Once best practices are implemented, track service utilization, document cost-savings, and reinvest savings in affordable housing.
Expected Outcomes
• Plan implementation fully funded, through reallocation of existing resources and securing of new funding sources
• Existing funding allocated congruent with Plan priorities and in a manner which maximizes efficiency and effectiveness of outcomes • Development of county capacity to effectively pursue funding opportunities as they arise
• Innovative social enterprises generating funding for efforts to address homelessness
• Mechanisms to collect local and public and private investment in place • Mainstream cost savings documented and applied to affordable housing Path to a Home October 2008 61
Strategy 4.3: COLLECT DATA ON HOMELESSNESS AND PROGRAM
PERFORMANCE TO GUIDE PLANNING, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND
FUNDING DECISIONS.
Action Step 4.3.1: Develop and implement a MIS that includes meeting the requirements of a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to allow countywide data collection, analysis and evaluation. [See Action Steps
2.1.2, 2.6.2 & 3.1.2]
Action Step 4.3.2: Establish new system-wide performance standards to track progress towards preventing and ending homelessness and link program outcomes with local government department budgets and with community-based organization contracts funding allocation and contracting decisions. Standards should be developed for both homeless programs and mainstream programs serving people who are homeless or at-risk, and should consider what data is already being collected. [See Action Steps
1.2.1, 2.6.1 & 3.1.1]
Action Step 4.3.3: Annually evaluate success in addressing homelessness and progress in Plan implementation.
• Publish outcomes as part of communitywide indicators report or in a “report card” format.
• Convene an annual “state of homelessness” conference, including housing, treatment and service agencies working with homeless people, to discuss outcomes and progress.
• Develop each year’s Annual Work Plan based on data and performance evaluation and incorporating any necessary course corrections.
Consider whether agencies are effectively adapting to the new priorities and ways of doing business called for in the Plan and identify how to support them in making necessary changes, including assistance with strategic planning, development of new systems, and staff training and cross-training.
Path to a Home October 2008 62
Expected Outcomes
• Enhanced understanding of homelessness, numbers, characteristics and needs
• Accurate information about system and program level effectiveness in addressing homelessness
• Planning and resource allocation carried out based on data Strategy 4.4: ANNUALLY REVIEW NEW FINDINGS AND RESEARCH AND
READILY INCORPORATE BEST PRACTICES TO PREVENT AND END
HOMELESSNESS
Action Step 4.4.1: Stay abreast of emerging information from academics and practitioners around the country and improve existing efforts based on emerging findings. [See Action Step 1.1.4]
Action Step 4.4.2: Sponsor quarterly staff training on best practice strategies and methodologies. [See Action Step 1.4.3, 2.1.5, 2.2.2, & 3.1.7] Expected Outcomes
• County’s response to homelessness incorporates “best practice” approaches and is informed by emerging findings
Path to a Home October 2008 63
The Map: Implementation Timeline – Phases of
System Change
Implementation of Path to a Home will be a process of system change to create one comprehensive and integrated system of care aimed at both preventing homelessness for those at-risk and ending it for those who have already lost their housing. The Plan’s strategies and action steps are designed to create this new integrated system by transforming existing homeless and mainstream systems and programs into a new configuration that enhances access to services by those in need, improves the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of the assistance provided, and utilizes resources in a more efficient manner.
Achieving such system change will be a piecemeal process involving new ideas, goals, resources and ways of doing things, each of which builds on and reinforces each other until full system change is achieved. Full system change involves both integration at the staff level in how services are provided and coordinated and at the organizational level through joint inter-agency policies, planning, staffing, funding, training, procedures and data collection. The goal is to achieve one countywide system of care, incorporating all key homeless and mainstream agencies.
Implementation of the Plan and the system changes it entails should be carried out in three phases. While the specific strategies and action steps in each of the four priority areas vary, in general their implementation should follow the following pattern.
Phase I / Years 1-3 – Laying The Foundation
Implementation activities focus on:
• Education & Advocacy – to build support for the changes, among the general public, line staff and decision-makers
• Data Collection – to make the case for the changes and gather a base line for future evaluation efforts
• Building A Leadership Team – to be the champions and advocates for change Path to a Home
The San Luis Obispo Countywide
10 Year Plan to End Homelessness
Path to a Home October 2008 64
• Building Staff Capacity – by empowering positions with new roles and responsibilities and through training to teach new skills and methods • Developing Infrastructure – drafting memoranda of understanding, designing program models, policies and procedures, and drafting standards • Identifying Barriers To Change & Developing Solutions • Launching Key Initiatives – through a pilot project or through a subset of agencies which upgrade and reconfigure existing programs • Raising Revenue, both new sources and reallocating existing funds Phase 2 / Years 4-6 – Systematizing The Changes
Implementation activities focus on:
• Expanding Changes Systemwide -- involving more agencies • Continuing Key Initiatives Implementation
• Promoting Policy & Regulatory Changes To Remove Barriers • Data Collection And Evaluation – to document outcomes and direct adjustments
• Continued Training And Education
• Expanding Available Funding & Streamlining Access – investing system costsavings in effective programs, facilitating renewals, targeting resources from categorical programs to Plan priorities, pooling funding streams and/or creating a coordinated application
• Instituting Performance-Based Funding – linking resource allocation with program outcomes and alignment with Plan priorities
Phase 3 / Years 7-10 – System Maintenance
Implementation activities focus on:
• Finishing Implementation of Key Initiatives
• Achieving Needed Policy & Regulatory Changes
• Evaluation and Continuous Quality Improvement
• Developing Sustainable, Reliable Funding – dedicated funding sources, such as permanent line items, trust funds, etc.
Path to a Home October 2008 65
The strategies and action steps listed in the following table are suggestions for how County, City and Community partners can improve the effectiveness of the county’s approach to homelessness. They were developed through a countywide planning process and represent the strong consensus of the Leadership Council and its four Committees on how San Luis Obispo county can best achieve its goal of ending homelessness in ten years. In addition, the agencies listed as the lead and partners in carrying out the action steps are suggestions based on consideration of who would be best placed to perform and support the work.
Implementation -- Priority 1: Facilitating Access to Affordable Housing to Put an End to Homelessness
Strategy 1.1: CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE PERMANENT HOUSING AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS ACHIEVE LONG-TERM RESIDENTIAL STABILITY.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
1.1.1: Increase the
supply of affordable
housing for homeless
people, including through
new construction,
acquisition and rehab,
master leasing, set
asides in existing
buildings/developments
and dedicated units in
new developments.
- Housing Authorities of
City of San Luis Obispo
and Paso Robles
- County Housing Trust
Fund (HTF)
- Non-profit
housing
developers
- Housing &
Economic
Development
Section of San
Luis Obispo
County Planning
Department
• Sites acquired, land use
approvals obtained and
financing secured for 132
units
• 132 units completed
1.1.2: Identify properties
in the county that can be
acquired and converted
into affordable
permanent housing and
permanent supportive
housing for homeless
people.
− Housing & Economic
Development Section of
San Luis Obispo County
Planning Department
− City Planning and
Community Development
Departments
- Non-profit
housing
developers
- HASLO
• List of properties completed
Path to a Home October 2008 66
Strategy 1.1: CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE PERMANENT HOUSING AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS ACHIEVE LONG-TERM RESIDENTIAL STABILITY.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
1.1.3: Develop strategies
for linking permanent
housing with supportive
services to meet the
specific needs of the
target subpopulation
being served. [See
Action Step 2.5.3]
− Homelessness
Governing Body
• Targeted strategies
developed for each of the
following populations:
Chronically homeless
individuals
Chronically homeless
families
Transition-aged youth
Ex-offenders at-risk of
homelessness
1.1.4: Explore creative
new housing models for
homeless people. [See
Action Step 4.4.1]
− Housing & Economic
Development Section of
San Luis Obispo County
Planning Department
− City Planning and
Community Development
Departments
− County Housing Trust
Fund (HTF)
− Cal Poly
− Non-profit
housing
developers
− HSCC
• Annual best practice
reviews and discussions
held
• Variety of new housing
designs adopted and
accepted by Planning
Commission and funding
sources
1.1.5: Appoint a
countywide “Point
Person” for affordable
housing production and
funding to lead an
Affordable Housing
Production Pipeline
Committee that will meet
bi-annually in order to
promote and facilitate
development of
affordable housing. .
[See Action Step 4.2.1.]
