HomeMy WebLinkAboutCA Grand Jury Response on Marin's Homelessn, 1�aft 1
Agenda Item No: 18
Meeting Date: June 15, 2009
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: City Attorney's Office
Prepared by: Lisa Goldfien, Deputy City Attorney H City Manager Approval:
SUBJECT: Consideration of 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 2008-2009
Marin County Grand Jury Report Entitled "Maria's Homeless: The `Invisible' Problem That
Won't Disappear"
BACKGROUND:
The 2008-2009 Marin County Grand Jury has issued its report, dated April 13, 2009, entitled "Marin's
homeless: The `invisible' problem that won't disappear." Based upon its research and interviews with
County and City officials, nonprofit agencies, clergy, police, individuals experiencing homelessness, and
others, the Grand Jury's report describes the varying estimates of the number of homeless persons in
Marin, some of the difficulties those individuals face in living without permanent homes, the publicly -
and privately -provided services available in the County to respond to the problem, and where the
governmental response has fallen short. The Grand Jury has made numerous findings and
recommendations regarding the scope of the homelessness problem in Marin County, the state of the
policies and services that have developed to respond to problems faced by homeless persons, and what
additional steps should be taken, and has submitted the report to the County of Marin and to each of
Marin's eleven cities for a formal response.
ANALYSIS:
The Grand Jury's findings and recommendations are set out on pages 17 and 18 of the report, a copy of
which is attached hereto. The Grand Jury's recommendations are primarily directed towards the County
of Marin, and urge the Board of Supervisors to 1) establish a full-time coordinator and office to oversee
the various programs available for the homeless; 2) make homelessness one of the Board's top five
priorities; and 3) establish a facility for a permanent homeless shelter, at least for winter months.
The City has been asked to respond to Findings F5 (the need of hundreds for emergency shelter), F6 (lack
of widespread awareness of the homeless problem in Marin), and F7 (highest concentrations of homeless
in Sausalito, San Rafael and Novato). In addition, the City has been asked to respond to
Recommendation R4, that the County and Marn's cities should work together to launch a comprehensive
campaign to heighten public awareness of the County's homelessness problem.
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
File No.:
Council Meeting:
Disposition:
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
In consultation with Linda Jackson, Principal Planner, Stephanie Lovette, Economic Development
Coordinator, and Police Officer Joel Fay, the City Attorney's office has prepared a draft response to the
Grand Jury report for consideration and approval by the City Council.
The proposed response indicates general agreement with the Grand Jury's findings, but also reiterates that
homelessness is a countywide problem, and that in addition to addressing the need for emergency shelter,
efforts must also be made to provide the homeless population with permanent affordable housing. The
proposed response to Recommendation R4 suggests that additional analysis is needed, given the very
limited resources available to local agencies at the present time and in the foreseeable future, to consider
whether it would be more efficient to work on a directed campaign designed to promote specific actions
Marin County can productively take, in cooperation with local jurisdictions, to address homelessness in
Marin, rather than the "comprehensive public awareness" program recommended by the Grand Jury.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The City is required to respond to the Grand Jury Report. Penal Code section 933(c) states in part:
"No later than 90 days after the Grand Jury submits a final report ... the governing body of
the public agency shall comment to the presiding Judge of the Superior Court on the
findings and recommendations... [contained in the report]."
To comply with this statute, the City's response to the Grand Jury report must be approved by Resolution
of the City Council and submitted to the Presiding Judge of the Marin County Superior Court and the
Foreperson of the Grand Jury on or before July 13, 2009. A proposed Resolution is attached that would
approve the City's response.
OPTIONS:
The City is required to respond, however, the Council could make changes to the proposed response and
then adopt the Resolution and revised response. Alternatively, the Council could return the response to
staff for further study and return to the Council for its July 1 meeting.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached Resolution approving the proposed response to
the Grand Jury report and authorizing the Mayor to execute the response.
ATTACHMENTS:
Grand Jury report dated April 13, 2009
Resolution with attached proposed response
2008-2009 MARIN COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY
Marin's homeless: The `invisible'
problem that won't disappear
April 13, 2009
Marin County Civil Grand jury
SUMMARY
Mann's homeless predicament, as elsewhere in California and the nation, involves
staggering complexity and nuance. Its remedy, however, remains simple: Because the
numbers increase one person at a time, they can be reduced one person at a time.
To believe we can erase the problem would be naive, yet to think we can shrink it to a
tolerable level is not.
This quality -of -life issue is hardly new. But attempts in the 1990s to assuage the plight of
Mann's homeless faded away. More recently, the county's Ten -Year Homeless PIan,
compiled in 2006, has not been substantially implemented.
What are today's major hurdles? First, getting our governmental boards and agencies to
find the political will to help an "invisible" population that many county residents don't
even realize exists. Second, spurring county and city officials, along with the pertinent
nonprofits, to determine jointly how to lead the homeless off the streets, out of their
vehicles and away from Mann's open spaces.
Assistance must come in various ways because the homeless fall into numerous
categories. Some need to address their drug or alcohol addictions. Others require mental
health assistance. Many seek medical attention. Most lack jobs.
But they all need a place to sleep at night.
Although Marin targets millions of dollars for the homeless, and many organizations and
cities address separate pieces of the puzzle, no one has a handle on the crisis as a whole.
No one knows for sure how many homeless people live in Marin. Official estimates range
from 1,770 to 6,000, but school officials put the number of homeless youth alone at more
than 1,500.
The Grand Jury believes that the Marin County Board of Supervisors can ameliorate the
situation. We recommend that the supervisors establish a full-time coordinator and office
to oversee public and private efforts to deal with the problem, and establish a permanent
emergency shelter open to all. We also recommend that the board and leaders of Mann's
11 municipalities work cooperatively to heighten public awareness so the "invisible"
problem can become visible.
Despite some controversy, county officials and consultants have already made inroads.
They've obtained federal funds and sponsored one -day, one-stop events to aid the needy.
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 1 of 21
Mann's homeless: The `invisible' problem that won't disappear
Many nonprofits and a few cities are doing their best to provide a wide range of services
to the homeless.
