[00:00:02]
AND JENNIFER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO ROLL CALL? OKAY.AND THEN JUST A REMINDER, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC YOU ARE, WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU GUYS TO, UM, COMMENT AFTER EACH AGENDA ITEM.
UM, ONCE WE GO THROUGH THE AGENDA ITEMS, WE'LL CALL OUT TO SEE IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, IT IS LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES UNLESS EXTENDED, UH, BY THE CHAIR.
AND THEN THERE IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE END TO, UH, PROVIDE A COMMENT ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. OKAY? OKAY.
WE CAN GO AHEAD WITH ITEM NUMBER ONE.
ITEM NUMBER ONE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE HOMELESS SERVICES POLICY SUBCOMMITTEE.
POLICY SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING OF MONDAY, MARCH 9TH, 2026.
I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
ALRIGHT, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR A AYE.
ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WISH TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? ALRIGHT.
RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A DISCUSSION ON THE CURRENT LONG BEACH CITY POLICIES, INCLUDING SERVICE CONTRACTING AND FENCING PUBLIC AREAS.
I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND.
SO, GOOD LORD, THIS IS GONNA BE A ROUGH ONE.
DO YOU SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT FOR SO WE CAN, HUH? DO IT
WHERE DO WE START? WELL, WE YOU NEED TO SECOND IT FIRST.
ALRIGHT, LET'S HAVE DISCUSSION.
AND I JUST, I WANT TO PREFACE OUR DISCUSSION BY SAYING THAT THIS ITEM COMES FROM PUBLIC COMMENT FROM OUR LAST HAYS ACT MEETING.
UM, A MEMBER OF OF THE PUBLIC SAID, YOU KNOW, SHOULD THIS COMMISSION CONSIDER MAKING A STATEMENT ABOUT FENCING THE LIBRARY? AND I SAID, WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN AT LEAST DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, AND DECIDE IF THE POLICY COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THIS DISCUSSION ITEM FOCUSED ON THE FENCING OF THE LIBRARY AT THIS TIME, AND THEN MAYBE HAVE THE OTHER PART ABOUT IT, UH, SERVICE CONTRACTING AT A FUTURE MEETING WHEN WE HAVE MAYBE AUDIT REPORTS ON THAT.
UM, BUT MY INTENTION WAS TO KIND OF DISCUSS THE, THE FENCING AROUND THE LIBRARY.
SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE POLICY COMMITTEE MAKING A POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATION TO THE BROADER HAYSTACK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DO WE SUPPORT OR NOT SUPPORT THE CITY FENCING AROUND THE LIBRARY? SO, I DO HAVE SOME THOUGHTS.
UM, I'M SOMEONE THAT USES THAT LIBRARY ON A WEEKLY BASIS, AND IT HAS BEEN SHOCKING TO ME TO SEE WHAT A PHYSICAL BARRIER THIS VINCENT REPRESENTS, UH, AS SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO GO INSIDE.
UH, AND IT'S MADE ME WONDER ABOUT US AS HSAC, UH, RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT, NUMBER ONE, THAT ANY FUTURE POTENTIAL PROJECTS THAT INVOLVE FENCING OF ANY OF OUR PUBLIC SPACE THAT HSAC B INCLUDED, CONSULTED AS SUCH AN IDEA MOVES FORWARD.
UH, SECONDLY,
MY THIRD SUGGESTION IS THAT IF SUCH A PROJECT IS REALLY BEING CONSIDERED, THEN THERE NEEDS TO BE SPECIFIC GOALS IDENTIFIED THAT THIS FENCING IS GOING TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS THAT IT IS GOING TO SOLVE AND IT NEEDS TO BE QUANTIFIED ON MY OPINION.
AND THEN THERE IN MY, MY FINAL SUGGESTION IS THAT THERE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN ANY SUCH PROJECT, REGULAR EVALUATION TO SEE IF
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IN FACT, THE FENCING OR ANY SUCH SIMILAR PROJECT MEETS THE GOALS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.UM, I ALSO, AS A PART OF THIS, WOULD LIKE FOR US TO, AS HSAC, TO ASK IF RELATED TO THE BILLY JEAN KING LIBRARY FENCING, IF THERE WAS A SIMILAR PLAN SUCH AS THE LA RIVER ENCAMPMENT PLAN TO ASSIST THE HOMELESS WHO MADE MY NEIGHBORS, WHO MADE THAT SPACE PART OF HOW THEY SURVIVE DAY TO DAY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS? I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
MY PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT I DON'T THINK THE CITY CONSULTS US BEFORE THEIR PROJECTS.
THEY NEVER, THEY NEVER ASK US WHAT WE THINK BEFORE THEY START DOING STUFF.
AND IT'S GOT THEM INTO A LOT OF TROUBLE BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T ASKED, WE KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE.
AND IF THEY HAD ASKED US, WE WOULD'VE DEFINITELY SAID NO ON THIS FENCING.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE FENCED OFF.
THE HOMELESS ARE PART OF PUBLIC, AND THAT LIBRARY BELONGS PARTLY TO THEM AS WELL, NOT JUST TO THE PEOPLE.
IF THEY WANTED A SEPARATE PLACE FOR THE CHILDREN, THEY SHOULD HAVE JUST FENCED THAT SMALL SECTION OFF.
BUT FROM WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING, THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY DID.
AND THEY, THEY SEEM TO WANNA SAY, OH, IT'S PLACE SO CHILDREN CAN COME AND NOT BE BOTHERED.
I MEAN, I GOTTA CALL IT OUT FOR WHAT I SEE IT AS.
IT JUST MAKES NO SENSE TO SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY FOR WHAT, LIKE SHE SAID, WHAT ARE THEY ACCOMPLISHING WITH THIS? WHAT ARE THEY TRULY ACCOMPLISHING FOR THAT MONEY? WE COULD HAVE SPENT THAT MONEY ON A LOT MORE STUFF THAT WOULD'VE BENEFITED EVERYONE, NOT JUST THEM.
SO, I, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS.
THEY CLAIM TO BE, UH, SYMPATHETIC TOWARDS THE HOMELESS AND THEN THEY PULL SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
ALL IT DOES IS IT BASICALLY SEEMS TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT THEY'VE DISCONNECTED FROM THE PEOPLE.
IT MAKES THEM LOOK LIKE THEY DON'T CARE.
I WAS, UH, REALLY TAKEN ABACK ABOUT THE COST OF THIS FENCE, WHICH I THINK IS ESTIMATED AT $790,000.
AND WHEN YOU COMPARE THAT TO WHAT IT COSTS TO SHELTER SOMEBODY FOR A YEAR, I, I DON'T SEE HOW THAT'S JUSTIFIABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S NOT ADEQUATE SHELTER FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS RIGHT NOW.
SO YOU BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, OUTREACH.
WELL, WE KNOW THE SHELTER RATES ARE AT 97%.
AND THAT THERE'S A WAIT LIST FOR SHELTER.
SO EVEN IF THERE IS OUTREACH, THERE'S NOT REALLY SUFFICIENT SHELTER FOR ANYONE TO GO TO AND SPENDING, WE KNOW THERE'S A, A BUDGET SHORTFALL THIS YEAR FOR HOMELESS SERVICES SPENDING ALMOST $800,000 ON A FENCE.
UH, ISN'T THAT WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE RESOURCES GONE TO? SO I BELIEVE THIS WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, THIS EXPENDITURE IN THE PAST, BUT THAT FUNDING COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR SERVICES AS OPPOSED TO EXPENSE.