− County Board of
Supervisors
− City Councils
− Housing & Economic
Development Section of
San Luis Obispo County
Planning Department
− City Planning and
Community Development
Departments
• Point person appointed
• Pipeline Committee created
and meetings happening
• City and County housing
need projections developed
• First matrix of projects in
development created, and
revised annually
• New funding sources
generated
Path to a Home October 2008 67
Strategy 1.1: CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE PERMANENT HOUSING AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS ACHIEVE LONG-TERM RESIDENTIAL STABILITY.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
1.1.6: Identify secure,
sustainable funding
sources to create
affordable permanent
housing and permanent
supportive housing for
homeless people,
including funding for
predevelopment,
development, operations,
administration
n, and tenant support
services. [See Action
Steps 2.2.4, 2.4.2, 4.2.3
& 4.2.5]
− County Board of
Supervisors
− Cities
− Homelessness
Governing Body
− Philanthropic
and faith-based
organizations
• Dedicated source of
revenue created for
homeless housing
• New sources of funding
reviewed for possible
implementation
• State level advocacy
conducted to support
housing funding
• Private funding sources
identified and created
1.1.7: Enact local
government policies, and
create administrative
procedures, that ease the
process of developing
permanent housing and
permanent supportive
housing for homeless
people.
− County Board of
Supervisors
− County Housing and
Economic Development
Department
− Cities
• Reviews of existing zoning,
permit and housing
development policies
conducted, and appropriate
changes implemented
Strategy 1.2: INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF SHORT-TERM “INTERIM” AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AS A SUPPLEMENT, AND NOT AN ALTERNATIVE, TO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
1.2.1: Create sufficient
emergency housing
capacity throughout the
county using the
enriched “interim
housing” model.
- Homelessness
Governing Body
• Performance standards for
interim housing developed,
adopted and implemented
1.2.2: Create transitional
housing targeted to
specific life experiences
and offering appropriate
services.
− Homelessness
Governing Body
• Phase II & Phase III
activities
Path to a Home October 2008 68
Strategy 1.3: CULTIVATE AND FOSTER INCLUSIVE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
1.3.1: Create and fund a
group to promote
affordable housing for
people who are
homeless and at-risk
people as part of the 10
Year Plan Homelessness
Governing Body activity.
[See Action Steps 4.1.2
& 4.1.5]
- Homelessness
Governing Body
• Group created
• Educational campaign
designed, carried out
annually
1.3.2: Organize a peer
support network of
housing providers to
facility siting of housing
for people who are
homeless or at risk.
- Homelessness
Governing Body
• Group created
Strategy 1.4: IMPLEMENT A HOUSING FIRST MODEL OF SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
1.4.1: In concert with
approval of this Plan,
adopt “Housing First” as
a countywide policy for
ending homelessness.
Encourage the use of
mainstream discretionary
funds to implement this
policy.
- County Board of
Supervisors
- City Councils
• Target units for homeless
people linked to services
• Mainstream funding
allocated for services linked
to housing
1.4.2: Provide housing
units linked with intensive
case management and
services (without
conditioning access to
meeting threshold
behavioral criteria) to
those with alcohol,
substance abuse, mental
health, or personality
disorders.
− Homelessness
Governing Body
• Strategies for supportive
service delivery linked with
the housing developed
Path to a Home October 2008 69
Strategy 1.4: IMPLEMENT A HOUSING FIRST MODEL OF SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
1.4.3: Educate service
providers and agencies
on the importance of
using a Housing First
model and provide
training and technical
assistance. [See Action
Steps 2.1.5, 2.2.2, 3.1.7
& 4.4.2]
− Homeless Services
Coordinating Council
− Cal Poly
Continuing
Education
Center
• Staff training designed and
initiated
• Peer support network
developed
Internal agency policy,
procedures and funding
adapted to support Housing
First approach
1.4.4: Educate the
general public about the
effectiveness of, cost
benefits of, and need for
a Housing First
approach. [See Action
Step 4.2.3]
− Homelessness
Governing Body
• Schedule of activities
developed, annually
beginning in Year 1
Strategy 1.5: GENERATE MORE SHORT-TERM AND SHALLOW SUBSIDIES THAT HELP PEOPLE REGAIN AND MAINTAIN HOUSING.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
1.5.1: Implement a
system of housing
vouchers, both tenantbased rental subsidies
and project-based
subsidies to support
development.
- Homelessness
Governing Body
• Resources identified
through outreach to private
sector, faith-based groups
and employers
1.5.2: Create a
substantial, new funding
pool from which service
providers can provide
rental and very low
income household
mortgage assistance to
people at immediate risk
of homelessness and
deposit guarantees and
initial move-in costs to
homeless clients
reentering housing. .
[See Action Steps 1.6.1
& 2.5.1]
− Homelessness
Governing Body
• Resources identified
through outreach to private
sector, faith-based groups
and employers
Path to a Home October 2008 70
Strategy 1.6: FACILITATE AND STREAMLINE ACCESS TO HOUSING AND HOUSING SUPPORTS BY PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT-RISK.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
1.6.1: Create regional
Basic Housing
Assistance Centers to
help people access
housing and housingrelated services.
- Homelessness
Governing Body
• 4 regional centers created
Path to a Home October 2008 71
Implementation -- Priority 2: Stopping Homelessness Before it Starts through Prevention and Effective Intervention
Strategy 2.1: CONDUCT HOUSING FOCUSED DISCHARGE PLANNING FOR PEOPLE
EXITING JAILS AND PRISONS IN ORDER TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AND
REDUCE RECIDIVISM
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
2.1.1: Develop and
implement a
comprehensive
assessment tool.
- DSS Homeless
Coordinator
- Court
Administrator
- County
Administrator
- County Sheriff
- Parole
- Probation
- Griffin Society &
other programs
serving
prisoners
• Assessment tool and
protocols for using it
developed
• Staff to conduct
assessments designated
• Staff training design and
schedule established and
trainings initiated
• Prisoner assessments begin
2.1.2: Develop necessary
systems to store
assessment data and
provide access to
information as discharge
planning is initiated.
[See Action Steps 2.6.2,
3.1.2 & 4.3.1]
− Homelessness
Governing Body Data
Staff
• Data storage system
designed
• Data collection, storage and
access protocols developed
2.1.3: Conduct discharge
planning focused on
housing for all
discharging prisoners
identified in the
assessment as homeless
or at-risk
− SLO Sheriff
− Parole
− Probation
− DSS Homeless
Coordinator
− PACT
− Forensics
Coordinating
Team
− ReEntry Teams
− Primary
Responders
− Basic Housing
Assistance
Centers
• Discharge planning policies
and protocols for jail
releases developed and
discharge planning initiated
• Discharge planning policies
and protocols for prison
releases developed and
discharge planning initiated
Path to a Home October 2008 72
Strategy 2.1: CONDUCT HOUSING FOCUSED DISCHARGE PLANNING FOR PEOPLE EXITING JAILS AND
PRISONS IN ORDER TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AND REDUCE RECIDIVISM Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
2.1.4: Initiate services to
prepare for and facilitate
discharge while inmates
are still serving their
sentence.
− DSS Homeless
Coordinator
− County Sheriff
− Programs such
as Friends
Outside,
Captive Hears
and Match 2
• Memoranda of Agreements
in place for “in-reach”
service provision
• Volunteer recruitment,
training and placement
effort in place
• Strategies in place to assist
inmates in obtaining
identification prior to release
• Benefits suspension system
in place and assistance in
reactivation provided
• Benefits assistance
provided to initiate first time
applications
2.1.5: Educate prison/jail
staff, especially parole
and probation officers, on
the importance of
housing focused re-entry
support services. [See
Action Steps 1.4.3, 2.2.2,
3.1.7 & 4.4.2]
− DSS Homeless
Coordinator
− County Sheriff,
− Probation
− Parole
• Training design and
schedule developed, and
training initiated
2.1.6: Divert homeless
people arrested for
“quality of life crimes”
from the criminal justice
system to case managed
programs and housing.
− Superior Court
− DSS Homeless
Coordinator
• Intervention such as
Homeless Court planned
and initiated
• Agency coordination
strategies in place
Path to a Home October 2008 73
Strategy 2.2: CONDUCT COMPREHENSIVE, HOUSING FOCUSED DISCHARGE PLANNING FOR PEOPLE
EXITING HOSPITALS, MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES, AND ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG TREATMENT CENTERS IN ORDER TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
2.2.1: Designate staff at
all health-related
facilities, to execute
routine client discharge
plans with a housing
focus.
- Public Health Officer
- Community-based
organizations
- Primary
Responders
- Basic Housing
Assistance
Centers
• Discharge planning staff
designated at all facilities
• Discharge planning policies
and protocols developed
and discharge planning
initiated
• Formal referral agreements
in place
2.2.2: Support
coordination of all the
health facility discharge
planners through regular
staff orientations,
trainings, and care
management meetings.
[See Action Steps 1.4.3,
2.1.5, 3.1.7 & 4.4.2]
− Public Health Officer
− Community-based
organizations
• Strategies for staff
orientation and training
developed and initiated
• Schedule for care
management meetings in
place, and meetings
initiated
2.2.3: Create more
comprehensive medical
respite beds for those
being discharged from
hospitals and mental
health facilities who are
not returning to
permanent housing.
