TO: RULES AND OPEN FROM: Omar Passons
GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Rosalynn Hughey
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: February 26, 2024
Approved Date
3/1/24
SUBJECT: REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP, LOCAL ACTION – A HOLISTIC STUDY
SESSION ABOUT THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS IN SAN JOSE
RECOMMENDATION
Set a City Council Study Session entitled Regional Partnership, Local Action – A Holistic Study Session About the Homelessness Crisis in San José for Thursday, March 28, 2024, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., in the City Council Chambers and approve the Study Session agenda.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this Study Session is to provide the Mayor and City Council with insights about the range of local and regional efforts to address the homelessness crisis in San José, describe successes and challenges, hear directly from people with lived experience of homelessness, and provide information about initiatives and future planning.
OUTCOME
The Mayor and City Council will have a holistic view of the homelessness crisis, future initiatives to prevent and end homelessness, and the management of its impacts.
BACKGROUND
In 2020, the City of San José was part of a diverse set of public and private entities, non-profit organizations, and community members with lived experience of homelessness that adopted a shared regional vision for homelessness in Santa Clara County. The Santa Clara County RULES COMMITTEE: 3/6/24
ITEM: B.2
RULES AND OPEN GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
February 26, 2024
Subject: Regional Partnership, Local Action – A Holistic Study Session About the Homelessness Crisis in San José
Regional Community Plan to End Homelessness 2020-2025 (Regional Plan) was adopted in late spring of 2020. More recently, on January 9, 2024, the City of San José City Council approved its Implementation Plan for the Regional Plan, which included four pillars: (1) End Suffering on the Street, (2) Share and Protect Public Spaces, (3) Expect Cleanliness of Each Other, and (4) Create Opportunity. These pillars tie the work of the City’s 21 departments and offices together to holistically approach all aspects of homelessness.
The Study Session is intended to build on the progress of the Regional Plan and the City’s Implementation Plan to provide the Mayor and City Council with a deeper understanding of the critical work being done to prevent and end homelessness and to manage the impacts of the crisis across San José.
ANALYSIS
The Study Session brings together a range of local and regional perspectives to support a holistic understanding of homelessness in San José. Regional partners from the County of Santa Clara Office of Supportive Housing, Santa Clara County Housing Authority, and Destination:Home will provide context to understand the scope of the crisis and the primary solutions to prevent and end it. Housing Department staff will share some of its key initiatives as well as insights about how it advises on design approaches for outreach, safe outdoor sleeping sites, and interim housing locations. Building on the insights of the Housing Department, a representative from the organizations who deliver services and outreach to unhoused San José residents will provide an inside look at the key challenges and outcomes they focus on to deliver results that help people get and remain in a home. Understanding the importance of having actions informed by the ultimate customer, a member of the community with lived experience of homelessness will share their perspective of how their voice has specifically shaped ongoing efforts in our community.
As part of a holistic Study Session, staff from the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services will provide foundational information about how the City manages some of the impacts of homelessness in our community and preview evolutions in these approaches.
Finally, recognizing that this crisis has a diverse set of impacts, a member of the business community will share challenges and opportunities that exist with regard to the crisis as it can affect businesses.
The Study Session will provide an opportunity for the Mayor and City Council to gain insight and ask key questions about future approaches the City can take to support people experiencing homelessness and to ensure all San José residents have healthy, welcoming neighborhoods. The Study Session will serve as a bridge to the single, consolidated Homelessness Annual Report and Implementation Plan update that will be provided in fall 2024. This consolidated update will include:
RULES AND OPEN GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
February 26, 2024
Subject: Regional Partnership, Local Action – A Holistic Study Session About the Homelessness Crisis in San José
• Implementation Plan: Progress update, reflective analysis, and new outcomes; • Annual Report of Progress: Prevention, housing, encampment management, and onstreet impact analysis, including lived-in vehicles, fire/emergency response, and environmental protection;
• Unhoused Improvement Report: Analysis of steps and progress to improve conditions for unhoused residents.
At the conclusion of the Study Session, the Mayor and City Council will have a deepened understanding of the City’s approach to the homelessness crisis, the role of key regional partners, including those with lived experience of homelessness, and will be well positioned to engage critical policy dialogue to advance the City’s goals.
