HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - November 4, 2020 H-01AGENDA ITEM ow
JQ CITY OF LODI
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
TM
AGENDA TITLE: Receive Presentation on the San Joaquin Community Response tc
Homelessness — 2020 San Joaquin Strategic Plan and Adopt A Resolution
Supporting Plan
MEETING DATE: November 4, 2020
PREPARED BY: Community Development Director
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Receive Presentation on the San Joaquin Community Response
to Homelessness — 2020 San Joaquin Strategic Plan and Adopt
A Resolution Supporting Plan.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The San Joaquin Continuum of Care (SJCoC) adopted the San
Joaquin Community Response to Homelessness — 2020 San
Joaquin Strategic Plan (2020 Strategic Plan) in June and has
made it available for review, comment, and adoption by local
jurisdictions and associations, including the City of Lodi.
Timeline
The final draft of the 2020 Strategic Plan was adopted unanimously by the SJCoC Board of Directors
on June 11, 2020. Other key milestones of the plan development include:
On February 6, 2018, the Stockton City Council voted unanimously to allocate $50,283 in
General Funds to support the Program Administrator — Homeless Initiatives position reporting
to the County Administrator. These funds were set aside to cover a potential shortfall in
funding for the position. Because the County Administrator's Office was successful in securing
necessary funding for the position without the need for City support, the City of Stockton
allocation reverted to the General Fund.
On May 21, 2019, the Stockton City Council voted unanimously to reallocate $50,000 of the
funds previously allocated for the Program Administrator — Homeless Initiatives to provide a
portion of funding for the development of a homelessness strategic plan.
July 3, 2019, as part of the process to develop the plan and following a request to the San
Joaquin Continuum of Care (SJCoC) Board of Directors from the Office of Mayor Michael
Tubbs, the SJCoC Board recommended the selection of Homebase and approved the use of a
direct State allocation of funds to the SJCoC through the California Emergency Solutions and
Housing program to match the City of Stockton's allocation. The SJCoC also agreed to work
with Homebase to develop the plan through the Strategic Planning Committee and the
Collaborative Applicant.
On September 17, 2019, the Stockton City Council approved Homebase as the consultant for
the strategic plan and authorized payment.
On October 1, 2019, Homebase initiated contact with the SJCoC and began gathering
information to develop the plan.
SJCOC Homeless Specific Plan
November 4, 2020
Page 2 of 4
On December 4, 2019, Homebase hosted an all -day "summit" attended by over 140
stakeholders from throughout San Joaquin County to survey attendees, facilitate discussion
and seek feedback on key aspects of the draft plan.
Between January 1 and May 30, 2020, Homebase facilitated several meetings of the SJCoC
Strategic Planning Committee and key stakeholders from City of Stockton and County of San
Joaquin to finalize the document for presentation to the Board of Directors. During this
process, the plan was revised multiple times based on feedback and discussion including
representatives from City of Stockton, County of San Joaquin, the SJCoC, and stakeholders
from Lodi, Tracy, Manteca, and Community Based Organizations working in homelessness in
San Joaquin County.
On May 26, 2020, the Strategic Planning Committee forwarded the final draft to the SJCoC
Board of Directors with a recommendation to adopt; the plan was adopted unanimously at the
following meeting.
Goals and Strategies
As designed, Plan delineates three broad goals to address homelessness, along with three strategies
to achieve each goal:
Goal 1: Establish a Coordinated and Engaged Regional System
o Create Shared Processes
o Improve Data Collection
o Educate the Community
Goal 2: Increase Access and Reduce Barriers to Homeless Crisis Response Services
o Expand Low -barrier Shelter
o Invest in Prevention and Diversion
o Expand Outreach
Goal 3: Ensure Households Experiencing Homelessness Have Access to Affordable and Sustainable
Permanent Housing
o Increase Affordable Housing
o Invest in Landlord Engagement and Navigation
o Expand Supportive Services
Multiple measures for success are also associated with each goal. For example, one measure of
success under Goal 3 indicates that veteran homelessness reaches "functional zero" by the 2025
Point -In -Time Count. This measure intentionally reflects the goal already set by the San Joaquin
County Board of Supervisors and the Stockton City Council at the Joint Meeting on Homelessness of
May 30, 2019. Other key measures associated with each goal include:
Goal 1 Strategies
• HMIS collects intake, assessment, and exit data to allow for coordination and tracking as
people exit homelessness and/or return to homelessness.
• All stakeholder groups — the County, cities, Continuum of Care, service providers, and
community-based organizations — have adopted the Strategic Plan.
■ A shared funding process/advisory board has been put in place, with representatives from the
County, cities, Continuum of Care, health care systems, VA and other federal partners, service
providers, and community-based organizations.
Goal 2 Strategies
• By 2025, 200 new housing -focused low -barrier shelter beds are available to people
experiencing homelessness in San Joaquin County (The beds may be in congregate or non -
congregate shelter settings, as public health needs dictate).
• The 2025 Point -in -Time County will show that the number of unsheltered households in San
Joaquin County is less than 50% of the 2019 Count.
SJCOC Homeless Specific Plan
November 4, 2020
Page 3 of 4
• Annually reduce by 10% the number of households that return to homelessness in 6 months
after exiting to permanent housing from a Transitional Housing, Rapid Rehousing, or
Permanent Supportive Housing program.
Goal 3 Strategies
• The County and its 4 largest cities initiated at least 1 new pilot project to test
• efficacy of nonconventional housing options, including shared or modular housing
• The County and its 4 largest cities created or adopted 1 new policy that waives fees, increases
density, or changes zoning laws to facilitate new and affordable housing construction or
rehabilitation.
• HMIS collects the time between assessment for services and placement into a transitional or
permanent housing program.
All of the goals, strategies, and measures of success included in the Plan were the direct result of a
broad, months -long coordinated effort to engage over 200 stakeholders County -wide and, importantly,
includes contributions and perspectives from those who were formerly or are currently homeless.
Each goal, strategy, and measure for success includes narratives which explain and explore
community feedback and the reasons for inclusion in the Plan, the evidence -based practices which
the items are based upon, potential roles and responsibilities of local stakeholders, comparative
analyses of established local systems addressing homelessness pertinent to each goal and strategy,
and priorities for funding based on community feedback. These narratives, along with all of the
contents of the Plan, were painstakingly reviewed and edited by contributors from San Joaquin
County, City of Stockton and the SJCoC through six distinct drafts before ultimately being
recommended to the SJCoC Board of Directors for approval. The City of Lodi has volunteer
representatives on the SJCoC Board of Directors. As stated in Goal 3 above the waiving of fees and
zoning changes, staff will evaluate the cost benefit of these proposed changes before bringing to the
City Council or taking action on a project or service.
Implementation of Plan
One of the central requests from the group working with Homebase was that the final Plan document
be "actionable" and include not just a series of suggested strategies and unrelated narratives, but a
crosswalk of guidance on how each step of the plan might best be implemented, and by whom, based
on feedback from the community and the evidence -based best practices the expert staff at Homebase
brought with them to the project. This request also contemplated, to the extent possible, a
demonstration of how the individual aspects of the plan could be integrated together to form a
cohesive regional strategy. This desire was indicative of the understanding that funding programs
such as HEAP, CESH, and HHAP would be a primary driver of Plan implementation: these funding
programs require regional collaboration in order to access funds, and it is expected that most if not all
future available homelessness funding will include similar requirements around regional collaboration.
As a result, included in the Plan is a 9 -page "Implementation Addendum" which serves this purpose
and provides guidance across a five-year process. The Implementation Addendum breaks down each
strategy into approximately ten steps, categorized into "Year 1" and "Years 2 — 5". Each groups of
steps also includes associated "responsible parties" and "stakeholders" to provide general
suggestions regarding who might be the most appropriate groups to lead specific initiatives.
Development of the plan was paid for through a budget allocation from the City of Stockton as well as
a matching grant from the San Joaquin Continuum of Care through a direct allocation to the SJCoC of
State California Emergency Solutions and Housing program funds. Costs to the County associated
with implementing the plan will depend upon City Council direction. Implementing the plan will involve
staff time associated with directing State and Federal grant funds for homelessness. It is important to
note that the Plan is a "roadmap" of guidelines and suggestions developed from community feedback,
and should be implemented by City staff only in alignment with City direction and to the extent that
funds are available. Implementation of the plan may involve varying degrees of commitment of City
SJCOC Homeless Specific Plan
November 4, 2020
Page 4 of 4
resources depending on numerous factors which should be thoughtfully considered before moving
forward. Possible aspects of implementation could involve the development and distribution of Scopes
of Work, Requests for Proposals, and Notices of Funding Availability.
The City of Lodi is experiencing a crisis with its homeless population. Over the last few years, the City
has seen an increase in the number of sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals. Many of
Lodi's unsheltered homeless individuals face challenges with mental illness and addiction; plus, those
in temporary shelters have difficulty finding affordable and safe permanent housing. The City's
Committee on Homelessness meets monthly to look for solutions among members and collaborates
with the SJCoC on homeless initiatives. Beginning in 2017, the City Police Department's Homeless
Liaison Officer and several volunteers have provided one-on-one assistance to those facing
homelessness as well. In an attempt to address this crisis collectively, the City held a town hall
meeting in October 2018 to gather various stakeholders and residents to discuss issues and
solutions. The City staff pursues grant funds for increased housing and service for Lodi's homeless
and at -risk of homeless. Staff recommends that City Council approve this regional homeless strategic
plan in order to continue all these above efforts and through further regional collaboration and specific
strategies to help reduce homeless in Lodi.
FISCAL IMPACT: This action will have no fiscal impact at this time.
FUNDING AVAILABLE: Not applicable
John R. ella Monica, Jr.
Commur ity Development Director
Attachments:
A. Resolution
B. San Joaquin Community Response to Homelessness — 2020 San Joaquin Strategic Plan
The San Joaquin
Community Response
to Homelessness
2020 SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY STRATEGIC PLAN
SAN JOAOUIN
CONTINUUM OF CARE
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This strategic plan was drafted by Homebase on behalf of the San Joaquin Continuum of Care.
Homebase would like to thank the membership of the CoC's Strategic Planning Leadership Committee
for their partnership throughout the process of developing this plan. Special thanks to San Joaquin
County, the City of Stockton, the Housing Authority of San Joaquin County, and Central Valley Low
Income Housing Corp. for their assistance with gathering information and providing feedback, and to the
many service providers, local government staff, and people experiencing homelessness who were
interviewed for this plan, for sharing their experiences and providing invaluable insight.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The San Joaquin community is able to address the homelessness crisis it faces. It will require a
collaborative effort to develop a formal coordinated system that functions throughout the
eregion. It will require a focus on solutions that can be measured and impactful. It will require
0-0 significant investment in housing -first focused services that increase shelter beds and provide
successful transitions to long-term permanent housing.
San Joaquin has already done a great deal to address homelessness. Since 2015, the
community has adopted a Housing First approach in many programs, working to ensure
households can access low -barrier housing and services. The region has also increased shelter
capacity and initiated dedicated outreach efforts to support unhoused residents through
coordination with police departments, County Behavioral Health, the faith -based community,
and local businesses and residents. In addition, local legislation has been amended to
encourage innovative solutions to building permanent housing, such as permitting and
providing "off the shelf" Accessory Dwelling Unit projects. Each of the many jurisdictions in
San Joaquin, including the County, the Continuum of Care, and the cities within, have
aggressively pursued new resources and opportunities to collaborate. Scheduled to open in
11K. October, Turnpike Commons represents a creative solution to develop manufactured homes
with wraparound services for nine families through a partnership between the Housing
Authority of San Joaquin, STAND Affordable Housing, Central Valley Housing, and Stockton
Shelter for the Homeless. Efforts like these have established a strong foundation upon which
the community can build.
Yet, homelessness continues to increase in San Joaquin County and across California. The need
is urgent. Homelessness is a community priority; it impacts everyone, from our neighbors who
are unstably housed to those who have already fallen into homelessness, to our first
responders and business community, to all who will benefit from community -wide strategies
that systemically and effectively resolve homelessness. Together we must coordinate key
resources available across all sectors of the community. We are on a precipice and now is the
time to focus on meaningful solutions, rather than simply addressing the symptoms.
The Strategic Plan: "The San Joaquin Community Response to Homelessness," provides a set
w of goals tailored for our community that have been proven to be successful. It is a roadmap of
how to address homelessness, based on local needs and strategies and tactics that work. To
effectively address the crisis, the entire community — every corner of the county — needs to
participate in solutions and build on the collaborative effort that produced this comprehensive
plan. Proactive and evidenced -based solutions are far less costly, far more humane, and the
only way to create a system that effectively responds to homelessness.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan
The Goals for the Community are Clear:
0 I Goal 1: Establish a Coordinated and Engaged Regional System
0'8
Goal 2: Increase Access and Reduce Barriers to Homeless
Crisis Response Services
Goal 3: Ensure Households Experiencing Homelessness Have
AAccess to Affordable and Sustainable Permanent Housing
As the housing crisis in California deepens, more and more San Joaquin County residents are just one
paycheck or medical crisis away from losing their housing. This reality has only magnified in the wake of
the COVID-19 global pandemic, which took a greater toll on San Joaquin County than many other
communities in California. Building on what is already working well, the community is poised to take
further steps to reduce and prevent homelessness. In some circumstances, it may only require a small
intervention to prevent hundreds more people from becoming homeless — whether it is one-time
financial resources to provide a security deposit, legal assistance to prevent eviction, or help learning to
balance a budget. In other situations, it will require a concerted effort to provide shelter, supportive
services, and a path to long-term permanent housing. The timing is ripe to invest in San Joaquin to
ensure we have a robust and responsive system that can lift up individuals and families as they confront
housing, health, and employment instability. We must ensure that our neighbors can find their way back
to safe, secure, and thriving homes.
Adopters of the 2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan include:
• San Joaquin Continuum of Care Board of Directors (June 11, 2020)
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................................................................... 3
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................... 6
Achievements.............................................................................................................................................................
6
Our Shared Language: A Glossary of Terms................................................................................................................
9
STRATEGIC PLAN OVERVIEW.................................................................................................................
13
PlanningProcess.......................................................................................................................................................
13
VisionStatement......................................................................................................................................................
13
Partners in Ending Homelessness.............................................................................................................................
14
HOMELESSNESS IN SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY..............................................................................................
16
How Many People are Experiencing Homelessness in San Joaquin County?...........................................................
16
What Housing Resources are Available?..................................................................................................................
22
The Current Homeless System of Care.....................................................................................................................
23
Howis the System Performing?...............................................................................................................................
29
PRIORITIES AND GOALS FOR EFFECTIVELY ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS........................................................
32
GOAL 1: ESTABLISH A COORDINATED AND ENGAGED REGIONAL SYSTEM OF CARE ...........................................
34
Strategy 1.1: Establish a Cross jurisdictional Effort to Create Shared Processes to Access Funding Streams,
Identify Community Priorities, and Coordinate the Countywide Homeless System of Care .................................
34
Strategy 1.2: Improve Data Collection, Measurement and Analysis...................................................................
38
Strategy 1.3: Educate and Engage the Community..............................................................................................
39
GOAL 2: INCREASE ACCESS AND REDUCE BARRIERS TO HOMELESS CRISIS RESPONSE SERVICES ..........................
41
Strategy 2.1: Expand Low -Barrier Shelter Capacity, Hours, and Services.............................................................
41
Strategy 2.2: Invest in Prevention and Diversion..................................................................................................
44
Strategy 2.3: Improve and Expand Outreach and Engagement...........................................................................
46
GOAL 3: ENSURE HOUSEHOLDS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS HAVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE AND SUSTAINABLE
PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTIONS........................................................................................................
49
Strategy 3.1: Increase Affordable Housing Stock for Vulnerable Adults, Youth, and Families ..............................
49
Strategy 3.2: Invest in Landlord Engagement, Navigation, and Incentives..........................................................
52
Strategy 3.3: Expand Case Management Employment and Supportive Services ...............................................
53
CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................................................
55
APPENDICES......................................................................................................................................
56
ImplementationAddendum.....................................................................................................................................
56
Non -Congregate Approaches for COVID-19 Response.............................................................................................