− Housing Authority
− Community-based
organizations
• Number of medical respite
beds needed identified
along with types of services
needed
• 60 medical respite beds
created with supportive
medical services provided
2.2.4: Identify and
secure the funding to
support the discharge
planning and related
services and housing.
[See Actions Steps 1.1.6,
2.4.2 & 4.2.5.]
− Health Department
− Private hospitals
− Medical community
− Private industry
− Community Health
Centers
• Meetings with State
legislators carried out
• Financial study completed
and recommendations
developed
• MHSA resources allocated
for transition planning and
related housing and
services
Path to a Home October 2008 74
Strategy 2.3: CONDUCT COMPREHENSIVE, HOUSING FOCUSED DISCHARGE PLANNING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE EXITING THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM IN ORDER TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
2.3.1: For youth about to
emancipate, age out, or
otherwise exit the foster
care system, create and
implement discharge
planning that focuses on
housing and life skills
training.
- Director of Social
Services
- Probation Department
- Family Care Network
- County Office of
Education
- Primary
Responders
- Basic Housing
Assistance
Centers
- Local colleges
- Workforce
investment
programs
• Memorandum of
Understanding in place with
workforce investment
programs
• Specialized case
management underway
2.3.2: Secure state and
other funds to develop
housing for this
population. Continue
participation in
California’s THP-PLUS
program in an effort to
increase the number of
young adults served.
.
− Director of Social
Services
− Probation Department
− Family Care Network
− County Office of
Education
• Sites for housing identified
and funding secured
2.3.3: Develop housing
assessments and
interventions as needed
for young people at the
continuation high school.
-County Office of Education
Path to a Home October 2008 75
Strategy 2.4: CREATE AN OVERALL DISCHARGE/ TRANSITION COORDINATOR TO SUPPORT AND
COORDINATE THE DISCHARGE EFFORTS OF EACH SYSTEM (CORRECTIONS, HEALTH-RELATED PROGRAMS AND FOSTER CARE).
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
2.4.1: Create a central
discharge or transition
coordinator to facilitate
monthly case
conferencing meetings
involving discharge
planning staff of each
system and Primary
Responders providing
community-based care to
people who have been or
are being discharged.
- Homelessness
Governing Body
- DSS Homeless
Coordinator
• Discharge / transition
coordinator hired
• Case conferencing
meetings initiated
• Coordination strategies and
agreements in place
2.4.2: Collect data on
“frequent users” of these
systems to demonstrate
cost-savings from
provision of supportive
housing to these clients.
[See Action Steps 1.1.6,
2.2.4 & 4.2.5]
- Homelessness
Governing Body
- DSS Homeless
Coordinator
- Forensic Coordinating
Team
• Data collection initiated
• Cost savings data analyzed
Strategy 2.5: CREATE EVICTION INTERVENTION STRATEGIES TO STOP HOMELESSNESS.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
2.5.1: Develop a pool of
eviction intervention
resources that can be
used to meet rent or
extremely low income
household mortgage
payments for individuals
and families who are at
risk of being evicted from
their homes into
homelessness. [See
Action Steps 1.5.2 &
1.6.1]
- Housing Authority
- Superior Court
- Sheriff
- Health Department
• Housing assistance funding
pool created
• Needs assessment tool
created for identifying
service needs
• Information sheet
advertising this resource
developed and distributed
Path to a Home October 2008 76
Strategy 2.5: CREATE EVICTION INTERVENTION STRATEGIES TO STOP HOMELESSNESS.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
2.5.2: Hire and train
crisis workers to work
with extremely low
income individuals and
families who are at risk of
becoming homeless
owing to eviction.
[See Action Step 1.6.1]
- Department of Social
Services
• Crisis workers hired and
trained
2.5.3: Create Support
Services Coordinator
positions to ensure that
housing units for people
who are homeless or atrisk are linked with the
services the tenants
need to achieve stability
and maintain their
housing. [See Action
Step 1.1.3]
- Department of Social
Services
- Affordable
Housing
Developers
- Community
Service
Agencies
• Position created and filled
Strategy 2.6: Create performance mandates to support new countywide policy focus of keeping people housed and/or getting them quickly re-housed.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
2.6.1: Create
performance mandates
on preventing and ending
homelessness that are
linked with local
government department
budgets and with
community-based
organization contracts.
[See Action Steps 1.2.1,
3.1.1 & 4.3.2]
- County Administrators
Office
- City Managers
- Homelessness
Governing Body
- County Planning
Department
• Performance mandates
developed and linked with
funding
2.6.2: Put in a data
system to track results in
preventing and ending
homelessness. [See
Action Steps 2.1.2, 3.1.2
& 4.3.1]
- County Administrators
Office
• Phase II activity
Path to a Home October 2008 77
Implementation -- Priority 3: Ending and Preventing Homelessness through Integrated, Comprehensive, Responsive Supportive Services Strategy 3.1: CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE, INTEGRATED, FLEXIBLE SYSTEM OF CARE WHICH OFFERS EFFECTIVE AND COORDINATED CARE TO THOSE IN NEED.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
3.1.1: For each County
Department in contact
with people who are
homeless or at-risk,
establish standards of
care to use in carrying
out work under this Plan
and participating in the
overall system of care.
[See Action Steps 1.2.1,
2.6.1 & 4.3.2]
- Board of Supervisors
- County Department
Heads of Social Services
and Health Department
- Homelessness
Governing Body
- Homeless Services
Coordinating Council
- Cal Poly
continuing
education
center
• Common standards
developed for each
Department regarding
caring for chronically
homeless people
3.1.2: Create a single
data system to support
the new coordinated
system of care. . [See
Action Steps 2.1.2, 2.6.2
& 4.3.1]
- Homelessness
Governing Body
• HMIS developed, tested and
implemented
3.1.3 Create an
interactive system of
communication that can
be used by shelters,
multi-service centers and
other programs to
communicate regarding
clients appointments,
schedules, and
transportation needs, in
an effort to ensure that
clients attend their
appointments.
- Homelessness
Governing Body
- Homeless Services
Coordinating Council
• Communication system and
procedures developed for
chronically homeless clients
3.1.4: Create a
“Homeless Case
Management Brain Trust”
to develop a triage
mechanism to ensure
that those with the
greatest or most severe
needs get immediate
assistance.
- Homelessness
Governing Body
- Homeless Services
Coordinating Council
• Triage mechanism and
protocols developed for
chronically homeless clients
Path to a Home October 2008 78
Strategy 3.1: CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE, INTEGRATED, FLEXIBLE SYSTEM OF CARE WHICH OFFERS EFFECTIVE AND COORDINATED CARE TO THOSE IN NEED.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
3.1.5: Create case
management case
conferencing teams in
each of the 4 primary
geographic areas of the
county, with the Primary
Responder agencies.
(above).
- Homelessness
Governing Body
- Homeless Services
Coordinating Council
• 4 regional case
management conferencing
teams developed focusing
on chronically homeless
clients
3.1.6: Develop a single
case plan for each client,
addressing the full range
of housing and service
needs. Case plans
should seek to maintain
the involvement of all
those already engaged
with the client, in
particular friends and
family.
- Regional case
management
conferencing teams
- Case managers working
with primary responder
and community safety
net agencies
3.1.7: Offer an
annualized staff training
series, covering
evidence- based
practices, best practices,
and emerging and
promising practices.
[See Action Steps 1.4.3,
2.1.5, 2.2.2 & 4.4.2]
- Homelessness
Governing Body
- Homeless Services
Coordinating Council
• Annual training schedule
developed and trainings
initiated focusing on serving
people who are chronically
homeless
3.1.8: Re-fund the Adult
System of Care
Homeless Outreach
Project workers.
• Funding identified for
outreach workers to serve
people who are chronically
homeless
Path to a Home October 2008 79
Strategy 3.2: CENTRALIZE AND STREAMLINE ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE, COORDINATED SUPPORT SERVICES.
3.2.1: Create four
centralized Community
Services Centers, one in
each region of the
county, at which people
can access a
comprehensive range of
support services in one
location. [See Action
Step 1.6.1, 3.4.1, 3.5.1
and 3.6.2]
- Homelessness
Governing Body
- Homeless Services
Coordinating Council
- SLO Council of
Government
• First center created as pilot
for people who are
chronically homeless
• Systems change
infrastructure built
3.2.2: Design a
transportation system
that will bring county
residents in need of
services to one of the
Centers.
- Homelessness
Governing Body
- Homeless Services
Coordinating Council
- County Transportation
Agencies
• Meetings with County
Transportation Agencies
initiated
Strategy 3.3: GENERATE GREATER COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THE PROVISION OF COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.
3.3.1: Host community
meetings at which the
general community,
service providers,
homeless people, and
those at risk of
homelessness can
communicate and forge
partnerships.
- Homelessness
Governing Body
− Cal Poly
Community
Center
• First community meeting
held
3.3.2: Establish a way of
linking the many county
residents who want to
volunteer into a
homeless-response
system and mobilizing
them to work at all
agencies.
