ACTION:
____________________________
Clerk/Secretary
Department: City Manager Item No: PH2
Prepared by: Jonathan Lung, Homeless Services Program Mgr Meeting Date: June 24, 2025
Imelda Huerta, Assistant City Manager
John Conley, City Manager Agenda Location: Public Hearing
SUBJECT: ORDINANCE ADDING CHAPTER 2.54 TO THE VISTA MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH
A HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Open, conduct, and close a public hearing to receive testimony regarding adding Chapter 2.54 of the Vista Municipal Code to establish a Homelessness Commission.
2. Introduce and adopt City Council Ordinance 2025- , entitled, “An Ordinance of the Chartered City of Vista, California, Adding Chapter 2.54 to the Vista Municipal Code to Establish a Homelessness Commission.”
CORRELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS: Homelessness & Housing.
PRIOR ACTION: On May 13, 2025, directed staff to draft an ordinance amending the Vista Municipal Code to add Section 2.54 establishing a Homelessness Commission, and to schedule a Public Hearing for June 10, 2025, to consider adoption of the ordinance (Vote: 5-0).
On March 25, 2025, directed staff to draft an ordinance to establish a seven member H omelessness Commission after the City Council reviews the Standing Committee’s recommendation for the composition of the Commission and the goals of the Commission; schedule five Standing Committee meetings during even months, five Commission meetings during odd months, and two Strategic Plan Workshop meetings; reschedule the Standing Committee meeting to the fourth Thursday of even months; and appointed Councilmember Jeff Fox as Ex-Officio member to the Standing Committee (Vote: 5-0).
On January 14, 2025, directed staff to provide options for a community centered group to advise on the Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness (Vote: 5-0).
On January 23, 2024, created a Brown Act Standing Committee made up of Mayor Franklin and Deputy Mayor Melendez with remaining councilmembers as ex-officio members (Vote: 4-0-1, Green Abstained).
STATEMENT ON THE SUBJECT : On January 23, 2024, the Standing Committee on Homelessness (SCoH) was created by t he City Council to meet on the third Thursday of each month at 8:30 a.m. The purpose of the SCoH was to dedicate additional time to receiving thorough updates from staff regarding the
AGENDA
REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
SUCCESSOR AGENCY
BUENA SANITATION DISTRICT
JOINT POWERS FINANCING AUTHORITY
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MEETING DATE: June 24, 2025 PAGE 2
SUBJECT: ORDINANCE ADDING CHAPTER 2.54 TO THE VISTA MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH
A HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION
implementation of the Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness (Strategic Plan) and allow more in-depth discussion between the Committee Members to report back to the City Council.
On January 14, 2025, the City Council directed staff to provide options for a community centered group to advise on the Strategic Plan, and at the February 20, 2025, SCoH meeting, various options were provided to and discussed by the SCoH Committee members.
A
fter a discussion of the options presented, the SCoH members agreed to recommend 12 total homelessness meetings per year to the City Council. Five SCoH meetings would be held during even months. The recommendation also included the formation of a seven-member Homelessness Commission which would meet five times during odd months. The remaining two meetings would be reserved for the continuation of the semi-annual workshop updates on the Implementation of the Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness, with one providing updates between January and June, and the other providing updates between July and December.
O
n March 25, 2025, The City Council received and approved the above recommendations and directed staff to consider the composition of the Homelessness Commission, which was discussed during the April 24, 2025, SCoH meeting.
The S
CoH recommended establishing the Homelessness Commission in accordance with the City’s existing process, including:
• The Commission is an advisory agent only and actions are not binding upon the City • Commissioners are:
o Bona fide residents of the City of Vista,
o At least 18 years of age, and
o Not employed by the City of Vista.
o Exceptions:
Must be finding that exception is in best interest of the City; City Council 3/5 vote to waive;
City Council 3/5 vote to designate a seat for an outside agency representative • Bona fide representative of the respective outside organization, or • Owns a business in Vista.
• Standard terms for appointments.
o Unless otherwise established by ordinance:
Four-year terms,
Terminates March 31 of the term expiration year, and
Staggering terms.
