Addressing Homelessness in Long Beach
City Council Study Session – January 18, 2022
1 Homelessness in Long Beach Data
2 Homelessness in LB Data
In January 2020, the City conducted a Point-in-Time Count (PIT) that accounted for 2,034 people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach. 2020 Point in Time Count
3 Homelessness in LB Data
multiple races
5%
Native Hawaiian or
Pacific Islander
1%
American Indian or
Alaskan Native
1%
Asian
13%
Black
13%
White
51%
Other
16%
Long Beach General Population
multiple races
5%
Native Hawaiian or
Pacific Islander
1%
American Indian or
Alaskan Native
1%
Asian
2%
Black
46%
White
44%
Other
1%
LB Persons Experiencing Homelessness
Racial Equity Analysis
4 • Latinx/Hispanic General Population: 42.8% Persons Experiencing Homelessness: 24% Homelessness in LB Data
Successfully gaining and maintaining permanent housing
Median Number of Days
Experiencing Homelessness
• Median # of days: 91 Days
• Median # of Days by
Race/Ethnicity
• American Indian and
Alaskan Native: 137 Days
• Hispanic/Latinx: 106 Days
• White: 102 Days
• Black: 89 days
20.6%
61.8%
8.8%
0.0%
5.0%
0.0%
2.0%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%
White
Black
Latinx/Hispanic
Asian
American Indian or Alakan Native
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Multiple Races
Returns to Homelessness w/in 12 Months of
Moving into Permanent Housing
5 *No significant difference by group for returns for PSH programs Homelessness in LB Data
3,512 people sought services at the MSC from 1/1/21-12/31/21 Approx. 33,000 total visits in the year, 132 per day on average Age Group # %
0-17 74 2%
18-24 209 6%
25-34 681 19%
35-44 745 21%
45-54 656 19%
55-61 569 16%
62+ 503 14%
Unk/missing 75 3%
Grand Total 3,512 100%
Gender
• 57 percent Male, 39 percent Female,
>1 percent Transgender
Race/Ethnicity
• 39 percent Black/African American
• 37 percent White
• 16 percent Hispanic/Latinx
Disability
• 24 percent of clients were
experiencing a Mental Health
Disability
Who's Being Served at the MSC?Visits to the Multi-Service Center 6 Homelessness in LB Data
Mental Health Calls for Emergency Services
People experiencing homelessness are approximately .5 percent of Long Beach population but make up nearly 20 percent of calls when the person’s mental health is the primary reason for the call. 7 Factors Leading to Homelessness
8 Risk Factors for Homelessness
Reported Reasons for
Homelessness:
• Insufficient wages
• Family Problems
• Loss of Job
• Loss of Housing
• Substance Abuse
• Mental Health
• Family breakdown
Why People Become Homeless
9 Risk Factors for Homelessness
The California Policy Lab analyzed data from LA County Departments and found that of 200+ analyzed data elements, the following elements had the strongest correlation to who became homeless in the following year:
• Are already accessing county/city resources, having had contact with four or more agencies
• Receiving CalFresh or General Relief benefits
• Have been in jail
• Are receiving services through the Department of Mental Health • Are receiving services through the Department of Health Services Service Characteristics of People Becoming Homeless
10 • Persons who had a neglectful
parent are 13 times as likely to
experience homelessness
• Persons who had a physically
abusive parent are 16 times
more likely to experience
homelessness
• Persons who experienced both
are 26 times more likely to
experience homelessness
Risk Factors for Homelessness
11 Connection to Early Childhood
Risk Factors for Homelessness
Moving Upstream
Focusing on the Upstream
12 Everyone Home Successes
13 14
Everyone Home Progress
Goal Area Target Progress
Increase On-going Funding $25M $53.9M (215%)
Increase Interim Housing 200 beds 402 (201%)
Increase Permanent Supportive
Housing Units
200 units 844 units
(422%)
Increase Low-Income Affordable
Housing Units
