HomeMy WebLinkAboutPOWERPOINT_Homeless Presentation-v6Addressing
Homelessness
In Santa Ana
Honorable Mayor and members of the Council, we are here before you tonight to recap the efforts our staff have been undertaking to address the homelessness crisis in our City. And to
also share our plans for what more can be done to keep our streets clean and safe.
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It is no secret that homelessness poses an existential crisis to the operation of our City and the quality of life of our residents.
While homelessness is a symptom of many other societal challenges, it undermines and threatens the fabric of cities, especially here in California.
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California has 12% of the country’s population and approximately 22% of the country’s homeless population.
We also have 47% of the country’s unsheltered homeless population here in our state.
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Point-In-Time Counts
In 2017, the Countywide PIT Count showed us we had 1,000 homeless people in our City.
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2017 534
2018 587
2019 939
466 1,000
1,030 1,617
830 1,769
Year
Sheltered
Unsheltered
Total
That breakdown was 534 Sheltered and 466 Unsheltered.
In early 2018, the City conducted its own Emergency PIT Count and concluded that number had increased to over 1,600 in a little over 1 year. You can see the Unsheltered population especially
exploded.
As of early 2019, our numbers have grown again to almost 1,800, but with many more people Sheltered than in previous years.
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The challenges of homelessness are many:
First, is the human toll of suffering for those who find themselves homeless and struggle to get back on their feet, but have a desire to do so.
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Then, there are those who suffer from drug addiction and mental illness that inhibit their ability to operate as productive members of society or make rational decisions to respond to
outreach.
There are those who also represent a criminal element and refuse aid due to a desire to remain outside the law or rules of a more formal structure or solution.
And while these souls who inhabit the streets and parks of our City are the core of the story, their impact is felt by our community at large.
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Public Safety
Petty crime increases and trespassing is common.
Families feel less secure in their own neighborhoods and find themselves not allowing their children to explore the neighborhood.
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Our public safety resources are drained as officers and firefighters are called to deal with issues created by the homeless, tying up valuable resources that could otherwise be focused
on other high-priority calls.
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17%
SAPD
CALLS
In the past year, 17% of calls in to the Santa Ana Police Department have been in response to homelessness.
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18% OCFA
CALLS
In the past year, 18% of calls in to the Orange County Fire Authority have been in response to homelessness.
In all those instances between SAPD and OCFA, those are valuable public safety resources being redirected. For SAPD in particular, their time, energy and resources could otherwise be
spent on crime prevention.
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Visually, the blight of homelessness both serves as a constant reminder of the risks and insecurity for our community and tarnishes the very image our residents and visitors have about
Santa Ana.
Homelessness tears at the faith in our institutions and the public’s belief in government’s ability - whether federal, state or local - to truly solve a challenge.
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Enforcement
These acts undermine quality of life, damage our resident and visitor experience and generally do not advance our community.
On these issues, our City is taking a stand and forging ahead with renewed resolution and commitment.
Case law such as Martin v. City of Boise has made it clear: being homeless is not a crime. That particular case ruled: prohibition against sleeping in public violates the Eighth Amendment’s
prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment when the homeless individuals have no access to alternative shelter.
The Martin decision confirms that cities cannot enforce camping/lodging prohibitions if their local homeless population faces inadequate shelter space. Also, the city enforcing the ordinance
must have shelter space available within its own jurisdiction.
Municipalities may conduct cleanups of encampments on public property, though.
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THE LINK
200 BEDS
28 DAYS
Santa Ana’s response to the wave of homelessness that has swept the West Coast has always included a level of compassion.
It was this ethos that drove the speedy opening of The Link interim homeless shelter to provide beds for homeless residents from Santa Ana in just 28 days.
It was a symbol to Orange County, if not all major cities, that progress can happen through partnership and a “must do” attitude.
The Council and our community should be proud of what was accomplished with The Link and the efforts of private parties and our Public Works Agency to create yet another option for sheltering
our homeless and cleaning up the streets.
Yet, while The Link affirmed our community's value of compassion, it also opened the door for us to apply a standard for raised expectations and responsibility. The Link has taken nearly
250 people off the streets on any given night. it has also affirmed something that we all know and are frustrated with...
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47%
REFUSING
SERVICES
...not everyone wants help.
Indeed, 47% of our unsheltered homeless have a choice to take shelter and they refuse.
And this is where our community hopes for responsibility, accountability and raised expectations.
