Emergency Proclamation to Address Homelessness
Update 5
City Council Meeting – March 21, 2023
Mission Statement
To reduce the number of persons experiencing homelessness in the City and the region by increasing housing opportunities and by enhancing current initiatives that provide field-based outreach, engagement, and supportive services while maintaining the safety and security of the people experiencing homelessness, the general public and staff, and improving overall public safety for the entire community.
2 Homelessness Strategic Plan
• The Statement of Possibility from the
Everyone Home Homelessness Strategic
Plan continues to define success in Long
Beach in its mission to end homelessness.
• Statement of Possibility: The experience of
homelessness in Long Beach is rare and
brief when it occurs.
3 Homelessness Funding
4 Funding DHHS Funding from Past 5 years
Past 2-Years
38 Funding Contracts/Sources
Ongoing Annual Contracts
$18,942,009
(some adjustment year to year)
One-Time Contracts (Past 5 Yrs)
$134,737,767
(includes capital projects as well as fundingthat
we have received multiple times)
Homeless Services also drew
down FEMA dollars during
the pandemic response
5 System of Care Approach
6 • System Operations (Coordinated Entry)
• Coordination across departments
• Homeless Prevention
• Outreach
• Access Center – Including MAC
• Mental Health
• Nursing/ healthcare coordination
• Substance use focused services
• Workforce development
• Re-Entry Services / Homeless Court
• Homeward Bound
High – level and some of these have variation/specialties within them • Transitional Housing
• Capital Improvement funds for shelter
• Shelter (congregate and non-congregate)
• Recuperative care (funding set aside)
• Security Deposit Assistance
• Housing Location & Navigation
• Rapid Re-Housing (RRH)
• Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)
• Landlord incentive funds
• Homeless Count
• Administration & Planning
What Does Homeless Services Fund?
7 How Funding Can Be Used
0 Funding sources
that are fully
unrestrictive
5 Funding sources that
cover only one program
type with little flexibility
3 Sources that allow
multiple program
types but are fixed
State funding and City General
Funds allow for the greatest
flexibility with utilization and
adjustments
A portion of funds are
yearly allocations and must
be spent within that year or
returned
8 • We receive funding from a variety
of sources
• These sources help to support our
activities
Funding Sources
City of Long Beach $ 3,309,450
County $ 6,801,075
State $46,756,944
Federal $16,539,246
Philanthropy $ 445,000
Funding
Funding Activity Category (FY22-23) Amount
Housing
Interim Housing $17,022,392.73
Rapid Rehousing $4,293,398.82
Permanent Supportive Housing $10,095,771.75
TOTAL $27,118,164.48
Services
Outreach $3,985,644.50
Coordinated Entry System/Case Management $5,292,459.64
Employment Services $50,000.00
Prevention $1,190,796.78
TOTAL $10,518,900.92
MSC Operations
Planning, Data, and Administration $3,803,172.62
MSC Operations $1,333,580.99
TOTAL $5,136,753.61
GRAND TOTAL $42,773,819.01
DHHS Funding – Annual Projected Budget
• $30,527,897 in capital funds
• $44m Reserved for FY 23-27
9 Emergency Funding
$13 Million identified to support homelessness emergency • Infrastructure to support completing interim housing (e.g., Luxury Inn, Micro Units at MSC, Navigation Center, future interim housing) • Infrastructure to support Safe Parking, RV Parking, Facility Improvements at MSC
• Operations/Staffing to support interim housing, warming beds, safe parking sites
• Possible property acquisition/rental
• Reassigned staff who are covered by grants or restricted funding sources where there funding will not cover the reassigned activities • Prevention activities such as Right to Counsel
10 Funding Spent/Committed
11 General Fund: $502k
• Interim Shelter Sites: $228k
• Safe Parking: $214k
• RV Dump Station $5k
• EOC Operations: $55k
Grant Funding: $1.476m
• Winter Shelter: $976k
• Furniture to support Emergency Housing Vouchers: $500k Grant Funding
The City has applied for the following grant to support homelessness emergency:
• Encampment Resolution for downtown area ($5.5 million) The City has planned/prepared to apply for the following future competitive grant opportunities to support homelessness emergency:
• Encampment Resolution Round 3 (future round)
• Project Homekey Round 3 (future round)
12 Homelessness Emergency Metrics
13 Homelessness Emergency Metrics
• Decrease number of persons experiencing unsheltered homelessness • 466 newly enrolled in interim housing programs
• 12,922 bed nights in interim housing
• Increase permanent housing placements
• 89 newly enrolled in permanent housing programs
• Increase starts on new affordable housing options
• 172 units entitled
• Increase temporary and permanent housing units
o 112 units of interim housing by end of year
o 88 permanent housing units completed in within 6 months o 239 permanent housing units completed within 24 months 14 Homelessness Emergency Metrics
• Decrease number of persons falling into homelessness
o 260 households/$2.56 million for emergency rental assistance since emergency proclamation
o Nearly 2,000 served by Right to Counsel up to 9/22
o 6,722 households supported through subsidized housing • Increase intergovernmental (regional) partnerships to address the homeless crisis o 11 meetings held with partners
