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SR-0 (17) Council Meeting: 3/26/91 CDD:CNS:.JR:tfh Santa Monica, California TO: Mayor and City council FROM: City Staff SUBJECT: Recommendation to Create a Task Force on Homelessness INTRODUCTION This staff report transmits the recommended scope, goals and membership for a new city Council appointed Task Force on Homelessness. Additionally, it briefly describes several new strategies and programs implemented by the city within the past year to better respond to the crisis of homelessness in Santa Monica. BACKGROUND Due to the severe curtailment in federal, state and county funding for critical health, mental health, human services and affordable housing programs, Santa Monica, like most urban communities nationwide, has spent the better part of the last decade responding to an increasing number of homeless individuals and families within our community. Throughout the 1980's and early 1990's, the City of Santa Monica and scores ot commun~ty members have developed strategies and programs to respond to thlS crisis with compassion and reason. In January 1990, the City Council approved several measures to address, within available limited resources, the continuing human service and housinq needs of homeless persons as well as the public safety concerns of Santa Monica residents and businesses. In addition, over the past year City staff has continued to initiate and implement efforts to further address homelessness ~n Santa Monica. These combined measures (outlined later in th~s report), while important, are incremental and do not comprehensively address all of the obvious gaps and unmet'needs: rather they set in place those things that could immediately further address this difficult problem. In recent years, the City, local service providers, the Wests ide Shelter coalition, a Chamber of COJlUllerce task force, religious communities, neighborhood groups, an action group from the City's Public Electronic Network (PEN) system and groups of homeless people themselves, have all participated in efforts to address the growing problem of homelessness in Santa Monica. While these efforts have resulted in important programs and initiatives, it is time for the City to once again, as it did in 1985, convene and sanction a group ot such representative. to wrestle with the complex issue. of homelesaness and recommend next steps to the city Council. The tollowinq discussion propos.. a mission, qoals, and membership for the new Task Force on Homelessness and provides information on several City initiative. in the past year to enhance community services and satety for all of those residing in Santa Monica. DISCUSSION Task Force On Homelessness o Mission and Goals: It is recommended that the Task Force on Homelessness be given the mandate to formulate recommendations on immediate and long term action for the city to better respond to the continuing and qrow~ng cris is of homelessnes5 in Santa Monica. The Task Force will be asked to come up with a balanced approach which considers the need for assistance and services for homeless people, public safety for all people in Santa Monica, and advocacy to urge the county, state and federal governments to solve this growing crisis. The Task Force will formulate recommendations for short term actions and longer term strategies to achieve the following 9'oals: o Enhanced homeless services and housinq to fill current gaps ~ o strenqtheninq ot coordination between housing and human ..rvices; o Increased public safety: o Reduction in the nUlllhers of homeless people ~n public spaces (including parks and the downtown, etc.); o Increased advocacy efforts targeted to state and federal qovernments tor policy changes and increasad fundinq relata4 to ham.lesaness (lack of atfordable housing, mental health services, etc.); and o Definition and development of regional planning strateqies to increase coordination and create partnerships between local qovernment, non- profits, buslness, federal governments. religious, county/state/ o Task Force Role: Acting as a community problem-solvlng and advisory group with diverse perspectives and expertise, the Task Force on Homelessness will fo~ulate recommendations which will require both City and non-City resources. Clearly, in order to deal with short and longer term goals, the issue ot funding is a critical one. Early on in the process, the city Manager will outline and review both current homeless expenditures as well as possible funding enhancements. The Task Force will be asked to develop their recommendations for action and policy in no later than six to nine months (by December 1991) with an initial status report to the City Manager by the end ot the fiscal year (June 30, 1991). All members will be asked to visit and learn about the existing homeless services in the community as well as review mod.l. from other citi.s and proposals already developed by various qroups in Santa Monica. Members will be asked to become familiar with the key issues related to public safety and enforcement as well as examine options for limiting numbers of homeless people on the streets without services. Tbe Task Forc. will learn about existing advocacy ettorts locally and nationally and be asked to recommend ways tor local advocacy efforts to be enhanced in order to intluence the policies and funding of the county, state and ultimately federal government on this issue. In all of these areas the Task Force will be asked to develop short and long term action steps and recommendations for the city. o Membership: In selecting the proposed members for the Task Force, the City Clerk announced the formation of the Task Force and invited applications in the Outlook, on PEN and posted notices in City Hall. In addition, people in the community who had expressed interest in the Task Force were contacted and invited to apply. The City staff sought to identify members for this group who represent diverse perspectives in the community including: social service representatives, business representatives, religious representatives, homeless or formerly homeless people, and community members w~th desired expertise in the areas ot housing, neighbo;-hood issues, social serv ices, research, or concern and experience with the issues ot homelessne5s. The proposed membership for the Task Force on Homelessness is as follows. Business: Oaniel Kingsley Peter Levi William Mortensen Jeanne Seqal community.: Polly Benson-Brown Norman Colbert Conway Collis Sharon Gilpin Chris Jackson Madeleine Stoner Michelle Whittig Mona Lisa Williams Religious: Rev. Donald Shelby Rabbi Mel Gottlieb social services: Daphne Dennis Rhonda Meister Vivian Rothstein Darrell Tidwell *includes homeless or formerly ho.eless people The Task Force will be staffed by a teu of City staff from.the Community Development Department with additional resources, information, participation and support from other city departments as needed, including the City Manager's Otfice, the City Attorney's Office, the Police Department and the CUltural and Recreation Services Department. Copies of applications wi th experience and community affiliations are available upon request. o Timeline: The Task Force will be convened in April 1991 and will meet one to three time. per month wi th several full day meetings to be scheduled with the members and staff. The Task Force will report to the City Manager on progress at three month intervals (June and September) and will be expected to report back to the City Council with~n six to nine months, with a deadline of December 1991. Additional City Initiat~ves o Sites for proqrams: City staff continues to pursue possible sites for the FAITH Meals Program (currently operating six evenings per week on the front lawn of c~ty Hall.) New acquisition, leasing and expanded use of other City-owned property are all being considered. o ~.eqional Emergency Colel Weather Shelter proqram (ECWSP): For the first time this winter, the Ci ty implemented a sixty day shelter to supplement the the weather activated