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C.107
To: Board of Supervisors
From: FAMILY & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
Date: December  7, 2021
The Seal of Contra Costa County, CA
Contra
Costa
County
Subject: Continuum of Care Plan for the Homeless Report
APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
Action of Board On:   12/07/2021
APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:
John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor
Contact: Enid Mendoza, (925) 655-2051
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED:     December  7, 2021
Monica Nino, County Administrator
 
BY: , Deputy

 

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ACCEPT the annual Continuum of Care Plan for the Homeless report from the Health, Housing and Homeless Services Division of the Health Services Department.

FISCAL IMPACT:

This report is informational and there are no fiscal impacts associated with the acceptance of this report.

BACKGROUND:

In November 2014, the Board approved “Forging Ahead Towards Preventing and Ending Homelessness: An Update to Contra Costa’s 2004 Strategic Plan" that renewed the County's 2004 plan with the latest data, best practices, and community feedback and reaffirmed the County's commitment to the Housing First approach. As such, “Forging Ahead” establishes this guiding principle:  
  
BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)
    “Homelessness is first a housing issue, and necessary supports and services are critical to help people remain housed. Our system must be nimble and flexible enough to respond through shared responsibility, accountability, and transparency of the community.”
      
    The Strategic Plan Update identifies two goals: 1) Decrease the length of time people experience homelessness by focusing on providing Permanent Housing and Services and; 2) Decrease the percentage of people who become homeless by providing Prevention activities. To achieve these goals, three strategies emerged:
    1. Implement a coordinated entry/assessment system to streamline access to housing and services while addressing barriers, getting the right resources to the right people at the right time;
    2. Use best, promising , and most effective practices to give the consumer the best possible experience through the strategic use of resources; and
    3. Develop the most effective platforms to provide access, support advocacy, and connect to the community about homelessness and available resources.
    The Homeless Program of the Health, Housing and Homeless Services Division partners with the Homeless Advisory Board and Continuum of Care to develop and carry out an annual action plan that identifies the objectives and benchmarks related to each of the goals and strategies of Forging Ahead. Further, the Homeless Program incorporates the strategic plan goals into its own delivery system of comprehensive services, interim housing and permanent supportive housing, as well as contracting with community agencies to provide additional homeless services and housing with the goal of ending homelessness in our community.  
      
    At the November 13, 2019 Family and Human Services Committee (FHS) meeting, members shared concerns of the County being overlooked for HUD funding in favor of counties with large cities, the need to research opportunities to work with builders to obtain discounts for homeless housing projects, and concerns with San Francisco leasing housing in East Contra Costa County to house some of its homeless population and exacerbating this County's problem.  
      
    At the November 15, 2021 FHS meeting, members shared concerns with the over-representation of Black/African American and American Indian / Alaska Native in the Continuum of Care. Staff reported the division is working on concrete plans to address equity issues with the support of technical assistance and training series and community assessments. Committee members asked staff to return to FHS in 6 months with an update on those efforts.  

    CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

    The Board will not receive the annual action plan of the Health, Housing, and Homeless services division in relation to the forging ahead efforts that support the County's commitment to the Housing First approach.

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