65
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 5
INTRODUCTION
In August 2015, San Joaquin County's Homeless Task Force began its critical work to address the regional
issue of homelessness. In 2016, it officially became a countywide taskforce and commenced meeting on
a monthly basis. The Task Force meetings were widely attended, with over 50 organizations actively
participating. By the end of 2016, the Task Force proposed a suite of policy recommendations to the
County Board of Supervisors, which adopted the recommended strategic priorities early in 2017. One
year later, the Board of Supervisors adopted a set of final policy recommendations from the Task Force,
and by 2019, a formal governance structure was put in place to continue this critical work. During that
time, local partners have made great strides in developing a system to respond to homelessness and
reduce its impact on the community, but there is much work to be done.
While homelessness continues to be an evolving challenge in the San Joaquin region and across
California, local accomplishments since 2017 have established an invaluable foundation for continued
progress in addressing homelessness.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Grew collaboration among cities and the County regarding homelessness
Y
issue
Provided over 1,000 units annually of permanent supportive housing and
rapid rehousing
Founded the Ready to Work program as a nonprofit
With the addition of the City of Stockton to the top 13 Cities in California,
secured more than $7 million to support homelessness efforts, including
trailers
Stockton City Council prioritized homelessness and affordable housing,
adopting ordinances supporting accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and
creating a housing pipeline with over 500 units
Submitted through San Joaquin County, a Continuum of Care grant
request to support a Homelessness Initiatives staff position
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan
Secured $18.5 million over 5 years for the County's Whole Person Care
initiative and collaborated with key health care and community partners
(including Gospel Center Rescue Mission, Dignity Health, Kaiser
Permanente, Sutter Health, and Community Medical Centers) to advance
initiatives aimed at addressing homelessness, including:
o Funding new beds at Gospel Center Rescue Mission;
o Creating a County Housing Pool that can accept donations;
and
o Developing a recuperative care program.
Fostered a collaboration between San Joaquin County Behavioral Health
Services and the Housing Authority of San Joaquin in which $3.5M in
Mental Health Services Act funds were dedicated to acquire, construct,
and renovate housing units for seriously mentally ill individuals, plus an
additional $500k for a capitalized operating subsidy reserve, including:
0 39 new units at Crossway Residences
o A long-term partnership between the County and the Housing
Authority to develop new project -based housing units under
the "No Place Like Home" program
Fostered a collaboration between San Joaquin County Behavioral Health
Services and Sacramento Self -Help Housing which dedicated $6.5M in
Mental Health Services Act funding over five years to:
N o Create housing opportunities for adults with serious mental
illnesses
o Develop 12 to 18 scattered site houses via master leases
(with an average of four consumers per unit)
Supported a collaborative program between San Joaquin County
Behavioral Health Services and Community Medical Centers to engage
and serve 1,000 at -risk individuals with mental illness and/or substance
use disorders, including:
o $6.OM over 3 years to support substance withdrawal
management services and medication -assisted treatment
o $8.2M Mental Health Services Act Innovation funding for
behavioral health assessments and services
o Coordination with law enforcement to deflect public
inebriates and others away from jail and into program
services.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 7
Initiated public health efforts, including:
o Dedicated $100k for Public Health Services to perform rapid
syphilis testing at homeless encampments SECURED
o A minimum of 200 unduplicated clients will be tested along
with follow-up treatment services
o City of Stockton has added two new positions to the Housing
and Homelessness Division
Added 100 Emergency Shelter Winter beds in 2019
Despite these significant steps forward, homelessness in San Joaquin County — and across California — is
continuing to rise, due to high rates of poverty and escalating costs of housing. Without meaningful,
coordinated action, homelessness will continue to grow, as more of our community members lose their
housing and are unable to overcome the barriers to exiting homelessness.
On a given night in 2019, there were 2,631 men, women and children experiencing homelessness in San
Joaquin County, with 1,558 of those people living unsheltered on the streets, in vehicles, or in
encampments. More than 83% of these individuals had their last stable residence in San Joaquin County.
While there are many reasons San Joaquin County residents may fall into homelessness — reduced work
hours, medical bills or an unexpected expense, loss of a relative, or mental health issue — these
members of the community are living without stable housing or the support to regain it.
The Strategic Plan is based on the latest in available data and established best practices to provide an
ambitious but achievable roadmap for meaningfully addressing homelessness in San Joaquin County. It
represents the input of numerous stakeholders, including the private and public sectors, homeless
service providers, public health and behavioral health experts, and representatives of law enforcement,
among many others.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan
OUR SHARED LANGUAGE: A GLOSSARY OF TERMS
At risk of homelessnes is a status given to individuals and their families who do not meet HUD
definitions of homelessness but have unstable housing and inadequate income and resources, or that
are a child or youth defined as a homeless under other federal statutes.'
Chronically Homeless is when a person has been homeless for at least a year, either 12 months
consecutively or over the course of at least 4 separate occasions in the past 3 years. To be chronically
homeless, the individual or head of household must also have a disability.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) is a flexible program run by the federal Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that provides communities with resources to address a wide
range of unique community development needs.
Continuum of Care (CoC) is the group organized to carry out the responsibilities prescribed in the CoC
Program Interim Rule for a defined geographic area. A CoC is composed of representatives of
organizations including: nonprofit homeless providers, victim service providers, faith -based
organizations, governments, businesses, advocates, public housing agencies, school districts, social
service providers, mental health agencies, hospitals, universities, affordable housing developers, law
enforcement, organizations that serve homeless and formerly homeless veterans, and homeless and
formerly homeless persons. Responsibilities of a CoC include operating the CoC, designating and
operating an HMIS, planning for the CoC (including coordinating the implementation of a housing and
service system within its geographic area that meets the needs of the individuals and families who
experience homelessness there), and designing and implementing the process associated with applying
for CoC Program funds.
CoC Program is designed to promote communitywide commitment to the goal of ending
homelessness; provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, and state and local
governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma
and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness;
promote access to and effect utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and
families; and optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing
homelessness.
CoC Program Interim Rule focuses on regulatory implementation of the CoC Program, including
the CoC planning process. The CoC Program was created through the McKinney-Vento Homeless
Assistance Act as amended by the HEARTH Act of 2009.
1 See 24 C.F.R. § 576.2 for complete definition of "at risk of homelessness" under the Emergency Solutions Grant Program.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan
Coordinated Entry System (CES) provides a centralized approach to connect the region's most
vulnerable homeless residents to housing through a single community -wide assessment tool and
program matching system.
Congregate Shelters are facilities with overnight sleeping accommodations, in shared quarters, the
primary purpose of which is to provide temporary shelter for the homeless.
Diversion is a strategy that prevents homelessness for people seeking shelter by helping them identify
immediate alternate housing arrangements and, if necessary, connecting them with services and
financial assistance to help them return to permanent housing.
Emergency Shelter is any facility with overnight sleeping accommodations, the primary purpose of
which is to provide temporary shelter for the homeless in general or for specific populations of the
homeless.
Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) provides funds to assist people to quickly regain stability in
permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness.
Functional zero is when the number of homeless households, whether sheltered or unsheltered, is no
greater than the monthly housing placement rate of homeless households.
Homeless is defined in four categories: (1) individuals and families who lack a fixed, regular, and
adequate nighttime residence and includes a subset for an individual who resided in an emergency
shelter or a place not meant for human habitation and who is exiting an institution where he or she
temporarily resided; (2) individuals and families who will imminently lose their primary nighttime
residence; (3) unaccompanied youth and families with children and youth who are defined as homeless
under other federal statutes who do not otherwise qualify as homeless under this definition; and (4)
individuals and families who are fleeing, or are attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence,
sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions that relate to violence against
the individual or a family member.
Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Program is a $650 million one-time block grant
that provides local jurisdictions with funds to support regional coordination and expand or develop local
capacity to address their immediate homelessness challenges.
Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is a local information technology system used to
collect client -level data and data on the provision of housing and services to homeless individuals and
families and persons at risk of homelessness. Each CoC is responsible for selecting an HMIS software
solution that complies with HUD's data collection, management, and reporting standards.
Housing First is a well -accepted, national, evidenced -based best practice that eliminates barriers to
housing, ensuring individuals and families can exit homelessness as quickly as possible. Housing First is
an approach to quickly and successfully connect individuals and families experiencing homelessness to
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 10
permanent housing without preconditions and barriers to entry, such as sobriety, treatment or service
participation requirements. Supportive services are offered to maximize housing stability and prevent
returns to homelessness as opposed to addressing predetermined treatment goals prior to permanent
housing entry.
Low -barrier shelters include fair and equitable policies that provide the greatest access to residents,
while still protecting the safety of staff and other residents. Low -barrier shelter has a minimum number
of expectations placed on people who wish to stay there. The aim is to have as few barriers as possible
to allow more people access to services. For example, residents are allowed to bring their pets and
possessions, to live with their partners, and do not have to exit the shelter each morning. They are not
expected to abstain from using alcohol or other drugs, so long as they do not engage in these activities
in common areas of the shelter and are respectful of other residents and staff. Low -barrier facilities
follow a harm reduction philosophy.
Navigation Centers are "housing -focused" facilities that provide shelter and comprehensive onsite
services to support participants to exit homelessness permanently. See below for more information.
No Place Like Hom is a California-based funding program that supports communities as they develop
permanent supportive housing for individuals living with serious mental illness who are homeless,
chronically homeless, or at -risk of chronic homelessness.
Non -congregate shelters are sheltering solutions that provide overnight sleeping accommodations with
individual quarters, such as hotels, motels, and dormitories.
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) provides long-term housing with intensive supportive services to
persons with disabilities. These programs typically target people with extensive experiences of
homelessness and multiple vulnerabilities and needs who would not be able to retain housing without
significant support.
Prevention is a strategy intended to target people who are at imminent risk of homelessness (whereas
diversion usually targets people as they are initially trying to gain entry into shelter).
Rapid Rehousing (RRH) provides housing subsidies and tailored supportive services for up to 24 -months,
with the goal of helping people to transition during that time period to more permanent housing. RRH is
funded primarily through CoC and ESG programs, CaIWORKs, CDBG, HOME, and SSVF.
Supportive Services include assistance applying for benefits, mental health and substance use services,
outpatient health services, information and referral services, child care, education, life skills training,
employment assistance and job training, housing search and counseling services, legal services, outreach
services, transportation, food assistance, risk assessment and safety planning (particularly for individuals
and families experiencing domestic violence), and case management services such as counseling, finding
and coordinating services, and monitoring and evaluating progress in a program.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 11
Transition Age Youth (TAY) are persons between age 18 and 24 who are transitioning from childhood to
adulthood.
Transitional Housing (TH) provides temporary housing accommodations and supportive services. While
many households benefit most from direct connections to permanent housing programs such as RRH or
PSH (which are often more cost-effective over the long term), transitional housing can also be an
effective support. In particular, certain subpopulations, such as people fleeing domestic violence and
transitional age youth, can meaningfully benefit from a transitional housing environment.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 12
STRATEGIC PLAN OVERVIEW
PLANNING PROCESS
This strategic plan reflects feedback and input from hundreds of community members, developed over a
six-month community process. The strategic planning process included:
• An environmental scan of existing reports, data and research about San Joaquin
County, the cities in the region and the health and economic well-being of the
F.
community, including homelessness and the system of care;
• Stakeholder interviews with representatives from cities, County agencies, federal
agencies (including VA), health care systems, law enforcement, community-based
organizations, service providers, and faith -based organizations;
rl
• Focus groups with direct service providers and people with lived experience of
u homelessness;
• A Community Summit with more than 130 elected officials, County staff, City staff,
service providers, community-based organizations, law enforcement, faith -based
organizations, and individual community members;
• CoC Strategic Planning Leadership Committee meetings focused on increasing
housing, solutions to addressing unsheltered homelessness, public communications
and engagement, and strengthening supportive services for people experiencing
homelessness; and
• A series of presentations and discussions at public meetings.
VISION STATEMENT
Through the planning process, the community developed the following vision statement:
We envision a future in which homelessness in San Joaquin County will be rare, brief, and non-
recurring, supported by a robust homeless crisis response system. People experiencing homelessness
will be empowered through a responsive, nimble, housing focused system that provides effective,
supportive, and humane services and housing, efficiently leveraging public and private resources.
..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
The goals and strategies in this plan are all designed to put San Joaquin County on the path to achieving
this shared vision, inspiring action and guiding overall long-term thinking and decision-making.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 13
PARTNERS IN ENDING HOMELESSNESS
The San Joaquin County region benefits from a strong network of formal and informal partnerships to
address homelessness. Key partners, all of whom were involved in developing this Strategic Plan, include
people with lived experience of homelessness, service providers, and local leaders who worked together
to set the vision for shared goals and strategies.
Planning Coordination and Leadership. The development of this plan has been guided by the leadership
of the San Joaquin County Continuum of Care (CoQ Strategic Planning Committee, in partnership with
the City of Stockton and San Joaquin County.
Strategic Planning Partners. Together, the San Joaquin community has leveraged invaluable
partnerships and cross -community coordination to respond to homelessness and develop the next steps
described in this Strategic Plan.
The following is a non -exhaustive list of partners actively engaged in addressing homelessness in San
Joaquin County:
AmeriCorps
Bags of Hope
Breakthrough Project for
Social Justice
Builders Industry Association
Business Council San Joaquin
County
California Department of
Motor Vehicles
Calvary Living Well Ministries
Care Link
Catholic Charities of the
Diocese of Stockton
Central Valley Low Income
Housing Corporation
City of Escalon
City of Lathrop
City of Lodi
City of Manteca
City of Ripon
City of Stockton
City of Tracy
Civic Pride Independent
Academy
Community Medical Centers
County of San Joaquin
Delta Humane Society
Dignity Health St. Joseph's
Medical Center
Disabled American Veterans
Charities of San Joaquin
County
Downtown Stockton Alliance
Episcopal Church of St. John
the Baptist
Family Promise of San
Joaquin County
Gleason House
Golden Valley Health Centers
Gospel Center Rescue Mission
Grace Point Church
Grace Presbyterian Church
Gravity Church
Greater Stockton Chamber of
Commerce
Haven of Peace
Hope Family Shelters
Housing Authority of the
County of San Joaquin
Helping Urban Bicyclists
(HUB)
Inner City Action
Knights of Columbus
League of Women Voters of
San Joaquin County
Lodi Committee on
Homelessness
Lodi Community Foundation
Lot of Love and Giving
Love, Inc.
Lutheran Social Services
Manteca Gospel Rescue
Mission
Manteca Unified School
District
Police Departments
Public Works
Ready to Work
Refuge Church
Rotary Club of North Stockton
Rotary Club of Stockton
Salvation Army
San Joaquin County
Behavioral Health Services
San Joaquin Community Data
Co -Op
San Joaquin County
Administrator's Office
(CAO)
San Joaquin County District
Attorney's Office
San Joaquin County
Environmental Health Dept
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 14
San Joaquin County Health
Care Services (HCS)
San Joaquin County Human
Services Agency (HSA)
San Joaquin County Sheriff's
Office
San Joaquin County Whole
Person Care Program
San Joaquin Regional Transit
District
San Joaquin Valley Veterans
Second Harvest
Showered with Love
St. Anne's Church
St. John the Evangelist
Episcopal Church
St. Mary's Dining Room
St. Paul Lutheran Church
Stocktonians Taking Action to
Neutralize Drugs (STAND)
Stockton Fire Department
Stockton Host Lion's Club
Stockton Shelter for the
Homeless
The Office of Senator
Cathleen Galgiani
Tracy Community
Connections Center
Tracy Interfaith Ministries
U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development
U.S. Department of Veteran
Affairs
United Veterans Council of
San Joaquin County
United Way of San Joaquin
County
Venture Academy
Westcare
Women's Center Youth and
Family Service
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 15
HOMELESSNESS IN SAN JOAQUIN
COUNTY
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN SAN
J OAQU I N COUNTY?
Every other year, the San Joaquin County Continuum of Care (CoC) conducts a "Point -in -Time" (PIT)
Count of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. This count includes those who
are unsheltered and living on the street or places not meant for habitation. The PIT Count provides the
best data available on the size and characteristics of the homeless population overtime. 2 In 2019,
volunteers identified 2,631 individuals experiencing homelessness in San Joaquin County on the night of
the count.