2,000 units 425 units (21%)
People exiting homelessness in less
than 6 months
75% 66%
Reduce Chronic Homelessness < 350 665 (2020)
Create Employment Opportunities 600 Adult
240 TAY
84 Adult (14%)
0 TAY (0%)
Current Funding
15 Homelessness Funding
Housing Total: $50,656,048
Services Total:
$20,295,771
MSC
Operations
Total:
$6,192,742
Funding
Housing
3,286 Clients Served Annually
Services
5,162 Clients Served Annually
35 Case Managers and Outreach
Workers
DHHS Funding Utilization
16 • We receive funding from a variety
of sources
• These sources help to support our
activities
Funding Sources
City of Long Beach $2,006,057.06
County $7,292,973.88
State $29,673,429.94
Federal $38,172,100.43
Funding
Funding Activity Category Amount
Housing
Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) $18,279,020.52
CIP Operations $4,948,666.00
Interim and Rapid Rehousing $21,846,245.79
Permanent Supportive Housing $5,582,116.00
TOTAL $50,656,048.31
Services
Outreach $5,541,600.38
Coordinated Entry System/Case Management $8,651,806.27
Employment Services $1,600,000.00
Prevention $4,502,364.52
TOTAL $20,295,771.17
MSC Operations
Planning, Data, and Administration $4,874,190.84
MSC Operations $1,318,550.99
TOTAL $6,192,741.83
GRAND TOTAL $77,144,561.31
DHHS Funding Detail
17Homelessness Funding
Homeless Service System
18 • 80 City staff are budgeted for the Bureau
• Additionally, 3 maintenance workers and 3 security guards • Division had 25 City staff members in 2019
Homeless Services Bureau Growth
Homeless Services
Bureau
(3 Staff)
Homeless Admin and
Operations Division
(20 Staff)
Homeless Services
Program Division
(53 Staff)
Homeless Services
Pandemic Resp.
(4 Staff)
1919Homeless Services System
• Address:1301 W. 12th St. Long
Beach, CA 90813
• Hours: Mon – Fri, 8am –
4pm, Thurs, the Center closes at
2pm
• Services:
• Providing case management basic
services
• Co-location of medical and mental
health services
• Public benefits assistance
• Veteran services
• Family focused services
• Re-entry services and probation
Multi-Service Center Operations
20Homeless Services System
Considerations:
• Budget
• Operations and changes needed (most services or access to services are 40 hours per week), collocated partnerships would not be available Expanded hours of operation Monday - Friday
• Open at 7am close at 7pm
• Estimated $360,000 to add expanded coverage
Adding Weekend Coverage
• Estimated $800,000 to add weekend coverage; not including funding for partner organizations
24/7 MSC Coverage
• Estimated $3.2M to move to 24/7 MSC coverage; not including funding for partner organizations
Expanding MSC Hours of Operation?
21Homeless Services System
DHHS:
• When Fully Staffed: 22 Staff
• Outreach services 7 days a week
o 2 Supervisors
o 1 Interjurisdictional Coordinator
o 7 General Outreach Staff
o 5 REACH staff
o 4 Attached to Mobile Outreach Stations
o 3 Library Outreach Staff
LBPD:
• 4 Quality of Life Officers and 1 Sergeant
• 1 Officer per Council District
Outreach Services Overview
22Homeless Services System
• Mobile response team focused on urgent community requests and low-level, non- violent calls for services related to people experiencing homelessness o Two teams consisting of one public health nurse, one mental health clinician, and two outreach workers
o One FTE focused on field coordination
o Alternate response model focused on linking people to services such as interim and permanent housing, mental and physical health services, case management, crisis intervention, and trauma-informed care.
• Operating on weekdays from 7am-5pm, with further expansion as additional staffing and resources are secured. Diversion of 911 Calls for Service to begin once field coordination staff is onboarded.
• HOME-ARP funds will be used to augment the existing budget of the REACH Team for the purchase of program supplies, PPE, and technology.