Santa Ana is tackling this second great challenge, and in some ways, a harder challenge: how to help those who do not want it.
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Community
Frustrations
I hear from the community and this Council that you are frustrated with what seems to be slow progress. I know that frustration feeds into pressure on the Council and, therefore, the
City to do more.
We are ready, willing and trying to do more. We are prepared to innovate around the limits that the law and courts have placed upon us.
But, as public servants and concerned members of the public, we should all know the workarounds we face to address this 47% of our unsheltered homeless who may not want our help.
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Trespassing
And while we can all understand the sentiment that simply being homeless is not a crime, we also know that being drunk in public, high in public, littering and trespassing are crimes.
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Railroads
More recently we have made the same progress where homeless people occupied property along Union Pacific Railroad rails.
Through our sweeps and clean ups, we have now made an improvement in an area that had become an encampment spot.
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5 Warrants
$118,522 Billed
to Union Pacific
Railroads
This work was made possible through legal action taken by our City to seek a warrant to clean up the property.
The judge granted that warrant and four others, and the City will be billing the railroad over $118,000 dollars for the clean up effort as they failed to address the problem on their
own land.
On May 22, 2019 at approximately 8:00AM, over 50 City of Santa Ana staff (Code Enforcement, Police Department, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and Community Development) as well
as private contractors, began a large scale service of the inspection and abatement warrant at five locations within the city.
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Railroads
The one-time warrant authorized City staff to enter the private property of Union Pacific Railroad, to perform inspections and abate any dangerous conditions.
For example, at the 1200-1300 E. Edinger location (3 blocks south along the railroad right of way), staff discovered over 60 encampments/shanty’s occupied by 16 individuals. Trash and
debris was strewn around the area. Staff determined it was imperative, for public health and safety, to immediately abate the dangerous condition. Public works crews and private contractors
began cleanup efforts.
Police Officers and representatives of the Orange County Health Care Agency provided outreach to all 16 contacted individuals experiencing homelessness. None accepted services. One (1)
individual was arrested for narcotics violations.
We are currently undergoing negotiations with Union Pacific on a memorandum of understanding that will lead to dramatic improvements to the maintenance of their property within our City.
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Insert CalTrans
Stats Here
CalTrans
And as another example, Santa Ana worked with CalTrans to bring to light encampments on their properties in overpass areas. It was an eye-opening experience for the District Director,
and one that has now resulted in CalTrans doing the right thing and making daily sweeps of their property areas to remove encampments.
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Santiago Creek
The City has conducted over 30 clean-up efforts in Santiago Creek in 2019 and removed over 150 encampments.
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QOLT
The Quality of Life Team was formed as a two week pilot program in January 2018 modeled after a best practice approach presented at a Police Executive Research Forum national conference
to address the broad societal homelessness impact.
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QOLT
Our Quality of Life Teams are now seasoned veterans, and their work at homeless encounters have given us key data and insights into the labor input required to address the average homelessness
incident.
These teams have been a cornerstone of our proactive outreach efforts.
It is these constant efforts at contact and service direction that have set a tone in the city - we expect you to accept help if you are going to be in Santa Ana.
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mySantaAna App
If you are a resident or business owner wishing to report a concern about homelessness such as abandoned property on City right-of-way, you may download the free MySantaAna application
with an iPhone or Android and report service requests under Abandoned Property/Illegal Dumping. In addition, this month we will be launching the new MySantaAna App where you will be
able to report an encampment directly from the dropdown menu.
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Santa Ana also benefits from superior data.
Our MySantaAna App provides geocoded data on reports of homelessness incident and issues, and this data provides mapped information with details that are now guiding our targeting efforts
to move from response to systematic and routine engagement across our community.
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Multi-Departmental Efforts
There have been a number of ways City staff have gone above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to addressing homelessness:
The IT Department has Created a dedicated Homeless Services phone line at 714-647-5341, and is recording messages for our City phone lines that provide information about the City’s homeless
services.
City staff is assembling and reviewing code complaints and police incident reports for the MHA Multi-Service Center and the surrounding neighborhoods in preparation for a letter campaign
to the Orange County Board of Supervisors, CEO, and MHA Board of Directors. The Goal is to call the County and MHA to take action and take an active role in addressing community concerns.
