Let’s House Hayward!
2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan
July 2021
Attachment II
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 2 Acknowledgements This Strategic Plan was drafted by Homebase on behalf of the City of Hayward. Homebase would like to thank the membership of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee for their partnership throughout the process of developing this Plan. Special thanks to the City of Hayward, Hayward City Council, Homelessness-Housing Task Force, Community Services Commission, Alameda County, and EveryOne Home for their assistance with gathering information and providing feedback, and to the many service providers, local government staff, and people experiencing homelessness who participated in interviews, focus groups, and community meetings, for sharing their experiences and providing invaluable insight. Strategic Planning Steering Committee Members Ja'Nai Aubry, EveryOne Home Kara Carnahan, Abode Services Denise Del Rio, Downtown Streets Team Kevin Hart, Hayward Area Recreation District Councilmember Sara Lamnin, City of Hayward City Council Dominic LiMandri, Downtown Hayward Improvement District Sergeant Faye Maloney, Hayward Police Department Jake Medcalf, First Presbyterian Melissa Moore, Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center Ellen Morris, Eden Housing Melesha Owen, Hayward Library Jonathan Russell, Bay Area Community Services Tiana-Joy Smith, Downtown Streets Team Courtney Welch, EveryOne Home Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 3 Executive Summary
The City of Hayward has long identified homelessness and housing affordability as key issues in the community and has supported local efforts to address these issues in conjunction with larger regional efforts. One of the City’s six priority areas for the next three years is to Preserve, Protect, and Produce Housing for All, which includes a project to create a City of Hayward plan to end homelessness. Developed through extensive community and stakeholder engagement, this Strategic Plan outlines both the current needs in the community in relation to homelessness and supportive services as well as goals and strategies to effectively address these needs. The City of Hayward saw a 23% increase in homelessness from 2017 to 2019 according to Point-in-Time Count data. Of those experiencing homeless, a disproportionate number are African American and people of color. With homelessness on the rise, and certain groups experience disproportionate rates of homelessness, the community has identified a need for more diverse services that reach all subpopulations of those experiencing homelessness. This includes increased number and breadth of services such as housing, shelter, outreach, prevention, and other support services (e.g., behavioral health, hygiene, job training, and transportation). Through the Strategic Plan process, the City of Hayward has identified three goals and connected strategies to prioritize over the next five years, summarized on the next page. These goals and strategies are supported by specific activities, which can be found in Addendum 1: Implementation Summary Table. The outcome and process indicators to be measured across Plan activities, as well as data sources for each, can be found in Addendum 2: Outcome Indicators. A current list of policies and programs to help residents maintain their housing and prevent displacement can be found in Addendum 3: City of Hayward Housing Stabilization and Anti-Displacement Strategies.
Our vision is for the City of Hayward to be a leader in ensuring an end to homelessness by empowering individuals through accessible, dignified treatment and services.
Let’s House Hayward! Vision Statement
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 4 Let’s House Hayward! Goals and Strategies
Goal 1: Formalize a Coordinated and Compassionate Citywide Response to Homelessness and Develop Wider Community Understanding and Engagement Strategy 1.1: Formalize Interdepartmental and Interjurisdictional Partnerships Strategy 1.2: Develop Funding and Evaluation Strategy Reflecting Community Priorities Identified in this Strategic Plan Strategy 1.3: Educate and Engage the Community Regarding the Homeless System of Care
Goal 2: Increase Availability of and Reduce Barriers to Homeless Crisis Response Services Strategy 2.1: Expand Housing-Focused Shelter Capacity Strategy 2.2: Develop Homeless Crisis Response Services to Protect Dignity and Health of Unsheltered Households Strategy 2.3: Develop and Test Innovations to Improve Outreach and Engagement Strategy 2.4: Increase Diversity and Availability of Holistic Supportive Services Strategy 2.5: Support Providers and Staff Capacity to Deepen Impact of Services
Goal 3: Ensure Access to and Retention of Affordable Permanent Housing Strategy 3.1: Continue to Invest in Eviction Prevention and Anti-Displacement Resources Strategy 3.2: Prioritize the Development of Housing Targeted to People Experiencing Homelessness
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 5 Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................ 3 Let’s House Hayward! Goals and Strategies ...................................................................................... 4 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 6 Background ...................................................................................................................................... 6 Vision Statement ............................................................................................................................. 7 Community Engagement Methodology ............................................................................................ 7 Current System and Needs Assessment ................................................................................... 9 Scope of Homelessness in Hayward ................................................................................................. 9 Who is Experiencing Homelessness in Hayward? ............................................................................. 9 Current State of the System of Care in Hayward ............................................................................ 13 What Housing and Homelessness Resources are Available and Needed? ....................................... 13 What Other Services Are Available and Needed? ........................................................................... 18 Goals for Effectively Addressing Homelessness ..................................................................... 21 Goal 1: Formalize a Coordinated and Compassionate Citywide Response to Homelessness and Develop Wider Community Understanding and Engagement ......................................................... 24 Goal 2: Increase Availability of and Reduce Barriers to Homeless Crisis Response Services ............ 31 Goal 3: Ensure Access to and Retention of Affordable Permanent Housing .................................... 38 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 42 Addendum 1: Implementation Summary Table ..................................................................... 43 Table 1. Implementation Strategy Legend ...................................................................................... 43 Table 2. Implementation Strategy .................................................................................................. 44 Addendum 2: Outcome Indicators ......................................................................................... 49 Addendum 3: City of Hayward Housing Stabilization and Anti-Displacement Strategies ........ 51 Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 6 Introduction Background The City of Hayward has long identified homelessness and housing affordability as key issues in the community, and has supported local efforts to address these issues in conjunction with larger regional efforts, as evidenced by the City’s recently approved Hayward Strategic Roadmap. One of the City’s six priority areas for the next three years is to Preserve, Protect, and Produce Housing for All. Within this priority are ten different projects to holistically address affordable housing and homelessness in the City, including the creation of a City of Hayward plan to end homelessness. Like other jurisdictions across the nation and world, the City of Hayward is responding to COVID-19 and the short and long-term fiscal and economic implications of the global pandemic. With drastic increases in unemployment, the potential for increased rates of housing instability and homelessness is imminent, while State, regional and local financial resources have diminished considerably. The City of Hayward sought to develop a five-year plan that would make homelessness in the City of Hayward rare, brief, and non-reoccurring. The plan was to utilize a racial equity analysis, align with the EveryOne Home Strategic Update, and address the unique challenges of a mid-sized City addressing a complex regional crisis. A significant number of stakeholders and partners were involved in the creation of this plan, and it thus reflects the community’s perceptions of its own strengths and weaknesses. Further, there was a strong emphasis on both the input of those with lived experiences of homelessness, as well as on racial equity, to pinpoint where there are disproportionate needs in the community and to focus efforts on strengthening access to housing and services.
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 7 The goals, strategies, and activities included in Let’s House Hayward! reflect an actionable, community-led, data-driven Strategic Plan for the City of Hayward. The community goals are COVID-conscious and thus reflect a need for a large increase in housing and services that can be scaled back, over time, as the pandemic and its long-term impacts subside. The recommendations are locally tailored and employ national best practices as well as promising emerging models meant to help solve homelessness. The goals, strategies, and activities are also aligned with and informed by regional plans and reports outlined in the Methodology section below. Vision Statement Community Engagement Methodology The methodology for Let’s House Hayward! included engagement with multiple stakeholders, including people with lived experience of homelessness as well as extensive data and background research. Stakeholder Engagement • Monthly steering committee meetings O Variety of stakeholders and participation from individuals with lived experience • Lived Experience Interviews O Individuals with lived experience of homelessness • Focus groups O Business focus group § Participants from Downtown Hayward Improvement Association O Provider focus group § Participants from Ruby’s Place and Downtown Streets Team O Education focus group § Participants from Child Welfare and Attendance and Hayward Promise Neighborhood • Stakeholder interviews O City staff, providers, affordable housing developers, housing builders, and Alameda County staff “Our vision is for the City of Hayward to be a leader in ensuring an end to homelessness by empowering individuals through accessible, dignified treatment and services.” Let’s House Hayward! Vision Statement
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 8 • Engagement with participants at community and stakeholder meetings O Community Summit Kickoff and Working Groups O Homelessness-Housing Task Force O Community Services Commission O Homelessness Response Team O Homelessness Response Encampment Team Additional Data Collection and Background Research • EveryOne Home Strategic Update1 • EveryOne Home Consumer Focus Group Report2 • Oakland-Berkeley-Alameda County Centering Racial Equity in Homeless System Design Report3 • 2019 Alameda County Point in Time (PIT) Count4 • 2019 Alameda County Housing Inventory Count (HIC)5 • Hayward Citywide Strategic Roadmap6 • All Home Regional Action Plan7 • And numerous other documents and data related to City, County, State, and national program and provider policies, procedures, plans, and updates 1 https://everyonehome.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/EveryOne-Home-Strategic-Update-Report-Final.pdf 2 http://everyonehome.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Focus-Groups-Summary-Report-180207.pdf 3 https://everyonehome.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021-Centering-Racial-Equity-in-Homeless-System-Design-Full-Report-FINAL.pdf 4 http://everyonehome.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2019_HIRDReport_Alameda_FinalDraft_8.15.19.pdf 5 https://files.hudexchange.info/reports/published/CoC_HIC_CoC_CA-502-2019_CA_2019.pdf 6 https://www.hayward-ca.gov/sites/default/files/Attachment%20III%20Strategic%20Roadmap.pdf 7 https://www.allhomeca.org/2021/04/12/regional-action-plan-to-reduce-homelessness-by-75-in-three-years/ Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 9 Current System and Needs Assessment This section summarizes the findings of the needs assessment and provides an overview of the current system of care in Hayward. It identifies general homelessness numbers, the scope of the issue, and demographics, and includes summaries for each of the elements of the system of care including housing, emergency shelter, outreach, prevention, services, and governance. For each section, we cover the current system offerings, the estimated gap in meeting the current need, and racial equity consideration. Potential solutions follow in the subsequent section. Scope of Homelessness in Hayward In the 2019 Alameda County Point in Time (PIT) count,8 Hayward reported 487 persons experiencing homelessness, an increase of 23% from the 2017 PIT count, at which time there were 397 individuals experiencing homelessness in Hayward. In a 2020 random sample survey of Hayward residents, one in ten respondents had experienced a period of homelessness.9 To align with the EveryOne Home Strategic Update, Hayward needs to establish proportionate resources. However, considering that the PIT count and Housing Inventory Count (HIC) tend to underestimate the number of homeless individuals and the extent of need, and that the COVID-19 pandemic and current economic conditions that have created an increased need for services and supports in the City and County, Hayward may consider overshooting these proportionate marks. Who is Experiencing Homelessness in Hayward? The majority (88%) of people experiencing homelessness in Hayward are single adults, which includes 427 people in 352 households; the remaining 12% are families, including 59 people in 18 households. 8 All population data in this report is derived from the EveryOne Counts! City of Hayward Homeless Count & Survey Comprehensive Report 2019 unless otherwise specified. The report is available at: https://everyonehome.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2019-Hayward-Final-Report.pdf 9 https://hayward.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4677304&GUID=52E170E7-7C7A-4B62-AEA8-32BB683AC71D&Options=&Search= Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 10 Of the 487 individuals counted during the 2019 PIT Count, 41% (202 individuals) are chronically homeless, which is defined as people who have been homeless for at least a year (or repeatedly) while struggling with a disabling condition such as serious mental illness, substance use disorder, or physical disability. 5% (24) are veterans, and 6% (30 individuals) are unaccompanied youth or young adults.
88% 88%
12% 12%050100150200250300350400450
Total peopleNo. of Households
Number of Single Adults vs. Families Experiencing Homelessness Single AdultsFamilies
41%
5%6%0
50 100
150
200
250
Chronically HomelessVeteransYoung Adults
Subpopulation Totals
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 11 Further, 39% (190 individuals) were experiencing their first episode of homelessness; of those, 40% (76 individuals) were experiencing homelessness for one year or more. Moreover, 56% (273 individuals) of those identified in the 2019 PIT count reported having a disabling condition. African Americans are 10% of the population of Hayward, yet they represent 24% of the people experiencing homelessness. The American Indian and Native Alaskan population makes up 5% of the homeless population in Hayward, but just 1% of the general population. Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander make up 6% of homeless population in Hayward but just 2% of general Hayward population. The White population represents 40% of Hayward generally, and they make up 48% of Hayward’s homeless population. The chart below shows the racial and ethnic representation of homeless individuals in Hayward as compared to the general population of Hayward.
40%
10%7%2%1%
26%40%48%
24%14%6%5%2%
21%
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%
White
Black / African AmericanMultiple Races / Other
Native Hawaiian / Pacific IslanderAmerican Indian / Alaskan Native AsianLatinx/Hispanic
Racial and Ethnic Representation of Homelessness in HaywardGeneral PopulationHomeless Population 39% of those counted during the 2019 PIT Count were experiencing their first episode of homelessness; of those, 40% had been experiencing homelessness for one year or more.
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 12 Racial Inequalities Reflected in Homelessness Populations Race is a strong correlate of poverty in the community, while poverty is a predictor of homelessness. Given that people experiencing poverty are at greater risk of homelessness due to increased housing cost burden, looking at racial inequities in poverty rates in Hayward is also an indicator of disparities in risk of homelessness.10 African Americans are the race most likely to experience poverty in Hayward (18%), followed by Hispanic or Latino populations (16%), and then White populations (14%). However, African Americans represent only 9.5% of the population in Hayward, while Hispanic individuals represent almost 41%, and White individuals make up 33% of Hayward’s population. African Americans thus have disproportionately high rates of poverty in Hayward, putting them at a disproportionately higher risk of homelessness. Racial Disparities in Homelessness in Alameda County The racial inequities present in Hayward are reflected across the County of Alameda: African Americans are 11% of the population of Alameda County, yet they represent 47% of the people experiencing homelessness. Further, the American Indian and Native Alaskan population makes up 4% of the homeless population in Alameda County, but just 1% of the general population. Alternatively, 31% of Alameda County’s homeless population identifies as white, yet they represent 43% of its general population.
Transition age youth (TAY) of color also disproportionately experience homelessness: almost 50% of unaccompanied TAY in Alameda County were African American. According to the SPARC report,11 a national sample of African American youth had an 83% higher risk of homelessness compared to youth of other races. TAY are also more 10 Roots, Race, and Place. https://belonging.berkeley.edu/rootsraceplace 11 https://c4innovates.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/SPARC-Phase-1-Findings-March-2018.pdf Underpinning these disparities are historical inequities in housing policies and practices, segregation, discriminatory laws and enforcement, and restricted economic opportunities. Communities of color, low-income households, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, and survivors of violence and trauma, all experience homelessness at higher rates and face greater barriers to housing stability. Those with multiple at-risk identities likely face compounding risk for homelessness.
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 13 likely to have a history of foster care (40%); 18% of youth under age 25 reported that aging out of the foster care system was the primary cause of their current homelessness. Current State of the System of Care in Hayward Reflections of People with Lived Experience In the 2018 EveryOne Home Consumer Focus Group Report,12 participants articulated their mistrust of the system and 211. They reflected that, in their experience, no matter what input they provide, it does not result in agencies or government meeting their basic needs. Many participants described reports of unsuccessful assistance, including receiving wrong or disconnected phone numbers, being hung up on by staff, and calls going unanswered. Similar feedback was shared by individuals with lived experience in Hayward who were interviewed for the development of this Strategic Plan. The EveryOne Home Consumer Focus Group Report also emphasized that the dignity and value of people experiencing homelessness must be honored, and the systemic discrimination faced by people who are homeless must end. People who are homeless need to be recognized as human beings, and not be discriminated against –whether by law enforcement, government, social services agencies, motels/hotels, employers, transit, security guards, and other people, without redress. What Housing and Homelessness Resources are Available and Needed? Permanent Supportive Housing As outlined in the EveryOne Home Strategic Update, EveryOne Home aspires to 5,000 PSH units available per year in Alameda County. Hayward’s proportionate share of this (6.1%) would be 305 units of PSH. There are currently 166 PSH units in Hayward. There are 15 units are through Meekland House13 that are specifically for disabled Transition Age Youth, though the number of beds was not specified. Rapid Rehousing EveryOne Home aspires to 1,400 RRH beds available per year; a resulting 86 beds are needed in Hayward per year. There are currently no known RRH units in the City of Hayward, though there are 606 RRH beds in Alameda County. However, the City of Hayward does have other 12 http://everyonehome.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Focus-Groups-Summary-Report-180207.pdf 13 https://self-sufficiency.org/meekland/ Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 14 flexible fund programs, including Project Independence, which offers rental subsidies for 25 to 30 transition age youth and their families as they transition out of the foster care system annually, and flexible funding administered by Bay Area Community Services at the Hayward Housing Navigation Center, which covers first and last month’s rent. Emergency Shelter There are currently two emergency shelters in Hayward, sheltering approximately 115 persons (24% of Hayward’s identified homeless population) who identify with the following subpopulations: 50 Chronically Homeless; 1 Veteran; 1 Unaccompanied Youth; 2 TAY; 59 persons in Families; and 55 Single Adults. Hayward’s unsheltered population is 372 individuals identifying with the following subpopulations: 152 Chronically Homeless; 23 Veterans; 0 Unaccompanied Youth; 27 TAY; 0 persons in Families; and 372 Single Adults. These unsheltered individuals were living in the following places: street / outdoors; (124/25%); in an RV (113/23%); in a car or van (72/15%); in a tent (60/12%); in an abandoned building (3/1%). Housing Navigation EveryOne Home aspires to 800 housing navigation slots (meaning, the number of people who can be served by program) across the county; proportionally, Hayward would need to maintain 49 slots with an estimated annual capacity of 98-195 slots. Before the pandemic, the Hayward Housing Navigation Center capacity was at 45 slots, but due to the need to decompress congregate shelters, the capacity has been reduced to 33 slots. Once social distancing is no longer required, the Hayward Housing Navigation Center capacity will be at 60 housing navigation slots. Additionally, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to decompress local shelters, as well as provide individual shelter options for those with increased vulnerabilities to the coronavirus, the City opened the Hayward Navigation Center Hotel Annex program in February 2021. The Hotel Annex is a non-congregate navigation center projected to provide 105 individuals with temporary shelter and care coordination services to connect to permanent housing. Outreach The City of Hayward Community Needs Assessment14 described a need for increased and more effective communication between and among service centers combined with endeavors to increase awareness and access among community members. 14 https://hayward.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3906527&GUID=D2128B57-CE33-4736-A0F5-D14A618BE0B7&Options=ID%7CText%7C&Search=block+grant Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 15 Without effective and efficient communication between service centers and with the community, existing services are underutilized and some of the needs of individuals and families go needlessly unmet. Many Hayward residents are either unaware of, or seem overwhelmed by, the logistics of navigating the many services available to them: 61% reported much more focus is needed on additional outreach between City of Hayward and community service providers. Residents also reported that they need the City to provide more centralized services for people with disabilities and those experiencing homelessness (82% of respondents to the needs assessment reported that they believe “much more focus is needed” on increased outreach services for issues related to homelessness / homeless population). Outreach Workers When compared to communities with similar unsheltered populations, Alameda County has far fewer coordinated street outreach workers and teams. EveryOne Home aspires to at least 35 full-time equivalents, subject to reduction as unsheltered population declines. To be in proportion with Hayward’s homeless population, the City would need to partner with the County and local non-profits to deploy 2.1 FTEs as street outreach workers. Currently there are 15 full-time equivalent outreach positions countywide. The EveryOne Home Consumer Focus Group reported that outreach teams should include staff with expertise in mental health, substance use, physical health, housing, public benefits, and/or lived experience. Inequities among Unsheltered Homeless Populations Current data indicates the following populations are uniquely under-sheltered by Hayward (most trends correlate with Alameda County figures).