The number of people who experience homelessness in San Joaquin County over the course of a year,
however, is likely much higher. This is because the PIT Count only measures the number of people who
are homeless on a given day and does not account for the many people who fall in and out of
homelessness during the remaining 364 days of a given year.
Homelessness in San Joaquin County is an ever-present challenge. Like much of the rest of the State of
California, from the 2015 to 2019, the number of people identified as experiencing homelessness has
increased dramatically. In San Joaquin County, it has grown from 1,708 to 2,631 individuals, an increase
of 56%.
Most troubling of all is the changing distribution of homelessness since 2015. Five years ago, almost 70%
of people experiencing homelessness in San Joaquin County were sheltered (1,173), while only 30%
(515) were living without a safe place to sleep at night — on the streets, in parks, in cars, and by the river.
In 2019, however, more than three times as many people experiencing homelessness are now living
without a safe place to sleep at night (1,558 or almost 60% of the total population) and the percent of
individuals and families living in shelters has decreased to only 40% (down from almost 70% in 2015).
I All population data in this report is taken from the PIT Counts unless otherwise specified. PIT Count reports can be found on the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development website here: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/coc/coc-homeless-populations-and-
subpopulations-reports/, or through the San Joaquin County Continuum of Care website here: http://www.sanioaquincoc.org/point-in-time-
sLc/. The Point -in -Time Count uses a definition of homelessness mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
This definition counts people as homeless when they are living in a place not meant for human habitation (such as an encampment, tent, or
vehicle), emergency shelters, or transitional housing. People who are doubled up or couch surfing are not counted as homeless under this
definition. Except where otherwise noted, the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) data is consistent with PIT Count data.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 16
However, these numbers cannot be viewed in isolation. Significant improvements to counting
methodology greatly improved outreach efforts to locations where those living unsheltered often
congregate.
In 2017, the CoC used a census approach, through connection events and limited outreach by
approximately 35 volunteers, counting 567 unsheltered homeless individuals. By contrast, in 2019, the
decision was made early on to employ more volunteers (401 people from 91 organizations) with a much
greater emphasis on outreach to locations where people were living outside. While the results cannot
wholly be attributed to an increase in the unsheltered population, or an improved methodology, the
outcome remains the same. There are more unsheltered households in San Joaquin than the system can
possibly handle in its current state. Creating additional space for those who want to come inside, while
increasing access and exits to permanent housing solutions, is essential to support those experiencing
homelessness at present and those who may lose housing in the future.
Figure 1. San Joaquin CoC 2015-2019 Homelessness Point -in -Time Count
1,708
Total —0—Sheltered -41--Unsheltered
2,631
1,542 / 1.558
1,173 0 975 1,071
535 • 567 0
2015 2017 2019
Source: 2015 CA -511 HUD PIT Report, 2017 CA -511 HUD PIT Report 2019 San Joaquin CoC Point -in -Time Count
The number of people who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness is highest in Stockton (921
individuals, representing 59% of the community's unsheltered population). This is not surprising given
that Stockton is the largest city in the county and is also the hub for many of the services available in San
Joaquin. Manteca has the second highest number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness
(218 or 20%), followed by Tracy (155 or 10%), and Lodi (139 or 9%).3
While homelessness has increased in San Joaquin County, it is not likely due to individuals moving to the
area in order to obtain services. In fact, the vast majority — 83% — of those experiencing homelessness
were living in San Joaquin County prior to experiencing homelessness .4
3 San Joaquin Continuum of Care, 2019 Homeless Census and Survey, Data Dashboard. http://www.san'oaquincoc.org/wp-
content/uploads/2019/09/2019-SJCoC-Point-in-Time-Cou nt-Data-Dashboard.pdf.
4 San Joaquin Continuum of Care, 2019 Homeless Census and Survey, Data Dashboard.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 17
Demographic and Subpopulation Trends
Gender
According to the 2019 PIT Count, 63% (1,660) of those experiencing homelessness identified as male,
37% (966) as female, and less than 1% as transgender. Housing and service program data from 2018
shows a slightly different composition by gender identity. Of those identified in the CoC's HMIS, 52%
identified as male (6,652), 48% as female (6,147), and less than 1% as transgender (18).5 Both the PIT
and HMIS data indicate that men make a slightly larger share of those experiencing homelessness in the
community. The current capacity to provide men supportive services while in shelter or on the street is
extremely limited. Supportive services are critical at every phase of the homeless response system to
ensure access to new housing and employment opportunities.
When it comes to families, however, the ratio changes such that females comprise 63% of members of
families with children and males comprise only 37% of the population. While households with children
led by women have slightly more access to supportive services, the need remains immense.
Households with Children and Unaccompanied Youth
The 2019 PIT count found that 13% of people experiencing homelessness in San Joaquin County were
children under 18 years of age (342 out of 2,631), with an additional 5.6% of people experiencing
homelessness transition age youth (TAY) between the ages of 18 and 24 years (148 out of 2,631).
The majority of children (98%) were sheltered — living in emergency shelters (88%) or transitional
housing (10%). One hundred percent of parenting youth were sheltered, as well. The statistics are quite
different, however, for unaccompanied youth. While all parenting youth were able to obtain shelter,
more than 6 out of 10 unaccompanied youth (62%) were living without a safe place to sleep. The
majority of unaccompanied youth were male (67%). Of those youth living without shelter, close to 1 in 4
were chronically homeless.
Over the course of a year, many more San Joaquin County children experience homelessness than are
captured in the PIT Count. Under the federal McKinney-Vento Act, schools are also required to track
students experiencing homelessness, using a definition of homelessness that also includes youth who
are couch surfing or doubled -up (e.g., with multiple families sharing the same space).6 In the 2017-18
school year, San Joaquin County schools reported 4,330 school age children experiencing homelessness
under that definition .7 Similarly, the PIT count may undercount the number of young adults facing
homelessness. The HMIS data for 2018 showed that 8% (1,000) of individuals tracked in the homeless
5 San Joaquin Continuum of Care, 2019 Homeless Census and Survey, Data Dashboard and HMIS Clarity Data.
6 42 U.S.C. §11434(2)(8), McKinney-Vento Act, U.S. Department of Education.
' See excel spreadsheet, County Office Homeless Liaison Contact List with 2017-18 Enrollment information, line 58, "Homeless Enrolled,"
California Department of Education, April 25, 2019.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 18
system of care were between the ages of 18 and 24 years old,' many more than were counted as
homeless on one night in January 2019.
Older Adults
Consistent with national patterns, the homeless population in San Joaquin County is rapidly aging. Close
to 1 out of every 4 people experiencing homelessness in 2019 were at least 55 years old. This number is
expected to continue to increase, due in part to the high costs of housing and health care that are
increasingly unaffordable.9
Older adults who are homeless face unique challenges and often require special support. People
experiencing homelessness age more rapidly than others who are housed and older adults with
extensive histories of homelessness typically present as much older than their biological age reflects.10
They may be more challenged with activities of daily living, poor eyesight, balance, and hearing. Older
adults are also more likely to suffer from cognitive impairments and are more likely to present with
depression. They may require more medical interventions, compared to the general population of
people experiencing homelessness. The capacity to serve older adults is also insufficient, as many
seniors find themselves facing the outdoors on weekends and other hours when shelters are not
accessible. This significantly exacerbates any existing health conditions and only makes it more difficult
to find stability.
Race and Ethnicity
Research in California and around the country shows that people of color are more likely to experience
homelessness in the U.S. compared to White people; and that Black/African Americans are in particular
more likely to experience homelessness.11 San Joaquin's data bears this out. While Black/African
Americans make up roughly 8% of San Joaquin's population, they represent 25% of those experiencing
homelessness in the 2019 PIT count. They also comprise 38% of the individuals living in families with
children who are homeless (202 out of 525). And they make up a striking 50% of parenting youth (8 out
of 16) experiencing homelessness. In contrast, while White people are represented in the PIT Count
similar to their proportion of San Joaquin's general population, that is not the case when it comes to
homeless families with children. Only 46% of individuals from families with children identified as White,
compared to 67% of the general population.
'San Joaquin Continuum of Care, 2019 Homeless Census and Survey, Data Dashboard and HM IS Clarity Data.
e Demographics of Homelessness Series: The Rising Elderly Population, April 2010.
io Homeless people suffer geriatric conditions decades early; UCSF study shows, UCSF, February 2016.
' Center for Social Innovation, SPARC: "Phase One Study Findings, March 2018. https:Hcenter4si.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SPARC-
P h a s e-1- F i n d i n gs- M a rc h -2018. p d f.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 19
Figure 2. Number of People in San Joaquin CoC Experiencing Homelessness by Race
67% 69%
White
■ General Population ■ 2019 PIT Count
25%
17%
8%
5% 4%
Black/African
Multi -Racial
Asian
Native Hawaiian American Indian
American
or Pacific or Alaskan
Islander Native
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts San Joaquin County:
https.11www. census. qov/quickfacts/fact/table/sonioaquincountycolifornia/PST045218. San Joaquin 2019 PIT Count Dashboard. HMIS Clarity
Data, Accessed October 17, 2019.
Note: Percentages will not total 100 due to excluding numbers for "Did Not Answer" or "Refused."
Similarly, while 42% of San Joaquin County residents identify as Hispanic/Latino, this group makes up
31% of the homeless population. A slightly higher margin (36%) of families with children experiencing
homelessness identify as Hispanic/Latino.
Figure 3. Number of People in San Joaquin CoC Experiencing Homelessness by Hispanic/Latino Identity
■ General Population ■ 2019 PIT Count ■ 2018 HMIS
42%
31% 31%
6 N X
Hispanic or Latino
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts San Joaquin County:
https://www. census. qov/quickfacts/fact/table/sanioaguincountycalifornia/PST045218. San Joaquin 2019 PIT Count Dashboard. HMIS
Clarity Data, Accessed October 17, 2019.
Mental Illness or Substance Use Disorders
The 2019 PIT count found that 2 out of 3 San Joaquin homeless adults (66%) identified as having a
serious mental illness or substance use disorder. Due to the stigma associated with behavioral health
issues, this self-reported data may be an undercount. Of those individuals, only 36% had a serious
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 20
mental illness, while the remaining 64% experienced a substance use disorder. Contrary to public
perceptions, only 24% of homeless individuals indicated that they had a serious mental illness. The San
Joaquin demographics are consistent with state level statistics, where 26% of individuals experiencing
homelessness throughout California indicate they have a serious mental illness. 12
For homeless individuals who suffer from a serious mental illness or substance use disorders, more than
8 out of 10 were living without shelter. 84% of those with a serious mental illness had no safe place to
sleep, while 83% of those with substance use disorders were also on the street, in the park, or otherwise
with no place to go. This demographic only emphasizes the need for supportive services to be
maintained at each level of the homeless response system or the same individuals will continue to rely
on emergency services rather than receive the targeted care they require.
Chronic Homelessness
A person is considered chronically homeless when they have been homeless for at least a year, either 12
months consecutively, or over the course of at least 4 separate occasions in the past 3 years. To be
chronically homeless, the individual or head of household must also have a disability (physical, mental,
developmental or living with HIV/AIDS).
Of those counted in the San Joaquin 2019 PIT count, 704 were chronically homeless (27%). Of the 704
chronically homeless, 86% (605) had no place to sleep at night.
People who are considered chronically homeless have often experienced extensive trauma and have
severe service needs. While interventions such as Permanent Supportive Housing have been proven to
be extremely effective in supporting people experiencing chronic homelessness to regain stable housing,
people with extensive histories of homelessness often require intensive service engagement and
relationship -building with street outreach and other providers to establish a foundation of trust and
rapport to successfully exit homelessness.
Veterans
In the 2019 PIT Count, 153 veterans were identified as experiencing homelessness and 47% of these
individuals were unsheltered. In the 2017 Count, 112 veterans were counted as homeless
This is a 37% increase in homeless veteran numbers from 2017. HMIS data for 2018 indicates that 8% of
those receiving housing and services in the homeless system of care identified as veterans.13 While there
are often services dedicated to serving veterans, especially from the federal government and the
County, increased coordination with the homeless response system is essential going forward.
12 San Joaquin County Behavioral Health Services in partnership with the Homeless Initiatives Division of the County Administrator's Office. No
Place Like Home Plan. November 2018.
13 San Joaquin Continuum of Care, 2019 Homeless Census and Survey, Data Dashboard and HIM IS Clarity Data.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 21
WHAT HOUSING RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE?
San Joaquin, like the rest of California, is in dire need of more affordable housing — particularly housing
that is available to individuals and families who are most vulnerable and/or earning little to no income.
Households in the extremely low-income range, earning 30% or less of Area Median Income (AMI), or
roughly $18,000 per year, 14 are considered the most vulnerable and at risk of homelessness. In San
Joaquin County, 36% of occupied housing units are rented, as opposed to owner -occupied. Additionally,
the most recent census information indicates that more than 93% of San Joaquin housing was occupied.
Moreover, only 1.6% of current housing was built in 2014 or after."
Economic conditions for people living in San Joaquin County, are worse than other parts of the State.
The unemployment rate in San Joaquin County is 5%, higher than the State unemployment rate .16 Nearly
1 in 5 of San Joaquin residents were living below the federal poverty line in 2017 (for 2019, that means
income of less than $25,750 for a family of four).17 In 2017, the average family of four in San Joaquin
spent close to $12,000 a year ($990 per month) on housing.18 For 1 in 5 families in San Joaquin County
living below the federal poverty level, housing costs made up more than 45% of their income.19
Across all income levels, 38% of households pay more than 30% of their income toward housing.20 For
individuals with the lowest income (known as "Extremely Low Income" or ELI), 76% spend more than
half of their income on housing. The median monthly asking rent in the county is $1,532, which requires
renters to earn $29.46 per hour – 2.5 times more than the State minimum wage – to afford rent.
Meanwhile, the Public Housing Authority payment standard for a one bedroom (which also covers
Section 8 and VASH) is now $912, and many vouchers are issued for below that amount.
In 2014, the San Joaquin Council of Governments' Regional Housing Needs Assessment determined that
40,360 housing units were needed by 2023, of which, 23.5% (9,485) would be necessary for very -low
income households .21 More recently, in May 2019, California Housing Partnership declared that the
county needs 25,489 more affordable rental units to meet the increasing demand for affordable
housing .22 Affordable housing broadly has not kept up with needs in the county and neither have
homelessness housing resources. According to the Housing Inventory Count (HIC), the number of
homelessness housing beds in the community (shelter, PSH, and RRH beds) has increased only slightly
14 Selected Housing Characteristics, San Joaquin County, California, 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5 -Year Estimates, American
FactFinder, U.S. Census Bureau.
is Selected Housing Characteristics, San Joaquin County, California, 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5 -Year Estimates, American
FactFinder, U.S. Census Bureau.
"Stockton -Lodi Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), San Joaquin County, California Employment Development Division, November 15, 2019.
17Selected Economic Characteristics, San Joaquin County, California, 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5 -Year Estimates, American
FactFinder, U.S. Census Bureau.
11 Family Budget Fact Sheets, San Joaquin County, Economic Policy Institute.
19San Joaquin County's Housing Emergency Update, California Housing Partnership, May 2019. https://lp08d9lkdOc03rlxhmhtydpr-
wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/San-Joaquin-H N R-2019.pdf
20Selected Housing Characteristics, San Joaquin County, California, 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5 -Year Estimates, American
FactFinder, U.S. Census Bureau.
zl San Joaquin County Council of Governments' Regional Housing Needs Plan 2014-2023. Adopted August 28, 2014.
zz California Housing Partnership, San Joaquin County's Housing Emergency Update. May 2019. https://lp08d9lkdOcO3rlxhmhtydpr-
wpengine.netdna-ssI.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/San-Joaquin-H N R-2019.pdf.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 22
since 2015 (6.5% or 139 beds). The slight increase in HIC beds (139) falls far short of serving the more
than 900 additional individuals who newly experienced homelessness during that same time period.
During this time, due to changing federal funding priorities, the number of beds available for transitional
housing (TH) decreased (or were converted into rapid rehousing), while board and care facilities shut
down, leaving fewer facilities to provide more intensive supportive housing and services for highly
vulnerable populations. Board and Care capacity has decreased by 40% since 2015, leaving only 158
beds for all mental health consumers. 23
Creating, rehabilitating, subsidizing, and incentivizing permanent and affordable housing solutions is a
central pillar of the San Joaquin regional response. Expanding low -barrier shelters on the front end is a
critical and necessary piece of homeless crisis response but building a housing pipeline to create exits
from shelter is the solution.
