REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Study Session to Report on the Work of the City of Santa Clara Homelessness Taskforce and to Gather Feedback on a Draft Framework of the City’s Homelessness Response Plan
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Promote and Enhance Economic, Housing and Transportation Development
BACKGROUND
At the November 16, 2021 Council meeting, the City Council directed staff to form an Ad Hoc Homelessness Taskforce and to engage a consultant, Homebase, to manage the Taskforce process. The intended purpose of the Taskforce was to allow community residents and stakeholders to identify and recommend potential strategies for the City to pursue to address the needs of Santa Clara’s unhoused population, which in turn would be incorporated into a City Homelessness Response Plan. On December 6, 2021, the City Council approved an agreement with Homebase to assist the City with the Taskforce process and the preparation of the City Homelessness Response Plan.
In the spring of 2022, staff worked with Homebase to administer the selection of the Taskforce membership. Eight members were selected from a pool of over 130 applications, including one representative for each Council District and two 'at-large' members. Taskforce members represented a diverse set of backgrounds, including members who have experienced housing instability and members who have lived experience of homelessness as well as a mix of homeowners, renters, students, and people who work within the City.
Five local agencies were affiliated with the Taskforce and advised through the process. These agencies included the Bill Wilson Center, Abode Services, HomeFirst, Destination: HOME and the County Office of Supportive Housing.
The task force met virtually once a month for six months, beginning on April 28, 2022 and ending on October 27, 2022. All six meetings were live streamed for public viewing. Meeting recordings, agendas, and slide presentations are posted on the City’s webpage at www.santaclaraca.gov/htf <http://www.santaclaraca.gov/htf>.
During this period, Homebase conducted additional outreach that included research and data gathering, focus groups with service providers and City staff, twelve interviews with people with lived experience of homelessness, a virtual community forum with over 70 participants, a survey of the business community with over 270 responses, and public comments in the Taskforce meetings and via email.
Homelessness Data
Normally, every two years, the County, in partnership with local jurisdictions, conducts a census of the County’s homeless population, referred to as the “Point in Time” Census. 2021 would have been a census year, but it was delayed to 2022 due to COVID-19 concerns. Initial results of the 2022 Point in Time Census were released just prior to the final Taskforce meeting and shared with the Taskforce.
The 2019 Point in Time Census counted 326 unhoused people in the City of Santa Clara, of which 264 were unsheltered. In 2022, that number increased to 440 persons with 375 persons unsheltered. During this period, the census counted a 35% increase in the City of Santa Clara’s unsheltered population, but only a 3% increase countywide.
Santa Clara County’s Office of Supportive Housing recently shared data on unhoused individuals and households that were “affiliated” with the City of Santa Clara in 2021. Affiliated means clients who took the VI-SPDAT assessment survey or had an enrollment through an emergency shelter, transitional housing, or through outreach in 2021. Affiliation is based on current or prior residence before a person becomes homeless, location of school or workplace, or where someone spends most of their time. This data is summarized below:
• 769 homeless individuals were “affiliated” with the City of Santa Clara in 2021.
• Special Needs Populations (November 2021)
o 435 homeless clients have a self-reported disabling condition
o 384 homeless clients are chronically homeless
o 264 homeless clients with self-reported domestic violence background
o 82 homeless clients who self-reported fleeing domestic violence
o 43 homeless clients who are veterans
• Household Types (November 2021)
o 520 Single Adults
o 137 Households with Children
o 19 Household without Children
o 10 Single Child
• Housing Inventory Count in Santa Clara (November 2021):
o 453 total units/beds
§ 10 emergency shelter beds
§ 65 transitional housing units
§ 151 rapid rehousing units
§ 101 permanent supportive housing units
§ 126 other permanent housing units
DISCUSSION
The goals for this study session are:
1) To provide background information on homelessness in Santa Clara.
2) To summarize the community input received from the Taskforce and the other outreach conducted over the past year regarding needs and service gaps. A summary of this feedback is included with this report as Attachment 1.
3) To present a draft framework of the City’s Homelessness Response Plan. Based on the information and feedback provided through the Taskforce process, Homebase drafted a framework that identifies priority areas and strategies. See Attachment 2 for the full draft framework. The draft framework was presented to the Taskforce and posted on the City’s webpage for a 30-day comment period in November 2022. See Attachment 3 for the full set of comments received on the draft framework.
4) To review next steps and potential actions in early 2023.
5) Gather City Council feedback.
