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HomeMy WebLinkAbout; ; Quarterly Report - Reducing Homelessness - April 1 - June 30, 2022;QUARTERLY REPORT Reducing Homelessness {city of Carlsbad APRIL 1 -JUNE 30, 2022 During the fourth quarter of FY 2021-22, the City of Carlsbad achieved several important milestones towards its goal of reducing homelessness, which are detailed in this report. SUMMARY tttt tttt tttt ttt Transitioned to permanent housing City Council Goal Reduce the homeless unsheltered population, among those who want help, by 50% within five years. Provide quarterly reports for five years or until this goal is met, whichever comes first. 14 Shelter placements 324 U nduplicated contacts Police calls for service Hotel voucher IGH S 2,701 Encampment LEA U S Data by Quarter The table below shows how data compares between each quarter, along with year-to-date data. Staff adjusted some of the Ql and Q2 data to reflect additional information received since presenting the reports. The same individual may have received more than one service and are reflected under each service category that applies to them (for example, the same individual may have received both a hotel voucher and later placed into permanent housing). Ql Q2 Q3 Q4 YTD b Transitioned to permanent housing 23 15 12 12 62 [fil] Unduplicated contacts* 253 269 309 324 7 49 ' I , :£Jl: Police calls for service** 1,542 2,169 2,585 2, 701 7,455 ~-Shelter placements 111111111111'0.. Encampment cleanups ,....,... t People provided hotel vouchers t! Hotel voucher nights !!(" Shopping carts collected 28 29 39 14 110 10 7 16 17 50 N/A 5 17 15 37 N/A 8 41 46 95 N/A 37 48 17 102 *163 new individuals were contacted during Q4 that were not during Ql through Q3. The year-to-date total removes duplicate contacts. **Carlsbad Police went into the field for 2,701 calls for service in Q4, of which 1,359 calls were in response to a specific request or complaint and 1,342 were proactive department-initiated calls for service to help carry out city goals and enforce city codes. Reducing Homelessness 2 Q4 Report: April -June 2022 _________________________ _ Year in Review The fourth quarter marked the one-year milestone since the work plan was established. The graphic below provides a snapshot of some of the year-to-date data. YEAR IN REVIEW tttt tttt tttt tt+ Transitioned to permanent housing 110 Shelter placements 749 Unduplicated contacts Police calls for service Hotel voucher NIGH S Reducing Homelessness 7,455 Encampment L ANUPS Q4 Report: April -June 2022 ______________________ _ 3 FY 2021/22 Work Plan Progress Work plan tasks were identified to be accomplished over various stages during the fiscal year. All work plan tasks that were identified to be complete for Ql, Q2, Q3 and Q4 have been completed within the identified timeline and budget with the exception of the last four objectives listed under the enhancement of clinical services at La Posada Emergency Shelter.* Those are on track for completion in October 2022. Work Plan Timeline Employment and benefits specialist Progress on track Develop scope of work and budget for consultant services for a two-year contract Issue RFP for contract services Design program and informational materials Additional homeless outreach officers and social workers Progress on track Promote an additional sergeant to the Homeless Outreach Team Recruit for two new Homeless Outreach Team officers Create roles/responsibility and deployment model for enhanced Homeless Outreach Team Develop and provide necessary training for new Homeless Outreach Team members Identify metrics for data collection Partner with social workers from the County of San Diego's contracts with the North County Homeless Pilot Program and PATH Enhancing clinical services at La Posada Emergency Shelter Progress on track Develop scope of work for expanded consultant services to include two licensed clinicians and additional training for staff Research and analyze best practice emergency shelter programs Design new program rules, expectations and outcomes Develop a training schedule, courses, programs, and completion timeline Re-evaluate the program practices, as necessary Limited-term Stay Emergency Hotel Voucher Pilot Program Identify and partner with hotel/motel vendors Develop pilot program rules, policies, and expectations Train Homeless Outreach Team Officers and social workers Prepare public informational materials Develop and implement a tracking system to assess program efficacy Provide a report to the City Council (after first six months and following the 12-month program) to determine if the program should be continued and/or modified Develop and implement a contract with the Humane Society Reducing Homelessness Progress on track