UM, SO I FEEL, MY OPINION IS MAYBE WE SHOULD DRAFT A STATEMENT FROM HAYSTACK FOR HAYSTACK TO REVIEW AT NEXT MONTH'S MEETING THAT KIND OF SAYS THESE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SHELTER RESOURCES ARE AT A PREMIUM, THAT THERE'S NOT ADEQUATE ACCESS.
AND WE, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY PRIORITIZE OFFERING SHELTER AS OPPOSED TO SPENDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON FENCES WHEN SHELTER ISN'T AVAILABLE.
I, AND I TOTALLY SUPPORT THAT.
HERE'S ONE REASON I FRAME IDENTIFIED THOSE WILL SPECIFIC IN THE FUTURE IS BECAUSE THE PRESSURE ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO REMOVE THE HOMELESS FROM,
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FROM THE PUBLIC IS ONLY GOING TO INTENSIFY AS, UH, AS WE REACH THE OLYMPICS.UM, AND I CAN IMAGINE A, A LIST OF LIBRARIES THAT ARE ON A, WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE A HIT LIST FOR POSSIBLE FUTURE FENCING OR OTHER CITY PROPERTY.
AND SO IN ORDER TO ATTEMPT TO BROADEN MM-HMM
THE PERSPECTIVE AND THE INPUT IN FUTURE IS WHY I AM MAKING THESE SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS.
AND TO BE HONEST, IT ALSO WOULD THEN GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO ALERT THE COMMUNITY MM-HMM
AND OUR NEIGHBORS ABOUT WHAT IN FACT IS BEING PROPOSED.
THIS WHAT HAPPENED AT MY LIBRARY AT BILLIE JEAN KEEN HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY IN TERMS OF PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.
AND IT WAS, WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT AT THE
BUT EVEN BEYOND, OR NO, I AGREE.
AND WELL, AS A NEIGHBOR AND IF SOMEBODY'S ACTIVE IN DISTRICT COUNCIL ONE, I DIDN'T KNOW.
I MEAN, WE, WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP.
AND SO THIS HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY.
MY HOPE IS THAT WE ARE INCLUDED, THAT THE CITY REALLY DOES THINK ABOUT WHAT'S THE PLAN, WHAT ARE THE GOALS, HOW DO WE EVALUATE IT? BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A SMALL EXPENDITURE.
AND IT WILL GIVE US, AS HSAC AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY, WHICH THESE ARE OUR LIBRARIES.
AND IT HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON US.
UM, AND YOU SAID IT, I, IN TERMS OF THE, THE SPACE THAT HAS NOW BEEN LOST TO THE PUBLIC, THERE IS NOW WITHIN ALL OF DOWNTOWN, NO SHADE, NO SHADE EXCEPT WHAT WE GET FOR A MATTER OF HOURS BECAUSE OF MULTI-STORY BUILDINGS.
THERE IS NO SHADE IN LINCOLN PARK.
THERE IS NO SHADE IN THE VICTORY PARK THAT GOES ALL ALONG.
THERE'S NO SHADE IN OUR AREA DOWNTOWN.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE LIBRARY PROVIDED WAS SOME SHADE FOR ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY, INCLUDING THE HOMELESS.
AND THE OTHER COMMENT I WANT TO MAKE, AND THEN I'LL BE QUIET, IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THE LIBRARY WHERE THIS FENCE HAS BEEN BUILT FOR ALMOST A MILLION BUCKS.
THE CITY IS READY TO APPROVE A MULTI-LEVEL, MULTI-FLOOR RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT WHERE THE CITY HALL USED TO EXIST AND THE CITY IS CONSIDERING, AND THAT THEY LOWER THE REQUIRED PERCENTAGE OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS.
I SAW THAT RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO WHERE THEY HAVE NOW STRIPPED AWAY PUBLIC SPACE THAT PROVIDED SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE THEIR OWN SHELTER.
AND TO ME, THAT'S AN ATROCITY.
SO I APPRECIATE THIS DISCUSSION.
THERE'S TWO WAYS WE CAN APPROACH NEXT STEPS.
UM, I CAN EITHER DRAFT A SIMPLE LETTER CAPTURING SOME OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND VIEWS AND WE CAN PUT IT BEFORE HAYSTACK AT THE NEXT MEETING AND GET FEEDBACK ON IT.
OR I CAN DRAFT A LETTER AND THEN IN TWO MONTHS WE AS A SUBCOMMITTEE WOULD LOOK AT THAT, REFINE IT, AND THEN PUT IT BEFORE HAYSTACK.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION? LET'S GET READY FOR THE FULL HAYSTACK MEETING.
SO IT MIGHT BE ROUGH AND YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE TO GIVE FEEDBACK AT THAT HAYSTACK MEETING OF, HEY, CHANGE THIS, CHANGE THAT.
I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL.
BUT I'D LIKE TO GET IT IN FRONT OF THE FULL COMMITTEE AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
BECAUSE I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS THE END OF THIS.
AND THIS WOULD BE FOR THE JUNE MEETING.
DOES THAT CONCLUDE OUR CURRENT DISCUSSION? AND WE'LL, WE'LL PICK IT UP AGAIN AT HAYSAK TO FURTHER REFINE.
IS THERE PUBLIC PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? NO,
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I DO.I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH AND ACTUALLY RESIDE ON THE OCEAN BOULEVARD RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE LIBRARY.
THAT FENCE WENT UP IN RECORD AMOUNT OF TIME WITH LITTLE TO NO, UH, NOTIFICATION TO THE RESIDENTS TO THE CITY.
AND WHAT IT, WHAT I'M HEARING NOW, UM, ANY ADDITIONAL APPROVALS FOR ANYBODY ON ALMOST SPENDING A MILLION DOLLARS.
ALL IT DID WAS PROVIDE A STATIC SOLUTION TO A DYNAMIC ISSUE.
AND NOR DOES IT, UM, ADDRESS THE, THE HUMAN NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE AFFECTED OUR UNSHELTERED NEIGHBORS.
IT DID NOT MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD NOR THE LIBRARY ANY SAFER OR ANY MORE PROTECTED AS WE SAW WITH THE LONG BEACH BRAND PRE A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND THE INCIDENT WITH THE OFFICER WHO WAS ACTUALLY INJURED BY A HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL, THEY MOVED THEM FROM THE STEPS TO THE OUTSIDE OF, I MEAN FROM THE STEPS TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE FENCE.
THE TENTS STILL ARE THERE AND THEY STILL PERSIST.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M PROPOSING IS TO, THERE'S BEEN A LOSS OF FUNDING WITH HOW WITH ACCESS CENTERS AND NAVIGATION AND MATCHING, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE, BECAUSE THE FENCE IS ALREADY THERE, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSIST OF OUR UNSHELTERED, UM, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORS IN NEED IS TO BRING IN THE MATCHING AND COORDINATION THERE, BRING THE SERVICE COORDINATED ENTRY THERE TO THE STREETS, AND LET'S START GETTING SYSTEM SERVICE MATCHING AND ENTRY RIGHT THERE.
THIS CAN BE DONE WITH PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THE CITY OR THE TAX PAYING DOLLARS.
THIS COULD BE BILLED TO MEDI-CAL.
ALMOST EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS HOMELESS AND OR LOW INCOME AND HAS NEEDS IS ELIGIBLE FOR MEDI-CAL BILLABLE SERVICES AT THE STATE LEVEL.
THAT'S AN EXISTING POOL OF MONEY THAT CAN BE LEVERAGED TO ACTUALLY HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I DID WANT TO MENTION IS, WELL, I'LL SAY THAT FOR THE NEXT ONE.