But it's not enough—not even close
Men and women who are homeless come from assorted ethnic and religious
backgrounds, from multiple corners of society. Though stereotypical images of the
chronic homeless suggest ragged people from the lowest socio-economic strata, today's
growing rolls include the recently middle class, yanked into homelessness by one
unexpected financial crisis or illness.
Unlike the waifs of poverty found in literature and TV dramas, the homeless can look just
like an average taxpayer—like an unemployed cousin, a confused mother or father, a
fragile grandparent.
Homeless ranks in Marin still consist mainly of adult white males, but the number of
women and families slipping through the cracks and needing a "safety net" increases
daily.
Many are intelligent, well schooled and articulate. Many are compassionate and will
share food, and perhaps their last dollars, with fellow homeless. Yet many, as one told the
Grand Jury, feel desperate, "disconnected from community, family, the past and from
expectations."
Clearly, not all homeless will accept either a hand -up or a handout. Some prefer an
unfettered outdoor lifestyle and will ask for relief only when facing an emergency.
Although many are transient, a lot more stay in specific communities and are afraid to
veer far from routines where they scrounge food and services.
It's because we often can't see them for what they are—ordinary humans pushed into
extraordinary straits, narrowly focused on day-to-day survival—that they stay "invisible,"
sometimes living in cheerless, darkened places we choose not to peer into or even wander
by.
That, of course, contrasts dramatically with the way we prefer to picture Marin—as a
place of prosperity and natural beauty. And that's why the Grand Jury deems it
imperative to shine a light on the county's homeless.
BACKGROUND
Homeless services in Marin evolved from interfaith connections in 1974, when 40 church
delegates came together in downtown San Rafael to address the homeless situation.
Today the faith -based community occasionally acts through an advocacy group called the
Marin Organizing Committee, which helped flex the political muscle of churches,
synagogues and nonprofits in December 2008. The fledgling organization pulled together
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 2 of 21
Mann's homeless: The `invisible' problem that won't disappear
a rally -march that drew 250 participants and prompted the county to open temporary
emergency shelters.
Some progress dates back to the early 1990s. The Marin County Blue Ribbon Homeless
Working Group identified gaps in service and housing, and official action followed street
protests and the erection of a tent city downhill from the Civic Center.
A 1994 Grand Jury report on "Homelessness in Marin County" cited the need for a
county coordinator and housing, two gaps that persist in 2009. In response to that report,
the Board of Supervisors put the Marin Housing. Authority in charge of an "effort to
develop a comprehensive approach to the problem of homelessness in Marin." Over the
years, though, that "comprehensive" effort fizzled. And no coordinator was hired.
Nonprofit, community-based organizations were left to bear the lion's share of the
burden, a load that's become heavier as funding has tightened.
Many people interviewed by the 2008-2009 Grand Jury call for the county, municipalities
and nonprofits to participate more robustly, alone and together. They agree, too, that the
political will of officials, especially at the county level, requires a strong nudge.
The Grand Jury has issued no specific reports on homelessness since 1994. This report,
therefore, seems overdue.
METHODOLOGY
The Grand Jury conducted more than 35 interviews with county and city officials,
nonprofit service providers, federal grant recipients, consultants, planners and policy
specialists, clergy, police and homeless individuals. Most who were questioned were both
passionate and compassionate. The bulk of the interviews took place in Marin, but some
occurred in nearby counties to help compare "best practices" for governmental agencies
and programs—that is, those techniques most efficient and effective in meeting goals.
The Grand Jury digested reports and graphs, analyses and grant proposals from public
and private groups. It reviewed scores of articles from the Marin Independent Journal,
San Francisco Chronicle and other periodicals, and checked out countless Internet sites.
In addition, it surveyed the 11 incorporated municipalities within Marin's boundaries.
Members of the Grand Jury also conducted on-site visits to numerous facilities; witnessed
a homeless support group; attended a pro -shelter rally -march; and went to two events that
presented a cornucopia of services for the needy.
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 3 of 21
Mann's homeless: The `invisible' problem that won't disappear
DISCUSSION
Who are the homeless?
Bob Herbert, columnist for The New York Times, quotes a North Carolina woman who
mirrors the thoughts of many homeless: "I never believed that anything like this could
ever, ever happen to me."
And San Francisco Chronicle writer C.W. Nevins spotlights a member of that city's
Homeless Outreach Team who relives her time on the streets: "I was homeless for two
years. I slept in the cemetery and got my food by stealing from Safeway."
Their stories match those of hundreds of thousands thrust into unfamiliar strife as they
watched the fabric of The American Dream unravel in 2008 and tatter still more in 2009.
No one knows exactly how many homeless live in Marin, though it's generally agreed the
bulk are in San Rafael, Novato, Sausalito and unincorporated areas. Most interviewees
assert, however, that any figures obtained about the homeless are most likely severe
underestimates.
One report claims a total of 6,000. Others use the national rule of thumb, which is l
percent of the population; in Marin, that is 2,500. The latest biennial point -in -time count,
taken by about 100 volunteers in 50 agencies or programs on January 29, 2009, lists
1,770.
The "one -day snapshot" also finds 3,028 "precariously housed"—defined as "on the edge
of becoming homeless or at imminent risk of falling into the unsheltered category; people
[who] may be doubled up with friends and relatives or living in excessively overcrowded
accommodation."
Officials told the Grand Jury that there are probably another 15,000 Marin residents who
are one financial crisis away from being homeless.
And, according to the Marin County Office of Education, Marin has 1,519 homeless
youth including 1,093 enrolled in and attending classes. Of those in school, 996 are
"doubled up," staying with another family, while 87 more are in shelters or transitional
housing awaiting foster care.
Those figures represent only students who have been identified; "unfortunately," one
official says, "there are no doubt many more."
A March 2009 report from the National Center on Family Homelessness says homeless
children suffer "lasting scars" and are apt to be hungry, afflicted with persistent health
problems, repeat school grades and become high school dropouts.
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Mann's homeless: The `invisible problem that won't disappear
The economic downturn, which one interviewee said "has caused a sea change in the last
six to eight months," is affecting the most vulnerable adults many are losing the
overtime necessary to buy essentials, or losing a second or third job.
The economy, that official added, is also causing "a tsunami of uninsured." People who
lose their health insurance often delay going to doctors. If they become sicker, they might
need expensive tests or treatments. Paying those bills can be such a burden that people
are forced out of their homes, thus helping to trigger homelessness.
