ten year plan commission - yolo county housing ten year plan minutes packet.pdf · ten year plan...

TEN YEAR PLAN COMMISSION

April 19, 2017

MINUTES

The Ten Year Plan Commission met on the 19th day of April, 2017, in regular session in itsChambers in the Erwin W. Meier Administration Building, 625 Court Street, Woodland,California at 4:30 p.m.

Present: Will Arnold Mark Johannessen Pierre Neu Matt Rexroad Angel Barajas Doug Zeck

Staff Present: Julie Dachtler, Clerk Lisa Baker, Staff

4:30 P.M. CALL TO ORDER

1. Consider approval of the agenda.

Minute Order No. 17-01: Approved agenda as submitted. MOTION: Arnold. SECOND: Barajas. AYES: Arnold, Barajas,Johannessen, Neu, Rexroad, Zeck.

2. Public Comment: Opportunity for members of the public to address the Ten YearPlan Commission on subjects relating to Ten Year Plan business. The Boardreserves the right to impose a reasonable limit on time afforded to any topic orto any individual speaker.

There was no public comment.

CONSENT AGENDA

Minute Order No. 17-02: Approved Consent Agenda Item No. 3.

MOTION: Barajas. SECOND: Zeck. AYES: Arnold, Barajas, Johannessen,Neu, Rexroad, Zeck.

3. Review and Approve Minutes of the Meeting of September 14, 2016

Approved the minutes of September 14, 2016 on Consent.

REGULAR AGENDA

4. Verbal Report: Davis Continuum "Pathways Davis" including Pathways toEmployment and bridge housing assistance with case management (City ofDavis)

Lisa addressed the Commissioners providing a verbal report on the DavisContinuum "Pathways Davis" including Pathways to Employment andbridge housing assistance with case management. She noted that the Cityof Davis approved the contract already and they are on track forimplementation. She explained the three main components and explainedthat funding for this project comes out of the Davis Regional Initiative forHomelessness, so this is one of the first of the Sutter Regional Projects tomove forward. The real issue is the lack of housing for this population,which leads to extra pressure on Housing Authorities to provide that side.The Beamer Street project will help to fill that need but bottom line is thatthe Housing Authority has not been able to issue vouchers since February2016. This lead to a conversation with the City of Davis She also notedthat interim vouchers will be issued. This will hopefully lead to a seamlesstransition. Pretty excited about this program. Commissioner Arnold madecomments and thanked the YCH for their assistance.

5. Third Quarter HHSA Homeless Services Team Update and Report (see

attached Q3 Report)

Tracey Dickinson, Homeless Coordinator for Yolo County,addressed the Board. More focused on the County’s work, notspecifically the Cities’ work. She encouraged the Commissioners totake a look at the report included and to contact her if they haveany questions. She spoke of highlights in the next quarter and whatthey are focusing on. Talked about Home Base grant they receivedto do consulting work around the Coordinated Entry System. Alsoreceiving free technical assistance from HUD to look at theirContinuum of Care for the homeless and how they can be morecompetitive in federal funding processes. They also have theirContinuum of Care and Emergency Solution Grant competitionscoming up and the State has released an RFP for ‘No Place LikeHome Technical Assistance,’ a bond passed recently to fundpermanent supportive housing the people with mental illness thatare homeless. The County is moving forward on submitting anapplication. They will also be finalizing and sending out thepoint-in-time count data very soon. Lisa Baker also madecomments noting the County and Housing Authority have enteredinto an agreement to do an IGT House (Inter-GovernmentalTransfer) for those individuals coming out of incarceration. The IGTprogram is called ‘Step Down’ or ‘To Rent Readiness,’ and helpsfolks become 'rent ready.' If successful, they graduate from thisgroup home setting and can provide a certificate to landlords. Thisprogram will be run by the Housing Authority.

6. Verbal Report and Discussion - Sutter Regional Homeless Initiative and LocalEfforts

Lisa Baker provided a verbal report on the Sutter RegionalHomeless Initiative and local efforts and noted this item was addedto the agenda at the request of the City of Woodland. Staff that wasto present on this item was not available, so Lisa provided abrief overview on the subject. This is meant to be a broaching ofthe subject. No comments from the Commissioners were received.

7. Other Updates Regarding Homeless Initiatives from Cities/County/Housing

Authority

Regarding the Homeless Initiatives fromCities/County/Housing Authority, Lisa Baker had nothingadditional to add. Commissioner Arnold noted that Davisapproved more affordable housing at last night’s City of DavisCouncil meeting. The main component is a student housingproject, which includes a 38 unit affordable housing throughMutual Housing of California. Commissioner Rexroad madecomments about UC Davis is not doing enough to housethese students. Further discussion and comments wereconducted on this topic.

8. Staff Report: Draft 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness Revision (Baker)

Minute Order No. 17-03: Received draft report, provided initialfeedback and directed staff to forward it to HPAC for theirreview.

MOTION: Arnold. SECOND: Neu. AYES:Arnold, Johannessen, Neu, Rexroad, Zeck. ABSENT: Barajas.

9. Receive Additional Comments from Staff

There were no additional comments.

10. Receive Comments from Commissioners

There were no additional comments.

ADJOURNMENT

Next meeting scheduled for: To be determined ______________________________

Mark Johannessen, Chair10 Year Plan Commission

______________________________Julie Dachtler, Clerk10 Year Plan Commission


AGENDA

April 19, 2017

PIERRE NEU, WINTERSANGEL BARAJAS, WOODLAND

MARK JOHANNESSEN, WEST SACRAMENTOWILL ARNOLD, CITY OF DAVIS

MATT REXROAD, COUNTY OF YOLODOUG ZECK, HPAC

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CHAMBERS625 COURT STREET, ROOM 206WOODLAND, CALIFORNIA 95695

LISA A. BAKERStaff

MARK JOHANNESSENChair

Reminder: Please turn off cell phones.



2. Public Comment: Opportunity for members of the public to address the Ten Year Plan Commission on subjectsrelating to Ten Year Plan business. The Board reserves the right to impose a reasonable limit on time afforded toany topic or to any individual speaker.

CONSENT AGENDA

3. Review and Approve Minutes of the Meeting of September 14, 2016

REGULAR AGENDA

4. Verbal Report: Davis Continuum "Pathways Davis" including Pathways to Employment and bridge housing

assistance with case management (City of Davis)

5. Third Quarter HHSA Homeless Services Team Update and Report (see attached Q3 Report)

6. Verbal Report and Discussion - Sutter Regional Homeless Initiative and Local Efforts

7. Other Updates Regarding Homeless Initiatives from Cities/County/Housing Authority

8. Staff Report: Draft 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness Revision (Baker)

9. Receive Additional Comments from Stafff

10. Receive Comments from Commissioners The Commission reserves the right to take action on all agendized items at any time during the meeting, except fortimed public hearings.

ADJOURNMENT

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing agenda was posted Friday, April 14, 2017 by 5:00 p.m. at the followingplaces:

On the bulletin board at the east entrance of the Erwin W. Meier Administration Building, 625 Court Street, Woodland,California; and

On the bulletin board outside the Board of Supervisors Chambers, Room 206 in the Erwin W. Meier AdministrationBuilding, 625 Court Street, Woodland, California; and

On the bulletin board of Yolo County Housing, 147 West Main Street, Woodland, California.

On the Yolo County website: www.yolocounty.org.

Julie Dachtler, Clerk

Ten Year Plan Commission

NOTICEIf requested, this agenda can be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with a disability, as requiredby Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Federal Rules and Regulations adopted inimplementation thereof. Persons seeking an alternative format should contact the Clerk of the Board for further information.In addition, a person with a disability who requires a modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, inorder to participate in a public meeting should telephone or otherwise contact the Clerk of the Board as soon as possibleand at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. The Clerk of the Board may be reached at (530) 666-8195 or at the following address:

Clerk of the Yolo County Housing Board625 Court Street, Room 204

Woodland, CA 95695

http://www.yolocounty.org

Ten Year Plan Commission Yolo County, California To: Ten Year Commission

CONSENT CALENDAR Excerpt of Minute Order No. 17-02 Item No. 3 , of the Ten Year Plan Commission meeting of April 19, 2017. MOTION: Rexroad. SECOND: Arnold. AYES: Arnold, Johannessen, Neu, Rexroad, Stallard, Zeck.

Review and Approve Minutes of the Meeting of September 14, 2016.

Approved the minutes of September 14, 2016 on Consent.

3.


September 14, 2016

MINUTES

The Ten Year Plan Commission met on the 14th day of September, 2016, in regular session in its Chambers inthe Erwin W. Meier Administration Building, 625 Court Street, Woodland, California at 4:30 p.m.

Present: Pierre Neu in for C. Aguiar-Curry Will Arnold Mark Johannessen Matt Rexroad Doug Zeck Tom Stallard

Staff Present: Janis Holt, General Managing Director Julie Dachtler, Clerk Lisa Baker



Minute Order No. 16-01: Approved agenda as submitted. Chair Johannessen noted that Pierre Neuwas stepping in for Cecilia Aguiar-Curry.

MOTION: Arnold. SECOND: Stallard. AYES: Arnold, Johannessen, Neu, Rexroad, Stallard, Zeck.