- Homelessness
Governing Body
• Volunteer coordination
system developed
3.3.3: Utilize all media
including 211, web, radio,
print, and public
broadcasting stations as
a way to recruit
volunteers and educate
the community as to
homeless interventions
happening in their
neighborhood.
- Homelessness
Governing Body
− Cal Poly
Community
Center
• Announcements happening
on public broadcasting
stations
Path to a Home October 2008 80
STRATEGY 3.4: FOSTER EMPLOYMENT, VOLUNTEERISM, AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE AMONG HOMELESS PEOPLE, AS A CORE INTERVENTION TO PREVENT AND END HOMELESSNESS.
3.4.1: Expand or
incorporate a
comprehensive worktraining program for
homeless individuals at
the Community
Services Centers to
build confidence and
skills [See Action Step
3.2.1]
.
- Homelessness
Governing Body or
Workforce Committee
− Department of
Rehabilitation
− Vocational
Rehabilitation
− One-Stop
Centers
− Other
employment
services
providers
• Homeless work training
program created at first
Center
3.4.2: Establish a
“temp” employment
agency and target
employment sectors
with potential for
growth, such as
agriculture.
- Homelessness
Governing Body or
Workforce Committee
• Temp agency created
3.4.3: Create a
database of all day
labor job sites and job
placement agencies,
volunteer work, and
community participation
activity, and devise a
way to provide this
information to clients.
- Homelessness
Governing Body or
Workforce Committee
• Database created
3.4.4: Utilize volunteers
to create a job
mentoring and/or job
shadowing program for
homeless people, to
help coach people to
next step employment
opportunity.
- Homelessness
Governing Body or
Workforce Committee
• Volunteer program
developed at first
Community Services Center
Path to a Home October 2008 81
STRATEGY 3.6: USE MAINSTREAM BENEFITS AND RESOURCES MORE EFFECTIVELY IN SUPPORT OF
COUNTY GOAL TO END HOMELESSNESS
3.6.1: Develop
partnerships between
homeless Primary
Responder providers and
mainstream benefits
provider organizations.
[See Strategy 3.2]
- Homeless Services
Coordinating Council
- Homelessness
Governing Body
- Department of Social
Services
- EOC
• Partnerships developed with
Food Stamps and Veterans
Administration (VA)
3.6.2: Outstation intake
eligibility staff from
mainstream benefits
programs at
homelessness programs
and at the Community
Services Centers. [See
Action Step 3.2.1]
- Homeless Services
Coordinating Council
- Homelessness
Governing Body
- Department of Social
Services
- EOC
• Eligibility staff outstationed
for General Assistance and
MediCal
3.6.3: Facilitate access
to SSI/SSDI by providing
application assistance
and advocacy to help
eligible individuals obtain
this benefit.
- Homeless Services
Coordinating Council
- Homelessness
Governing Body
- Department of Social
Services
- EOC
• SSI and SSDI application
fast-tracking piloted for
chronically homeless people
Strategy 3.5: SUPPORT CREATION OF PROFIT-GENERATING BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO HOMELESSNESS “PRIMARY RESPONDER” AGENCIES.
3.5.1: Partner retired
Business Executive or
University Professors
with Homeless Service
Agencies to explore
fields of interest and
develop business
plans.
− Workforce Committee of
Homelessness
Governing Body
• Business plan developed for
one agency to launch a pilot
project
Path to a Home October 2008 82
Implementation -- Priority 4: Coordinating A Solid Administrative & Financial Structure To Support Effective Plan Implementation
Strategy 4.1: ESTABLISH A COUNTYWIDE INTER-JURISDICTIONAL COLLABORATIVE HOMELESSNESS
GOVERNING BODY TO COORDINATE EFFORTS TO PREVENT AND END HOMELESSNESS AND OVERSEE PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
4.1.1: Create a
centralized county
Homelessness
Governing Body.
- County Board of
Supervisors
- Mayors
- City Councils
- Community Leaders
• Governing Body created
4.1.2: Delineate the
responsibilities of the
Homelessness
Governing Body and its
members.
- County Board of
Supervisors
- Mayors
- City Councils
- Community Leaders
• Responsibilities delineated
4.1.3: Involve
representatives from all
sectors so the
Homelessness
Governing Body is broadbased and inclusive.
- County Board of
Supervisors
- Mayors
- City Councils
- Community Leaders
• Members nominated
4.1.4: Adequately staff
the Homelessness
Governing Body so that it
can fulfill its leadership
functions, including 3 fulltime staff.
- County Board of
Supervisors
- Mayors
- City Councils
- Community Leaders
• Staff hired
4.1.5; Form Standing,
Ad Hoc and Working
Committees as needed
to carry out the work of
the Homelessness
Governing Body and
implement the Plan.
[See Action Step 1.3.2]
− Homelessness
Governing Body
• Committee structure created
Path to a Home October 2008 83
Strategy 4.2: SUPPORT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION WITH DEDICATED REVENUE FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
4.2.1: Ensure that
existing funding sources
are used as effectively
and efficiently as
possible. [See Action
Step 1.1.5]
- Homelessness
Governing Body Staff
• Annual presentation &
discussion of funding
stream utilization initiated
• Pipeline Committee created
• Proposal review process
implemented
4.2.2: Aggressively
pursue additional federal,
state, local and private
funding opportunities to
support efforts to address
homelessness and
quickly secure local
funds whenever needed
to leverage state and
federal resources.
- Homelessness
Governing Body Staff
• Development of protocols
fro pursuing funding and
securing local leverage
funds
• First new funding source
secured
4.2.3: Increase local
public and private
investment to support
Plan implementation and
efforts to prevent and
end homelessness. [See
Action Steps 1.1.6, 1.3.1
& 1.4.4]
- Homelessness
Governing Body & staff
- County Board of
Supervisors
- Cities
• Proportionate share formula
developed and adopted by
jurisdictions
• Dedicated sources of
revenue identified and
funding vehicle selected
• Feasibility review of local
funding sources conducted
• First new strategy to secure
private contributions
implemented
• Public communication
strategy developed
4.2.4: Aggressively
pursue the development
of Social Enterprises and
Revenue Generating
activity within non-profit
organizations, with profits
dedicated to Plan
Implementation.
- Homelessness
Governing Body Staff
- Workforce and Business
Development Committee
of Homelessness
Governing Body
• Feasibility study conducted
• Pilot project initiated
Path to a Home October 2008 84
Strategy 4.3: COLLECT DATA ON HOMELESSNESS AND PROGRAM PERFORMANCE TO GUIDE PLANNING, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND FUNDING DECISIONS.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
4.3.1: Develop and
implement a MIS that
includes meeting the
requirements of a
Homeless Management
Information System
(HMIS) to allow
countywide data
collection, analysis and
evaluation. [See Action
Steps 2.1.2, 2.6.2 &
3.1.2]
- Homelessness
Governing Body & Staff
o Cal Poly • HMIS developed
• HMIS tested
• HMIS implemented
4.3.2: Establish new
system-wide
performance standards
to track progress towards
preventing and ending
homelessness and link
program outcomes with
funding allocation and
contracting decisions.
[See Action Steps 1.2.1,
2.6.1 & 3.1.1]
- Homelessness
Governing Body & Staff
• Performance standards
developed
• Funding and contracting
decisions linked with
performance outcomes
Strategy 4.2: SUPPORT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION WITH DEDICATED REVENUE FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
4.2.5; Implement
mechanisms to
document and capture
cost-savings in
mainstream systems
and programs due to
reduced use of services
by homeless people
after implementation of
Plan “best practices”.
[See Action Steps 1.1.6,
2.2.4 & 2.4.2]
− Homelessness
Governing Body staff
− Cal Poly Public
Policy Program
faculty and
students
• Baseline created
• Service utilization tracked and
cost-savings documented and
reinvested
Path to a Home October 2008 85
Strategy 4.3: COLLECT DATA ON HOMELESSNESS AND PROGRAM PERFORMANCE TO GUIDE PLANNING, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND FUNDING DECISIONS.
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
4.3.3: Annually evaluate
success in addressing
homelessness and
progress in Plan
implementation.