/s/ /s/
OMAR PASSONS ROSALYNN HUGHEY
Deputy City Manager Acting Housing Director and
Deputy City Manager
For questions, please contact Garrett Stanton, Senior Executive Analyst, City Manager’s Office at [email protected].
Attachment: Study Session Agenda
City Council Study
Session Agenda
REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP,
LOCAL ACTION – A
HOLISTIC STUDY SESSION
ABOUT THE
HOMELESSNESS CRISIS IN
SAN JOSÉ
Thursday, March 28, 2024
1:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.
Council Chambers
MATT MAHAN, MAYOR
ROSEMARY KAMEI, DISTRICT 1
SERGIO JIMENEZ, DISTRICT 2
OMAR TORRES, DISTRICT 3
DAVID COHEN, DISTRICT 4
PETER ORTIZ, DISTRICT 5
DEV DAVIS, DISTRICT 6
BIEN DOAN, DISTRICT 7
DOMINGO CANDELAS, DISTRICT 8
PAM FOLEY, DISTRICT 9
ARJUN BATRA, DISTRICT 10
The City of San José is committed to open and honest government and strives to consistently meet the community’s expectations by providing excellent service, in a positive and timely manner, and in the full view of the public.
Welcome to the San José City Council meeting!
This Agenda contains both a Consent Calendar section for routine business items that require Council approval, and general business items arranged to correspond with San José’s City Service Areas (CSAs).
City Service Areas represent the policy-making level for strategic planning, policy setting, and investment decisions in the critical functions the City provides to the community. They are:
• Strategic Support - The internal functions that enable the CSAs to provide direct services to the community in an effective and efficient manner. • Public Safety - Commitment to excellence in public safety by investing in neighborhood partnerships as well as prevention, enforcement, and emergency preparedness services. • Transportation & Aviation Services - A safe and efficient transportation system that contributes to the livability and economic health of the City; and provide for the air transportation needs of the community and the region at levels that is acceptable to the community. • Environmental and Utility Services - Manage environmental services and utility systems to ensure a sustainable environment for the community.
• Neighborhood Services - Serve, foster, and strengthen community by providing access to lifelong learning and opportunities to enjoy life.
• Community & Economic Development - Manage the growth and change of the community in order to create and preserve healthy neighborhoods and ensure a diverse range of employment and housing opportunities.
You may speak to the City Council about any discussion item that is on the agenda, and you may also speak during Open Forum on items that are not on the agenda and are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council or Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency Board. If you wish to speak to the City Council, please refer to the following guidelines:
o Fill out a Yellow Speaker’s Card and submit it to the City Clerk seated at the front table. Do this before the meeting or before the item is heard. This will ensure that the name on the card is called for the item(s) that you wish to address, and it will help ensure the meeting runs smoothly for all participants by calling speakers in an orderly manner. o When the Council reaches your item on the agenda, the Mayor will open the public hearing and call your name. Please address the Council from the podium, which is located to the left of the City Clerk’s table.
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City Council Agenda March 28, 2024
o Each speaker generally has two minutes to speak per item. The total amount of time allocated for public testimony for each public speakers or for an agenda item may be limited at the Mayor’s discretion, depending on the number of speakers or the length of the agenda. (California Government Code Section 54954.3; Council Policy 0-37)
o To assist you in tracking your speaking time, there is a display on the podium. The green light turns on when you begin speaking; the yellow light turns on when you have 30 seconds left; and the red light turns on when your speaking time is up.
Please be advised that, by law, the City Council is unable to discuss or take action on issues presented during Open Forum. According to State Law (the Brown Act) items must first be noticed on the agenda before any discussion or action.
The San José City Council meets every Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday at 6 p.m. as needed, unless otherwise noted. The City Council, or less than a quorum, may adjourn any regular, special or adjourned meeting to a later date, time and place specified in the order of adjournment. If all members are absent, the City Clerk may declare the meeting adjourned to a stated date, time and place. If you have any questions, please direct them to the City Clerk’s staff seated at the tables just below the dais. Thank you for taking the time to attend today’s meeting. We look forward to seeing you at future meetings.
Agendas, Staff Reports and some associated documents for City Council items may be viewed on the Internet at https://www.sanjose.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. Council Meetings are televised live and rebroadcast on Channel 26.