Ql Q2 Q3 Q4 Ql Q2 Q3 Q4 Ql Q2 Q3 Q4 Ql Q2 Q3 Q4 4 Q4 Report: April -June 2022 ___________________________ _ Work plan progress continued Community Resource Center services Progress on track Ql Q2 Q3 Q4 Contract with the Community Resource Center 0 Develop scope of work for services 0 Two-year contract with three, one-year extensions 0 Revise policies and procedures based on lessons learned from year one 0 Create a new Housing & Homeless Services Department Progress on track Ql Q2 Q3 Q4 Create new positions (director, housing services manager and management analyst) 0 Develop budget and purchase resources 0 Advertise, recruit, hire the new positions 0 La Posada de Guadalupe Facility Expansion Ql Q2 Q3 Q4 Work with Catholic Charities to pursue opportunities to expand the number of shelter beds 0 within the existing facility Work with Catholic Charities to pursue opportunities to expand the existing facility to 0 accommodate women and families Project Homekey funds Progress on track Ql Q2 Q3 Q4 Develop a list of potential projects that are eligible for Project Homekey funding and 0 develop a specific proposal for the City Council's consideration and direction. Pursue a Homekey funding application, if directed by the City Council 0 *Some tasks have changed or been eliminated based on City Council direction. Reducing Homelessness 5 Q4 Report: April -June 2022 ___________________________ _ Expenditures The City Council approved $6.8 million in general funds and one-time reserve funds to support the homeless goal during fiscal year 2021-22. A significant portion of the budget, $3.2 million, was initially allocated for an emergency shelter hotel voucher pilot program. Based on initial research and feedback, the City Council decided to pursue a different model, which is expected to require fewer resources. TOTAL BUDGET EXPENDITURES TO DATE $2,646,403 Spent to date SPENDING BY CATEGORY Portable toilets $22,831.16 Urban Corps $6,854,310 Total budget $4,207,907 Remaining (Encampment and trash cleanup) Hotel vouchers $12,781.16 ~ $88,540 Interfaith Community / / Services (Social workers) Police salaries - $1,674,211.47 Reducing Homelessness $261, 134.49 ~ Community Resource Center (Rapid rehousing, other housing assistance) $197, 146.66 Housing & Homeless Services salaries $389,758.25 Q4 Report: April -June 2022 _________________________ _ 6 Carlsbad's Homeless Population e ~v~d~San Diego County prior to becoming homeless ~-'~so/ ~ ~ /0 ...., .... Veterans 72% Male e e 87% White '' 13%B1ack (t) . ' . ' ' • • 100% Adult r l@ 38% Disability ,55%44+ ~ Point in Time Unsheltered data 160 152 140 Carlsbad began to manage 120 100 80 78 75 60 40 21 20 19 21 0 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2022 *The Point in Time Count did not take place in 2021 due to COVID-19 precautions. The City of Carlsbad took over the Point in Time Count from an outside organization starting in 2017. Reducing Homelessness Q4 Report: April -June 2022 ________________________ _ 7 Public Safety Homeless-related calls for service Carlsbad Police went into the field for 2,585 calls for service, which made up 10% of all activity between Jan. 1 to Mar. 31, 2022. Of those, 929 calls were in response to a specific request or complaint and 1,656 were proactive department-initiated calls for service to help carry out city goals and enforce city codes. Changes to the city's municipal code went into effect during November, therefore officers have been more proactive to educate and enforce restrictions such as camping in public, trespassing, and drinking in public parks. PERCENTAGE OF CALLS FOR HOMELESS-RELATED SERVICES 11% Related to homelessness HOMELESS-RELATED STATISTICS BY CATEGORY Citations Arrests Mental health holds *These are the statistics related to the homeless population compared to the general population in Carlsbad. Mental health holds refer to when a homeless individual experiencing a mental health crisis is hospitalized for 72-hour psychiatric care when they are evaluated to be a danger to themselves or others. Reducing Homelessness 8 Q4 Report: April -June 2022 ________________________ _ Percentage of all calls for services Ql Q2 Q3 Q4 ~ Homeless-related calls for services 9% 13% 10% 11% -Homeless-related arrests 17% 18% 16% 8% Ma n ~~~ Homeless-related citations 4% 16% 18% 19% Cf) Homeless-related mental health holds 20% 3% 9% 13% SERVICES This quarter 71% of people accepted some form of clinical intervention. This includes case management, assessment, care coordination, crisis intervention, program information, diversion and treatment planning. 