Shocking as it may appear, statistics released by the Marin County Department of Health
and Human Services (H&HS) in March 2009 show that "even before the current
downturn, 35,387 out of 100,201 households in Marin could not pay for the most basic
services." The department says the income required for a family of three to attain a self-
sufficiency level here is $5,740 a month or $68,880 annually.
A February 2009 H&HS report states unequivocally, "There is clear evidence of a
significant upward trend in the number of homeless and precariously housed in Marin
County."
H&HS saw a 30 to 40 percent spike in the demand for homeless services since September
2008. Foreclosed homes and a shrinking job market raised the number of those becoming
homeless for the first time.
The Bay Area -wide 211 hotline that directs callers to services had more than 1,500
inquiries from Marin residents in the year following February 11, 2008, its startup date -
375 of them dealing with shelter and housing.
County and city officials, as well as service providers, agree that because 85 percent of
Marin is dedicated open space, many sleep under the stars in small encampments, in
blankets or tents, no matter how foul the weather. Or they huddle in cars.
The homeless often feel—as one told the Grand Jury—lonely and isolated, traumatized,
bored, looked down upon, mocked. They don't trust anyone except their close friends.
Another interviewee referenced Barack Obama's campaign remark that some people
can't pull themselves up by their bootstraps because they "don't have any boots." And
one homeless woman recalled it being particularly hard "to apply for a job when you've
slept outside and are pulling a suitcase behind you."
Places to sleep, outside or in, with access to food and other services, are becoming
increasingly scarce in Marin. Unlike the "invisible" homeless who won't disappear,
potential sites are vanishing. That's due to some areas being refurbished, and because
freeway work has eliminated previously usable spots.
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 5 of 21
Mann's homeless: The `invisible' problem that won't disappear
And because the turmoil has been allowed to fester, the county is beginning to see a
second -generation crisis that is, adult children of the chronic homeless who are now
living without shelter themselves.
One nonprofit spokesperson insists, "Nine out of 10 homeless people want help and
housing. It is a myth that they want to remain homeless."
Most of Marin's homeless live at a subsistence level, despite getting general assistance
and food stamps. A 2008 report from The Abatis Group, healthcare consultants
commissioned by the county, maintains that, despite all the organizations geared up to
help, "available emergency and transitional housing for the homeless falls far short of
demand, and many essential services for this population are lacking, particularly in terms
of medicanealthcare needs."
One source told the Grand Jury about a homeless man who had been injured climbing in
and out of dumpsters seeking food, and about a homeless woman "with diminished
capacity" who couldn't get necessary treatment because she couldn't hold 'onto her
medical card.
More than a few interviewees advocate that county officials shift some funds so Marin
can pay a homeless coordinator's salary and rent low-income housing units.
Would those specific actions end homelessness? No. But they could result in an improved
partnership between public and private sectors, enabling the providers to use scarce
resources in the most efficient and effective ways. And that could go a long way toward
solving the problem.
Where's the coordination and accountability?
In interviews with the Grand Jury, representatives of the Board of Supervisors and the
Department of Health & Human Services, consultants, city officials, nonprofit providers
and homeless individuals reiterate that:
• A best -case scenario would have the county create an Office of the Homeless that
would be accountable for overseeing Marin's homeless problem, for knowing the full
complement of services available, and for collecting relevant data. An administrator -
manager in that office would monitor pass-through funds (those streaming into county
coffers from federal and state funds) and create a blueprint of exactly how Marin could
reduce homelessness. Since H&HS already has three employees devoting half time to the
problem of homelessness, and because the office could assume work being done under a
$100,000 contract with a private firm, the. cost of establishing such an office might be
negligible. The notion of hiring a coordinator parallels the first "action item" in the
county's Ten -Year Homeless Plan, although no one has been assigned that responsibility
in the three years since it was published. The plan is a document prepared to qualify for
federal funding, and it extensively outlines steps to alleviate homelessness.
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Mann's homeless: The `invisible' problem that won't disappear
• Sadly; homelessness did not even make the supervisors' list of top five 2008-09
priorities. One that did was a "national bicycle-pedestrian/non-motorized model for
Marin." Due to an apparent lack of political will, funding for homeless needs remains
limited mostly to pass-through dollars..
One nonprofit spokesperson says the Board of Supervisors doesn't "want to hear the dark
side; they only want to hear the success stories." Other interviewees charge officials in
effect would prefer the homeless stay "invisible," as would the bulk ofMarin's upscale
residents.
But Philip F. Mangano, the nation's homelessness czar, believes accountability and
political will are imperative. "There needs to be someone, at the local level, who can take
ownership" of homelessness policies, he says.
One Marin official at a nonprofit organization puts it this way: "There needs to be a front
door where the homeless person comes, is assessed and then directed to services. There
needs to be a strategy to deal with the chronically homeless. The county could play an
active role in aligning organizations. Right now, the services are too scattered "
Instead of taking on the responsibility for maintaining that front door, for creating an
office to coordinate homeless services, the Marin County Board of Supervisors turned to
HomeBase, a public interest law firm located in San Francisco that specializes in matters
relating to homelessness.
The board signed a $100,000 -a -year contract with the firm last year. For that money,
HomeBase has written a grant proposal that helped Marin retain $2.3 million in homeless
grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Those funds went
to nonprofits that provide transitional or affordable housing to those in need, to others
that help the homeless with mental or substance abuse issues, and to help women who
need housing after fleeing from domestic violence.
In the process, HomeBase created a leadership council, a Homeless Policy Steering
Committee and work groups to facilitate conversations between the numerous splintered
agencies and nonprofits dealing with the homeless in Marin County. The county's chief
administrator, two members of the Board of Supervisors, a policy strategist and two
analysts, two homeless individuals and representatives of many nonprofit providers sit on
those bodies and try to hammer out some solutions.
The law firm's work also led to creation of five beds geared for newly discharged
patients who otherwise might slip into homelessness. And it gets credit for starting
Project Homeless Connect, a highly praised series of one-stop, one -day events in San
Rafael, Novato and Sausalito sbowcasmg a wide variety of services to the homeless.
