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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - October 17, 2017 SMLODI CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING CARNEGIE FORUM, 305 WEST PINE STREET TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017 A. Commencement of Meeting / Roll Call The Lodi City Council / San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors Joint Study Session on Homelessness, held at the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors Chambers, 44 N. San Joaquin Street, Stockton, was called to order by Chair Winn at 6:03 p.m. Present: Council Member Chandler, Council Member Johnson, Council Member Mounce, Mayor Pro Tempore Nakanishi, and Mayor Kuehne Absent: None Also Present: City Manager Schwabauer, City Attorney Magdich, and City Clerk Ferraiolo Also present at the meeting: Board of Supervisors Chair Winn, Vice Chair Villapudua, Supervisor Miller, Supervisor Patti, Supervisor Elliott, County Administrator Nino, County Counsel Myles, and Clerk of the Board Duzenski. B. Presentations Chair Winn thanked the City of Lodi for participating in the homelessness efforts, adding this issue is not unique to one geographical area because it effects entire cities and the nation and requires working together with a variety of agencies and municipalities. The Board of Supervisors met earlier with the City of Stockton and anticipates meeting with City of Manteca soon. He expressed appreciation to Supervisor Miller for taking the lead on this issue, as well as various organizations, service groups, County departments, Congressional representatives, and municipalities for sharing ideas and working together toward a solution. He recognized the City of Lodi for being a leader in the County in coming up with creative ideas and programs to tackle the homelessness issue and viewed this as an opportunity to build on efforts already in place. Chair Winn stated the purpose of this meeting is to provide information and updates on what the County, the City of Lodi, and the task forces are doing to effect change and improve the homelessness situation in the county. 1. Update on the 2017 Work Completed by the San Joaquin County Homelessness Task Force. Jon Mendelson, Executive Director of Ready to Work and liaison on the San Joaquin County Homelessness Task Force, provided an update on the 2017 work completed by the Task Force. Specific topics included background on the formation of the Task Force; meetings with government agencies and service providers; 2016 policy recommendations, including improved collaboration, continuum of care, Housing First model, expanding permanent housing, adopting No Wrong Door, and system -wide performance measures approved by the Board in 2017; approval of similar policies by City of Stockton; Task Force working groups - Housing, Law and Justice, and Prevention - and their strategies; plans for continuum of care and housing with No Place Like Home funding; use of Community Development Block Grant funds for affordable housing units; efforts of Lodi, Manteca, and Tracy with a police officer interacting with the homeless population; outreach from several agencies, including Behavioral Services, St. Mary's, service providers, and homeless shelters; expansion of Housing Authority's services; County's proposal for a homeless coordinator position; Ready to Work program established as a new non- profit; and transitional housing facility for homeless or those in the criminal justice system. He stated that, while the Task Force is temporary, the effort to end homelessness is not because it requires long-term, on-going involvement and permanent partnerships between stakeholders and governments. He encouraged the County, agencies, cities, and service providers to continue this effort. 1 Supervisor Miller expressed appreciation to those who participated in the Task Force, stating they worked exceptionally hard the last three years and the group's attitude is inspirational. She stated funding has been secured, mainly from grants that came together through partnerships struck during Task Force meetings, and County departments have been encouraged to seek grant opportunities as well by expanding their efforts to include the homeless population. She stated she hopes the collaboration between entities continues beyond the life of the Task Force and she will work hard to ensure all cities are part of the continuum of care. 2. City of Lodi Update on the Topic of Homelessness. Mayor Kuehne stated he attended the Task Force meetings, adding that the collaboration and networking of agencies was phenomenal because it ensures there is less overlap in services. He pointed to homeless programs from other communities, such as Salt Lake City, San Diego, and San Francisco, as examples to consider and stated he would like an update on the Doe Fund model, as well as the Honor Farm. City Manager Schwabauer assured the Board of Supervisors that Lodi is committed to the homelessness issue and provided an overview of some of its efforts, including the low-income housing project at the old Hotel Lodi building downtown; investments in Salvation Army, as well as Lodi House