REACH Team Operations
Restorative Engagement to Achieve Collective Health (REACH) Teams 23Homeless Services System
Recent Programs
MSC: 15 spots 7pm – 7am
LBCC: 10pm – 7am (students only)
RFP currently open looking for
additional sites
UCLA Health mobile clinic providing
opiate treatment services and harm
reduction interventions to people
experiencing homelessness in Long
Beach. Last year 14 people died of an
opiate or fentanyl overdose
24Homeless Services System
Employment Services
• VOALA: 60 Supported
Employment slots per year
• Goodwill SOLAC: Job
development and coaching
available at the MSC
• TAY supported employment
program in development
Long Beach Homeless Court occurs
every 3rd Wednesday at the MSC.
People can have their misdemeanors
heard and past records expunged by
the County Public Defender.
Item on tonight’s Council agenda to
begin providing DV batterers classes at
the MSC after closing.
Clean Team – Homeless
Encampment Cleanups
• Yearly Expenditure
Changes
• FY19 v. FY20: 133%
• FY20 v. FY21: 18%
• FY19 v. FY21: 145%
• Clean-ups in 2021: 862
Parks, Recreation & Marine
• Conducted 550 cleanups
associated with
homelessness in FY21
Cleanup Costs (PW & PRM)
25Homeless Services System
26 Program # of Beds
Atlantic Bridge Community 125
1725 Long Beach Blvd
(PHK Best Western) 102
5665 E 7th Street
(PHK Motel 6) 43
1133 Atlantic Blvd
(PHK Holiday Inn) 132
Total 402
• Project Homekey sites are being
converted to PSH
• Project Roomkey provides an additional
43 rooms through June 2022
• Average of 39 motel vouchers per night;
1,582 vouchers this year for 9,375 bed
nights
Interim Housing Additions
26Homeless Services System
Shelter Bed Inventory on 1/12/2022
Shelter Name # of Beds
Beds w/ COVID
Protocols
Current
Enrollment Vacancies
Atlantic Bridge Comm. 125 83 65 (78%) On Quarantine
LB Winter Shelter 90 45 39 (86%) On Quarantine
PRK Days Inn 44 44 44 (100%) 0
PHK Best Western 99 99 99 (100%) 0
Project Achieve 40 30 Unknown Unknown
Long Beach RM 124 80 Unknown Unknown
Lydia House 43 35 Unknown Unknown
Elizabeth Ann Seaton 56 30 Unknown Unknown
PHK Holiday Inn 132 132 132 (100%) 0
PHK Motel 6 43 43 43 (100%) 0
Motel Vouchers varies varies 53 As Needed
Total 831 639 Motel Vouchers only
• Winter Shelter had consistently been at capacity before entering quarantine protocols • ABC had been around 90% occupancy before entering quarantine protocols 27Homeless Services System
• Long Beach Housing Authority was allocated 582 Emergency Housing Vouchers
o Awards were based on several factors, including the current utilization of Housing Choice Vouchers. As the Long Beach Housing Authority has been a strong performing housing authority with its utilization, Long Beach was awarded more vouchers than most other similar sized cities
• 228 vouchers issued to date, with 203 that are active and searching • 25 lease ups as of 1/17/2022
• Contracts with 4 providers for 25 case manager to provide supportive services attached to EHV vouchers
Emergency Housing Vouchers
28Homeless Services System
DHHS: FY 2020-2021
• 458 individuals permanently
housed across CoC programs
• 4,601 enrollments into CoC
programs
• 902 outreach contacts
• 560 stabilized in emergency
housing
Interdepartmental Services Overview
Quality of Life: FY 2020-2021
• 53 contacts resulting in
permanent housing
• 169 contacts resulting in
temporary housing
• 1169 referrals and follow up visits
• 6,851 total contacts
29Homeless Services System
LBRA and Future Programming
30 Homeless Services LBRA Programs
LBRA Program Budget Funding Source
Motel Vouchers $184,000 ARPA
Social Enterprise and Healthy Foods
Market Work Training Program
$1,000,000 ARPA
Modular Units/Tiny Homes $1,200,000 HOME-ARP
Mobile MSC Outreach Stations $2,208,101 HOME-ARP
Intensive Case Management Services for
