From: Tito Ponce, LCSW 107621
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2022 7:34 AM
To: City Council
Subject: Tito Ponce, LCSW: Letter of Request
External Email
Hi City of Pismo Council Members,
My name is Tito Ponce and I will representing PSHHC Organization at the city council meeting on 8/16/22. I would like to submit the letter of request directly to Council ahead of time. This is to assure our request is considered by you fine people incase of any unforeseen circumstances. I will see you all there. Have a great day and thank you for all that you do.
Tito Ponce, LCSW 107621
Bilingual Social Worker
1060 Kendall Rd
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Office (805) 305-4150
April 26, 2022
Attn: Julia Goodman
Administrative Services Department
760 Mattie Road
Pismo Beach, California 93449
Dear Julia Goodman and City of Pismo Beach City Council, People’s Self -Help Housing is pleased to submit this request for funding for Supportive Housing Program (SHP) services at our properties located in the City of Pismo Beach. Founded in 1970, the mission of PSHH is to build affordable homes with site -based services that offer opportu nities to change lives and strengthen communities on the Central Coast of California. Since founding, our services have evolved from providing paths to homeownership for first -time homeowners to the provision of in-house, attentive property management, clinical social services, and education programming at each of the 53 affordable rental properties we have developed and compassionately maintain. Believing that housing alone does not create long -term stability and resiliency, PSHH is committed to improving health outcomes and access to opportunity for the over 5,600 residents who return home to our rental properties each day. Our board of directors meets every two months and is chaired by Shelly Higginbotham, former mayor of Pismo Beach. Funds will directly support clinical social services provided to residents of our Pismo Beach properties.
In over 51 years of service to Central Coast communities, PSHH has helped over 1,200 low -income working families attain the American Dream through “sweat equity”. With a portfolio of over 1,800 affordable rental units throughout our geographical footprint from Ventura to San Luis Obispo, PSHH provides a variety of free, onsite health and education programs designed to promote housing stability and long-term resiliency.
The Supportive Housing Program, for which we are respectfully requesting funding in the amount of $5,000, provides clinical social services and case management to any of the 64 residents of its Pismo Beach affordable housing properties. Services may include: preventive health screenings, nutrition assistance, critical medical transportation, behavioral health counseling, financial literacy coaching, and administrative support, such as assistance securing disability accommodations, medical equipment, or SSI benefits. Services are provided free of charge, barrier, or restriction to the residents we serve. Our service demographic is primarily low-income families, seniors, persons with disabilities, veterans, farmworkers, and those transitioning out of homelessness.
Once a resident or household initiates services, a clinical social worker is assigned to the household.
An initial intake meeting is scheduled, during which the social worker conducts a needs assessment and works with the resident to address immediate needs, secure all available community resources, and co-develop a personalized clinical case management plan designed to help the resident move toward personal resiliency. Services are confidential, optional, and language-inclusive, provided in English, Spanish or additional languages as needed . Residents are never placed on a waiting list, helping to keep those at risk of homelessness stably housed.
1060 Kendall Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Phone: (805) 781-3088 • Fax: (805) 544-1901
[email protected] • pshhc.org
This request will support 26 households, and 64 residents, of Pismo Beach Bungalows and Sea Haven Apartments in Pismo Beach. Additionally, we anticipate that the second half of the grant period will include provision of services at PSHH’s newest property, Pismo Terrace Apartments, developed in collaboration with 5 Cities Homeless Coalition, which is expected to open in fall 2023. Comprising 50 units, the property will be dedicated to housing transitional youth, as well as adults and families making the transition out of homelessness. As our housing for recently homeless residents typically serves those most vulnerable among our resident population, we anticipate high utilization of SHP services within the first 6 months of the property’s opening .
Any of PSHH ’s Pismo Beach residents are eligible to receive services, and last year 2 5% of Pismo Beach households utilized SHP, receiving 129 hours of direct services and averaging 1.25 hours of face-to-face consultation per client . Clients received assistance in securing health insurance coverage and care, critical transportation, food assistance, counseling, medical equipment, legal assistance, personal finance coaching, homelessness prevention, and career access and placement services. Social workers continue to provide residents with regular wellness checks , assessing emerging needs and working to secure all available community resources and referrals at every stage to ensure residents remain on track to meeting personal health and resiliency goals.
PSHH property managers and clinical social workers are based onsite, enhancing responsiveness and efficiency in crisis situations by providing outreach. Social workers are typically also culturally representative of the residents they serve, establishing trust and cultivating long-term relationships with the household. This uniquely culturally-relevant and evidence-based practice has been shown to expedite referrals and interventive processes as residents are more inclined to accept assistance early in the timeline. Social workers are also trained in crisis response and trauma-informed frameworks, provid ing interim counseling services until referrals to partnering outside agencies are complete.
Households are certified as very-low -income at time of move-in, which typically means they earn 50% or less of Area Median Income, per HUD income limits. Most services are provided weekdays between 9 am and 6 pm. While hybrid and distance services are still available on an as -needed basis, programming has largely returned to in-person service provision.
This program addresses the City’s vision and goals identified for FY2023 by providing safe and healthy housing and investing in Pismo Beach’s neighborhoods . By providing quality supportive health services and preventing homelessness among City residents, the program preserves Pismo Beach’s “Classic California” charm and ensures an exceptional quality of life for residents, while contribut ing to the environment that fosters Pismo Beach’s character and economy. Thank you for your kind consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
Adriana Sousa
Grants Coordinator
[email protected]
(805) 548-2345