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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem B: Opportunity Eugene ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Opportunity Eugene Follow-Up Meeting Date: September 26, 2012 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Central Services Staff Contact: Sarah Medary www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-6877 ISSUE STATEMENT On July 18, 2012, staff presented City Council with an update on the final report and recommendations from the Opportunity Eugene Task Force. In addition to the report, staff recommended that council consider and adopt a policy framework (included below) to help guide decisions related to evaluating proposed actions that the City might take to address homelessness, whether on a short-term basis or a long-term basis. The City Council directed the City Manager to return after the summer break to finalize the policy framework with the council, and bring back to the council a list of potential sites and a recommended process for evaluating safe and secure site(s). This is the first of two work sessions scheduled for the council to finalize the policy framework and begin evaluation of options for providing “safe and secure” sites for the homeless. Staff will be bringing additional material to the work session. BACKGROUND  A Task Force was established Dec. 14, 2011, in response to the Occupy Eugene encampment and issues surrounding homelessness. Group Task was to develop recommendations to present to the council within 90 days for addressing the needs and impacts for the un-housed in the community.  On April 11, 2012, staff presented the City Council with the recommendations of the Opportunity Eugene Task Force.  July 18, 2012 - Staff presented an update on efforts to address homelessness in the community and a draft policy framework to use when evaluating proposals, including those contained in the Opportunity Eugene Task Force Report. The council began discussions of the policy framework and Task 1 of the report – Identify and Establish Potential Sites.  Policy Framework presented July 18, 2012: Transition people away from homelessness. 1. Actions should work to assist individuals and families in permanently breaking the cycle of homelessness. 2.Create and promote health, safety and security throughout the community. Actions should promote the principles of health, safety and security both for the un- housed and housed residents of the City of Eugene. S:\CMO\2012 Council Agendas\M120926\S120926B.doc Utilize partnerships and share resources with stakeholders. 3. Actions should involve the development of partnerships and the sharing of responsibilities and resources with other agencies and stakeholders. Promote neighborhood livability. 4. Actions should be built on efforts to garner community-support, be accessible to its beneficiaries and balance issues related to appropriate siting. Promote sustainability. 5. Actions should promote the City’s triple bottom line framework and promote environmental, equity and fiscal sustainability. Have Measurable Outcomes. 6. Actions should define goals and be able to report on progress made toward reaching those goals. Be Scalable-Pilot New Programs. 7. New projects should begin as pilots in their initial phases, with the possibility for growth as success and demand is demonstrated. Homelessness Since meeting in July, the Human Services Commission released a report on the “Eugene/Springfield Lane County’s Homeless Service System” (LCHSS, September 2012). Information from that report is included below and in Attachment A as additional background information on homelessness in Lane County. The 2011 and 2012 “One Night Homeless Count” (Annual Highlights, Attachment B) conducted in the Eugene/Springfield metro area is also provided below. “One Night Homeless Counts” are done nationwide on a selected night each January. While the shelter count is completed each year, the street count is only completed every other year. The last street count was done in 2011. The street count includes people found on the streets, in parks, under bridges and freeway underpasses, and sleeping in cars. The shelter count includes people found in emergency, transitional and safe haven housing facilities. Emergency housing facilities typically provide short-term shelter up to 60 days while transitional housing provides housing up to 24 months. Transitional housing facilities also provide supportive services such as childcare, job training, and home furnishings that help individuals live more independently. Safe haven housing facilities are specialized permanent housing facilities that serve hard-to-reach homeless persons with severe mental illness and other debilitating conditions. 