THE CURRENT HOMELESS SYSTEM OF CARE
While there are dozens of organizations throughout San Joaquin that are providing services and support
to people experiencing homelessness, there are only two organizations that receive federal funding
from HUD through the Continuum of Care (CoQ: Central Valley Low Income Housing Corp. and Lutheran
Social Services. They provide rental assistance, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing and
case management for youth, adults, families, seniors, and veterans. Federal Emergency Solutions Grant
(ESG) funding through the City of Stockton and San Joaquin County supports emergency shelter, rapid
rehousing, homelessness prevention, HMIS, and other critical services.
These programs serve as an important foundation for the San Joaquin homeless system of care, but the
population data above underscores the need to expand capacity of programs through additional
resources — a challenge given federal funding constraints that requires investment of local resources.
Figure 4. Housing Inventory Count 2019 - Unit/Bed Capacity
Emergency Permanent
Transitional Total
Shelter (year- Rapid Rehousing Supportive
Housing Units/Beds
round beds) Housing
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
883 346 262 769 2260
23 San Joaquin County Behavioral Health Services, No Place Like Home Plan. November 2018.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 23
San Joaquin CoC Supportive Housing Programs
Permanent supportive housing (PSH) provides housing and supportive services for
homeless persons with disabilities; primarily those with serious mental illness, chronic
problems with alcohol and drug abuse, or those with acquired immunodeficiency
Asyndrome (AIDS). PSH is established in apartments and scattered sites throughout the
County, with supportive services offered and provided by a network of more than 20
community providers.
The C.A.R.E. Program (Coordinated Agency Response Effort) supports smaller family
shelters as they provide continuing supportive services to clients who have moved from
shelters to permanent housing. The primary focus is on households with dependent
children. Continuing case management services are often, but not always, provided by
the shelter where the families previously resided.
^� The C.H.A.R.M. Program (Communitywide Homeless Assessment & Resource
Management) is the CoC's Homeless Management Information System.
Hermanas I & II Programs provide rapid rehousing to homeless households with
significant substance abuse problems. The focus is on single mothers with dependent
children.
The Homeless to Homes and Horizons Programs provide rapid rehousing and supportive
services to homeless families. The programs put an emphasis on the transition from
emergency shelter to stable housing.
• Project HOPE Is a program geared towards former foster youth at high risk of
homelessness. The program uses scattered site apartments throughout the cities of
Stockton and Lodi and offers educational and life skills training.
• The S.P.I.C.E. (Supporting People in a Community Environment) Program offers
permanent housing for people with disabilities.
Human Services Agency
San Joaquin County's Human Services Agency (HSA) operates 14 community centers, which provide hot
lunch and socialization programs for vulnerable and/or socially isolated adults, many of whom are
homeless. HSA also works with homeless and indigent individuals to help them secure health coverage,
cash -aid, and/or food assistance. HSA programs include California Work Opportunity and Responsibility
to Kids (CaIWORKs), Foster Care, CalFresh, General Assistance, Medi -Cal, Adoptions, Child Protective
Services, Adult Protective Services, In -Home Supportive Services (IHSS), Refugee Assistance, and the
Mary Graham Children's Shelter.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 24
First 5 San Joaquin
In partnership with HSA, First 5 San Joaquin exists to serve and improve the community by fostering the
active participation of parents, caregivers, educators and community members. First 5 develops and
offers programs benefiting children ages 0 to 5 years old. First 5 San Joaquin provides financial support
for critical programs such as health, preschool and literacy programs, to ensure programs effectively
meet the needs of families through the following programs: preschool, health education, parent
education, home visitation, kindergarten bridge, health and developmental screenings, breastfeeding
support services, and health insurance screening and referral.
Behavioral Health Services
The County's Behavioral Health Services provides housing support services for individuals with serious
mental illness through rental subsidies, board and care supplemental patches, motel vouchers, and
placement in supported residential facilities. MHSA funds were used to develop 53 permanent housing
units in Stockton and Lodi that are restricted to residents with serious mental illness. Two Mental Health
Services Act innovation projects focus on homeless mentally ill individuals: Progressive Housing (45 new
scattered -site beds to date) and the Assessment and Respite Center, serving as a friendly front door to
behavioral health services for homeless individuals. Mental Health Services Act funds were used to
develop 39 new units of project -based housing for the seriously mentally ill adults. Behavioral Health
Services also provides a number of homeless outreach and engagement services: the Project for
Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) team, Whole Person Care Behavioral Health
Navigation Team, Inspire team, Allies team, and the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) team,
which partners with the District Attorney's Office and the Stockton Police Department. Through these
services, people experiencing homelessness are connected to housing and services whenever possible.
Whole Person Care
Whole Person Care (WPC) is a pilot program intended to more effectively coordinate the physical health,
behavioral health, and social services needs of the most vulnerable Medi -Cal beneficiaries who are high
users of multiple publicly -funded health care systems and who continue to have poor health outcomes.
In addition, the program seeks to build and sustain relationships, develop infrastructure allowing data to
be shared between various clinical information systems and demonstrate a reduction in publicly funded
costs.
WPC specifically targets adult Medi -Cal beneficiaries that are homeless or at -risk of homelessness upon
release from the County Jail, a psychiatric health facility, or hospital, as well as high utilizers of
emergency department services and individuals with a mental health and/or substance use disorder.
Health Care Services (HCS) is the lead County entity and single point of contact with the State
Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) for the County's WPC Program.
Law Enforcement
Law enforcement plays a key role in addressing homelessness throughout the region, as they are often
the first point of contact for those living on the street. Each of San Joaquin's major cities have at least
one dedicated officer to act as a homeless liaison. Stockton's Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD)
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 25
program serves as an example of a successful model for using law enforcement as a partner and a bridge
to services. Officers regularly foster community and connection with unhoused individuals, often
knowing a person's circumstances better than other community supports.
Housing Authority
The Housing Authority of the County of San Joaquin (HACSJ) established a preference to provide
permanent affordable housing for individuals and families participating in a Supportive Housing
Program, Shelter Plus Care Program, Emergency Solutions Grants program, or homeless program. Since
the inception in 2017, 91 households transitioned from homelessness and are receiving permanent
rental assistance. Multiple agencies throughout San Joaquin County participated in identifying and
referring clients through this preference. The leading referral agencies include the Stockton Shelter for
the Homeless, Haven of Peace, and Central Valley Low Income Housing Corp., amongst others.
The Housing Authority received Mental Health Services Act funds to repurpose its former administrative
buildings into 26 affordable rental units for Behavioral Health clients. An additional 11 units are being
rehabilitated from another HACSJ owned property for the same purpose. Units will be available for lease
up as early as August 2020. Supportive services will be available for all residents provided by Behavior
Health Services.
The Housing Authority, in partnership with STAND Affordable Housing, Central Valley Low Income
Housing Corp., and Stockton Shelter for the Homeless have broken ground on a new project referred to
as Turnpike Commons. Turnpike Commons is the first phase in this project currently under construction
consisting of nine homes to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Phase two will consist
of three homes on two separate parcels as infill development within the City of Stockton.
Centralized Assessment and Coordinated Entry System
San Joaquin is committed to providing a "no wrong door" approach to access housing and services.
Currently, there are two organizations that contribute to the operation of the local Coordinated Entry
System: Central Valley Low -Income Housing Corp., which serves as the HMIS Lead Agency, and Family
Resource and Referral Center, which operates the local 211 system and provides support for housing
and services referrals. Those presenting as homeless, typically through a shelter provider, but also
through street outreach and the local 211 system, are referred to Central Valley Low Income Housing
Corp., where an assessment is conducted and HMIS entry is completed. Central Valley Housing staff
then determines the availability of permanent housing programs based on the needs of the client.
Emergency Shelter
There are over a dozen site-based shelter programs operating in the county. Some serve women and
children surviving domestic violence, while others are affiliated with religious institutions, and still
others focus on providing support to families with children. Most of the shelters provide a place to
sleep, food, hygiene services, and clothing for residents. Some provide job readiness and life skills
training (e.g., Family and Youth Services, Gospel Center Rescue Mission, McHenry House, Haven of
Peace, and the Women's Center Youth and Family Services). Limited providers offer on-site health care
services (e.g., Gospel Center Rescue Mission and St. Mary's Dining Room) or counseling services (e.g.,
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 26
Family and Youth Services, McHenry House, and Lodi House). In addition to the many services noted, the
Women's Center also offers case management, parenting classes, domestic violence and self- esteem
support groups, financial literacy, and services for employment preparation. They also operate the Just
for Kids Program and an aftercare support group.
Most of the shelters impose conditions on their residents, requiring people to be abstinent or sober,
prohibiting residents from bringing possessions, pets, or partners into the shelter, and requiring
residents to exit each morning. There remains a real need for additional low -barrier shelters that screen
people in, rather than out. Combined with insufficient housing vouchers and affordable units, the
system stalls at shelter. Households continue to cycle in and out rather than move on to permanent
housing solutions. Additional shelter capacity must be coupled with additional housing. All must have
supportive services.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 27
Figure 5. Housing Inventory Count 2019 — Emergency Shelter eeds24
Beds HH
Beds HH
Beds HH
Year -
Organization
Target
PIT
Total
Utilization
Project Name
Bed Type
w/
w/o
w/ only
Round
Name
Pop.
Count
Beds
Rate
Children
Children
Children
Beds
aciIity-
Facility-
DV
DV
12
8
0
20
20
20
100%
Chest of Hope
Hope's House
based
Gospel Center
Facility-
NA
0
70
0
70
63
70
90%
Rescue Mission
Men's Lodge
based
Gospel Center
New Hope
Facility -
NA
16
22
0
38
35
38
92%
Rescue Mission
Shelter
based
Haven of
Facility -
NA
22
13
0
35
35
35
100%
Haven of Peace
Peace
based
Facility-
NA
35
0
0
35
16
35
46%
HOPE Ministries
HOPE Shelter
based
Raymus
Facility -
NA
36
0
0
36
6
36
17%
HOPE Ministries
House
based
Facility -
NA
20
4
0
24
11
24
46%
Lodi House
Lodi House
based
McHenry
Facility -
NA
32
0
0
32
20
32
62%
McHenry House
House
based
Salvation Army-
Facility-
NA
12
59
0
71
62
71
87%
Lodi
Hope Harbor
based
TANF
San Joaquin
Homeless
Voucher-
NA
190
1
0
191
191
191
100%
County
Assistance
based
Family
Facility-
NA
92
22
0
114
142
142
100%
Stockton Shelter
Shelter
based
Singles
Facility -
NA
0
160
0
160
189
189
100%
Stockton Shelter
Shelter
based
Women's Center
Facility -
DV
27
8
0
35
37
37
100%
-YFS
DAWN House
based
Women's Center
Facility -
NA
0
0
10
10
4
10
40%
- YFS
Safe House
based
Women's Center
Serenity
Facility-
DV
8
4
0
12
14
14
100%
- YFS
House
based
Totals
502
371
30
883
845
944
79%
24 The "Utilization Rate" column is determined by
dividing the
PIT Count number by the "Total Beds." PIT Count numbers and
Total Beds
include Overflow and Seasonal beds
that are available
either temporarily, or only during high -demand seasons of the year, respectively.
Overflow
and Seasonal beds are not included in Year -Round
Bed totals.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan
28
Veterans
a& Administration
The VA offers a variety of emergency and
longer-term shelter options for eligible
veterans. The Health Care for Homeless
Veteran's (HCHV) program, operated by
Stockton Shelter, offers stays of 60 days; the
Grant Per Diem program, operated by
Dignity's Alcove, offers shelter, meals, and
other services for up to 2 years, and the HCHV
program, operated by Compassionate Residio,
offers limited respite care for veterans with
medical necessity.
St. Mary's Dining Room and Stockton Shelter together
provide a place for people to get food and shelter or
seek respite during the day under a roof. Stockton
Shelter has 111 beds for single adults and can
accommodate 30 families. Yet, it was running at 175%
of capacity on the men's side, and 120% of capacity on
the family side, during 2019. Both organizations lack
sufficient case management staff (Stockton Shelter
only recently hired a case manager to support the
hundreds of single adults they shelter).
Local Financial Investment
The primary source of funding to support efforts to
reduce homelessness in the county are federal and
state funds (e.g., CoC, ESG, VA). While local police, fire,
transportation, and sanitation provide services to
people experiencing homelessness, until very recently, no local funding was dedicated to support
homeless services specifically. Local investment is increasingly necessary, especially as federal and state
funding require matching contributions. Given the matching requirement, local investment results in an
exponential increase in total funding for the homeless response system.
HOW IS THE SYSTEM PERFORMING?
"All agencies that serve homeless households within the San Joaquin Continuum of Care have a
responsibility to positively contribute to the elimination of homelessness in San Joaquin County."25 As
such, the CoC's System -Wide Performance and Evaluation Committee ("the Committee") established
performance measures to guide individual project performance evaluation thresholds for various
funding sources. In order to develop these measures and the strategies to achieve them, the Committee
adopted HUD's core System Performance Measures (SPM), examined local HMIS data, assessed external
conditions specific to San Joaquin County, and incorporated best practices from the United States
Interagency Council on Homelessness, National Alliance to End Homelessness, and National Homeless
Information Project. The San Joaquin CoC Board of Directors adopted as policy the Committee's work
and recommendations.
25 San Joaquin Continuum of Care System -Wide Performance Measures, Goals, and Strategies, updated February 2020.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 29
The specific performance measures for the local community are:
1. Reduction in the average and median length of time persons remain homeless;
2. Reduction in the percent of persons who return to homelessness from
permanent housing;
3. Reduction in the total number of persons who are homeless;
4. Increase in the percent of adults who gain or increase employment or non-
employment
the most part, CoC system performance reflects a region that is seeing increases in first-time and
returns to homelessness. SPM 5, which looks at first time homeless, increased substantially between
2015 and 2017, particularly over a single year between 2016 and 2017. In 2016, there were 2,736 people
in San Joaquin emergency shelters, transitional housing, or permanent supportive housing who were
experiencing homelessness for the first time. By 2017 that number more than doubled to 5,913.21
Additionally, SPM 2, which measures returns to homelessness over 2 years, increased between 2015-
2017 from 16% to 21%. It is important to note that this data only looks at San Joaquin and does not take
into account if someone returned to homelessness in a different county or CoC. Given the above, the
Committee has endorsed the work of the Coordinated Entry Committee in establishing a no wrong door
approach to coordinated assessment and access to prevention and diversion programs.28
Some performance measures appear to indicate success in decreasing how long a person experiences
homeless. SPM 1, which assesses the average length of time someone is homeless, showed a decreased
in the average length of stay in emergency shelters and transitional housing programs from 103 days
(2015) to 54 days (2017). However, this data likely reflects the inclusion of new hotel stay data in HMIS
xe System Performance Measures 1 through 7b are established by the Housing and Urban Development Department to evaluate the success of
local efforts related to addressing homelessness. Measures 8, 9, and 10 are locally identified Performance Measures. These measures are
calculated on a calendar consistent with the HUD calendar for System -wide Performance Measure reporting (Oct. 1 through Sept. 30).
27 HUD Exchange, System Performance Measures Data Since FY 2015, CA -511. https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5691/system-
performance-measures-data-since-fy-2015/.
za San Joaquin Continuum of Care System -Wide Performance Measures, Goals, and Strategies, updated February 2020.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 30
0
0-0
employment cash income over time;
5. Reduction in the number of persons who become homeless for the first time;
6. Placement in housing of households that are homeless under other laws;
^,
7a. Increase in the percent of persons who exit from the streets to an ES, SH, TH, or
permanent housing destination;
7b. Increase in the percent of persons who exit to or retain permanent housing
from PSH;
8. Increase in the percent of persons who exit to permanent housing from RRH;
A
9. Reduce the number of people living unsheltered in our community; and
10. Increase the number of units available to those exiting homelessness.ze
Some performance measures appear to indicate success in decreasing how long a person experiences
homeless. SPM 1, which assesses the average length of time someone is homeless, showed a decreased
in the average length of stay in emergency shelters and transitional housing programs from 103 days
(2015) to 54 days (2017). However, this data likely reflects the inclusion of new hotel stay data in HMIS
xe System Performance Measures 1 through 7b are established by the Housing and Urban Development Department to evaluate the success of
local efforts related to addressing homelessness. Measures 8, 9, and 10 are locally identified Performance Measures. These measures are
calculated on a calendar consistent with the HUD calendar for System -wide Performance Measure reporting (Oct. 1 through Sept. 30).
