Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 01-24-2005-6cORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: January 24, 2005 Action Agenda Item No. 6 - C- SUBJECT: Resolution - Partnership to End Homelessness in Orange County DEPARTMENT: Housing/Comm. Development PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): Resolution Small Group Discussion Summary INFORMATION CONTACT: Tara L. Fikes, ext. 2490 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 a resolution endorsinq the establishment of a Partnership to End Homeless in Orange County. BACKGROUND: On November 18, 2004, Orange County, Chapel Hill, and the United Way hosted a Roundtable Discussion on Homelessness in Orange County. Over 150 community members including local elected officials attended this event. The summary of the small group discussions from this event is attached for reference. The Roundtable Planning Committee consists of representatives of the Town of Chapel Hill, Orange County, Triangle United Way, IFC Community House, and the Community Initiative to End Homelessness (formerly the Continuum of Care). The Committee has continued to meet to review the feedback from the November 18th event and discuss the next steps for creation of a 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness in Orange County. The Planning Committee believes that Orange County's success in this initiative will rest on the strength of the partnership of its local governments and community leaders. Therefore, the Committee recommends the participation of the elected bodies of Chapel Hill, Orange County, Carrboro and Hillsborough for this initiative. In January and February, presentations will be made to all governing bodies to request that they, by resolution, officially join a "Partnership to End Homelessness in Orange County". Membership in the partnership may involve a commitment to providing staff, funding and other resources for this initiative in the future. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no immediate cost associated with this resolution. However, once the Partnership is established, there will be a need for funding for plan development. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board adopt the resolution endorsing the establishment of a Partnership to End Homeless in Orange County. RESOLUTION WHEREAS, in October 2003, Triangle-area elected officials were briefed on the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness Initiative sponsored by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness; and WHEREAS, on November 18, 2004, Orange County, the Town of Chapel Hill, and the United Way hosted a Roundtable Discussion on Homelessness in Orange County attended by more than 150 community members; and WHEREAS, the Roundtable Planning Committee has continued to meet to review feedback from the November 18`h event and recommends the establishment of the Partnership to End Homelessness in Orange County to continue to pursue this Initiative in the County; and WHEREAS, the County's success in this Initiative will rest on the strength of the partnership of its local governments and community leaders; and WHEREAS, the Planning Committee requests the founding members of the Partnership to End Homelessness in Orange County to include the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough and Orange County; and WHEREAS, each founding member is asked to appoint a representative to the Planning Committee for the Partnership; and WHEREAS, the Planning Committee will be charged with developing a process for the creation of a 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness; NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved, that the Orange County Board of Commissioners support the establishment of the "Partnership to End Homelessness in Orange County". This the 20' day of January, 2005. 3 Orange County Homelessness Roundtable Discussion November 18, 2004 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Group A: Ending Homelessness Moderators 1. UNC 1 Raleigh/Wake Program Example 1 IFC - volunteers faith communities in general 4. Caring/concerned government bodies 5. Input from community leaders and neighborhood leaders 6. Family specialists in schools Z OC Continuum of Care - merging with community initiative to end homelessness 8. Wealth 9. Affordable housing agencies: EmPOWERment, Orange County Housing and Land Trust, Habitat, Women's Center, Board of Realtors, Chamber, Council on Workforce Housing, (www..workforcehousing.info) 10. Students at UNC, advocacy groups there - more focus and action 11. Data - work other communities have done to be strategic - focus on ending homelessness instead of ending poverty a. Website: National Alliance to End Homelessness, Corp for support, local pt in Time Council, NC Coalition to End Homelessness, IFC Collection of data for Orange County and Canhoro 12. Continuum of Care collecting data 13. Retired people to utilize 14. Free Public transportation a. Youth in elementary and secondary schools, scouts, etc. II. BARRIERS 1. African American Communities being bought out - "Gentrification" 2. Stereotypes alive and well in community- lazy, dangerous, threat, ruining downtown 3. Attitudes of wanting to shut them out 4. Inconsistent response by town to homelessness - why does town criminalize them - laws against panhandling 5. Police Department - a lot is blamed on homeless that they do not do 6. Town wants to look as though we have no crime/homelessness 7. Hyper-focus on 10-15% of chronically homeless instead of 80% other homeless who are short term 8. Lack of sufficient data on the cost of homelessness 9. Lack of rental subsidy - rental housing is too expensive 10. Hidden homeless - especially women and children SHAME to identifying 11. Affordable housing only focused on ownership instead of renting 12. Dispassionate understanding of issue is difficult given the stereotypes 13. Cost of health care III. WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN? 1. More community convenings, focused on specific topics and ideas 2. Volunteering by community people - learn about it face to face - Be ambassadors 3. Agencies need to ask for what they need 4. Amalgamate the data - town government, etc. Blue ribbon commission - make easily accessible and updated (PR) 5. Socialization and skills training - be productive citizens 6. Sleep in by students at slielter/on campus tent city - don't know who is homeless and who is not 7. Duplicate work by groups - bring groups together and have clearinghouse for info 8. Get