shelter from November 15 through March 30th. The weather activated shelter program continued under the direction of the County of Los Angeles and the shelter sites for Santa Monica were the West Los Angeles and CUlver City armories. The City ot Santa Konica oversaw and coordinated all transportation and intake for the armory sheltering as well as the voucher program for families to Santa Monica-based motels. The County did not fund or participate in the sixty day shelter program, which the city of Santa Monica initiated and implemented in conjunction with the city of Los Anqeles and local service providers. Half ot the sixty day continuous shelter (mid January to mid February) was located at Mem.orial Park. The proqram was designed to link mental health, government benefit programs, and local social services, including the FAITH and Salvation Ar:ny Heals Programs, to the shelter. This integrated service model was an important step in the City's effort to expand the scope of the ECWSP by providing more shelter dUl::lng the coldest months ot the year and strengthening the linkages between existing free-standing meals programs and other support services tor homeless people. o Accessible Shelter Voucher Program: Given that the Ocean Park Community center's Turning Point Shelter is located in the inaccessible basement of the First Christian Church and the general lack of shelter options for homeless people in wheelchairs, the City funded minor accessibility improvements to a room at the Resthaven Hotel in Santa Monica so that it can now be accessed by wheelchair. This room is to be utilized for homeless people with disabilities who qualify tor Turning Point's Program. This recent improvement has provided 190 bednights of shelter since March 1990 for homeless people in wheelchairs. o Increased Tarqetlnq ot Attordal:lle Housinq Ettorts: The City'S initial efforts in targeting afford.able housing production to address homelessness have been focused on expanding the uses ot citywide Housing Trust Fund dollars to include single room occupancy (SRO) units. The C~ty has begun the development ot one new permanent SRO project and has been available to provide technical assistance to organizations interested affordable housing. in developing specialized o Expansion of Public Shower Facilities: With the involvement of the PEN Action Group, who last year developed the SWASHLOCK (shower, washers and lockers) concept, the City is expanding and improving its pUblic shower facilities at the Santa Monica Pier and in Memorial Park. Shower expansions and upqrades, enhanced facility management, and increased hours of operation will enable the entire community to bene~it from these public shower improvements. o Increased City Employment Opportunities: The City has worked with local homeless service providers to increase access to City employment by homeless people. Coordinated recruitment, screening and specialized supervision have been explored in order to facilitate such employment. The Ci ty' s CUltural and Recreation Services Department has developed and implemented a pilot project to employ homeless people as workers and supervisors in a Palisades Park clean up proqram. This proqram has been successful and is hoped to be expanded to the beach and other parks in the future. o Expansion ot Services in Parks and Public Places: Based on the effectiveness ot the Park Ranger Program, the ranqer team has been tripled to provide expanded coverage in Palisades, Memorial, 3oslyn, Lincoln and Marine Parks, as well as roving ranger patrol in other park s~tes. The program has increased from two to six full-time rangers with additional as-needed rangers providing seven day per week coverage including evening and week-end coverage at park community centers. The visability of park rangers seeks to enhance public safety and responsible behavior in City parks. o creation of a Special Police Homeless Unit: The HELP (Homeless Enforcement Liaison Program) Team was created approximately six months ago to respond to the increase in calls to the Police department involving the homeless. In addition to enforcement, this full-time two officer team patrols, provides outreach, acts as a liaison to local agencies and identifies liquor stores that sell alcohol to intoxicated people. o Police Department Committee on Hemelessne5S: Within the past few months, the Santa Monica Police Department has convened an interdepartmental group of City staff along witb a wide range of local service providers and mental health prOfessionals to improve the link. between the PolIce department and local services. In addi tion to sharin9 information and strategies for increased community safety and appropriate social service referrals by the police department, this group has bequn to identify projects such as the possible creation of a local alternative sentencinq program at the Santa Monica Court. o Reqional and Statewide Orqanizinq: In February 1990, the City of Santa Monica began an effort to pressure the State of California to meet its responsibility in addressing the crisis of homelessness. This initial effort resulted in the creation of the Business/Government Council To End Namelessness, a collaboration of business, government and social service leaders who are working together to advocate for a state legislative agenda to end homelessness. The newly created organization has a Board of Directors, is currently staffed by a team of consultants and is working to expand membership to include a broad base of representatives from business and local government across the state. Two key milestones of this effort were the initiation of a letter co-siqned by fourteen mayors from throughout california sent to Speaker of the Assembly Willie Brown and President Pro Tem David Roberti. Subsequent Assembly Joint Committee Hearinqs on Homelessness were held in Santa Monica in October 1990. In addition, the project was granted $40,000 from the City ot Los Anqeles Community Redeve1op..nt Agency to match Santa Monica's initial $30,000 qrant. City staff are awaitinq additional infomation from the project consultants to evaluate the request for continued project fundinq of $20,000 tor the remainder of the fiscal year and $40,000 tor next fiscal year. BUDGETARY IMPACT There is no additional fiscal impact at this time. RECOMMENDATIONS City staff recommends that the City Council approve the proposed mission, qoals and membership tor the new Task Force on Homelessness as outlined in this report and authorize the City Manaqer to beqin its implementation as soon as possible. Prepared By: Julie Rusk, Human Services Coordinator Debby Maddis, Senior Administrative Analyst Department ot Community Development DESCRIPTION OF TASK FORCE PROCESS Much of the publIc comment to the Task Force reaffirmed our conviction that asSiStIng homeless people to get back on their feet IS an investment WhICh not only helps individual people but strengthens our community as well. HelpIng people to help themselves must include the active Involvement of homeless persons in solutions- partlcipating in shared responsibilIty in the health and safety of this community and in contributing to social services. Santa Monica must demand a code of behavior from everyone which respects the rights of all Santa Monicans whether they have homes or are homeless. The work of the Task Force is an important step in thIS City toward buildIng a community consensus around the Issue of homelessness. The need for a consensus building process became an imperative given the backdrop. over the past several years, of polley confusion within the City and conllicting positions within the community. Important elements of this process included: 1. Recruitment of a diverse Task Force membership - Members represented a range of community interests and concerns from residents. business. homeowners. social service, religious, research and the homeless community. Each person understood and was willing to examine basic assumptions and alter positions to reach consensus. 