o 14 letters sent
o 33 agencies/offices engaged
• Increase speed of delivering critical projects addressing homelessness o Reducing time required during design/permitting, procurement, and construction phases o Job Order Contracting Program Agreements Executed with two Existing Contractors 15 Homelessness Emergency Metrics
16 Forthcoming
• Increase outside aid through access to mental health and substance use beds • Decrease disproportionality in which Black, Indigenous and Pacific Islander persons experience homelessness
• Decrease number of persons that die in unsheltered situations • Increase multi-jurisdictional (and multi-departmental) efforts to address violence on or perpetuated by people experiencing homelessness Homelessness Dashboard Demonstration
17 • A comprehensive look at
homelessness in Long Beach
since 2018
• Includes key demographic data
such as race, ethnicity, gender
and age of those served, case
management and service data
• Access dashboard at
www.longbeach.gov/homelessnessdashboard
Homelessness Dashboard
Homelessness Dashboard Demo
18 Homelessness Emergency Goals
19 Increase Access to Services
Immediate (<3 months)
• Increase access to services through Mobile Access Center • Open temporary Safe Parking program
• Open RV Sanitation and Water Filling Site
• Launch text notification system to provide real-time information and connection to service location
Short Term (4 – 6 months)
• Provide business support services
• Increase access to mental health services throughout Long Beach
• Open long-term safe parking and safe RV parking
• Initiate discussions and collaboration on better models for local mental health services
20 Mobile Access Center:
552 Interactions
Safe Parking:
50 Parking Spots
Community Organizations:
29 signed up
Business Support:
$350,000 in Grants
Increase Access to Services
Medium Term (6 – 24 months)
• Identify location and operational funding for Recuperative Care • Collaborate with LA Metro hub to support referrals efforts • Partner with LA County to increase mental health and substance use disorder treatment service access
Long Term (24+ months)
• Identify and implement prevention strategy and investments 21 Multi Service Center:
6,425 Interactions
Increase Interim and Long-term Housing Access
Immediate (<3 months)
• Open Winter Shelter
• Create Landlord education campaign and outreach, including launch of outreach line
Short Term (4 – 6 months)
• Lease up all Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs)
• Implement ongoing interim shelter site
• Formalize additional contracts with motels to take motel vouchers • Establish process for warming centers during cold weather beyond winter shelter program
22 Short-Term Warming Center:
60 Beds
Emergency Housing Vouchers:
74% Filled
Winter Shelter:
81 Beds
Outreach Line:
2,486 Calls & Emails
Increase Interim and Long-term Housing Access
Medium Term (6 – 24 months)
• Open Luxury Inn and Modular Units
• Initiate analysis and implement policy changes in zoning, affordable housing, and prevention efforts
• Implement tenant protection processes, resources, and education
Long Term (24+ months)
• Implement affordable housing policy
• Increase affordable housing units
• Ensure permanent housing for people experiencing
homelessness coming from Long Beach by attaching
project-based vouchers to current Homekey sites
• Identify additional permanent supportive housing funding and implementation opportunities including Project
Homekey
23 Submitted for State
Pro-Housing Designation
Affordable Housing Entitled:
172 units
Build Capacity to Address Homelessness Crisis
Immediate (<3 months)
• Identify and apply for funding opportunities
• Identify specific roles and assistance from partner agencies such as Harbor, Utilities, and Long Beach Transit
• Make specific resource requests from the County, Metro, and State to build local Long Beach capacity
• Initiate regional discussions on building regional capacity in the Gateway Cities
Short Term (4 – 6 months)
• Identify and implement operational improvements in staffing, funding, and processes
• Secure one-time Measure H/HHAP funding for local investment 24 Reassigned Staffing:
5,648 Hours
Funding:
$13 Million Identified
New Grants:
$5.5M in Applications
City Staff Reassigned:
146
Build Capacity to Address Homelessness Crisis
Medium Term (6 – 24 months)
• Collaborate with cities within the region to increase shelter andservice opportunities • Enhance LAHSA partnership to connect people coming into LongBeach from the region to regional services
• Secure one-time funding from intergovernmental efforts Long Term (24+ months)
• Work to change the Measure H/HHAP distributions to address equity concerns • Have access to significantly more housing opportunities for people experiencing homelessness 25 Engage Community in Data, Planning and Assistance
Immediate (<3 months)
• Launch dashboard featuring local homelessness data
• Implement community engagement and outreach process for homeless services-related efforts
• Incorporate the City’s commitments for site selection into Homelessness Activation
• Launch a donation effort to collect materials and engage the community in supporting City efforts
Short Term (4 – 6 months)
• Improve public access data for homelessness efforts