Community Input on Homelessness in Santa Clara
Attachment 1 identifies all of the feedback provided to the City through the Taskforce process and associated community engagement. The feedback is organized under common headings, presented as three strategy areas:
• Address the root causes of homelessness through system and policy change
• Expand homelessness prevention and housing programs to meet the need
• Improve quality of life for unsheltered individuals and create healthy neighborhoods for all
Under each of these strategies, the input is further organized into theme areas. The source of each input is also identified.
Homelessness Response Plan Draft Framework - Priority Areas
The draft framework includes the following six priority areas:
• Priority Area 1: Conduct proactive street outreach with the goal of
assessing people for supportive housing
• Priority Area 2: Address basic needs of people living outside,
including shelter, health, and hygiene
• Priority Area 3: Build community understanding of the causes,
needs, and experience of homelessness
• Priority Area 4: Reduce the impacts of unsheltered homelessness
throughout the community
• Priority Area 5: Create broad based support for interim housing and
permanent supportive housing as well as Extremely Low Income
(ELI) housing development across the City
• Priority Area 6: Prevent homelessness for City residents at-risk
Community Input on the Draft Framework
The City received a variety of public comments that touched on the following themes:
1. Research what works in other cities and find partners like Valley Water
2. Make the plan more accessible in terms of language and readability
3. Target specific populations such as youth and older adults
4. Set specific targets, time frame, cost, funding, responsibility
5. Emphasize affordable/market rate housing development
6. Emphasize prevention and renter protections
7. Emphasize mental health (including substance use)
8. Conduct proactive street outreach, connection to services
9. Administer a Safe parking program
10. Remove impact fees to increase the supply of market rate housing
11. Restrict where people can live outside
12. Increase police & enforcement
Next Steps and Potential Action Items
Staff are working on several actions as part of the City’s homelessness response. These include the following:
1. Homelessness Response Plan
The next step for the City will be to complete the City’s Homelessness Response Plan. Input from this study session will provide direction to staff and Homebase to prepare a final draft of the City’s Homelessness Response Plan. Staff intends to bring the full plan back to City Council in late spring.
2. American Rescue Act Program Plan
Feedback from this study session will also be used by staff to prepare a separate HOME American Rescue Act Program (ARP) plan. The ARP is required by HUD to obtain $1.6M in one-time federal funding for homelessness prevention and response services. This funding must serve four qualifying subpopulations: 1) Homeless as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Act; 2) At-risk of homelessness; 3) Fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence; and 4) Veterans and families that include Veterans. Staff will work with Homebase to complete the ARP and submit it to HUD before the deadline of March 31, 2023.
3. California Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PHLA) Disbursements
On January 10, 2023, the City Council will also consider allocating PHLA dollars to a specific affordable housing project and updating the City’s plan so a portion of future PHLA funds can be used for assisting persons who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including, but not limited to, providing rapid rehousing, rental assistance, supportive/case management services that allow people to obtain and retain housing, operating and capital costs for navigation centers and emergency shelters, and the new construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of permanent and transitional housing.
4. Homekey Project
In early 2023, staff intends to conduct analysis and community outreach on a potential interim housing site and the feasibility of a possible co-application to the state Homekey program in spring 2023.
5. California Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF)
On December 1, 2022 the State published a Notice of Funding Availability for a program that funds person-centered local proposals that resolve the experience of unsheltered homelessness for people residing in encampments. The program is meant to address the safety and wellness of people within encampments, resolve critical encampment concerns, and transition individuals into interim shelter with clear pathways to permanent housing or directly into permanent housing. This is a competitive grant program and staff is evaluating this opportunity.
6. Proactive Street Outreach
Stakeholder feedback indicates that proactive outreach is a clear first step. If the City Council provides direction, staff can work concurrently on the procurement of a one-year contract for consistent and proactive homelessness street outreach. This service would supplement the Police Department’s outreach with the aim of building relationships to increase the likelihood that unhoused residents will agree to housing assessments for supportive housing and to take advantage of services. Unhoused residents cannot access supportive housing unless they are assessed.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The purchase of supplies does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental organizational policy making or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
While there are no costs to present the information in this report other than staff and administrative time, costs could be incurred depending on the recommendations or direction provided by Council in this Study Session to bring back proposals for funding consideration.
COORDINATION
This report was coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office and City Manager’s Office
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> .
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
The purpose of this report is to support a Study Session on this topic and to receive input from the City Council on the development of the City’s Homelessness Response Plan. Possible next steps for Council consideration are discussed in the report.
Staff
Reviewed by: Andrew Crabtree, Community Development Director
Approved by: Rajeev Batra, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Feedback Summary (April-October 2022)
2. City of Santa Clara Homelessness Response Plan Draft Framework
3. Public Comments on Draft Framework (November 2022)