To: Board of Supervisors
From: Health and Human Services Agency
Meeting Date: August 18, 2020
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Co-Sponsors: |
Supervisor John McCowen |
Phone: |
463-2221 |
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Supervisor Dan Gjerde |
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463-2221 |
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Department Contact: |
Tammy Moss Chandler |
Phone: |
463-7774 |
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Item Type: Regular Agenda |
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Time Allocated for Item: 30 Minutes |
Agenda Title:
title
Discussion and Possible Action Related to Presentation, Review, and Potential Endorsement of the Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness in Mendocino County, as Prepared by the Mendocino County Homeless Services Continuum of Care
(Sponsors: Board Homeless Action Ad Hoc Committee, Consisting of Supervisors John McCowen and Dan Gjerde, and the Health and Human Services Agency)
End
Recommended Action/Motion:
recommendation
Review and Endorse the Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness in Mendocino County
End
Previous Board/Board Committee Actions:
On March 15, 2018, the Board of Supervisors accepted a presentation on Homeless Needs Assessment and Action Steps for Mendocino County from Dr. Robert Marbut;
On April 24, 2018, the Board endorsed in concept the Strategic Action Steps as Recommended by Dr. Marbut and directed the Health and Human Services Agency to work with the Continuum of Care to develop recommendations for implementation.
Summary of Request:
The Board is requested to review and endorse the Strategic Plan to Address Homeless in Mendocino County (Strategic Plan). The Mendocino County Homeless Services Continuum of Care (CoC) initiated a process in 2018 to develop recommendations for implementation of the Action Steps recommended by Dr. Marbut but the process was not completed. Under new leadership, the CoC returned to the issue and in August of 2019 appointed a subcommittee to develop a strategic plan for addressing homelessness in our County. The CoC is a collaborative of over 31 public agencies and non-profit organizations from throughout the County that serve the unsheltered population. Although the Homeless Needs Assessment, prepared by Dr. Marbut, recognized that many public and non-profit organizations were doing valuable work in addressing issues of homelessness, it also found a need for better coordination in order to make the most effective use of limited resources. A key focus of the proposed Strategic Plan is to improve coordination among agencies to deliver services more effectively and more efficiently to the unsheltered population to reduce homelessness to the greatest extent achievable.
The development of this Strategic Plan is long overdue and its implementation is particularly urgent in light of the fact that significant funding is now being allocated directly to local jurisdictions, including CoCs, counties and cities. The Strategic Plan incorporates the Action Steps recommended by Dr. Marbut to the extent feasible. This document also fulfills Federal and State requirements that local jurisdictions have a community plan for addressing homelessness. However, equally important, an effective strategic plan provides a shared vision and transparency of decision making related to this important community crisis. Further, it provides the framework necessary to effectively prioritize projects and to efficiently and fairly allocate funding.
The ambitious goal of the Strategic Plan is make homelessness in our communities rare, brief and a one time event. Many factors contribute to the risk of homelessness, and many of those who are currently homeless suffer from chronic conditions that create significant barriers to securing permanent housing, but the greatest threat to those currently housed is poverty. The Covid pandemic and the response to it has resulted in many business closures and record numbers of unemployed, placing many households at dramatically increased risk of eviction and homelessness.
The Strategic Plan recognizes that transforming our County’s homeless service system will also require close collaboration with community members and key stakeholders, elected officials, agency staff, service and housing providers, and people with lived experience of homelessness. Thus, the Plan includes goals related to strengthening collaboration both between the CoC and the broader community and within the CoC governing body itself.
On April 27, 2020, the CoC governing board reviewed and formally adopted the attached Strategic Plan. However, no one entity alone can solve homelessness. Therefore, the CoC is also submitting this plan to the incorporated cities and is requesting their review and endorsement.
Alternative Action/Motion:
Do not endorse the strategic plan and provide direction to staff.
Supervisorial District: All
vote requirement: Majority
Supplemental Information Available Online At: https://handupnothandoutmendo.com/
Fiscal Details:
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source of funding: N/A |
budgeted in current f/y: N/A |
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current f/y cost: if no, please describe: |
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annual recurring cost: revenue agreement: N/A |
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budget clarification: |
Agreement/Resolution/Ordinance Approved by County Counsel: N/A
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CEO Liaison: Darcie Antle, Deputy CEO |
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CEO Review: Yes |
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CEO Comments:
FOR COB USE ONLY
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Executed By: Atlas Pearson, Deputy Clerk I |
Final Status:Approved |
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Date: August 21, 2020 |
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