BY IN INTEGRATING SERVICE NAVIGATION RIGHT THERE AT THE POINT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF, UM, RECEIVING AND FILING THIS DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER THREE, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A DISCUSSION AND FINALIZE THE DRAFT 2025 HOMELESS SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AND SO WE PRESENTED THIS AT LAST MONTH'S HAY SAC MEETING.
READ THROUGH BOTH THE REPORT AND SPECIFICALLY OUR COMMITTEE'S, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND WHILE WE GOT SOME KIND OF AFFIRMATIVE FEEDBACK OF, YEAH, OKAY.
WE LIKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, THERE WAS NO SPECIFIC FEEDBACK FROM HAYSTACK MEMBERS ON THINGS LIKE WORDING THEY ASKED US TO CHANGE OR, OR THINGS THEY ASKED US TO ADD.
UM, SO I AM RECOMMENDING THAT WE BRING THE REPORT BACK TO THE HAYSTACK MEETING THIS COMING MONTH AND SAY, OKAY, WE'RE DOING A FINAL READ.
YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE BEFORE WE FORMALLY SUBMIT THIS TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL? THIS IS DUE TO THE CITY BY JUNE 30TH.
EVERY COMMISSION HAS TO FILE AN ANNUAL REPORT.
SO IS THERE ANY, ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? THAT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.
I HAVE ACTUALLY, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.
THE COPY I HAVE, IT HAD HIGHLIGHTED THE SHELTER RATE PERCENTAGE AND THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS ON THE WAIT LIST.
AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S UP.
WE, THAT'S BEEN UPDATED AND I'M GONNA MAKE A NOTE FOR MYSELF ON THAT AND I'LL DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE THE KIND OF, THE POINT IN TIME HOMELESS COUNT FROM JANUARY FOR THAT.
BEFORE IT GOES TO HAYSTACK, I'M HAPPY I'LL SEND THIS VERSION OUT TO THE FULL COMMITTEE PRIOR TO THE MEETING SO THEY CAN REVIEW AND IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? OKAY.
SO I'LL MAKE SURE THAT'S UPDATED AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS TO JENNIFER TO SEND OUT TO THE WHOLE COMMITTEE OTHER THAN, OTHER THAN TO POINT OUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHOWER TRUCK.
I DO HAVE SOMETHING ON THAT, ON THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEN NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF RECEIVING AND FILING THE DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE DISCUSSION REGARDING THE NEXT STEPS
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FOR THE MAYOR'S FUND PILOT HYGIENE PROJECT RECOMMENDATION.I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE AN UPDATE ON THIS.
UH, JENNIFER HELPED ME COORDINATE WITH PAUL TO GET SOME INSIGHT IN, INTO COST FOR OUR DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE STATUS OF VARIOUS PROJECTS.
AND JENNIFER, MAYBE YOU CAN HELP.
I, I THINK I UNDERSTOOD WHAT PAUL SAID IN HIS EMAIL, BUT CLARIFY IF I, IF I'VE GOT THIS WRONG.
SO PAUL PROVIDED TWO PIECES OF INFORMATION MM-HMM
I ASKED HIM IF THE SHOWER TRUCK STAFFING POSITION WAS FUNDED AND IF THE SHOWER TRUCK HAS BEEN PURCHASED.
AND I ASKED, YOU KNOW, ASIDE FROM THAT WAS OUR ESTIMATE OF BETWEEN 70 AND $80,000, UM, TO RENT A PORTA POTTY FOR A YEAR AND STAFF IT OVERNIGHT, IS THAT REASONABLE FOR COSTS THAT THE CITY SEES? AND WHAT I UNDERSTOOD PAUL TO RESPOND IS HE SAID THERE IS A SHORTFALL IN FUNDING FOR THE HOMELESS SERVICES, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT IN GENERAL DUE TO FEDERAL CUTS AND, AND STATE AND, AND COUNTY DECISION MAKING.
AND SO HE SAID THERE WILL BE NO NEW PROGRAMS, UM, INTRODUCED THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE, THE DEPARTMENT IS FOCUSED ON JUST PROVIDING THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED IN PAST YEARS.
UM, WHAT I UNDERSTOOD FROM THAT IS THAT THE SHOWER TRUCK WOULD NOT BE PURCHASED THIS YEAR AND THAT THERE IS NOT A NEW STAFF POSITION ALLOCATED FOR THE SHOWER TRUCK.
IS THAT WHAT YOU UNDERSTOOD, JENNIFER? UM, MAY I MENTION 750,000 WOULD'VE HELPED WITH THAT? YEP.
LET ME JUST READ HIS EMAIL RESPONSE BACK TO YOU.
SO HE SAID CURRENTLY THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE A POSITION BUDGETED AND IS PLANNING AROUND NOT BRINGING ON NEW PROGRAMMING IN THE COMING YEAR WITH BUDGET REDUCTIONS IN THE CITY GENERAL FUND REDUCTIONS FROM COUNTY MEASURE A AND THE BUDGET FROM THE STATE FOR HOMELESSNESS BEING HALF WHAT, HALF WHAT IT WAS IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
WE ARE WORKING TO STABILIZE WHAT PROGRAMMING IS IN PLACE AS WELL AS WHAT PROGRAMMING WILL HAVE REDUCTIONS OR MODIFICATIONS.
UM, AND THEN HE SAID IT SOMEWHAT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE THOUGHT OF AVAILABILITY ON THE RESTROOM WOULD BE.
FOR REFERENCE, OUR CURRENT SECURITY CONTRACT COST ABOUT 26 AN HOUR PER GUARD AND EIGHT HOUR SHIFT AVAILABLE FOR 365 DAYS IN A YEAR IS ABOUT 75,000.
AND THEN WOULD GO UP FROM THERE ACCORDINGLY, BASED UPON HOURS.
PORTA POTTIES SOMEWHAT VARY IN PRICE BASED UPON THE SET, THE SETUP AND NUMBER OF UNITS AND HAND WASHING STATIONS, FREQUENCY OF SERVICE FOR PUMP OUT AND REFILLING.
YOU THEN ALSO HAVE TOILET PAPER COSTS AND ANY INTERIM CLEANING THAT IS NEEDED.
I WOULD SAY THAT BUDGETING ABOUT A THOUSAND TO 1,500 A MONTH FOR THESE COSTS OF THOSE IS ABOUT RIGHT.
SO IF YOU'RE HAVING EIGHT HOURS A DAY, IT WOULD RUN ABOUT 90 TO 95,000.
AND CAN YOU REMIND ME, HOW MUCH WAS THE PURCHASE OF THE SHOWER? THE MOBILE SHOWER? I DON'T RECALL.
I BELIEVE IT WAS HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
LIKE FIVE FIVE, 500,000 OR LESS.
I THINK IT WAS BETWEEN 500 AND A MILLION DOLLARS.
BUT JENNIFER, DO YOU REMEMBER? I DON'T, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK IT UP.
YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN LOOK UP.
UM, SO YEAH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE PURCHASE OF THE SHOWER IS ON HOLD, WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO STAFF IN ACCOMPANYING POSITION.
WAS THIS NOT PART, WAS THIS NOT CONSIDERED IN THE, UM, IN THE BUDGET? I THINK WHEN THEY DID THE BUDGET, DID THEY NOT CONSIDER THIS BECAUSE WE WERE, I WOULD, I PERSONALLY WAS UNDER THE STA UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS ALREADY FUNDED.
IT WAS EITHER PURCHASED OR ALREADY MONEY WAS ALREADY SET ASIDE FOR IT.
DID THEY MOVE THE MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE OR WHAT? I WOULD HAVE TO ASK PAUL ABOUT THAT.