that provides interim housing for homeless women and families, which also has a four -unit, low -rent facility for rehabilitated clients to live in temporarily while they transition to permanent housing; investment in a multi -million -dollar senior affordable housing project on Tienda Drive near Target in Lodi; creation of the homeless task force; and dedication of one Police Officer to serve as a liaison to the homeless. Lodi Police Chief Tod Patterson provided a PowerPoint presentation on Lodi homelessness. Specific topics included obvious increase in homelessness, Town Hall meetings, tracking of homeless/transient calls, Community Liaison Officer, resources, clean ups, issue areas, and success story. Chief Patterson explained that Lodi's liaison officer is modeled after Manteca's program, adding that Officer Ryan Holz works directly with the homeless by connecting them with services, programs, and family or friends and assists in retrieving abandoned shopping carts along with volunteer help from Lodi Grape Festival staff. He thanked the Sheriffs Office, California Highway Patrol, Caltrans, and Waste Management for providing resources and assistance in cleaning up the area along the river access. Chief Patterson stated a future goal of the liaison officer program is to secure transportation so that Officer Holz can transfer individuals to various locations to get the help they need. Chair Winn commended Chief Patterson for how he handled questions from upset residents during meetings at the Grape Festival, stating he appreciated his calm answers and thorough explanations on how he will handle the situation. Many left the meeting willing to join the City and County in volunteering to clean up their community and offered suggestions in dealing with the problem. In response to Supervisor Elliott, Chief Patterson stated Officer Holz contacted Vet Farm to see if the organization would collaborate with the City in finding proper resources for individuals he meets on the streets. Vet Farm looks for homeless Veterans and assists in finding services such as housing, hospitals, and treatment specific to a Veteran's needs. It has been extremely helpful having Vet Farm on board because it has a clearer understanding of the necessities and acronyms that can better assist Veterans. Supervisor Elliott expressed support for the program and stated he hopes the organization takes advantage of County services as well to ensure all of the programs and services get linked up with one another. Council Member Chandler recognized Mark Armstrong with the Lodi Grape Festival, stating he demonstrated great leadership in bringing together various groups, citizens, and business owners in taking direct action to address homelessness issues. In response to Mayor Pro Tempore Nakanishi, Chief Patterson stated he would report back on whether or not Officer Holz is collaborating with the American Legion to help homeless Veterans. 2 Supervisor Patti questioned if the Homeless Liaison Officer has been effective because he engages directly with the homeless community versus a member from another agency. Chief Patterson stated he believes the fact that Officer Holz is a uniformed officer has helped him gain the trust of homeless individuals. In response to Supervisor Patti, Chief Patterson stated he spoke with a number of homeless individuals at Grace and Mercy Charitable Foundation who indicated they were in Lodi because they received rides from friends, biked or walked to town, or arrived at the hospital by ambulance and ended up staying, as well as rumors that some come to Lodi because they enjoy the services offered in the community and feel safer in Lodi. He estimated there are roughly 300 -plus homeless in Lodi, but he was uncertain how many were from foreign countries. Mayor Kuehne reported that faith -based organizations in Lodi discontinued feeding the homeless in parks and, instead, coordinated with the Salvation Army to conduct feeding events at its site or to donate food. He stated he requested churches stop the feedings so the homeless are redirected to Salvation Army where there are tools and services to help them back on their feet. There is still one Lodi park that is a problem in the community, but the situation has improved because of this change. In addition, one church is paying for an apartment for a family for one year, and he requested other faith -based organizations consider doing the same. Council Member Johnson agreed with Chair Winn on the importance of taking care of Veterans and he hopes information regarding Vet Farm gets out so that more of them get the help they need. He also agreed that having a uniformed officer makes a difference in dealing with the homeless and suggested the continuity of working with the same officer time and again may be more important in earning their trust. Chief Patterson agreed, adding that Officer Holz is down to earth and has a genuine passion for this work, which helps him better connect with the homeless and makes the program successful. Chair Winn agreed that continuity and familiarity are important when trying to connect with and help the homeless. He added that collaborating ensures