2. Public Comment: Opportunity for members of the public to address the Ten Year Plan Commission on

subjects relating to Ten Year Plan business. The Board reserves the right to impose a reasonable limit ontime afforded to any topic or to any individual speaker.

There was no public comment.

CONSENT AGENDA

Minute Order No. 16-02: Approved Consent Agenda Item No. 1.

MOTION: Rexroad. SECOND: Arnold. AYES: Arnold, Johannessen, Neu, Rexroad,Stallard, Zeck.

3. Review and Approve Minutes of the Meetings of December 17, 2015

Approved the minutes of December 17, 2015 on Consent.

REGULAR AGENDA

4. Verbal Report: CoC Competition Status (Tracey Dickinson)

Tracey Dickinson, Homeless Coordinator with Yolo County Health and HumanServices, provided a verbal report on the Continuum of Care (CoC) Competition Status.She explained that they apply for this funding every year and it comes from FederalDepartment of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). They usually get about$500,000; not new funding but renewal of existing funding. They just submitted anapplication for the 2016 funding round for a total amount of $497,359, of which $450,000is renewable funding to be used for existing projects. It gets disbursed to one of threeagencies; permanent supportive housing with Fourth and Hope, permanent supportivehousing with Yolo Community Continuum of Care and transitional housing with DavisCommunity Meals. They also submitted a $24,000 bonus project grant through Fourthand Hope for permanent supportive housing, if that gets funded, and a $14,000 planninggrant. This grant would allow them to do an assessment of what they need to do to getin compliance with Federal requirements. She explained that the application processrequires two parts; collaborative application (community wide report) and individualproject application (local competition). Will likely not hear for at least five monthsbefore funding is announced.

5. Verbal Report: New Pathways Update (City of Davis, Partners)

Tracey Dickinson, Homeless Coordinator for Yolo County Health and Human Services,provided a verbal New Pathways Update. She explained that the New Pathways projectis a 4 bed interim housing project in Davis and is meant to serve the most chronicallyhomeless individuals in the community. It has been operating since February, 2016 andis City-County joint funded. They are currently working on updating the MOU for fiscalyear 2016/17. She believes the house is full and operating and has four clients currently.Lisa Baker chimed in that this first iteration has been a great learning experience and

paves the way for future projects. This is a 4 bed/2 bedroom house. As to the impact tothe neighbors, Lisa explained that based on where they’re located there is not animpact. In answer to comments about whether socialization is being addressed, Lisaresponded that they are aware of this sensitivity and are trying to address it. Some of thisis handled through education and helping them to engage with their friends and withprograms to help them.

6. Receive Verbal Report on HHSA Updates – Bridge to Health and Housing Grant and Extended

Hope from SAMHSA (Larsen, Dickinson)

Tracey Dickinson, Homeless Coordinator for Yolo County Health and Human Services,provided a verbal report on HHSA Updates. She highlighted a couple of new grants thatthe County has recently pursued and received and said that Fourth and Hope is theprimary provider on both of these grants. One is called 'Bridge to Health and Housing'and the other one is 'Extended Hope.' The grants are for $500,000 over two years toprovide outreach and case management services for people experiencing homelessnesswho have an acute or chronic health condition. Couple of components - first is theoutreach requirement – 3 workers on a team to do street outreach to identify and assesspeople. Those most vulnerable they target with intensive case management. Full timenavigator comes with the grant to find housing. Up and running for about two monthsnow. She noted that they have a really awesome team and are already doing greatwork.

The second grant of $2.4 mil comes from the Federal Government from the SubstanceAbuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA) and is spread over threeyears with 11 full time positions targeting homeless who have co-occurring mentalhealth/substance abuse disorders. There is a clinical supervisor, several outreachworkers, several case managers, a few peer support workers, a housing navigator andemployment specialist. Getting jobs for people who are homeless can be difficult, sohelping them with this part is essential to success. Both of these programs come with a24 hour response to hospitals in the County, so they respond to high utilizers ofemergency rooms to get them into primary care settings. There was concern expressedabout the number of emergency room visits and the commissioners discussed somepotential suggestions, so that the first point of contact may not necessarily be theemergency room.

7. Introduction of New West Sacramento staff and West Sacramento Update (Sawyer)

Commissioner Mark Johannessen introduced Mark Sawyer as the new homelesscoordinator in West Sacramento. Mark has been working since June 2016 and hasbeen working with the City Manager and the West Sacramento Police and hasbeen heading out to homeless encampments. He is the liaison. He also serves on theMotel Task Force, which strives to understand the dynamics of residents of the motelsand linking them up with appropriate resources. He also works with walk-in referrals tothe County Offices. Commissioner Rexroad mentioned that the County acknowledgedhim as a Difference Maker in Yolo County and noted he is a real asset to the County.Mark has his office at the West Sacramento Police Department.

8. Other Updates from Cities

There were no updates as none of the City representatives were present.

9. Receive Report: Ten Year Plan Revision Working Group (Baker)

Lisa Baker provided an update on the Ten Year Plan Revision Working Group, noting that the Group has been meeting and working on the plan despite turnover. Some of the things they have been working on is taking a look at existing systems and proposed revisions, reviewing the Town Hall data, working with the HPAC on the Continuum of Care to improve scoring and funding and discussed local housing/homeless needs. She noted that the Commission has adopted the revision to housing first model. Also have added additional 15 additional VASH vouchers, which is good news. Lots of good work being done in the community. Lisa presented the questions to the Commissioners that covered topics including existing gaps and 'no wrong door' strategy. The Commissioners discussed these and the other questions in order to provide feedback and direction to the working group.

10. Receive Additional Comments from Staff

= -· IE Staff comments were made.

11. Receive Comments from Commissioners

II No comments were made.

Next meeting scheduled for: To be determined

achtler, Clerk 10 Year Plan Commission

Mark Johannessen, Chair 10 Year Plan Commission

Ten Year Plan Commission Yolo County, California

Meeting Date: April 19, 2017 To: Ten Year Plan Comm.

Third Quarter HHSA Homeless Services Team Update and Report (see attached

Q3 Report)

Tracey Dickinson, Homeless Coordinator for Yolo County, addressed the Board. More focused on the County’s work, not specifically the Cities’ work. She encouraged the Commissioners to take a look at the report included and to contact her if they have any questions. She spoke of highlights in the next quarter and what they are focusing on. Talked about Home Base grant they received to do consulting work around the Coordinated Entry System. Also receiving free technical assistance from HUD to look at their Continuum of Care for the homeless and how they can be more competitive in federal funding processes. They also have their Continuum of Care and Emergency Solution Grant competitions coming up and the State has released an RFP for ‘No Place Like Home Technical Assistance,’ a bond passed recently to fund permanent supportive housing the people with mental illness that are homeless. The County is moving forward on submitting an application. They will also be finalizing and sending out the point-in-time count data very soon. Lisa Baker also made comments noting the County and Housing Authority have entered into an agreement to do an IGT House (Inter-Governmental Transfer) for those individuals coming out of incarceration. The IGT program is called ‘Step Down’ or ‘To Rent Readiness,’ and helps folks become 'rent ready.' If successful, they graduate from this group home setting and can provide a certificate to landlords. This program will be run by the Housing Authority.

5.

YOLO COUNTY HOMELESS SERVICES UPDATE FY 16/17

QUARTER 3: JANUARY-MARCH 2017

Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency 1 Adult and Aging Branch, Homeless Services

Homelessness is a significant issue in Yolo County, with the most recent homeless census (conducted in January 2015) identifying 498 people experiencing homelessness in Yolo on a single night. The Homeless Services Team within the Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) focuses on accomplishing three key goals, including:

Goal 1: Grow funding for homeless services in Yolo County.

Goal 2: Develop a robust Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and coordinated entry system.

Goal 3: Establish a full continuum of housing and services for people experiencing homelessness.

Goal 4: Provide coordination for the overall homeless system in Yolo County.

The following report provides information on progress made towards each of these goals during the third quarter of FY 16/17.

GOAL 1: GROW FUNDING FOR HOMELESS SERVICES

Currently there is not sufficient funding for homeless services in Yolo County. A significant portion of Homeless Services Team staff time is dedicated to pursuing new funding opportunities (and maintaining existing funding sources) to address this issue. The table below provides a log of the grants coordinated and/or authored by the County Homeless Services Team during FY 16/17:

FY 16/17 Quarter 3 Grant Log

Grant Role Type Applied For Received

Bringing Families Home Grant Co-Author New $225,000

(2.25-Year Period) TBD

Cooperative Agreements to Benefit Homeless Individuals

(CABHI) Author New

$2,399,328.57 (3-Year Period)

$2,399,328.57 (3-Year Period)

2016 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)

Coordinator, Author

Renewal $454,396

(2-Year Period) $454,396

2016 Continuum of Care (CoC) Coordinator,

Author Renewal

$495,065.52 (1-Year Period)

$474,575

Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP)

Coordinator Renewal $114,446 TBD

Proposition 47 Grant Co-Author and

Coordinator New

$6,000,000 (38-Month Period)

TBD

List of Funding Opportunities

In January of 2017, staff finalized and publicly shared a comprehensive list of opportunities to fund homeless services. The list includes detailed information about each recurring grant opportunity, such as due date, funder, eligible entities, match requirements, and purpose. Staff will update the list as needed to ensure the list remains current.

Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency 2 Homeless Services

Proposition 47 Grant

In February of 2017, HHSA staff worked in collaboration with the District Attorney’s Office, Probation Department, and Public Defender’s Office to submit an application to the Board of State and Community Corrections for Proposition 47 grant funds. The proposed project, called Steps to Success, will use $6M over a 38-month period to provide wraparound services for individuals who are eligible for a criminal justice diversion program, but unlikely to succeed without supports due to their history of mental health issues and/or substance use disorders. Proposed supports include intensive case management, employment assistance, civil legal assistance, and permanent housing assistance. If selected for funding, the County anticipates receiving notification in June of 2017.

Bringing Families Home Grant

In February of 2017, staff worked with Yolo County Child Welfare Services (CWS) on submitting a concept paper for Bringing Families Home (BFH) funding. In March 2017, the County received a formal invitation from the State to submit an application. The proposed project proposed to use BFH funding to provide housing supports to CWS families experiencing homeless, with the goal of reducing the number of CWS families experiencing homelessness, increasing the number of CWS families reunifying when homelessness is the primary barrier to reunification, and preventing new foster care placements. If selected for funding, the County anticipates receiving notification in June of 2017.

GOAL 2: DEVELOP A ROBUST HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (HMIS) AND COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM

Vulnerability Index and Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT)

The Vulnerability Index and Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT) is an evidence informed tool that combines both medical and social science research to quantify the vulnerability of people experiencing homelessness with a numeric score. The score allows workers to link clients with appropriate services and housing, and also assists with prioritization of limited homeless resources based upon the acuity of a person’s needs.

The ultimate goal is to have all people experiencing homelessness in Yolo County assessed and scored using the VI-SPDAT. In FY 16/17, the County set a goal of having internal staff and contracted providers complete 200 VI-SPDATs. From January to March local providers completed 77 assessments, including 65 single adults and 12 families. When adding this quarter’s total to the first half of the year, providers in Yolo County have completed 303 assessments, far exceeding the annual goal.

Coordinated Entry Planning

During the 2015 Continuum of Care (CoC) funding round the Yolo County Homeless and Poverty Action Coalition (HPAC) received a $15,752 planning grant to establish and implement a permanent coordinated entry system. HPAC will use the money to hire the nonprofit consulting company, HomeBase, to facilitate an initial half-day planning session followed by two 2-hour sessions and ongoing technical assistance over a 3-month period. Given that the federal government recently published guidance requiring local communities to have a fully operational coordinated entry system established by January 23, 2018, this process will be critical. In March of 2017, staff executed an agreement with HomeBase, and began the process of scheduling the initial workshop. Staff expects the first half-day planning session to occur in late-May or early-June.


GOAL 3: DEVELOP A FULL CONTINUUM OF HOUSING AND SERVICES

Extended Hope Project

In February of 2017, staff executed a 3-year contract with Fourth and Hope, marking the start of the Extended Hope project. Funded by a Cooperative Agreement to Benefit Homeless Individuals (CABHI) grant, the project provides intensive wraparound care to persons experiencing homelessness with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. The project’s key components include: (1) identification, assessment and triage, (2) intensive case management and treatment, and (3) housing navigation and permanent placement. Fourth and Hope is currently working on hiring staff for the project, and officially began providing services to clients in April.

Pathways to Employment Project

In March of 2017, the City of Davis, Davis Community Meals and Housing (DCMH), Davis businesses, HHSA, and the local faith community launched the Pathways to Employment project. The project employs five (5) people experiencing homelessness to complete various jobs such as landscaping, sidewalk cleaning, trash removal, and other tasks related to beautification in downtown Davis. The project pays participants $12 per hour and anticipates a workload of approximately 12 hours per week. DCMH employs a supervisor to provide guidance, teach job skills, and assist with establishing permanent employment opportunities for the project participants.

I SEE YOU Art Engagement

In January of 2017, the I SEE YOU project concluded its 10-week course in West Sacramento with a culminating exhibit. The project, a partnership between YoloArts, the Yolo County Library and HHSA provides free art classes to people experiencing homelessness in each of our major cities. The final 10-week course began in Woodland at Fourth and Hope in March. Classes occur each Monday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., running from March 13 through May 15.

GOAL 4: PROVIDE SYSTEM-WIDE COORDINATION

2017 Homeless Count and Housing Inventory Count

In January of 2017, HPAC conducted its annual homeless count and housing inventory count. The count conducted this year required both a sheltered and unsheltered count. Staff convened five planning meetings to establish an organizational structure, select a methodology, and develop a survey instrument. In addition, this year staff created an instructional guide meant to serve as a training resource. The guide featured messaging points for count organizers and step-by-step instructions for count enumerators. Staff is currently preparing the final report for the count, and expects to release the information in late April.

Sutter Health Getting to Zero Initiative

In February of 2017, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution in support of the Sutter Health Getting to Zero initiative. The initiative aims to align public, private, and philanthropic programs and resources with the goal of attaining functional zero in Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties within the next three years. The initiative also embraces the principles of a Housing Crisis Resolution System that utilizes coordinated entry, low/no barrier housing, the Housing First model, a continuum of housing options, and supportive services.

In March of 2017, the Davis City Council and Woodland City Council also passed resolutions in support of the Sutter Health Getting to Zero initiative.


WHAT’S COMING UP IN QUARTER 4?

The Homeless Team’s intended next steps are outlined in the FY 16/17 Work Plan (Appendix C). Several of the highest priority activities during Quarter 4 will include:

Finalize and share Homeless Count report

Begin coordinated entry system planning and development

Coordinate the local Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) competition for both state and federal funds

Develop plan for No Place Like Home (NPLH) technical assistance funding request


APPENDIX A: MEETING/TRAINING LOGS

Public Presentations and Networking Meetings Log

Meeting Date/Frequency Purpose HPAC Data Subcommittee 1/19/2017 Coordinate

No Place Like Home Technical Committee Conference Call 1/20/2017 Participate

Whole Person Care Webinar 1/27/2017 Participate

Whole Person Care Learning Collaborative Call 1/31/2017 Participate

Cal Humanities Grant Kick Off Meeting 1/31/2017 Participate

Community Services Action Board 2/14/2017 Coordinate

No Place Like Home Technical Committee Conference Call 2/17/2017 Participate

Yolo County Board of Supervisors- Adoption of Getting to Zero Resolution

2/21/2017 Present

Homeless and Poverty Action Coalition 2/22/2017 Coordinate

Sutter Health Getting to Zero Initiative- Data and Outcomes Tracking 3/1/3017 Participate

Community Services Action Board- Community Action Plan Subcommittee

3/9/3017 Coordinate

Community Services Action Board 3/14/2017 Coordinate

Homeless Discussion with Congressman Garamendi’s Office 3/17/2017 Participate

Davis Social Services Strategic Plan Community Meeting 3/27/2017 Participate

Conference/Training Log

Topic Host Agency

Coordinated Entry System Planning Workshop California Department of Housing and Community Development

JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE

Develop comprehensive list of homeless funding opportunities l COMPLETED

Coordinate Continuum of Care (CoC) Grant l COMPLETED

Update Yolo County Homeless Spending Inventory l COMPLETED

Coordinate Proposition 47 Grant l COMPLETED

Coordinate Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)- 1 Year Extension of Contracts l COMPLETED

Coordinate Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) Grant IN PROGRESS

Coordinate PATH Grant UPCOMING

Coordinate Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) UPCOMING

Apply for 3 new funding sources, totaling $1M IN PROGRESS

Submit first system performance measures report to HUD l COMPLETED

Establish ongoing VI-SPDAT trainings for service providers on "as needed" basis l COMPLETED

Develop HMIS policies and procedures manual for the Yolo HMIS system l COMPLETED

Implement use of HMIS and Coordinated Entry for internal County programs (CalWORKs) l COMPLETED

Work with providers on improving HMIS data quality in preparation for AHAR l COMPLETED

Submit first Yolo County Annual Housing Assessment Report (AHAR) to HUD l COMPLETED

Establish contract with Sacramento Steps Forward for HMIS system-building (Using CABHI Grant) IN PROGRESS

Convene coordinated entry system planning group and develop implementation plan IN PROGRESS

Write use of HMIS and VI-SPDAT in all County homeless contracts at renewal IN PROGRESS

Work with Fourth and Hope/YCCC to implement Bridge to Health and Housing Project l COMPLETED

Implement I SEE YOU Artist Engagement Project, Phase I, Davis l COMPLETED

Conduct VI-SPDAT assessments on 200 homeless individuals in Yolo County l COMPLETED

Implement I SEE YOU Artist Engagement Project, Phase II, West Sacramento l COMPLETED

Establish employment specialist position for homeless population (Using CABHI Grant) IN PROGRESS

Develop Bridge to Housing 2.0 project in Woodland IN PROGRESS

Convene workgroup to explore options for ensuring that free cell phone are accessible UPCOMING

Study case management to client ratio for homeless population and determine deficit UPCOMING

Implement incentive program for engagement of homeless in system planning efforts UPCOMING

Implement I SEE YOU Artist Engagement Project, Phase III, Woodland IN PROGRESS

Convene workgroup to identify options for reducing exclusionary screening among landlords UPCOMING

Work with Fourth and Hope to implement Extended Hope Project (CABHI Grant) IN PROGRESS

Establish local outreach programs that cover all jurisdictions in Yolo County IN PROGRESS

Monitor New Pathways Supported Housing Project in Davis IN PROGRESS

Participate in Stepping Up Initiative to strengthen criminal justice interactions with homeless IN PROGRESS

Analyze compliance with CSBG Organizational Standards, and Report to State l COMPLETED

Develop HPAC Policies and Procedures Manual IN PROGRESS

Assist with revision of 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness IN PROGRESS

Complete sheltered and unsheltered point-in-time count (PIT) IN PROGRESS

Complete housing inventory count (HIC) IN PROGRESS

Develop FY 17/18 Work Plan IN PROGRESS

System Coordination

Yolo County Homeless Services- FY 16/17 Work Plan

Continuum of Housing and Services

STATUSTIMELINE

GOAL/ACTION

Grow Funding

Develop HMIS and Coordinated Entry

Ten Year Plan Commission Yolo County, California

Meeting Date: April 19, 2017 To: Ten Year Plan Comm.