27 HUD Exchange, System Performance Measures Data Since FY 2015, CA -511. https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5691/system-
performance-measures-data-since-fy-2015/.
za San Joaquin Continuum of Care System -Wide Performance Measures, Goals, and Strategies, updated February 2020.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 30
skewing the overall numbers.29 As such, the Committee determined there needs to be an ongoing effort
to move people from shelter and transitional housing programs through comprehensive supportive
services to permanent housing solutions, such as rapid rehousing.10
Ensuring accurate and widespread data collection, from program entry to exit, is essential for ongoing
evaluation of these critical federal and local performance measures.
29 HUD Exchange, System Performance Measures Data Since FY 2015, CA -511. https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5691/system-
performance-measures-data-since-fy-2015/.
30 San Joaquin Continuum of Care System -Wide Performance Measures, Goals, and Strategies, updated February 2020.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 31
PRIORITIES AND GOALS FOR
EFFECTIVELY ADDRESSING
HOMELESSNESS
While the San Joaquin community has made meaningful progress in setting up a homeless response
system that has prevented or ended homelessness for hundreds of residents, significantly more
coordination, investment, and focus is needed to fully address the impacts of homelessness across the
county.
The increasing number of people experiencing homelessness who are living without shelter is a major
concern for the community. The lack of low -barrier shelters throughout the county exacerbates the
problem. While many organizations support people experiencing homelessness, only a small handful
receive federal or state funding, and many do not fully participate in HMIS. Coordination across
programs and agencies is insufficient to meet the current need. Looking ahead, the increases in first-
time homelessness and returns to homelessness, are a strong call for the community to invest more in
prevention and diversion, wrap around supportive services, and affordable permanent housing
solutions.
The strategic planning process has involved extensive community engagement, a review of local data,
and research to better understand the San Joaquin region's current homelessness system of care. Based
on data, community feedback, and evidenced -based practices, San Joaquin has identified three goals
that will be critical to effectively address homelessness over the next five years.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 32
A GOAL 1: ESTABLISH A COORDINATED AND
0-0 ENGAGED REGIONAL SYSTEM OF CARE
San Joaquin County needs to deepen coordination to establish a community -wide response to homelessness.
There are many organizations actively engaged in serving people experiencing homelessness. The region needs to
strengthen the homeless crisis system it has in place and develop a fully coordinated and transparent system that
can help obtain greater funding, identify shared priorities, and establish a formal coordinated entry system to
identify, assess, and connect individuals to housing and services. Collaboration will expand understanding of the
causes of homelessness and support the most effective approaches to address it. A stronger network can also
celebrate success, reflect and course correct, and monitor and evaluate to ensure continued progress.
GOAL 2: INCREASE ACCESS &REDUCE BARRIERS
TO HOMELESS CRISIS RESPONSE SERVICES qw
Connecting and building rapport with people experiencing homelessness is critical in a region where nearly 60%
live without shelter — on the streets, in cars, under bridges, or by the river. By expanding outreach, increasing
services, and developing low -barrier shelters, the community can target resources to those living in places not
meant for human habitation. At the same time, San Joaquin must be better positioned to support those at -risk of
becoming homeless. While a small number of people require more intensive services, most people facing housing
instability need a minimal amount of help to stay housed. Whether it is one-time financial resources to provide a
security deposit, legal assistance to prevent eviction, or help learning to balance a budget, the more the system
can provide supports and services to prevent homelessness in the first place, the more the community will be able
to use the limited resources on hand to end homelessness altogether — while at the same time protecting
additional individuals and families from the traumas associated with homelessness.
GOAL 3: ENSURE HOUSEHOLDS EXPERIENCING
AHOMELESSNESS HAVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE &
SUSTAINABLE PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTIONS
Permanent housing — and the supportive services needed to obtain and maintain it — is the solution to
homelessness. By expanding permanent housing options, such as Permanent Supportive Housing and Rapid
Rehousing, hundreds more people in San Joaquin County will have a home that provides security and comfort —
hand-in-hand with case management and job support services many residents require to achieve stability and
long-term self-sufficiency. To do so not only requires more investment in new housing, but engagement with
landlords and others to increase access to housing that already exists.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 33
I housing and homelessness agencies and
IT�=F A formal Coordinated Entry System (CES) is in
place, including a robust HMIS that is fully populated with data
i �� HMIS collects intake, assessment, and exit data
oRaogwqo&r coordination and tracking as people exit
homelessness and/or return to homelessness.
U. All stakeholder groups — the County, cities,
m of Care, service providers, and community-based
X Stakeholders are working together
communitywide to implement a shared set of strategies to
address homelessness in line with the Strategic Plan.
A shared funding process/advisory board has
place, with representatives from the County,
cities, Continuum of Care, health care systems, VA and other
federal partners, service providers, and community-based
Strategy 1.1: Establish a Cross -jurisdictional Effort to Create Shared Processes to
Access Funding Streams, Identify Community Priorities, and Coordinate the
Countvwide Homeless Svstem of Care
Homelessness is a countywide challenge that requires partnership between numerous jurisdictions,
agencies, and sectors. Communities that are making headway in addressing homelessness have invested
in effective, centralized leadership to coordinate efforts and implement shared strategies, ensuring that
community resources are being used as effectively as possible. While the San Joaquin community has
strongly indicated that there is a desire for coordination across jurisdictions and funding streams,
greater focus, planning, investment, and collaboration is needed to collectively achieve the shared goals.
Strengthen Coordinated Entry System Stakeholders in San Joaquin County have expressed
the desire to have a robust Coordinated Entry System (CES) to better prioritize and serve
those struggling with housing instability and homelessness. CES is a process developed to
ensure that all people experiencing a housing crisis have fair and equal access to housing and
supportive services. Individuals should be quickly identified, assessed for, referred, and
matched to housing and assistance based on their strengths and needs. An effective CES can
reduce the time it takes to get services to participants and ensure that resources are used
efficiently.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 34
The steps to strengthen San Joaquin's CES include:
Centralize access points to administer coordinated assessment tool (VI-SPDAT),
incorporating San Joaquin 2-1-1 and existing community/resource centers (e.g., HSA
Community Centers);
Expand CES to ensure that all homeless response programs — shelters, Rapid
Rehousing, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Prevention — are included in the
system, to ensure placements are tracked and documented, and success can be
measured;
Increase CES coverage and participation to include the full spectrum of services that
are available in San Joaquin, including mobile teams, satellite offices, rotating staff,
and co -located services;
Consider integrating related systems of care, such as re-entry from criminal justice or
hospital discharge to further improve coordination; and
Once widely adopted, evaluate the effectiveness of the coordinated assessment tool
(VI-SPDAT) in identifying the best intervention (e.g., RRH, PSH) according to
vulnerability, and analyze any disparities between subpopulation access to services
and placement into housing.
Strengthening and centralizing the CES process will enhance San Joaquin's capability to
expand, track, and analyze how effective the community is at serving people in need. It will
help ensure people with the greatest needs are prioritized while those facing an immediate
housing crisis are diverted from the homeless response system altogether.
E9 VI-SPDAT
Vulnerability Index - Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool. The VI-SPDAT is a commonly
used, pre-screening, or triage tool, that is designed to be used by all providers within a
community to quickly assess the health and social needs of homeless persons and match them
with the most appropriate support and housing interventions that are available. The VI-SPDAT is
designed to determine the presence and acuity of an issue and identify clients to refer for
assessment for specific housing interventions, but it is not intended to provide a comprehensive
assessment of each person's needs. The tool is designed to measure acuity and risks to housing
instability.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 35
• Establish countywide priorities Throughout the process of developing the strategic plan,
stakeholders expressed a clear sense of priorities for the region: invest in prevention efforts
to keep households from becoming homeless from the outset (and diversion when they do),
expand low -barrier shelters to ensure those living on the street can quickly gain access to
services, and increase the availability of affordable permanent housing. For example, there
was strong feeling that they system needs to prioritize vouchers for people with mental
illness, "People with mental illness need vouchers immediately. They must be prioritized, and
this cannot just be based on whether the person has SSI or SSDA."
• Design a shared process around funding and allocation With only two organizations
currently receiving federal CoC funds, but a broader set of organizations working to end
homelessness, the community needs to focus attention on increased planning to ensure
adequate and strategic coordination is in place to support priority initiatives and to reduce
duplicative efforts. The additional state funding opportunities that are available for the
region provide even greater incentive to take the time to establish a coordinated and cross -
jurisdictional process to apply for, prioritize, and distribute funding effectively across the
region. To effectively collaborate and maximize funding opportunities, the community can:
Explore establishing a Funding Advisory Group comprised of officials from the
county's three HUD Entitlement Jurisdictions, which may include members of the
CoC Board, Board of Supervisors, city executive and legislative branches,
community-based organizations, and other relevant stakeholders with authority.
(This must include a full-time staff position, which could be funded by a trusted
community-based organization, or the County, to provide support on data requests,
administrative functions, and staffing.)
Design a single Request for Funding Proposal (RFP) mechanism that permits
applicants to submit a shared application for multiple funding streams and be
responsible for the same reporting and fiscal duties.
Offer more comprehensive technical assistance to providers who have not
previously sought funding to establish a new project pipeline and provide
infrastructure for programs to help alleviate administrative burdens.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 36
Example Roles and Responsibilities of a
r Funding Advisory Group
1. Seek to achieve functional zero homelessness in San Joaquin County, using this Strategic Plan
as the initial guiding document;
2. Support the goals and duties of the San Joaquin Continuum of Care;
3. Own the issue of homelessness within the county;
4. Align homelessness -related funding and policies throughout the county;
5. Promote and invest in Housing First strategies;
6. Ensure adherence to evidenced -based solutions,
7. Represent rural, urban, and suburban communities;
8. Monitor local system performance measures;
9. Focus on high-level decisions, not technical aspects of issues related to homelessness;
10. Create ongoing or ad hoc Task Groups, so long as there is sufficient staff capacity;
11. Approve the submission of applications to Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs) published by
HUD and the State, ideally through a single Request for Funding Proposal;
12. Establish San Joaquin County's homelessness funding priorities and make funding -related
decisions (e.g., project types to fund, subpopulations to target);
13. Ensure that organizations serving the county's homeless population receive the technical
assistance and training they need to achieve system performance measures through a Housing
First model;
14. Communicate with the public on issues related to homelessness, and
15. Designate a Chair for the Funding Advisory Group who will act as the official spokesperson to
the public and stakeholders.
Single Request for Funding Proposal
The purpose of the Single Request for Funding Proposal is to streamline the project application process
while encouraging creative program design to respond to homelessness through one or more available
funding streams. This process should support the implementation of comprehensive housing programs
that include robust supportive services and adhere to shared principles and systems, such as Housing
First, Coordinated Entry, and HMIS. Federal and state priorities compound the need to coordinate and
align resource allocation in order to maximize impact. Any funds offered by HUD, the State, or the
County should be included in the single RFP, such as CoC, ESG, California Emergency Solutions and
Housing (CESH), Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP), and HHAP. To increase efficiency and
reduce the burden to apply, a standard budget template is used regardless of funding source.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 37
With a streamlined funding process in place, the community can expand the outreach process for
federal and state funding opportunities to provide the ability for more stakeholders to access these
resources. This would require that there is increased information and transparency regarding funding
streams, administrators, and award processes. Additionally, the CoC (and Funding Advisory Group if
implemented) could offer more comprehensive technical assistance to providers who have not
previously sought funding in order to help them overcome administrative and reporting burdens.
Strategy 1.2: Improve Data Collection, Measurement, and Analysis
Stakeholders in San Joaquin County have expressed the need for improved data collection,
measurement, and analysis in order to better understand the needs of those facing housing instability
and the effectiveness of program interventions. There was strong consensus from stakeholders that the
number one priority would be to ensure every entity that is part of the homeless system of care
provides data into HMIS.
While there is widespread interest in participating in HMIS, stakeholders indicated that one of the
biggest hurdles to effective data collection is the capacity of the agencies serving the homeless
population. Many organizations do not have the ability to complete data entry in a timely manner and
often the information that is entered into the data system is limited or out of date.
Currently the primary agencies that participate in HMIS are those that provide shelter and housing.
Many of the agencies that provide supportive services are not connected into HMIS, or their staff are
not sufficiently well trained to use HMIS. Without a robust HMIS system that everyone commits to
participating in, which effectively engages and trains all organizations and their staff throughout the
region, the ability for the community to respond to the greatest needs will continue to fall short. In
order to ensure the system is accountable and all organizational activities are known and tracked, the
CoC should ensure that all housing and homelessness organizations actively participate in data entry and
quality.
To do so, the CoC should:
Ensure all housing and homeless programs are trained and participate in HMIS (condition
funding on participation);
Establish HMIS Policies and Procedures with agreed upon definitions, standards for data
integrity, and timeliness expectations for data entry;
Require that participating organizations track individuals returning to homelessness, attend
free trainings offered to them, and seek technical assistance when necessary;
Assess data to drive community action (e.g., measure if outputs meet inputs, effectiveness of
interventions);
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 38
Hire dedicated administrative staff to manage the day-to-day operations of HMIS to improve
data quality, provide support to partner organizations, and enable real-time data collection;
Improve ability for agencies/system to capture client exit destinations, including from shelter;
Increase coordination between mainstream resources and homeless assistance data systems
to ensure identification of those eligible for benefits, such as SSI and CaIWORKs; and
Engage in a robust review of the HMIS Lead, including soliciting other agencies interested in
acting as the HMIS Lead.
Opportunities to better coordinate around Veterans' services illustrates ways to enhance the
effectiveness of San Joaquin's homeless system of care. Stakeholders expressed a desire for
increased coordination between the VA, the CoC, and the community -at -large in order to achieve a
functional zero for veteran homelessness. The system as it currently functions is not sufficiently
maintained, with client lists that include people who are deceased, unreachable, or ineligible for
services. Strategies to consider include:
Use a VA -managed 'By -Name" List as the organizing document for housing and serving
veterans;
' Expedite, through CES and HMIS, the identification of those eligible for VA programs (which is
dependent on discharge status), so that veterans ineligible for VA programs may more readily
access CoC and other housing and services,
Increase coordination with the VA on PIT Count methodology and implementation; and
` Partner with the County Veterans Advisory Commission (VAC) to bridge veterans and services
by connecting unhoused veterans with veteran peers in the community.
Strategy 1.3: Educate and Engage the Community
While homelessness is growing across the State of California, so are the many myths and
misconceptions around why people are homeless and the programs and services that work best in
solving the problem. Rising costs of housing, combined with wages that do not keep pace, are driving
increased rates of homelessness in San Joaquin County and across the State. A deeper understanding of
homelessness and its solutions will strengthen community support for critical next steps.
Stakeholders in San Joaquin County have expressed the need for increased engagement and education
of the members of the Continuum of Care and the community -at -large. A community that speaks the
same language and supports the same mission can collectively address homelessness more efficiently
and effectively.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 39
Stakeholders also prioritized a focus on demystifying who is actually living on the street and in shelters.
We know that in many communities there is a misconception that the majority of people experiencing
homelessness have mental health or substance use disorders. The most common causes of
homelessness in many communities, however, are unemployment and unpaid rent. While many people
experiencing homelessness do have a disability that creates a barrier to regaining stable housing, the
disability is often the result of their homelessness rather than its cause. Only a small percentage of the
total number of people experiencing homelessness became homeless because of mental health issues
or substance use disorders.
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
"When you first become homeless, you try your hardest to get your housing back. But then as the
weeks go by, it becomes harder and harder. You get buried deeper and deeper. People do not
look at you the same. Even a brief respite from living on the street can allow you to recharge — as
little as two weeks can be enough to help reset your motivation."