2011 2012 Emergency Housing 367 392 Transitional Housing 338 259 Safe Haven Housing 29 Unsheltered 1,406 S:\CMO\2012 Council Agendas\M120926\S120926B.doc According to the LCHSS report, the current number of beds available in above housing categories described above is: Year-Seasonal round Emergency Housing 463 35 Transitional Housing 263 n/a Safe Haven Housing 27 n/a Permanent Supportive 261 Housing Homeless subpopulations include mentally ill, substance abuse, victims of domestic violence, unaccompanied youth under 18, chronically homeless, veterans, and families with and without children. Service providers typically focus on serving specific subpopulations rather than trying to provide services to all of the subpopulations. CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION As this is the first of two work sessions, no City Manager recommendation is proposed at this time. ATTACHMENTS A. Eugene/Springfield Lane County’s Homeless Service System, September 2012 B. One Night Homeless Count Highlights, 2011 and 2012 FOR MORE INFORMATION Staff Contact: Peggy Keppler Telephone: 541-682-2869 Staff E-Mail: peggy.a.keppler@ci.eugene.or.us Staff Contact: Joe Rizzi Telephone: 541-682-5664 Staff E-Mail: joseph.d.rizzi@ci.eugene.or.us S:\CMO\2012 Council Agendas\M120926\S120926B.doc Eugene/Springfield Lane County’sHomelessServiceSystem September 2012 Introduction Local non-profits provide shelter, housing, case management, and supportive social servicesto homeless singles, families and youth. Non-profits, government and faith based organizations partner to provide these critical community services. Our homeless service delivery system helps homeless people find stable housing, increase their skills and their income, and gain more control over the decisions that affect their lives. This document describes: Organizations that are providers and participate in the homeless service system Services are available to participants As you use this document, if you find program information that needs to be corrected or updated, please contactPearl Wolfe,Lane County Human Services CommissionHuman Services Supervisor, by email at Pearl.Wolfe@co.lane.or.us. Housing Inventory ofShelterandHousingProviders Background In January 2012, agencies were contacted for an annual update of the Continuum of Care Housing Inventoryto gather accurate information about their shelterand housing services and their participantpopulations. TypesofShelterandHousingProvidedintheEugene/Springfield Lane CountyHomelessServiceSystem The shelterand housing types provided in our communityinclude:emergency shelter, transitional shelter, safe haven, andan extreme weather shelterandpermanent supportive housing programs.In addition,we have access centersand street outreach services. A description of eachtype of housing is listed along with the housing inventory charts. 1. Emergency Shelter Emergency Shelter is oftenthe first stop for individuals, youth andfamilies entering the homeless service system. These -- shelters provide shortterm sheltergenerally up to 60days. Areashelter providers indicated emergency shelter stay policies rangefrom a maximum of 1-60days. Agencies identified as providing emergency shelter in the community are listed in the table below. Table1:Lane County AreaEmergencyShelterProviders Year-Beds HH Beds HH Total EMERGENCY AgencyProgramRound w/ w/o Seasonal SHELTER BedsChildrenChildrenBeds Catholic Community Eugene Family 222110 ServicesShelter Catholic Community Springfield Shelter6600 Services Motel Voucher Community Sharing Program Eugene Mission Inc.Eugene Mission380303500 Looking GlassStation 710 Brethren Housing ShelterCare 111010 (families) Family Housing ShelterCare1313 Program ***Egan Warming St. Vincent De Paul0000 Center Faith basedNight St. Vincent De Paul35 Shelter ***Womenspace Womenspace212010 Shelter 46310035335 1 Other Specialized Shelters Cold Weather Overflow Shelter Egan Warming Center In response to the extreme weather, St. Vincent de Paul’s isa coalition of community members representing service providers, religious congregations, nonprofit support agencies, social activist communitiesand local government who have come together to ensure that homeless people in Lane County have a warm and safeplace to sleep whentemperatures drop below 30 degrees between November 15th and March 31st. Domestic Violence Services Womenspace is the sole domestic violence facility in the area that providesemergency shelter to people experiencing homelessness due to domestic violence. 2. Transitional Housing Transitional housing facilitatesthe movement of homeless individuals and families to permanent housing. Homeless persons may live in transitional housing for up to 24 monthsand receive supportive services such as childcare, job training, and home furnishings that help them live more independently. The following table is a listing of transitional shelters in the area. Table 2: Lane CountyAreaTransitional Housing Providers Beds Beds TRANSITIONAL Total AgencyProgramHH w/ HH w/o Beds HOUSING ChildrenChildren Catholic Amazon Community 49454 Transitions Services Catholic McKenzie Community 46433 Transitions Services McKenzie Looking Glass 725 Transitions The Ladder Looking Glass 22 Program McKenzie ShelterCare 3030 Transitions The Inside ShelterCare 2424 Program GPD Homeless Sponsors 1010 Veterans St. Vincent De Connections 7272 PaulCoC St. Vincent De GPD VET LIFT 19316 PaulAVC-GPD GPD VET LIFT St. Vincent De AVC-GPD (Short 44 Paul -Term) 26319766 2 3PermanentHousingSupportiveHousing . - Permanent Supportive housing is for those