I'M NOT 100% SURE ON THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THEY MOVED MONEY AROUND.
DID THEY MOVE THE MONEY OUT OF THE FUNDS OR THE, DID THE FUNDS NEVER ACTUALLY EXIST AND WE WERE, WE WERE UNDER A MISUNDERSTANDING I SHOULD SAY OF WHAT WAS REALLY GOING ON.
I THINK HOPEFULLY WE CAN ASK PAUL THAT QUESTION IN OUR HAYSTACK MEETING.
MY UNDERSTANDING FROM HIS EMAIL, AND I DID EMAIL TO FOLLOW UP AND ASK FOR CLARIFICATION, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING FROM HIS INITIAL EMAIL WAS BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS SHORTFALL BECAUSE WE GOT HALF AS MUCH MONEY FROM THE COUNTY AS WE WERE EXPECTING, UM, WE'RE MOVING EVERYTHING INTO JUST BASIC SHELTER PROVISION AND AWAY FROM NEW PROGRAMS LIKE THE SHOWER.
SO THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL THAT THE CITY COUNCIL EXPLICITLY APPROVED FUNDING TO PURCHASE A SHOWER TRUCK.
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EMAIL TO SAY WE DIDN'T EXPECT OUR COUNTY FUNDING TO BE CUT IN HALF.SO WE'RE MOVING IT BACK INTO SHELTER SERVICES.
CAN I ASK AGAIN, WHAT WAS THE TOTAL THAT PAUL PROVIDED OF THE COMBINATION OF THE STAFFING AND THE PORTA-POTTY? UH, LEMME SEE.
I WOULD SAY THAT BUDGETING 1000 TO 1,500 A MONTH FOR THE COST OF THOSE IS ABOUT RIGHT.
SO IF YOU ARE HAVING EIGHT HOURS A DAY, IT WOULD RUN ABOUT 90 TO 95,000 PER, PER YOU FOR ALL SUPPLIES FOR RENTAL, THE PORTA POTTY AND EIGHT HOUR A DAY.
SO BASED ON THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD HEARD FROM THE COMMITTEE THAT, OF THE HYGIENE RECOMMENDATIONS WE HAD MADE, THE FIRST THING WOULD BE IF THE SHOWER TRUCK WAS PURCHASED, WE'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT FUNCTIONAL.
SO OUR FIRST PRIORITY WOULD BE TO FUND THE STAFF POSITION THAT GOES ALONGSIDE IT.
UM, SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS, AND AS FAR AS OUR PAST PRIORITIES, THE NEXT THING THAT WE WOULD SAY THAT THE MAYOR'S FUND SHOULD FUND IS AN OVERNIGHT TOILET IN THE AREA OF HIGHEST NEED, WHICH RIGHT NOW WE THINK IS DOWNTOWN.
BUT WE WOULD SAY HOMELESS SERVICES WOULD HAVE THE BEST DATA ON WHERE THERE'S THE HIGHEST NEED FOR A A 24, LIKE AN OVERNIGHT TOILET.
UM, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE A, A GOOD ESTIMATE WOULD BE $95,000 FOR A YEAR LONG PILOT.
WE COULD SAY THAT IT COULD BE A SIX MONTH PILOT OR A NINE MONTH PILOT IF WE WANTED TO TEST IT OUT FOR A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, BUT WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? WELL, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE MONEY AND IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, I WOULD, I WOULD DO A TEST OF SIX MONTHS, SEE HOW, HOW WELL IT WORKS OUT.
YOU'LL KNOW IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS WHETHER IT'S IT'S WORKING OR NOT.
COULD I DON'T WANT TO BE COMPLICATING STUFF BY ADDING HOWEVER NO, GO AHEAD.
UH, AS A DOWNTOWN RESIDENT, THERE IS NOT ONLY IS THERE NO WAY NO TOILET AVAILABLE, THERE IS NO WATER AVAILABLE.
WE ARE NOW GETTING READY TO GO INTO THE SUMMER.
UH, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT I THINK IT'S EL SEGUNDO IS A TOWN THAT HAS SET UP SORT OF LIKE THE TOILETS HAS SET UP A HYDRATION UNIT AND IT'S DESIGNED SO THAT YOU, IF YOU CAN GET A GLASS OF WATER, YOU CAN FILL UP A CONTAINER.
UM, AND THIS IS FRESH WATER THAT, THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO.
AND I DELIBERATELY WANDERED AROUND NOT JUST THE DOWNTOWN BUT THE EAST VILLAGE MM-HMM
KIND OF LOOKING FOR SOME PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COULD GO TO THE BATHROOM AND GET WATER.
AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE.
INSTEAD THERE WERE SIGNS IN EVERY SINGLE STOREFRONT THAT, THAT THE FACILITIES WERE NOT AVAILABLE UNLESS YOU WERE A CUSTOMER.
UM, AND SO TO ME THE COMBINATION MM-HMM
OF THE TOILET OVERNIGHT AND A HYDRATION STATION, WHICH I HAVE NO IDEA MM-HMM
BUT I BET WE COULD FIND OUT PRETTY QUICK, UM, THAT THE COMBINATION OF THOSE TWO THINGS, UH, COULD POTENTIALLY REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR PEOPLE.
WHEN I WENT TO THE RENAISSANCE FAIR, THE LAST TIME THEY HAD TOILETS, NOT ONLY DID THEY HAVE TOILETS, BUT THEY HAD WATER STATIONS WHERE YOU COULD WASH YOUR HANDS AND GET WATER AT THEM.
SO MAYBE THAT'S, THAT'S A SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU'VE YEAH.
WE CAN ACTUALLY RENT THOSE STATIONS, I THINK WHEREVER WE RENT THE PORTA POTTIES.
AND, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE THE, IT'S TWO SEPARATE, I'VE BEEN TO THE RENAISSANCE FAIR, BUT THERE'S TWO, IT'S VERY HOT, IT'S VERY HOT THERE.
IT'S TWO SEPARATE PIECES OUT THERE.
TWO PIECES OF EQUIPMENT WHICH ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THEY COULD USE THESE AS THE BATHROOM PORTABLE SINKS THAT THEY SET UP.
AND NOT ONLY GET THEIR WATER, BUT THEY COULD ALSO BOTTLE IT.
AND DRINK IT AND WASH THEIR HANDS WITH IT.
I MEAN, IT WOULD SOLVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE HAVING.
WELL, AND I HAVE ONE MORE THING TO ADD TO THIS
[00:30:01]
AND IT'S THAT WE HAVE PUBLIC BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN THAT HAVE TOILETS AND WATER.AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BETTER TO RENT A PORTA POTTY AND HAND WASHING STATION OR SIMPLY PAY FOR SECURITY TO LET PEOPLE IN TO PUBLIC BATHROOMS ON THE BEACH.
THE LIBRARY OR CITY COUNCIL, WHICH ARE BUILDINGS THE CITY ALREADY OWNS AND HAS TOILETS AND WATER FACILITIES.
SO THOSE ARE FURTHER OPTIONS WHERE THEY'RE SECURITY AND THEY'RE ALL ACCESSIBLE.
WAS THE SECURITY COST AGAIN, SORRY, I 75.
IT'S THE MAJORITY OF THE COST BECAUSE YOU SAID IT IS 1000 TO 15, HE SAYS 30, 65 AN HOUR SOMETHING 26.
I MEAN THE CITY HAS BATHROOM RESOURCES DOWNTOWN.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF IT'S PREFERABLE TO JUST USE FACILITIES THAT ALREADY EXIST AND SECURE AND CLEAN THEM OR IF IT'S PREFERABLE TO RENT SOMETHING, IT'S FINE EITHER WAY, BUT MM-HMM
JUST WHATEVER IS DOABLE IN THE SENSE.