2. Development of small working groups (Public Health and Safety. SOCial Services and Shelter/Housing Committees) with a balanced membership of community concerns in each. All committees worked hard at reformulating. reworking and refinIng concepts over and over again until a reasonable consensus could be reached within each working group. 3. Use of a skilled neutral facilitator at key intervals of the process to work with the larger Task Force to keep the group on task and movmg forward toward consensus. 4. Designation of a Steering Committee as a body to untangle diffIcult disagreements and manage the process. 5. PublIc Hearing on Homelessness. initiated midway through the process - We heard public testimony from 140 members of the public and received over 500 letters and 100 phone calls. All Task Force meetings were open to the public. The public's response was critIcal in prOVIding important information and a barometer for community sentiments. This assisted the Task Force in balancing the recommendations and Including innovative Ideas in the recommendations to follow. We believe the outcomes of this process to be: 1. Development of a consensus buIldIng process which can be replicated in other communities to deal with homelessness and other difficult community issues. 2. Increased respect and understanding for differing viewpoints among Task Force membershIp. 3. That the final product is reflective of the range of community views which, taken together. will provide a comprehensive blueprint to move this community forward toward constructive solutions. SUMMARY OF PUBLIC COMMENTS Pub1lc Health and Safetv · Target acts of violence (concem over increased crime) · Enforce all laws (no sleeping m parks, vagrancy loitering, trespassing) · Don't waste police resources on enforcement of no sleeping in parks · Target drug sales/use and public drunkenness · Public health/sanitation concems - human waste. litter, filth. deterioration of City · Restore Palisades and/ or Lincoln Park · Fear and threats from aggressive panhandling, anti-social behaVIor, intlrmdation · Educate people not give to panhandlers · Separate crirmnals from the truly needy/help those in need · Safety/Police Patrol for homeless · Stop pollee harassment · Civilian Assistance Team · Move program from beach area · Propose law against rummaging into dumpsters in the a.m. · Revive neighborhood watch · 4th and Broadway unsafe and unclean Services and Shelter IHous~ · Support shelter. transitional housing and services - Alcohol, drug, ment~J health; Locate at Santa Monica Airport, Sand and Sea, Small. decentralized services · Assistance for the mentally III (programs and hospital beds) · Stop chanty/policies that create dependence · Support humanitanan approach · Need services for women and children · Support for SHWASHWCK · Ideas for shelter structures/facilities · DeSIgnate large shelter area for sleepIng · Build low cost housing · Against SRO hOUSIng development · No large shelters · No psychiatric drugs Employment/Work · Develop employment program(s}, jobs · Work in exchange for services and food - community service · Institute a voucher program for food and services · No voucher program Feedine Protram . Stop outdoor meals/free meals and/or handouts . Conbnue food programs mdoors/hnked to services · Continue outdoor meal programs . Don't disperse feeding programs to service agencies Limitation of Numbers . Impose a cap on numbers of homeless persons/services · Expel the homeless from Santa Moruca · Move them on Costs to atv /Taxpavers - - · Lost revenue/business community · Increase cost to City services · Increase luxury tax A<lvocacvand Partnerships/Fair Share · Advocacy and public education . Santa Monica advocate for polIcy similar to surrounding areas . Open National Guard Ai.'lilories . Make resolution trust corporation and other unoccupied dwellings available for housing PUBL:C HEARING ON HCMELESSNESS CITY OF SANTA MON!CA TASK FORCE ON HOMELESSNESS M!~~ES SEPTEMBER 23, 1991 A meeting of the Santa Monica Task Force on Homelessness was called to order by Co-Chairpersons Dan Kingsley and Rhonda Meister at 7:30 P.M., on MondaYI September 23, 1991. The members of the Task Force on Homelessness introduced the~selves as follows: Dan Kingsley Chris Jackson Madeleine Stoner Jeanne Segal vivian Rothstein Daphne Dennis Paul Koegel Bill Mortensen Rhonda Meister Conway Collis Peter Lewi Mona Lisa Williams Polly Benson-Brown Michele Wittig Derrell Tidwell Sharon Gilpin Rabbi Mel Gottlieb (absent) Reverend Don Shelby (absent) Co-Chair Kingsley provided a brief synopsis of the for.cation of the Task Force and their charges from the City Council. The Task Force has been given a very difficult charge to formulate recommendations on i~ediate and lonq-term actions of the City to better respond to the continuing and growing crisis of homelessness in Santa Monica. The Task Force has been asked to develop a balanced approach which considers the need for assistance and services for homeless peoplel public safety for all people in Santa Monica, and advocacy to urqe the County, State, and Federal qovernments to help solve this qrowing crisis. Co-Chai~ Kingsley stated that the Task Force has been directed by the City council to formulate recommendations with regard to enhancing homeless services and housing to fill the current gaps, to st=engthen coordination of housing with support of servicesl increased public safetYI reduction in the nnmner ot homeless people in public spaces, increased advocacy efforts targeted to State and Federal governments I and development of regional strategy to increase coordination and create partnerships bet~een local qovernment, non-pro~lt organizations I the business sectorl the religious sector, and government on a state and Federal level. co-Chair Kingsley stated that tne purpose of this evening's meetinq is to hear from the publ~c in hopes of elicit~ng creative ideas, suggestions, and reco~~~ndations. CoChair Kingsley st=essed the importance of specific input on social services I public safety, emergency transitional and pe~anent housing I funding and financing, and advocacy and publi= education. PUELIC INPUT: Edith Shane s~oke in su~~ort of a crackdown on crime and stated he= be2ief a~d d~s~ay t~at the Task Force on Homelessness is ~mbalanced as currently formed and feels that a maJor~ty of the members hold posit~ons on boards of various service organ~zations Wh1Ch may be impacted by the recomme~~ations they are charged with formulat~nq or appear to have a predetermined agenda slanted toward the expansion of homeless programs in Santa Monica. Fae Milessnor(?) spoke of her fear of the homeless people in the parks and stated her support of cleaning up the parks. Sandy Cherry stated her concern for public safety and spoke in opposit1on to feed1ng the homeless, particularly in the tourist areas of the city. Alys Drobnick suggested forming only one agency to deal with the homeless issue. Terry Ritz spoke in support of organizations such as step-Up, Turning Point, OPCC, and Sober Inn which help, encourage, and train individuals to get off the street. Mr. Ritz also stated that individuals who break the law should be punished in accordance with the severity of the crime and perform public service rather than going to jail at taxpayers' expense. Steve Robinson stated his concern for public safety and his strong desire to help the needy and mentally ill and jail the criminal element by vigorously enforcing the laws against loitering, littering, urinating and defecating in public, sleeping in the park, etc. Mr. Robinson suggested some sort of registration process for meals and services which will assist the homeless in getting off the street. Hr. Robinson stated his belief that there should be zero tolerance for sleeping on the street or in the park. c. B. Smith stated that while she has s~~athy for the homeless, she feels that there is a large criminal _ ~pulation among them. Ms. Smith stated her concern for public s. :ety and stated her desire to pursue a program which would sc~o~ow encourage