same levels of service, no duplications, and no unassisted areas throughout the county. Mr. Schwabauer clarified that Lodi does have an indigenous homeless population, some of whom go back for years in Lodi, but on the day Chief Patterson spoke with homeless individuals, none of them stated they were from Lodi. Further, he agreed with Chief Patterson that Officer Holz is the right person for this function because he has been able to achieve success and is willing and able to provide the services needed at that moment and time, even if it requires driving an individual to Monterey for housing, treatment, or a job. John Ledbetter with the Lodi Committee on Homelessness provided an update on homelessness in Lodi. Specific topics included make-up of and representation on the Committee; Homeless Liaison Officer funded by the Lodi Police Department by re -prioritizing the Department's budget, something he suggested the County look into as well to fund its proposed Homeless Coordinator; development of resource guides for the homeless; collaboration with over 100 community organizations, including churches; cooperation with the Lodi Salvation Army for homeless fairs that provide opportunities to connect with various services; creation of a shopping cart ordinance to deal with the control and loss of shopping carts; process of developing cleaning teams utilizing homeless to clean areas of the City in collaboration with the Public Works Department in exchange for gift cards or food as compensation; working with Grace and Mercy Charitable Foundation to develop a day drop-in center for the homeless, at which they can connect with services to improve their lives; developing a program with Associated Builders and Contractors of Northern California to provide a training program for homeless to learn skills, such as carpentry and electrical; coordinating with groups to develop a cafeteria list of community needs and encouraging local groups and churches to take on projects, such as providing food or transportation outside of Lodi; meeting with Stanislaus County to discuss its program and the need for realistic, measureable goals and timeframes, which should be communicated to the public; and Stanislaus County's commitment of $1 million for a housing support services manager, which was paid through its mental health department and community services agency. 3 In response to Council Member Chandler, Captain Mark Thielenhaus with the Lodi Salvation Army described its homeless fair, stating it is a collaboration among many organizations for a one-stop resource center for the homeless. On Fridays at noon, churches provide food on site and the homeless can receive hair cuts, take showers, participate in a clothing exchange, and receive flu shots. In further response, Captain Thielenhaus explained that clients must be sober to stay over night at the shelter but not to participate in the Friday fairs. Mr. Schwabauer reported the Lodi Committee on Homelessness collaborated on a project to reconstruct a home that combined the efforts of a local property owner, City of Lodi, Salvation Army, Pacific Coast Producers and use of Community Development Block Grant funds; however, the project fell through when the property owner backed out. He stated that, if another property becomes available, the plan is in place to make it happen. In response to Supervisor Patti, Mr. Schwabauer stated Lodi has not identified a funding stream large enough to construct and house its homeless population; it is simply beyond Lodi's capacity because there are no funding sources open to the City. Council Member Mounce stated that a number of recent housing projects were successful because they had a housing authority to leverage dollars for the project. She applauded the Lodi Committee on Homelessness for trying to put forward small housing projects because a large- scale housing project exceeds what Lodi can do on its own. She stated that, during her term as President, the League of California Cities worked on the No Place Like Home initiative to secure a funding source for counties to work as the lead agency in implementing money toward the homelessness issue. Lodi does not have the funding it takes to address housing, and she added that its two recent ballot initiatives for public safety and parks and recreation were unsuccessful. In response to Supervisor Miller, Peter Ragsdale with the San Joaquin County Housing Authority provided an update on its projects, including a $35 million public housing property in Stockton, a medical -dental facility in downtown Stockton; and units in Manteca. He stressed there is a significant need for housing and that the Authority is competing for funding sources in a highly - competitive process against other entities and counties. He stated it often requires layers of contribution and partnership to make a project successful and pointed to Lodi's Eden House collaboration as an example. Mr. Ragsdale stated the County Housing Authority would like to partner with the County and all of the cities within because it greatly enhances the chance of receiving grant funding. 