in the community who have longterm physical or mental health needs and need housing in settings that include permanent housing for homeless persons with disabilities means community-based housing for homeless persons with disabilities that provides long-term housing and supportive services. The following table describes the availability of these permanent housingservices. Table 3: Lane County Area Permanent Supportive Housing Providers PERMANENT Beds Beds Year-Round SUPPORTIVE AgencyProgramHH w/ HH w/o Beds HOUSINGChildrenChildren HACSA( Housing and **Shelter Community Services Plus Care 731558 of LaneCounty)CoC VASH LC HACSAVASH 971780 Section 8 Emerald Looking Glass44 Options Emerald Mainstream Inc.231013 Options Emerald Oregon DHS 55 Options Housing Oregon DHS33 PLUS ***Shankle Safe Haven ShelterCare1111 (Scattered Site) Shankle Safe ShelterCare1616 Haven CoC St. Vincent De PaulLIFT CoC29218 VET LIFT 1 CoC St. Vincent De Paul1111 (includes expansion) St. Vincent De PaulVET LIFT 31129 St. Vincent De PaulVET LIFT 455 28865223 ***Safe Haven Specialized Permanent Housing Safe Havens -- Safe Havens are supportive housing units that serve hardtoreach homeless persons with severe mental illness and other debilitating behavioral conditions that are on the street and have been unable or unwilling to participate in housing or supportive services. Traditionally, safe havens are low barrier shelters with a participantpopulation that seeks shelter as needed.Currently, our community has one safe haven that is operated by the ShelterCarewhichis Safe Haven Shankle. 3 Shelter Plus Care The ShelterPlus Care Program provides rental assistance for hard-to-serve homeless persons with disabilities in connection with supportive services funded from sources outside the program. Shelter Plus Care (S+C) is a program designed to provide housing and supportive services on a long-term basis for homeless persons with disabilities, (primarily those with serious mental illness, chronic problems with alcohol and/or drugs, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or related diseases) and their families who are living in places not intended for human habitation (e.g., streets) or in emergency shelters. The program allows for a variety of housing choices, and a range of supportive services funded by other sources, in response to the needs of the hard-to-reach homeless population with disabilities. 4. Access Centers for people who are homeless Access Centers for Familieshelp to meetbasic needs by providing low-income, homeless or at risk of becoming homeless families (with children) emergency services, provisions, information and referral, and case management. Families receive anintake and needs assessment for all households;provide emergency assistance to include food, clothing, supplies etc. Telephone access, housing location, advocacy, mentoring, and employment assistanceand clothing vouchers are availableto all Center families who are homeless. Access Center for Youth:offerday shelter and employment skills and opportunities, including servicesto assist youthto accessmore intensive, supportive services. The Youth Access Center meet the community’s basic needs by providing youth withsafe, day shelter with access to services including basic needs, casemanagement, employment and community resources, laundry, phones, meals and computer, access. Access Centers for Singles:Provide singles homeless adults with emergency and basicneeds assistance to include food, clothing, laundry and shower facilities, prescription assistance, supplies, telephone and internet access, housing location, advocacy and transportation assistance. Table 4.Access Centers ACCESS CENTERSAgencyProgramPopulation CCS Catholic Community Singles and Community Servicesfamilies Service Center Community Cottage Grove Sharing Singles and Community Sharing, Community families Cottage Grove, OR Service Center Hosea Youth Hosea Youth Services Homeless youth Services Looking GlassNew RoadsHomeless youth Siuslaw Outreach Siuslaw Singles and Services, Florence, ORService Centerfamilies EugeneSingles adults St. Vincent De PaulService males and Stationfemales Homeless First Place families with Family Center children under 18 Whitebird Single males and White Bird ClinicWalk in females services 4 5. Street Outreach Services Street Outreach offers connections to essential services for people who are homelesswith everything from food, clothing and shelter; to medical care; substance abuse treatment; protection from sexual exploitation, victimization, disease and pregnancy; abuse/neglect services; housing; mental health services; and crisis counseling. offers assistance with everything from food, clothing and shelter; to medical care; substance abuse treatment; STREET AgencyProgram OUTREACH Population SERVICES HIV People at risk HIV Alliance Outreachfor HIV/AIDS Looking GlassNew RoadsHomeless youth Singleadult WhiteBird White Bird Clinicmales and Outreach females , disease and pregnancy; abuse/neglect services; housing; mental health services; and crisis counseling. 