4%4%4%7%13%14%25%
96%96%
96%93%
87%86%75%
050100150200250300350400
DV SurvivorSMI/SUDVeteransTransition AgeYouthSingle AdultMaleSingle AdultFemaleChronicallyHomeless Total Number
Comparison of Sheltered vs. Unsheltered by Subpopulation ShelteredUnsheltered
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 16 Prevention As of November 2017, the Housing Crisis Response System (Alameda County’s overall system of housing services and programs that are coordinated to prevent and end homelessness) includes the following homelessness prevention services: • Brief and targeted housing problem solving available 24 hours per day over the phone by contacting Eden Information and Referral at 2-1-1. These conversations help households identify resources at their disposal (personal, familial, public benefits, financial) to immediately avoid homelessness, when possible, without on-going assistance. • Homelessness prevention, eviction prevention funds, and flexible funds offered to eligible households for one-time assistance to keep housing or move without an episode of homelessness. • A legal hotline and six full-time attorneys provide legal services that prevent housing loss and clear barriers to obtaining housing. • Housing workshops offered daily across all five regions of the county. Housing workshops include housing education and counseling that assist people to understand and access both the subsidized and private housing market, prepare paperwork and applications, connect to financial and legal services to reduce barriers to applying for housing, and provide peer-to-peer support. Within the City of Hayward, workshops are offered monthly on topics including fair housing, COVID-19 eviction moratoria and protections, tenant protections, and landlord rights and responsibilities. 8%16%19%41%
53%
92%
84%81%59%47%
0 50
100
150
200
250
WhiteAmerican Indian /Alaska NativeMultiple RacesNative Hawaiian /Pacific IslanderBlack Total Number
Comparison of Sheltered vs. Unsheltered by Race
ShelteredUnsheltered
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 17 Additional prevention resources exist within the County but are not formally linked with the Housing Crisis Response System. According to EveryOne Home, 18% of those who became homeless in 2017 could have had their homelessness prevented if they had been identified and served earlier. While Alameda County offers legal and financial services to prevent evictions, these services do not apply to everyone at risk of homelessness. Often, those most at risk live doubled up or “couch surf” before entering a shelter or being on the streets. Further, formerly homeless people may be at risk of returning to homelessness: Data collected since 2012 indicate that 16% of people in Alameda County who obtain a permanent home return to homelessness within 24 months. Persons with serious mental illness, especially those with compounding medical and substance abuse problems, are another group at greater risk when a family member who is housing them becomes ill or dies or their board and care or assisted living facility closes. EveryOne Home determined preventing first-time homelessness is one of the largest gaps in the current response to homelessness, and thus recommended a large expansion to prevention programs. Similarly, in their 2020 Regional Action Plan, All Home proposes that for every one unit of interim housing created, there be four preventative interventions to break the cycle of unsheltered homelessness in the Bay Area.15 Previously, 9.6% ($11 million) of the Housing Crisis Response System budget went toward homelessness prevention efforts in FY 2017/18, while an additional $20 million in new funding went, in part, to prevention efforts in Alameda County for FY 2018/19, though the exact amount was not specified in the Strategic Update. 15 http://www.allhomeca.org/wp-content/themes/allhome/library/images/plan/210413_Regional_Action_Plan_Final.pdf 18% of those who became homeless in 2017 could have had their homelessness prevented if they had been identified and served earlier.
Racial Equity in Prevention BIPOC (Black, indigenous, and/or people of color) are overrepresented in the homeless population. Economic insecurity is a primary driver of initial homelessness (57% of individuals in the PIT cited money issues as the primary event or condition that led to their homelessness) and can be addressed through targeted prevention efforts – see Strategy 3.1 for details.
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 18 EveryOne Home proposed doubling the current number of prevention slots (bringing the total up to 5,000) in order to provide temporary financial assistance to those most at risk of homelessness, especially those without a lease, those with prior episodes of homelessness, and those with disabling conditions relying on ailing/aging family members for housing. This proposal is reinforced by All Home’s 1-2-4 model that emphasizes an increased investment in prevention resources to disrupt the cycle of individuals returning to or becoming homeless. Current recommendations from EveryOne Home included: (a) Local funders increase investments in temporary financial assistance and consider prioritizing for prevention assistance those who are particularly at risk of becoming homeless, such as couch surfers, people who have been homeless before, and those in permanent supportive housing, and (b) Funds should be coordinated with legal services and Coordinated Entry. To successfully serve 500 hundred additional at-risk households each year, at an average cost of $5,000 per household, EveryOne Home estimates needing an additional $2.5 million per year added to the flexible housing pool, reaching $10 million per year by 2023 (bringing the total prevention budget to over $20 million). The Goals and Strategies sections later in this report outline action steps to begin addressing the need for increased prevention efforts in Alameda County. What Other Services Are Available and Needed? Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services is the primary behavioral health center in the City. The rate of Severe Mental Illness Related Hospitalizations in Hayward (796.4) is significantly greater than that of Alameda County (695.0) and more than double the California rate (320.0).16 Further, 13% of homeless individuals in Alameda County indicated an experience of mental health or substance use issues as a cause of their homelessness (2019 PIT Count). The Hayward residents’ Substance Use ER Visit Rate per 100,000 population (2,419.1) is much higher than that of Alameda County (1,642.7) and nearly twice the California rate (1,275.4). 16 http://www.healthyalamedacounty.org/indicators/index/view?indicatorId=2475&localeId=132164 Individuals with serious mental health issues are more likely than the general population to experience co-occurring physical and substance use challenges. Integrated health services and improved access to co-occurring informed substance use treatment resources is critical for meeting the needs of this population.
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 19 Showers and Laundry Services From surveys conducted during the Let’s House Hayward! Community Summit, 74.5% of participants reported that much more focus was needed on providing showers and laundry services. This reflects the 2018 EveryOne Home Consumer Focus Group Report, where people experiencing homelessness shared that the lack of access to basic sanitation (toilet access, shower and laundry services–including mobile toilets/shower units, garbage collection, and access to cooking facilities), is a primary health and safety concern. Safety Protections The EveryOne Home Consumer Focus Group Report found that people experiencing homelessness feel unsafe and request safety protections, including protection from harassment and mistreatment by law enforcement. In Hayward’s 2020 random sample survey on community safety, Hayward residents who have experienced homelessness were more likely to have also been a victim of a crime. Participants felt that police (included Cities’ police, UC Berkeley Police, Alameda County Sheriff, Fire Department, and security guards) move them from space to space, and often mistreat them, rather than offer to them the protection, help and support they deserve. In the 2020 community safety survey, people with experiences of homelessness were less satisfied with police interactions in Hayward. Further, residents were least satisfied with how the police respond to or treat unsheltered individuals with serious mental illness. Job Training and Employment Services Eighty-two percent (82%) of community members who responded to surveys during the Let’s House Hayward! Community Summit reported that much more focus was needed on increasing job training/employment readiness programs; 53% indicated “a lot more” employment or job training was needed in Hayward for at-risk populations. According to the EveryOne Home Consumer Focus Group Report, many people experiencing homelessness request access to income, employment training, and job opportunities.
Not having a safe and permanent space to sleep during the night and/or be during the day is a major stressor and makes individuals experiencing homelessness vulnerable to harassment, assault, and violence.
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 20 Most people in these focus groups lost their homes because of inability to pay for high rents, and thus many participants requested that the system removes barriers to access more income and employment. This displacement pressure on renters in Hayward is amplified for people of color, as American Community Survey data show Black and Hispanic/Latino renter households have greater housing cost burden, meaning they are more likely spend at least 30% of their income on rent. The stated needs and suggestions ranged from addressing discrimination by employers, who do not hire people while experiencing homelessness; offering showers and clothes for those engaged in job seeking activities; life skills and meaningful vocational training; casual employment for those on SSI/SSDI; and opportunities to barter services with businesses and residents in exchange for safe spaces to sleep at night. Educational Activities Over two-thirds (69%) of Hayward Unified School District (HUSD) students live in low-income households, compared to 42% of students across the County.17 The Hayward Unified School District Child Welfare and Attendance office provides outreach workers under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act, federal legislation that ensures the educational rights and protections of children and youth experiencing homelessness through homeless education liaisons.18 Transportation Though Hayward has two BART stations, the number of people who commute to work via Public Transit in Hayward (9.5%) is lower than the overall amount in Alameda County (14.2%). Fares have increased for public transportation making it prohibitively expensive for people to go to multiple locations (and/or appointments). Qualitative interviews revealed the population to be frustrated with changes made to AC Transit routes and times, and pedestrian issues at specific crosswalks. Hayward also experiences slightly longer commute times than the Alameda County averages (Hayward 31.8 minutes, Alameda County 31.6 minutes). Hayward also has a much higher percentage of workers who commute alone (71.0%) than does Alameda County (62.6%). Further, American Community Survey data shows a steady decline in households earning less than $50,000 living in Census tracts along the BART/880 corridor, meaning lower-income earning households have to travel further to reach main transportation corridors. On a positive note, more Hayward households have access to a vehicle (93%) than the Alameda County average (90%). 17 California Department of Education 18 https://www.husd.us/homeless Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 21 Goals for Effectively Addressing Homelessness
GOAL 1: Formalize a Coordinated and Compassionate Response to Homelessness and Develop Wider Community Understanding and Engagement GOAL 2: Increase Availability of and Reduce Barriers to Homeless Crisis Response Services GOAL 3: Ensure Access to and Retention of Affordable Permanent Housing The City of Hayward has made significant efforts towards addressing its growing homeless and at-risk population, including establishing a rent stabilization ordinance, overseeing the ongoing management and expansion of the Navigation Center, coordinating cross-departmental collaboration around encampment response, and managing over a dozen contracts with homeless service agencies providing prevention, shelter, and outreach services. The City has also leveraged COVID-19 related federal funding to provide rental assistance and foreclosure prevention counseling during the coronavirus pandemic. While these efforts are steps toward resolving and preventing homelessness for a portion of Hayward residents, significantly more coordination and investment is required to serve the existing and growing homeless population. Future homelessness solutions should be based on a strategic framework designed to address the distinct experiences of the homeless community and the gaps in needs and services within the City. Some of the major gaps identified by Hayward stakeholders include shelter, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing capacity; lack of coordination amongst the City and providers; lack of services for families and specific subpopulations such as transition age youth, victims of domestic violence, and formerly incarcerated individuals; and the lack of homeless crisis response programs for unsheltered households. Through a review of local data regarding housing and homelessness and extensive engagement with a wide variety of community stakeholders and individuals with lived experience, the City of Hayward has identified three goals to prioritize over the next five years.