But HomeBase's contract has sparked controversy. Tbough supporters say the firm has
effectively cobbled together a coalition likely to thrive, most of those interviewed by the
Grand Jury think that it's being paid too much and that it would be better to create a
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 7 of 21
Marin's homeless: The `invisible' problem that won't disappear
homelessness office or hire a single coordinator instead, preferably one based in the
county's Department of Health and Human Services.
Why is housing crucial?
Most involved in working to help the homeless believe housing should be the critical
item in any discussion of how to attack the problem, even before services.
Key county officials endorse the concept of "housing first." Their consensus is that
rescuing people subjected to the elements by supplying permanent affordable housing
could save huge amounts of money.
Providers concur. Those interviewed by the Grand Jury have no doubt the cost of taking
care of homeless in shelters or on the streets is the same as, or more than, housing them.
But finding affordable housing is a daunting problem in Marin County, where the
prevailing view is to retain open space and limit growth.
The Marin Housing Authority, governed by the county's five supervisors and two public
members, is charged with providing "decent, safe and sanitary housing for Iow- and
moderate -income people." It is rendered largely powerless, however, by a lack of
adequate funding and the dearth of low-income housing in the county.
The authority has one program directly impacting the homeless. Its Support for Shelter
Plus Care program provides rental subsidies and case management for up to
U 4 homeless and mentally ill adults.
At least two nonprofit officials are convinced, though, that sufficient affordable housing
already exists in Marin to make a severe dent in the homelessness problem. They say it
isn't necessary to build big projects when homes are available, scattered throughout the
county, to house small numbers.
Those officials point out that, under state law, up to six homeless people could be placed
in each of those rentable structures without bureaucratic red tape getting in the way.
Many interviewees are convinced there are only two enduring solutions: affordable
housing and "supportive housing," which incorporates on-site medical and mental health
care.
Without appropriate housing, one nonprofit leader says, "we're wasting money every
day. We spend money when the homeless get arrested, go to the hospital or need
emergency shelter. Ten percent of the homeless require 50 percent of the funds. We need
`housing first' for these people. Give them a room, with a bathroom down the hall, and
make it permanent. When that is done, this population can be stabilized and we can see
results."
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 8 of 21
Mann's homeless: The `invisible' problem that won't disappear
Where does the money go?
Because of the lack of housing funding available to any agency, the Department of
Health & Human Services, the arm of county government that deals most with
homelessness, must help with more and more basic services.
A March 2009 H&HS report contains estimated annual expenditures related to homeless
services. It lists dollars targeted for that population as $13,639,639. Most of that money is
state and federal funding the county passes on to nonprofits, including these larger
amounts: $3,738,539 to Buckelew Programs for housing and support services for the
mentally ill; $791,044 to multiple providers for substance abuse treatment; $634,525 to
the Odyssey Program (formerly known as HAVEN), under the county's Community
Mental Health Services; $517,769 to Homeward Bound for emergency beds; $504,477 to
the Housing Authority for its Shelter Plus Care program; and $479,089 for general
assistance.
In addition, the following sums were earmarked from county coffers (and, therefore, from
local taxpayer pockets): $500,000 to Homeward Bound for transitional housing services;
$100,000 for the HomeBase contract; $96,000 for this winter's emergency shelter; and
part of the salaries of an H&HS policy strategist and two policy analysts.
As part of the 2009 federal stimulus package, Marin expects to receive $659,106 in
September "for homeless prevention and rapid re -housing." County officials plan to use
at least part of that money to forestall evictions.
What are others doing?
The Marin County Board of Supervisors does not stand alone in its failure to deal
adequately with the homeless situation. Most local political leaders have, for the most
part, turned a blind eye to the predicament, saying, in essence, it's not their problem_
The biggest exception is San Rafael, a magnet for homeless because the most services
exist within its borders. The city goes a giant step farther than the rest, funding two
specially trained police officers and a pair of mental health workers to deal with the
problem.
Although most municipal and county officials plead that they're doing the best they can,
especially given the downward economic spiral, several interviewees unfavorably
compare our county's governance and support with that of Sonoma County, San
Francisco and Portland, Oregon.
Consider, for instance, individual programs such as the Petaluma -based Committee on
the Shelterless (COTS), which utilizes 50,000 volunteer hours annually and shelters more
than 1,000 homeless each year. The Sonoma County nonprofit operates three emergency
shelters, three transitional housing facilities and two food -delivery programs. Its greatest
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 9 of 21
r Marin's homeless_ The `invisible problem that won't disappear
source of income is its home city, which provides more than $800,000 yearly, showing
that a municipality can lend financial support. And Sonoma County, which also partners
with Burbank Housing, a nonprofit affordable -housing development, contributes more
than $200,000 to the COTS budget,
Anothercommunity offering a good comparison is Portland, Oregon, where a
comprehensive strategy to confront homelessness and create a single "front door" for the
needy was partnered by the county, city, nonprofits and businesses. Prior to that
cooperative effort, it could take four agencies to deal with one person.
San Francisco, of course, has one of the most visible homeless populations in Northern
California. Like Marin, it contracts with HomeBase to obtain federal funds; the
partnership has entered its fifth year. But San Francisco does more—such as having a
homeless policy director who coordinates a governmental attack on the problem working
in conjunction with nonprofits, foundations and other private organizations.
Because San Francisco is a county and a city, making things happen there tends to be
easier. Another thrust comes from the political will to get results for its 6,514 homeless,
according to one official.
A penchant for "housing first"—which entails moving people off the streets into
permanent affordable units and then treating the causes of their homelessness—drives the
policy director's efforts. That concept reverses the norm of providing services first-
Housing
rstHousing those vulnerable men and women and thereby limiting the harm they can do to
themselves or others results in a significant drop in the need for acute or emergency care,
officials say.
San Francisco also staffs a 38 -member Homeless Outreach Team that goes to the
homeless rather than waiting for the needy to come to them. And, according to a June
2008 San Francisco Civil Grand Jury report, the city budgets "about $186 million for
direct spending on the homeless or those at risk."
Where do our municipalities stand?
The Grand Jury mailed a questionnaire to all I 1 incorporated towns and cities in Marin.
San Rafael, experts agree, has the largest number of homeless. Novato is second_ Third
would be Sausalito, where the homeless consist mainly of "anchor -outs," those whose
boats have no running water or electricity. Smaller municipalities claim between zero and
10 homeless each.