All public records relating to an open session item on this agenda, which are not exempt from disclosure pursuant to the California Public Records Act, that are distributed to a majority of the legislative body will be available for public inspection at the Office of the City Clerk at San José City Hall, 200 E. Santa Clara Street, Tower 14th Floor, San José, CA 95113 at the same time that the public records are distributed or made available to the legislative body. Any draft contracts, ordinances and resolutions posted on the Internet site or distributed in advance of the Council meeting may not be the final documents approved by the City Council. Please go to the Clerk’s Records Database https://records.sanjoseca.gov/Pages/Search.aspx for the final document, or you many also contact the Office of the City Clerk at (408) 535-1260 or [email protected].
American Disability Act: To request an alternative format agenda under the Americans with Disabilities Act for City-sponsored meetings, events or printer materials, please call (408) 535-1260 as soon as possible, but at least three business days before the meeting.
Accommodations: Any member of the public who needs accommodations should email the ADA Coordinator at [email protected] or by calling (408) 535-8430. The ADA Coordinator will use their best efforts to provide reasonable accommodations to provide as much accessibility as possible while also maintaining public safety in accordance with the City procedure for resolving reasonable accommodation requests.
On occasion the City Council may consider agenda items out of order.
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City Council Agenda March 28, 2024
How to observe the Meeting (no public comment):
1) Cable Channel 26,
2) https://www.sanjoseca.gov/news-stories/watch-a-meeting, or 3) https://www.youtube.com/CityofSanJoseCalifornia
How to submit written Public Comment before the City Council Meeting:
1) Use the eComment tab located on the City Council Agenda page. eComments are also directly sent to the ilegislate application used by City Council and staff. 2) By email to [email protected] by 10:00 a.m. the day of the meeting. Those emails will be attached to the Council Item under “Letters from the Public.” Please identify the Agenda Item Number in the subject line of your email.
How to submit written Public Comment during the City Council Meeting:
1) Email during the meeting to [email protected], identifying the Agenda Item Number in the email subject line. Comments received will be included as a part of the meeting record but will not be read aloud during the meeting.
How to provide spoken Public Comment during the City Council Meeting:
1) By Phone: (888) 475 4499. Webinar ID is 889 5708 4529. Click *9 to raise a hand to speak. Click *6 to unmute when called.
Alternative phone numbers are: US: +1 (213) 338-8477 or +1 (408) 638-0968 or (877) 853-5257 (Toll Free)
2) Online at: https://sanjoseca.zoom.us/j/88957084529
a. Use a current, up-to-date browser: Chrome 30+, Firefox 27+, Microsoft Edge 12+, Safari 7+. Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers including Internet Explorer. Mute all other audio before speaking. Using multiple devices can cause an audio feedback. b. Enter an email address and name. The name will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is your turn to speak.
c. When the Mayor calls for the item on which you wish to speak, click on “raise hand.” Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak.
d. When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted.
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City Council Agenda March 28, 2024
• Call to Order and Roll Call
1:30 p.m. – Study Session - Regional Partnership, Local Action – A Holistic Study Session About the Homelessness Crisis in San José
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
Purpose: To provide the Mayor and City Council with insights about the range of local and regional efforts to address the homelessness crisis in San José, describe successes and challenges, hear directly from people with lived experience of homelessness, and provide information about initiatives and future planning.
Outcome: The Mayor and City Council will have a holistic view of the homelessness crisis and future initiatives to prevent and end homelessness and the management of its impacts.
1. Introduction
• Rosalynn Hughey, Deputy City Manager/Acting Housing Director
2. Regional and County of Santa Clara Context – The Role of Key Regional Partners • Vignette #1 – Moving to permanence: A story of a person who moved through the system and into a permanent home
3. City of San José Housing Department – Understanding Our Service and Advice Role
4. Service Providers – Understanding Success and Reality • Vignette #2 – Working with heart: A story from service providers staff about life serving unhoused members of the community
5. Hear My Voice – The Breadth and Value of Lived Experience • Vignette #3 – A short story from a vehicle resident
6. City of San José Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Department - Addressing Impacts on People – The Complexity of a City
• Vignette #4 – A short, firsthand story about serving vehicle residents
7. Next Steps and Closing
• Omar Passons, Deputy City Manager
8. City Council Questions and Discussion
• Public Comment
• Adjournment
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City Council Agenda March 28, 2024
CITY OF SAN JOSE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS IN
THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND COMMITTEE ROOMS
The Code of Conduct is intended to promote open meetings that welcome debate of public policy issues being discussed by the City Council, their Committees, and City Boards and Commissions in an atmosphere of fairness, courtesy, and respect for differing points of view.
