DATE: October 22, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Jean M. Rousseau, County Administrative Officer
SUBJECT: Street2Home Fresno County and Resolution to Coordinate
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Review and approve the founding structure of Street2Home Fresno County, which will serve as the countywide collective impact initiative maintaining focus on the adopted Homelessness Priorities; and if a structure is approved,
2. Adopt Resolution agreeing to:
a. Coordinate with the designated incorporated city representatives, the Fresno-Madera Continuum of Care, and the Fresno Housing Authority to focus on the development of homelessness reduction strategies that include prevention, housing, victim and diversion services through Street2Home Fresno County; and,
b. Where possible, coordinate with the City of Fresno, the Fresno-Madera Continuum of Care, and the Fresno Housing Authority to develop aligned spending plans that support a continuum of services.
REPORT
Approval of the first recommended action will provide your Board’s approval to establish the structure of the Street2Home Fresno County (S2H) as a collective impact initiative. S2H will review and address the causes of homelessness and spearhead the development of affordable housing strategies. The Fresno City Council, Fresno Housing Authority (FHA), and Fresno Madera-Continuum of Care (FMCoC) will similarly place an item on their respective agendas to review and approve the structure; once the four entities approve, S2H will be established. Representatives from rural incorporated cities reviewed the proposed structure.
Approval of the second recommended action will commit the County to coordinate with the City of Fresno, FMCoC, and FHA to align, where possible, spending plans that support a continuum of services. Coordinated spending plans and their related applications would be presented to your Board (Fresno City Council, FMCoC, and/or the FHA), when the County is the submitting agency, for review and approval. Additionally, the County would agree to develop prevention, housing, victim and diversion strategies through S2H utilizing the adopted Homelessness Priorities as the basis to address homelessness countywide. These strategies would be reviewed and approved by each coordinating entity.
This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board may propose a revision to the founding structure of S2H and/or the resolution. However, coordination between the County, City of Fresno, FMCoC, and FHA is integral to the development of prevention strategies, maintaining the most effective continuum of services for individuals experiencing homelessness, and to be well-positioned to receive additional public funding and attract additional private funding.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. County Administrative Office and City staff would initially provide support to S2H as part of the assignment to homelessness matters. Coordinated spending plans (which may include one-time state funding opportunities, grant funding or allocations, and private grants) and their related applications would be brought before your Board, when the County is the submitting agency, for review and approval. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are budgeted for staff time in the County Administrative Office Org 0120 FY 2019-20 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
On November 6, 2018, the Board directed the County Administrative Officer and designated Supervisor Nathan Magsig to participate as members of the S2H Planning Committee to work toward the development of a comprehensive plan to address homelessness, with input from the Directors of the Departments of Behavioral Health, Public Health, and Social Services.
Street2Home (S2H)
The S2H Planning Committee was formed following the receipt of the report entitled “A Framework for Action” authored by Barbara Poppe and Associates in which she recommends proven strategies to reduce homelessness that include the launch of a new collective impact initiative. The Committee includes City of Fresno representatives, the County Administrative Officer, Supervisor Magsig, Department of Behavioral Health Director, Department of Social Services Director, FHA Executive Director, and FMCoC Chair. The Committee proposes that the S2H, see Attachment A, serve as the countywide collective impact initiative focusing on the adopted countywide homelessness priorities.
S2H would spearhead the development of affordable housing and homelessness prevention strategies, while coordinating the separately adopted but aligned spending plans, marketing, fund development, and communications. In addition, S2H would review issues impacting communities as a result of increased homelessness (community safety, encampment clean-up, disease prevention, sanitation, trash, etc.) and impacting people experiencing homelessness (connection to services, service provider availability, housing, supportive housing, substance abuse services, access to health care, etc.). S2H will establish subcommittees as appropriate.
The founding structure of S2H would include representation as noted below with the understanding that these representatives not only represent but are also the voice of their originating agency(s):
1. Fresno County Board of Supervisors member;
2. Mayor of the City of Fresno;
3. Fresno City Council member;
4. Madera County Board of Supervisors member;
5. Fresno County Superintendent of Schools or designee;
6. Fresno Madera Continuum of Care Chair;
7. Fresno Housing Authority Executive Director; and,
8. Fresno County rural city representative (other than the Cities of Fresno and Clovis) designated by Fresno County Council of Governments.
In addition, the following would be selected by the foregoing:
9. A representative of philanthropy;
10. A representative of corporate/business/developer; and,
11. A representative of the hospital system.
The S2H will initially be supported by County of Fresno and City of Fresno administrative staff and will have a data/community engagement component. In addition, an honorary committee including elected local, State, and Federal representatives; a community service organization committee; and an education committee may serve in advisory capacities.
As your Board reviews and approves the structure, the Fresno City Council, FHA, and FMCoC will similarly place an item on their respective agendas to review and approve the structure; once the four entities approve, S2H will be established.
From January through July 2019, County staff met with the Fresno County Council of Governments and incorporated cities. Using the input provided by city representatives and County designated departments, a list of priorities was created to strategically address homelessness countywide. On June 4, 2019, the Board unanimously adopted Resolution No. 19-236, establishing the Homelessness Priorities for Calendar Year 2019, see Attachment B. During the months of June and July 2019, the 15 incorporated cities adopted resolutions, on file with the Clerk of the Board, in support of the priorities.
Coordination
The proposed resolution will commit the County to coordinate with the City of Fresno, FMCoC, and FHA to align, where possible (spending requirements are not predetermined), to develop aligned spending plans that support a continuum of services, rather than a siloed approach. The coordination would include the development of homelessness strategies that include homelessness prevention, housing, victim and diversion services through S2H utilizing the adopted Homelessness Priorities as the basis to address homelessness countywide. Resulting strategies would be reviewed and approved by each coordinating entity. The main goal is to address homelessness related issues in solidarity rather than by jurisdiction, with prevention strategies at the center.
In FY 2018-19, the Department of Behavioral Health was awarded California Department of Health Care Services Homeless Mentally Ill Outreach and Treatment Program one-time funding for local activities involving individuals living with a serious mental illness who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless. This flexible allocation allowed for coordination of expanded outreach services in the County.
In 2018, the State of California issued Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) grant funds for Continuums of Care and 11 cities in the State. In FY 2018-19, the Board approved a resolution allowing the Department of Social Services to serve as the Administrative Entity for the FMCoC’s HEAP and California Department of Housing and Community Development’s California Emergency Solutions and Housing awards. In FY 2018-19, the City of Fresno also received a funding allocation for the HEAP. These flexible funding allocations could have allowed an opportunity for the recipients to coordinate an efficient joint plan for a seamless continuum of homeless services in the jurisdiction of Fresno and Madera counties.
With your Board’s approval, the County will be closer to establishing an efficient coordinated effort utilizing the adopted Homelessness Priorities as the basis to address homelessness countywide.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The Fresno City Council, Fresno-Madera Continuum of Care, and the Fresno Housing Authority will consider the proposed founding S2H structure and similar resolutions during the months of October and November 2019.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #8, June 4, 2019
BAI #8, December 4, 2018
BAI #5, November 6, 2018
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Attachment A
Attachment B
Resolution
On file with Clerk - City Resolutions
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa