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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09282010 HOMELESS UPDATE^ i 9/28/2010 Purpose of this Presentation • To respond to Council's request for public input regarding ways to enhance resources to address homelessness • To provide options for consideration • To provide for dialogue and understanding ~ , 1 9/28/2010 Background • Many people in and outside of city government are already working hard to help the homeless and to end homelessness. I've provided a handout listing activities and programs that are or shortly will be operating. • You adopted a Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness in 200~ • Our city is partnering internally with churches and non- profits; and externally with our neighboring localities, to make progress • In the current budget there is significant funding allocated for the replacement of the Lighthouse center and for many of the activities listed on the handout. Our Approach to the Issue • We understood that Council wanted input from those who are involved and knowledgeable • We understood that an increase of resources would most likely be one-time • We understood that reasonably guick turn-around was desired. • We wanted to provide a"menu" of choices so that Council had the opportunity to choose more than one option • We were looking to identif~ ~a~s that aren't or cant programs „ t Who We I nvolved • Michael Knockett Family: Letter sent to attorney Mr. LaMondue on Friday 9/io (no response as of Thursday 9/23) • BEACH - the Faith, non-profit and city partnership • VBHARP - the Virginia Beach Homeless Advocacy and Resource Partnership, which consists of agencies serving the homeless and receiving funds as part of our continuum of care. • OEC - the RAC/Oceanfront Enhancement Committee •"Hope in the Upper Room" - which consists of currently homeless persons working on improvement initiatives • Homeless persons at the Lighthouse Center and Judeo Christian Outreach Center How We Came to Recommendations • All the ideas from the groups we consulted were consolidated into a list of short, medium and long-term actions • We convened a meeting of the Planning committee of the BEACH Partnership • They added new items to the list • They voted using "dot" voting to indicate priorities within each grouping • The following pages show the short, medium and long- term items and the relative priorities that the group voted • Staff reviewed the group voting and identified recommendations for vour consideration 9/28/2010 3 ! ShOt"t terC11 ltetl'1S ~ Funding for medical, 76% Specific uses would be dental, pharmaceutical recommended by the assistance, committee overseeing the identification, donation meter program. transportation and daily living supplies Homelessness 18% This is probably more Prevention for People appropriately a medium- aging out of Foster Care term program Move-in packages for s% hometess persons moving into permanent housing Itcm in gree~ ~.~as the top priorit} Yrom the ~~oting Medium term items Pilot Program for 33% Summer shelter Lengthen winter shelter 10% program Medical Assistance 35% Funding Employment Assistance 7% Housing Assistance 13% Item in green was the top prioriTy from the voting 9/2s/zoio 4 ~ 9 Lon~-term Items Fund a new efficiency apartment 4% These items are not mutually project in VB - like Cloverleaf exclusive. Finding land for facilities Fund a regional "Healing Place" 15% that serve the homeless is the most for substance abuse recovery difficult part of our work; therefore and treatment action to identify and secure land was Endow enhanced services at the 7% the top priority. new Lighthouse Center The "Healing Place", that would Close the funding gap for the 4% provide shelter, transitional housing Lighthouse and peer-based counseling and Build a shelter facility 4% recovery services for those with Make land available for a shelter 31% substance abuse problems is a project and other facilities to assist already in progress that will need a ending homelessness site. Through the regional task force, Establish a"land trusY' to obtain 38% a business plan is being developed and make land available for housing and shelter facilities and various other aspects are being worked on. Staff Recommendations Funding for basic living $25,000 This wuld help people in significant ways assistance, including within a few months. Funding would be added medical, dental, to the "Donation Meter" fund and allocated Pharmaceutical based on recommendations of a stakeholder assistance, identification, group at the oceanfront. Grants would be made transportation and daily based on proposals received from providers. living supplies Medical Assistance $50,000 This has been identified as a severe and Funding significant need - everything from housing for people recovering from surgery, to transportation to appointments, to basic medical supplies. This would be development of a program beyond the short term funding. Provide funding and staff 5100,000 Funding for ongoing required program planning and to support to support the location identify and secure a location would accelerate the of a site and establishment of a Healing Place project and increase its likelihood of success. ~ Next Steps • Your questions and comments • Council provides direction to the City Manager • Staff prepares an ordinance based on that direction for vote on October 12 ; ~--~.. _. -: . , . _ _: ,. . . . _ k~ , Y . ,~:._-~ __i~ .:r4s , . ..!".? _ . :i+;~~ , ~ 9/28/2010 6 South Bat~ Efficienc~- Apartments for the Homeless - Under construction in Portsmouth, and also supported b}' Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake! How people with housing crises get housed and stay housed in Virginia Beach. September, 2010 Note: The City of Virginia Beach supports or has supported all except two of these programs at various levels and in various ways. Programs and Projects which are Currently Operational: - Samaritan House provides emergency shelter and transitional housing for homeless families and victims of domestic violence (130 beds total). - 7udeo Christian Outreach provides 50 shelter beds for homeless adults - The Va. Beach Community Development Corp. (VBCDC) provides • 30 units with 104 beds of transitional housing (TH) for homeless families • 7 beds of TH for single homeless adults. • 30+ units of permanent housing for homeless families • 8 beds of emergency shelter for homeless families with children - Community Alternatives Management Group provides • 138 beds of permanent supportive housing (PSH) to homeless singles with disabling conditions • 4 units of PSH serving formerly homeless families with children. • 3 units of transitional housing to homeless families and • 5 beds for singles - Vetshouse provides transitional housing for homeless veterans (20 beds) - Seton Youth Shelters provides emergency housing for young homeless persons and runaways (21 beds) - Virginia Supportive Housing provides - 42 units of permanent housing for previously homeless single adults from Virginia Beach at Cloverleaf Apartments. - 12 units of permanent housing at Gosnold Apartments. - The Dragas grant for homeless families helps several families each month either avoid homelessness or obtain housing by providing financial assistance for back rent, utilities and/or upcoming rent. - The Federal stimulus grant entitled Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing or ~~HPRP" helps several households each month either avoid homelessness or obtain housing through financial assistance - The Planning Council operates a program with funding from DHNP that provides households with a financial crisis one-time temporary assistance. - DHNP provides ~~rental security deposit" funds to households to assist them in being able to move into affordable rental housing. How pE~ople with housing crises get housed and stay housed in Virginia Beach. September, 2010 - Every vvinter from mid-October through mid-April, Volunteers of Ameri~:a in partnership with area faith organizations provides shelter at houses of worship around the city, with operational and stafF costs f~anded by DHNP. - DHNP administers vouchers for 35 formerly homeless veterans who are permanently housed through a Federal Veterans Administration suppor~:ive housing or "VASH" grant. - Holy Spirit Catholic Church provides 1 unit of TH for up to 3 single homeless adult females with MH/SA case management support The following agencies provide shelter and assistance programs without direct city support: - Love and Caring Ministries provides 17 beds of emergency shelter to single mothers with children - PIN Miinistry provides 5 units of transitional housing for homeless familie~~ and singles Programs aind Projects to be Available Soon -)udeo Christian Outreach has a project under construction that will providE~ 22 homeless persons, including veterans, with transitional housinc~ - DHNP has received an additional 25 vouchers to make housing affordable for 25 additional previously homeless veterans under the VASH ~~rogram - DHNP has received and will shortly begin making available 6 vouchers for individuals receiving care from the Dept. of Human services - Virginia Supportive Housing will open South Bay apartments in Portsm~uth this winter, providing a total of 60 new units of permanent housinc~ for the homeless, with 6 units for people from Virginia Beach