WELL, AND I'M TRYING TO THINK.
I MEAN LIKE FOR BILLIE JEAN KING, THERE'S, ON THE FIRST FLOOR, THERE'S THE AREA OFF OF PACIFIC.
THAT HAS THE BATHROOM THERE AT CITY HALL, RIGHT ON THE FIRST FLOOR THERE'S BATHROOMS. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE BEACH TRUST ROOMS RIGHT THERE DOWNTOWN.
I KNOW THERE ARE FURTHER DOWN, BUT THERE MAY BE A BEACH BATHROOM.
IF YOU WERE TO MANAGE THIS PROJECT, WHICH OBVIOUSLY WE ARE BECAUSE WE'RE FUNDING IT, RIGHT? SO WE DO HAVE A SAY IN WHAT GOES ON AND WHERE IT'S AT.
WHERE WOULD YOU PUT IT EXACTLY FIGURE OUT BEFORE WE BEGIN? UNLIKE THE CITY DOES FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT.
I WOULD ASK EXPERTS AT HOMELESS SERVICES BECAUSE THEY WOULD KNOW RIGHT AWAY, HERE'S THE PROBLEM YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE WITH THIS LOCATION.
OR THEY MAY SAY IT'S UN, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT FEASIBLE TO DO IT AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY BECAUSE OF WE CAN'T SECURE THIS AND THIS AND THIS.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD CONSULT WITH HOMELESS SERVICES AND SAY, WHERE IS IT FEASIBLE? IF YOU'RE TELLING ME THERE'S 10 PROBLEMS WITH DOING IT AT BILLIE JEAN KING, THEN WE WON'T DO THAT.
WELL WE'LL GO AN EASIER ROUTE.
BUT I WOULD SEEK THAT EXPERT ADVICE.
'CAUSE AGAIN, I'M JUST THINKING, I KNOW THE LIBRARY PRETTY WELL.
THERE ARE DOORS THAT LEAD INTO THIS AREA THAT I'M THINKING OF.
IT'S WHERE WE HAD THE MEETING RIGHT.
AND SO THERE'S DOORS THAT SEPARATE THAT CAN BE CLOSED THAT SEPARATE THAT AREA FROM THE REST OF THE LIBRARY, THE CITY HALL.
YOU KNOW, THEY'D HAVE TO HAVE, IT'D BE A DIFFERENT KIND OF SECURITY.
WELL ULTIMATELY IT WOULD BE SOMEPLACE WHERE THERE ISN'T, UM, WHERE THERE IS AN, UH, OUTDOOR FACING YES.
BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE TO SECURE THE BUILDING.
UNLESS IT'S JUST A STRAIGHT SHOT, YOU KNOW, UNLESS IT'S A STRAIGHT SHOT, YOU CAN EX YOU KNOW, SECURE ALL OF IT.
UM, AND YOU COULD, YOU COULD ACTUALLY, IF THEY DID NEED TO OPEN THE DOORS AND EVERYTHING WAS LOCKED BEHIND THEM, THERE WILL BE A SECURITY GUARD IN THERE.
SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT VANDALISM OR MISCONDUCT.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE SECURITY GUARD IS FOR.
SO BASICALLY IT'S A, IT'S A MATTER OF FINDING THE LOCATION AND FIGURING OUT WHICH IS THE BETTER OPTION.
IS THE BETTER OPTION TO RENT PORTA POTTIES OR THE BETTER OPTION TO HIRE THE SECURITY GUARD AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A PUBLIC BUILDING.
THE QUESTION IS HOW DO WE GET PERMISSION TO DO THAT? FIRST OF ALL, IF IT'S A LIBRARY THING, I THINK YOU HAVE TO CON CONSULT WITH THE LIBRARY PEOPLE.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT USING IT WHEN THE LIBRARY'S CLOSED.
SO, AND THE SAME THING, THE CITY HALL.
AND IN FACT, I THINK IT'S SIMILAR WITH THE BEACH PUBLIC TOILETS.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE OPEN 24 7.
AND SO WE'D BE ADDING, THAT WOULD BE A PARK AND RECS PERSON.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE PATROLS THAT DO THAT.
I THINK WE, I THINK WE'D BE PAYING SECURITY EITHER WAY, REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT IS, THERE'S GONNA BE SECURITY AND PEOPLE WATCHING OUT FOR SAFETY AND CLEANLINESS.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE A STAFFER.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THE KEYS TO THE CITY.
UM, SO CAN I, WE'LL HAVE TO GET PERMISSION FOR
[00:35:01]
ANYTHING WE DO.BUT HOW ABOUT WE, IT SEEMS TO ME WE'RE, WE'VE GOT ENOUGH TO PUT TOGETHER A RECOMMENDATION BOTH AT THE HSAC AND TO THE MAYOR'S FUND MM-HMM
SUBCOMMITTEE THAT WE RECOMMEND THAT THE APPROPRIATE SUBCOMMITTEE WORKING WITH THE STAFF THAT WE INVESTIGATE WHAT ARE THE BEST LOCATIONS.
AND HOW'S THAT? WHAT DOC, WHAT DATA TELLS US THAT MM-HMM
AND WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS? FINANCIAL AND OTHERWISE TO USING OUR CITY MM-HMM
PUBLIC SPACES COMPARED TO THE PORTA POTTY WATER STATION.
AND SO WE WANT THE PROS AND THE CONS, WHICH COULD BE EVERYTHING FROM THE MONEY TO THE GETTING APPROVALS TO WHERE, TO WHERE TO DO THIS OR WHERE TO PLACE THE, THE PORTA POTTY EQUIPMENT.
SO DO WE WANT TO DO THAT AND HAVE INFORMATION COME BACK TO US? OR DO WE WANT TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE TO SAY WE WANNA FUND A SIX MONTH PILOT AT A MAXIMUM OF SAY, $50,000 OF EXPENSES SINCE WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE THAT WOULD BE 95,000 FOR ONE YEAR AND SAY, YOU KNOW, PART OF DEVELOPING THE RFP FOR THAT WOULD BE WORKING WITH HOMELESS SERVICES FOR, IS IT BETTER TO HOUSE IT IN A PUBLIC FACILITY OR TO RENT THE PORTA POTTY? AND WHAT IS THE AREA THAT HAS THE MOST DEMAND SERVICES? GREAT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OH, SHE LIKED THAT
I MEAN, REALLY, I MEAN I'M, I'M HORRIBLY DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THE DAMN SHOWER, BUT YOU KNOW, WE, I THINK WE SORT OF SAW THIS COMING THAT THE, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE SO CHALLENGING FOR HOMELESS SERVICES TO EVEN MAINTAIN WHAT WE'VE GOT.
AND IN FACT, MY FEAR IS THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A REAL INCREASE MM-HMM
IN HOMELESSNESS HERE THAT BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE, THE FACILITIES DON'T HAVE THE HOUSING, WE DON'T HAVE SUPPORT SERVICES.
IT'S JUST THIS IS REALLY GOING TO BE A REALLY DIFFICULT, I DON'T THINK THIS ALL BODES WELL FOR THE CITY.
'CAUSE THEY'RE UNDER FIRE ALREADY.
AND PEOPLE AREN'T GONNA WANNA KNOW ABOUT THIS.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA WANNA KNOW WE HAVE A SHORTFALL IN MONEY.
'CAUSE THE FIRST THING THAT THEY ALWAYS SAY IS, WHERE DID ALL THE MONEY GO? AND WITH THE TRACK RECORD THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING, I DON'T WANNA ANSWER THAT QUESTION ANYMORE.
