VISTA CITY COUNCIL (CC) BUENA SANITATION DISTRICT (BSD) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (CDC)
SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE VISTA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (SA) JOINT POWERS FINANCING AUTHORITY (JPFA)
CITY OF VISTA
WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES
JUNE 1, 2023
The June 1, 2023, Workshop Meeting of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, was called to order by Mayor Franklin at 6:00 pm in the City Council Chambers, 200 Civic Center Drive, Vista, California.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT
Mayor John Franklin, Deputy Mayor Corinna Contreras
Joe Green, Katie Melendez, Dan O’Donnell
DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT
Amanda Guy Assistant City Attorney
John Conley City Manager
John Boyce Sheriff’s Captain
Imelda Huerta Assistant to the City Manager
Kathy Valdez City Clerk
Kuna Muthusamy Public Works Director
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Councilmember Green led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Mayor Franklin stated there are no requests to speak.
DISCUSSION
D1. UPDATE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO ADDRESS
HOMELESSNESS (CC)
Homeless Services Program Manager Jonathan Lung provided the staff report.
Presentations were made by Sara Benson, ElderHelp, and Elizabeth Galorio, Exodus Recovery.
Members of the public voiced their opinion:
• Paul Webster stated the City should be tracking more outcome data. • Thomas McCarter asked why Solutions for Change was not involved and suggested that they should be.
• Serafima suggested that regional solutions might help and asked if transportation services are available.
City Council Members and staff discussed the following:
• The rental assistance program has been very successful; should identify funding to keep it going; make the program permanent
• While all agree that the Home Share program is great in theory, it has not been successful and the City should not renew the contract with ElderHelp
• Like the posted noticing of encampment cleanup to enable quicker response; should conduct outreach at various times prior to cleanup to make connections with individuals, not just pick up
WORKSHOP MINUTES
JUNE 1, 2023
2 trash
•Make internal working group minutes available to the public •Discuss the possibility of establishing a Homeless Commission; make workshops more interactive
•Collaborate with NCTD; include VUSD on internal working group •Look at all funding sources and determine best use for each •Include various types of programs and housing options: Board and Care, Permanent Supportive Housing, Rapid Rehousing, Rental Assistance
•Explore options to provide storage opportunities
•The number of homeless families with children is increasing; seeing larger family sizes, shelters can’t accommodate
•Consider establishing a fund to assist private property owners that cannot afford the cost of cleaning up an encampment on their property
RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
MOTION BY MELENDEZ, SECOND BY CONTRERAS, TO INCLUDE A RENTAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO ADDRESS
HOMELESSNESS TO BE AVAILABLE TO VISTA RESIDENTS AND INVESTIGATE
ALL FUNDING SOURCES, INCLUDING GENERAL FUND, GRANTS, AND FUNDING
SOURCES ALREADY ALLOCATED AND THEN TO BRING OPTIONS BACK TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
VOTE: 5-0
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Mayor Franklin stated there are no requests to speak.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Franklin adjourned the meeting at 9:23 pm.
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Kathy Valdez, City Clerk