• Robert’s Rules of Order and Brown Act apply
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special provision recommended by the SCoH is that following the allocation of one appointment per City Councilmember, the two remaining appointments will be designated to the Chair and Vice Chair of the SCoH, with each granted one appointment. In addition, each appointment allocated to the Chair and Vice Chair of the SCoH would be reserved for individuals with lived experience with homelessness.
O
n May 13, 2025, the City Council approved the SCoH’s recommendations and directed staff to draft an ordinance amending the Vista Municipal Code to add Section 2.54 establishing a Homelessness Commission, and to schedule a Public Hearing to consider adoption of the ordinance. This Public Hearing introduces that ordinance and staff recommend approving the ordinance. If approved, the ordinance would go into effect on Friday, July 25, 2025.
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MEETING DATE: June 24, 2025 PAGE 3
SUBJECT: ORDINANCE ADDING CHAPTER 2.54 TO THE VISTA MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH
A HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
EXHIBITS:
1. City Council Ordinance 2025- , adding Chapter 2.54 to the Vista Municipal Code to establish a H
omelessness Commission.
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ORDINANCE 2025-
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF VISTA, CALIFORNIA, ADDING CHAPTER 2.54 TO THE VISTA MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH A
HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION
The City Council of the City of Vista does ordain as follows:
1. Findings. The City Council hereby finds and declares all of the following:
A. The City Council desires to establish a Homelessness Commission as a standing commission of the City to promote and support the City’s Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness and to advise the City Council and City Manager on homelessness matters.
B. This ordinance is enacted by the City Council pursuant to its authority under the Charter of the City of Vista and Article 11, Section 7 of the California Constitution.
C. The City Council intends that this ordinance be construed and applied in a manner that is consistent with state law, the provisions of the Vista Municipal Code, other local enactments, and all voter-approved measures.
2. Code Amendment.
Chapter 2.54 is added to the Vista Municipal Code and stated in full as follows:
“Chapter 2.54
Homelessness Commission
Sections:
2.50.010 Purpose
2.50.020 Establishment, Composition and Additional Qualifications
2.50.030 Appointment of Members and Additional Qualifications
2.50.040 Powers and Duties
Section 2.50.010 Purpose
The purpose of the Homelessness Commission is to promote and support the City's Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness and to advise the City Council and the City Manager on matters relating to homelessness.
Section 2.50.020 Establishment, Composition and Additional Qualifications A Homelessness Commission of the City of Vista is established, with membership, powers and duties as provided in this chapter and other ordinances of the City of Vista. The Homelessness Commission shall be a standing commission consisting of seven members. All members of the Commission shall be voting members.
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EXHIBIT 1
Section 2.50.030 Appointment of Members and Additional Qualifications A. Each member of the City Council shall appoint one member to the Homelessness Commission consistent with City policies governing commission appointments.
B. In addition to the five Council appointments, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on Homelessness shall each appoint one member to the Commission. Individuals with lived experience of homelessness shall be given preference for these appointments.
Section 2.50.040 Powers and Duties
The duties of the Homelessness Commission shall be as follows:
A. To act in an advisory capacity to the City Council and City Manager or their designee related to homelessness matters.
B. To develop an annual work plan and presentation to the City Council.
C. To review and provide recommendations to the City Council on homelessness issues.
D. To explore and suggest outside funding to accomplish the City's Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness.
E. To promote and stimulate public interest and community engagement in the City’s Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness.
F. To provide a public forum for citizens to communicate their complaints, concerns, requests, and suggestions relating to homelessness matters.
G. To review and provide recommendations to the City Council on all homelessness matters referred to it by the City Council.”
3. Severability. If any word, sentence, paragraph, or other portion of this ordinance is deemed to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, the City Council declares its intent that all remaining words, sentences, paragraphs or portions of the ordinance not held to be invalid or unenforceable shall remain in full force and effect, and shall be so construed, as if the original ordinance did not contain the invalid or unenforceable language.
4. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect on the thirty-first day following the date of its adoption.
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5. Adoption. INTRODUCED and ADOPTED at a meeting of the City Council of the City of Vista held on June 24, 2025, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
WALTER CHUNG, CITY ATTORNEY
By:
JOHN FRANKLIN, MAYOR
ATTEST:
KATHY VALDEZ, CITY CLERK
By:
APPROVED
Walter C. Chung
20250610141227
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