- Homelessness
Governing Body & Staff
• Annual outcomes report
published
• Annual “State of
Homelessness” conference
held
• Annual Work Plans
developed
Strategy 4.4: CONTINUALLY IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EFFORTS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS BY
INTEGRATING RESEARCH AND EXPERIENTIAL FINDINGS AND PROMISING AND EVIDENCE BASED
PRACTICES INTO THE RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS
Action Step Lead Partners Phase I / Years 1-3
Benchmarks
4.4.1: Stay abreast of
emerging information
from academics and
practitioners around the
country and improve
existing efforts based on
emerging findings. [See
Action Step 1.1.4]
- Homelessness
Governing Body Staff
o Cal Poly
Continuing
Education
Center,
Psychology and
Human
Development
Department,
and Housing /
Architecture
Department
• Minimum of two
conferences / workshops
attended by Governing body
members and staff each
year
4.4.2: Sponsor quarterly
staff training on best
practice strategies and
methodologies. [See
Action Step 1.4.3, 2.1.5,
2.2.2, & 3.1.7]
- Homelessness
Governing Body Staff
-
− Cal Poly
Continuing
Education
Center,
Psychology and
Human
Development
Department,
and Housing /
Architecture
Department
• Staff trainings designed,
schedule developed, and
trainings begun
Path to a Home October 2008 86
1 The San Luis Obispo
Countywide Plan
to Address Homelessness
2022-2027
Adopted by Adopted by
County of San Luis Obispo Homeless Services Oversight Council Board of Supervisors (HSOC) on July 18, 2022
on August 9, 2022
ATTACHMENT 3
2 Preface: Why We Must Address Homelessness
Homelessness burdens our community in ways we can no longer afford. No matter the lens through which you examine this issue, the cost is high.
The toll of homelessness on the individual experiencing homelessness is well established. The average life expectancy for someone experiencing homelessness is approximately 25 years shorter than those with stable housing.1 Homelessness exacerbates existing health problems and causes new ones, both with chronic conditions (such as diabetes) and acute problems (such as infections and injuries). Accumulated trauma from insecure and at times dangerous situations can contribute to an unhoused individual’s behavioral health challenges. It is difficult to manage one’s health and heal when there is no place to rest and recuperate.
Further, high rents, stiff competition for lower-cost units, and the many bureaucratic, legal, and financial hurdles facing unhoused persons can make it hard for them to hold on to hope or envision and plan for a safer, more stable life in housing.
Less obvious is the combined toll on our community's wellbeing. As the numbers of those experiencing homeless in our region continues to rise, our community suffers immeasurable losses to our quality of life, environmental wellbeing, and economic vitality.
We mourn the loss of our parks and open spaces. The accessibility we once had to these community resources continues to diminish as more and more people make these locations their homes. The landscapes of our parks, our trails, our community centers and even our sidewalks have rapidly changed. We have long prided ourselves on a high quality of life here in the County of San Luis Obispo, but this quality is being significantly and rapidly degraded by the growing impact of homelessness.
Apart from the emotional toll on our community, the financial cost of homelessness is staggering and continues to grow. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates that each homeless person costs their community more than $40,000 per year2 due to frequent use of public services such as ambulance rides, emergency room visits, hospitals, arrests, jail time and other services. These community costs are exacerbated by the financial impact of homelessness through the loss of a region’s business vitality. Whether in attracting 1 Source: Not One More: Honoring Those Who Died Homeless, NAEH, available at:
https://endhomelessness.org/blog/not-one-more-honoring-those-who-died-homeless/ 2 Source: The Cost of Homelessness, by Veronica Morley, available at https://www.turnto23.com/news/homeless/breaking-down-the-cost-of-homelessness
3 diverse business development or maintaining a reliable workforce, the existence and expanse of homelessness are a deterrent to our economic health.
While it is complicated to calculate the total individual and community costs of homelessness, it is even more complicated to understand its root causes. There is not one simple answer to the question of how people become unhoused. There is confusion as to why homelessness grows so rapidly despite expensive efforts to confront it. There is a waning belief, perhaps even a loss of hope, that this problem can ever be prevented from growing and permanently blemishing the texture of the society we leave to our children. While the cause of each instance of homelessness may be unique, there is one thing every case has in common: Once a person is homeless, it becomes increasingly more difficult for them to regain housing and stability as time goes on. Our whole community witnesses the daily suffering and tragedy that our unhoused neighbors experience. In the end, we all are affected.
There is no simple answer to addressing homelessness, but we can all agree that our approach needs to change. This strategy does not pretend to offer an end to homelessness in a community where rent is high, and wages are not. Instead, this strategy offers a bold, systematic, and integrated sequence of actions designed to make the goal of substantially reducing homelessness achievable, so that our children can come to know a region with the values and humanity that have long made our Nation and the County of San Luis Obispo a wonderful place to live.
4 Table of Contents
PREFACE: WHY WE MUST ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS............................................................... 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................... 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................... 5 STATE OF HOMELESSNESS IN THE COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO............................................... 6 ENDING HOMELESSNESS...................................................................................................... 8 SUMMARY TIMELINE............................................................................................................ 9 LINES OF EFFORT .............................................................................................................. 11 Lines of Effort 1: Create affordable and appropriately designed housing opportunities and shelter options for underserved populations.................................11 Line of Effort 2: Focus efforts to reduce or eliminate the barriers to housing stability for those experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, including prevention, diversion, supportive services, and housing navigation efforts...............17 Line of Effort 3: Improve and expand data management efforts through HMIS and coordinated entry system to strengthen data-driven operational guidance and strategic oversight...............................................................................................................23 Line of Effort 4: Create, identify, and streamline funding and resources. ..................25 Line of Effort 5: Strengthen Regional Collaboration. .....................................................29 Line of Effort 6: Build public engagement through information-sharing and partnership..........................................................................................................................31 SUMMARY OF REQUESTED JURISDICTIONAL COMMITMENTS.................................................... 33 APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................... 34 APPENDIX A: HOUSING GOAL METHODOLOGY..................................................................... 34 APPENDIX B: REGIONAL HOUSING NEED ALLOCATION (2019)............................................... 38 APPENDIX C: PLAN DEVELOPMENT...................................................................................... 39 APPENDIX D: GLOSSARY .................................................................................................... 40
5 Executive Summary
Despite the expansion of homeless shelters and parking villages in the County of San Luis Obispo over the last several years, we have the capacity to shelter only 20-30% of our homeless citizens on any given night. Our community is rowing upstream against forces that have evolved over decades and are national in scope: high housing costs, low vacancy rates, chronic impacts of trauma, and behavioral healthcare challenges.
Making incremental increases in uncoordinated efforts to reduce homelessness is no longer an option for our region. This plan outlines a bold, housing-centric strategy to reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness to 50% of the current level within five years. Achieving this goal will require a whole-of-community effort that includes increasing the availability of non-congregate shelters; reexamining and diversifying funding sources; strengthening regional partnerships; and modernizing the data systems and structures that address homelessness.
Achieving this goal in a high-demand/low-supply local housing market requires a mix of housing approaches that vary by how they affect housing supply, the level of services they require, and the time and cost it takes to build them. The plan includes strategies to build or secure housing solutions for 2,050 additional people over five years.
The plan is organized into six Lines of Effort (LOE). Each Line of Effort represents a series of related events, actions or projects that combine to achieve a specific objective linked to the strategic goal of reducing homeless. This is a roadmap; details will be added as each area is addressed over time, using a data-based approach to inform decisions. While each LOE addresses a distinct aspect of the challenge, none stands alone. For example, LOE1 (the main effort) focuses on increasing the amount and types of housing and shelter available, while LOE2 is focused on preventing homelessness and supporting housing stability.
This plan recognizes that increased access to housing is necessary but insufficient.
While reducing homelessness is the goal, solely building housing is not. Reducing homelessness requires not just a physical increase in housing, but also the services needed to support people in securing and retaining that housing.
Reducing homelessness must also address specific barriers such as trauma, mental illness, addiction, and medical challenges, with attention on the needs that may differ by culture, language, family type, age, and an individual’s specific experience with trauma. Furthermore, this plan recognizes that a structured approach to regional collaboration is needed to implement and oversee these efforts, supported by new data capabilities and expanded efforts in communications and public engagement.
6 State of Homelessness in the County of San Luis Obispo How many people are experiencing homelessness in the County of San Luis Obispo?
• 1483 people were observed as
homeless throughout SLO
County in the 2019 Point-InTime Count. 2022 results are pending at the time of this
plan’s release. To see data from
the most recent local homeless
Point-In-Time Count, please
refer to this report.
3 • On average, each year since
2018, homeless system of care
inflow has exceeded outflow by
196 people.
• In 2020, among communities categorized as “largely suburban” nation-wide, the County of San Luis Obispo had the 3
rd largest percentage of unsheltered
homelessness nationwide—82.4% of the homeless population was unsheltered. San Luis Obispo also made the top 5 list for unsheltered youth, unsheltered veterans and unsheltered individuals.
Who is experiencing homelessness in the County of San Luis Obispo? • Programs to house families have been better funded than those that house individuals, so individuals are less likely to be receiving housing and service resources. Families make up 15% of the Point-In-Time Count census but 39% of the people served by the system of care. In contrast, individuals make up 85% of the Point-In-Time Count but only 61% of those served by the homeless system of care.
• Most people who access services for homelessness in the County of San Luis Obispo are from the County of San Luis Obispo. 92.9% of people who accessed homeless services in 2020 in the County of San Luis Obispo had not accessed services in any other community in California.
