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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/01/2011, - SLO CITY HOMELESS ENUMERATION REPORT 2009 SLO CITY HOMELESS SNAPSHOT Homeless Enumeration Report 2009 Demo&Mhics The court portion of the enumeration found 36%(1025) of the county's homeless in the city of San Luis Obispo. Of the 122 persons interviewed,75%were men and,perhaps coincidently,75%reported being single. Few of these respondents reported being veterans, 17%. Of the surveyed homers in SLO,25% had been in the county over I year and 48%over five years indicating this is not a transient population. Rather,the results show they have some ties to the community. A quarter of the respondents were originally from the county and another 24%had friends or family in the county. Twenty percent of the surveyed respondents had children with them. It was a fairly well educated group,with 30%having completed High school and another 35%having some or had completed college. The average age was 43 years,and they were overwhelming white, 79%. Homeless situation Approximately half of the surveyed respondents,49%, reported that this was their first experience of homelessness. The 51%who reported previous experience with homelessness had been homers an average of four times,with the last bout occurring approximately five years ago. Strikingly, among those previously homeless,the average bout of homelessness reportedly lasted 29 months. Over half,5396, lost their last home due to economic challenges (couldn't afford rent,unemployment or low wages),and another 31%for health reasons(substance abuse, mental illness, or illness of family member). Fifty-three percent reported they had used a shelter in the past year,although the previous night only 21%had slept in a shelter.Instead, 60%reported sleeping either outside or in a vehicle. Perhaps reflecting the fact that many services are available in the city of SLO,a majority of the homeless surveyed in SLO City had used them in the past year. day center, 73%;shelter,53%,and health care services,53%. In comparison,about one quarter of those surveyed,26%, reported accessing case management services. Economic situation The most commonly sources of income reported among those surveyed in SLO City were food stamps, 4396;SSI,20%(perhaps indicative of the number of disabled);and general assistance, 159L The homeless surveyed in SLO City reported the lowest percentage having a paid job,7%. A disability prevented 56% from obtaining work,while a third (36%) reported they cannot get hired,suggesting they had looked for work Possibly reflecting their efforts to move towards employment,21%indicated they had used job training services at Creekside One Stop Career Center,and 9%at Prado Day Center,in the past year. Among the people reporting having employment, retail/food service,57%,and constructiontmanual labor,2996,were the most cited types of employment; both sectors are expected to be hit hard during the current economic crisis. Health situation Of those surveyed,43%reported experiencing physical disability; 33%reported mental diisabilit),and 23%reported substance abuse issues. Perhaps corresponding to these findings,42%reported having a health condition of depression,anxiety,or PTSD. Fifty-two percent reported that they were insured by MediCal, Medicare,or Veterans Administration. For health services,60%of those surveyed had used Community Health Centers;44%had used emergency rooms;and 16%had used county mental health services in the past year. Feb 2011 roaz'Y TO: Mayor and Honorable City Council Members Path to a Mame FROM. Homeless Services Oversight Council 10 Year Plan to WMa'mekssness RE: Homeless Services Oversight Council We envision a future Recommendation-HUD Urban County Membership,2012-2015 in which the housing and canprefi Honorable Council Members, services necessary to remain housed are The Homeless Services Oversight Council has been actively working with our avm7able for WL community partners,moving forward on the implementation of Path to a Homey the a8or ft everyone San Luis Obispo County Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness This broad coalition modbuimself- committed to reducing homelessness in our county is up to the many challenges suflkla cy,and the ahead. opportunity to be pmdactweand The County of San Luis Obispo is in the process of soliciting community interest in participating participating in the Urban County for purposes of receiving Federal CDBG,HOME and members ofour Emergency Solutions Grant funding. If a city opts into the Urban County there is a Lomn'unity. guarantee of a formula based CDBG funding;if the city opts out of the Urban County it can compete through the State administered program The State program brings the potential for considerably more funds($300,000-$800,000)for larger,specific projects,including housing projects. It is,however,a competitive process. The HSOC is charged with identifying ways to maximize resources for housing and homeless services. In this regard it considered the implications of the various cities opting in or out of the Urban County. Upon analysis of the information before it the HSOC recommends to County cities: Unless a City has a clearly identified project or plan for submission for State CDBG/HOME funding the city should apt into the Urban Countyfor the 2012-2015 contract period The HSOC should consider a community education campaign outreaching to housing developers with goal of identi&ing projects that could be ready for the 2015-2018 cycle As your Council makes its decision whether to participate in the Urban County,the HSOC urges that you consider the implications the decision brings to our County s ability to decrease homelessness. Participation in the Urban County will provide a guarantee of funding based on population,some of which can go toward housing and homeless services. In the absence of a current project or plan eligible for the State program,the HSOC believes this guarantee is preferable. It is also committed to increasing community awareness,and capacity,to assist in being positioned with potential housing projects in the next Urban County contract cycle. Thank you for your commitment to reduce homelessness in San Luis Obispo County. Patricia Gomez Director,Homeless Services Oversight Council Homeless Services Oversight Coundi//P.O.Box 12101,San Luis Obispo,CA 93406 Feb 2011 February TO: Mayor and Honorable City Council Members Path to a Home FROM: Homeless Services Oversight Council 10YearPlan to Endfiamekssnew WeenvWon afarure RE: Homeless Services Oversight Council in whkh the hom tg Homeless Management Information System Recommendation and comprehensive servFces necessag to Honorable Council Members, nmudn housed are awffablefaralL The Homers Services Oversight Council has been actively working with our offending everyane community partners,moving forward on the implementation of Path to a Home,the maxinum self- San Luis Obispo County Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness. This broad coalition sgPdenry,and the committed to reducing homelessness in our county is up to the many challenges opporamiry to be ahead. productive and parWpadng A countywide homeless management information system CHMIS)is a key initiative me &MOfour adopted by the HSOC. It is crucial for increasing funding and programmatic Communi0- decisionmaldng. As a result,the HSOC urges the following to the Cities and County: IJ The HSOC urges the County,cities and other funders of homeless services to require that,as a condition of funding,the agency/grantee make its best effort to participate in the IIMIS The HSOC does not take lightly the charge that has been placed in it to make such recommendations. The information collected in the HMIS will assist HSOC and agencies to assess the most effective and efficient ways to invest the scarce homeless dollars,assess performance, as well as garner additional funding. The County of San Luis Obispo has assumed the HMIS system administration role. The administrator has already worked collaboratively with many of the agencies to bring them into the HMIS system We look forward continued collaborative engagement in the future with your council and local agencies. Thank you for your support, PATRICIA GOMEZ Director,Homeless Services Oversight Council