the homeless to find jobs. Adrian Cauceglia spoke of the disproportionate amount spent on salaries f~r Ocean Park Community Center employees and administrative expenses (72%) as opposed to the amount used to assist the homeless (28%) as indicated in the 1989-90 Annual Report. Ulysses Gibson encouraged the public to vote out the current public officials and discusSed his concern for public safety. Andrew Brown spoke of the demoralization of homelessness and joblessness. Mr. Brown suggested that additional funds be allocated to step-Up on Second Street and other worthwhile organizations who provide services for the needy. Kevin McKeown conveyed his strong support of the SHWASHLOCK and job bank programs. Morris Levin suggested that renters should be included on the Task Force on Homelessness. Mr. Levin also suggested that the Task Force work in concert with the Police Department in dealing with the problems that the homeless create. Mr. Levin urged that laws be vigorously enforced. Shane Talbot, representing the membership of the Santa Monica Police Officers, recommended the following: 1) conduct an analysis of the homeless population to determine the nu~her of homeless per thousand population in the County of Los Angeles; 2) conduct a survey of the homeless shelters outside of Santa Monica and establish the annual cost zor food, clothing, shelter, and counseling for each homeless person; 3) establish budgetary guidelines which would only provide public funding for homeless in Santa Monica who do not exceed the County's per thousand population as it relates to Santa Monica's population; 4) establish strict guidelines for all recipients of public monies by requiring a structured program with goals and objectives of the person receiving benefits, including timelines when the benefits will end. Recipients must follow the structured program or lose the benefit and may only receive public support monies from one program. If a participant is removed, suspended, quits, or fails to achieve the goals and objectives of anyone program, they would not be allowed to enter any other program; 5) eliminate all public view feeding programs; 6) write a new City ordinance closing all public parks and beaches from midnight until 5:00 A.M. Briqid Gorski spoke of the homeless youth problem. Keith Jones (homeless) encouraged the provision of assistance to homeless persons and urged that social programs be continued. Nazanin Samari spoke in support of programs for homeless youth. John Smith urged the Task Force not to give in to the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) impulse. Mr. Smith stated his desire that the total community be directly involved in providing and co~~itting resources, including human space. Mr. Smith also encouraged the Task Force to urge the City Council to use all means necessary to bring the County and surrounding communities into a coordinate~ effort to provide temporary living space and effective transitional services. Walt Reynolds recommended that permanent housing be provided to the homeless. Lynn Greenberg urged assistance for the homeless and continuation of worthwhile programs as well as initiation of new programs. Bruria Finkel suggested inclusion in the report of actions of other cities with regard to the homeless problem as well as a much more elaborate report on what actions the City of Santa Monica is taking. Ms. Finkel spoke in support of viable programs such as Sh~ASHLOCK. Ms. Finkel urged the Task Force to be creative in the issue of how to involve the County of Los Angeles ~n the solution of the homeless problem and suggested that pun~tive measures not be taken but rather encouragement of the County of Los Angeles to be punitive against cities which do not support a solut~on for the homeless problem. Ms. Finkel stated her belief that the County should have, and insist that every city in the County of Los Angeles should have, a facility wh~c~ would take care of 300-500 homeless. Doris Ganga spoke in support of affordable housing and funding of facilities for the mentally ill. Ms. Ganga also spoke in support of viable programs such as SHWASHLOCK, step-Up on Second, etc. Joseph Ruiz stated his belief that programs for the homeless should be controlled and spoke in support of the SHWASHLOCK program. Mr. Ruiz spoke in support of conducting the feeding programs in an orderly fashion so as not to disturb the com~~nity and to help keep the surrounding streets clean. Mr. Ruiz also encouraged that there be no services for the homeless who do not conduct themselves in an appropriate manner. Anita Mosley (homeless) spoke in support of the continuation of worthwhile programs as well as the initiation of new programs. Ms. Mosley also stated her belief that the problem causing and perpetuating homelessness is crack cocaine. Betty Mueller suggested building additional barracks at the West Los Angel~s Veterans' Center for the homeless. Ms. Mueller also spoke in support of facilities for mentally ill people. GUY Williams (homeless) spoke of the displacement of Americanborn workers by alien workers. Mr. Williams stated his belief that society must be changed from a military-industrial complex to concentrating on the infrastructure. Tom Mayo offered an immediate solution to the problem through the utilization of existing programs by the establishment of a Civilian Assistance Patrol which would be an outreach program into the area to provide information and transportation to homeless and intoxicated individuals. This patrol would consist of a stationwagon staffed by trained paraprofessionals who approach intoxicated and homeless people Offering them transportation to a detoxification program, a meal program, a shelter, or medical services. The assistance would be free and non-judgmental. . Debra Matyas spoke in fear for public safety and recommended that the situation be humanized and not politicized. Doug Brown suggested providing positive incentives for both the homeless and the service-provid~nq programs to eliminate or substantially reduce the current problems. With regard to the issue of supply and demand, Mr. Brown pointed out that the taxpayers are providing the product and the homeless are providing the demand. When the supply of anyth~ng is limited, the demand is larger and the price goes up. In this case, the price paid for the services by the homeless should be eligibility screen~ng, identificat~on, categorization as to what areas are best for them, remaining crime free, following program rules, and either public service or being rehabilitated. All programs should have a sunset clause so that the burden of proof that the programs are working is on the programs. Richard Wechsler asked the following questions with regard to the Task Force on Homelessness: What is the true motivation for the formation of the Task Force? What is its political agenda? Why is the small business community not represented? Why aren1t the senior citizens represented? Why are some **t from Santa Monica? Do they have some vested interest? Mr. Wechsler said that he is tired and disgusted with the daily grind of putting up with the vagrants who are roaming the streets as well as the time and money being spent by the Police in trying to control the volatile situation. Mr. Wechsler spoke in strong opposition to the actions of the homeless and the crimes being committed by them. Mr. Wechsler stated his belief that the State and Federal governments must become involved in a solution to this problem. Duane Nightingale agreed that there should be a screening process for utilization of services as suggested by Doug Brown, above. Jennifer Rafeedie stated her belief that the public must be educated to help facilitate changes for the homeless population. As an advocate for the homeless, Ms. Rafeedie stated her desire to point out a great misconception that homelessness and criminality are synonymous; homeless people are many types of individuals with several types of needs. Ms. Rafeedie stated that the reality is that homelessness exists and the elimination of