We know housing ends homelessness—what about housing?
• The County of San Luis Obispo is the second least affordable small metro area in the entire nation. The County’s cost of housing is about 51.7% higher 3 2022 San Luis Obispo County Homeless Count and Survey Comprehensive Report, produced by ASR, available at:
https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/getdoc/3e2558de-42f5-472d-a747-2c64500dff6d/2022-SLO-PIT-Report_final.pdf What is the homeless system of
care?
The homeless system of care consists of all
the various community partners that provide
or support housing, shelter, services, and
resources for people who are experiencing
homelessness or who have recently
experienced homelessness in our community.
These include, among others, CAP-SLO, ECHO,
5 Cities Homeless Coalition, Lumina Alliance,
Transitions Mental Health Association, the
Salvation Army, HASLO, and County
departments.
7 than the national average, ranking it as a small metro area with the fourthhighest housing cost in the United States.4 • As of February 2022, rent in this County averaged at $2,347 per month – $719 more than the national average.5
• The apartment vacancy rate as of fourth quarter of 2020 was 3%, which is approximately half of the national rate 5.6%.
• Rapidly rising rents (13.5% increase from 2020 to 2021and 46% since 2016) have increased the financial burdens on low-income people.6 • The median rental household in the County spends 38% of its income on housing, meaning that over half of all rental households in the County are at increased risk of homelessness due to the burden that housing costs place on family budgets.
7 How has the homeless system of care been able to respond to these challenges?
• Since 2019, year-round emergency shelter capacity increased by 115 beds (73%) and maximum total capacity has doubled with the addition of 110 safe parking spaces. Despite these increases, on any given night we have the capacity to shelter only 20-30% of the number of people observed as homeless in 2019 (Point-In-Time Count)
• Federal efforts such as the CARES Act and ARP and state equivalent such as HHAP have resulted in several one-time grants that have launched new efforts.
As those close, challenges continue.
• At the same time, housing and service providers struggle to hire and maintain enough adequately trained staff. For example, in April 2022, the County Behavioral Health department had over 20 open positions. Similarly, the Atascadero Winter Shelter closed 6 weeks early due to lack of staffing.
What would be better?
• This community plan calls for strategic coordination across the region to create more housing and shelter, to improve system efficiencies and efficacy, and to support services that stabilize people in housing. • The substantial expansion in capacity for shelter and housing outlined in this plan – with the staffing needed for success – will save lives, reduce suffering, restore people to productive lives, improve the environment, and set all communities in the County on a path to improve how public spaces are shared.
4 Source: SLO County second least affordable small metro in America, San Luis Obispo Tribute, March 21, 2022. 5 Source: https://www.rentcafe.com/average-rent-market-trends/us/ca/san-luis-obispo/ 6 Source: Analysis of HUD Fair Market Rents, available at: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr.html 7 Source: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/cp.html#2006-2017
8 Ending Homelessness
Vision
The San Luis Obispo region will reduce homelessness by
ensuring that people at risk of losing housing can retain it, and those experiencing homelessness can equitably secure safe housing with appropriate supports, minimizing trauma to the individual, the community, and the environment.
Goals of this Plan:
1. Reduce the number of people experiencing
homelessness to 50% of the current level
within five years.
2. Reduce unsheltered homelessness to 50% of
the current level within five years.
Six Lines of Effort:
1. Create affordable and appropriately
designed housing opportunities and
shelter options for underserved
populations.
2. Focus efforts on housing stability for
those experiencing homelessness or at risk
of homelessness, including expanding
prevention/diversion, supportive services,
and housing navigation efforts.
3. Improve and expand data management
efforts through HMIS and Coordinated
Entry to strengthen data-driven
operational guidance and strategic
oversite.
4. Create, identify, and streamline funding
and resources.
5. Strengthen regional collaboration.
6. Build public engagement through
information-sharing and partnership.
Our Guiding Principles:
• We must use a rapid cycle
implementation strategy to add capacity
in housing, shelter, and homelessness
prevention.
• We will build the train as it travels:
Strategic planning, action planning, and
implementation will be occurring
simultaneously.
• Innovation is needed to create lower cost
housing and shelter options.
• We will actively engage persons with
lived experience of homelessness in the
development, refinement, and execution
of plans.
• We must work together across
jurisdictional boundaries and across
sectors so that we can move forward with
strategically coordinated action.
• We will build community awareness of
the impacts of homelessness on our
community and support for countywide
initiatives.
9 Summary Timeline
• First 12 Months: Rapid-Cycle Expansion of Interim Housing Capacity • Rapid-cycle implementation of non-congregate sheltering/interim housing capacity.
• Expand landlord partnership through incentive program and incentive/mitigation fund.
• Through launch of Homeless Action Committee, lay groundwork for a Regional Compact on homelessness to expand affordable and homelessdedicated housing regionally, including deeper analysis of needs and resources focused on populations that are medically vulnerable/age 65+, have behavioral health conditions, are chronically homeless, or are families with children.
• Increase diversion and prevention capacity.
• Expand staffing levels to meet needs in interim housing capacity and provide services for people with behavioral health conditions.
• Improve and expand HMIS and Coordinated Entry for data-driven strategic oversight capabilities and operational guidance.
• Actively engage persons with lived experience of homelessness into all phases of planning.
• Launch community education and media plan.
• Years 2-3: Regional Compact for Housing Development and Expanded Service Capacity
• Jurisdictions will develop a Regional Homelessness Compact to develop and align supportive housing goals, reducing barriers to housing and aligning resources to create and support housing.
• Expand supportive services available to ensure people are able to access and maintain housing, especially outreach, skills training, medical care and behavioral health services.
2022-2023
• Build Interim
Housing
Capacity
• Prevention
• Data
2023-2025
• Expanded
Service
Capacity
• Regional
Compact
2025-2027
• Increased
Housing
Capacity
• Data-driven
refinements
10 • Create community standards for services and housing and expand training and other staff supports to ensure all resources support strategic plan goals and use of best practices.
• Improve data analytics and systematic reporting. Expand data connections and coordination with criminal legal system, hospitals, residential care and supported housing to offer more effective and efficient services, while respecting individual privacy rights.
• Review and learn from rapid cycle expansion of non-congregate sheltering/interim housing capacity and prevention and diversion capacity to fill in gaps and make improvements
• Years 4-5: Increase Housing Capacity
• Complete more affordable and supportive housing projects, both traditional and non-traditional, and meet Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) targets in all jurisdictions
• Develop housing solutions with consideration of water and other infrastructure needs
• Systematically speed up the path from homelessness to housing • Solidify gains with sustainable ongoing funding
• Implement incentives as needed to ensure implementation of the Regional Compact
• Enhance community partnerships to support system effectiveness
11 Lines of Effort
Line of Effort 1: Create affordable and appropriately designed housing opportunities and shelter options for underserved populations.
12 Focus: Increase the number of interim and permanent housing opportunities for prioritized beneficiary groups experiencing homelessness, to clear the backlog of households without appropriate housing options due to specific housing barriers and increase the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the homeless system of care.
Metric: Create 2050 new housing opportunities for persons experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness over a 5-year period across the County Summary of Timing:
• Year 1:
o Find locations and start building non-traditional interim supportive housing with the goal of creating 300 units within 3 years o Develop better data on how many people need what type of housing and supports, and where they need it, so that we can develop clear, datainformed, housing targets for specific populations.
Beneficiary groups have been identified
based on data analysis of community need.
These groups may change over time as
homelessness is addressed and community
needs change.
The following beneficiary groups have been
identified as this plan begins:
• Older Adults/Medically vulnerable
• People with Behavioral Health
Conditions
• Chronically Homeless
• Families
What do we mean by “creating housing opportunities”?
Creating housing opportunities includes any strategy to increasing housing access, including but not limited to:
• Constructing, acquiring, rehabilitating, or renovating housing units • Master leasing
• Funding housing subsidies for households to access apartments in the community • Non-traditional housing or shelter options, like tiny homes, pallet shelters, board & care facilities, shared housing, or other designs.
13 • Years 2-3:
o Prioritize and accelerate development of permanent housing projects to meet the mix of needs in the community, including permanent supportive housing (PSH) dedicated to homeless households. o Keep building interim supportive housing.
• Years 4-5:
o Ensure the creation of permanent supportive housing and low income/very low-income housing, including small Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to meet Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) targets in all jurisdictions.
See Appendix A for housing model definitions, targets, expected number of persons housed, and turnover assumptions.
A. Rapidly create and support low-cost, non-traditional interim supportive housing solutions.
1. Use rapid-cycle implementation to increase noncongregate sheltering/interim housing capacity through projects such as pallet shelters, cabins, tiny
homes, sober living homes, room and board settings,
and parking villages. Target one project in each City
and Supervisor District for a total of 300 new units
countywide within 3 years.