Staff Report: Draft 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness Revision (Baker)

Minute Order No. 17-03: Received draft report, provided initial feedback and directed staff to forward it to HPAC for their review. MOTION: Arnold. SECOND: Neu. AYES: Arnold, Johannessen, Neu, Rexroad, Zeck. ABSENT: Barajas.

8.

Ten Year Plan Commission 147 W. Main Street Woodland: (530) 662-5428 WOODLAND, CA 95695 Sacramento: (916) 444-8982

TTY: (800) 545-1833, ext. 626

DATE: April 19, 2017

TO: Commissioners FROM: Lisa A. Baker

SUBJECT: DRAFT TEN YEAR PLAN REVISION RECOMMENDED ACTION: Receive draft report, provide initial feedback and initiate additional input and discussion with HPAC and other stakeholders. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION: Based on input and feedback from Commissioners at its meeting of September 26, 2016, the 1st cut of the draft plan is being presented for review. Background In 2010, the County and the four Cities adopted “One Piece at a Time: Ending and Preventing Homelessness for Yolo County Residents,” which currently serves as the 10 Year Plan for the region. The Plan is scheduled for 2010 – 2020. In 2013, the Ten Year Plan Commission began a discussion of key topics around the issue of the Plan, entrenched homelessness and new ways to make progress. The Commission concluded that the 10 Year Plan, as currently constituted, did not work as intended. There are a variety of reasons for issues, including living in an environment of continued reduced funding, lack of coordinated intake across the region, the need to bring programs into alignment with funders, such as HUD and the lack of public outreach and public awareness in our communities. Ultimately, the Commission undertook a series of actions designed to provide data that would allow the County, the Cities and the HPAC members to take a fresh look at the Plan. The Commission also had consensus that the region should move to a data-driven Housing First model and that the revised Plan should reflect this. Actions to date include:

● Determining that the existing Plan should be revisited and, subsequently determining that it should be substantially revised to reflect Housing First model and a coordinated entry and assessment tool;

● Changes to the Point in Time count (PIT): the 2013 PIT count included

Working together to provide quality affordable housing and community development services for all

Veteran homelessness for the first time and the 2015 PIT count included youth homelessness and outreach for the first time. Both of these additions are crucial to really understanding the types of homelessness and homeless populations within the region. Moving to a data driven plan requires good on-the-ground data that can be used in determining best programming and funding sources. An early success of this data model was the Housing Authority’s ability to successfully compete for funding through Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers based on the 2013 PIT Veterans homeless count. YCH received 10 additional Project Based Vouchers, which it was able to fully lease in under 6 months while working with the VA. In 2016, YCH received an additional 5 VASH vouchers and is in the processing of leasing these. The working group, the HPAC and partners are continuing to work to improve count numbers.

● Raising public awareness about individuals who suffer from

homelessness and about programming that can make a difference. Principally through Bridge to Housing (B2H), funded and operated by regional partners: the County, West Sacramento and the Housing Authority, B2H served to raise awareness about the local issues of homelessness and put a human face to the problem. Many B2H participants were able to get their personal story out into mainstream media. However, overall, the working group has concluded that this area still needs additional attention and should be part of the Plan focus.

● Kickstarting Housing First through B2H and its many partners, including

private individuals, corporate sponsors and donors, faith based and other non-profit entities, as well as governmental partners, B2H allowed HPAC and other members to test a time and population limited pilot to work on coordinated intake and assessment and what it takes to move a long term chronically homeless population into permanent housing. Since then, partners have worked on B2H 2.0 and the 1st project is taking place in Davis with other discussions continuing. The revised Plan should take this into consideration.

● Held three (3) Town Hall meetings around the issue of homelessness, both

from a regional, as well as a local perspective, in order to gain insight from the public and stakeholders on common issues that should be addressed in a Plan.

● HPAC members, including governmental partners, have taken up the issue

of Coordinated entry/assessment, which is the key to a new Plan revision. HPAC and partners are in the process of rolling out Coordinated entry and the VISPDAT is in use for some programs and will continue to roll out.


● The County has created a Homeless Unit, to work from a client-based perspective. In addition, the County moved to create HHSA, which has made great strides in moving client services forward and which will be a key partner in the revised Plan.

● The County has added a Homeless Coordinator to work with the

Commission and staff on joint regional issues as well as to work on a client centered homeless services for County services. This has resulted in additional funds including the new wrap around services model with 4th and Hope.

● The Housing Authority continues to leave the B2H priority voucher

preferences in place and open to work with other jurisdictions towards a permanent housing exist beyond the limited scope of available housing and permanent supportive housing.

● The Housing Authority’s newest project, 180 W. Beamer development, has

set aside units for chronically homeless. The project is in demolition phase at this time. In addition YCH now tracks homeless persons entering its permanent housing portfolio in order to get a good record on those existing homeless into permanent housing.

Working Group

● Although there has been big turnover in the working group since it was

appointed (lost the City of Davis representative, changed the West Sacramento representative and lost the elected appointment [from Davis]), the working group has met twice on the proposed Plan revision. Consistent with its charge, they have looked at the existing systems and proposed revisions, reviewed the Town Hall data, continued to work with the HPAC on the Continuum of Care (most especially the new Homeless Coordinator) to improve scoring and funding and discussed local housing/homeless needs.

● As a result, they have gathered information on where there are common

elements and differences that should be included in a regional plan that will also serve local needs.

● Much discussion has centered around the existing Plan, its elements and

what to include and/or change. The group consensus is that, to the fullest extent possible, earlier work of the HPAC and partners should be preserved and incorporated into the revision.

● The working group reviewed a number of formats that are consistent with


federal preference on this issue. Based on the feedback from the Commission and approval of a draft framework at its meeting of September 2016, staff has prepared the attached draft.

Timeline

Working Group received feedback from the Commission in September 2016 and began drafting process in October. Original timeline called for a progress check in December. Due to many circumstances, the December meeting was not held; nevertheless, work continued on the draft plan and the draft is presented here for feedback and discussion. After the initial draft review by Commission members, suggested edits will be incorporated, milestones and activities updated and then it will go to the HPAC for its input. Questions - after review by the HPAC and a subsequent revision, staff recommends that the Plan be made available for public comment prior to finalizing. Once the commission has finalized the Plan, the next steps would be to ask for formal adoption by the jurisdictions. FISCAL IMPACT: No fiscal impact.


**DRAFT** Draft dated 3/31/2017

One Piece at a Time: Ending and Preventing Homelessness for Yolo

County Residents

2010-2020, updated 2017

2 One Piece at a Time: Ending and Preventing Homelessness for Yolo County Residents

Original document via HomeBase/Legal and Technical Assistance Advancing Solutions to Homelessness. Update document via Yolo Housing and Homeless Coordinator. To comment on this draft plan, contact either Lisa A. Baker at Yolo Housing, [email protected] or 530-669-2219, or Tracey Dickenson, Homeless Coordinator, at the County of Yolo, [email protected] or at 530-666-8559

mailto:[email protected]


Table of Contents

Introduction

Acknowledgements

Executive Summary

Mission and Vision

Core Values

Definitions and Federal Requirements

Accomplishments to Date

Goals and Supporting Objectives

Implementation - Timing and Next Steps

Conclusion

Appendices





Introduction In 2009, Yolo County and the Cities of Davis, West Sacramento, Winters, and Woodland supported the creation of this Plan for Ending and Preventing Homelessness, because homelessness is a multi-faceted issue in our community that requires a coordinated, committed effort to address. They remain committed to a regional, comprehensive Housing First framework, while also providing for local response to distinctive on-the-ground issues that are unique to each jurisdiction.

Difference between Traditional and Housing First Models: What is a traditional model? From the US InterAgency Council on Homelessness: “Historically, people experiencing homelessness have had to navigate an uncoordinated set of services and programs to obtain assistance, with many of the available programs and services oriented towards managing the symptoms or experience of homelessness rather than providing rapid connections to stable and permanent housing that would end homelessness. Often, permanent housing was only offered at the end of a linear process or the achievement of particular service milestones. This resulted in many individuals and families remaining in homelessness, when—for any number of reasons—they could not achieve the high barrier to entry into permanent housing.” What is Housing First? Housing First offers permanent, affordable housing as quickly as possible for

individuals and families experiencing homelessness, and then provides the supportive services and connections to the community-based supports people need to keep their housing and avoid returning to homelessness.