programs will not eliminate homelessness, but will rather increase despair and agitation. Ms. Rafeedie stated that she has identified the drug problem as a leading cause of the criminality in Santa Monica and suggested that social programs be enhanced to encourage self-help, personal responsibility, and self-esteem building. Ms. Rafeedie opined that feeding the homeless does not keep them homeless; rather, it is what they are not getting in terms of rehabilitation, housing, and jobs, that keep them homeless. ~ Frank Lewandowski discussed the services as provided by the CLARE Foundat~on. Mr. Lewandowski advised that approximately 85% of the people who go through detox at this facility are homeless. Mr. Lewandowski urged the community to work together to find a solution and stated his belief that the civilian Assistance Program may be a start. Darlene Lasher spoke in support of Daybreak, a program for homeless, mentally ill women. Ms. Lasher blames the increasing problem on the failure of the County mental health system and the lack of low cost housing. Ms. Lasher urged the Task Force to consider the needs of these women and help Daybreak find the means to expand its facility. Dave Paradis stated the need for a balance of proper law enforcement and compassion for the homeless who have a desire to help themselves. Mr. Paradis stated that he would like the Task Force to accomplish provis~on of a higher pr~ority response call for the Police Department with regard to problems with the homeless. Mr. Parad~s also suggested the implementation of a voucher program wh~ch would ~dentifY those who are making an effort to help themselves. Scott Tibbits discussed Santa Monica Hospital's commitment to providing care for people regardless of their ability to pay; however, this commitment is being sorely tested because in the last year the hospital received $0.48 for every dollar it charged for care. Mr. Tibbits discussed the losses being faced by the hospital due to its charity care and pointed out that increasing nmnhers are coming from out of the area to take advantage of this assistance. Dick Lawrence commended the Task Force in their efforts. Mr. Lawrence stated his belief that the unstructured feeding program, lack of administration of current laws, e.g., sleeping and camping in parks, panhandling, and public drunkenness, etc., have resulted in the public outcry at this time. Mr. Lawrence suggested the following: 1) establish a structured voucher program administered by a social service agency to provide script to obtain food; 2) establish a feeding program at a designated and closed area, which would also include sleeping and Showering facilities; J) determine the maximum number of homeless population that the City of Santa Monica could handle by studying County and other city areas; 4) provide access to counselling from appropriate agencies and obtain training for the individuals to assist them in finding jobs; 5) seek County and State assistance for those mentally ill and in need of medical and professional help; 6) include a memner of the Santa Monica Police Department on the Task Force. -" Howard Weisstein stated his coneurrence with Dick Lawrence, above, particularly the utilization of a voucher system to "weed out the good from the bad. II Mr. Weisstein encouraged enforcement of existing laws with regard to drunkenness and other problems being faced with the homeless. Mr. Weisstei~ stated his belief that the burden of the problem should be borne by cities other than Santa Monica and Los Angeles. Jo Anne Vandegriff spoke of her experiences of being formerly homeless and mentally ill and stated that the less services provided to the homeless the more problems will be experienced. Ms. Vandegriff pointed out that the news media has distorted the picture of violence in Santa Monica and stated that residents actually have a higher rate of violence than the homeless when taking domestic violence and child abuse into consideration. Robert Segal discussed various flaws of the system, e.q., emphasis on day care, which virtually eliminates the shelter element. Mr. Segal expressed the opinion that the system must be restructured to provide evening shelter along with day care facilities, and couple both with services in order to rehabilitate people and effectively utilize existing resources. Mr. Segal stated that the system needs to be a balance of shelter, rehabilitation, law enforcement, and citizen education. Allen Zahner encouraged protection of local businesses from destruction by the invasion of street people. Furthermore, Hr. Zahner expressed the belief that there should be a mission and goal of recognizing and responding to the wishes of the people of Santa Monica who live in houses and apartments. Irma Vargas spoke in opposition to the homeless in the parks. Ms. Vargas offered suggestions as to the separation of the criminal from the mentally ill as follows: 1) enforcement of current laws equally among all people, whether homeless or not; 2) implementation of a voucher system as endorsed by the Chamber of Commerce and other social service organizations; 3) elimination of free lunches; 4) registration of the homeless; 5) transitional housing/emergency shelter. Alexis Scharff stated that public safety is a major factor in viewing the homeless problem. Other major factors to be considered are health, sanitation, beautification, economics, and, most importantly, humanity. Ms. Scharff urged the elimination of feed1ng the homeless in the parks and in front of City Hall in favor of a voucher system through agencies that have facilities to feed them indoors. Ms. Scharff stated that emergency shelters should be set up in an effort to transition the homeless into a position to be able to help themselves. Ms. Scharff spoke of the need for job counselling for the homeless and spoke in support of assistance for facilities which help the mentally ill. Ms. Scharf! urged that vigorous, active steps be taken to help get the homeless out of the parks and off the streets. John Martin spoke of his negative experiences in attempting to help the homeless by giving them jobs and stated that these attempts oftentimes result in thefts in order to buy drugs. Mr. Martin expressed the opinion that a major problem with the current approach is the feeding program. Jacquie Banks suggested the provision of sleeping cubicles, showers and lockers, and the homeless be provided with some sort of identification, and in exchange for the benefits the recipients should participate in some sort of work program. Art Stein stated his belief that the homeless situation has been created through the use of psychiatric drugs which preclude individuals who have used these drugs from holding jobs. Mr. Stein stressed the need for proper medical care, proper nutrition, jobs, skills, etc., they do not need another handout. Mr. Stein stated that the homeless need to contribute to the community and e~change with the community. Greg Garland stated the need for human justice through human services. Mr. Garland expressed his bel1ef that the housed and the homeless people should not infringe on each others rights to exist. Mr. Garland stated that the homeless should be-treated as self-determining adults capable of making decisions about the~r own lives and futures. To that end, he opposes the arbitrary and ineffective crackdowns on homeless people 11ving in the parks and public areas: however, he strongly supports limits on behavior which threatens the safety of all people. Mr. Garland expressed his belief that easy availability of drugs, particularly crack cocaine, is the major cause of recent violence. Mr. Garland encouraged the City to implement a carefully thought-out, reasoned and strategic approach to curtailing the sale of illegal drugs throughout Santa Monica. Mr. Garland stated that the Wests ide Shelter and Hunger Coalition strongly supports a reasoned approach which emphasizes coexistence and mutual respect, effectiveness and compassion, and these values must be reflected in the services provided