2. Ensure that these new interim housing projects countywide form a continuum of safe, accessible, low-barrier interim housing/shelter options for individuals and for families that include wet or damp shelters, which allow for people with substance use needs to have housing while beginning to address recovery, and options that allow partners and pets.
3. Expand the Oklahoma Avenue Parking Village and replicate on a smaller scale in additional locations, with housing navigation support.
4. Provide housing-focused services to address needs of specific populations, including chronically homeless, unsheltered, families, and elderly/medically vulnerable. (See also, LOE 2.C)
5. Develop community standards for temporary non-traditional supportive housing to ensure that people served in these settings exit to permanent housing.
6. Complete a quarterly analysis of existing projects to determine the utilization and need for interim housing based on geography, climate, and Housing Unit: A housing
unit serves one
household, which may
consist of one person.
14 population and outcomes of various models. Align and expand shelter resources based on analysis.
B. Remove barriers to building new units for homeless populations throughout the region, especially in cities.
1. Cities and County will adopt least restrictive interpretation of “low-barrier navigation centers” (based on state zoning requirements) into zoning codes.
2. Cities and County will consider deferring or waiving permit fees for new infrastructure related to homelessness (or commit permit and/or impacts fees to support building costs).
3. Complete a regional inventory of city- and county-owned properties (based on compilation of city housing inventories within each Housing Element).
4. Codify best practices and facilitate adoption of streamlined development of homeless housing through a Regional Homelessness Compact. (See also, LOE
5.A.)
C. Create and sustain permanent supportive housing for homeless households.
1. Work with healthcare partners to expand access to supportive housing environments appropriate for medically vulnerable individuals, chronically homeless persons and seniors. (See also, LOE 2.J.)
2. Commit to ongoing funding needed to sustain the operations and supportive services for existing permanent supportive housing projects.
3. Reduce the development cost of permanent supportive housing by removing fees and by aligning local land use policies to reduce barriers to siting.
4. Advocate at the state level for changes to housing development policies that would streamline the development of permanent supportive housing.
5. Accelerate project implementation to build 500 additional units of permanent supportive housing for homeless persons
within 5 years.
6. Prioritize production of a mix of project
sizes to serve different needs, including projects
of fewer that 12 units, projects for persons with
chronic mental illness, and larger projects using
tax credit financing to accommodate families
and seniors.
7. Ensure all housing created accounts for
water and other infrastructure needs.
Non- traditional supportive
housing options can include
the following:
• Pallet shelters
• Tiny Homes
• Board & Care
• Single Room
Occupancy (SRO)
• Sober living homes
15 8. Use clear prioritization and systematic tracking to ensure that medically vulnerable and chronically homeless individuals needing permanent supportive housing exit from stabilizing environments such as interim housing/shelter solutions into permanent supportive housing with sufficient clinical and other service supports.
D. Increase use of existing vouchers and rapid rehousing funds through a region-wide landlord incentive and outreach program to maximize available units with private landlords.
1. Bring the Housing Authority of City of San Luis Obispo’s (HASLO) Emergency Housing Voucher landlord incentive program to scale in all communities to increase the number of participating landlords by 15% over the next 5 years.
2. Create a countywide landlord incentive/mitigation fund and adjust available funding based on analysis of access, utilization, and outcome of current landlord engagement efforts.
3. Sustain current levels of vouchers and rapid rehousing. Add resources sufficient for an additional 160 persons to find housing.
4. Expand the Housing Now program by 5 additional persons each year.
E. Increase access to seasonal and weather-dependent shelter throughout the region.
1. Maximize opportunities for winter sheltering across the County. Start with identifying locations, then where possible, expand for less severe weather conditions and more days of service.
2. Consider cooling centers in each region (North, Central and South) to be available on days expected to exceed 100 degrees, to support both unhoused persons and vulnerable housed people without air conditioning.
F. Support achievement of Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) goals for affordable housing targeting low- and very low-income households in every jurisdiction.
1. Introduce policies and strategies to accelerate completion of affordable housing projects, including traditional housing and small accessory dwelling units or permanent tiny homes, to meet RHNA targets in all jurisdictions (one-half of 6 th cycle RHNA targets for low-income and very low-income units within 5 years), to achieve 1667 units of low/very low-income housing and 500 supportive units dedicated to homeless persons or preventing homelessness (see also, LOE #1 C.4).
16 2. Create a public dashboard to demonstrate progress toward affordable housing goals.
3. Provide incentives to builders and developers of affordable housing to increase development, including increasing local matching funds to help make strategic local projects competitive for tax-credit financing.
4. Preserve existing affordable housing, such as mobile home parks and the Anderson building.
5. Support smaller homes of all kinds such as tiny homes, tiny homes on wheels and ADUs.
6. Support all levels of affordable housing (including deed restricted housing, moderate affordable units, affordable by design approaches) to provide housing for those exiting successfully from homeless-dedicated housing and stabilize moderate- and low-income households, including workforce.
7. Encourage development of workforce housing countywide to support staff who are currently working or moving to the area to work in this field.
8. Review City and County resources including Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to increase the efficiency and timeliness of allocation and utilization. For example, consider combining funds to get projects qualified for tax-credit financing more quickly.
9. Through the HSOC Housing Committee, consider and encourage exploration of alternative housing finance models.
17 Line of Effort 2: Focus efforts to reduce or eliminate the barriers to housing stability for those experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, including prevention, diversion, supportive services, and housing navigation efforts.
Focus: Strengthen supportive services across subpopulations to effectively assist people who are experiencing homelessness in obtaining and maintaining housing.
Metrics:
• System-wide, reduce the average length of time people experience homelessness by 10% each year.
• Increase the number of people being served in shelters or by outreach staff that access permanent housing by 10% each year.
• Increase the number of people exiting homelessness by at least 2050 over five years, compared with current level of effort.
Summary of Timing:
• Year 1: Prevention & Diversion; services sufficient to support new interim housing
• Years 2-3: Develop services, training and coordination, especially outreach, skill development, and behavioral health.
• Years 4-5: Maintain services, with ongoing assessments and refinements to maximize effectiveness
A. Implement housing-focused case management and services across the region.
1. Increase staff to meet the growing challenge of emerging needs (with increased efforts in coordinated entry, outreach, housing case management); utilizing best-practices to define appropriate client to staff caseload ratios and to hire individuals who are gender- and culturally diverse, including multilingual staff.
2. Recruit and support development of new staff, which may include outreach to and partnerships with high schools and colleges; and provide support for continued education for current staff.
3. Increase and create peer support positions including developing qualifications, providing training, and leveraging support from the Department of Rehabilitation and Department of Health Care Services.
18 4. Increase compensation and benefits to reduce turnover, standardize pay scales across providers, and provide livable wages for those working in the services sector.
B. Support program staff in delivering effective services
1. Develop and implement community standards and best practices for each service area (including outreach, case management, coordinated entry) with a universal focus on housing navigation.
2. Create a uniform, digital library, and schedule of trainings for supportive services (including housing first, motivational interviewing, harm reduction, trauma-informed care, vocational training, resource availability, and diversity/equity/inclusion competency).
3. Ensure that coordinated entry system is used as the foundation for service assessment across the continuum.
4. Develop a resource knowledge base and referral system to maximize community resources (including housing programs such as HASLO vouchers, HUD-VASH and other specialty vouchers, affordable/tax credit housing and legal resources).
5. Expand access to interpretation services for all providers.
6. Expand technology toolkit to ensure coordinated entry assessment can be done in real time in the field, with virtual client signatures.
7. Coordinate services and resources with public health and social service agencies to effectively respond to any emergencies, disaster events, and/or communicable diseases (including COVID).
8. Leverage the expertise and success of existing models with proven outcomes to inform new and expanding programs.
C. Structure services based on population need and geographical coverage.
1. Revamp the coordinated entry system to prioritize services based on need (including diversion, permanent supportive housing for higher threshold chronically homeless, rapid re-housing for lower threshold) throughout the geographic region.
2. Coordinate outreach strategies across multiple agencies to allocate and prioritize resources geographically and across populations and to improve information-sharing.
3. Coordinate efforts with first responders, including law enforcement and fire department agencies, to improve health and safety.
19 4. Integrate services with jail, juvenile justice, probation and other criminal justice entities.
5. Include people experiencing homelessness in service design and implementation, and at the program and system level.
6. Target program services to address the specific needs of subpopulations, including people who are aging, youth, and people who have a physical, mental health and/or substance use disorder. Ensure services are culturally appropriate to the target populations and the household makeup (including families, singles, and couples) and that supports vary as needed (specifically, time-limited versus static ongoing services) to allow for growth, independence, self-reliance, and recovery.
7. Create multidisciplinary outreach teams, including either medical staff certified and trained to provide care for physical, mental health, and substance use disorders, including mobile medications, or, at minimum, telemedicine access.