Emergency Vouchers
$4,261,769 HOME-ARP
REACH Team Operations Support $177,004 HOME-ARP
Project Homekey Facility Conversion $1,369,898 HOME-ARP Total Funding $10,400,772
31 Social Enterprise and Healthy Foods Market
Creation of a social enterprise healthy foods market that will provide workforce development opportunities for Transition Age Youth (TAY) experiencing or at risk of homelessness • Market will provide fresh produce and groceries to the ABC Shelter participants and the surrounding community
Outcomes:
• Homelessness prevention and mitigation through workforce development and income
• Increased access to groceries for surrounding neighborhood Program Implementation:
• Clean-out and rehabilitation of property to code
• RFPs for developer, market operator, and workforce
development provider
t
32 Non-Congregate Shelter/Modular Units
Construction of modular non-congregate shelter
units (i.e., “Tiny Home Shelters”) at the Multi-
Service Center (MSC) for operation as temporary
shelter
Outcomes:
• 25-50 additional non-congregate shelter units to
serve as temporary housing pending placement
into permanent housing
• Decreased barriers to case management,
services, and shelter
Program Implementation Plan:
• Assess MSC and other potential sites for
necessary improvements
• RFP(s) for developer and operator
• Build out of non-congregate shelter units
33 Mobile Outreach Stations
Staffing, vehicles, and resources for the operation of two Mobile Outreach Stations, each consisting of 2 Case Managers, 2 Outreach Staff, and 1 RN. • Teams will travel to high impact areas that have difficulty accessing the MSC, such as North or East Long Beach. HSB Staff will also explore partnership with other agencies and providers to accompany these teams.
Outcomes:
• Increased access to case management, shelter and housing referrals, social service enrollments, mental health and healthcare screenings and referrals, and other resources
Program Implementation Plan:
• Procure vehicles and recruit staff
• Tentative implementation of Mobile Outreach Stations in Summer 2022 34 Intensive Case Management Services
Intensive Case Management Services (ICMS) for the 582 Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) awarded to Long Beach through the American Rescue Plan. • EHVs are one-time housing vouchers provided to individuals or families experiencing or at risk of homelessness and/or fleeing domestic violence
• ICMS consists of case managers focused on increasing housing stability through housing navigation and planning, care coordination, physical and mental health linkages, legal support, housing retention, income assistance, and other services Outcomes:
• Increased housing placements and stability, as well as community belonging and wellness for EHV participants
Program Implementation Plan:
• RFP process already completed with four agencies selected • Contract began in December 2021
35 Project Homekey Conversion
Conversion of the Project Homekey Facility from interim housing to permanent housing with supportive services.
• Using Project Homekey funds, the City purchased the Best Western and LA County purchased the Holiday Inn and Motel 6 in late 2020. All have operated as non-congregate
shelters since first quarter 2020.
• Conversion to PSH will include the installation of
kitchenettes, office space for supportive services, and other improvements
Program Implementation Plan Long Beach:
• Aggregation of other funding sources
• RFP project to affordable housing developer and
permanent supportive housing operator
Outcomes:
• Creation of 278 units of permanent supportive housing for persons who have experiencing homelessness.
• 102 Best Western, 132 Holiday Inn, 43 Motel 6
36 Navigation Center – Youth Beds
Navigation Center at 1718-1722 Hayes Ave.