to the homeless people and the law enforcement approach utilized by the City. Joy Fullmer expressed the belief that the bravado shown c'r the homeless is due to the fact that they are existing en mas a. Ms. Fullmer urged that these groupings be split up. Ms. Ful: ~r also expressed the belief that many homeless are individuals :..0 have been cheated out of their homes. Ms. Fullmer also discussed discrimination against single people. A. Ratner discussed the possibility of prOViding the homeless with small 8' X 12' homes, which cost approximately $1,200. Ralph Seeward (homeless) suggested identification cards be given to the homeless to be used as a credit card system which utilizes social security, welfare, etc., which would be sent directly to the bank. The bank would in turn pay grocery stores, clothing stores, etc. where the cards had been used. Mr. Seeward suggested that this system would keep cash from those who would use it to buy alcohol and drugs rather than necessary items such as food, clothing, transportation, etc. Mr. Seeward also suggested that medical insurance be provided to the homeless. Marc Grobman explained that people who are homeless are not necessarily criminals. Mr. Grobman stated that the needs of the homeless are many and diverse. People who are mentally ill need a mental health facility; people who have families need affordable housing in good, safe neighborhoods. People who need work need to have good programs which have job referrals and training programs. Mr. Grohman also suggested that counselling be provided for homeless and troubled youth, unemployed persons, veterans, etc. Mr. Grohman spoke in opposition to harassment of the homeless. Carolyn Caesar described Santa Monica as "Skidrow by the Sea" and stated that she is appalled by the number of down-and-outers, hustlers, transients, bums, vagrants, drug users, drug dealers, the mentally disturbed, and the criminal element. Ms. Caesar strongly encouraged City policy to discourage further transients from locating in the City. Ms. Caesar also stated that current laws should be vigorously enforced. Ms. Caesar expressed the belief that the public safety and health is being compromised by C~ty policy that is naive, misguided, and patently unfair to the tax-paying residents of the City. Rolf Caesar also described Santa. Monica as ItSkidrow by the Sea." *****DEBBIE: THE TAPE MALFUNCTIONED HERE AND JUMPED TO ANOTHER SPEAKER (PROBABLY SAM BECKER, AS INDICATED, ALTHOUGH HE WAS NOT ANNOUNCED, BECAUSE THE SPEAKER FOLLOWING HIM IS TYRONE WILLIAMS***.* Sam Becker (homeless) suggested taking funds from senior citizen programs and combining them with funds for homeless programs and use them for the benefit of both organizations by employing the homeless to work on the seniors' homes, at the senior centers, in the parks, etc. Tyrone Williams (homeless) pointed out that America is supposed to be a benevolent country and he encouraged helping those who desire to improve themselves. Mr. Williams pointed out that grouping the homeless into one category is very unfair. James Guindon (homeless) encouraged help for commended the Task Force for their efforts. discussed the need for homeless shelters and are many good people who are homeless and in the homeless and Mr. Guindon stated that there need of help. Marcus Hageman (homeless) implored the public to differentiate between homeless people and criminals. Mr. Hageman suggested utilizing homeless labor to build shelters for their use. Bob Unger (homeless) encouraged provision of low income housing for the homeless and disabled. Janice Thomas (homeless) spoke of the need for more housing and discussed the hardships of being homeless. Suzanne Brewer, speaking on behalf of sunset Park Associated Neighbors, advised that the members have ascertained that the number one issue on the part of the members is public safety and the members perceive that the greatest threat to public safety arises when the criminals and would-be criminals mingle with the genuinely needy. Ms. Brewer stated recognition that many . genuinely needy people are part of the homeless popUlation and stated the belief of the memberShip that compassion and as much financial assistance as the City can afford should be given so that the truly needy are provided food, shelter, and services that are vital to improving their situation. However, they also believe that services should be linked to programs and that Santa Monica must take a realistic approach to the number of homeless who can be helped. Most of all, the City must be made safe for the people who are extending compassion and generosity to the needy which means routing out the criminal element and the elements who take advantage of the situation by posinq as homeless and needy people when in reality they are simply freeloaders. Ms. Brewer thanked the Task Force for their efforts. Jean Sedillos, representing Concerned Homeowne~s of Santa Monica, requested that the Task Force cor.sider the fol ~wing: What have been the actual results of proq~:~s sponsored ~J the City? But, how many people does the City ma~ntain in their same existence on the streets? Ms. Sedillos suggested concentrating resources on helping a smaller number of people make new lives for themselves. Ms. Sedillos also suggested enaction of an ordinance prOhibiting camping in City parks at any time; people who have nowhere else to sleep can be referred to existing shelters or to a temporary City campground that has strict rules. Susan Dempsey stated her belief that better public education is essential. Ms. Dempsey discussed the cost effectiveness of good programs and the Step-Up program in particular and stated that Step-Up served 1,000 individuals last year. Ms. Dempsey advised that step-Up is able to serve one individual for an entire year for what it costs for one day in a hospital. Margaret Williams spoke in support of the SHWASHLOCK program. Secondly, Ms. williams stated her belief that over-development and proposed over-development has eliminated much affordable housing and requested that the Task Force address this issue in both a long- and short-term manner. Ms. Williams also requested that the Task Force explore the possibilities of encouraging the owners of boarded-up, empty buildings to make them available to the City for temporary shelter facilities. David Shniad stated his support of extended unemployment insurance. Mr. Shniad spoke of the inequities of a system which allows the extremes of very rich and very poor. Mr. Shniad spoke in support of the organization of assistance for the homeless. Mr. Shniad suggested busing people to Sacramento and conveying Santa Monica's great concern with the shame of home1essness. Don Paschal (homeless) suggested the following: 1\ immediate implementation of the SHWASHLOCK program; 2) immed~ate shelter tor single men, single women, couples, families, and children; 3) implementation of cooperative programs between unsheltered citizens, business leaders, homeowners, and other community leaders, to remotivate unsheltered people; 4) construction of . comfort stations to alleviate public urination and defecation; 5) implementation of a voucher program from restaurants, retailers, and others to help people who wish to improve their position in lite; and 6) realization that many of the crimes that do happen, happen to homeless people as well. Mr. Paschal stressed the point that the homeless are human beings. James Baker spoke of public health problems being caused by the homeless through public urination and defecation. Mr. Baker urged strict enforcement of existing laws. Steve Joseph discussed concern for public safety. Mr. Joseph spoke in strong opposition of additional programs for people who do not want to help themselves. Mr. Joseph expressed strong lack of tolerance for drunks, bums, drug addicts, thieves, rapists, murderers, and muggers who are tak~ng advantage of be~ng "homeless." John Lawson acknowledged the local problem of homelessness but pointed out that there are m111ions of people in the world who are