71% Accepted services Reducing Homelessness Q4 Report: April -June 2022 _________________________ _ 9 The Homeless Outreach Team officers and contract social workers provide a lot of other services in addition to clinical services. Services accepted Q2 Q3 Q4 • Information only 328 394 306 J::• Emergency shelter referral 53 63 46 Bl Mail delivery 32 15 19 ~-· Transportation to services 31 17 21 ' I , il Police transportation 24 58 38 (t) Substance abuse treatment 17 21 1 m ID assistance 15 18 13 6 Permanent or bridge housing referral 13 21 6 ~ Benefits access (medical insurance, 12 18 10 CalFresh program, VA benefits, etc.) • Other (appointment coordination, 12 96 204 blankets, etc.) • Food assistance 11 6 8 14 Hospital transport 9 12 5 " Referrals to mental & physical health 8 17 2 care y Personal needs assistance (clothing, 5 25 5 phone, prescriptions, etc.) • • ff' Reunification travel assistance 5 15 1 TOTAL 575 796 685 Reducing Homelessness 10 Q4 Report: April -June 2022 _________________________ _ Quality of life In late September the City Council approved amendments to the city's municipal code to address public safety and quality-of-life concerns related to homelessness and public spaces. These new laws became effective Nov. 11, 2021. Changes addressed camping on public, private and open space property; obstruction of property, trespassing and disorderly conduct; and expanded the areas where open containers of alcohol are prohibited. As a part of establishing the amendments to the municipal code, the City Council approved a one-night Hotel Voucher Pilot Program to be able to enforce the no camping laws. Those who do participate will be connected to services the following morning through the Homeless Outreach Team. For those who do not want to participate in the emergency Hotel Voucher Pilot Program, the city will be able to enforce the no camping laws. The program was up and running in early November. From then through June 2022 households were issued for a total of 95 nights in a hotel and a total expenditure of $12,781.16. Of the 37 households assisted, 27 were able to move on to other shelter or housing. The city will continue to utilize the Hotel Voucher Pilot Program over the initial 12 months and report progress through quarterly updates to the City Council so adjustments can be made as needed. The City Council amendments provide police officers with adequate enforcement tools to ensure public safety and a decent quality of life for all people in Carlsbad. Police officers will continue to use their discretion to issue warnings, citations and misdemeanor arrests. City staff will track data to gauge how the team balances the need to build rapport with the homeless community while holding them accountable and enforcing city laws. Reducing Homelessness 11 Q4 Report: April -June 2022 ___________________________ _ Public Outreach The city recognizes homelessness is a top concern of the community and understands the importance of outreach and engagement. Below is an overview of some of the outreach efforts implemented from April 1 to June 30, 2022, to help keep the community informed and engaged about the city's efforts to reduce homelessness. 2 community focus groups 6 community newsletter updates Members of the Homeless Outreach Team and Housing & Homeless Services Department jointly hosted two focus groups to gather feedback from residents who have experienced homelessness to help update the city's Homeless Response Plan. Staff also responded to hundreds of phone calls and emails from individuals experiencing homelessness, business owners, social service providers and members of the public. Reducing Homelessness Q4 Report: April -June 2022 ___________________________ _ 12 Regional Partnerships The City of Carlsbad believes in addressing homelessness with compassion and fairness. Here is a current list of services created to help those experiencing homelessness as well as improve the quality of life of the community collectively. Services to help individuals experiencing homelessness: San Diego Humane Society The purpose of the San Diego Humane Society Contract is to provide individuals experiencing homelessness with a safe place to temporarily board their animal when they are not able to bring them to treatment facilities or services. Staff have found this has been a primary barrier preventing people from accessing services. The contract will provide short-term emergency boarding and emergency medical care for approximately 25 animals of persons experiencing homelessness -free of charge -so the individual could access care and resources. Rocket John portable restrooms and handwashing stations The Rocket John contract provided four portable restrooms and handwashing stations and routine cleaning and maintenance in the downtown Village. The city first added these public bathrooms back in 2017 to combat the Hepatitis A Crisis in the homeless community. With