San Rafael provides services for the homeless that include funding two police officers
who work closely with mental health personnel; giving $40,000 annually to the Ritter
Center for housing support programs; and providing financial assistance to such facilities
as the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Homeward Bound.
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 10 of 21
Marin's homeless: The `invisible' nroblem that won't
Novato, which gave Homeward Bound two long -tern, $1 -per -year ground leases for its
transitional housing buildings, also funds the Novato Human Needs Center's homeless
prevention program ($105,000 each year since 1995).
Sausalito, which gets many homeless who cross the Golden Gate Bridge and pass through
after a couple of days, set up a $2,000 fund in 2007 for emergency shelter (a one-night
motel stay), groceries and bus fare out. Police administer it.
Most city law enforcement agents agree that homeless encampments pose hazards (fire,
public health and personal safety) for those living in them and for neighbors.
Municipalities tend to clear them out, but one city official sums up the prevalent attitude
this way: "Our goal is not one of arrest/enforcement, but rather to aid individuals in
relocating to a better, safer location where additional services can be provided."
Many officials support the idea of a coordinated effort led by someone paid by the
county; some would like to see a multi jurisdictional team created, similar to the Major
Crimes Task Force.
Even though smaller towns and cities have but a few homeless within their boundaries,
most of their officials believe that "homelessness is a countywide problem as many
homeless people move from community to community with limited resources available."
They say it is crucial for county and local governments to join in an effort to end
homelessness.
About half the municipal representatives, however, voice budgetary caveats, particularly
stemming from the economic downturn.
Where do shelters fit in?
Money is an obstacle, too, when it comes to providing emergency shelter.
Hundreds here need a place to safeguard them from wet or cold weather. Available beds
are more and more difficult to find, with most shelters in Marin being offered only to
those not using drugs or alcohol.
A permanent open or "wet shelter," one to which homeless alcohol and drug users have
access at least in the winter, could become a portal to services. This year, the county did
open such a warming shelter after two homeless people were treated for exposure. But
that shelter ran only temporarily—first in December at the Marin Center Exhibition Hall,
and later in the National Guard Armory in San Rafael, where the Helen Vine Detox
Center operated it under a county contract through mid-February. Between 40 and 80
homeless stayed each night, but many more declined because they wouldn't agree to be
searched, were intimidated by the military setting or because photo IDs were required.
Since county funding was limited, homeless were temporarily housed between times at
the Vineyard and Lucas Valley Community churches. Homeward Bound helped prepare
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 11 of 21
Maria's homeless: The `invisible problem that won't disappear
and serve meals, provided janitorial services and made sure clean blankets and mats were
available. Medical services and security were supplied as well.
Later, from mid-February until the end of March, a dozen churches and synagogues
alternately housed and fed about 60 people nightly. The faith -based organizations
struggled, however, to come up with all the $40,000 needed to pay for that effort. In late
March, the Mann Community Foundation contributed the last $10,000. The Rev. Liza
Klein of San Rafael First United Methodist Church told the Marin Independent Journal
the county should have helped financially: "Something less than 5 percent of the
population in Marin goes to church or synagogue. We're being asked to take
responsibility for something that 100 percent of the people should be taking responsibility
for.,,
Suzanne Walker, associate director of St. Vincent's, which feeds many homeless in San
Rafael, backs the idea of a permanent wet shelter. In a letter to the Independent Journal,
she wrote, "While it's true that we've come a long way from the days of tent city, there
are plenty of folks out there tonight who could be camped in front of the Civic Center ... It
is getting worse in these tough economic times. It's time for a county -funded shelter to be
made a budget priority in Marin."
Why isn't the Ten -Year Plan working?
In 2006, the county's Ten -Year Plan was compiled, its main purpose being to meet
federal Department of Housing and Urban Development grant application requirements.
A major by-product was to outline a long-range, comprehensive series of steps that could
end homelessness in Marin. It hasn't worked.
Why? Because, according to some providers, the county hasn't expended the energy to
update it and promote its main proposals. Among the recommendations that jump out as
having been ignored or, at best, subject to foot -dragging for three years:
• Coordinate and distribute information on homeless services and resources.
• Provide emergency services, on demand, 24/7.
• Create a countywide standard of case management.
• Update a system of tracking data and services.
• Prevent evictions by providing financial aid for at -risk people.
Unfortunately, most aims of the plan simply became paper phantasms, as county officials
disavowed most of its elements as unworkable.
However, many who work with the homeless continue to believe much of the plan is still
valid. Foremost, they say, is its call for a coordinator to ride herd on the disparate
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 12 of 21
Marin's homeless: The `invisible' problem that won't disappear
programs that already exist. Another element they encourage is an updated and workable
database of homeless services and facilities.
They also point to the plan's declaration that "helping someone stay in their home is far
more economical and humane than providing services to someone after they become
homeless."
They note, too, that it urges "on -demand access to mental health [and] substance use
services including detoxification and domestic violence services and shelter"—in short,
"no waiting time to enter treatment programs."
Who is helping?
A host of nonprofits have stepped up to do the necessary case -management and in -the -
streets work. Topping the list, officials say, are Homeward Bound, St. Vincent's, the
Ritter Center, Buckelew Programs and Helen Vine Detox (also known as The Vine). But
there are many others in a county hosting more than 1,700 nonprofits.
Officials and providers also cite the good works of the Canal Alliance, the result of a
2005 merger of two smaller groups that has sought to improve the educational and
economic well being of the Spanish-speaking neighborhood of San Rafael; Center Point,
which provides substance abuse treatment services and helps achieve family stability and
permanency; Marin Abused Women's Services (MAWS), which offers emergency and
transitional shelters; and EAH Housing, which was established in 1968 as the Ecumenical
Association for Housing and focuses on affordable housing.
Because of the economic downturn, however, all agencies are experiencing funding
cutbacks.
The Marin Community Foundation has been of enormous benefit to the homeless through
the years. But it revamped its philosophy in 2006, opting to curtail funding for operating
expenses of nonprofits. Those cuts were partially responsible for the closing of Nine
Grove Lane, a unique San Anselmo facility that throughout the year had housed 80-100
homeless, abused, in -crisis or runaway youths. Marin Family Action, which helps low-
income residents, also was scheduled to shut down, but a belated grant from the
foundation temporarily rescued it.
