July 22, 2025
Agenda Item No. 20
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
Tara Finnigan, Assistant City Manager - 949-644-3001, [email protected] PREPARED BY:
Natalie Basmaciyan, Homeless Services Manager - 949-718-1991, [email protected] TITLE:
Homeless Outreach Services Update
ABSTRACT:
This report serves to update the City Council on the various elements of the City’s homeless outreach program for the period from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. It contains summaries of the tasks accomplished under the program and the data collected by City of Newport Beach staff and consultants.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; Receive and file the Homeless Outreach Services Update and data reports for the periods of July 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024, and January 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025.
DISCUSSION:
In June 2023, the City Council set forth its approach to people experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach through the adoption of Resolution No. 2023-41. The resolution included a provision requiring the staff to report to the Council every six months for two years on the City of Newport Beach’s outreach to those experiencing homelessness within the community. Staff inadvertently missed a reporting period and therefore, this update on the City’s outreach efforts is for the period from July 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024, and the period from January 1, 2025, through June 30, 2025.
City staff and contractors continue to collect data related to their homeless-outreach-related activities. The data reports are included as Attachment A.
Annual City Census Count
Under its agreement with the City, social services contractor People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) is required to conduct an annual census to canvass people experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach. The process includes surveying those willing to be interviewed to gather information that will help the outreach team to better connect an individual with services.
On November 21, 2024, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., PATH and City representatives visited locations throughout the community to locate and survey people experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach. The census found 11 people were experiencing homelessness in the city and of those, six agreed to be interviewed.
The census result marked a significant reduction – of approximately 84% – in the City’s homeless population over the 11-month period from January to November 2024. In January 2024, the County of Orange conducted the federally mandated Point in Time Count and recorded 71 people experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach. Staff attributes the reduction to several factors. The City Council adopted Ordinance 2024-19 in August 2024, which made updates to the Newport Beach Municipal Code and had the desired effect of getting service-resistant individuals that were experiencing homelessness to agree to accept services and begin the process for being housed. Further, in December 2024, the Police Department changed its outreach-related staffing level from a one-person, homeless liaison officer model to a four-member, quality of life team model that allows for two-officer teams to provide outreach and services throughout the community seven days a week. The four HLOs received special training on conducting outreach, providing shelter referrals, and coordinating case management with PATH. And, in July 2024, the City of Costa Mesa assumed responsibility for the housing navigation service provided at the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter. The housing navigators meet with shelter guests weekly to review and hold them accountable to their housing and employment goals.
Shelter Referrals
Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter
Under an agreement with the City of Costa Mesa, there are 25 beds available at the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter for Newport Beach’s exclusive use. When those 25 beds are full, Costa Mesa allows Newport Beach to use up to six of the Costa Mesa-designated beds for a per diem rate, if beds are available. From July 2024 to December 2024, 23 people with Newport Beach ties entered the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter. During the same period, Newport Beach utilized 112 Costa Mesa bed nights at the per diem rate of $155 per night. From January 2025 to June 2025, 19 people with Newport Beach ties entered the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter. During the same period, Newport Beach utilized 8 bed nights at the per diem rate of $160.27 per night. The increased per diem rate reflects a Consumer Price Index increase that took effect July 1, 2024.
The Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter received a County of Orange grant to operate 15 Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) beds. If shelter guests are classified as BHBH clients, they receive enhanced case management from their assigned Costa Mesa housing navigator, allowances for move-in expenses, and ongoing behavioral health resources once housed. The reclassification process can free up the Newport Beach beds for other clients. Since the BHBH beds came online in July 2024, the City of Newport Beach had three people re-classified as BHBH clients.
Other Shelters
Between July 2024 and December 2024, the PATH team placed people into other shelters and programs to facilitate street exits. PATH placed 14 people into the Yale Navigation Center. From January 2025 to June 2025, PATH placed six people at the Yale Navigation Center. They also placed one person at Anaheim Bridges at Kraemer Place due to the people having strong ties to other cities.
