VISTA CITY COUNCIL (CC)
CITY OF VISTA
WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES
DECEMBER 7, 2023
The December 7, 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 (left at 7:46), Katie Melendez
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT
Dan O’Donnell
DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT
John Conley City Manager
Walter Chung City Attorney
Kathy Valdez City Clerk
CLOSED SESSION
City Attorney Walter Chung stated there was no reportable action taken in the December 7, 2023 Closed Session.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Councilmember Green led the Pledge of Allegiance.
DISCUSSION
D1. UPDATE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO ADDRESS
HOMELESSNESS (CC)
Assistant City Manager Imelda Huerta and Homeless Services Program Manager Jonathan Lung provided the staff report.
Jewish Family Services Director of Safe Parking Nichole McCune provided a presentation and was available to answer questions from the City Council.
Exodus Recovery, Inc. North County Program Director Elizabeth Galorio provided a presentation and was available to answer questions from the City Council.
Exodus Recovery, Inc. Senior Vice President of San Diego Programs Tina Snook was available to answer questions from the City Council.
Jim Riggenbach spoke regarding factors contributing to homelessness.
City Council Members and staff discussed the following:
• Utilization of shelter beds has remained consistent since the “pay-per-bed” model was adopted by the City Council in September 2023.
• Townspeople HomeShare program is still very new and has unknown success rates. • Separation of owner and pet is a common reason for refusal of shelter. The City Council questioned if there are shelters that allow pets and if social workers are able to help clients register their pets as service animals to avoid separation.
WORKSHOP MINUTES
DECEMBER 7, 2023
2 • Desire to have providers help clients obtain benefit assistance and request for any data supporting client obtaining benefits to be reported.
• Open spaces available in the Safe Parking Program. Exits from the Safe Parking Program are due to various reasons but are not due to length of stay. • Code Enforcement, Public Works, and other City employees to hand out resource information while out in the field and encounter individuals living unsheltered. • VUSD is a resource to identify youth homelessness and housing insecurity. • There is a need for outreach services outside of business hours, during the nights and weekends.
• Substance abuse needs to be addressed.
• Update GIS program to include pin locations of contacts. • Request for the adoption of a Definition of Terms glossary, agreed upon regionally so all groups are using common terminology.
• Important for data to be collected with a consistent methodology from year to year. • Desire to see the total number of unsheltered individuals living in Vista by calendar year. • Need for funding for housing, permanent supportive housing, and other support services. • The City Council directed staff to agendize options for an ad hoc committee.
Jim Riggenbach voiced concerns over conservatorship when the system is under-funded.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Franklin adjourned the meeting at 9:41 pm.
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Kathy Valdez, City Clerk