In addition to demystifying who is homeless, there are numerous ways to build a common
understanding of the homeless system of care and the strategies to address it.
ban Joaquin should prioritize the following:
Educate the public on the need to implement evidence -based best practices (e.g. Housing
First, Coordinated Entry, prevention and diversion, trauma -informed care, low -barrier
programming, and voluntary services);
Publicize success stories of individuals and strategies;
Work with the business sector to address their concerns about blight and use data to show
the results of efforts that have already been undertaken;
Initiate messaging that better explains Housing First that highlights what has worked in San
Joaquin and other similar communities;
Undertake community education to encourage willingness for affordable development in
our neighborhoods; and
Incorporate the voice of the consumer/client through focus groups, surveys, and listening
meetings.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 40
By 2025, 200 new housing -focused low -barrier
shelter beds are available to people experiencing homelessness in
2 San Joaquin County (The beds may be in congregate or non -
c shelter settings, as public health needs dictate).
2025, an additional 200 total rental assistance
VILLIUFI ntion grants are available.
e 2025 Point -in -Time Count will show that the
number of unsheltered households in San Joaquin County is less
than 50% of the 2019 Count.
More than 50% of households who were housed in
Transitional Housing and Rapid Rehousing programs will exit to
permanent housing destinations between 2020 and 2025.
;inning 2021, the number of people experiencing
r the first time will be reduced by 5% each year,
achieving a 20% annual reduction by 2025.
WEEM"rinually reduce by 10% the number of households
that return to homelessness in 6 months after exiting to
permanent housing from a Transitional Housing, Rapid
Rehousing, or Permanent Supportive Housing program.
Strategy 2.1: Expand Low -Barrier Shelter Capacity, Hours, and Services
Emergency shelters and warming centers provide safe places for people to stay at night and help
connect people to services and housing opportunities. When the programs are housing -focused and
low -barrier, they are an important part of the system to engage people and help them exit
homelessness to permanent housing.
09 Housing First
The Housing First approach has been extremely successful in reducing the length of time households
are homeless, preventing returns to homelessness, and supporting participants' long-term stability
and well-being. Research suggests Housing First program participants are 2.5 times more likely to be
housed after 18-24 months than other programs.31
31 Baxter AJ, Tweed EJ, Katikireddi SV, et al. Effects of Housing First approaches on health and well-being of adults who are homeless or at risk of
homelessness: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Epidemiol Community Health 2019; 73.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 41
Stakeholders in San Joaquin County have expressed the need to expand low -barrier shelter capacity.
Current space, hours, structure, and services are insufficient to meet the needs of those facing housing
instability, especially in the winter. This has been greatly exacerbated by the COVID-19 health crisis,
increasing the need for non -congregate shelter settings. (For more guidance on best practices for non -
congregate shelter settings in light of COVID-19, see HUD's "Non -Congregate Approaches to Sheltering
for COVID-19 Homeless Response," in the Appendices.)
Members of the community have proposed lowering many barriers to entry that may discourage a
household from moving indoors. Some of the barriers and challenges most commonly encountered are:
ID requirements; restrictions against pets, possessions, and partners; rules based on sobriety rather than
behavior; and curfews or exit times that eliminate education and employment opportunities. These can
be life or death decisions.
There is currently only one congregate emergency shelter in the entire county that ascribes to a low -
barrier approach, attempting to reduce burdensome requirements. However, clients remain unable to
bring pets or store possessions, and must exit each morning. These issues persist in non -congregate
settings where pets and many possessions are often not permitted. Moreover, the Stockton Shelter has
insufficient capacity to accommodate the demand during each winter throughout the year. This past
winter, the City of Stockton and San Joaquin County ensured expanded winter capacity by funding 100
additional beds for four months. However, with thousands of San Joaquin residents living on the streets,
in cars, in parks, and by the river, a temporary expansion of 100 -beds is insufficient to meet the growing
need.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 42
n
Navigation Centers
New legislation in California defined Navigation Centers as facilities that provide "temporary room and
board with limited barriers to entry while case managers work to connect homeless individuals and
families to income, public benefits, health services, permanent housing, or other shelter. 1132 Navigation
Centers are "housing focused" facilities that provide shelter and comprehensive onsite services to
support participants to exit homelessness permanently. While they help people stay safe from the
dangers of living outside, they are also a valuable link to permanent housing, especially for people who
have been homeless for an extended period of time and might be reluctant to engage in services.
Navigation Centers are "housing focused" because they are low -barrier and tailor their services to
support the goal of exiting homelessness. They screen -in, rather than screen -out, potential participants
with the greatest barriers to housing. They do not require participation in services as a condition of
stay. They impose minimal rules and restrictions that focus on behavioral expectations to help ensure
client and staff safety, i.e., few rules, not "no rules." They provide flexible access to shelter and
services, including extended hours of operation, arrangements for late arrivals, non -restricted
mealtimes, and lenient curfew policies They offer CES assessments on-site, voluntary case
management, and other supportive services that assist households to create an action plan to help
them obtain permanent housing.
In order to improve the community's capacity to respond to the current and ever-growing need for
shelter in San Joaquin County, stakeholders should explore the following:
• Expand low -barrier shelter capacity, incorporating Housing First principles to existing
emergency shelters, and to any new or expanded congregate or non -congregate shelters
(e.g. allow partners, pets, possessions; not require sobriety or mental health counseling to
enter) — even consider a Navigation Center when appropriate;
Standardize policies throughout all shelters, so they are predictable and equitable;
Ensure that voluntary support services are accessible at all shelters through coordinated on-
site case management, mobile multi -disciplinary teams, or rotating support staff;
Obtain city, County, and private investment to support winter shelter capacity; and
Provide financial support to expand hours of "Night -by -Night" shelters or to secure other 24-
hour accommodations in order to provide continuity of care and increased case management
support.
sz California Senate Bill 850 50490.4(a)(4)(A).
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 43
Persons with lived experience also highlighted that current policies and service offerings at different
shelter sites, dedicated to different subpopulations, were inequitable or misaligned with the needs of
residents. Many single adults and adults with partners (with no children) are interested in accessing
more supportive services and abiding by behaviorally -based rules — similar to approaches taken in
shelters serving households with children — to improve the shelter environment and support exits to
permanent housing. With the increased need for non -congregate shelter settings, sufficient supportive
services and equitable policies are even more crucial as individuals become more isolated and face new
challenges in new environments.
A true low -barrier shelter model is grounded in fair and equitable policies that provide the greatest
access to residents, while still prioritizing the protection and safety of staff and other residents.
Shelter residents suggested the following changes:
• Eliminate alcohol and drug testing via invasive practices, instead monitoring conditions based
on a behavioral standard;
• Allow partners to live together;
Allow pets;
Create smaller, or individual, rooms within shelters to allow people to better manage their
health and safety;
Eliminate restrictive curfews and limited mealtime hours; and
• Improve access to self-care services, like showers and hygiene products.
Strategy 2.2: Invest in Prevention and Diversion
Living without stable housing, even briefly, is a traumatizing experience, and many never recover from
the physical, emotional and financial impacts. By diverting households from shelter and preventing
imminent homelessness, we can help individuals and families avoid the economic, social, mental, and
physical challenges that result from homelessness — often at a much lower cost than it takes to serve
people after they lose their housing.
With more and more San Joaquin households spending higher percentages of their income on rent,
there are an increasing number of people falling into homelessness. Once somebody has fallen into
homelessness, it can be extremely difficult to return to housing.
Prevention
Stakeholders in San Joaquin County have voiced a great need for investment into prevention services
that will help struggling households maintain their housing rather than enter the homeless response
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 44
system. Prevention services have often been presented as one of the three largest community needs
(along with shelter and permanent housing).
Steps to address prevention include:
• Invest in eviction prevention rental assistance funds to pay rental arrears (back rent);
Establish an emergency eviction prevention fund that can quickly respond to needs (e.g.,
within 7-10 days);
Increase access to free legal services and assistance (representation greatly increases tenant
victories);
Establish funds to address the gap created by ESG income limitations (30% AMI);
Fund short-term rental subsidies to increase household housing stability;
Advocate to the State the need for expedited access to Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)
funds, as there have been significant delays;
Connect people to mainstream resources and benefits;
Enact rent control legislation that considers both tenants and landlords by preventing rent
increases of exorbitant amounts while providing government subsidies or tax credits to help
renters absorb price increases; and
Re -envision the Homeless Prevention & Rapid Rehousing (HPRP) project model to fund rental
assistance up to 18 months, including security deposits, utility assistance, moving costs,
and/or hotel vouchers.
Preventing Homelessness by Connecting
People to Mainstream Resources
One of the key strategies to prevent homelessness is to maximize services that people are already
eligible for, such as CalFresh, CaIWORKS, Medi -Cal, Social Security Disability Insurance, and SSI.
Communities can also fund dedicated support staff who are experienced at helping connect people to
such benefits. In addition, communities can hire staff who can help people access rental assistance,
conduct housing searches, and problem -solve collaboratively.
Diversion
Diversion programs provide a variety of interventions to help prevent people from entering shelter.
Services are tailored to meet the needs, strengths, and preferences of each client, which ensures that
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 45
each person receives the minimum amount of support necessary to regain permanent housing, while
conserving limited resources and serving as many people as possible. Diversion programs decrease the
likelihood of a household entering a shelter and are less expensive than providing assistance once a
household becomes homeless.
Services that support diversion include:
Limited financial, utility, and/or rental assistance;
Short-term case management;
Housing search assistance;
Credit repair;
Landlord mediation;
Tenant and/or financial education;
Employment assistance; and
Connection to mainstream benefits and resources.
Strategy 2.3: Improve and Expand Outreach and Engagement
Throughout the process of developing the strategic plan, stakeholders expressed a clear sense of
priorities for the region: invest in prevention efforts to keep people housed, expand access to low -
barrier shelter and services for those living on the street, and increase the availability of affordable
permanent housing solutions.
While long-term solutions to homelessness require community -wide investment in permanent housing,
housing -focused services help people connect to these long-term solutions and address the barriers that
keep them from becoming housed. The goal is to help people exit homelessness as soon as possible.
Once housed, people can work on the underlying challenges that undermine their stability.
Yet, stakeholders also identified that there is a real lack of information about services and housing
opportunities that are available, and that those providing outreach often had difficulty understanding
their lived experience. There was a strong desire from those affected by homelessness to have people
with lived experience of homelessness provide any outreach services. There was also a strong sense that
the efforts to do outreach, while admirable, fall far short of the level of effort needed to reach people.
The average outreach attempt in San Joaquin is only two encounters or "touches." Creating trust and
rapport, as anyone can attest to, likely requires more.
Individuals who are formerly or currently homeless continue to raise outreach as an important area in
need of improvement. They indicate that few people are effectively made aware of locations where
services are located or are made aware of the breadth of services that are available. Clients feel that
they are "chasing their own tails," as they seek out services at one location only to be told that they
must travel elsewhere or that they have missed their chance altogether.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 46
• Outreach by People with Lived Experience: Like many other communities in California,
people experiencing homelessness prefer to work directly with outreach staff who have
direct experience with homelessness. As one stakeholder eloquently expressed, outreach
staff with experience of homelessness "... don't look down on me. They don't just ask, 'What
happenedT It is so important that the wording used by outreach workers is appropriate to
the person being approached."
• Street and Encampment Outreach: Street and encampment outreach teams meet people
where they are to provide connections to services. Many people with extensive histories of
homelessness are disconnected from the network of services that could help them return to
housing. They often have deep-seated trauma and negative experiences with the safety net
system that may make them reluctant to engage with providers. Outreach specialists should
be trained to use proven engagement techniques, such as Trauma -Informed- Care, Critical
Time Intervention, and Motivational Interviewing, to build trust and help people connect to
the services and support they may need to find and keep housing.
V4 Trauma -Informed Care (TIC)
)
Trauma -Informed Care (TIC) offers a framework for working with people experiencing trauma, including
individuals who are homeless. Traumatic experiences can lead to stress and other long-lasting impacts,
"interfering with a person's sense of safety, ability to self -regulate, sense of self, perception of control and
self-efficacy, and interpersonal relationships, 1133 TIC ensures that service providers adopt an approach to
working with people experiencing homelessness by employing some degree of trauma awareness; placing an
emphasis on safety, providing opportunities for individuals they work with to rebuild control; and adopting a
strengths -based approached (identifying people's skills and helping them to develop coping mechanisms).34
OCritical Time Intervention (CTI)
Critical Time Intervention (CTI) is a case management model designed specifically to prevent homelessness
in people living with mental illness. It is used in a time-limited manner to work with people following
discharge from hospitals, shelters, and prisons/jails — situations when it is extremely challenging for
people to obtain stable housing and needed supports. Case managers provide emotional and practical
support during the transition while also helping individuals develop long-term ties to services, family, and
friends .35
33 E. Hauper, E. Bausuek, J. Olivet, 'Shelter from the Storm: Trauma -Informed Care in Homelessness Services Settings, " The Open Health Services
and Policy Journal, 2009.
14 ibid
31 Critical Time Intervention: Preventing Homelessness in the Transition from Institution to Community, criticaltime.org. Available at
https://www. criticaltime. orglwp-content/uploads/2009/04lcti-hand out4. pdf
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 47
FOP Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a client -centered, evidence -based approach used by direct
service providers working with people experiencing homelessness. It focuses on allowing
individuals to direct their own path toward the change they seek, rather than trying to convince
them of what they need to do. The provider builds trust, listens, and then acts as a guide to help
the client to identify their own personal next steps .36
Stakeholders in San Joaquin County have also highlighted the need for expanded outreach to
households living in places not meant for habitability (e.g. street/car). Current partnerships between
entities such as Law Enforcement and Behavioral Health have already resulted in increased engagement
and connections to housing and services. Examples of current efforts include the establishment of a
Community Liaison in Lodi and the implementation of the Stockton Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion
(LEAD) Program.
Much more can be done, however, to increase not only the capacity, but also the effectiveness of street
outreach.
Additional activities to pursue:
• Support and expand existing multi -disciplinary teams (e.g. social workers, mental and
physical health providers, police) who conduct street outreach and are able to connect
people to supportive services;
Increase diversity of street outreach staff, to include more people with lived experience
and to better reflect the population served;
Increase prevalence of locations (e.g. shelters, community centers) for "warm handoffs"
from law enforcement/other sectors to service providers;
Re -invest and expand existing successful pilot programs (e.g. Stockton LEAD and Lodi
Community Liaison) to ensure full-time staffing to meet existing needs;
Identify entities that should lead coordination efforts with law enforcement, behavioral
health, and other entities, so that law enforcement remains a partner, but not the leader,
of homeless response efforts; and
Expand or replicate behavioral health mobile teams (e.g. San Joaquin County Mobile Crisis
Support Teams).
"Spotlight on PATH Practices and Programs: Motivational Interviewing, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration. (2010).
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 48
By 2025, 100 new rapid rehousing opportunities
are available, and 200 new permanent supportive housing units
are built or rehabilitated or in the pipeline (with at least 100 built
or rehabilitated by 2024), for people experiencing homelessness
in San Joaquin County.
Veteran homelessness reaches functional zero by
the 2025 Point -In -Time Count.
[he County and its 4 largest cities initiated at least 1
ect to test efficacy of non -conventional housing
options, including shared or modular housing.
The County and its 4 largest cities created or
adopted 1 new policy that waives fees, increases density, or
changes zoning laws to facilitate new and affordable housing
construction or rehabilitation.
HMIS collects the time between assessment for
services and placement into a transitional or permanent housing
Strategy 3.1: Increase Affordable Housing Stock for Vulnerable Adults, Youth, and
Families
Permanent housing programs, such as Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and Rapid Rehousing (RRH),
are well-established as some of the most cost-effective and successful strategies to address
homelessness.
These programs provide subsidized housing, combined with the supportive services the household
needs to retain that housing and attain long-term stability. Services can include case management;
connections to employment and public benefits; and medical, mental health, and substance use
treatment. The programs tailor services to the unique needs of each household and successfully support
many San Joaquin County residents each year to permanently exit homelessness and regain self-
sufficiency.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan
49
"The rent is way too high. Most Stockton rentals require two to three times the rental
amount. In addition, there are virtually no low-income rentals available near the
businesses that are actually hiring."