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 22 GOAL 1: Formalize a Coordinated and Compassionate Response to Homelessness and Develop Wider Community Understanding and Engagement
While the City does have existing cross-departmental coordination focused on homelessness response, the City will formalize this collaboration by ensuring that all stakeholders essential to implementing the identified strategies in this Plan are at the table. The City will broaden this collaboration beyond City staff and invite Hayward homeless service providers and individuals with lived experience to participate in targeted discussion and feedback sessions. Further, the City will call upon the wider community to be a part of the homelessness solution through public education regarding the homeless system of care and the struggles of those experiencing homelessness to foster compassion and understanding for these individuals. GOAL 2: Increase Availability of and Reduce Barriers to Homeless Crisis Response Services
With the number of individuals experiencing homelessness overwhelmingly living in unsheltered environments (76%), the City needs to significantly invest in projects dedicated to low barrier crisis response services, including expanding shelter capacity and increasing outreach and engagement efforts to connect individuals to services. With only two shelters operating during the winter available to single households, the City plans to expand its shelter availability. In addition, the City will develop programs to provide low barrier support for unsheltered households living outside, in their RVs or cars, or in tents through programs such as safe parking and sanctioned camp sites. These programs will not only prioritize providing a safe space for individuals and families but encourage and support them in moving into permanent housing through progressive engagement services.
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 23 GOAL 3: Ensure Access to and Retention of Affordable Permanent Housing
In order to tackle the growing homelessness crisis, the City will also increase efforts in both prevention and expansion of permanent housing options. In order to prevent further Hayward residents from becoming homeless, the City will invest in flexible funds to support diversion and problem-solving efforts as well as ongoing shallow subsidies for individuals whose income is insufficient to pay for high rental costs. The City will also explore the feasibility of expanding permanent housing options such as affordable housing units, tiny homes, and hotel conversion projects. In order to move forward with these projects, the City will coordinate with multiple departments and divisions such as Housing and Planning to identify and remove zoning barriers and further streamline development processes to accommodate these new projects. The City will also facilitate and support homeless service providers with its Rapid Rehousing programs by leveraging existing relationships with landlords to increase access to housing that already exists within Hayward. The above goals, strategies, and specific activities for each can be found in Addendum 1: Implementation Summary Table. The outcome and process indicators to be measured across Plan activities, as well as data sources for each, can be found in Addendum 2: Outcome Indicators. A current list of policies and programs to help residents maintain their housing and prevent displacement can be found in Addendum 3: City of Hayward Housing Stabilization and Anti-Displacement Strategies.
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 24 Goal 1: Formalize a Coordinated and Compassionate Citywide Response to Homelessness and Develop Wider Community Understanding and Engagement The City has a number of existing interdepartmental and interjurisdictional efforts coordinating strategies and responses to homelessness, including the following meetings: • Weekly Alameda County Healthcare for the Homeless Provider Community meeting • Bi-Weekly all-city Alameda County meeting (Housing and Homelessness specific) • Monthly Alameda County Systems Coordination meeting • Monthly Alameda County Cities Hotel Working Group; • Monthly Mid-County Homeless Task Force • Monthly District 4 Homeless Outreach Providers meeting • Monthly Alameda County Mayors’ Homeless Working Group • Quarterly Regional Navigation Center Working Group • Ad-hoc City/County Homelessness Staff Working Group • Additionally, City staff meet regularly with County staff to discuss partnership and funding opportunities. In addition to continuing existing regular communication with Alameda County and identifying opportunities to increase collaboration, further formalizing of the current coordination is required to respond to the homelessness crisis. This existing interdepartmental partnership largely focuses on more immediate homelessness crisis response, for example, coordination between Police, Fire, and Maintenance around encampment response. In order to establish long-term housing solutions, the City must also establish broader interdepartmental partnerships across the City. In addition, a number of homeless service providers indicated a lack of communication and coordination between the City and other providers, suggesting a need to coordinate efforts amongst providers serving the Hayward homeless community.
Formalize Interdepartmental and Interjurisdictional Partnerships
Strategy 1.1
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 25 By formalizing these interdepartmental efforts and ensuring that all necessary stakeholders are invited to participate, the City can begin implementing the action steps in this Plan in a coordinated, transparent, and equitable manner. The following action steps are recommended for this strategy: a. Continue to leverage the City’s cross-departmental collaboration around encampment response. The City has been effectively coordinating efforts around homelessness response across multiple departments including Police, Fire, Code Enforcement, Maintenance, and the City Attorney’s Office. This interdepartmental response team focuses primarily on crisis related response to homelessness and responding to encampment needs and concerns. This Plan proposes that the Homelessness Response Team and Encampment Response Team continue to serve the community in a similar capacity. In addition, the teams shall partner with homeless service providers to share best practices and align and coordinate resources and services to reduce redundancy and re-traumatization. The response teams should also consult with individuals with lived experience to evaluate any gaps and needs in the city’s ongoing homelessness crisis efforts. By creating opportunities to include broader stakeholders including service providers and people with lived experience, the City will ensure that its efforts are efficient, impactful, and protect the dignity of the people it serves through trauma-informed compassionate care. b. Provide quarterly updates on Let’s House Hayward! Strategic Plan progress, including updates from City coordination groups and solicit ongoing feedback and collaboration with non-profit homeless service providers and people with lived experience, including peer to peer networking opportunities.
CORE PRINCIPLES OF TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE Safety: Throughout the organization, clients and staff feel physically and psychologically safe. Trustworthiness & transparency: Decisions are made with transparency, and with the goal of building and maintaining trust. Peer support: Individuals with shared experiences are integrated into the organization and viewed as integral to service delivery. Collaboration: Power differences – between staff and clients and among organizational staff – are leveled to support shared decision-making. Empowerment: Patient and staff strengths are recognized, built on, and validated – this includes a belief in resilience and the ability to heal from trauma. Humility & respect: Biases and stereotypes (e.g., based on race, ethnicity, sexual origination, age, geography) and historical trauma are recognized and addressed. Adapted from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s "SAMHSA's Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach" Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 26 Numerous stakeholders identified the need for Hayward homeless service providers to communicate and coordinate amongst one another. In one focus group with participants from two different provider organizations, the participants revealed that they had not met or spoken to one another despite both having worked in Hayward for many years. The participants expressed having an opportunity to speak with other providers would be very beneficial to share best practices, challenges, leverage cross-training of staff, and coordinate available services. As such, this Plan proposes that the City facilitate the development of a peer-to-peer network to help build provider capacity by providing an opportunity for service providers to connect and learn from one another. In addition to including management-level staff, the peer-to-peer network should include front-line staff such as case managers who would benefit from sharing day-to-day challenges and solutions. In addition to knowledge sharing and coordination, the peer-to-peer network would also be fundamental in carrying out this Plan by providing the City with ongoing feedback regarding implementation and to help trouble shoot any hurdles in carrying out the action steps. By strengthening its partnership with service providers through this provider network, the City and providers would be able to tackle the homelessness crisis in Hayward in a united and coordinated manner. c. Utilize the Homelessness Response meeting to coordinate implementation and evaluation of the Strategic Plan across City departments, including advising on feasibility of projects. Increasing shelter and housing system capacity as proposed in this Strategic Plan means developing new projects that will require proper zoning, site planning, and overall feasibility studies. In order to streamline the development of such projects, the City should formalize a cross-departmental subcommittee including Community Services, Housing, Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement to advise on the feasibility of the applicable Strategic Plan projects. This collaborative subcommittee will ensure that the development of new projects meets the various requirements of each department any barriers are raised and addressed in a timely manner. d. Formalize partnership between the City Manager’s Office and Hayward Unified School District to strengthen resources for unhoused school-aged children and their families. The number of families with school-aged children at risk of homelessness is likely to rise after pandemic-related eviction moratoriums are lifted. Both people with lived experience of homelessness and HUSD stakeholders expressed a desire for the City and the HUSD to partner together to provide resources and services to families with school-aged children. HUSD stakeholders emphasized that their role was to ensure that Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 27 the children’s school experience was as stable as possible including providing before and after school programs and meals, but this is particularly challenging because there is a lack of resources within Hayward to support the families with shelter and housing. With the development of new services and projects in this Plan, the City has the opportunity to partner with HUSD to develop programming within these new projects to address the needs of unhoused children and their families. “I know a number of families who have lost their employment for the past 6-8 months. Some owe $10,000 - $14,000 in rent and [they are] getting notices from landlords…[It’s] possible that the increase in homeless families is going to rise after the pandemic. At that point, an eviction will be on their record.” – Hayward Promise Neighborhood, HUSD Staff e. Formalize partnership between the City Manager’s Office and local community colleges including California State University (CSU) East Bay and Chabot College to address youth homelessness. Stakeholders emphasized the need to strengthen available resources for youth experiencing homelessness. The number of youth experiencing homelessness is largely undercounted due to lack of available resources targeted to youth. Stakeholders also noted that youth homelessness can be “invisible” due to couch-surfing and doubling up. While PIT data related to youth is limited, a 2018 report, “Study of Student Basic Needs,” published by The California State University found that across its 23 campuses, 41.6% of students reported food insecurity and one in ten students reported experiencing homelessness in the last 12 months.19 The report also showed that students who reported being both first generation to attend college and Black/African American had the highest percentage of food insecurity (65.9%) and experience being homeless (18%) compared to other racial groups.20 19 Crutchfield, Rashida and Jennifer Maguire. (2018, January). Study of Student Basic Needs. California State University Office of the Chancellor. Available at https://www2.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/student-success/basic-needs-initiative/Documents/BasicNeedsStudy_phaseII_withAccessibilityComments.pdf 20 Id.