In December 2018, the Quality of Life Team launched “Operation Dignity,” a 7-day intensive outreach and enforcement effort. Teams worked in two shifts, from 4am - 10pm, to implement
the City’s enforcement policies and direct homeless individuals to available shelters and resources. As many as 24 people accepted shelter in one given day.
In January 2019, the Quality of Life Team launched “Operation Safe Passage,” another 6-day intensive outreach effort. As a result, over 400 homeless individuals throughout the City were
contacted, and 37 referred to shelter- of which 32 accepted the Link shelter services.
The City’s Quality of Life Team quickly came together and completed a successful September Special Projects calendar with 6 special days of QOLT activity, along with the regular Monday-
Thursday 9-4pm daily operations. The team cleaned over 16 tons of trash and debris and 38 trucks of trash and debris, arrested over 23 individuals for outstanding warrants, over 20 cited
for Santa Ana Municipal code violations, 5 accepted services to shelter (2 to the Link, 3 to Courtyard).
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The Public Works Agency’s Maintenance Services Division has provided major contributions to the City’s efforts to mitigate the impacts associated with the unsheltered population.
Over the last year, they have responded to 1,186 Service Requests for Transient Debris. That number has increased 1,110% from FY 16-17.
They have also handled 11,101 Service Requests of Abandoned Property/Illegal Dumping this year. That number is up 43% from FY 16-17.
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City Employees
The status quo is not our standard in Santa Ana. We have, unfortunately, been on the forefront of homelessness challenges in our area of Orange County.
But a silver lining is that we have gained experience and wisdom on these matters. In that regard, we are better equipped to address the challenge going forward.
Our community is a part of this solution by being the eyes and ears for the City, but I am also aware - and our employees are aware - that there are at least another 1,200 sets of eyes
that can also be constantly scanning our horizons and looking for issues to address so we can bring even more fidelity to our data sets and response times.
We have begun emphasizing with all staff that "it is not okay to look the other way."
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Cost of
Services
The Mayor and Council have made it clear that addressing homelessness is a top priority for the City and every staff member who serves this community. From Parks & Recreation to Public
Works, each plays a role in addressing either the underlying social challenge that results in homelessness or in treating the symptom itself.
The cost to address homelessness in Santa Ana goes far beyond just our Quality of Life Team personnel. Police, Fire, Public Works, Code Enforcement, Management, Legal...everyone is involved
in some way or another.
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$16.6 M
$25.4 M
In FY 18-19, the City spent almost $16.7 million dollars addressing homelessness. In the current FY, we estimate that cost will rise to $25.5 million dollars.
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Police and Fire will have the largest burdens, with almost $18 million dollars alone between them. That's 71% of the homeless-related cost to the City.
Between Clean-Up, Code Enforcement, Homeless Services and Park Safety, that is another brand-new $6.1 million dollars that we anticipate spending this year.
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Clean
Outreach
Housing
Communication
I am proceeding with a homeless strategic plan that includes a four step action plan with a focus on four core areas: Clean, Outreach, Housing and Communication.
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1. Clean = Reduce Negative Impacts to Community Ensuring that Santa Ana is Clean and Safe
2. Outreach = Being Persistent in Our Contact with Anyone Experiencing Homelessness
3. Housing = Reduce the Number of Santa Ana’s Unsheltered Homeless
4. Communication = Have an Engaged and Informed Community Regarding Homelessness and Homeless Solutions
Goals
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Clean
Santa Ana has had a large concentration of Orange County’s homeless housed within yards of where we sit. Recall that it was only 18 months ago when roughly 200 people occupied the Plaza
of the Flags, and we were having to continuously enter the encampment to clean up feces and urine and reduce public health risks while also trying to protect those in the encampment
from others who wanted to prey upon them.
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Clean
The City systematically and compassionately worked with each occupant of that encampment to redirect them to services or to find another venue to occupy, but eventually we reclaimed
our civic space for all of Santa Ana.
Under the "broken windows" theory, blight inspires more blight, but clean streets inspire sustained clean streets. We have a big effort to get there, but we need to push hard on clean
up.
No matter how you enter this City or what neighborhoods you walk, our sidewalks need to be free of litter, free of feces, free of remnants from homeless encampments.
It is an achievable standard, and one whose pursuit will elevate our overall expectations for the City.
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Before
After
Short-term Actions (before November 1):
Alter the Chain of Command for QOLT
Increase the presence of QOLT during dusk and dawn and Saturdays
Supplement existing QOLT with contracted QOLT
Implement a 48 Hour turn around on Service Request
Procurement of supplemental Services for Public Works Maintenance Services to commence in October 2019
Procurement of Supplemental Services for Retrieval and storage of belongings
Increase patrols of hot spots.
