11-19-2002 CC RPT 35 - Laserfiche WebLink

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· ~" .... l{iverside CITY OF RIVERSIDE People Serving People HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL SUBJECT: HOMELESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATE DATE:November 19, 2002 ITEM NO: 3.5 BACKGROUND: On October 23, 2001, the City Council approved the formation of the Homeless Advisory Committee. The charge of the Committee was to provide advice, guidance, and recommendations to the Mayor and City Council in order to achieve a greater level of effectiveness and programming to address the City's homeless situation. The Committee consists of leaders from government agencies, community groups, business associations, homeless providers, as well as representatives of the faith-based community. The Committee presented a report to Council that outlined ten recommendations to address the issues of homeless in the City of Riverside. All ten recommendations were in line with the components of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care Plan. The Plan is a planning model developed by HUD to provide a balance of emergency, transition, and permanent housing and social service resources to respond to the different needs of homeless individuals and families. The Committee has spent the last year identifying the gaps in the City's system, educating themselves regarding the different needs of the homeless, identifying partners, and potential funding sources needed to implement a complete continuum of care system. The Committee has also discussed public feeding ordinances being proposed for the Cities of Santa Monica and Pomona. Several months ago, a faith-based subcommittee was formed to deal with the issues surrounding the feedings in public parks and other public areas throughout the City. The subcommittee consists of representatives from various churches in the area that feed in the parks and other public and non-public locations throughout the city. The subcommittee has discussed the issue of "Outdoor vs. Indoor" meal venues. They do agree that Indoor venues offer more control over trash disposal and help ensure safe and legal cooking procedures. The subcommittee would like to continue to work on creating an inventory of the faith-based organizations that provide meals, in hopes of coordinating their services to ensure a seven-day a week meal program without duplication. It has been suggested that those organizations currently feeding in the parks and other public places consider partnering with other organizations that have adequate (non-public) sites for preparing and serving food. CURRENTISSUES: According to local service providers, the homeless population in the City of Riverside is increasing. There are homeless individuals and families sleeping in parks, in their cars, and the river bottoms throughout the city. A system needs to be in place which mandates that people be proactive and serious about addressing their needs. A system that includes all the components mentioned in a Continuum of Care plan with high emphasis on case management. All of the necessary components of a successful process have been identified. What is now needed is an "action plan" that identifies the responsible parties, timeframes for implementation, and funding sources needed to enable the City to move towards the twin goals of preventing and ending long-term homelessness. 35-1