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 28 Similar to the school-aged youth population, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated housing insecurity for CSU East Bay students as schools shifted to remote-learning and no longer had access to on-campus employment, access to food, and other resources.21 CSU East Bay data shows 35% of students were low-income in Fall 2019. There are currently strong CSUEB programs such as Pioneers for H.O.P.E. that help at-risk students find housing and meals22, but further collaboration is required to address youth homelessness. This Plan proposes that the City formalize its partnership with local Hayward college to further support existing and developing programs.
In order to implement the projects identified in this Strategic Plan, the City needs to develop a comprehensive funding and evaluation strategy. Dedicated efforts in identifying funding and partnership opportunities are necessary to launch new projects and maintain operating costs over time. In addition, in order to ensure that these new programs are efficient, impactful, and equitable, the City should set in place clear evaluation methodologies to monitor and adjust programming over time. The action steps recommended for this strategy are: a. Conduct further research on different revenue options, including state and federal funding and private philanthropy and apply for funding that aligns with Strategic Plan action steps. b. Align funding priorities with Strategic Plan priorities including federal entitlement funds, departmental budgets, and contracts with providers. c. Continue refining clear funding application, award, and oversight processes, including integrating racial equity and program evaluation metrics. d. Build infrastructure for data analysis to test efficacy of Strategic Plan projects. e. Ongoing evaluation and updating of goals to reflect changing community needs, including specific needs of subpopulations. f. Ongoing reporting on milestones to community stakeholders. g. Ongoing Plan updates to reflect evaluation findings and changing community needs, funding availability. 21 Patadia, Karishma. (2020, December 24). CSU East Bay Students Receive H.O.P.E. During Remote Learning. Available at https://www.kqed.org/news/11852792/csu-east-bay-students-receive-h-o-p-e-during-remote-learning 22 Id.
Develop Funding and Evaluation Strategy Reflecting Community Priorities Identified in this Strategic Plan
Strategy 1.2
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 29 The Strategic Update projects that in Alameda County an additional 4,000 households will need to be sustained every year with flexible subsidies at an estimated annual cost of $53.6 million dollars. Additional funding is essential to create this vital resource.
In order to strengthen citywide coordination in response to homelessness, the City should focus efforts on garnering the support of the wider community of Hayward residents, landlords, and businesses. Front-line homeless service provider staff expressed frustration due to a disconnect in understanding of the tireless efforts within the homeless system of care and how the wider community perceives the system and the individuals the system intends to serve. Such staff expressed that the work they do can take an emotional toll and the possibility of burnout is a reality that many of them encounter. Resistance or lack of understanding from the wider community only compounds these emotions. Relatedly, other stakeholders yearn for a cultural shift in how some in the community perceive individuals experiencing homelessness. The City can support in shifting the narrative of those experiencing homelessness away from stigmas and stereotypes through community education. Without the backing of the wider community in ongoing homelessness efforts, frontline staff morale will continue to wax and wane. As the City begins to implement the projects proposed in this Plan over the next five years, it’s even more important engage with the wider community. In support of this strategy, this Plan proposes the following action step: a. Develop a public education campaign to educate the Hayward community about ongoing homelessness efforts and how the homeless system of care operates. In order to encourage will for change throughout the Hayward community, this Plan proposes the rollout of a public education campaign. Some community members have little working knowledge of the complexities of a homeless system and are reliant on assumptions regarding the causes of homelessness and the challenges that individuals experiencing homelessness face. Other members express a desire to be a part of the solution or volunteer but are unsure of how to help. A public education campaign should educate community members on the basics of how the homeless system of care operates, including the fundamentals of coordinated entry Educate and Engage the Community Regarding the Homeless System of Care
Strategy 1.3
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 30 and the existing initiatives and efforts underway by homeless service providers. The campaign should also lift the voices and stories of individuals with lived experience and acknowledge that certain groups are more likely to face homelessness due to institutionalized racism and stigmatization. Front-line responders and providers expressed wanting to remind the community of the humanity and uniqueness of the homeless population. The campaign is also an opportunity to educate the community on current investments in homelessness response and prevention, such as identifying when housing developments are funded through City or County funding, such as Measure A1. “Community understanding is missing. Part of me really wants the community of Hayward to realize these are human beings with nowhere to go, who can’t afford rent, not a problem to be gotten rid of. I want more understanding about what this about. Yes, a lot of people use drugs, but that is to keep them alert and to cope.” – Outreach Provider Overall, the public education campaign is intended to reenforce the City’s commitment to ending homelessness, develop a common understanding of the strengths and challenges of homeless system of care, and to invoke compassion for the different individuals and families experiencing homelessness. In addition, the campaign will set the foundation of community buy-in that will be essential to implementing the other action steps in this Plan. Included in this campaign will also be continuous education in the community about new city-sponsored projects and initiatives related to this Plan and future efforts to end homelessness.
Public Education Campaign Topics The City’s public education campaign should prioritize the following topics: • Data regarding the makeup of the homeless population and causes of homelessness to correct misconceptions • Data on racial disparities for Black and Native American communities • Stories of individuals with lived experience, including barriers they faced due to racism. Stories should come from a variety of voices to reflect the diversity of races, households, and subpopulations that make up the homeless population. • Fundamentals of evidence-based practices including Housing First, low-barrier crisis response, coordinated entry, prevention and diversion, progressive engagement, etc. • How to navigate existing resources • How to help, including volunteer and donation opportunities Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 31 Goal 2: Increase Availability of and Reduce Barriers to Homeless Crisis Response Services One of the gravest gaps in the homelessness system of care in Hayward is the lack of shelter beds. Of Hayward’s total homeless population, 76% are unsheltered (372 of 487 total) according to the 2019 PIT Count. The City has recently expanded shelter bed capacity through the development of the Hayward Housing Navigation Center, but with only two other shelters dedicated to families and women survivors of domestic violence and their children in the area, there is still a large shelter bed shortage. The table below shows the total number of available beds in the City, which only accounts for 30% of the unsheltered population. Further, the COVID-19 pandemic has likely increased the number of unsheltered individuals causing greater disproportion and need for additional shelter beds. Organization Bed Capacity Target Population BOSS South County Homeless Shelter 24 beds Individuals with mental illness FESCO Le Marquis House 23 beds Families of all configurations Hayward Housing Navigation Center (in partnership with BACS) 45 beds Individuals only Love Never Fails I AM House of Restoration 16 beds Women and children who have experienced domestic violence or human trafficking Love Never Fails I AM Launch House 5 beds Men and their families Ruby’s Place 42 beds Women and children who have experienced domestic violence or human trafficking Expand Housing-Focused Shelter Capacity
Strategy 2.1
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 32 “The Navigation Center is for single people. I don’t even know how to access it. Most shelters don’t allow you if you have a son. Most shelters don’t allow families… The set-up is cruel, and most people don’t talk about it.” – Person with Lived Experience Interview In addition to the need to expand emergency shelters, stakeholders also expressed that warming centers should be expanded to operate all-year round. There are currently two winter warming shelters operated by South Hayward Parish and First Presbyterian Church. They currently only operate during winter months. This Plan proposes that the City expand emergency shelter and warming center capacity. These services are essential to providing people experiencing homelessness with a safe place to stay and to connect them to supportive services and housing opportunities. In line with evidence-based best practices, these emergency shelters and warming centers should be low-barrier and operate in alignment with Housing First principles.
Low-Barrier Shelter: A shelter or housing model that removes as many pre-conditions to entry as possible and responds to the needs and concerns of people seeking shelter. Low Barrier Best Practices: • Open 24/7, no curfews • No requirements for sobriety, background checks, employment, savings, income • No mandatory attendance at meals or workshops • Allow pets • Follow Harm Reduction philosophies https://endhomelessness.org/resource/emergency-shelter/ Housing First Principles: People are better able to move forward with their lives if they are first housed. Housing First Best Practices: • Immediate access to permanent housing with no housing readiness requirements. • Individual choice and self-determination. • Recovery orientation. • Individualized and client-driven supports. • Social and community integration. https://www.homelesshub.ca/solutions/housing-accommodation-and-support/housing-first
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 33 In support of this strategy, the Plan proposes the following action steps: a. Continue oversight and management of the Navigation Center. b. Continue oversight of Navigation Center Annex through current contract term. c. Expand Navigation Center Annex to provide up to 35 units of non-congregate shelter for medically vulnerable residents. d. Continue current City-sponsored shelter programming. e. Expand existing winter shelter so it can operate all year round. Housing focused shelter capacity should also consider the needs of special populations. This includes capitalizing on the partnerships that are recommended to be developed in Strategy 1.1 in order to: • Address the disproportionate rates of youth unsheltered homelessness, • Use veteran-specific programming and benefits to reduce unsheltered veteran homelessness, and • Use domestic violence (DV) survivor-specific programming and benefits to reduce unsheltered DV-survivor homelessness.
This Plan includes strategies and action steps to reduce the percentage of unsheltered homelessness in Hayward both through prevention and creating more available affordable and supportive housing. However, while those projects are underway, more immediate crisis response, such as safe parking and a sanctioned camp site, is necessary to protect the dignity and health and safety of unsheltered individuals and families in Hayward. “Give us a place to live and we'll live there... Give us a bathroom and a shower and a way to keep the place clean.” – Hayward Resident Experiencing Homelessness Low-barrier safe parking and a sanctioned camp site can provide immediate support to the 76% of unsheltered households in Hayward, many of whom either live on the street, tent, or RVs or cars. These types of programs are not currently available in the City of Develop Homeless Crisis Response Services to Protect Dignity and Health of Unsheltered Households
Strategy 2.2
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 34 Hayward, and current County programs are at capacity. People with lived experience of homelessness expressed frustration over the lack of these types of services in Hayward and having to travel to different Bay Area cities to access a safe parking program. The development of these programs would help alleviate fears associated with not having a safe space to sleep at night. In addition, combining these services with progressive engagement services to support households move into permanent housing would help tackle the unsheltered homelessness crisis in Hayward. In addition, City staff first responders convey that many of the people experiencing homelessness they attempt to connect to housing resources are untrusting and unwilling to accept those services and would rather “be off the grid and not live by anyone’s rules.” Thus, programs like safe parking or a sanctioned camp site that provide access to things like hygiene care would be essential in serving the more immediate needs of unsheltered households, including those that are initially apprehensive about being connected to more permanent resources, but could develop trust over time. As communities of color are more likely to face barriers to housing stability, low-barrier crisis response services that accommodate different types of family configurations such as safe parking, laundry, and hygiene services has also been identified as an opportunity to increase racial equity in the homeless system of care.23 23 EveryOne Home, “Centering Racial Equity in Homeless System Design” Final Report January 2021 What is Progressive Engagement? The practice of helping households end their homelessness as rapidly as possible, despite barriers, with minimal financial support and resources that are tailored to their most critical needs. More supports are applied to those households who struggle to stabilize. It does not depend on a “number” or “score” to determine what a household needs. Progressive engagement recognizes that there is no way to accurately predict how much help someone may need to end their homelessness and avoid a return to the streets or shelter. (https://safehousingpartnerships.org/node/224) Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 35 In alignment with the Alameda County EveryOne Home Strategic Update, the goal of these short-term interventions is not to normalize unsheltered homelessness, but to address the immediate health and safety concerns of unsheltered households and to provide supportive services to help them transition into permanent housing. In support of this strategy, this Plan proposes the following action steps: a. Develop funding for and explore feasibility of a sanctioned camp site with progressive engagement services and community education campaign b. Develop funding for and facilitate the development of a safe parking site with progressive engagement services, including for those living in RVs Stakeholders identified a need to shift outreach and engagement in Hayward from primarily police-involved and complaint-based to a trauma-informed empowerment approach. As such, this Plan proposes that the City explore options to alternative outreach services such as incorporating mental health training to City staff or partner with mental health specialists to conduct outreach services. In addition to adjusting the methodology of outreach and engagement with the homeless community, additional outreach capacity and resources are needed. Outreach staff expressed that burnout and exhaustion was a real concern and more staff was needed to lighten the load. Further, more resources are needed to equip outreach staff. City staff first responders conveyed that people experiencing homelessness were very Develop and Test Innovations to Improve Outreach and Engagement
Strategy 2.3
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 36 appreciative of immediate assistance that served their basic needs such as sweaters, hygiene kits, and pillows and blankets, which were essential in building trust and rapport. These items can play a significant role in helping to develop a positive trusting relationship between outreach staff and people experiencing homelessness. In support of this strategy, this Plan proposes the following action steps: a. Provide trauma-informed training for City staff and contracted service providers with contact with residents experiencing homelessness. b. Provide racial equity training for City staff with contact with residents experiencing homelessness. c. Increase City and County partnership for Coordinated Entry, including organizing providers to make HMIS/CES recommendations to the Continuum of Care (CoC).
One key principle that stakeholders wanted highlighted in this Strategic Plan is the fact that the needs of people experiencing homelessness are varied and a one-size fits all service model will not effectively address these distinct needs. In order to serve the diverse population of people experiencing homelessness in Hayward, the City should address not only the distinct demographics or subcategories of homelessness such as veteran or chronic homelessness status, but unique life experiences of each individual experiencing homelessness and the real human needs they have. For example, instead of just focusing on housing, providers should consider a wide range of services, including things like mail forwarding services and pet care that may seem less essential, but are really meaningful to serving the emotional and holistic needs of those experiencing homelessness. These types of services align with the City’s vision to provide human-centered dignified treatment to the homeless community.
Increase Diversity and Availability of Holistic Supportive Services
Strategy 2.4
Public Safety Policy Innovation Workshops The City of Hayward initiated an eight-week workshop as a part of the Hayward Public Safety Community Outreach Project on policing and public safety. Findings, lessons, and results were presented to City Council on May 28, 2021 to inform fiscal year 2022 budget decisions for policing and public safety in order to promote racial equity. https://hayward-ca.gov/haywardsafe Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 37 “We need to not [have] just blanket solutions, but instead work on individual needs.” – Participant from Community Services Commission meeting In addition to a broader and more holistic range of service types, stakeholders and people with lived experience expressed that more services were needed to target specific subpopulations including families, transitioned aged youth, formerly incarcerated individuals, domestic violence survivors, and those with substance use and mental health disorders. Therefore, this Plan proposes that the City increase its service capacity by expanding service types for specific target populations. In support of this strategy, this Plan proposes the following action steps: a. Develop funding for and explore feasibility of a supporting resource center to expand drop-in/day use. b. Continue General Fund and CDBG entitlement funding of non-profit agencies that provide homelessness prevention and supportive services. c. Support implementation of identified policy innovations workshop solutions for mental health response to improve outreach options for individuals who are homeless and experiencing mental health crises. d. Collaborate with the City’s Economic Development Division to increase access to employment services and support a local workforce pipeline. e. Use results of 2022 PIT to identify and prioritize supportive services (reentry, mental health, transition aged youth, mobile medical team, domestic violence, substance abuse, etc.) needs for future City-funded programs.
Front-line service providers who witness the suffering and struggles of their clients often experience stress, compassion fatigue, and secondary trauma. Agencies express that burnout and turnover amongst staff is a reality they must address. In order to ensure that providers have the capacity to show up and provide compassionate, trauma- Support Providers and Staff Capacity to Deepen Impact of Services
Strategy 2.5
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 38 informed treatment to clients, the mental and emotional wellbeing of providers must be prioritized. Secondary Trauma “Secondary trauma includes experiencing symptoms similar to those of post-traumatic stress such as being easily startled, having nightmares or flashbacks, and avoiding situations that remind one of the original trauma. This stress can seriously affect the mental health of those in health care professions, mental health counselors, first responders, and others who are involved in treating those who are exposed to traumatic events.”24 In support of this strategy, this Plan proposes the following action step: a. Explore opportunities to support contracted providers and City staff to deepen impact of services and support sustainability of providers by preventing burn-out and staff turnover. Goal 3: Ensure Access to and Retention of Affordable Permanent Housing In order to achieve the overall goal of reducing homelessness in Hayward, the City must expand its efforts in preventing households from entering the homeless system of care. The aim of prevention is to stabilize a household in their current living situation or move help them move into a new housing situation without requiring them to become literally homeless in order to receive assistance. Prevention may include one-time or short-term financial assistance or ongoing shallow subsidies to support households stabilize in their current housing situation. Over half of Hayward renters are “housing cost-burdened,”25 meaning the household spends over 30% of its total income on rent and one in four renters are “severely cost 24 HCH Clinician’s Network, Healing Hands (Vol. 15, No. 1, Winter 2012). Compassion Fatigue: The High Cost of Caring. Available at https://nhchc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Winter2012HealingHands.pdf 25 HUD Featured Article, Rental Burdens: Rethinking Affordability Measures. Available at https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdredge/pdr_edge_featd_article_092214.html#:~:text=HUD%20defines%20cost%2Dburdened%20families,of%20one's%20income%20on%20rent.
Continue to Invest in Eviction Prevention and Anti-Displacement Resources
Strategy 3.1
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 39 burdened,”26 meaning the household spends over half of its income on rent.27 In addition, a higher proportion of Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino households rent rather than own their homes and have lower annual median incomes compared to Asian or white households.28 Given disproportionate inflow of people of color into homelessness, an important step in address racial disparity is to target prevention resources towards households most at risk of becoming homeless, which is often the Hayward households that are severely housing cost-burdened. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will likely result in a higher percentage of tenants who cannot pay their rent or owe back rent and will face evictions when the statewide eviction moratorium is lifted. While the City has leveraged COVID-19 related funding to provide rent relief to at risk households, more prevention resources will be needed in light of the looming expiration of the eviction moratorium. The high percentage of housing cost-burdened and severely cost-burned households in Hayward points to the need for changes beyond increase of prevention services within the homeless response system. Overarching anti-displacement resources and housing and economic policy changes are required to make housing affordable for Hayward residents. The City has made some great strides in addressing housing policies that affect low-income households. For example, in 2019, the City passed and implemented the Residential Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protection Ordinance (RRSO), limiting the percentage that landlords can increase rent prices each year for certain units. In order to reduce the inflow of households entering the homeless system of care, the City will need to increase both targeted prevention services and resources and explore changes to housing and economic policies that will make the cost of housing more affordable for low-income households in Hayward. This aligns with the All Home Regional Action Plan, which advocates for the creation of four preventative interventions for every one unit of interim housing created.29 In support of this strategy, this Plan proposes the following action steps: a. Continue implementing Residential Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protection Ordinance. b. Continue implementing expanded COVID-19-related rent mediation services and connecting low-income residents and small landlords to County Emergency Rental Assistance Program. 26 Id. 27 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2012-2018. Sample sizes vary annually. 28 2018 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates 29 http://www.allhomeca.org/wp-content/themes/allhome/library/images/plan/210413_Regional_Action_Plan_Final.pdf Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 40 c. Continue to provide resources for home repair to prevent displacement of very-low-income households, and mediation services, including expanding services as funding allows. d. Identify funds for and develop a shallow subsidy program/ongoing rental assistance for extremely low income and high rent burden households. e. Develop and implement a program to assist land trusts or non-profit orgs acquire tax defaulted properties. f. Provide flex funds, including one-time financial assistance for diversion and problem-solving program. g. Ensure that City’s prevention programs (rent relief, shallow subsidy, flex funds) are accessible in multiple languages and conduct outreach that meets people where they’re at to provide resources that prevent eviction and displacement.