City staffers to Increase reporting of homeless impacts
Oversize Vehicle/RV Ordinance is scheduled to be on the agenda for consideration by City Council tonight.
Long-term actions (after November 1):
Implement a 36 hour turn around on Service Request.
Implementation of physical changes to facilities to increase the ease of rubbish removal or the ability to patrol
Review existing City Ordinances to identify possible areas for improved enforcement. Review recycling centers for compliance
Increase code enforcement efforts on private property include vacant or abandoned.
Mitigate hospital drop offs in the City of Santa Ana and work to create equal distribution of Crisis Stabilization programs
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Outreach
We need to look at doubling down on our outreach efforts.
We have modified our approach to be a hybrid of staff and contractors to address homeless related issues and general maintenance in the City. As of yesterday, City staff has duplicated
our single QOLT team into two QOLT teams: one working East of Bristol and one working West of Bristol. These two QOLT teams are further augmented by two new contractors with maintenance
crews to scan the City to ensure a more proactive response to service requests while backfilling the Public Work Crews that are a part of QOLT. Not only have we expanded the number of
teams, we have also expanded the hours of service to include night and weekend coverage, 7 days a week.
Short-term Actions (before November 1):
Address needs of unsheltered homeless population.
Procurement of Supplemental Outreach workers to commence in October 2019
Augment hours of Outreach to include dusk, dawn and Saturdays.
Collaborate with County CoC HEAP funded City Net agency to assist in stranded homeless population.
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Outreach
Long-term actions (after November 1):
Coordinate outreach Operations with City staff, partners, and service providers in public spaces with a high volume of homeless quality of life issues, community engagement, education,
behavior change, and partnershipsSupport development of Fairview Development Center for emergency and permanent supportive housing for the homeless population with Severe Mental Illness
Balance the needs and rights of individuals experiencing homelessness and the larger community through updated fair, legal and enforceable policies and ordinances.
The mission is to sustain contact with our homeless population and make it clear that our standard in Santa Ana is that you will accept services.
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Housing
HOUSING - Housing continues to be a top priority. We have nearly1,600 units of affordable housing in the City with an additional 857 affordable housing units in the pipeline. Santa Ana
is part of only 3% of the jurisdictions in California (16/539) that are on pace to meet their RHNA goals this cycle.
This work needs to focus on the spectrum of housing, but temporary shelter and navigations centers are a perfectly acceptable solution as we push for a higher standard across the City.
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Housing
Short-term Actions (before November 1):
Expand pathway to affordable housing opportunities
Develop Eviction Prevention Program (Safely Home in Santa Ana)
Utilize ESG funds for those currently, or at risk of homelessness
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Housing
Long-term actions (after November 1):
Establish a Permanent Shelter
Support efforts for county wide increase in mental health services and addiction services (Cal Optima)
Increase Permanent Supportive Housing Pipeline and prioritize Santa Ana Homeless. Currently 327 in Pipeline
Develop landlord incentive programs and increase marketability of housing vouchers
Strategize regional equality of affordable housing through Orange County Housing Trust Fund
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Communication
Fourth, we need to communicate. The City’s success with Link made headlines and graced the cover of Western City Magazine. But our other efforts warrant the public’s awareness for a
simple reason: progress promotes more progress.
Short-term Actions (before November 1):
Develop educational materials to promote health and safety.
Develop Homeless Resource Kit
Distribute Kits to Businesses and Residences and other interested parties
Provide QOLT ride-a-longs
Increase responses to reporting parties
Distribute community needs survey
Upgrade Homeless-related Webpages
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Long-term actions (after November 1):
Improve best practices with existing stakeholders addressing homelessness throughout the County
Use technology to distribute real time QOLT Data
Increase homeless presentations to Santa Ana Neighborhood Associations, increasing knowledge of homeless solutions and supportive tools through Public Awareness Campaign.
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Addressing our challenges in Santa Ana is not just a City job, it is a community job.
Our community has a history of taking on big issues and making progress, and tackling homelessness will be one of the biggest.
Yet, homelessness is so pervasive throughout our community that we share a common interest in addressing this challenge.
Showing each neighborhood how they are making progress and how to contribute to the future of our City will be a force-multiplier on our efforts.
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