• Hold stakeholder meetings throughout Long Beach to engage community in idea generation, prioritization, and understanding • Engage clergy and non-profits to bolster capacity
• Engage businesses in education and brainstorming
26 Dashboard Elements:
47 Data Points
Outreach Events:
9 Events
Donated Items:
7,000 items
Donations:
13 Sites
Engage Community in Data, Planning and Assistance
Medium Term (6 – 24 months)
• Update Everyone Home Long Beach Strategic Plan to include updated goals for housing and highlighting effective practices
Long Term (24+ months)
• Convene regional partners for long-term prevention planning and implementation 27 Focus Areas for the Next Two Weeks
28 Progress on Goals and Metrics
Increase access to services
• Highlight Safe Parking Site and conduct outreach activities • Announce RV Sanitation and Water Refilling Site opening • Continue partnership conversations with LA County Department of Health Services and LAHSA
• Launch Text to Word program to improve communications and access to services across the city
• Continue identifying partners who will offer after-hours bed availability, mental health support, and shelter opportunities
29 Focus for Next Two Weeks that Contribute to Progress of Short Term Goals Progress on Goals and Metrics
Engage community in data and planning
• In partnership with the City team, the Mayor will begin hosting a series of community round table sessions with every council district represented, to have conversations about how partners can collaborate within the emergency response efforts and support short-term and long-term solutions to addressing homelessness. • Plan an interfaith convening of faith organizations from across Long Beach who are committed to supporting the efforts of not only the emergency response, but ongoing after the emergency has been lifted.
30 Focus for Next Two Weeks that Contribute to Progress of Short Term Goals Progress on Goals and Metrics
Build capacity to address homelessness crisis
• Finalize recommendation of the $13 million budget (while strategically leveraging our local funds to maximize external funding)
• Finalize letter to federal leadership regarding the City’s priorities to address the emergency
• Continue evaluating potential Airport and Port of Long Beach properties that can support additional homelessness services
• Continue to staff up the Homeless Services Bureau to address case management and public health nursing needs
• Continue researching grants with homelessness connection • Follow up with LA County on request to support emergency 31 Focus for Next Two Weeks that Contribute to Progress of Short Term Goals Progress on Goals and Metrics
Increase interim and long-term housing access
• Continue to conduct enhanced engagement with housing providers to boost participation in Housing Voucher Program
• Host three remaining virtual information sessions for property owners and landlords to educate them on different aspects of the housing voucher process • Work to identify emergency shelter locations for when the winter shelter program ends
• Finalize extension of Community Hospital Winter Shelter through April 2023 • Continue evaluating other properties citywide (both public and private) that could be temporarily used or acquired to further support the local emergency • Support homeless prevention efforts by identifying resource to support the Right to Counsel program prior to the end of the county’s eviction moratorium 32 Focus for Next Two Weeks that Contribute to Progress of Short Term Goals Response to Questions from Previous Meeting
33 34
Questions for Follow Up
• Will the 10 metrics be tracked on the dashboard?
• Response: Yes, in the next iteration of the dashboard. • What happens when encampments are cleared out/cleaned up? • Response: Homeless Services is finalizing a graphic that will outline the process. It will be available at the next briefing.
• Can we use the Go Long Beach app to push notifications? • Response: The Go Long Beach app platform does not allow for push notifications. However, the staff are exploring adding connections from the Go Long Beach app/platform to the City’s comprehensive webpage on homelessness.
35 Questions for Follow Up
• Can staff bring back more information on how funds are utilized and tracked?
• Response: Yes, during the March 21 meeting staff will bring back an overview of funding available and how it is planned to be utilized. • Can we receive a live presentation of the dashboard?
• Response: Yes, this will be presented during the March 21st meeting. • Can the City’s efforts be organized into short, medium, and long-term goals?
• Response: Yes, staff has spent the last two weeks on this request, part of which is presented within this report.
36 Questions for Follow Up
• What are the areas of challenge that remain for us in this difficult work? • Response: Staff will be ready to discuss this as part of the presentation on March 21.
• Can staff focus more on telling the complex story of homelessness? • Response: Next week, the City will be launching an Inside Long Beach story about the personal struggle of an individual who spent 30 years on the street who recently has accepted service and working with City staff to be successfully housed.
Thank you
Kelly Colopy, Director
Department of Health and Human
Services
Eric Lopez, Director
Department of Public Works
37