The sliding economy made the foundation shift its position again, at least temporarily,
and it spread $250,000 among 1 l agencies—including seven emergency pantries
supplied by the Marin Community Food Bank. Those grants came as demands for food
doubled. And in December 2008, the foundation awarded another $750,000 to providers
who work with the homeless.
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 13 of 21
Mann's homeless: The `invisible' probtem that won't disappear
Nonprofits helping the most people, according to several officials, include:
• Homeward Bound, which in April 2000 replaced the winter shelter with its New
Beginnings Center. The change was stimulated by part of the decommissioned Hamilton
Air Force Base in Novato being pinpointed, under terms of the federal McKinney Act, for
homeless housing and services. The nonprofit, whose services are offered only to the
clean and sober, is based in Novato but has 13 components throughout the county. All
told, it fills 400 beds. Its newest building, the Next Key Center, combines job training
(including a culinary arts program called Fresh Starts Catering) and 32 units of
transitional housing. The usual entry point for adult services is the Mill Street Center, a
40 -bed emergency shelter for night -to -night stays. Then comes New Beginnings, where
people can stay in dormitory -style housing up to six months; the Fourth Street Center,
with 20 single -room occupancy units; the Fireside Apartments, which houses eight
seniors; and Next Key. Families go to six locations: the Family Emergency Center, with
14 rooms available on an emergency basis; the Family Resource Center, offering
transitional housing for nine families; Meadow Park, with housing for another four;
Family Park, benefiting eight more; San Clemente Family Homes, with permanent
affordable housing for four families; and Fireside again, with 10 family units. Homeward
Bound also runs Voyager/Carmel and Palm Court, which house the mentally ill.
• St. Vincent's serves between 250 and 350 homeless a day in its San Rafael dining
room, and helps out with rental deposits, utility assistance and referrals. Many who get
help here live below the poverty line. More than 2 million meals have been served since
it opened in 1981. It also provides eight affordable housing units. Its yearly budget is
approximately $1 million.
• Ritter Center, with a $1.2 million annual budget, serves homeless of all types
including families, the working poor, the mentally ill and the disabled. It provides day
services (showers, laundry facilities, food, clothing, and mail boxes for 400). Its health
center assists more than 3,000 people annually.
• Buckelew, established in 1970, provides the most comprehensive services for those
with mental health issues, some of whom are homeless. It serves almost 1,000 residents
in Marin, Sonoma and Napa via 20 programs, and has an annual budget of more than
$9.7 million ($5.2 million in Marin). Its main aim is to provide affordable housing, jobs
and recovery support services. It supplies support services to clients in 249 housing units
it owns or manages and to many who live elsewhere in the three counties.
• The Vine, an 18 -bed facility that helps adults under the influence of drugs and/or
alcohol withdraw from them, has aided more than 9,000 in its nine years of existence,
almost half of them homeless. Detoxification stays are normally three to five days but can
run as long as 30. Therapy sessions are frequent. Also available are a doctor, nurse and
psychologists as well as spiritual and 12 -step program assistance.
• MarinLink runs Project Homeless Connect, Mann's budding copy of a San Francisco
model that has spread to 170 cities. At two "under -one -roof' events attended by Grand
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 14 of 21
Marin's homeless: The `invisible problem that won't disappear
Jury members, free food was available, as were free transportation and HIV testing. In
addition, homeless persons could receive health, dental, vision and foot care; mental
health support and legal aid; have their hair cut; and could speak with representatives
from agencies that deal with housing and shelter, veterans benefits, motor vehicles,
camping out, employment, substance abuse and Social Security. Officials and nonprofits
have universally commended the four one -day events held so far.
• Community Action Marin (CAM) in 1967, a year after it was incorporated, was
designated the county's official anti -poverty agency; it still retains that label. Through the
years it has served more than 2.5 million meals to low-income children, and has aided
150,000 residents of the county. CAM used seed money to set up forerunners of
Homeward Bound, Ritter House and The Vine, and then spun them off as independent
agencies. With a budget approaching $19 million, it now provides 15 programs, many of
which touch on homeless needs.
- The Marin Organizing Committee, the main advocate for a county -supported
emergency shelter, is a comparatively new group formed specifically to push homeless
issues. It is heavily populated with representatives of faith -based organizations but also
draws support from providers as well as county and municipal governments.
Will we stop the dying?
In the past I I years, 139 homeless people died on Marin streets.
With the economy being what it is, more and more people are slipping into poverty or at -
risk situations. The signs are all around us.
The day before Christmas 2008, a San Francisco Chronicle story said 288,000
Californians applied for food stamps "over the past year, bringing the total number
enrolled close to 2.4 million."
The same day, another Chronicle dispatch noted that "some Bay Area cities are dealing
with an increase in shoplifting, a trend police and security experts believe is linked to
tough economic times prompting people to steal items out of need as well as greed."
Items included diapers and baby clothes as well as diabetic test strips.
A January 2009 Department of Health and Human Services report indicates 10-12
percent of detainees in the Marin County jail are homeless.
Unemployment figures for that month, meanwhile, show Marin County's jobless rate had
risen to 6.6 percent, obviously putting even more people at risk.
According to Bay Area Rescue Mission, a Richmond -based agency that helps the
homeless, there are 165,000 homeless in the nine -county San Francisco Bay Area.
All these figures represent a lot of pain.
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 15 of 21
Marin's homeless: The `invisible' problem that won't
It is clear that because federal, state and foundation funding is drying up, helping the
homeless has become more problematic for every county, particularly in regard to mental
health services. In the last two years alone, California eliminated almost $3 million Marin
received for mentally ill homeless and offenders.
Dwindling funds, many interviewees say, may be another impetus to creating a central
homeless office that would act as a clearinghouse for information and services.
Coordinating what limited services remain and helping eliminate any duplication could
become especially meaningful actions.
The cutbacks also could make municipal government officials more receptive to joining
forces with each other as well as county and nonprofit leaders.
The economy, moreover, might spur a closer look at "housing first" possibilities,
particularly if they can be shown to be more cost-effective than other potential homeless
solutions. One high-ranking Marin County aide, in fact, suggested the need for "a
housing czar."