I'VE DEFENDED THE CITY SO MANY TIMES.
WELL THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO ADVISE.
WE NEED TO ADVISE THE CITY COUNCIL OF THAT'S THE THE PROBLEM.
THAT'S THE PRO THAT HAS BEEN THE PROBLEM SINCE I BEGAN THAT I NOTICED ALMOST STRAIGHT OUT OF THE GATE THAT WE WEREN'T BEING CONSULTED.
I ACTUALLY MET WITH THE, UH, PAUL DUNCAN'S BOSS AND I TOLD THEM THAT I DON'T THINK WE'RE CONSULTED ON ANYTHING.
WE FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER EVERYTHING IS ALREADY DONE.
THEY DON'T ASK US QUESTIONS ON ANYTHING.
THEY DON'T ASK US BEFORE IT HAPPENS WHAT OUR OPINIONS ARE.
WE HAVE NO DISCUSSION ON WHAT'S COMING UP.
THEY JUST DO IT AND THEN THEY HAVE EGG ON THEIR FACE.
WELL, MAYBE THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD, UH, QUESTIONS MM-HMM
THAT WE COULD HAVE ASKED THAT WOULD'VE HELPED WITH THIS AND WE COULD HAVE POINTED OUT A FEW THINGS.
BUT IF YOU THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING AND YOU DON'T ASK, THEN HOW ARE YOU EVER GOING TO GET THINGS RIGHT.
I WONDER IF DURING STAFF REPORTS AT, AT HAYSTACK COMMITTEE MEETINGS, THERE'S A QUESTION OF WHAT ARE THE UPCOMING, AND IT'S, I THINK SOME OF THAT IS IN THE STAFF REPORTS, BUT MAYBE A QUESTION OF WHAT ARE THE UPCOMING PROJECTS AND CAN, YOU KNOW, CAN WE OFFER SOME QUESTION ADVICE OR HE'S GONNA SAY, THERE ARE NONE.
WELL, BUT THAT DOESN'T FIX WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST, NOR DOES IT FIX WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
BUT I DO LIKE, WELL, BUT I, AND I'M NOT DISAGREEING.
AGAIN, WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE
[00:40:01]
CAN SPECIFICALLY PROPOSE THAT TRY TO SHIFT THAT DYNAMIC.AND SO I THINK, SARAH, YOUR IDEA OF, WE NOW WANT THERE TO BE EITHER AN AGENDA ITEM OR PART OF THE STAFF REPORTS THAT IDENTIFIES WHAT ARE THE UPCOMING ANTICIPATED DECISIONS, REPORTS, PROJECTS, CHANGES IN POLICY OR PROGRAMS. I MEAN, LIST SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE NOW WANT TO BE ALERTED TO IN A TIMELY WAY.
SO WE CAN ALSO DO SOME THINKING AND ATTEMPT TO, TO PROVIDE WHAT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE ARE SOME POSSIBLE IDEAS.
YOU TELL ME THEY DON'T KNOW MONTHS AND MONTHS IN ADVANCE THAT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO.
ALRIGHT, WELL THIS'LL, THIS'LL PUT IT, AND I, THE OTHER THING I WANNA BRING UP IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT UP BEFORE, AND I AGREE WITH THAT.
UH, WE NEED MORE TIME FOR DISCUSSION AND LESS TIME FOR REPORTS.
WHAT WE DON'T NEED IS FOR THEM TO READ IT BACK TO US.
THEM, MEANING THE CITY IS WE NEED THEM TO ASK US.
I MEAN, JUST, JUST GIVE US THE BASIC STUFF AND ASK US WHAT DO YOU THINK? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WE NEED TO REDUCE THE TIME THAT THESE PRESENTATIONS ARE GIVEN.
EITHER THAT, OR WE NEED TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS THAT WE ACCEPT IN ANY ONE TIME.
SO I THINK THIS IS FEEDBACK TO THE MEETING CHAIR.
AND WE DO HAVE A NEW MEETING CHAIR, I THINK AS SOON AS NEXT MONTH.
BUT PERHAPS AFTER, YOU KNOW, AFTER THAT, AND THIS IS A DISCUSSION WE ACTUALLY HAD AS THE BROADER HAYSTACK LAST YEAR, WHERE WE TRIED TO LIMIT THE TOTAL TIME FOR MEETINGS.
WE COULD SET MINUTES FOR EACH, YOU KNOW, PRESENTATION IN THE MEETING.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN SAVE.
HERE'S, BUT THAT'S REALLY AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIR, RIGHT.
TO SAY THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF TIME ALLOCATED FOR THIS.
AND THEN WE'RE MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION.
SO I THINK THAT IS A DISCUSSION THAT WE SHOULD HAVE AT HAYSAK ABOUT HOW DOES THIS MEETING RUN AND, AND WHAT IS PRODUCTIVE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CHAIR CAN TOTALLY CONTROL OF WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA, HOW LONG IS EACH AGENDA ITEM AND HOW LONG IS THE DISCUSSION OF EACH AGENDA ITEM.
SO I THINK THAT I, LET'S HAVE THAT DISCUSSION ACK AND, AND SET SOME NEW FRAMEWORK AND GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM EVERYONE ON WHAT'S THE MOST PRODUCTIVE USE OF OUR TIME DURING THE MEETING.
AND I, AGAIN, I, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT OFF OF THE, THE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD AT THE LAST HSAC MEETING ABOUT THE, UM, THE ETHICS STUFF AND THEN THE BROWN ACT OR WHATEVER THEY CALL IT, IS THAT OFF THAT SOME REAL SPECIFIC ALTERNATIVES OR TOOLS OF HOW TO STRUCTURE THE MEETING ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO US.
AND SO, YOU KNOW THAT THIS CAN BE A REAL, A MORE FOCUSED DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW TO DO THIS.
SO MAYBE WE CAN EVEN, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THIS AGENDA ITEM FOR US.
SO MAYBE WHAT WE CAN REQUEST TO JENNIFER IS, JENNIFER, CAN YOU PLEASE TALK TO THE CHAIR OF THE NEXT MEETING AND ASK IF THIS CAN BE AN AGENDA ITEM AT HAYSTACK? YEAH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TALK TO JULIE.
RECEIVING AND FILING THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE MAYOR'S FUND PILOT HYGIENE PROJECT.
THANK YOU FOR A FRUITFUL DISCUSSION.
UM, I'LL PUT TOGETHER A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE BROADER COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS OF UP TO $50,000 FOR A SIX MONTH PILOT CONSULTING WITH HOMELESS SERVICES TO SEE WHAT'S FEASIBLE, WHAT'S THE BEST PLACE TO HOST THESE HYGIENE SERVICES AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO ALL IN FAVOR? UH, ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC? OH, SORRY.
I DO AND I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT QUICK.
THAT WAS A VERY, VERY PRODUCTIVE, UM, DISCUSSION.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, LIKE I SAID, I I CAME TWOFOLD.
AND SO PART OF WHAT I MENTIONED, UM, IN MY COMMENT WITH REGARDS TO THE FENCE ALSO ROLLS IN INTO THIS SPECIFIC AGENDA, AGENDA ITEM AS WELL.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, I'M GONNA GO BACK REALLY QUICK 'CAUSE IT WASN'T NECESSARILY WITHIN MY NOTES, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HYGIENE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE FUNDING THE MAYOR'S FUND AND HOW TO ACTUALLY GET THAT DONE PATH DOES OFFER GRANTS TO BUILD OUT CAPACITY AND
[00:45:01]
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO COVER THAT.I DON'T, I I, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL IF WE STARTED, INSTEAD OF JUST ALWAYS LOOKING AT THE TYPICAL FUNDING BUCKETS, IF YOU WILL, AGAIN, IF WE HAVE TO, IF WE REALLY WANT TO START TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS AT THE HUMAN NEEDS LEVELS, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE HEALTHCARE OPTIONS SPECIFICALLY UNDER WHAT I MENTIONED WITH THE CAL AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTS FUNDS.