Individuals Housed
The outreach efforts of the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter housing navigators, City staff and PATH resulted in nearly two dozen individuals being housed or reunified with family between July 2024 and June 2025.
From July 2024 to December 2024, seven people who had been experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach have been housed, including one placement into a skilled nursing facility, and three people were reunified with family. From January 2025 to June 2025, seven people were housed, including a placement into a skilled nursing facility, and four people were reunified with family.
Permanent Supportive Housing
The City of Costa Mesa invited Newport Beach to participate in a project that is converting the former Travelodge Motel at 1400 Bristol Street into 76 units of permanent supportive housing and two units for on-site property managers. Permanent supportive housing provides people with on-site case management, support services, and structure which may not be available in independent living settings. The conversion project, led by American Family Housing, is currently underway and is scheduled to be completed in late 2025.
The project is being funded through the State’s Project Homekey program and with financial contributions from the County of Orange and the Cities of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. The developer and the County, which will lease the units through its Coordinated Entry System, have agreed to allow for “local preference” when leasing 28 of the units. This means that prospective tenants will be qualified, in part, based on their connection to Newport Beach or to Costa Mesa. There will be local preference for 12 units for Newport Beach and 16 units for Costa Mesa.
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian Coordination
In March and April 2025, representatives from Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian (Hoag) met with staff from the Cities of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa to discuss shelter and recuperative care referrals. Hoag’s executive director of care management facilitated two meetings and included the hospital’s social workers and emergency department staff members to explain the medical parameters for admitting and discharging patients at Hoag. In turn, City staff explained shelter referral requirements, such as ties to the cities and mobility, and the need for other types of placements post-hospitalization such as recuperative care, skilled nursing facilities, or assisted living communities. Three people with Newport Beach ties benefited from this collaboration by being placed in recuperative care rather than the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
Good Giving Program
Community members donated a total of $1,309.60 from July 1 to December 31, 2024, and $120.77 from January 1 to June 30, 2025, to the Good Giving Program. Staff utilize Good Giving program funds to assist people experiencing homelessness with expenses such as buying clothes for job interviews or essential household items once they obtain housing.
Federal Marsh Area Clean Up and Maintenance
In May 2025, the City and County assisted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) with another cleanup of the federally protected marsh area located near Coast Highway and the Santa Ana River. A proliferation of trash and debris associated with homeless encampments continues to be a serious concern for the City and nearby residents. The regional Army Corps office does not have the staff or heavy equipment resources needed to accomplish the cleanup work and asked for City and County assistance. The Newport Beach Police Department provided outreach assistance, and the County had its homeless outreach team onsite, as well as members of its Public Works Department present to help with the cleanup. City staff continues to monitor the area and support the County’s efforts to coordinate with the Army Corps to keep the area clear.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The City spent approximately $1.7 million during Fiscal Year 2024-25 on activities related to homeless outreach and assistance.
July 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024*
Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter
$663,980.00
PATH Outreach Services
67,601.03
Good Giving Program—Outreach Materials
Be Well OC Mobile Crisis Response Team
455.00
180,301.64
City Homeless Assistance
7,004.44
Total
$919,342.11
January 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025*
Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter
$673,602.40
PATH Outreach Services
100,592.99
City Homeless Assistance
5,980.38
Total
$780,175.77
*Tables do not include salaries and benefits of the homeless services manager or the homeless liaison officers.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
ATTACHMENT:
Attachment A – Data Reports
20-3
20-1
Homeless Outreach Services Update
July 22, 2025
CITY OF CITY OF
CITY OF
CITY OF
City Council Staff Report COUNCIL STAFF REPORT City Council Staff Report COUNCIL STAFF REPORT NEWPORT BEACH NEWPORT BEACH City Council Staff Report COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
City Council Staff Report COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
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