town of Canbom in on this process 9. Different kinds of homelessness examine all of them 10. Face on homelessness that students can relate to instead of those who are outside our experience 11. Lead to a coordinated community plan 12. Focus on the African American communities 11 Job loss - deal with it 14. Coordination between government agencies (hospitals, etc) and those working on homelessness. Group B: Preventing Homelessness Moderators' r lia Mack and Martha Hoyhnan 1. Culture of Caring 2, Providing support to keep housing and prevent loss 3. Provide housing when leaving institutions 4. Issue must be constantly in front of us 5, Media outlets: local cable programming 6. What causes homelessness - assess impact on businesses. Perhaps tax relief for homeowners as properties are developed and values increase a. Examples of Northern Orange County and Chapel Hill (Rosemary Street) 7. Local Government support to learn about and address issues 8. Credit and budget counseling programs 9. Resources to study what causes homelessness a. UNC 10. Developers can provide affordable housing in development 11. Strong neighborhood associations 12. Strong resource rich community 13. Shifting towards a service economy - means jobs in Orange County 14. Network of nonprofit organization 15, Lots of volunteers in Orange County 16, Surplus housing available II.. BARRIERS 1. What are the strengths of population that is being served? 2. Under funding of state and federal support 3. Need more study of what the needs are of our community 4, Non-inclusive processes 5. Distrust of government 6. Commercial developments maximize profit, but need to also contribute to community 7. Need inclusionary zoning 8. Many need to choose between paying rent and health care 9, People lose jobs because of lack of stable employment 10. Stereotyping and prejudging what people need 11. Easy to ignore and lack of awareness 12. The increase of people in poverty is straining support systems 13. Root of the capitalist system - priority is not on the disadvantaged. Poor people may not have good education, good jobs and we are dismantling the safety net 14. Society pressures 15. Lack in monetary resources but self-reliant in other ways a. $$ may interfere 16. Alternate economic paradigm a. Trading/sharing homes b. Barter 5 17. Discomfort of seeing homeless - malting them invisible III. WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN? L Getaway from inter-agency "tuifism" -more sharing of scarce resources 2. Address health care issues a. They are a drain on resources b. Need better control c. Families have no control 3. Local Solutions a. Despite state and federal obstacles 4. Pursue collaborative efforts across agencies e.g. continuum of care 5. NC Plenty - other economic instruments a, e.g. Time Dollars (www.timedollars.org) 6. Very long term problems a. 14 self help houses b. Apartments c. Community housing 7.. Discharge planning 8. Affordable housing - more resources needed 9. Public Realm - vision of no homelessness 10. Link between disabilities and homelessness - how to address challenges 11. Priorities - where are we devoting our financial resources? Need to raise the priority of homelessness and frankly confront priorities 12. Link to Downtown Chapel Hill Plan and Comprehensive Housing Plan 13. Review/Search existing housing stock 14. Priorities: Where are we spending our money and are we putting resources in the right place? Group C: Moving From Homelessness or Institutionalization toward Self- Sufficiency Moderators Gwen: Bnrstoa and Po1(y Weiss I. ASSETS/STRENGTHS L UNC Courses for people to re-tool for job training 2. JOB LINKS center on Franklin Street 3. Lots of Services and education and good matching 4. Transitional Programs for ex-offenders through a. Private employers b. Housing 5. D.O.C. Literacy Council - GED Education 6. Women's Center 7. Employers who are willing to hire people with disabilities 8. Orange County/IFC helping people avoid being homeless a. Providing $$ for groceries 9. Rural churches that connect with Town of Chapel Hill Awareness of homelessness in rural part of county 10. Mental Health reform a. Opportunity to align services to meet multiple needs 11. Free public transportation in Chapel Hill and Carrboro 12. Family violence prevention a. Rape Crisis Center offers free crisis services b. Healing from abuse 13. TROSA in Durham - for recovering substance abusers 14. Alternatives to incarceration programs 15. Discharge planners who know the risk for homelessness 16. Housing: there are unoccupied rental units - lower rent subsidies or tax break?? II. BARRIERS 1. Legal system - $$ to work with in system/defend self/lawyer costs 2. Arrest background/conviction affects job hunting and employment 3. Getting society to welcome ex-offenders back - societal factors and stigma 4. Multiple needs - lack of advocacy - need help navigating system and see the big picture 5. Group homes create social isolation 6. Misunderstanding about abilities of people with disabilities 7. Some needs - special challenges and don't fit "models" of needs and programs. Program structures are a challenge for everybody 8. Many come from manufacturing, jobs -- no jobs available 9. Lack of child care and affordable transportation in rural Orange County 10. Those who do not want to be changed - not seeking permanent housing 11. Lack of affordable health and dental care 12. Waiting list for section 8 housing 1.3. Educating people about the availability of case management 14. Lack of large corporations - how can we get large corporate supporters? 15. Support agencies become enablers, Is there incentive by social service agencies to move clients on? 16. More collaboration among agencies 17. What does self sufficiency mean? Client defines 18. Plan should include strategy for those repeating cases seen regularly or special cases with severe life skill needs - broad range of needs III, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN? 1. Committee to educate landlords/Assess their needs 1 System-wide education about needs - long term goals 3. Community buy-in about need to end homelessness 4. More facilities in Orange County to house homeless folks 5. A broader definition of homelessness 6. Action alert emails to federal government officials about section 8 housing situation in Orange County 7. Additional housing for single men 8. Advocacy for Living Wages - hold employers responsible for living wage 9. Landlords need to make sure affordable housing is clean and safe 10. More case management services and money