■I Shared Housing
Shared housing is a living arrangement between two unrelated people who choose to live together to
take advantage of the mutual benefits it offers. Families, students, young adults, and seniors have
been using this arrangement for generations. It is now recognized as a viable option for people exiting
homelessness.
Shared housing allows single adults to agree to live together for both economic reasons and for social
support. It is usually a situation where rent and utilities are shared between two or more people.
There are different models, including entire apartment buildings or homes structured as shared
housing, some with shared common areas such as kitchens and living rooms, while others are private
residences with landlords. Still others might be run by County agencies. In the context of serving
people at risk of or experiencing homelessness, often shared housing pairs permanent housing with
supportive services.
Stakeholders in San Joaquin County have overwhelmingly voiced the need for investment into the
creation, rehabilitation, and expansion of affordable housing options. Ultimately, without a pathway to
housing, many households experiencing homelessness will continue to face instability, experience
trauma, and remain on the street. The following strategies should be explored:
Master lease, lease to own, or convert existing lodging in the community (e.g.,
motels/hotels);
Rehabilitate vacant or underutilized properties (government or privately owned);
Pursue a dedicated source of funding for a permanent housing trust fund that would
accelerate development for affordable housing and homelessness projects;
Establish a predevelopment loan pool for developers to have funds to complete due
diligence on proposed projects;
Establish homeless unit set -asides in affordable non -homeless projects/developments;
Preserve and invest in housing dedicated to seniors given they make up 25% of homeless
population;
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 50
Promote the development of social housing (mixed -income projects available to anyone)
funded by new real-estate document recording fees, a tax increase on high -dollar real
estate transactions, or through income -based rent;
Advocate for the establishment of an inclusionary zoning policy requiring at least 20% of
units to be affordable in new developments;
Support and encourage creative housing production solutions (e.g., modular,
manufactured);
Advocate for affordable housing projects to be expedited;
• Waive permitting fees for Extremely Low -Income (ELI) housing construction;
• Ensure incoming state funding supports the development or rehabilitation of permanent
housing for homeless households;
Encourage the evaluation of and modification of zoning laws that unnecessarily restrict the
development of affordable housing; and
Increase case management services to ensure special subpopulations stay housed.
Ik Social Housing
"Social housing37 is a public option for housing. Typically, it is rental housing provided below market
rates. Rents are charged according to either real costs -based or income -based formulas. Social
housing is permanently off the private market: in some cases, it can be owned and operated by
municipal governments or nonprofit housing providers. In other cases, as with limited -equity
cooperatives, land trusts or mutual housing associations, residents may own a stake in their homes at
subsidized rates, and they cannot sell them for exorbitant profit. Social units should be primarily new
construction on infill or previously non-residential or unaffordable sites, particularly in supply -
constrained cities and regions where sprawl encourages high rates of car use, as well as in areas that
lack a substantial stock of existing public housing. While new construction is essential to realizing this
vision, it must not raze existing communities in the name of new development."
37 https://homesquarantee.comlwp-content/uploads/Homes-Guarantee- -Briefing-Book.pdf
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 51
Strategy 3.2: Invest in Landlord Engagement, Navigation, and Incentives
Individuals experiencing Many communities — even those in high cost rental markets —
homelessness report that landlords are highly successful in working with landlords and property
managers to identify units for people exiting homelessness.
frequently require triple the amount Building relationships, including understanding and addressing
landlords' concerns, is key.
of rent at move -in or three times
Stakeholders have recognized that local landlords are key
rent as monthly income; even with a partners in responding to homelessness. Identifying, engaging,
housing voucher this cannot be
and incentivizing landlords is a critical goal for San Joaquin, given
a large portion of permanent housing is secured from market
overcome. rate landlords only in scattered -site models.
Affirmative actions that can be taken include:
- Negotiate with property owners, rather than property management companies, to help
overcome the high move -in costs that property managers are requiring;
Invest in Landlord Navigator and Housing Locator positions who can identify prospective
partners, ensure landlord questions are answered promptly, and prepare program
participants to succeed in housing;
Educate landlords about laws against discriminating against applicants based on source of
income;
Incentivize absent landlords to sell or develop properties;
Offer mediation services for landlord -tenant conflicts;
Provide assistance for clients in need of credit repair;
Engage homeowners who have spare rooms or ADUs on site to become landlords;
Create flexible funding to incentivize private landlords to house program participants in
market rate units (e.g. signing bonuses, ongoing funds to hold units, double deposits);
Design and implement a county -wide messaging and engagement strategy (e.g. refined
program literature, community orientations and appreciation events, print/social media
campaigns)
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 52
Examine the discretion held by the Office of the District Attorney and the courts regarding
the clearance of criminal convictions and unpaid fines for people that are homeless in order
to remove landlord concerns regarding criminal and credit history.
2RAccessory Dwelling Units
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are small secondary housing units located on the same grounds as a
primary home. They include units such as a basement apartment, a garage apartment, or a stand-alone
"tiny home" on the same property as a single-family residence. Sometimes known as in-law units or
backyard cottages, they have become increasingly more sought after as one way to help resolve the
housing crisis because they are a more affordable option for adding much-needed housing in California.
They are legally part of the same property as the main home. Over the past 2-3 years, California enacted
new policies to allow homeowners to more readily build ADUs as one of many ways to help solving the
housing crisis.
Strategy 3.3: Expand Case Management, Employment, and Supportive Services
Many people experiencing homelessness in San Joaquin have been homeless for an extended period of
time. These individuals are often disconnected from the resources they need to exit homelessness and
achieve stability. Supporting people with extensive histories of homelessness and related trauma
requires significant time to connect with people and build trust.
Moreover, while some were disabled prior to losing their housing, many others acquired their disability
as a result of living on the streets or without stable housing — an experience that is extremely dangerous
and traumatic. To return to, and maintain, housing successfully, individuals experiencing homelessness
often require ongoing treatment and support — both before and after they are housed.
Nonprofits, community groups, and County agencies provide a variety of services that can help people
exit homelessness and stay housed permanently. Programs such as mental health treatment,
employment and job training, health care, and substance use recovery can meaningfully help people
attain greater stability.
While some of these programs are dedicated to people experiencing homelessness, others are resources
available to everyone in the community. Ensuring that these programs are available and accessible for
people experiencing homelessness allows the community to get the most out of its existing resources.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 53
Stakeholders in San Joaquin County have expressed the need for supportive services at every level of the
homeless response system. Case management and employment/education services are critical elements
to ensuring housing stability for those living on the street, in shelter, and in permanent housing. San
Joaquin should consider the following:
New shelter, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing projects/initiatives must
include funding for supportive services (or at minimum, partnership agreements with service
providers or the County);
Services should adhere to a "Housing First" model (low -barrier, client -centered, voluntary);
Set aside a portion of any supportive services funds for "aftercare" (services after financial
support ends);
Negotiate and/or lobby for case management to become reimbursable under Medi -Cal;
Case Management should be "housing -focused" (housing stability drives all participant goals
and plans); and
• Engage the business community to create internship, apprenticeship, employment, and grant
opportunities.
"When 1 first came to Stockton Shelter, I knew all about St. Mary's Dining Room. 1
began volunteering and then found my way to Social Services where I found help with
housing, counseling, and mental health. Now I volunteer and have a leadership role
in one of the programs. The shelter program has helped me stay clean and sober."
While San Joaquin County works to build a robust and responsive system of care with sufficient low -
barrier shelter capacity and affordable permanent housing options — all of which are critical to ending
homelessness — few can pull themselves up alone. Supportive services are a critical element to ensuring
every household can find and keep a safe home in which to thrive.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 54
CONCLUSION
Call to Action
The San Joaquin community faces two pandemics: one well-known, one novel, both devastating.
Homelessness is not new. It is more and more present in San Joaquin. Those who had found new homes
are increasingly returning to homelessness, while those who have never faced the prospect of living on
the street are increasingly confronting this reality. This reality has been further exacerbated by the
arrival of COVID-19.
However, this convergence has created opportunity. There is an unknown and uncertain future, but the
federal and state governments are paying attention. They are creating new funding streams, permitting
flexibility, and encouraging creative solutions to resolve widespread housing instability. San Joaquin
must come together at this critical juncture with increased local investment and political will.
The San Joaquin Community Response to Homelessness was developed to serve as the touchstone for
the Continuum of Care, County, and cities within, to ensure evidenced -based and community -developed
strategies guide San Joaquin's immediate and future actions. By committing to increased coordination,
data collection, community education, and local funding, San Joaquin's unhoused citizens will be
afforded a critical safety net that prioritizes the most vulnerable, removes unnecessary barriers to entry,
and offers comprehensive supportive services.
The Implementation Addendum included as an appendix to this strategic plan provides a road map of
activities, action steps, responsible parties, and key stakeholders to implement this shared vision.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 55
APPENDICES
IMPLEMENTATION ADDENDUM
Goal 1: Establish a Coordinated and Engaged Regional System of Care
Activity
Strategy 1.1:
Establish a Cross -
jurisdictional
Effort to Create
Shared Processes
to Access Funding
Streams, Identify
Community
Priorities, and
Coordinate the
countywide
Homeless System
of Ca re
Steps
Strengthen Coordinated Entry System
Responsible Stakeholders
Parties
Year 1:
• Hire consultant to assist CoC Board with operating plan for Coordinated Entry
System
• Finalize system design and policies and procedures
• Conduct onboarding and training Coordinated
• Determine access points Entry System
• Establish key organizations, ensuring full geographic coverage Committee
• Survey end users
• Set up HMIS to support system CoC Board
Years 2-5:
• Rollout system with selected providers
• System in place and tracking metrics
• Evaluate VI-SPDAT
End users of CES
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 56
Establish Countywide Priorities, Design a Shared Process Around Funding
Year 1:
• CoC Board sends approved plan to all jurisdictions to request voting bodies to
adopt
• CoC Board review of current committee structure to ensure it aligns with strategic
plan goals, assignment of committees as responsible parties
• Jurisdictions adopt strategic plan, align investment of resources
o Identify action steps for each of the local jurisdictions, what their role CoC Board
should be as they move to support implementation Providers
• Design advisory board responsible for coordinating and prioritizing use of federal, County
state and local funding CoC
Cities
Years 2-5:
• Annual review of Strategic Plan by CoC Board
• Annual report of progress produced and distributed by CoC Board
• Annual CoC Board training
• Launch advisory board with participation by all jurisdictions
• Design common RFP mechanism
• Offer TA to providers to establish new project pipeline
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 57
Year 1:
• Ensure all housing & homeless programs are trained and participate in HMIS
(condition funding on participation)
• Demonstrate the utility of data collection to achieve buy -in from participating
End Users
Strategy 1.2:
organizations to track individuals returning to homelessness, take advantage of
Improve Data
CoC Board
free trainings offered to them, obtain technical assistance when necessary, etc.,
HMIS Lead
Collection,
free licenses — goal is 100% participation HMIS Lead
Data Cmte
Measurement,
• Engage in a robust review of the HMIS Lead, including soliciting other agencies Agency
and Analysis
interested in acting as the HMIS Lead
Mainstream
• Evaluate opportunities to streamlin%xpand data entry through partnerships that
providers
have emerged from COVID-19 response efforts
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 57
Years 2-5:
• Assess data to drive community action (e.g. measure if outputs meet inputs,
effectiveness of interventions) (ongoing)
• Hire dedicated administrative staff to manage the day-to-day operations of the
HMIS to improve data quality, provide support to partner organizations, and to
enable real-time data collection
• Improve ability for agencies/system to capture client exit destinations
• Increase coordination between mainstream benefits and homeless assistance data
systems to ensure identification of those eligible for SSI, CaIWORKs, etc.
Year 1:
• Educate the public on the need to implement evidence -based best practices (e.g.
Housing First, Coordinated Entry, prevention and diversion, trauma -informed care,
low -barrier programming, and voluntary services)
• Identify funding to support public education
• Establish lead entity for engagement and education efforts, engage wide array of
partners, including jurisdictions, to participate on Education Cmte
• Identify costs of homelessness vs. cost savings through best practices
Strategy 1.3:
Educate and
Years 2-5:
Engage the
• Publicize success stories of individuals and strategies, including trauma -informed
care, prevention, and cultural awareness
Community
• Work with the business sector to address their concerns about blight and use data
to show the results of efforts that have already been undertaken
• Initiate messaging that better explains Housing First and that highlights what has
worked in San Joaquin and other similar communities
• Undertake community education to encourage willingness for affordable
development in our neighborhoods; and
• Incorporate the voice of the consumer/client through focus groups, surveys, and
listening meetings.
Goal 2: Increase Access and Reduce Barriers to Homeless Crisis Response Services
CoC Board
Education Cmte
City of Stockton
San Joaquin
Fair Housing
CBOs
Business
Community
Youth
Reinvent
Stockton
ACES
HMIS Lead
Office of Ed.,
School Districts,
Cmty. Colleges
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 58
Activity Steps
Responsible
Parties
Stakeholders
Invest in Expansion of Shelter Capacity
Year 1:
• Obtain city, County, and private investment to maintain existing capacity of
programs
• Identify needs and develop plan for population-specific low barrier shelters (e.g.,
Business
single women)
County
community
• Identify and engage private sector partners (e.g., join business community
meetings)
Cities
Allied CBOs
• Provide financial support to expand hours of "Night-by-Night" shelters (ideally for
24 hours) in order to provide continuity of care and increased case management
Shelter
People with lived
providers
support
experience
• Consider impact of COVID-19 and tailor shelter strategies as appropriate
Funding
Strategy 2.1:
Advisory
Law
Expand Low-
Years 2-5:
eoard
enforcement
Barrier Shelter
• County Human and Behavioral Health are fully integrated into majorshelters,
providing essential wrap around services
Hospitals
Capacity, Hours,
. Expand low-barrier shelter capacity, incorporating Housing First principles to
and Services
existing shelters, and to any new or expanded shelters (e.g. allow partners, pets,
possessions; not require sobriety or mental health counseling to enter)
• Identify location, scope of services, and sustainability plan for Navigation Center
• Identify and engage additional shelter providers for expansion
Standardize Low-Barrier Shelter Policies
Year 1:
• Provide best practices, guidance, and consistent definition of terms to support
standardization of policies throughout all shelters, in promotion of equity Shelter providers
CoC Board
Years 2-5: Allied CBOs
• Provide technical assistance to higher barrier shelters and sober living
environments to revise policies in alignment with low -barrier approaches
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 59
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 60
Strengthen Housing -Focused Case Management
Year 1:
• Assess staffing capacity of shelters, identify needs
Years 2-5:
• Identify permanent funding streams to support ongoing staffing needs
• Ensure that voluntary support services are accessible at all shelters through
coordinated on-site case management, mobile multi -disciplinary teams, or
rotating support staff
County
Cities
Shelter
providers
Funding
Advisory Board
Business
community
Allied CeOs
People with lived
experience
Year 1:
•
Invest in eviction prevention rental assistance funds to pay rental arrears (back
rent);
CBOs
•
Establish an emergency eviction prevention fund that can quickly respond to
needs (e.g., within 7-10 days)
Property owners
•
Increase access to free legal services and assistance (representation greatly
Tenants
increases tenant victories); leverage available eviction data to inform strategies
and make the case for funding
County
CVLI
•
Develop toolkit to educate partners about available resources (including school
Strategy 2:2:
districts)
Cities
Housing Authority
Invest in
•
Evaluate effectiveness and impact of COVID-specific strategies and funding that
Education Cmte
Banks
Prevention
should be replicated or maintained longer term
Funding
CPF
Years 2-5:
Advisory Board
•
Establish funds to address the gap created by ESG income limitations (30% AMI)
Legal services
•
Fund short-term rental subsidies to increase household housing stability
•
Advocate to the State the need for expedited access to Emergency Solutions Grant
Schools
(ESG) funds, as there have been significant delays
Business
•
Connect people to mainstream resources and benefits (e.g., going upstream to
Community
develop systems of support to school districts, looking at poverty, low literacy,
homelessness, etc.)
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 60
• Enact rent control legislation that considers both tenants and landlords by
preventing rent increases of exorbitant amounts while providing government
subsidies or tax credits to help renters absorb price increases
• Re -envision the Homeless Prevention & Rapid Rehousing (HPRP) project model to
fund rental assistance up to 18 months, including security deposits, utility
assistance, moving costs, and/or hotel vouchers.