Characterized by a locally agreed upon coordinated entry mechanism and appropriate placement in programming designed to lead to permanent housing in the shortest time possible. It focuses on preventing homelessness where possible (e.g., homeless prevention or rapid rehousing) and it may involve short-term shelter (such as for victims fleeing domestic violence) and/or transitional housing as in the traditional mode.

Much has changed since Plan inception for responding to homelessness, both at the Federal and local level. Some changes have been good, primarily around successful models of engagement, access to medical insurance and care and housing models, including here in Yolo. Some have been deleterious, including funding that didn’t materialize for coordination and funding cuts to housing programs that are vital to the Plan’s success as well as the move away





from transitional housing except in limited circumstances without a concomitant increase in permanent housing resources. This plan update responds to Federal changes in homeless planning, focusing on Housing First, adapting to funding changes and incorporates local lessons learned into a comprehensive update. Through the original planning process in 2009 and 2010, early implementation of the plan and subsequent training, followed by 2015-2016 public forums, jurisdictions have continued to learn about existing programming underway both locally and nationally, have changed programming to follow a client-centered housing first model and continue to improve the Continuum, deploy HMIS data collection and begin a comprehensive approach to Coordinated Assessment. This Plan builds on the earlier work of the original plan, along with research by the Homeless Commission Plan Update committee and promotes key pieces of an integrated and effective system to end and prevent homelessness for Yolo County residents. These goals cannot be achieved by any single government, jurisdiction or non profit. Ending and preventing homelessness requires the time and talents of all our people, including elected officials, faith leaders, service providers, County and City staff, business people and consumers. Acknowledgements (to be included in final) Executive Summary (to be included in final)





Vision and Mission All elements of this plan are based on a Vision, Mission, Values and Goals. These have been drawn from the original plan, from community members at the 2015-2016 community workshops, which included representatives from the homeless community, as well as from the work of the HPAC and from the direction of the 10 Year Plan Commission. Vision: Completing the Retooling of the Crisis Response System into a coordinated system of funding, housing and range of supportive services, based on client need, which effectively ends homelessness. Mission: No one should be without the opportunity for a safe and stable place to call home.

➔ Prevent and end (reach Functional Zero) for Veterans homelessness by 2018 ➔ Reach Functional Zero in chronic homelessness by 2020 ➔ Prevent and end homelessness for families, youth and children by 2020 ➔ Set a long term, sustainable path to ending homelessness

CORE VALUES: Value #1: Preservation of human dignity: All people are worthy of respect, mercy, kindness, and compassion. Value #2: A safe, decent, sanitary housing opportunity: All people deserve an opportunity for stable affordable housing. Value #3: Innovation: Yolo communities will be receptive to new ideas, methodologies, and technology. They will work to change existing ways of working and will use creativity, new strategies, and collaborations in effective problem solving. Value #4:Courage: Partners will address issues openly and in a timely manner. They will display a willingness to take prudent risk. Value #5: Success: Yolo is committed to the principle of achieving success through realistic optimism and dedication to the goals.





Why This Plan Matters The Human Cost: Once someone becomes homeless, they face tremendous physical and psychological challenges. Often ostracized, marginalized, and disenfranchised by society, one may feel powerless to overcome the circumstances. The longer one is homeless, the more difficult it is to return to “normal” society and the greater the opportunity for additional trauma, becoming a victim of violence, falling prey to disease, or to addiction. For children, the impact of homelessness can be deep and lasting, affecting their ability to function fully in school and life. Moving from one rented motel room to another, moving from place to place, living in cars or in and out of community shelter, homeless youth lack stability and security, which have lifelong effects on achievement, health and lifespan. Homeless families, particularly those without reliable transportation, face challenges simply getting their children to school each day. School absentee rates nationally are higher for homeless children than for their permanently housed peers. Community Costs: The costs of homelessness are substantial. Each year, localities spend substantial resources on law enforcement, fire and paramedic services, medical and psychiatric treatment of the chronically homeless. People who are homeless spend more time in jail or prison, sometimes for crimes such as loitering or public intoxication. In a study conducted in Portland, Oregon, researchers found that 25 chronically homeless individuals each utilized over $42,000 per year in emergency and institutional care (Moore, TL, 2006, Estimated Cost Savings Following Enrollment in the Community Engagement Program: Findings from a Pilot Study of Homeless Dually Diagnosed Adults, Portland, OR, Central City Concern). The costs of homelessness can be very high to public agencies and systems of care. Those who have no regular place to stay use public systems more often, and in a more costly way. Preventing a homeless episode or ensuring a speedy transition into stable permanent housing can result in significant benefits, including a reduction in costs to public systems such as hospitals, jails, courts, and child welfare systems. The following examples show some of the direct and indirect financial costs associated with homelessness throughout the country:

● In Minnesota, when formerly homeless people were housed in supportive housing, there was a $9,600 per person reduction in costs to the state (comparing the annualized cost of supportive housing with that of mental health, detoxification, corrections, and health systems over two years). Such housing also resulted in a 26% increase in employment. (National Alliance to End Homelessness: T. Tilson. Minnesota Supportive Housing Demonstration Program: One Year Evaluation Report, New York City, NY,





Corporation for Supportive Housing, 1998)

● A University of Pennsylvania study showed that service costs decreased by 40% annually by housing chronically homeless and supplying support services. Savings came from decreased incarceration, emergency room use, outpatient treatment, etc. (Culhane, D., Metraux, S., & Hadley, T., Public Service Reductions Associated with Placement of Homeless Persons with Severe Mental Illness in Supportive Housing, 2002).

● A Baylor University study reported that each chronically homeless individual cost the

Waco, Texas community $39,000 per year. (Diamond, Pamela and Steven B. Schneed, Lives in the Shadows: Some of the Costs and Consequences of a “Non-System” of Care. Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 1991)

● According to a University of Texas two-year study of homeless individuals, each person

cost the taxpayer $14,480 per year, primarily for overnight jail. A typical cost of a prison bed in a state or federal prison is $20,000 per year. (The Washington Post)

● According to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine, homeless people spent

an average of four days longer per hospital visit than their non-homeless peers. This extra cost, approximately $2,414 per hospitalization, is directly attributable to homelessness. (Salit S.A., Kuhn E.M., Hartz A.J., Vu J.M., and Mosso A.L. Hospitalization Costs Associated with Homelessness in New York City. New England Journal of Medicine, 1998; 338: 1734-1740.)

● A study of hospital admissions of homeless people in Hawaii revealed that 1,751 adults

were responsible for 564 hospitalizations and $4 million in admission costs. Their rate of psychiatric hospitalization was over 100 times that of the non-homeless study group. The researchers conducting the study estimate that the excess cost for treating these homeless individuals was $3.5 million or about $2,000 per person. (National Alliance to End Homelessness.)

● Emergency shelter stays are also more expensive than permanent housing. While

emergency shelters are sometimes necessary for short-term crisis, too often they serve as long-term housing. The annual cost of an emergency shelter bed funded by HUD’s Emergency Shelter Grants program is approximately $8,067, more than the average annual cost of a federal housing subsidy, such as the Housing Choice Voucher Program. (Office of Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Evaluation of the Emergency Shelter Grants Program, Volume 1).





● The Family Options study is the first large scale controlled study regarding Housing First programs and efficacy of permanent housing. Conducted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), it studied selected families living in homeless shelters in 12 cities who were randomly assigned various types of subsidy over an 18-month period. They found that families given a Housing Voucher were 56% less likely to experience another bout of homelessness, 55% less likely to experience domestic violence, 42% less likely to have a child placed in foster care and that children had 16% fewer absences from school than families who received no assistance beyond emergency shelter. The study showed that Vouchers were slightly more costly than Rapid Rehousing, but significantly less expensive than traditional shelter.(HUD PDR, July 2015). The takeaway is not necessarily that Vouchers are more successful, but that permanent stable and affordable housing provides a platform for success.





GOALS: Listed below are the updated goals of this plan. As homeless planning in Yolo matures, this plan refines the vision, overarching goals, objectives and timelines. Goals have become fewer, but serve as “umbrella” concepts for the earlier strategic goals of the Plan. In addition, goals have focused on like items - services, housing, advocacy and engagement, health, economic security. For all goals listed below, the cross-cutting goal for each includes the final retooling of homeless services and programs into a coordinated System focused on early intervention, prevention and the rapid introduction of stable housing for those experiencing homelessness. Goal 1: Increase Leadership, Collaboration and Civic Engagement

● Promote continued collaborative leadership at all levels of government, as well as across sectors, to energize and inspire residents to commit to preventing and ending homelessness.

● Strengthen the capacity of private and public organizations by increasing awareness of

successful programs, increasing knowledge about collaboration opportunities, homelessness itself and successful interventions.

Goal 2: Improve Health and Stability

● Integrate primary and behavioral health care services with homeless assistance programs and housing to reduce people’s vulnerability to, and the impact of, homelessness.