starving to death. Mr. Lawson stated h1S belief that a monetary system does not work for the average person: it only works for the people with a lot of money. Mandy Johnson discussed the services of the Venice Family Clinic, which served over 3,000 homeless individuals by providing nearly 9,000 medical visits to homeless people. Ms. Johnson stated that among the needs of the homeless, health care is often forgotten. Their health care problems are exaggerated due to exposure to weather, to trauma, lack of hygiene fac1lities, and lack of the ability to care for themselves: lack of adequate health care keeps people from working, keeps them out of shelters, keeps children out of school. Further minor problems can result in hospitalization due to the problems being untreated or treated too late. John Jurenka spoke of the importance of public safety. Mr. Jurenka suggested the elimination of the City'S recycling program and allowing the homeless to take advantage of turning in recyclable items for cash. Mr. Jurenka also suggested providing housing for the homeless Mona La Vine read Article XXV from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that everyone has a right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age, or the lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond their control. Ms. La Vine spoke in support of the FAITH program which feeds the hungry (including the homeless, the employed who earn low wages, and the elderly) in front of City Hall. Ms. La Vine stated her belief that the food program does not attract people to Santa Monica, they are here because of the temperate climate. Ms. La Vine stated that a very important element to pursue is low cost housing. Elizabeth Wilson-Hoyltz conveyed zero-tolerance for the homeless issue due not only to its impact on the local co~~unity~ but also the impact on tourism which is crucial for the city of Santa Monica. Ms. wilson-Hoyltz requested that the Task Force determine the feasibility of outlawing feeding the homeless in Palisades Park as well as outlawing the homeless to congregate in Palisades Park. Ms. wilson-Hoyltz stated her concern for public safety. Liz Nickel expressed concern with public safety due to the homeless people. Beloved Quail (homeless) stated thdt homelessness is not a crime and stated that affordable housing units are essential. Mr. . Quail suggested utilizing individuals who have been convicted of non-violent cr~mes for community serv~ce. Mr. Quail also suggested utilizing churches and synagogues to shelter the homeless and it they will not do so they should lose their tax exempt status. Michael Wiedder expressed his concern with abusive and aggressive pan-handlers and stated that while he has compassion for the down-and-out, he feels that something must be done to protect the rights of the citizens of Santa Monica. Mr. Wiedder stated his support of enforcing existing laws to oust the criminal element from the homeless population. Herman Rosenstein read an article regarding homelessness from the Santa Monica outlook dated February 1979 and pointed out that homelessness is not a new problem. Millie Rosenstein is a firm believer in the actions being taken by the City with regard to social services for the homeless and discussed a homeless resource card which is prepared by the Social Services Commission on which is listed all of the social service agencies that help the homeless within the City of Santa Monica. Ms. Rosenstein stated that this program has been very successful. Jerry Rubin spoke of the despair of homelessness by not having a home and not having enough to eat. Hr. Rubin spoke in support of doing everything possible to help people instead of building nuclear weapons. Bob Holbrook discussed the homeless problem, statistics of situations inVOlving the homeless within the City, and the actions being taken by the city Council to address the problem. Mr. Holbrook advised that millions of tax dollars are being spent on services which benefit less than 2% of the popUlation. Mr. Holbrook stated that the recommendations and reports made by the Task Force to the City council must include programs and ideas for ordinances that reduce the number of homeless people in Santa Monica. Mr. Holbrook stated his understanding of the concern for public safety. Jean Ann Holbrook spoke of her concern for public safety with regard to the homeless problem in the City. Ms. Holbrook urged the following steps be taken: 1) implementation and en~orcement of a no-camping ordinanceJ 2) no feeding programs in public placesJ 3) all Santa Monica parks and beaches closed during hours of darkness to anyone without a permit. David Moir expressed concern for public safety and shared experiences of personal acquaintances who have been accosted by homeless persons. Theresa Bonpane spoke in support of constructive programs for the homeless and expressed frustration that her tax dollars are being spent on military aid to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua to . k~ll people. Ms. Bonpane discussed the need for education, housing, and health care for the homeless. Dr. Blase Bonpane stated that rather than punishing the victims, the Federal government must assist in this national disaster. Dr. Bonpane spoke in favor of utilizing unoccup~ed dwellings to house the homeless and suggested that these arrangements be administered by public, non-profit, and charitable organizations. Dr. Bonpane further stated that no money should be given for overseas housing by ways of grants or loans until substantial progress is made for the conditions of 3 million homeless citizens of the United States. Zoran popadich spoke in support of transitional living units which cost $1,000 per person and in which the individual can rebuild self-esteem, rehabilitate themselves, find a job, pursue training and then relocate to a permanent facility. Nick Steers stated his concern for public safety. Jan Ludwinski pointed out that the Task Force has not been charged with solving the problem of homelessness in America but rather homelessness in Santa Monica. Mr. Ludwinski focused on the crime trend aspect of the problem and the type of activity which can result in a serious compromise of safety and stated that it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish the criminal element from the homeless population. Mora LaMountain spoke of the importance of public feeding to heighten the awareness of the homeless citizens of Santa Monica. Ms. LaMountain urged the Task Force to create some way for the community to participate to make a difference and proactively solve the problems. Marilyn Spivey stated that she is appalled by the arrogance and attitude of self-righteous people toward the homeless. Ms. Spivey pointed out that everyone is a member of the human community and people must start dealing with the reality of the human tragedy in this community. Alan Redhead suggested that the Task Force seek the success stories and attempt to duplicate them in Santa Monica. Mr. Redhead stated that these success stories have been communitybased and have had a large element of volunteer participation. Further, these success stories have had very little bureaucracy attached to them. In terms of long-range solutions, Mr. Redhead spoke of the necessity of housing the homeless. Mike Custer expressed his belief that the amount of money being spent on studies of homelessness would be better spent on helping the homeless. Bill Myers stated his general support of the Task Force and the recommendations being made this eveninq. Mr. Myers spoke in support of the SHWASHLOCK program and Zoran Popadich's plan for trans~tional l~ving units. Mr. Myers stated his concern of requiring indoor feeding when indoor facilities may not be available. Mr. Myers sa~d that he is opposed to the propo~al to have individuals in food lines checked for warrants. Laura W~nters spoke in support o~ the programs to help the homeless. However, Ms. W~nters advised that the homeless problems are directly resulting in loss of tour~sm revenues. Ms. Winters