• Evaluate needs of subpopulations, including transition age youth
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 61
Year 1:
•
Support and expand existing multi -disciplinary teams (e.g. social workers, mental
and physical health providers, police) who conduct street outreach and are able to
connect people to supportive services
•
Re -invest and expand existing successful pilot programs (e.g. Stockton LEAD and
Lodi Community Liaison) to ensure full-time staffing to meet existing needs
•
Identify entities that should lead coordination efforts with law enforcement,CoC Board
Outreach teams
behavioral health, and other entities, so that law enforcement remains a partner,
Strategy 2.3:
but not the leader, of homeless response efforts County
CBOs
Improve and
.
Expand or replicate behavioral health mobile teams (e.g. San Joaquin County
FBOs
Expand Outreach
Mobile Crisis Support Teams) Cities
and Engagement
Police Depts
Education Cmte
Years 2-5:
•
Reduce barriers to hiring to increase diversity of street outreach staff, to include
Behavioral Health
more people with lived experience and to better reflect the population served
•
Increase prevalence of locations (e.g. shelters, community centers) for "warm
handoffs "from law enforcement/other sectors to service providers
•
Break down silos between outreach teams and case management
•
Implement trainings on best practices for teams, including trauma -informed care,
critical time intervention. motivational interviewina. and use of technoloav
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 61
Goal 3: Ensure Households Experiencing Homelessness Have Access to Affordable and Sustainable Permanent
Housing Solutions
Activity Steps Responsible Stakeholders
Parties
Year 1:
• Master lease, lease to own, or create agreements with existing lodging in the
community (e.g. motels) to create Permanent Supportive Housing
• Evaluate and modify codes and zoning laws at City and County levels that
unnecessarily restrict the development of high-density affordable housing
• Develop a list of vacant or underutilized properties to target for development
(government or privately owned)
• Establish homeless unit set -asides in affordable non -homeless
projects/developments
Strategy 3.1: Years 2-5:
Increase . Rehabilitate vacant or underutilized properties
Affordable • Assess complementary agencies to support affordable housing (e.g., transit,
Housing Stock for
parks, food)
Vulnerable Adults, • Establish a predevelopment loan pool for developers to have funds to complete
Youth, and
due diligence on proposed projects (Housing Trust Fund)
Families
• Develop Affordable Housing Strategic Plans for all jurisdictions
• Promote the development of social housing (mixed -income projects available
to anyone) funded by new real-estate document recording fees, a tax increase
on high -dollar real estate transactions, or through income -based rent
• Advocate for inclusionary zoning policy requiring at least 20% of units to be
affordable in new developments
• Support and encourage creative housing production solutions (e.g., modular,
manufactured)
• Advocate for expedited affordable housing projects
Developers
CoC Board Municipal staff
County
Community
Foundation
Cities
Funders
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 62
• Advocate for permitting fees for Extremely Low -Income (ELI) housing
construction
• Ensure incoming state funding supports the development or rehabilitation of
permanent housing for homeless households
• Increase case management services to ensure special subpopulations stay
housed
Year 1:
• Create flexible funding to incentivize private landlords to house program
participants in market rate units (e.g. signing bonuses, ongoing funds to hold
units, double deposits)
• Advocate for investment in Landlord Navigator and Housing Locator positions
who can identify prospective partners, ensure landlord questions are answered
promptly, and prepare program participants to succeed in housing
CoC Board
County
Cities
Funding Advisory
Board
CBOs
Developers
Property owners
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 63
Years 2-5:
Strategy 3.2:
• Secure local funds for prevention and incentives
Invest in Landlord
• Engage a long-term contracted service provider to staff housing navigation
Engagement,
support
Navigation, and
• Share Stockton's off-the-shelf ADU plans with fellow cities
Incentives
• Negotiate with property owners, rather than property management
companies, to help overcome the high move -in costs that property managers
are requiring
• Educate landlords about laws against discriminating against applicants based
on source of income
• Incentivize absent landlords to sell or develop properties
• Offer mediation services for landlord -tenant conflicts
• Provide assistance for clients in need of credit repair
• Engage homeowners who have spare rooms or ADUs on site to become
landlords
CoC Board
County
Cities
Funding Advisory
Board
CBOs
Developers
Property owners
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 63
• Design and implement a county -wide messaging and engagement strategy
(e.g. refined program literature, community orientations and appreciation
events, print/social media campaigns)
• Examine the discretion held by the Office of the District Attorney and the
courts regarding the clearance of criminal convictions and unpaid fines for
people that are homeless in order to remove landlord concerns regarding
criminal and credit history
Year 1:
• Engage the business community to create internship, apprenticeship,
employment, and grant opportunities
• Educate providers about benefits of "Housing First" model (low -barrier, client -
centered, voluntary)
• Host "conference" to expand education about housing focused case
management services to broader audience
Strategy 3.3:
Years 2-5:
• Evaluate population -specific case management needs
Expand Case
. New shelter, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing
Management,
Employment, and
projects/initiatives must include funding for supportive services (or at
Supportive
minimum, partnership agreements with service providers or the County)
Services
• Maximize and institutionalize local match to secure highest amount of state
and federal funding to support service needs
• Set aside a portion of any supportive services funds for "aftercare" (services
after financial support ends)
• Negotiate and/or lobby for case management to become reimbursable under
Medi -Cal
• Case Management should be "housing focused" (housing stability drives all
participant goals and plans)
CoC Board
Funding Advisory
Board
CBOS
Worknet
CalWorks
Business
Community and
Assns.
Chambers of
Commerce
County
Cities
Office of Ed.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 64
NON -CONGREGATE APPROACHES FOR COVID-19 RESPONSE
NON -CONGREGATE APPROACHES TO SHELTERING FOR COVID-19 HOMELESS RESPONSE
Continuums of Care considering non -congregate approaches to sheltering people who are homeless that are symptomatic
or in high risk categories, such as seniors or people with chronic illness, should consider the following guidance when
designing local approaches. Coordination with public health partners is essential in design, resource investment and
staffing considerations.
PLACEMENT: Comprehensive screening and triage in place to refer to site and prioritize placement
Best Practice Approach: Better Approach: Individual Good Approach: Shared Spaces
Private Individual Rooms Rooms/Semi-Private Spaces
r_ Individuals who are symptomatic
,0—, after screening at shelter has
been implemented
p, n Individuals who are pending
0 testing or are close contacts of
Q.
;, confirmed cases
❑ Individuals who are high risk' with
or without symptoms
❑ Individuals who are confirmed to
be COVID-19 positive who do not
need to be hospitalized
❑ Individual bedroom (walls on all
sides and a door)
❑ Individual bathroom
❑ Individual HCV
❑ Personal cleaning supplies for an
ill person's room and bathroom
❑ Individuals who are symptomatic
after screening at shelter has
been implemented
I i Individuals who are confirmed to
be COVID-19 positive who do not
need to be hospitalized as long as
all individuals in the space are
COVID-19 positive
❑ Individual bedroom (walls on all
sides and a door)
❑ If no existing walls, makeshift
walls that are floor to ceiling
should be created to create 6ft
separation
❑ Limited shared bathroom with
cleaning regiment
❑ Bathroom should be cleaned and
disinfected after each use by an ill
person
❑ Dedicate an entrance(s) or
passageway(s) for infectious
individuals when feasible.
❑ Individuals who are confirmed to
be COVID-19 positive who do not
need to be hospitalized as long as
all individuals in the space are
COVID-19 positive
❑ Individuals who are asymptomatic
after screening at shelter has
been implemented as long as all
individuals in the space are
asymptomatic.
❑ Shared bedroom spaces with 6ft
separation
❑ Makeshift walls that are floor to
ceiling (if feasible) should be
created
❑ Arrange all sleeping areas
(including beds/cots) so that
individuals are separated by
putting a minimum of 6 feet
between individual sleeping
surfaces to prevent the spread of
infections.
❑ Shared bathroom
❑ Bathroom should be cleaned and
disinfected after each use by an ill
person
❑ Dedicate an entrance(s) or
passageway(s) for infectious
individuals when feasible.
om
❑ Onsite healthcare
❑ Identifying dedicated staff to care
❑ Identifying dedicated staff to care
w
11 Transportation plan for closest
for COVID-19 patients.
for COVID-19 patients.
M
hospital transport
❑ Telehealth options
❑ Telehealth options
❑ Staff shifts and crew configuration
❑ PPE available for staff
❑ PPE available for staff
❑ Cleaning schedules
❑ Non -Congregate site
❑ Non -Congregate site management
❑ PPE available for staff
management staff
staff
❑ Non -Congregate site
❑ Security
❑ Security
management staff
❑ Case management staff
❑ Security
Center for Disease Control: Corona Virus 2019 COVID 19 Are you at higher risk for severe illness?
This resource is prepared by technical assistance providers and intended only to provide guidance. The contents of this document, except
when based on statutory or regulatory authority or law, do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in
any way. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic Plan 65
IC7��eLin lleP►101 Ism alyzi
A RESOLUTION OF THE LODI CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTING
SAN JOAQUIN COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO
HOMELESSNESS — 2020 SAN JOAQUIN STRATEGIC PLAN
WHEREAS, in October 2019, the City of Stockton and San Joaquin Continuum of Care
(SJCoC) began work on a regional homeless strategic plan through the assistance of a
consultant, Homebase, called the San Joaquin Community Response to Homelessness — 2020
San Joaquin Strategic Plan (Plan); and
WHEREAS, on December 4, 2019, Homebase hosted an all -day "summit" attended by
over 140 stakeholders from throughout San Joaquin County to survey attendees, facilitate
discussion, and seek feedback on key aspects of the draft plan; and
WHEREAS, between January 1 and May 30, 2020, Homebase facilitated several
meetings of the SJCoC Strategic Planning Committee and key stakeholders, including the City
of Lodi, to finalize the document for presentation to the SJCoC Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, on May 26, 2020, the Strategic Planning Committee of the SJCoC
forwarded the final draft to the SJCoC Board of Directors with a recommendation to adopt; the
plan was adopted unanimously at the following meeting on June 11, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the strategic plan delineates three broad goals to address homelessness,
along with three strategies to achieve each goal and a five-year implementation plan with
specific guidance on responsible parties, stakeholders, and funding opportunities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Lodi does
hereby support the final Plan.
Dated: November 4, 2020
I hereby certify that Resolution No. 2020-257 was passed and adopted by the City
Council of the City of Lodi in a regular meeting held November 4, 2020, by the following vote:
AYES:
COUNCIL MEMBERS — Chandler, Nakanishi, and Mayor Kuehne
NOES:
COUNCIL MEMBERS — None
ABSENT:
COUNCIL MEMBERS — Mounce
ABSTAIN:
COUNCIL MEMBERS — None
I JENNIFER USMIR
�. City Clerk
2020-257
The San Joaquin
Community Response to
Homelessness
2020 San Joaquin County Strategic
Plan
San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors
July 21, 2020
i
w
I
• Formally adopted by the San Joaquin Continuum of Care Board of Directors on
June 11, 2020;
• Provides a comprehensive system -wide overview, including numbers of
homeless, housing resources, and system performance;
• Incorporates broad community feedback from more than 200 participants
Count -wide includingservice providers, law enforcement, local government,
and the formerly and currently hmeless;
y y
• Aligns community priorities with evidence -based practices to highlight three
broad goals, along with strategies to address each goal;
• Goals include suggested benchmarks for measurable success;
• Includes guidelines for implementation and addresses non -congregate shelter in
relation to COVID-19;
• HHAP Program was a major factor in the development of a regional plan;
PJ
• May 21, 2019: Stockton City Council voted unanimously to reallocate $50,000 of the funds previously
allocated for the Program Administrator - Homeless Initiatives to provide a portion of funding for the
development of a homelessness strategic plan.
• July 3, 2019: the SJCoC Board recommended the selection of Homebase and approved the use of funds from
the California Emergency Solutions and Housing program to match the City of Stockton s allocation. The
SJCoC also agreed to work with Homebase to develop the plan and requested County assistance through
the Collaborative Applicant.
• September 17, 2019: Stockton City Council approved Homebase as the consultant for the strategic plan and
authorized payment.
• October 1, 2019: Homebase initiated contact with the SJCoC and began gathering information to develop
the plan.
• December 4, 2019: Homebase hosted an all -day "summit".
• January 1 through May 30, 2020: Homebase facilitated meetings of the SJCoC Strategic Planning Committee
and key stakeholders. The plan was revised multiple times based on feedback and discussion including
representatives from Cit of Stockton, County of San Joaquin, the SJCoC, and stakeholders from Lodi, 'Tracy,
Manteca, and Community Based Organizations working in homelessness in San Joaquin County.
• May 26, 2020, the Strategic
Plannin Committee forwarded the final draft to the SJCoC Board of Directors
with a recommendation to adopt; the plan was adopted unanimously at the following meeting.
3
Strategy 1.1
• Establish across-jurisdictional Effort to Create Shared
Processes to Access Funding Streams, Identify
Community Priorities, and Coordinate the Countywide
Homeless System of Care
Strategy 1.2
• Improve Data Collection, Measurement, and Analysis
Strategy 1.3
• Educate and Engage the Community
4
1. All housing and homelessness agencies and programs are trained and participate in
HMIS.
2. A formal Coordinated Entry System (CES) is in place, including a robust HMIS that is
fully populated with data countywide.
3. HMIS collects intake, assessment, and exit data to allow for coordination and tracking as
people exit homelessness and/or return to homelessness.
4. All stakeholder groups - the County, cities, Continuum of Care, service providers, and
community-based organizations - have adopted the Strategic Plan.
5. Stakeholders are working together communitywide to implement a shared set of
strategies to address homelessness in line with the Strategic Plan.
6. A shared funding process/ advisory board has been put in place, with representatives
from the County, cities, Continuum of Care, health care systems, VA and other federal
partners, service providers, and community-based organizations.
5
Strategy 2.1
• Expand Low -Barrier Shelter Capacity, Hours, and Services
Strategy 2.2
• Invest in Prevention and Diversion
Strategy
• Improve and Expand Outreach and Engagement
1. By 2025, 200 new housing -focused low -barrier shelter beds are available to people
experiencing homelessness in San Joaquin Count (The beds ma be in congregate
or non -congregate shelter settings, as public heMh needs dictate.
2. By 2025, an additional 200 total rental assistance eviction prevention grants are
available.
3. The 2025 Point -in -Time Count will show that the number of unsheltered
households in San Joaquin County is less than 50% of the 2019 Count.
4. More than 50% of households who were housed in Transitional Housing and Rapid
Rehousing programs will exit to permanent housing destinations between 2020 and
2025.
5. Be innin 2021, the number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time
wiW be reduced b 5 % each year, achieving a 20 % annual reduction b 2025.
Y Y g Y
6. Annually reduce by 10% the number of households that return to homelessness in 6
months after exiting to permanent housing from a Transitional Housing, Rapid
Rehousing, or Permanent Supportive Housing program.
Strategy 3.1
• Increase Affordable Housing
Adults, Youth, and Families
Strategy 3.2
Stock for Vulnerable
• Invest in Landlord Engagement, Navigation, and
Incentives
Strategy
• Expand Case Management, Employment, and
Supportive Services
1. By 2025,100 new rapid rehousing opportunities are available, and 200 new
permanent supportive housing units are built, rehabilitated or in the pipeline (with
at least 100 built or rehabilitated by 2024), for people experiencing homelessness in
San Joaquin County.
2. Veteran homelessness reaches functional zero by the 2025 Point -In -Time Count.
3. The County and its 4 largest cities initiated at least 1 new pilot project to test
efficacy of non -conventional housing options, including shared or modular
housing.
4. The County and its 4 largest cities created or adopted 1 new policy that waives fees,
increases density, or changes zoning laws to facilitate new and affordable housing
construction or rehabilitation.
5. HMIS collects the time between assessment for services and placement into a
transitional or permanent housing program.
• Key deliverable for Homebase from local committee members
• Examines each goal and strategy to highlight suggested steps
• Provides "road map" for implementing the plan for Year 1 and
Years 2 - 5
• Includes suggested responsible parties as well as stakeholders and
end-users
• Success of the plan dependent upon commitment, collaboration,
and available resources
• Prioritizing and coordinating limited resources is essential
10
L'S�ffrw
I
of
rr
Al