3. Discuss San Joaquin County Board of Supervisor's Request that City of Lodi Adopt the Board's Recommended Strategic Priorities on Homelessness. County Administrator Monica Nino provided a PowerPoint presentation on the County's recommended strategic priorities. She stated the Board of Supervisors amended the priorities submitted by the Task Force slightly in relation to services provided by the County and leverage. Peter Ragsdale with the San Joaquin County Housing Authority reported the Authority has two funding streams: one meant for homelessness, and the other is Housing Authority monies. The Housing Authority administers programs for Veterans using homeless money and housing assistance from the California Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and also administers Section 209 vouchers. Ms. Nino stressed the need for cities to be at the table in the effort to secure funding because the Housing Authority can only do so much on its own, to which Mr. Ragsdale concurred, stating the game is constantly changing and collaboration with cities and counties is necessary to ensure success. Ms. Nino stated she sent every city manager in the County a letter asking each city to adopt the same, or similar, priorities on homelessness as guiding principles and, to date, only the City of Stockton has done so. She requested that Lodi consider the request and adopt its own set of priorities in an effort to continue collaborating in this effort. In response to Mayor Kuehne, Mr. Ragsdale explained the "Housing First" model, stating that 4 communities should have priorities to address permanent housing as a preference, along with construction clauses, operations, and supportive services to make it successful. Jon Mendelson, Executive Director of Ready to Work, added the "Housing First" idea is to provide homeless with permanent housing without any preconditions of income or sobriety and provide intensive wrap- around services to aid in maintaining housing and achieving or increasing income. Supervisor Miller stated individuals in permanent housing have an improved chance of success because service organizations know where to find them and can ensure they complete treatment programs and continue on the terms of self-sufficiency. "Housing First" is a priority for HUD, and it makes sense to participate in order to secure funding for housing. In response to Mayor Kuehne, Supervisor Miller stated there are varying types of housing models that could include housing with concierge service that helps with paperwork, services, and transportation; however, it could also be a reconfigured property with multiple units and a common area with support services that come on site. Council Member Mounce stated she would like to collaborate with the County to find solutions to the homeless problem, which many feel is the number one issue effecting communities; however, she stated the California Public Employees Retirement System (Cal -PERS) crisis is of utmost importance because in a short period of time, cities will be insolvent if this impending disaster is not addressed. Lodi is struggling with keeping its power turned on and continuing services and programs, which she believes makes it difficult for Lodi to contribute financially in the County's program. She suggested the County figure out another way Lodi can collaborate that does not translate into money because Lodi does not have it to contribute. Supervisor Miller assured City Council and staff that the County's intention was simply to begin a conversation about addressing the homelessness issue and it fully understands that Council will deliberate the matter on its own and filter the ideas through the Lodi community. She stated there is definitely a need for partnership and collaboration and agreed there may be other ways to work it out, but she stressed the importance that all cities participate in the expanded continuum of care. Supervisor Miller reiterated the County is not looking for a decision at this meeting. Chair Winn commented on the grants received by the County and technical assistance from HUD and stressed the importance of county -wide adoption of strategic plans because collaboration is viewed more favorably when applying for grants, the funding from which can then be spread across the entire county, including Lodi. He summarized the first point of discussion is whether or not the entities can come together with same, or similar, adopted strategies and, secondly, a discussion down the road on how the strategies can be accomplished. He reiterated this is an opportunity to come together and speak with a greater voice; not to impose the County on cities. Council Member Mounce reiterated the City wants to collaborate with the County and other cities, but it is difficult for Lodi to do so from a financial standpoint, pointing out that Lodi had to adjust its budget in order to make the Homeless Liaison Officer position happen. Mayor Pro Tempore Nakanishi agreed that cost is a concern, but he believed a solution could be worked out. 4. Discuss San Joaquin County Board of Supervisor's Request that City of Lodi Fund the Board's Recommended Continuum of Care and Homelessness Coordinator Position. County Administrator Monica Nino provided