● Advance health and housing stability for youth aging out of systems such as foster care and juvenile justice, as well as unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness.

● Create partnerships that incorporate health and housing stability for people experiencing homelessness who have frequent contact with hospitals and the criminal justice system.

● Use partnerships and programs to impact those homeless who are difficult to rehouse due to chronic and severe chemical dependence, mental health issues and/or co-occurring diagnoses.

Goal 3: Increase Access to Stable and Affordable Housing ● Provide additional affordable housing options to people experiencing or most at risk of

homelessness. This includes expanding supply, affordability and housing types.

● Provide more permanent supportive housing to prevent and end chronic homelessness.





Goal 4: Increase Economic Security

● Improve access to a variety of educational opportunities, including on-the-job training and vocational training and increase meaningful and sustainable employment for people experiencing, or most at risk of, homelessness.

● Improve access to targeted, mainstream programs, services and financial services to

reduce people’s financial vulnerability to homelessness.

This Plan summarizes the need for these goals, the strategies required and steps needed to meet them. A key part of the Plan is supporting and maintaining the housing and services that are already available in the County, while improving coordinated intake and collaboration. Additional background information is available in the Appendices to this Plan.





Definition and Federal Requirements The development of a countywide Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness is necessary for receipt of federal funding and is consistent with State and Federal initiatives for ending homelessness. To encourage this goal, communities must report on their progress in developing and implementing a Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness into the annual application for Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Funding to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Cities and counties across the country are being supported by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to create results-oriented Ten-Year Plans that incorporate: a “Housing First” approach, including service innovations, and prevention. At the end of 2008, 860 cities and counties across the country had partnered in 355 Ten-Year Plans. Yolo became a partner in 2010 with the adoption of its first Plan. Definition of “Homeless”: A person is considered homeless when s/he lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and sleeps in a variety of places not fit for human habitation or meets certain other requirements. Homeless persons include, but are not limited to, those sleeping in:

➔ Cars, parking lots, parks, campgrounds, sidewalks, railroad tracks, alleys, storm drains, freeway underpasses, behind shopping center buildings, in abandoned buildings, etc.,

➔ Emergency shelters, or ➔ Transitional housing for homeless persons who originally came from the streets or

emergency shelters. Who are the homeless? There are many different entry points into homelessness. Chronic homelessness, which is the most difficult and is the culmination of several factors, including trauma, chemical dependence or other disability, is the most recognizable face, but homelessness affects many populations, both in Yolo and nationally. It includes:

➔ Short-term Homelessness due to an unforeseen circumstance (job loss, loss of housing without notice, domestic violence, unexpected injury and healthcare bills. In the case of youth homelessness, it includes an unsafe or unstable family and/or nonacceptance of the minor child by the family.);

➔ Chronic Homelessness involves long-term &/or repeated episodes of homelessness coupled with disabilities and/or substance abuse issues. Additionally, Veterans make up 33% of the chronic homeless population. Nationally, chronic homelessness is estimated to make up only 16% of the entire homeless population;

The main data source on the number and demographics of the homeless in Yolo County is the Point-In-Time (PIT) Homeless Count. It is required for communities that want to apply for





Federal homeless assistance funding through HUD. Yolo is also working with Sacramento’s Steps Forward on HMIS data management to further gather information on homeless demographics and program success. HMIS is also required for Federal homeless assistance funding. Yolo County’s current PIT County is shown in the Table below:

Point in Time Count - Yolo - 2015

City/County Sheltered Unsheltered Combined Total

Davis 79 52 151

West Sacramento 87 80 167

Woodland 138 54 192

Unincorporated (rural) 0 8 8

TOTALS 304 194 498

Major Accomplishments to Date of the 10 Year Plan Despite major funding setbacks, Yolo and its cities made progress during the initial phases of the Plan. Following are changes and innovations achieved to date that were outlined as strategies and goals in the 10 Year Plan:

● Robust Continuum of Care collaborative, the HPAC,continues to provide services and advocacy;

● Funding of a homeless coordinator, employed by the County and funded with assistance from the cities to support the HPAC and the 10 Year Plan Commission;

● In accordance with the Plan, establishment of a 1o Year Plan Commission to disseminate information back to the cities and county and to provide input and oversight to the regional planning framework;

● Use of Rapid Rehousing as available, including County use of State CDBG funds for drought Tenant Based Rental Assistance to assist with drought related employment loss;





● Use of HMIS for data collection and beginning implementation of the VI-SPDAT for assessment and prioritization in programs, such as Davis New Pathways and others;

● Reorganization of the County’s health and human services departments into a single Health and Human Services Agency, centered on a client based focus;

● Creation of a County Homeless Services Team to facilitate the ongoing transition to a Housing First model for Yolo and its communities;

● Expansion and ongoing transitional and interim housing through the Helen Thomson homes for full service mental health clients, the THP+ program for aged out foster youth and other transitional models tied to post substance abuse residential treatment;

● Ongoing permanent supportive housing in a variety of models including master leased properties, embedded service models such as at Eleanor Roosevelt Circle and Cesar Chavez Plaza;

● A successful Housing First model using an interim housing and service reintegration program paired with permanent tenant subsidies in the form of housing vouchers, known as Bridge to Housing;

● Expanded collaborations and information sharing between agencies, including the Housing Authority around a client centered model focused on retaining housing for hard to house clients;

● Tracking by the Housing Authority of formerly homeless entering housing programs and expansion of services to homeless populations;

● Establishment of the Neighborhood Court system in Yolo to help reduce the effects of criminalization of homelessness and to do record repair where warranted;

● Creation of the Drop in Center for probation individuals to work on service plans, job skills, employment and other;

● Expansion of vocational programs such as NCCT to include homeless persons; ● Building support for homeless individuals and programming through media associated

with Bridge to Housing, the I See You Art project and other initiatives.





Goals and Supporting Objectives (Add section re: current programming)

GOAL: Increase Leadership, Collaboration and Civic Engagement CHALLENGES: The Need for Coordinated Leadership, Collaboration and an Expansion of Civic Engagement by the General Population. Yolo must still develop a coordinated entry system and must overcome inherent information sharing obstacles raised by HIPAA and privacy act considerations that exist between entities. SUPPORT: Yolo is fortunate in that it has a strong leadership and track record of community engagement and supportive collaboration. In addition, Yolo and the residents of its communities are well known for their spirit of involvement and volunteerism. In order to achieve the goal to increase these strengths, the following is proposed:

Objective #1 Support existing and expanding collaborations ➔ Continue to provide support for the HPAC Continuum of Care; ➔ Continue to provide financial support for the Homeless Coordinator; ➔ Strengthen Collaborative approach to data sharing, coordinated entry and assessment; ➔ Improve data systems to provide timely, accurate data that can be used to define the

need for housing, related services and to measure outcomes.

Objective #2 Continue to Educate Leadership Regarding Homeless Issues and Opportunities

➔ Continue to use the 10 Year Plan Commission to disseminate information, engage elected representatives and provide input into homeless strategy implementation;

➔ Provide Updated information regarding issues and progress to respective city councils and Board of Supervisors around the issues of homelessness and programming in the individual communities;

➔ Begin to identify and quantify the hidden costs of homelessness in local services and impacts to local businesses and schools;

➔ Identify and quantify the funds going to services and other homeless programming so that fund being used can be compared to costs and open a dialogue about better resource programming and outcomes;

➔ Prepare an annual Update Report regarding costs, benefits, programs and progress of the 10 Year Plan and disseminate to cities, school districts and the County;

➔ Host an annual education and information sharing event around homeless planning, programming and progress for elected and appointed officials, perhaps through Yolo Leaders.





Objective #3 Increase Civic Engagement

➔ Educate the public on the cost-effectiveness of ending homelessness; ➔ Educate the public on root causes of homelessness and to re-engage with our homeless

neighbors to explore our common humanity; ➔ Continue with efforts to implement a broad program to engage the public, local

organizations, faith-based organizations, and neighborhoods in supporting proven solutions to ending homelessness;

➔ Work with appropriate agencies and entities to find a balance between public safety needs and quality of life issues for all residents;

➔ Have subject area experts (including those from economics, education, and housing) provide the technical assistance needed to be successful;

➔ Build advocacy for funding and programming to have sufficient resources to implement solutions.

GOAL: Improve Health and Stability CHALLENGES: There are many reasons why people become homeless. They can include unemployment, underemployment, lack of high paying job skills, divorce, prior history of eviction or poor credit, incarceration. However, in many cases, the reasons for homelessness include alcohol and/or drug addiction, domestic violence, physical disability and mental health issues. These issues impact health, family stability and access to housing and employment. These issues must be addressed in order to be able to move people into permanent housing as quickly as possible. SUPPORT: Yolo is extremely fortunate the County of Yolo has reorganized its health and human services agencies into one coordinated County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), focused on a client centered model. In addition, embedded within HHSA is a Homeless Services Team, created in FY 2015-2016, through funding from the County and partner cities, to address issues of homeless in Yolo County and provide staffing support to the local Continuum of Care (HPAC). Benefit assistance improves benefit access and, ultimately, housing access. Objective #1 Improve Health through Access

➔ Maximize use of the Vulnerability Index and Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT), which is a system that combines medical and service needs to assess and quantify the vulnerability of people experiencing homelessness and assigning a





numeric prioritization score. This score allows workers to link clients with the most appropriate services and housing based on individual needs;

➔ Continue and expand on outreach that builds relationships and ensure that all programs maximize enrollment in medical insurance programs to help with appropriate triage, assessment, medical services;

➔ Continue the SOAR partnership to continue improved timely access to SSI/SSDI benefits.

