3A Public Hearing 2010 0315 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Priority: Build oninter-jurisdictional cooperation to achieve housing and homeless needs Priority Analysis and Obstacles to Meeting Underserved Needs In its efforts to continue the interjurisdictional cooperation and coordination of services to the homeless in Alameda County dating back since 1987, a unique collaboration among community stakeholders, cities, including San Leandro, and Alameda County government agencies developed the Alameda County-wide Continuum of Care Council in 2044. Already representing three (3) separate care systems -homeless services, HIV/AIDS services, and mental health services -that share overlapping client populations, the Council collaborated after recognizing that stable housing is a critical cornerstone to the health and well-being of homeless and at-risk people and the community. The Council transferred its responsibilities to Everyone Home in 2008 when Everyone Home became the community-based organization entrusted to spearhead the impiernentation of the Everyone Home Plan (formerly known as the Alameda County Homeless and Special Needs Plan). The Everyone Home Plan is a comprehensive blueprint to end homelessness, including chronic homelessness by the year 2020, and address the housing needs of extremely low income persons living with serious mental illness and/or HIVlAIDS. As of June 30, 2009, the Everyone Home Plan has been adopted by Alameda County, the City of San Leandro, and twelve (12) other cities. In addition, fifty-four (54) community-based organizations have al so endorsed the Plan and are participating in implementing strategies along with the cities and county government. With Alameda County's Housing and Community Development Department as the lead agency, Everyone Home continues the implementation of the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) county-wide. The HMIS system allows better tracking and shared information on individuals while they are in the housing system by preventing duplication of services to clients and by allowing the client to get the assistance they need depending on where they stand in the continuum. Twenty- four (24) homeless-dedicated housing support services provider agencies are. already using the HMIS software. Meanwhile, the Research and Evaluation Committee of Everyone Home continues to work on aligning data collection on housing status across several County data systems, including HMIS, Behavioral Health Care, and the Office of AIDS Administration, to accurately measure housing placement and housing retention for the Plan's target populations. The Homeless Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing (HPRP) funds made available through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 will allow Everyone Home partners to implement a county-wide homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing program for the first time. Eleven (11) jurisdictions have received a total of $12.2 million dollars that will be used to create a regional Housing Resource Centers where individuals and families with a housing crisis can receive financial assistance that will enable them to keep their housing or rapidly regain housing if they are already homeless. Centers based in Fremont, San Leandro, Livermore, Oakland, and Berkeley are already open and have been servicing people since October 2009. Objectives DRAFT Housing and Community Development Strategic Plan - FY 2010-14 City of San Leandro Page 17