a PowerPoint presentation on the County's request that Lodi fund the Continuum of Care Homelessness Coordinator position. Specific topics of discussion included position description, position costs through Fiscal Year 2020/21, funding plan through Fiscal Year 2020/21, requested City participation, and next steps. She stated the funding request for Lodi, which was based on the percentage of homeless population, would range from $7,502 to $24,507, and she stressed the County is only looking to cities as a backfill option should other funding opportunities not arise. Ms. Nino reported that approval of this position will come before the Board of Supervisors at its next meeting and the recommendation is to forego recruitment until a full 12 months of salary is guaranteed. She stated the County also has pension 5 issues and has been forced to make difficult decisions; however, the homelessness issue is a priority, and the County is doing what it can to address it. She stressed the continuum of care will be much more cohesive if there is cooperation between the County, Housing Authority, and cities and she assured City Council the County is doing all it can to find appropriate resources to put this forth. In response to Mayor Pro Tempore Nakanishi, Ms. Nino stated that initially the homeless coordinator position would be a County employee and the position was modeled after similar programs in other counties, in which three were housed in Administration offices, one was in Health Care, one in Community Development, and another in Affordable Housing. Staff reviewed the upper and lower tiers of the job descriptions from other counties and created a position somewhere in the middle, but she stated that can be reconsidered during the process. Mayor Kuehne thanked the County for coordinating this meeting and stated he thought the figures presented were not unreasonable and hoped the County is successful in its grant opportunities. He requested an update regarding the Honor Farm. San Joaquin County Sheriff Steve Moore reported the final lease documents were signed that afternoon for the Ready to Work Program, which will come before the Board on October 24, 2017, after which improvements will commence to support the program and various security requests. The District Attorney is working with the Sheriffs Office and the Court to ask judges to give those in the court system the option of participating in the program or spending another year in jail. He stated he is looking forwarding to kicking off the program soon. In response to Mayor Kuehne, Sheriff Moore stated that those who opt for jail time will have another opportunity to reconsider the decision and enter the program later. Once the program is fully operational, those living on the street and seeking help can voluntarily enter the program as well. The purpose of the program is to address homelessness on several fronts, and he believed the political will, ability of law enforcement, and the location funded by a public-private partnership will make this program successful. He pointed out the efforts of Lodi, Manteca, and Tracy to implement a homeless liaison officer is yet another way of helping people in a different way. Supervisor Elliott commended Lodi on its exemplary report and leading as an excellent example in the homelessness effort. He believed all of the County and city programs together provide a great framework for addressing the homeless problem. He understands funding may be a sensitive topic and assured Council that the County is also protective of its budget and will not add a program it cannot afford to continue on a long-term basis. He added that homelessness is a countywide program; however, most of the homeless population is in cities, which does not exempt cities from contributing toward funding the proposed position. He stated he believes the proposal presented is reasonable and takes into account homeless percentages in each community. He encouraged Lodi to consider the proposal. Council Member Mounce countered that many of the homeless individuals in Lodi live near the river, which is in the County jurisdiction, and only come into town during the day. She stated she believes that, for Lodi, there are more homeless individuals in the County than in the City. Mayor Kuehne stated City staff did an excellent job obtaining an accurate homeless population count during the last tally, adding he was not certain the numbers presented were accurate. He stated he appreciates the effort and looks forward to seeing where this goes. Council Member Mounce expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Board, Mr. Ledbetter, the committees, and the Homeless Liaison Officer because, otherwise, the situation would be much worse. She stated she is compassionate on this issue but has concerns regarding the financial side. She expressed hope that, working together, there can be a solution to the problem. C. Public Comment None. 6 D. Adjournment Chair Winn thanked everyone for participating in the meeting and stated he looks forward to hearing what Lodi decides to do. The meeting was adjourned by Chair Winn at 8:18 p.m. ATTEST: Jennifer M. Ferraiolo City Clerk 7