Reso 1999-056 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Action Plan-FY1999 City of San Leandro Page 10 the units are occupied by lower income households. The property's operating budget is also examined to determine the property's long-term financial feasibility. HOMELESS AND OTHER SPECIAL NEEDS ACTIVITIES Implementation of the County Homeless Continuum of Care Plan The Alameda County-wide Homeless Continuum of Care Plan, developed to strengthen and coordinate local efforts to address homelessness, was completed in April 1997. Since its completion, Alameda County has received two Best Practice Awards from HUD in this area, the first in 1997 for the plan's development and the second in 1998 for its implementation, particularly related to appropriate homeless uses at closing military bases. These awards recognize Alameda County-wide efforts as a national model for multi jurisdictional coordination. Since early 1998, the community's energies have focused on plan implementation. A full-time Continuum of Care Coordinator was hired in January 1998. The 60-person Continuum of Care Council was seated in February 1998 and includes representatives from each of the HOME Consortium member jurisdictions, the cities of Berkeley and Oakland, County representatives, service providers and advocates, homeless and formerly homeless persons, representatives from the faith community, and education and health care professionals. The seated Council developed its initial annual work-plan in March 1998. First year goals focused on developing the infrastructure necessary to support county-wide coordination. Among the first year goals were the development of programs and projects with multi jurisdictional benefits, including, but not limited to, development of county-wide standards of service, improved service delivery and evaluation through an integrated management information system, coordinating a county-wide response to the 1998 HUD Continuum of Care NOFA; and targeted increases in permanent, supportive and transitional housing. Operationalization of the annual plan resulted in the formation of subcommittees to further annual goals. These open subcommittees, whose membership mirrors the diversity of stakeholders on the Council itself, include Data Tracking and Evaluation, Standards of Service, Self-Sufficiency and Safety Net and Fundraising/Development. Specific results-to-date include the development of a standardized intake form which will be piloted in the first and second quarters of calendar year 1999 and fully implemented county-wide wide by October 1999. Standardization of the intake will allow for increased knowledge of homeless populations in the County, what their needs are, and is an important first step in the development of an integrated system. A complete set of health and safety standards for shelters will be presented for community review by March 1999, as will a recommended protocol for individual agency grievance procedures. These developments are essential to creating parity of services across providers and areas of the County.