8. Pilot a site-based Regional Homeless Operations Center to support housing navigation services at the Oklahoma Parking Village.
9. Assess the need and location for expanded mobile hygiene services to increase engagement with unsheltered population.
10.Create and expand job development opportunities for unhoused and newly housed individuals by partnering with job creation and support agencies in the community, including America’s Job Center of California, Vocational Rehabilitation, and others.
D. Prevent homelessness through expanded diversion efforts (also known as housing problem solving or family reunification) and homeless prevention capacity.
1. Find housing for an
additional 50 people each
year through expanded
diversion and homeless
prevention efforts.
2. Expand diversion efforts
through coordinated entry
system (including by adding
staff; improving program
outcomes and training;
increasing flexible funding for relocation, etc.). Ensure that frontline staff are trained in diversion and progressive engagement.
What is diversion or housing problem solving?
Diversion resolves an immediate housing crisis by
problem-solving to find an alternative solution to
entering the homelessness system, which may include
family reunification. Diversion programs may include
financial assistance, mediation, or connection to
resources. In one community, the average cost per
person in the homeless system was $3,700, whereas
per person cost for diversion was only $1,550.
20 3. Expand community partnerships to help identify households at-risk of homelessness (for example, through schools, family resource centers, SAFE System of Care, food pantries).
4. Help households stabilize their housing through temporary financial support (rent, unpaid utility bills).
E. Implement culturally, linguistically, affirmative, and responsive programs and services to serve all individuals throughout the County in all regions.
1. Build community understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion to ensure equitable access to culturally appropriate and responsive services throughout the homeless system of care.
2. Improve access to services for people with limited English proficiency.
3. Develop policies and programs to identify and address structural inequalities.
4. Regularly train staff throughout the homeless system of care to be responsive to a growing diverse population.
5. Create opportunities for formerly homeless persons to participate in creating mutually supportive neighborhoods and build connections to community resources for personal, social, and economic growth.
6. Develop and implement communication strategies to improve service access that are culturally and linguistically appropriate.
F. Expand mental health and substance abuse disorder services.
1. Increase capacity and training for behavioral health outreach in the field with ties to ongoing treatment, by adding behavioral health peers, case managers, and providers who are field-based and can connect individuals through technology (telehealth) to professional services. Ensure training related to harm reduction and trauma-informed services for professional and allied staff.
2. Create integrated service strategies to address chronic substance use and co-occurring disorders, such as creating sobering centers and residential treatment centers. Ensure that the outreach workers are trained to recognize and provide interventions, referrals, and care for both mental health and substance use disorders.
3. Provide additional services for individuals who are coming out of homelessness into housing to assist with the psychological impacts, development or renewal of daily living skills, and other post housing transitions including integration into the community.
21 G. Support efforts of first responders to address high system utilizers
1. Design and develop a countywide intervention strategy to identify, engage and serve high system utilizers.
2. Expand and systematize the
interface with the jail to
reduce of frequency of postincarceration homelessness.
Expand jail in-reach to plan
for re-entry and prevent recidivism through jail-to-community bridge services.
3. Create 24/7 response systems with supportive services and transportation.
G. Structure services based on medical need of aging population
1. Develop and increase appropriate housing and home healthcare services to support housing retention among medically vulnerable and high need behavioral health populations.
2. Develop Medi-Cal-accepting nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and Supplemental Security Income/Social Security Administration (SSI/SSA) accepting licensed board and care homes across the aging spectrum.
3. Cultivate active partnerships with Dignity, Tenet, Community Health Centers, other healthcare providers and CenCal Health to better support people with complex needs.
4. Create respite care project for people exiting medical facilities, with support for ensuring housing access.
H. Expand services and housing targeted to Transitional-Age Youth (age 16- 25)
1. Strengthen the safety net to identify, assess and connect youth experiencing a housing crisis, ensure highest-risk youth receive priority for services.
2. Provide an immediate path to help youth access services for safety due to the consequences of homelessness, through enhanced outreach and mobile response.
3. Expand a continuum of age-appropriate, stable housing options to meet the diverse needs of youth (for example, host homes, master lease, and permanent supportive housing).
4. Provide a network of trauma-informed supportive services to help young people maintain stable housing, learn life skills (including parenting supports) High system utilizers are individuals that
disproportionately use emergency departments and
inpatient services. Often, obtaining stable housing
reduces system use in the first year of tenancy.
22 and to achieve and sustain higher measures of success (including education and employment services).
5. Improve youth access and utilization of medical, behavioral, and dental care services.
6. Improve youth access and utilization of public benefits (for example, CalFresh).
23 Line of Effort 3: Improve and expand data management efforts through HMIS and coordinated entry system to strengthen data-driven operational guidance and strategic oversight.
Focus: Improve homeless system data quality and reporting, increase data sharing, and analyze and share data to drive improvements in homeless system performance.
Metrics:
• HMIS access provided to all participating agencies for shared clients to the extent allowed by federal and state laws governing HMIS and privacy. • Law enforcement, healthcare organizations, government agencies and nonprofit organizations may make referrals to coordinated entry. • Mechanism exists to analyze aggregate data when individualized data cannot be shared due to privacy laws, regulations, or guidance.
Summary of Timing:
• Year 1: Create single HMIS database, data analysis and reporting to the community
• Years 2-3: Establish analytics and systematic reporting • Years 4-5: Data driven refinements in strategy and services A. Create a coordinated entry system that is open and accessible to all partner agencies to make referrals into the coordinated entry system and access data.
1. Establish one unified data system for the coordinated entry system and the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). Acquire and implement software platform/vendor that meets community needs.
2. Create a streamlined and automated referral process and allow referrals from law enforcement, healthcare agencies, government agencies, and not-forprofit organizations.
3. Provide open access for HMIS participating agencies, consistent with client consent and relevant federal and state privacy laws.
24 B. Expand access and usage of data in service coordination and decisionmaking.
1. Monitor participation from HMIS participating agencies to ensure compliance with HMIS policies and procedures.
2. Create and sustain HMIS technical support positions in proportion to number of users.
3. Streamline data processes to eliminate duplicate data entry and improve understanding of need across the community.
4. Design and implement a data quality improvement plan within HMIS for all program types.
5. Create a data analyst position to analyze performance and produce reports needed for data-driven management.
6. Community Action Teams, mobile outreach and engagement teams, and Mobile Crisis Units will have access to and utilize HMIS data to coordinate and maximize service provision.
7. Integrate GIS data and HMIS data so that street outreach teams have access to and can utilize real-time information to better assist homeless persons.
8. Expand data sharing and coordination with hospitals and managed care organizations to identify populations with greater medical and behavioral health needs and increase coordination of services.
9. Improve use of justice department, jail, police data (including TEMP data) and reports to improve services to people with criminal legal system involvement. Share aggregate data with criminal legal system.
10.Develop a dashboard and schedule of analytical reports that can be used to assess program effectiveness, identify and quantify trends in the mix of needs, and fine-tune recommendations for resource generation and allocation.
11.Provide reports on performance measures to the HSOC bimonthly.
12.Expand analysis of Stella, Homeless Data Integration System, Point-In-Time Count, Coordinated Entry, and HMIS and HUD System Performance Measures to provide a more comprehensive picture of homelessness.
13.Update data system to ensure timely monitoring of Release of Information authorizations.
14.Create data tracking and reporting mechanism to measure housing and shelter (including alternative housing models) production against Five-Year Plan development goals.
25 Line of Effort 4: Create, identify, and streamline funding and resources.
Focus: Increase funding and resources through new federal, state and private grant opportunities, restructure County funding to support this strategy, and align all funding available to address homelessness with community needs and priorities.
Metrics:
• Identify and earmark existing and known projected incoming grant monies toward new efforts that specifically accomplish objectives set by this strategy. • Identify and analyze all current yet uncoordinated homelessnessdirected funding streams across multiple government departments and community projects and synchronize them for greater impact. • Increase grant-writing/grant-management capacity to improve our understanding and involvement with state, federal and other funding sources, improve accountability and contract performance through enhanced grant management, and achieve an optimal return on investment into this strategy.
• Improve understanding and communication between County, City, nonprofit and private entities regarding funding opportunities, processes, and accountability procedures through training and focused interaction.
Summary of Timing:
• Year 1:
o Earmark the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Program Rounds 2 and 3 funding and selected American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) monies toward efforts to improve data processes, improve the coordinated entry system, bolster homeless prevention efforts, and build multiple non-congregate shelter operations throughout the region to accommodate 100-150 individuals.
o Quantify shortfalls in affordable special needs housing and service capacities and link existing and potential funding strategies to close these gaps in the next 4 years.
o Launch effort to streamline uncoordinated homelessness funding and efforts, including coordination with key external partners such as CenCal Health.
• Years 2-3:
o Continue to identify and steer funding in non-congregate shelter operations while shifting funding priorities to maximize service capacity