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Strategic Plan — FY 2000 -FY 2004 City of San Leandro Page 19 of 35 PART II. PRIORITY HOMELESS NEEDS Priority: Maintain and improve the current capacity of the housing and shelter system, expand transitional and permanent supportive housing. Priority Analysis and Obstacles to Meeting Underserved Needs The Alameda County HOME Consortium prepared the following analysis of the housing, shelter, transitional and permanent supportive housing needs and obstacles. As a Consortium member, the City of San Leandro subscribes to this priority and has proposed activities that meet the objective of maintaining and improving the current capacity of the housing and shelter system, and expanding transitional and permanent supportive housing. The Alameda Countywide Homeless Continuum of Care Plan indicates there is an estimated 9,000 to 16,500 people homeless within Alameda County on any.given night. Although three- quarters of this population identify Berkeley or Oakland as their place of residence, between 2,000 and 3,500 (23 %) considered other jurisdictions within Alameda County as their primary place of residence before becoming homeless. While services and housing opportunities for homeless people have steadily increased in Alameda County, they have not kept up with the growth of the homeless population. The Alameda Countywide Homeless Continuum of Care Plan estimates that families make up between 30 -49% of the homeless population. Forty -nine percent of the shelter beds in the county serve families, however the number of beds does not meet the number of homeless who would like to sleep in them. These beds are distributed across the county in proportion to the homeless population (e.g. most of the beds are in Oakland and Berkeley, with the remaining 35% spread throughout the County). The Plan also indicates that 38 -48% of the coiinty's homeless population have alcohol or other drug problems and 22 -42% have moderate to severe mental health problems. There are a high percentage of people who are dually diagnosed with both alcohol /other drug problem and some form of mental illness (19 -40% of total homeless). HIV infection is estimated at 15 -25% of the total homeless adult population. For women, domestic violence is a major cause of homelessness, affecting 22 -60% of homeless women. Veterans make up approximately 34% of the homeless populations (primarily male veterans). Many of the shelter beds serve a portion of these subpopulations, however many people are more comfortable and more willing to get services from shelters that target people with their specific needs. Many general shelters are unable to deal with the complex needs of some subpopulations, such as those dually diagnosed and those released from prison. Currently beds include shelter beds, supported housing units, and residential treatment beds, in addition to multi- service centers for daytime use. Targeted beds for people with one or more special needs or disabilities are needed outside of Berkeley, Oakland and Hayward. However, creating new capacity will not result in a net increase if at the same time, beds are being lost elsewhere in the county.