One of the most important strategies to reducing homelessness is increasing the supply of housing for people experiencing homelessness. Permanent housing programs, such as Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and Rapid Rehousing (RRH) have been shown to be more cost-effective than public costs associated with crisis services such as, shelters, hospitals, maintenance, police, and jails. These programs combine affordable housing with case management and connect people experiencing homelessness to services that will improve their financial stability and overall wellbeing. For example, people experiencing homelessness can be connected to employment and public benefits; and medical, mental health, and substance use treatment. Affordable housing developer stakeholders expressed the need for city support, streamlining of the development process, and support with funding for ongoing operating costs for supportive services.
Tools for Targeting Prevention Resources The following website is a tool for targeted prevention resources, helping cities and counties see where they should target rental assistance and related services in order to prevent homelessness. https://www.urban.org/features/where-prioritize-emergency-rental-assistance-keep-renters-their-homes Prioritize the Development of Housing Targeted to People Experiencing Homelessness
Strategy 3.2
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 41 In addition to building traditional affordable housing units which may take years to develop, stakeholders also called for the City to explore newer program models such as tiny homes and motel/hotel conversion projects. Tiny home models could be built a lot faster than affordable housing units and offer residents a sense of independence and stability in having their own space. In addition, given the high cost of land in the Bay Area and opportunity to leverage federal and state funding, motel/hotel conversion projects can be a highly impactful method of getting people experiencing homelessness housed. In support of this strategy, this Plan proposes the following action steps: a. Continue streamlining development process for building affordable housing units, including those that are affordable by design, to reduce the need for a subsidy. b. As part of the Housing Element development, identify zoning barriers to implementing innovative shelter and housing models, such as tiny homes, safe parking, safe camping, and multi-unit development in City planning codes and ordinances. c. Continue leveraging partnerships between non-profit housing developers, County, and regional jurisdictions to support the creation of hotel conversion projects by community-based entities. d. Continue to support affordable housing projects that utilize innovative affordable housing strategies (i.e., tiny homes, factory built housing, and other models) and encourage developers to incorporate individuals with lived experience in the process. e. Leverage the City’s relationships with landlords and providers to support identification and reduction of barriers to participation in Rapid Rehousing programs. f. Evaluate the Affordable Housing Ordinance’s effectiveness in providing affordable housing opportunities to prevent displacement of Hayward residents and create housing opportunities for individuals experiencing homelessness in connection with analysis related to the private sector's ability to produce such units. g. Continue prioritizing inclusion of permanent supportive units for extremely low-income households in the City’s Notice of Funding Availability and City-subsidized affordable housing development. Affordable housing developments are often targeted to those earning 30-60% area median income and therefore are out of reach for most of the homeless population. Connecting subsidies to affordable housing developments can ensure that more new affordable housing will house people experiencing homelessness.
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 42 Conclusion While homelessness is on the rise in the City of Hayward, the City is also committed to solving homelessness and the supportive services need to protect and uplift all community members in need. The Needs Assessment contained in this Plan found that homelessness has increased by 25% over the last few years in the City, and that certain groups experience disproportionate rates of homelessness, such as African Americans and people of color. Further, there is a need for a broader range and increased number of services that can reach and effectively support diverse populations. The City of Hayward has made significant efforts towards addressing its growing homeless and at-risk population, significantly more coordination and investment is required to serve the existing and growing homeless population. The goals, strategies, and activities included in Let’s House Hayward! reflect an actionable, community-led, data-driven Homelessness Strategic Plan for the City of Hayward. The community goals are COVID-conscious and reflect a need for a large increase in housing and services that can be adjusted over time, as the pandemic and its long-term impacts emerge. These goals and strategies will serve as a foundation from which to effectively address the growing needs in the community and are aligned with the City’s priority to Preserve, Protect, and Produce Housing for All. Implementation of this Plan requires a coordinated, cooperative, compassionate effort from the entire community that is flexible and enduring. While an effective end to homelessness may seem like a daunting undertaking, the outcomes will far outweigh the efforts required. Every person deserves to be empowered and receive accessible, dignified support when they are in need. The City of Hayward is already a leader in its efforts to end homelessness, and the current Strategic Plan is the next step forward in ensuring an end to homelessness in the community. “Our vision is for the City of Hayward to be a leader in ensuring an end to homelessness by empowering individuals through accessible, dignified treatment and services.” Let’s House Hayward! Vision Statement
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 43 Addendum 1: Implementation Summary Table The following Implementation Strategy Table summarizes the implementation strategy for the Let’s House Hayward! Strategic Plan. In addition to the Strategies and Action Steps for each Goal, it contains the following key components: • Two columns capture estimates of annual full-time effort (FTE) for City staff for each Strategy. The first column provides the estimated FTE for the Community Services Division, which is the lead City division implementing the Let’s House Hayward! Strategic Plan. The second provides the estimated FTE for other implementation partners within the City. • In some instances, a program or project includes both the staff time captured in the FTE columns as well as contracted vendor costs. For example, the City enters into agreements with community based agencies to provide the services described in Action Step 3.1c. The $300,000 for those agreements are listed in the Annual Services Costs column. Attachment II lists the contracted costs for each Action Step and the total costs for each Strategy. Some new projects may have one-time capital or implementation start-up costs, which will be determined during the research/planning phase. • The Action Steps vary in the amount of planning and start-up work required. They also start at different times or may be ongoing work that was established in a previous fiscal year. To illustrate this distinction, the timeline color-coded to visualize the different phases of implementation: 1) research/planning, 2) beginning implementation of a new or expanded project, and 3) ongoing work to ensure continued implementation and evaluation of success. Table 1. Implementation Strategy Legend Color/Symbol Meaning Research/Planning Phase Begin implementation of new or expanded activity Ongoing work to ensure continued implementation and evaluation Not currently active * While there are no contracted service costs, this Action Step still requires staff time and corresponding costs for staff time ** This Action Step has additional one-time costs, such as capital expenses or implementation start-up costs that are not captured in the annual estimates i This Action Step is an existing City project/activity that was part of the City’s work plan prior to development of the Let’s House Hayward! Strategic Plan ii This Action Step aligns with a project in the City’s Strategic Roadmap Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 44 Table 2. Implementation Strategy Strategy Annual Staff Effort Annual Contracted Services Costs Years CSD FTE Other City FTE Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Strategy 1.1: Formalize Interdepartmental and Interjurisdictional Partnerships .70 .85 Staffing costs only
1.1a Continue to leverage the City’s cross-departmental collaboration around encampment response. i *
1.1b Provide quarterly updates on Let’s House Hayward! Strategic Plan progress, including updates from City coordination groups and solicit ongoing feedback and collaboration with non-profit homeless service providers and people with lived experience, including peer to peer networking opportunities. *
1.1c Utilize the Homelessness Response meeting to coordinate implementation and evaluation of the Strategic Plan across City departments, including advising on feasibility of projects. *
1.1d Formalize partnership between the City Manager’s Office and Hayward Unified School District to strengthen resources for unhoused school-aged children and their families. *
1.1e Formalize partnership between the City Manager’s Office and local community colleges including California State University (CSU) East Bay and Chabot College to address youth homelessness. * Strategy 1.2: Develop Funding and Evaluation Strategy Reflecting Community Priorities Identified in this Strategic Plan 1.10 0.0 Staffing costs only
1.2a Conduct further research on different revenue options, including state and federal funding and private philanthropy and apply for funding that aligns with Strategic Plan action steps. *
1.2b Align funding priorities with Strategic Plan priorities including federal entitlement funds, departmental budgets, and contracts with providers. * 1.2c Continue refining clear funding application, award, and oversight processes, including integrating racial equity and program evaluation metrics. i * 1.2d Build infrastructure for data analysis to test efficacy of Strategic Plan projects. * Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 45 Strategy Annual Staff Effort Annual Contracted Services Costs Years CSD FTE Other City FTE Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5
1.2e Ongoing evaluation and updating of goals to reflect changing community needs, including specific needs of subpopulations. * 1.2f Ongoing reporting on milestones to community stakeholders. * 1.2g Ongoing Plan updates to reflect evaluation findings and changing community needs, funding availability. * Strategy 1.3: Educate and Engage the Community Regarding the Homeless System of Care .15 .15 $50,000 + Staffing Costs 1.3a Develop a public education campaign to educate the Hayward community about ongoing homelessness efforts and how the homeless system of care operates. $50,000 Strategy 2.1: Expand Housing-Focused Shelter Capacity .85 .10 $6.46M + Staffing Costs 2.1a Continue oversight and management of the Navigation Center. i, ii $2.3M 2.1b Continue oversight of Navigation Center Annex through current contract term. i $1M 2.1c Expand Navigation Center Annex to provide up to 35 units of non-congregate shelter for medically vulnerable residents. $2M 2.1d Continue current City-sponsored shelter programming. i $168,000 2.1e Expand existing winter shelter so it can operate all year round. $1M Strategy 2.2: Develop Homeless Crisis Response Services to Protect Dignity and Health of Unsheltered Households .70 .60 $1M 2.2a Develop funding for and explore feasibility of a sanctioned camp site with progressive engagement services and community education campaign. $500,000** 2.2b Develop funding for and facilitate the development of a safe parking site with progressive engagement services, including for those living in RVs. $500,000** Strategy 2.3: Develop and Test Innovations to Improve Outreach and Engagement .50 .90 $15,000 + Staffing Costs Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 46 Strategy Annual Staff Effort Annual Contracted Services Costs Years CSD FTE Other City FTE Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5