RIGHT? THE, THE BILLING CODE IS T 2 0 3 3 AND THE LANGUAGE FOR THAT BILLING CODE SAYS IT INCLUDES LAUNDRY AND HYGIENE FOR PERSONS WHO ARE UNHOUSED RECOVERING FROM ILLNESS AND INJURY.
MANAGED CARE PLANS ARE AUTHORIZED TO FUND INTERVENTIONS THAT MAINTAINS SAFE AND SANITARY CONDITIONS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK REALLY, REALLY NEEDS TO BE PRESSED WITH THE H UH, HSAC COMMITTEE.
AND AS WELL AS GETTING SOME AGENDA ITEMS DIRECTLY WITH CITY COUNCIL.
I THINK IT IS BEYOND EGREGIOUS THAT WE HAVE COMMITTEES THAT MEET, THAT ARE TRUSTED, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, BUT YET NO INFORMATION IS PASSED THROUGH AS THE DIRECTOR OF A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT HANDLES GOVERNMENT FUNDING.
I DON'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT MY BOARD APPROVAL AND INPUT.
THAT IS ALWAYS AND SHOULD BE THE FIRST STEP WHEN IT COMES TO THE SPENDING ENOUGH OF JUST THE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? JUMPING OUT THERE AND JUST PULLING, YOU KNOW, PULLING MONEY AND DOING THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
I DON'T WANNA GO ON A RAMP, I'LL STICK TO THIS, BUT LISTEN, BY LEVERAGING THE STATE MEDICARE DOLLARS TO COVER HYDRATING INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY HELP, THAT WOULD HELP TO PROTECT THE MAYOR'S FUND.
ALLOWING THE CITY TO STRETCH ITS BUDGET, 30 TO 40%, DEPLOY THE BENEFITS NAVIGATORS TO IN TO, UM, TO ENROLL, TO PICK UP THE COST OF THE HEALTH RELATED SOCIAL NEEDS.
THAT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE AGAIN, WITHOUT TAXING THE CITY, THE TAX PAYERS AND EVEN, YOU KNOW, IN AT RISK OF INFLATING OUR, YOU KNOW, 60 MILLION DEFICIT THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE FACING WITHOUT CUTTING THE ACTUAL SERVICES AND RESOURCES LIKE WE'VE SEEN TO ACCESS CENTERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR HEARING ME.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF RECEIVING AND FILING THIS DISCUSSION.
UM, SO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UH, THIS IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS AND APPROVE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. IS THERE A MOTION IN A SECOND? I MOVE.
AND THEN, UM, WHAT FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS DO WE WANT TO LOOK AT? WELL, UM, AND I'M THINKING SPECIFICALLY POLICY.
UH, ONE QUESTION IS, JENNIFER, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN COLLECTING IDEAS OF POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, THERE HASN'T BEEN MANY, RIGHT? WELL I SENT YOU YOURS.
SO WHAT, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IS THAT, THAT GET SHARED WITH SARAH AS OUR SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIR.
I'M BLANKING ON OUR MAYOR'S FUND CHAIR'S, SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIR'S NAME ANYWAY.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT JIM? YEAH, JIM, SORRY.
I KNEW IT WAS A J
UM, BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS, I THINK WOULD IT BE MORE EFFECTIVE IF WE TALKED ABOUT THEM POTENTIALLY AT ONE OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE OKAY.
MEETINGS AND THEN WE MAYBE COME UP WITH FOCUSED RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAN GO TO THE HSAC.
UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT LIST, SINCE I'VE, UH, PREPARED IT IS WE, WE NOW KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN TWO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED, UH, WITH TWO DIFFERENT POTS OF MONEY.
ONE OF 'EM TWO ASSIST PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE VERGE OF HOMELESSNESS DUE TO EVICTIONS.
UM, AND THAT IT PROVIDES POTENTIALLY HELP FINANCIAL HELP TO PAY ENOUGH SO THE LANDLORD WON'T KICK EM THE HELL OUT.
UM, AND THAT THEN WE'VE GOT THE POT OF MONEY THAT'S TO PROVIDE LEGAL SUPPORT IF PEOPLE ARE GETTING DRAGGED INTO HOUSING COURT BY THEIR LANDLORD.
UM, AND SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US AS THESE ARE NEW, AND AGAIN, WE, I DON'T THINK OFFICIALLY AS HSAC WE HAD ANY ROLE TO PLAY IN ANY OF THIS.
[00:50:01]
WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT.AND SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THERE TO BE, UM, SOME KIND OF A BRIEF PRESENTATION THAT EXPLAINS TO US HOW THOSE TWO PROGRAMS WORK AND WHAT, BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND BASED ON WHAT THE DEMAND, WHICH I BET YOU IS ALREADY WELL IDENTIFIED NOW, UM, SINCE IT'S BEEN SEVERAL WEEKS THIS PROGRAM'S OFFICIALLY BEEN OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS BOTH OF THEM THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE TO KNOW.
SO IS THE MONEY ALL GONE ALREADY OR IS, SO IS THAT FOR THE BROADER HAY SAC AGENDA OR IS THAT FOR THE POLICY? WELL, I'M WONDERING AGAIN, SARAH, IF SOME OF THIS IS BEST DONE INITIALLY AT POLICY LEVEL AND IF NOT THEN I'LL SUBMIT THIS FOR THE HSAC.
BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO, I JUST, EVEN THIS MEETING US HAVING A CHANCE IN A SOMEWHAT SMALLER GROUP TO KICK AROUND POLICY FINDINGS, UM, SEEMS TO ME HELPFUL TO THEN COMING UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERYBODY TO CONSIDER.
THIS IS JUST PERSONAL PREFERENCE, BUT MY THOUGHTS ON THAT ARE, IT'S GOOD FOR THE WHOLE COMMITTEE TO HEAR THE DATA AND THEN WE ASK QUESTIONS AND THEN IT GETS REFERRED TO THE POLICY COMMITTEE OF, AND THIS IS, I'M GLAD TO HEAR BOTH OF YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS, BUT JUST EVERYONE HEARS THE DATA AND THEN WE SAY, HMM, ARE THERE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS WE SHOULD BE? AND THEN WE DISCUSS IT IN THE POLICY COMMITTEE AND THEN TAKE IT BACK OKAY.
TO THE, TO LIKE HAVE THE DEEPER CONVERSATION.
NO, I MEAN I DEFER TO, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WAY LONGER THAN ME, BUT THAT 'CAUSE THAT MAKES JUST AS MUCH SENSE AS STARTING OUT HERE.
BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK? I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THERE'S NO MONEY TO DO ANYTHING BUT TALK.
UM, WE NEED TO FACE THAT FACT AND BECOME MORE OF AN ADVISORY POLICY, ADVISORY BOARD.
BUT, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
I MEAN, HONESTLY, I'M FLOORED BY THE FACT THAT WE HAVE, THAT OUR MAIN GOAL HAS BEEN DESTROYED.
I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, I WASN'T EXPECTING IT.
UM, THE SHOWER TRUCK SPECIFICALLY, I, I HOPE THAT THERE'LL BE PROGRESS IN THAT IN THE FUTURE.