• 12 beds for transitional aged youth (18-24)
• Storage for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness Shelter Beds
• Enhanced services for youth staying at the site
• Close partnership with LBCC and CSULB
Storage:
• 75 bins that can hold up to 60 gallons of items
• Storage available on a weekly agreement
• Intended to support people as they are working on housing goals 37 Enhancing Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services DHHS will be conducting a feasibility study on expanding mental health services and coordination
• Data show that a significant number of people experiencing homelessness have a severe and persistent mental health issue and for many of those, they either are receiving no care or only crisis care when needed
• New State funding models as well as potential expanded partnerships with the County of Los Angeles could make it easier to develop programs and resources to better serve people's mental health and substance use needs
Mental Health
• Behavioral health step down beds
• Expanded crisis response
• Expansion of residential and board and care type facilities Substance Misuse
• Sobering center
38 Coordination Efforts
39 • City department leadership meets monthly
to discuss policy and implementation
• City departments meet weekly to
coordinate co-response as well as ensuring
protocols are followed
• Interdepartmental meets bi-monthly as
well as a State County City work group that
meets bi-weekly to coordinate response
Interdepartmental and Interjurisdictional Partnerships
40 Caltrans MOU
• Currently being finalized and will run through 6/30/2024 • $1.5M through Clean California Funds to cover 21 high priority locations • 1 Crew – 5 Maintenance Assistants
• Additional protocols for when persons experiencing homelessness are identified County MOU
• Draft MOU being reviewed by the County for addressing homelessness flood control • Proposal includes funding for Clean Team, HSB outreach workers, and LBPD patrol Interjurisdictional MOUs
41 Encampment Response and Resolution
Increased State focus on addressing larger encampments in California • $50 million dollar towards pilot projects
• $500 million within Governor Newsom’s proposed FY 2022-2023 state budget Intent
• Find solutions that resolve encampments through shelter/permanent housing • Reduce costs for response to larger encampments from law enforcement and Public Works • Being able to ensure space is utilized as intended by the full public The interdepartmental team has met and identified the areas with the largest encampments with impacts on public space and utilization.
• Applied for pilot program funding
• Track awarded pilots and innovative approaches for potential local implementation • Assess opportunities within FY 2022-2023 to apply for further funding to reduce/resolve the impacts of large encampments
42 Legal Requirements and Protocols
43 Legal Standings
Enforcement of
ordinances that
criminalize aspects of
homelessness
• Jones V. Los Angeles
• Martin V. Boise
• OC Catholic Worker V.
Orange County
Requirement to
inform people of
cleaning of public
space so they can
secure property
• Public Counsel V. Pomona
Recourse for due
process in retrieving
possessions during
cleaning
• California Health and
Safety Code Div. 10 Ch. 8
• Public Counsel V. Pomona
44 Long Beach has established protocols for when public cleaning is to occur, cleaning is a means to ensure that public space can be safely utilized by all, and that public health is being maintained. • Outreach is conducted before posting to offer services including shelter • Space is posted with notice of intent to clean (minimum 48 hours), exception for when public right-of-way is obstructed or there is an imminent danger to public or personal safety
• Outreach is conducted after posting to again offer people services • Cleaning occurs with documentation of the process, including the cataloguing and notice left on how to retrieve possessions • Possessions are stored for 90 days in which they can be retrieved Long Beach Protocol for Addressing Clean Up Efforts
45 Communications Strategy
46 Long Beach Communications Plan- Approach
• Assist people in accessing permanent stable housing
• Provide helpful information to community members experiencing homelessness, or at risk of becoming homeless, regarding how they can access services
• Raise level of empathy and support throughout community • Engage and Educate housed-community and businesses:
• Resources about homelessness
• Resources about services
• Create unofficial community ambassadors
Goals to Accomplish:
47 Long Beach Communications Plan- Tactics
• In-person engagement
• Social media
• Digital marketing
• Print marketing
• Print collateral
• News media
• Outdoor marketing
External Internal
• Staff FAQs
• Webinars
• Toolkits
• Digital communications
• Common messaging
48 Long Beach Communication Plan- Next Steps
• Identify funding source
• Refresh Everyone Home LB website
(informational hub)
• Design campaign look and feel
• Develop campaign elements
• Launch campaign
What’s Next
49 Thank you
Department of Health and Human
Services
Homeless Services Bureau
City Manager's Office
50