Another county official labeled the homelessness problem "our biggest hidden secret. We
need to raise the consciousness of Marin many don't know there are homeless people in
our county."
Recent publicity about the point -in -time count and the need for a permanent emergency
shelter may help a bit. But more public awareness is crucial, nonprofit officials insist.
They urge a push toward that end by both county and municipalities.
Officials, providers and homeless men and women told the Grand Jury that the homeless
cannot be treated as statistics but must be seen as individuals with faces and flesh. They
must be helped out of homelessness one person at a time, several interviewees said.
The two main advocates for the homeless on the Board of Supervisors are Susan Adams
and Steve Kinsey. Adams, in fact, may have summed up the situation when she told the
Pacific Sun in December 2008:
"People are dying because they don't have a place to live. And that's a crying shame in a
county as wealthy as Marin."
Surely, most interviewees agree, a county that operated with a 2008-09 budget of $430
million, has enough wiggle room even in an economic downturn to hire a coordinator and
then improve care for its most vulnerable citizens.
As one provider told the Grand Jury, "If we don't pay for this now, we will pay for it
later in services such as emergency rooms, jails and other institutions."
April 13, 2009 Mann County Civil Grand Jury Page 16 of 21
Mann's homeless: The `invisible' problem that won't disappear
FINDINGS
The Grand Jury finds that:
Fl. The Marin County Board of Supervisors, the Marin County Department of Health
and Human Services and a number of boards facilitated by HomeBase has each exerted
leadership regarding the homeless, yet none accepts overall responsibility.
F2. There is a need for a county office and coordinator responsible for overseeing
agencies and programs aiding the homeless.
F3. The Board of Supervisors' list of top five priorities does not include homelessness.
F4. Estimates of the number of homeless in Marin vary widely, from a low of 1,770 to as
many as 6,000. School officials estimate there are more than 1,500 homeless youth.
F5. Hundreds of homeless need emergency shelter. They sleep in Marin's open space or
their cars, having been turned away by nonprofits because of bed shortages or drug and
alcohol restrictions.
F6. Many Marin residents are unaware of or uneducated about the hundreds of homeless
in the county.
FT The cities of San Rafael, Novato and Sausalito, along with the unincorporated areas
of Marin, comprise the pockets most peppered with homeless.
F8. Project Homeless Connect marks a noteworthy start toward offering homeless a one -
day, one-stop entry point for services.
F9. County officials, working in tandem with HomeBase, obtained $2.3 million in federal
Housing and Urban Development funds, underwrote Project Homeless Connect and
provided medical respite beds.
F10. Many nonprofits including but not limited to Homeward Bound, Ritter Center, St.
Vincent's, Buckelew and Helen Vine Detox—supply valuable and wide-ranging services
to homeless individuals.
F1 1, Controversy surrounds Marin's $100,000 annual contract with HomeBase. While its
supporters claim the firm has been building a coalition, many nonprofit officials reject
that idea and charge it also is being paid too much. HomeBase's work could be done
more effectively in a county homelessness office.
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 17 o121
Mann's homeless: The `invisible' problem that won't disappear
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Grand Jury recommends that:
RE The Mann County Board of Supervisors establish a full-time coordinator and office
dedicated to overseeing the agencies, organizations and programs that collectively
provide care and services for the homeless.
R2. The Board of Supervisors establish a facility for a permanent homeless shelter—at
least for winter months—where non -disruptive drug and alcohol users are welcomed.
R3. The Board of Supervisors make homelessness one of its top five priorities.
R4. The Board of Supervisors and leaders of each Marin County municipality jointly
launch a comprehensive campaign to heighten public awareness of homelessness and
make the "invisible" problem visible.
REQUEST FOR RESPONSES
Pursuant to Penal Code Section 933.05, the Grand Jury requests responses from the
following governing bodies:
■ The Marin County Board of Supervisors: All Findings and Recommendations.
■ The city and town councils of Marin's l 1 incorporated municipalities (Belvedere,
Corte Madera, Fairfax, Larkspur, Mill Valley, Novato, Ross, San Anselmo, San
Rafael, Sausalito and Tiburon): F5, F6 and F7 and R4.
The governing bodies indicated above should be aware that the comment or response of
the governing body must be conducted in accordance with Penal Code Section 933 (c)
and subject to the notice, agenda and open meeting requirements of the Ralph M. Brown
Act.
California Penal Code Section 933 (c) states that "...the governing body of the public
agency shall comment to the presiding judge on the findings and recommendations
pertaining to matters under the control of the governing body." Further, the Ralph M.
Brown Act requires that any action of a public entity governing board occur only at a
noticed and agendized public meeting.
The Grand Jury also invites responses from officials of:
■ Homeward Bound, Buckelew Programs, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the
Ritter Center, the Helen Vine Detox Center, MarinLink, Community Action
Marin, the Marin Organizing Committee and the Marin Community Foundation.
April 13, 2009 Mann County Civil Grand Jury Page 18 of 21
Mann's homeless: The `invisible' problem that won't disappear
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abatis Group, The. "Marin County Healthcare Safety Net Study." November 25, 2008.
Ashley, Beth. "Faith -based group pushes Marin social reform." Marin Independent
Journal. May 3, 2008.
Ashley, Beth. "More than 1,500 called 211 for free assistance by phone." Marin
Independent Journal. February 2009.
Buckelew News. Fall 2008.
City and County of San Francisco. "SFStat Policy Area: Housing & Homelessness."
September 2007.
City and County of San Francisco. "San Francisco Homeless Outreach Team." December
2008.
Community Action Marin. www.marinraffle.com.
COTS. "Love in Action: Annual Report 2007-2008."
Editorial. "Housing the Homeless." Washington Post. October 20, 2008.
Editorial. "Next Key Center joins the war on homelessness." Marin Independent Journal,
November 11, 2008.
Halstead, Richard. "Feeling the Squeeze." Marin Independent Journal. November 14,
2008.
Halstead, Richard. "Churches come to aid of Marin's homeless." Marin Independent
Journal. February 28, 2009.
Helen Vine Detox Center. www.belenvinedetox.com
Herbert, Bob. The New York Times. "Climbing Down the Ladder." October 17, 2008.