Objective #2 Maintain Health and Improve Stability

➔ Provide needed navigation services designed to successfully access medical services, including alcohol-drug programs, counseling, harm reduction and mental health services;

➔ Look at hybrid models that provide recuperative care and medical respite for those leaving hospitalization and include respite as part of the full continuum of housing and services for those experiencing homelessness. Look at ways in which medical respite for chronically homeless can transition to permanent housing with flexible social supports and case management;

➔ Engage in comprehensive, housing focused discharge planning for hospital exits, mental health facilities and residential drug treatment programs.

Objective #3 Provide Comprehensive, Integrated Services

➔ Improve coordination for the overall homeless system; ➔ Improve case coordination between entities to improve program delivery and drive

more successful outcomes; ➔ Provide wrap around services from outreach through enrollment through housing

designed to provide the appropriate level of support needed for each individual; ➔ Look at programming that integrates along a continuum from medical, through

psycho-social, housing and housing related services.

GOAL: Increase Access to Stable and Affordable Housing CHALLENGES: It is a well understood tenet that homelessness is caused by a lack of housing. Despite this understanding, there has been a continual disinvestment by federal and state government in resources designed to meet the need for affordable housing. And, there continues to be a significant unmet need in Yolo County and its communities. More affordable housing is needed. Since the adoption of the original 10 Year Plan, the Housing Authority has seen reductions through budget sequestration and through mandatory budget caps from the Budget Control Act. Funding for HOME, which is used by the County and cities to help development affordable housing, was significantly reduced since Plan inception and funding for maintenance and management of public housing has been cut as well. In addition,





California’s main source of affordable housing funds, Redevelopment Housing Set Aside funds, was eliminated with the demise of Redevelopment Agencies. At this time, 27% of all persons in Yolo County are below the federal Poverty Threshold, while wait lists for affordable housing are at an all time high across all program types. Most Housing First funding opportunities currently provide assistance for wrap around services, but not to provide housing. In addition to funding issues, there have been systemic changes in management issues in 2 main areas: 1) rising rents; and 2) denial of housing rental through use of criminal background checks that make a blanket denial regardless of type of crime by private management companies and landlords. SUPPORT: As shown above in Why this Plan Matters, permanent housing is both effective and cost-effective. A recent survey by the Downtown Streets Team in the Bay Area of homeless persons found that people surveyed cited four (4) principal assists to ending their homelessness. Those were: rental assistance, employment assistance, drug or alcohol counseling and mental health services. And, ultimately, the only way to end homelessness is through having access to housing, which includes income to pay for housing and housing at a variety of price points. Objective #1 Prevent Homelessness through Early, Comprehensive Assistance to At-Risk

1. Provide credit and eviction history repair services; 2. Provide better connections to housing navigation and stable housing and/or services on

discharge from public institutions and medical settings; 3. Use Rapid ReHousing where possible to prevent homelessness; 4. Provide access to housing information, including rental rates, existing affordable

inventory and information to access applications; 5. Ensure eligible households are enrolled in programs that increase household

affordability, such as PGE’s CARE program and others. Objective #2 Maximize Ability of Those Most At Risk to Remain Housed

1. Ensure that Interim Housing programs designed to increase stability, skills, benefit enrollment/income, identification and reintegration are linked to case management, permanent housing, education/training, services and other supports;

2. Provide access to eviction prevention and/or mediation services to help at risk remain housed;

3. Ensure sufficient social service supports including caregiver support, transportation needs, substance abuse management, and other needed supports.

Objective #3 Maintain and Increase Access to Existing Resources

➔ Corrections - develop partnerships to create better coordinated discharge and





community planning; ➔ Corrections - develop interim housing and housing models, such as the IGT house,

designed to promote Ready to Rent programs and work with landlords to understanding this population and being will to rent;

➔ Corrections - work with housing providers to develop housing and interim housing models for disabled and dual-diagnosis parole and/or probation offenders that have a permanent housing placement outcome;

➔ Work with the housing community to design better admissions criteria that do a better job of helping landlords identify good tenants than just a blanket criminal record screen;

➔ Work with legal services and Neighborhood Court to do criminal record clean up and expungement where warranted;

➔ Continue to provide access to treatment based housing, including for those recently released from the correction system - work to link successful completion to the next step in permanent affordable housing;

➔ Foster Youth - Continue with the transitional aged youth program for service enriched housing;

➔ Foster Youth - Look for partnerships with an emphasis on support services, life skill building, vocational skills and socialization;

➔ Foster Youth - provide targeted services to youth who have not aged out of the system, but have left foster care without resources;

➔ Foster Youth - work with housing providers and community members to find aged out housing placements that are affordable;

➔ Continue to encourage cross program pollination between healthcare and housing programs - such as the Sutter program, including Davis Pathways project;

➔ Continue to educate the public and landlords on housing, homelessness and need for availability of rentals;

➔ Consider creation of an incentive loan to grant program (an upfront loan to a renter that forgives the debt on an annual basis on successfully remaining housed) to promote rental stability and cover move in costs such as security deposit, 1 st month’s rent and/or furnishings;

➔ Increase Housing Types - this could include micro units, mobile home rental, Single Room Occupancy units, master lease arrangements, others;

➔ Research and Explore “Affordable By Design” Units that are less costly to develop and can be affordable without reliance on additional subsidy;

➔ Create additional rent subsidy types, such as the Davis Pathways model, that would include various types of subsidy including long term, interim short term and/or shallow subsidies, to assist a variety of household types.

Objective #4 Develop Housing linked to a Range of Support Services





1. Develop additional housing that includes permanent supportive housing that is geographically dispersed;

2. Develop and support housing types and models that provide access to a variety of services, but aren’t traditional permanent supportive housing;

3. Develop and support services that follow people instead of being necessarily tied to an individual unit in order to broaden housing types with services;

4. Focus on case management that provides flexible services to meet needs of individuals as they change - either stepping up services or stepping down, based on current situations;

5. Research and find ways to develop affordable housing with housekeeping and/or affordable assisted living arrangements to help prevent elderly/disabled homelessness.

GOAL: Increase Economic Security CHALLENGES: As noted above, in a recent survey, lack of income and employment were cited as one of the main drivers of homelessness. Although unemployment rates are low, it masks a different problem - low wages, stagnant wages and a mismatch between skill level and available well paying jobs that is becoming systemic. There is quite a bit of national discussion around these issues and several initiatives that are beginning address job training and skills. However, there is a real opportunity to connect these efforts with the local community colleges, vocational programs and work to create a collaborative to address this holistically. SUPPORT: With programs at the One Stop Center, Woodland Community College, NCCT, Solano College District and other local initiatives, Yolo supports job training, skill development and skill matching. The missing link is connecting these opportunities to the service environment for homeless prevention and homeless recovery. Objective #1 Ensure Enrollment in Benefits and Available Programs

1. Continue and enhance as possible the SOAR model to increase application approval rates for SSI/SSDI for homeless persons;

2. Continue to provide assistance in obtaining driver’s license or CA identification cards and birth certificates to ensure homeless persons are able to apply for benefit and housing assistance;

3. Coordinate with the school districts and with HHSA to look at barriers and barrier removal for children in homeless households to access HHSA housing programs and/or to access homeless assistance through the schools. Look at ways to enhance safe after school homework and learning opportunities, including for special needs youth;

4. Consider grants and/or partnerships with YoloBus and transportation for teaching people to use the transportation system, for potential grants to fund reduced or free





transit and for other joint funding opportunities; Objective #2 Increase Financial Literacy and Access to Mainstream Financial Systems

1. Support life skills classes, including grocery shopping, nutrition, financial systems and budgeting;

2. Research and consider a Financial Mentor to assist individuals with their financial goals and in understanding how to use mainstream financial products;

3. Support literacy classes to assist those with reading difficulties or who are illiterate. Objective #3 Create a Self Sufficiency “Ladder” that Maximizes Each Person’s Access to Resources, Education, Job Training

1. Support efforts to help people become employable by increasing vocational training opportunities, job skills programs, internships and mentoring programs;

2. Provide comprehensive employment assistance, mentoring; 3. Develop ways to provide employment supports such as childcare, transportation, funds for

work clothes and tools; 4. Create job readiness and soft skills opportunities such as short-term employment, volunteer

opportunities; 5. Partner with existing, and explore additional, opportunities for the disabled through program

such as PRIDE Industries, YES and other existing resources; 6. Work with local businesses for job placement and training opportunities.