6. Homeless Management Information System HMIS The Lane County Human Services Commission manages the HMIS data collection software designed to capture information over time on the characteristics of persons experiencing homelessness. The data extracted from Lane County programs in the HMIS improves the ability of theContinuumof Care(CoC)to track program performance and client outcomes and make program and fiscal data-driven decisions. Lane County better serves homeless and at-risk people in our communityby determininghow to bestaddress the immediate and long-term needs of the homeless and at- riskpopulations in the community. Data helps to identify gaps in the CoC and tomonitor service delivery by tracking bed occupancy, homeless episodes, andthe success of programs measured by participants gaining access to housing, income, non-cash benefits, and treatment services. 5 2011OneNightHomelessCount HIGHLIGHTS Ϯ͕ϭϰϬƉĞŽƉůĞǁĞƌĞĐŽƵŶƚĞĚŝŶ>ĂŶĞŽƵŶƚLJĚƵƌŝŶŐƚŚĞϮϬϭϭKŶĞEŝŐŚƚ,ŽŵĞůĞƐƐŽƵŶƚ͗ Thisnumberincludeshomelesscommunitymemberswhowerecountedonthestreets,underbridges,inparks,at foodpantries,dayaccesscenters,churches,emergencyshelters,transitionalhousing,SafeHavensandotherlocations onJanuary26,2011.Approximately92staffandvolunteersfrom20organizationsincluding58programscounted homelesspeoplethisyear. Ofthe2,140peoplecounted: 1,406peoplewereunshelteredeitherbecausetheywereturnedawayduetoalackofshelteravailabilityor theywereotherwiseunabletoaccessshelter 338individualsaccessedTransitionalHousing 367individualsaccessedEmergencyHousing 29individualsaccessedSafeHavenHousing dŽƚĂů͗Ϯ͕ϭϰϬŝŶĚŝǀŝĚƵĂůƐĐŽƵŶƚĞĚŝŶϭ͕ϲϵϬŚŽƵƐĞŚŽůĚƐ ,ŝŐŚůŝŐŚƚƐŝŶĐůƵĚĞĚ͗ 190familyhouseholdswithchildrenconsistingof607people 254homelessveterans 633chronicallyhomelesspeople 159peoplelivinginpermanentsupportedhousing(notincludedinthe2,140count) 56peoplelivinginHomelessPreventionRapidReHousing(HPRP)(notincludedinthe2,140count) ,ŽŵĞůĞƐƐŶĞƐƐŽƵŶƚLJ&ƵŶĚĞĚ^ŽĐŝĂů^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ͗ 8,177householdsincluding10,708whowerehomelesssoughtsocialservicesthroughLaneCountyHuman ServicesCommissionfundedprogramsduringcalendaryear2010 897unduplicatedindividuals(4,544shelterbeds)wereservedattheEganWarmingCenterduring19nightsof extremeweatheratfivefaithbasedsitesduringthe20102011winterseason 1,850 homelessstudentsattendedpublicschoolinLaneCountyduringthe200910schoolyear(OregonDept.ofEd.) ŽƐƚŽĨ,ŽŵĞůĞƐƐŶĞƐƐ(updatedFall,2010LaneCountyHSC): HomelessnessaffectsallLaneCountyresidentsbecausepeoplewithoutshelterrequirecostlysupportservices: $312istheaveragecostofavisittotheSacredHeartHospitalEmergencyRoomatRiverBend $737istheaveragedailycostofcareattheJohnsonUnit,Sacred,ĞĂƌƚ͛Ɛacutepsychiatriccarefacility,where theaveragestayis6.5days $220isthedailycostofinpatientdetoxificationservicesatWillametteFamily,/ŶĐ͛ƐBuckleyCenter $134isthedailycostfor͞ŚŽƵƐŝŶŐ͟perinmatedayattheLaneCountyjail 2011HomelessnessHighlights 2,140peoplecounted(Unsheltered&Sheltered) • 1,406unshelteredpeople •  190homelessfamilies • 633chronicallyhomelesspeople • 254homelessveterans •  2012 One Night Homeless Count HIGHLIGHTS 651 people in 445 households were counted in Lane County during the 2012One Night Homeless Count (The shelter count). This number includes homeless community members who were counted in our local shelter and housing programs designated for people that are homeless including: emergency shelters, transitional housing and Safe Havens on January 25, 2012. Every other year, we include what’s known as the “street count” which includes counted on the streets, under bridges, in parks, at food pantries, day access centers and churches. The next Street Count will occur in 2013. Nine organizations including 23 programs participated in the count this year. Of the651shelteredpeople counted: 392 individuals accessed Emergency Housing 259 individuals accessed Transitional Housing Total: 651 individuals counted in 445 households Highlights included: 88 family households with children consisting of 285 people 347 households without children consisting of 358 people 78 homeless veterans Other Homeless subpopulations 69 Severely mentally ill 51 Chronic substance Abuse 79 Chronically homeless people 85 Victims of domestic violence 6 Unaccompanied youth under 18 Homelessness - County-Funded Social Services: 7,218 Individuals who were homeless sought social services through Lane County Human Services Commission funded programs July 2011- April 2012. 926 unduplicated individuals in 2,882 shelter beds were served at the Egan Warming Center during 15 nights of extreme weather at 10 faith-based sites. 2,285 homeless students attended public school in Lane County during the 2010-11 school year (Oregon Dept. of Ed.) Cost of Homelessness (updated fall, 2010 Lane County HSC): Homelessness affects all Lane County residents because people without shelter require costly support services: $312 is the average cost of a visit to the Sacred Heart Hospital Emergency Room at RiverBend $737 is the average daily cost of care at the Johnson Unit, Sacred Heart’s acute psychiatric care facility, where the average stay is 6.5 days $220 is the daily cost of in-patient detoxification services at Willamette Family, Inc’s Buckley Center $134 is the daily cost for “housing” per inmate day at the Lane County jail