OUR MAIN GOAL IS INCREASING THE SHELTER RATE AND I, THAT HAS BEEN REALLY HIT BY THE CUTS FROM THE COUNTY AS WELL.
AND IT IS DEVASTATING BECAUSE THESE ARE HUMAN LIVES, THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS THAT NEED BASIC SERVICES THAT ARE GONNA BE DENIED THAT BECAUSE OF THESE CUTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT I WAS, WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR AND WHAT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN HOPING FOR FROM THE TIME THAT I JOINED HSAC IS THAT WE COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SOME SMALL WAY WE COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND THAT'S DISAPPOINTING TO ME.
I, MY, I MEAN IF EVERYTHING THAT WE PROPOSE OR WE ASK FOR IS EITHER NOT DONE OR SHOT DOWN IN SOME WAY, IT'S DISAPPOINTING.
AND IT'S, IT'S LIKE WHY AM I SITTING HERE DOING THIS, COMING UP WITH ALL THESE IDEAS THAT NEVER GET PRODUCED? I, I'M, I'M, I'M JUST LIKE, PAT IF I ABOUT READY TO THROW UP MY HANDS, MEL AND I HEAR THAT.
I WANNA SAY FIRST DON'T, DON'T.
NO, I JUST, I JUST HAVE TO BE HONEST ABOUT IT.
I MEAN I'VE LISTENED TO SO MANY PRESENTATIONS, SO MANY UM, IDEAS GET THROWN OUT AND I WOULD JUST FOR ONCE LIKE TO SEE IN OUR ANNUAL REPORT THAT WE COULD SAY THAT WE DID SOMETHING.
AND I KNOW WE JUST HAVE A COUPLE, WE HAD CONCRETE PROOF FOR OUR EXISTENCE.
I JUST ONCE, I KNOW WE JUST HAVE A COUPLE MINUTES LEFT.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THIS IS THAT
[00:55:01]
PROBABLY INFLUENCE FROM OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR WILL, THE IMPACT WILL BE SLOWER THAN ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US MIGHT HOPE.BUT WHAT I'VE SEEN IN MY ALMOST FOUR YEARS ON HAYSTACK IS I THINK THERE'S BEEN A SHIFT IN ATTITUDES BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE BEEN RECOMMENDING ALL ALONG IS, UM, SHIFTING A LITTLE BIT OF FUNDING AND THE PRIORITY TOWARDS SHELTERING MORE INDIVIDUALS.
AND WHEN I CAME ON IT WAS MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, LONG-TERM SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WHICH OF COURSE WE SUPPORT, BUT WE JUST SAID THE SHELTER RATE NEEDS TO GO UP.
AND I'VE SEEN A GRADUAL SHIFT IN ATTITUDES AND I DO THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER THESE LIKE VERY NECESSARY HYGIENE SERVICES AND I THINK THAT WILL BE TANGIBLE.
SO I, I KNOW WE ALL WANNA SEE IMMEDIATE CHANGE, OF COURSE IT'S A HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS ON OUR STREETS, BUT I THINK THERE IS A UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCE RIGHT NOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS CUT FROM THE COUNTY BUDGET TO THE CITY.
AND THAT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT ANYONE CAN HELP AND YOU KNOW, IN HOMELESS SERVICES OR US, IT'S JUST DISAPPOINTING AND IT'S SAD FOR THE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE CAN IN A REALLY, YOU KNOW, NEGATIVE AND DISAPPOINTING SITUATION.
UM, BUT I HEAR YOU AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALL HERE.
'CAUSE WE WANT TO SEE IMMEDIATE CHANGE.
WELL, AND JUST TO ADD TO THAT, PAT, I MEAN AGAIN, I KNOW I'M VERY NEW TO THIS.
WHAT I'VE OBSERVED IN JUST A MATTER OF MONTHS IS THE HSAC REALLY BEING UNITED AROUND, LET'S USE THE MAYOR'S FUND FOR A SIGNIFICANT PILOT PROGRAM AND CAME UP WITH WHAT I THOUGHT WITH A REALLY GOOD IDEA OF THE MOBILE SHOWER AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHT ON THE CUSP OF IT.
AND JUST AS WE WERE RIGHT THERE.
BUT YOU KNOW, LIKE, LIKE SARAH SAID, THAT'S THE FRIGGING FEDS AND YOU KNOW, THE ONLY THING WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT IS BOTH THE BUMMED OUTTA OFFICE, WHICH IS GONNA TAKE A WHILE SINCE THEY'RE DESTROYING OUR VOTING RIGHTS.
HOWEVER, IN THE MEANTIME, WHAT I ALSO, WHAT I PERCEIVE LIKE EVEN FROM TODAY'S DISCUSSION IS THAT PRETTY QUICKLY WE, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON THIS, WE NOW CAN PIVOT AND SAY OKAY, PILOT PROGRAM SIX MONTHS THIS MUCH MONEY, THESE FACILITIES AND IT'S DOABLE.
IT IN FACT, TO ME, YOU MEAN I'M READY IS PART OF THE MAYOR'S FUND SUBC COMMITTEE TO FIGURE OUT ONE HELL OF A FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN.
AND I THINK THIS IS SPECIFIC AND HAS POTENTIAL AND CAN REALLY RAISE SOME MONEY.
AND THEN LIKE YOU SAID, EVEN THOUGH IF WE GO WITH THE MODEL OF THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS, WE GOTTA INTERFACE A WHOLE LOT WITH THE OFFICIAL LOAN REGARDLESS.
THIS IS DUAL AND WE ARE THE ONES THAT CAN DRIVE THAT.
WE DO, WE DO HAVE TO, WE DO HAVE TO CONCLUDE.
DOES THE, DOES THE CITY, IF WE WERE TO DO THIS PROGRAM, WOULD THE CITY MANAGE IT? UM, YES.
THROUGH THE MAYOR'S FUND THEY ALWAYS DO PROCUREMENT FOR THE MAYOR'S FUND AND OVERSEE DELIVERABLES.
THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO MANAGE HIRING OF THE, OF THE GUARD, THE SHOWER TRUCK PEOPLE THAT CAN DO THAT.
WE, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD, BUT THEY OVERSEE THE CONTRACTS FOR THE MAYOR'S FUND.
SO WE WOULD FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT THAT WAS FEASIBLE FOR THE MAYOR'S FUND.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK FOR ALL IN FAVOR OF RECEIVING AND UH, FILING THE DISCUSSION ON FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. YES.
AND THEN I THINK WE NEED ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANYTHING THAT WAS DISCUSSED OR NON AGENDA ITEMS. I'M GONNA HAVE A QUICK, QUICK COMMENT BASED ON YOUR GUYS'.
THIS RIGHT HERE, UM, I, I'M HEARING THAT EVERYBODY IS PAST THE POINT OF GREAT IDEAS AND GREAT PLANS AND READY TO MOVE INTO PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS.
SO EVEN WHEN YOU GUYS BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, I HEAR A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE MAYOR'S FUND AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVICTION PREVENTION AND THOSE THINGS.
THAT EVICTION PREVENTION POOL OF MONEY IS $2.1 MILLION THAT THEY ALLOCATED.
BUT GUESS WHAT? HOW AIM WILL COVER THROUGH MEDI-CAL UP TO SIX MONTHS OF RENTAL ARREARS.
WE COULD THEN REALLOCATE THAT 2.1 MILLION TO EXPANDING SHELTER BEDS AND SOLVE BOTH PROBLEMS WITHOUT LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY.
SO, SORRY, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT.
UM, AND WITH THAT I'M ADJOURNING THE MEETING.