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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 13939 (Grand Jury Response; Homelessness)RESOLUTION NO. 13939 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL RESPONSE TO THE 2014- 2015 MARIN COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT ENTITLED "HOMELESSNESS IN MARIN- A CALL FOR LEADERSHIP" WHEREAS, pursuant to Penal Code section 933, a public agency which receives a Grand Jury Report addressing aspects of the public agency's operations, must comment on the Report's findings and recommendations contained in the Report in writing within ninety (90) days to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court with a copy to the Foreperson of the Grand Jury; and WHEREAS, Penal Code section 933 specifically requires that the "governing body" of the public agency provide said response and, in order to lawfully comply, the governing body must consider and adopt the response at a noticed public meeting pursuant to the Brown Act; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of San Rafael has received and reviewed the 2014-2015Marin County Grand Jury Report, dated April 20, 2015 entitled "Homelessness in Marin- A Call for Leadership", and has agenized it at this meeting for a response. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of San Rafael hereby: 1. Approves and authorizes the Mayor to execute the City of San Rafael's response to the 2014-2015 Marin County Grand Jury Report entitled "Homelessness in Marin- A Call for Leadership", copy attached hereto. 2. Directs the City Clerk to forward the City's Grand Jury Report response to the Presiding Judge of the Marin County Superior Court and to the Foreperson of the Marin County Grand Jury. I, Esther Beirne, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the San Rafael City Council held on June 1, 2015, by the following vote to wit: AYES: Councilmembers: Bushey, Colin, Gamblin, McCullough & Mayor Phillips NOES: Councilmembers: None ABSENT: Councilmembers: None ESTHER C. BEIRNE, City Clerk RESPONSE TO GRAND JURY REPORT FORM Report Title: Homelessness in Marin- a Call for Leadership Report Date: April 20, 2015 Response By: City Council of the City of San Rafael Title: Mayor and City Council FINDINGS: • We agree with the findings numbered F5,F6, F7 (See Attachment A incorporated herein by reference.) • We partially agree with findings numbered F1 (See Attachment A incorporated herein by reference.) • We disagree wholly or partially with the findings numbered N/A RECOMMENDATIONS: Note: San RAfel was not asked to respond to any of the Grand Jury recommendations. • Recommendations numbered N/A have been implemented. (Attach a summary describing the implemented actions.) • Recommendation numbered N/A has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future. (Attach a timeframe for the implementation.) • Recommendations numbered N/A • Recommendations numbered N/A warranted or are not reasonable. DATED: June 5, 2015 ATTEST: R¢re..c , Esther Beirne, City Clerk Number of Danes attached: 2 requires further analysis. will not be implemented cause they are not Signed: ATTACHMENT A Report Title: Homelessness in Marin- a Call for Leadership Report Date: April 20, 2015 Response By: City Council of the City of San Rafael Title: Mayor and City Council FINDINGS F1. There is no coordinated, focused, systemic plan with a comprehensive budget to eliminate homelessness in Marin County. Partially Agree. The Home for All Plan, the 10 Year Plan to prevent and end homelessness - 2013 -2023, was developed through a robust community process and is focused on achieving three outcomes: (1) reducing chronic homelessness, (2) reducing the total number of homeless individuals and families, and (3) reducing the time that people spend in programs before achieving self-sufficiency. The City recognizes that this represents a coordinated, focused and systemic plan to eliminate homelessness in Marin but there isn't a comprehensive budget linked to the strategies in Home for All. The City believes that the Plan would be more effective in achieving its goals if were tied to a specific programmatic budget that included all of the housing, mental health, substance abuse, employment services and criminal justice programs that serve and interact with this population. F5. The majority of the homeless in Marin County are centered in San Rafael, which negatively impacts business activity and the overall quality of life in that -community. Agree. The point in time count shows that persons experiencing homelessness and precariously housed persons that are at risk of becoming homeless are found in almost every community in Marin, with the majority in San Rafael. Please note this number is misleading because the presence of Mill Street and other emergency shelter and transitional housing programs that are located in San Rafael increases the San Rafael point in time numbers for San Rafael. In addition, the count is conducted when REST (the Rotating Emergency Shelter) is in progress and the San Rafael population number may be increased due to REST. For example, the woman's REST shelter is located at the County Wellness Center in San Rafael and all REST participants have breakfast at St. Vincent's. Since the survey asks individuals where they spent the previous night, the REST participants may say they spent the previous night in San Rafael, thereby increasing the reported San Rafael population. San Rafael recognizes that the homeless population is varied and the Grand Jury's reference to "quality of life" issues arises from a small segment of the homeless population comprised of the chronically homeless and chronic inebriates and often have both addiction and mental health issues. The majority of people counted as homeless in San Rafael do not cause problems but given the location of services, this more difficult group congregates in downtown San Rafael. The City agrees that this concentration negatively impacts business activity and the quality of life for our residents and visitors. The City spends about $1 Million annually on initiatives related to this population including the Downtown Streets Team, the mental health professional in the Police Department and clean up and enforcement activities. The negative impacts are the most significant in and around Downtown and in the open space areas throughout the community.