2.3a Provide trauma-informed training for City staff and contracted service providers with contact with residents experiencing homelessness. $15,000 2.3b Provide racial equity training for City staff with contact with residents experiencing homelessness. i * 2.3c Increase City and County partnership for Coordinated Entry, including organizing providers to make HMIS/CES recommendations to the Continuum of Care (CoC). * Strategy 2.4: Increase Diversity and Availability of Holistic Supportive Services .65 3.10 $180.000 + Staffing Costs 2.4a Develop funding for and explore feasibility of a supporting resource center to expand drop-in/day use. * 2.4b Continue General Fund and CDBG entitlement funding of non-profit agencies that provide homelessness prevention and supportive services. i $180,000
2.4c Support implementation of identified policy innovations workshop solutions for mental health response to improve outreach options for individuals who are homeless and experiencing mental health crises. *,**
2.4d Collaborate with the City’s Economic Development Division to increase access to employment services and support a local workforce pipeline. ii *
2.4e Use results of 2022 PIT to identify and prioritize supportive services (reentry, mental health, transition aged youth, mobile medical team, domestic violence, substance abuse, etc.) needs for future City-funded programs. * Strategy 2.5: Support Providers and Staff Capacity to Deepen Impact of Services .10 0 Staffing Costs Only
2.5a Explore opportunities to support contracted providers and City staff to deepen impact of services and support sustainability of providers by preventing burn-out and staff turnover. * Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 47 Strategy Annual Staff Effort Annual Contracted Services Costs Years CSD FTE Other City FTE Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Strategy 3.1: Continue to Invest in Eviction Prevention and Anti-Displacement Resources .80 .85 $1M + Staffing Costs
3.1a Continue implementing Residential Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protection Ordinance. i, ii $150,000
3.1b Continue implementing expanded COVID-19-related rent mediation services and connecting low-income residents and small landlords to County Emergency Rental Assistance Program. i
3.1c Continue to provide resources for home repair to prevent displacement of very-low-income households, and mediation services, including expanding services as funding allows. i $300,000
3.1d Identify funds for and develop a shallow subsidy program/ongoing rental assistance for extremely low income and high rent burden households. $500,000
3.1e Develop and implement a program to assist land trusts or non-profit orgs acquire tax defaulted properties. i, ii *
3.1f Provide flex funds, including one-time financial assistance for diversion and problem-solving program. $50,000
3.1g Ensure that City’s prevention programs (rent relief, shallow subsidy, flex funds) are accessible in multiple languages and conduct outreach that meets people where they’re at to provide resources that prevent eviction and displacement. *
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 48 Strategy Annual Staff Effort Annual Contracted Services Costs Years CSD FTE Other City FTE Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Strategy 3.2: Prioritize the Development of Housing Targeted to People Experiencing Homelessness .10 1.25 Staffing Costs Only
3.2a Continue streamlining development process for building affordable housing units, including those that are affordable by design, to reduce the need for a subsidy. i *
3.2b As part of the Housing Element development, identify zoning barriers to implementing innovative shelter and housing models, such as tiny homes, safe parking, safe camping, and multi-unit development in City planning codes and ordinances. i, ii *
3.2c Continue leveraging partnerships between non-profit housing developers, County, and regional jurisdictions to support the creation of hotel conversion projects by community-based entities. i *
3.2d Continue to support affordable housing projects that utilize innovative affordable housing strategies (i.e. tiny homes, factory built housing, and other models) and encourage developers to incorporate individuals with lived experience in the process. *
3.2e Leverage the City’s relationships with landlords and providers to support identification and reduction of barriers to participation in Rapid Rehousing programs. *
3.2f Evaluate the Affordable Housing Ordinance’s effectiveness in providing affordable housing opportunities to prevent displacement of Hayward residents and create housing opportunities for individuals experiencing homelessness in connection with analysis related to the private sector's ability to produce such units. i,ii *, **
3.2g Continue prioritizing inclusion of permanent supportive units for extremely low-income households in the City’s Notice of Funding Availability and City-subsidized affordable housing development. i,ii * Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 49 Addendum 2: Outcome Indicators The Let’s House Hayward! Strategic Plan includes a structure for continual data-driven refinement of programs and activities following robust evaluation of process and outcome metrics. As part of ongoing project-level milestones, the larger initiatives include project design, funding development, evaluation development, pilot, and scaling of the intervention. Each intervention will contribute to a different set of process and outcome changes in the City of Hayward, and thus will have different indicators and metrics of success. The Plan’s commitment to data-driven decision-making is evident in the numerous Plan activities for developing data systems, ensuring ongoing alignment with Plan goals, City funding and project outcomes, as well as regular opportunities for reporting metrics to the community for accountability and transparency on progress toward outcomes. The below table summarizes the largest outcome and process indicators to be measured across Plan activities and identifies data sources for each. Outcomes & Processes Type Data Sources Reduction in average # times homeless Outcome PIT Count (# times homeless) Decrease in duration of homelessness Outcome PIT Count (# days homeless this episode) Increase in number of people connected to housing opportunities Outcome Program Data Increase in % interested in housing options Outcome Program Data Decrease in length of time from first contact to enrollment in services Outcome Program Data Decrease in length of time spent on waitlists for services Outcome Program Data/CE Increase in length of time housing is retained Outcome Program Data Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 50 Provide Shallow subsidy for up to 40 households each year, with associated decreases in % highly rent burdened Outcome Program Data/Census Reduction in the number of calls for public safety responses to encampments Outcome City Data Increase number of people served by Hayward Navigation Center by 70 people per year Outcome Program Data Evaluation systems established Process Administrative Data Individual action item milestones identified and tracked Process Administrative Data Annual reports completed Process Administrative Data Quarterly Let’s House Hayward! action meetings completed Process Administrative Data Increase in exits to and retention of permanent housing destinations Outcome Program and CoC Data Decrease in emergency response events for individuals experiencing homelessness Outcome City Data Increase in community-wide collaboration on homelessness solutions. Outcome Participation in CoC and Strategic Plan activities Increase in community-wide compassionate stance toward homelessness and solutions. Outcome Surveys, Focus Groups, Townhalls These are outcomes and processes that can be achieved if all the goals and activities in this Plan are fully funded and effectively implemented. These outcomes and their extensive impacts will take time to achieve and observe, and the Strategic Plan that supports them will need to be continuously reevaluated and expanded in order to support the long-term duration of these outcomes.
Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 51 Addendum 3: City of Hayward Housing Stabilization and Anti-Displacement Strategies The City of Hayward has several existing policies and programs in place to help residents maintain their housing and prevent displacement, which, in its most extreme form, can be homelessness. Prevention of Displacement • COVID-19 Rental Assistance. In response to COVID-19, the City programmed $1.73m in emergency and reallocated federal grant funds to a rent relief program, which is now closed but provided grants to over 600 households. • COVID Eviction Moratoria. In response to COVID-19, the City passed and extended Eviction Moratoria to protect tenants from eviction based on non-payment of rent or any no fault evictions. • Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance (TRAO). Passed in July 2020, the City’s TRAO requires that landlords provide temporary and permanent relocation assistance when tenants are displaced due to substantial repairs or a government order to vacate. There are some exceptions, including when the tenant is responsible for the need for repairs or if the need for repairs is caused by a natural disaster. • Local Preference Policy for Affordable Housing. The Affordable Housing Ordinance requires that projects with on-site affordable housing units apply a local occupancy preference for residents that live and work in Hayward. • Home Repair and Rehabilitation Grants. Annually, the City awards approximately $300,000 to two home repair and rehabilitation programs for substantial and minor repairs for low-income homeowners. This program allows individuals who otherwise would not be able to afford necessary repairs and risk displacement to continue living in their homes. Many grant recipients for these programs are older adults trying to age in place or adults with disabilities. • Legal Services. Annually, the City awards a range of funds to local non-profit legal services providers for tenant and landlord legal services to prevent evictions, including funds for Fair Housing administration. • Eviction Prevention Learning Lab. City staff and partners are participating in the National League of Cities and Stanford Legal Design Lab’s Eviction Prevention Learning Lab, an 18-month peer-to-peer network for cities to gain exposure to best practices, policies, and tools to prevent eviction. Housing Stabilization • Residential Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protection Ordinance (RRSO). Passed in July 2019, the City’s RRSO creates a rent increase threshold for covered rental units (broadly, multi-unit properties built before 1978) of 5% and a Let’s House Hayward! 2021 City of Hayward Homelessness Reduction Strategic Plan 52 rent dispute resolution process that allows tenants to petition potentially unlawful rent increases. It also includes just cause eviction and anti-harassment tenant protections for all rental properties. Increase Affordable Housing Supply • Implement multiple strategies (listed below) to increase the supply of affordable housing. The following number of units are in various stages of development. o 1026 rental units providing housing for extremely low to moderate-income households. o 70 ownership units proving housing to moderate income households. • Funding Development of Affordable Housing. In 2018, the City committed to providing development loans to 3 affordable housing developments that will create 259 units of housing affordable to extremely low and low-income households. City will seek additional projects in 2021. • Implementation of the City Affordable Housing Ordinance. The AHO requires that projects with on-site income-restricted units must be legally restricted to occupancy at the project-specified affordability level (extremely low, very low, low, and/or moderate income) and the affordable rent or cost in perpetuity. As a result, there are 175 units of affordable rental housing and 70 units of affordable ownership housing under various stages of development. • Prioritizing Development of Affordable Housing on Public Land. The City is working with two affordable housing developers to provide affordable housing on public land. As a result, there are approximately 280 units under development. • Facilitate the conversion of market rate housing to affordable housing. The City has entered into an agreement with the California Community Housing Agency which allows for Essential Housing Revenue Bonds issued by CalCHA to finance the acquisition or development of essential middle-income housing. Housing acquired using these bonds will be deed restricted for low-income and moderate-income households in Hayward. 1 property has been acquired to date that will provide 309 units of affordable housing to moderate and low income households. • Accelerating development of Affordable Housing through the implementation of State Housing Legislation and Density Bonus. The City continues to effectively implement new state housing legislation that is aimed to increase housing development, streamline the development approval process for affordable housing projects, incentivize housing production, and preserving existing housing.