COVID-19, the city has added more restrooms and handwashing stations to promote health, sanitation and 24/7 access to clean water to individuals living unsheltered. One has been removed based on community concern, so three portable restrooms are currently being provided. Community Resource Center The city continues to partner with the Community Resource Center to operate the rapid rehousing contract. The contract provides case management, security deposit support, rental assistance, landlord advocacy and financial education. CRC enrolled 16 new clients to their program in Q4 and placed five households into permanent housing. They have also received a contract from the city to hire an employment and benefits specialist. This contract has been executed and they are in the process of filling the position. Interfaith Community Services Interfaith Community Services is the current outreach and case management contractor for the City of Carlsbad's Homeless Outreach Team. ICS provides two licensed or master's level clinicians and one part-time licensed program manager. They provide coverage throughout the week offering outreach and case management in the field to individuals experiencing homelessness in Carlsbad. The clinicians engage, assess, plan and refer individuals to resources like housing, medical care, public benefits, mental health, substance use treatment and basic needs. During Q4, Interfaith Community Services and the Homeless Outreach Team engaged with 260 unduplicated clients experiencing homelessness. North County Social Workers During the fiscal year the County of San Diego's North County Social Worker Pilot Program and a new County contract to provide behavioral health outreach through People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) began operating in Carlsbad. Both of these programs have two additional social workers providing outreach to people experiencing homelessness in the community. City staff work closely with these programs and Reducing Homelessness 13 Q4 Report: April -June 2022 ___________________________ _ facilitate a monthly case conferencing meeting to ensure all outreach efforts are effectively administered and coordinated, so that the most complex cases are prioritized and served. Urban Corps The City contracts with Urban Corps of San Diego for trash abatement, litter and encampment cleanup related to persons experiencing homelessness. Urban Corps works very closely with Public Works and the Homeless Outreach Team, and they are responsible for responding and triaging any incoming cleanup requests based on health and safety for homelessness on city property. The contractor has the capacity to request additional staff for large encampment cleanups or major city events. Additional collaborations The city collaborates with many stakeholders in the community to reduce homelessness. Homelessness impacts all aspects of a community, so it truly takes a village to solve it. MIRA.COSTA y c oLLEGE t,HlfOll" 1.-, DlrJtia.lJ,!ll'd 01 \tlHl...,PO .-.lti\l., Alliance for Regional Solutions !ANDl[~COIJIIT Connc-c-t•"I North '4wnty ~ CARLSBAD Et; tir/trr:u,s· ffi -,.,,,- atholic haritie GHIP ~, Tri-Gty Medical Center Reducing Homelessness MAKING IT HOME ' 0 R glon11I Task Force on Homele n ss NORTH COUNTY TRANSIT DISTRICT Q4 Report: April -June 2022 ___________________________ _ 14 Success stories Each quarter, staff will include one or more success stories of real people who were connected to community services as a result of the city's homeless response efforts. These are their stories, which they have given the city permission to share. Their names have been changed to protect their confidentiality. Meet William Male, age: 60 Years homeless: 32 years, 10 months Permanently housed: April 2022 William lived outside and in his car for decades after a tragic incident left him partially blind and with only disability income to live on. He was connected to the Homeless Outreach Team, Community Resource Center, City of Carlsbad Housing Navigation and People Assisting the Homeless when he received an Emergency Housing Voucher through the County of San Diego. After months of trying to locate a unit in Oceanside to be close to his school, he found a place in Carlsbad where he moved to in April. He's building a community there and continuing his studies at a local college. What worked • Homeless Outreach Team worked with William, checking in with him and connecting him to local resources. They provided a motel voucher immediately prior to his move-in to help him stabilize and gather his paperwork to make the transition to housing. • The Housing Navigator helped him move his Emergency Housing Voucher back to the County of San Diego and then to Carlsbad Housing Agency to subsidize his