Hoenigman, Vince. San Francisco Planning and Urban Research (SPUR). "Homelessness
in a Progressive City." August 2002.
Homeless Resource Network. www.bomelessresource.net. August 2008.
Homeward Bound of Marin annual report and "Grant Report for the County of Marin."
July 2008.
Johnson, Nels. "Temporary warming center open at San Rafael armory." Marin
Independent Journal. January 19, 2009.
April 13, 2009 - Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 19 of 21
Mann's homeless:. The `invisible' problem that won't disappear
Kravitz, Derek. "Homelessness Official Wins Praise With Focus on Permanent Housing."
Washington Post. December 30, 2008.
Marin Continuum of Housing and Services. "Marin Community Resource Guide." June
2008.
Marin County. "Budget -in -Brief 2008-09."
Nvww.co.marin.ca.us/depts/BS/Main/index.cfm. September 2008.
Marin County, Department of Health & Human Services. "The Next Decade: Marin
County's Ten -Year Homeless Plan." May 2006.
Marin County, H&HS. "Estimated H&HS Expenditures Related to Services to Homeless
Persons." March 2008 and March 2009.
Marin County, H&HS. "Building a Healthier & Safer Marin." July 2008.
Marin County, H&HS and HomeBase. Exhibit 1, Continuum of Care (CoC) grant
application. October 6, 2008.
Marin County, H&HS and Project Homeless Connect. "2009 Point -in -Time Count of
Homeless Persons." February 2009.
Marin Grand Jury. "Homelessness in Marin County." October 1994.
Marin Housing Authority. www.maiinhousing.org. November 2008.
Marml-ink. "Project Homeless Connect." January 8, 2008, May 15, 2008 and January 6,
2009.
National Coaliton for the Homeless. "NCH Fact Sheet #1" and "NCH Fact Sheet #3."
www.nationalbomeless.org/publications/facts/wbyibtmI. June 2008,
Nevius, C.W. "More people on S.F. streets newly homeless." San Francisco Chronicle.
December 16, 2008.
San Francisco Civil Grand Jury, 2007-2008. "The Homeless Have Homes, But They Are
Still on the Street." July 2008.
San Francisco Local Homeless Coordinating Board. Exhibit 1, Continuum of Care (CoC)
grant application. October 21, 2008.
Seidman, Peter. "Ghosts of Christmas present." Pacific Sun. December 4, 2008
Staats, Jim. "Marin Community Foundation provides another $750,000 for local
programs." Marin Independent Journal. December 10, 2008.
April 13, 2009 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 20 of 21
Mann's homeless: The `invisible' problem that won't disappear
U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.
www.ich.govlslocal/NationalProjectHomelessConneetPromo.html, December 2008,
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. "Federal Definition of
Homelessness." www.hud.govlhomeless. December 2008.
Reports issued by the Civil Grand Jury do not identify individuals interviewed. Penal Code Section 929 requires that
reports of the Grand Jury not contain the name of any person, or facts leading to the identity of any person who
provides information to the Civil Grand Jury. The California State Legislature has stated that it intends the provisions
of Penal Code Section 929 prohibiting disclosure of witness identities to encourage full candor in testimony in Civil
Grand Jury investigations by protecting the privacy and confidentiality of those who participate in any Civil Grand Jury
investigation.
April 13, 2009 Mann County Civil Grand Jury Page 21 of 21
RESOLUTION NO.
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 2008-2009 MARIN COUNTY GRAND
JURY REPORT ENTITLED "MARIN'S HOMELESS: THE
`INVISIBLE' PROBLEM THAT WON'T DISAPPEAR"
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
2008-2009 Marin County Grand Jury Report, dated April 13, 2009, entitled "Marin's Homeless:
The `invisible' problem that won't disappear" and has agendized 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 attached
response to the 2008-2009 Marin County Grand Jury Report entitled "Marin's Homeless: The
`invisible' problem that won't disappear."
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 Beime, 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 the 15s' day of June, 2009, by the following vote to wit:
AYES: Councilmembers:
NOES: Councilmembers:
ABSENT: Councilmembers:
ESTHER C. BEIRNE, City Clerk
RESPONSE TO GRAND JURY REPORT FORM
Report Title: MarinIshomeless: The `invisible' problem that won't disappear
Report Date: April 13, 2009
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)
• We disagree wholly or partially with the findings numbered N/A
RECOMMENDATIONS:
• Recommendations numbered N/A have been implemented.
(Attach a summary describing the implemented actions.)
• Recommendations numbered N/A have not yet been implemented, but will be
implemented in the future.
(Attach a timeframe for the implementation.)
• Recommendation numbered R4 requires further analysis.
(See Attachment A)
• Recommendations numbered N/A will not be implemented because they are
not warranted or are not reasonable.
(Attach an explanation.)
DATED:
ATTEST:
Esther Beirne, City Clerk
Number of pages attached: 1
Signed:
ALBERT J. BORO, Mayor
ATTACHMENT "A"
RESPONSE OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL TO GRAND JURY REPORT "MARIN'S
HOMELESS: THE `INVISIBLE' PROBLEM THAT WON'T DISAPPEAR"
Findings:
F5: The City of San Rafael agrees with this finding as a general proposition. Emergency
shelter is a temporary help for people without housing. Efforts must also be made to
assist persons without homes to obtain low cost, permanent housing.
F6: The City of San Rafael agrees that this finding appears to be supported by the research
conducted by the Grand Jury and identified in its report.
F7: The City of San Rafael generally agrees with this finding. The City believes however
that homelessness is a countywide problem, and that the greater concentration of such
persons in San Rafael primarily results from two factors: 1) the easy availability of public
transit; and 2) the greater provision there than elsewhere in Marin of the services and
programs that serve this population. San Rafael, being the County seat, is home to the
County's offices and support services and to many of the nonprofits serving the
homeless.
Recommendations:
R4: The City of San Rafael believes that given the very limited resources available to local
agencies at the present time and in the foreseeable future, careful thought should be given
to whether such a campaign should be the "comprehensive public awareness" program
recommended by the Grand Jury, or whether it should be a more directed campaign
designed to promote specific actions Marin County can productively take, in cooperation
with local jurisdictions, to address homelessness in Marin.
