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Suisun City

Homelessness Forum

April 5, 2023

Bringing community members, service providers, and city leaders together to address homelessness in Suisun City.

Overview

• Community Agreements
• Welcome and Introductions
• Knows and Need-to-Knows
• Regional Context
• Local Context
• Example: Case Study- Navigating Services
• Community Concerns- Q & A
• Strengthening Collaboration
• Next Steps
• Closing

Community Agreements

*Expect and accept non-closure. We will not be able to solve everything today, but will work towards actionable items.

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Gathering: The space where people “collectively think, dream, argue, heal, envision, trust, and connect for a larger purpose.”

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Priya Parker, The Art of Gathering

Introductions

Who is responsible?

Why is it so complicated?

Knows and Need-to-Knows

We know our main homeless areas.

Homelessness

We know there are multiple jurisdictions.

California Fish & Wildlife

Private Property

Union Pacific Rail

Suisun City Public Space

CalTrans

Solano County

Water Tower / 30 Acre Site

Knows and Need-to-Knows

We know we have:

• Limited resources
• Limited staff
• We know the City is guaranteed a minimum of two shelter beds
• We know that homeless individuals from anywhere in the county can access a shelter bed through Coordinated Entry
• We are participating in the new Cap2 Solano JPA to work on a regional strategy
• We have the third lowest homeless population in Solano County
• Funding for homelessness does not come directly to cities with 50K population or less

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Knows and Need-to-Knows

We need to know:

• Who are our service providers in our region?
• How do service providers support the needs of unsheltered individuals?
• How can we strengthen our relationship to local service providers?
• How can we better address the concerns of our residents and support the needs of our unsheltered population?
• How do work towards actionable steps in reducing homeless encampments and increasing the transition and support of unsheltered individuals to services needed.

Regional Context

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• Homebase: Technical Assistance providers for the CoC/JPA and County
• Support the Coordinated Entry System, TAB, CoC, Subcommittees (LEC, PEC, etc.), CAP Solano JPA and homeless service providers
• Provide strategic planning and support to leadership of the homeless system of care
• Lead the biennial Community Action Plan (CAP) for 2024 - 2025 for Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)

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• What is the Purpose of CSBG Program?
• To assist states and local communities, working through a network of Community Action Agencies (CAA) and other neighborhood-based organizations for:
• 1.The reduction of poverty,
• 2.The revitalization of low-income communities, and
• 3.The empowerment of low-income families and individuals in rural and urban areas to become fully self-sufficient
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What is the Needs Assessment for the Community Action Plan?

The Needs Assessment is the process of identifying the needs of individuals and families affected by economic and housing insecurity through:

•the collection and analysis of data

•community engagement

•input from those with lived experience

•input from members of the Tripartite Advisory Board, CAP Solano JPA Board, and Housing First Solano Continuum of Care.

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CSBG funds can be used for housing and services that support low-income individuals and families, individuals and families experiencing homelessness, youth/transitional age youth, and seniors in achieving self-sufficiency.

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• Additional opportunities to provide your input include:
• Survey for Community Members and Partners (available in English and Spanish).
• English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GC8R7GY
• Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8JVK8LG
• Attend the Community Meeting/Public Hearing on the draft Community Needs Assessment to be held on May 31^st, 2023
• Contact the Homebase Solano team at solano@homebaseccc.org

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The JPA was created in 1999 for the purpose of exercising independent powers, separate and apart from the Cities and County to address homelessness on a regional level. The JPA was redesigned in 2022 and now includes elected representatives from every jurisdiction (7 cities + County).

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Primary purpose: to provide oversight and coordination of homeless and safety net services to the residents Solano County

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Primary Roles and Responsibilities:

• Collaborative Applicant for HUD CoC funds and administrative entity for state funding
• HMIS Lead: contracted with Pathways to provide this service
• Fiscal Agent: contracted with the City of Vacaville to perform this duty
• Community Action Agency for Community Services Block Grant (see below)
• Monitor Performance of the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funded agencies
• Plan and execute the annual Point in Time and Housing Inventory Count
• Implement the 5 Year Strategic Plan in collaboration with the CoC

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• JPA Meeting once a month on the 4^th Thursday of the month from 6:30pm to 8:00pm (except November and December) - in person and open to the public (next Meeting is April 27th)
• CAP Solano JPA Website: http://www.capsolanojpa.org/welcome.html
• CAP Solano JPA Bylaws: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pXLbILI7rU4xESV3f7VT8ZEmCqYP_4l-/view
• JPA Annual Reports: http://www.capsolanojpa.org/annual-reports.html

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Local Context

SHELTER Solano

Shayne Kaleo, Deputy Director of Shelter Services

How We Serve

SHELTER, Inc. has three program areas that work together to get individuals and families back into housing and help them stay housed.

•Preventing Homelessness – rental assistance

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•Ending the Cycle of Homelessness – shelters & rapid rehousing

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•Providing Affordable Housing – long term

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Agency History: Solano County

•Established in 1986, SHELTER, Inc. became one of the largest nonprofit homeless services provider in Contra Costa County.

•In 2019 we expanded our services to include SHELTER Solano located on Beck Avenue in Fairfield.

•Other Solano County programs include…

•Rapid Rehousing, eviction prevention, housing navigation and soon to be in operation the Esperanza Program- housing for individuals and families fleeing domestic violence.

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Resource Connect

HOPE Team: Homeless Outreach Partnership & Engagement

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HOPE Team

� Time-limited, client-centered, client-directed intervention

� Serving unhoused residents experiencing Behavioral Health challenges/hardships

� Meeting with clients where they reside

� Referrals from community partners, law enforcement partners, or family members

� Linkage to needed services:

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Homeless service provider based in Fairfield serving Solano County.

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Suisun City

• Monthly Encampment Management Team Meetings involving Police, Fire, Solano County Health and Social Services - Led by Suisun City Public Works
• Held Multiple Outreach Events involving several service providers.
• First point of contact for many homeless & coordinates w/shelter.
• Outreach by PD on an overtime, coordinated basis.

Example: Case Study- Navigating Services

Case Study #1

Bryan is a 30’s male, unsheltered, unemployed, with no transportation, and no relatives that are willing to assist. He has served some jail time before his current situation; he has been unsheltered for about 18 months. He needs shelter from the weather, and a safe place to sleep, and essentials. He currently parks himself in the Waterfront Parking Lot during the day and moves to Cordilla/ and Kellogg Street and Boat Ramp areas at Night. He sometimes collects cans or items he finds to sell for money. He has no money and has been offered services but has not qualified for any assistance.

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Example: Case Study- Navigating Services

Case Study # 2

Rhonda is separated from her husband. She has three children under 7 years old, whom her aunt has in her care, and now one is on the way. She has been living in her car, alternating with motel stays by various organizations. She is temporarily staying on the property off, Sunset Ave. and Railroad with others in that community group. She gets meals and food from the Outreach available in Fairfield at City Church but due to her on-and-off substance abuse and PTSD from the abusive husband she has been unable to secure a shelter program she can stay in long-term. She has so far avoided having her children placed by Family Service keeping them moving to friends and family members she needs services plus diapers, formula, car seats, and gasoline. She has been in this situation for over 2 years.

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Community Concerns- Q & A

Strengthening Collaboration- Facilitated Conversation

Actionable Next Steps

Closing

You are invited to continue to engage on this topic. Below are two upcoming opportunities.

CAP2 Solano JPA (Homelessness Regional Board)

Solano County Building: 675 N. Texas Street, Fairfield

• Workshop on April 22nd from 8am to 2pm (part 1)
• Workshop on April 27th at 6:30 pm (part 2)

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