Implementation, Timing and Next Steps The goals and strategic objectives mesh with activities and milestones for achievement. The following chart outlines the anticipated goals, activities to serve them and estimated milestones. As a caveat, most activities are reliant on funding, eligibility and successful grant applications, all of which can alter the activities and/or the estimated completion dates:

Goal Strategy - Activity Milestone: 2017 - 2020

Leadership, Collaboration and Civic Engagement: Objective #1 Create and Enhance Collaboration

1. Continue with city and county support to HPAC.

2. Continue with Homeless Coordinator

3. Enhance HMIS- expand use of VI-SPDAT

4. Create Plan for Coordinated Entry System

1. Ongoing 2. Ongoing

3. FY 16/17 County goal of 200 - exceeded to date at 303

4. Grant received. Contract with Home Base executed. Estimated





completion 1/18


Leadership, Collaboration and Civic Engagement: Objective #2 Educate Leadership Re Issues and Opportunities

1. Continue Homeless Commission engagement.

2. Identify and Quantify gaps and hidden costs - outreach schools and businesses.

3. Quantify Resources to determine costs,gaps, overlaps and opportunities

1. Ongoing 2. TBD 3. County currently

quantifies HHSA resources; develop tracking for CoC funds and criminal justice system by 2018

Leadership, Collaboration and Civic Engagement: Objective #3 Civic Engagement

1. Study and compile statistics on cost differences between homelessness and housed.

2. Continue discussion with faith groups re: housing and services begun through IRWS in Davis and Woodland; continue discussions with Mercy Faith Coalition in W. Sac; begin discussions with businesses and WIB re: sills and job training.

3. Initiate discussions with public safety, groups and homeless on joint issues.

4. Continue public discussion through the Isee You program and move forward with Library/YCH film, book festival and art show from I See You project

1. TBD - dependent on achieving objectives in #2

2. Question for group - what is a good milestone? How to measure success?

3. Question for group - should outreach law enforcement and homeless liaisons for additional information on this and to establish goal - especially for joint city/county issues around encampments.Move forward with DCM/Davis/County/Sutter Pathways to Employment program - in progress 3/17

4. Complete I See You by 5/17. Complete film event by 12/31/17.

Improve Health and Stability: Objective #1 Health through Access

1. Maximize use of VI-SPDAT

2. Maximize enrollment in services

3. Continue with SOAR

1. In progress. See above. 2. In progress through

County programs. 3. In progress.






Improve Health and Stability: Objective #2

1. Provide Navigation and services.

2. Research models and applicability of medical recuperation and respite programs; tie to housing exist wherever possible.

3. Improve medical discharge planning to account for housing.

1. In progress through some programs; 4th and Hope for example.

2. TBD - for discussion 3. Work with care providers

to do in service for discharge planners. Discussion with same re: gaps in system and referral needs - Question - what is a good timeline goal?

Improve Health and Stability: Objective #3 Provide Comprehensive Integrated Services

1. Improve system coordination

2. Improve Case Coordination.

3. Provide wrap around case management.

4. Have a basic integrated medical, psycho-social, housing model

1. See timing for coordinated entry.

2. Ensure programs continue to use 1 Release form to facilitate communication - update and include housing programs by 12/31/17.

3. In place with CABHI grant. Look to expand to other homeless types.

4. 6/30/2020

Increase Access to Stable Affordable Housing: Objective #1 Prevent Homelessness through Early, Comprehensive Assistance to At-Risk Populations

1. Provide credit and eviction history repair services.

2. Provide better connections to housing navigation and stable housing and/or services on discharge from public institutions and medical settings;

3. Use Rapid ReHousing where possible to prevent homelessness;

4. Provide access to housing information.;

5. Ensure eligible households are enrolled in programs

1. Limited availability - TBD. Question how to approach and set goal.

2. See goals for Navigation, public engagement, training for discharge planners.

3. Take advantage of funds when available, including drought or other funding - in progress and ongoing

4. Information is currently available at places such as 211.com and YCH web site - integrate and share links by 2018.

5. Publicize ARE and other





that increase household affordability,

programs. Link to housing information by 2018.


Increase Access to Stable Affordable Housing: Objective #2 Maximize Ability of Those Most At Risk to Remain Housed

1. Ensure Interim Housing programs increase stability, skills, benefit enrollment/income and are linked to case management, permanent housing,, services and other supports.

2. Provide access to eviction prevention and/or mediation services to help at risk remain housed;

3. Ensure sufficient social service supports including caregiver support, transportation needs, substance abuse management, and other needed supports.

1. Which components do we have? Which do we need? What is timing?

2. What would be funding source?

3. See above - how would we prioritize - should the definition and prioritization be the goal? What milestone would be best?

Increase Access to Stable Affordable Housing: Objective #3 Maintain and Increase Access to Existing Resources

1. Corrections - develop partnerships to create better coordinated discharge and community planning.

2. Corrections - develop interim housing and housing models to promote Ready to Rent programs and work with landlords.

3. Work with legal services and Neighborhood Court to do criminal record clean up where warranted.

4. Continue to provide access to treatment based housing, link successful completion to permanent affordable housing.

5. Foster Youth - Continue

1. In progress. YCH conducted housing information sessions for Neighborhood Court advocates 2016 through March 2017.

2. In progress. YCH in partnership with County will start 1st IGT home with Ready to Rent program. Funding approved. Program in creation stage 3/17.

3. What is the status of this? What more is needed? This is a corrections partner question.

4. Continue with County HHSA programs. In progress.

5. In progress.





with the transitional program for service enriched housing;

6. Foster Youth - Look for partnerships with an emphasis on support services, life skill building, vocational skills and socialization.

7. Foster Youth - provide targeted services to youth who have not aged out of the system, but have left foster care without resources.

8. Continue to encourage cross program pollination between healthcare and housing programs - such as the Sutter program, including Davis Pathways project.

9. Consider creation of an incentive loan to grant program (a form of shallow subsidy) to promote rental stability and cover move in costs.

10. Increase Housing Types - could include micro units, mobile home rental, Single Room Occupancy units, master lease arrangements, others.

11. Research and Explore “Affordable By Design” Units that are less costly to develop and can be affordable without reliance on additional subsidy.

6. This is a gap identified in original plan - what is our solution?

7. From original plan - not sure how we are addressing. Thoughts?

8. Sutter regional initiative in place now. Davis Pathways in progress now. Other programs coming online 2017 -2018.

9. Testing a version of this in the Davis Pathways program. More needed as a shallow subsidy for Prevention/Early Intervention. Part of original plan - what are the group’s thoughts?

10. and 11. Begin exploration and research 2017 - 2018.






Increase Access to Stable Affordable Housing: Objective #4 Develop Housing linked to a Range of Support Services

1. Develop additional housing including permanent supportive housing that is geographically dispersed;

2. Develop and support housing types and models that provide access to a variety of services, but aren’t traditional permanent supportive housing;

3. Develop and support services that follow people instead of being necessarily tied to an individual unit in order to broaden housing types with services;

4. Focus on case management that provides flexible services to meet needs of individuals as they change - either stepping up services or stepping down, based on current situations;

5. Research and find ways to develop affordable housing with housekeeping and/or affordable assisted living arrangements to help prevent elderly/disabled homelessness.

These are all TBD - incorporate as part of other projects? Too ambitious for current plan date? To take up in 2019? Thoughts?






Increase Economic Security: Objective #1 Ensure Enrollment in Benefits and Available Programs

1. Coordinate with the school districts and HHSA for barrier removal for children in homeless households to access HHSA housing programs and/or to access homeless assistance through the schools.

2. Look at ways to enhance safe after school homework and learning opportunities, including for special needs youth.

3. Consider grants and/or partnerships with YoloBus and transportation for teaching people to use the transportation system, for potential grants to fund reduced or free transit and for other joint funding opportunities;

Need current status update info. What do we have? What are the gaps? What is possible in current term?

Increase Economic Security: Objective #2

1. Support life skills classes, including grocery shopping, nutrition, financial systems and budgeting.

2. Research Financial Mentors to assist with individual financial goals and in understanding how to use mainstream financial products.

3. Support literacy classes to assist those with reading difficulties or who are illiterate.

1. Resource centers? What else is needed? What is the timeline?

2. Something new - achievable in current plan time? Future stretch goal?

3. Can we quantify literacy programs, eligibility, location, costs? Any new items that are needed? Do we have gaps?






Increase Economic Security: Objective #3 Create a Self Sufficiency “Ladder” that Maximizes Individual Success

1. increase vocational training opportunities, job skills programs, internships and mentoring programs.

7. Provide comprehensive employment assistance.

8. Develop ways to provide employment supports such as childcare, transportation, funds for work clothes and tools.

9. Create job readiness and soft skills opportunities such as short-term employment, volunteer opportunities.

10. Partner with existing, and explore additional, opportunities for the disabled through program such as PRIDE Industries, YES and other existing resources.

11. Work with local businesses for job placement and training opportunities.

Identified as having gaps and no timeline. Need to have input from variety of HHSA programs, WIB and community colleges. Also, goals and update from Probation drop in Center, others.

Conclusion Yolo County has made a commitment to work to end homelessness in our communities. It will take resources and a true desire among many different stakeholders, institutions and individuals to work together for the good of all in order to achieve this result. Given the current housing situation, which places more households at-risk for homelessness and the federal and state funding and fiscal unknowns, the 10 Year Plan is more relevant than ever in helping to identify a prudent path forward, using our current resources smartly and seeking opportunities





as they arise in order to follow our roadmap to ending homelessness.

APPENDICES (To be added in final)





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