1. Public Meeting Decorum:
a) Persons in the audience will refrain from behavior which will disrupt the public meeting.
This will include making loud noises, clapping, shouting, booing, hissing or engaging in any other activity in a manner that disturbs, disrupts or impedes the orderly conduct of the meeting.
b) Persons in the audience will refrain from creating, provoking or participating in any type of disturbance involving unwelcome physical contact.
c) Persons in the audience will refrain from using cellular phones and/or pagers while the meeting is in session.
d) Appropriate attire, including shoes and shirts are required in the Council Chambers and Committee Rooms at all times.
e) Persons in the audience will not place their feet on the seats in front of them. f) No food, drink (other than bottled water with a cap), or chewing gum will be allowed in the Council Chambers and Committee Rooms, except as otherwise pre-approved by City staff. g) All persons entering the Council Chambers and Committee Rooms, including their bags, purses, briefcases and similar belongings, may be subject to search for weapons and other dangerous materials.
2. Signs, Objects or Symbolic Material:
a) Objects and symbolic materials, such as signs or banners, will be allowed in the Council Chambers and Committee Rooms, with the following restrictions: § No objects will be larger than 2 feet by 3 feet.
-No sticks, posts, poles or other such items will be attached to the signs or other symbolic materials.
-The items cannot create a building maintenance problem or a fire or safety hazard. b) Persons with objects and symbolic materials such as signs must remain seated when displaying them and must not raise the items above shoulder level, obstruct the view or passage of other attendees, or otherwise disturb the business of the meeting. c) Objects that are deemed a threat to persons at the meeting or the facility infrastructure are not allowed. City staff is authorized to remove items and/or individuals from the Council Chambers and Committee Rooms if a threat exists or is perceived to exist. Prohibited items include, but are not limited to: firearms (including replicas and antiques), toy guns, explosive material, and ammunition; knives and other edged weapons; illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia; laser pointers, scissors, razors, scalpels, box cutting knives, and other cutting tools; letter openers, corkscrews, can openers with points, knitting needles, and hooks; hairspray, pepper spray, and aerosol containers; tools; glass containers; and large backpacks and suitcases that contain items unrelated to the meeting.
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City Council Agenda March 28, 2024
CITY OF SAN JOSE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND COMMITTEE ROOMS (CONT’D.)
3. Addressing the Council, Committee, Board or Commission:
a) Persons wishing to speak on an agenda item or during open forum are requested to complete a speaker card and submit the card to the City Clerk or other administrative staff at the meeting.
b) Meeting attendees are usually given two (2) minutes to speak on any discussion item and/or during open forum; the total amount of time allocated for public testimony for each public speaker or for an agenda item is in the discretion of the Chair of the meeting and may be limited when appropriate. (California Government Code Section 54954.3; Council Policy 0-37) Applicants and appellants in land use matters are usually given more time to speak. Speakers using a translator will be given twice the time allotted to ensure non-English speakers receive the same opportunity to directly address the Council, Committee, Board or Commission.
c) Speakers should discuss only the agenda item when called to speak for that item, and only topics related to City business when called to speak during open forum on the agenda. d) Speakers’ comments should be addressed to the full body. Requests to engage the Mayor, Council Members, Board Members, Commissioners or Staff in conversation will not be honored. Abusive language is inappropriate.
e) Speakers will not bring to the podium any items other than a prepared written statement, writing materials, or objects that have been inspected by security staff. f) If an individual wishes to submit written information, he or she may give it to the City Clerk or other administrative staff at the meeting.
g) Speakers and any other members of the public will not approach the dais at any time without prior consent from the Chair of the meeting.
Failure to comply with this Code of Conduct which will disturb, disrupt or impede the orderly conduct of the meeting may result in removal from the meeting and/or possible arrest.