rent. Together they looked for units and finally found one locally in a senior complex. • Through the city's Rapid Re-housing contract with the Community Resource Center, William got help with his first month's rent, security deposit and stabilization support along with some household items to help him settle in his new home. William is adjusting to his new life and grateful to be inside. Reducing Homelessness 15 Q4 Report: April -June 2022 ___________________________ _ The Silva Family Single mother with children ages 1-11 Years homeless: 1 Placed in motel program: May 2022 Patrol officers first encountered Daniella and her four children, ages 11, 3, 2, 1 at the beginning May 2022. Daniella spoke little English, had no money and was fleeing from a very violent home environment. They arrived from up North and routinely moved around living out of her vehicle. The patrol officers referred the family to the Homeless Outreach Team and Interfaith Clinicians. They started to help the family by providing them three nights housing with the emergency hotel voucher program. They also provided gift cards for gas, food, and clothing as they had almost nothing. Interfaith Clinicians worked with the Crisis House who stepped in and provided housing with a motel voucher program in a neighboring city. The Crisis House also provides case management and bridges families into housing. The family is working with the Crisis House to establish a safe and permanent solution. What worked • The Limited Stay Motel Voucher Pilot Program provided immediate shelter to a family of five. • Flexible Funding allowed the family to receive gas, food, and clothing gift cards to meet their basic needs. • Our Homeless Outreach Team and the Interfaith Clinicians remained committed to the family and leveraged resources dedicated to domestic violence. Reducing Homelessness Q4 Report: April -June 2022 _________________________ _ 16 Overcoming challenges Staff have experienced some challenges around the implementation of the City Council's goal to reduce the homeless unsheltered population, among those who want help, by 50% within five years. Some of these include: Multiple service providers Carlsbad is fortunate to have multiple service providers now operating programs within the city. As the city and county continue to add more programs, it will be critical for all agencies to continue to meet regularly to ensure outreach efforts are being effectively administered and coordinated to ensure the most vulnerable individuals are being prioritized and served. During Q4, city staff continued to facilitate case conferencing with the service providers in the City of Carlsbad who are working with those experiencing homelessness. This is a recurring monthly meeting that includes training, case conferencing and resource coordination. Data collection Staff continue to look at additional ways to refine the city's data collection to allow for more real-time information. All agencies providing homeless services in Carlsbad have now agreed to share data with the City of Carlsbad. Access to this additional data will allow for future reporting on the monthly inflow and outflow of all programs serving individuals experiencing homelessness in Carlsbad. With this additional data, city staff will continue to work to develop better metrics to measure progress towards the City Council's goal. Limited housing resources There is a limited number of emergency shelter and permanent supportive housing resources in North County and San Diego. Staff vacancies There has been transitions and position vacancies on the Housing & Homeless Services Department, Homeless Outreach Team and social worker team. These vacancies have caused an increase in workload on the team. New programs have been slower to implement due to these limitations. However, we remain on track with implementing the work plan. Reducing Homelessness Q4 Report: April -June 2022 ___________________________ _ 17 Upcoming work City staff have several projects on the horizon: • Staff will propose an updated work program, as part of the City Council five-year strategic plan currently being developed, and an updated Homeless Response Plan . City staff will return to the City Council with a new work program after City Council direction is received on both the Strategic Plan and the Homeless Response Plan Update. • Community Resource Center is expected to launch the Employment and Benefit Specialist program in the first quarter of FY 2022-23. • Catholic Charities will be adding 2 new clinicians at the La Posada de Guadalupe Homeless Shelter and staff will be receiving training and technical assistance from OrgCode Consulting Inc. Reducing Homelessness Q4 Report: April -June 2022 ___________________________ _ 18