suggested that all programs be moved away from the beaches and park areas and requested that the homeless not be allowed to sleep on the beaches and in the parks. Brian Theobald commended the Task Force for opening up the channels of communication. Mr. Theobald suggested that concessions be made on both sides; the homeless should leave the parks which may result in less resentment toward them. Bill Linden expressed the opinion the homelessness is the responsibility of the Federal government and pointed out that welfare in the amount of $340 per month will not pay rent for an individual. Mr. Linden stated his belief that if the feeding program is stopped that panhandling will become more of a problem. Joe Pipersky stressed his belief that small things done consistently create great results; panhandling done consistently is destroying the amount of business that people are able to do in this city. Mr. Pipersky said that the way to eliminate the homeless problem is to create jobs. Brandon MacNeal, representing the Main street Business District, stated that the group stands in solidarity with the Task Force in their task of solving the homeless problem: however, they also realize that there are portions of the homeless population that create a major problem to businesses and individuals in the City. As a whole, they believe that homelessness is not a crime but violent, antisocial behavior is a crime. Mr. MacNeal supports a crackdown on violent, antisocial behavior. Donna Alvarez asked the T~sk Force to request or require the City to let every resident know the dollar amount that the City is spending on the hOMeless (police, fire, paramedics, social agencies, etc.). Ks. Alvarez stated her belief that the Task Force should require that if benefits are extended to an individual, if they are physically capable of doing something in return, they owe it to the City to do so. Ms. Alvarez encouraged the Task Force not to accept funding from other cities as every city should be responsible for their own problem. Ms. Alvarez requested that no further fac11ities for the homeless be located in the Pico Neighborhood. John Stewart encouraged seeking private rather than government ass~stance and establishment of a network for the homeless. Mr. Stewart stated his belief that many individuals are w~llinq to donate their time in order to help with the problem. Andrew Tonkov~ch stated h~s concern w~th the mistaken belief that the homeless are responsible for crime and stated his opinion that most homeless people do not commit crimes and most crimes are not committed by homeless people. Mr. Tonkovich said that homelessness is a national problem and Santa Monica cannot be a part of solutions that are illegal, unfair, and unconstitutional. Further, policies designed to make the homeless uncomfortable in Santa Monica must be rejected. Instead, Mr. Tonkovich strongly urged the Task Force to continue to be a role model and continue to lobby other municipalities toward encouraging them to provide humane alternat~ves, to call for the formation of a regional cities task force on the homeless, and to lobby at State and national levels for increased funds for housing and other services. Mr. Tonkovich stated: 1) that charitable actions such as feeding programs should be encouraged and supported, not restricted: 2) a special 9-1-1 line for aggressive panhandling would be a serious waste of funds and would divert local law enforcement from more serious crimes; 3) a citizen patrol to identify and incarcerate public inebriates would also divert essential law enforcement resources from more serious crimes. Alex Cota discussed the deplorable conditions in Palisades Park and the condition of the homeless in general. Hr. Cota spoke in support of affordable housing for the homeless on the land which has been proposed for a light rail system. Elene Popp spoke in favor of providing services to the homeless population. Ms. Popp spoke in opposition to criminalizing homelessness and not use law enforcement resources to force the homeless out of the city. Anne Murphy stated her belief that SOlving the problem of homelessness requires more money for shelters, low income housing, and support of social services. Ms. Murphy urqed Santa Monica to remain in the forefront of communities providing services to its disenfranchised population and encouraged the city to lobby and work with other communities to develop a regional solution to the homelessness crisis. Ms. Murphy stated that it is important that in addition to whatever local policies and programs are adopted, some formal, structural mechanism be instituted to lobby and pressure County, State, and Federal government to increase the amount of funding for social services and housing. Ms. Murphy stated her belief that permanent affordable housing is the number one solution to homelessness. Lisa Olsen acknowledged that there are no quick solutions to the homeless problem and stated her belief that the Federal government must reassess its priorities. Paul Westmore spoke in opposition to the problems being created by the homeless in the parks by panhandling and expressed his concern with sanitation problems. Mr. Westmore urged members to balance their compassion for those needing help with their compassion for the citizens who wish to use public facilities without fear and harassment. Bill Butler shared his observation that the homeless s~tuation is out of control, is growing, and is having a negative impact. M~. Butler stated that there are many more homeless on the streets than the city can service and he feels that two,things must be done: 1) put a cap on spendinq~ 2) make the most effective use of money and programs. Mr. Butler urged that some standards of behavior be established and uniformly enforced. Mike Uhlberg urged compassion for the homeless and spoke in favor of domestic social programs instead of foreign programs and military spending. Christy Bono stated her concern for public safety and urged better police patrols and quicker response times. Barbara Miller stated her agreement with the concept that violent crimes must be punished, but pointed out that violent crimes are committed not only by the homeless but also by ~-~se coming from good homes. Ms. Miller stated that not all home. 5S people are homeless by their own choice but rather because .ey may have lost their jobs. Ms. Miller stated her support c- the concept of pursuing some type of transitional housing and s~.qested that the City work with owners of vacant buildings to pro~_de these areas for the homeless. Ms. Miller also suggested that the prOVision of job training would be beneficial to the homeless. *****r'M NOT SURE WHO THIS IS SPEAKING BECAUSE HER NAME WAS NOT CAT~Y~. 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Section 8 SubsIdIZed Housing'" Total: 92 92 * Of the 122 households which the Santa Monica Housing Authority has put on the program since July 1, 1990, an estimated 92 households were preViously homeless. The Federal guidelines gIve housing preference for those who are living in substandard housing, paying over 50% of their income towards the rent. battered women or disolaced households. PROPOSED SHELTER AND HOVSING PROJECTS # of Beds # of Vnits RECOMMENDED ElWERGENCY COLD wMTHER SHELTER PROGRAM · Westside Emergency Cold Weather Shelter - 150 expansion from current 60 continuous days to 90 continuous days (annually. during cold weather months only) Total: 150 RECOMMENDED MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SHELTER AND TRANSITIONAL PROGRAM~ Short-Tej,cu1 Emer~encv Shelters · Emergency shelter beds (Adults) 40 · Detoxification beds (Adults) 10 · Emergency crisis and/or acute care hospital beds 20 (Mentally III Adults) ~$itiQnal Housing · First United Methodist Church (Families) · Ocean Park Community Center (Adults) · St. Joseph Center Next Step Program (Adults) 24 55 6 Total: 131 24 RECOMMENDED MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PERMANENT HOUSINQ · One or Two Transitional or Permanent HOUSIng FacilIties (congregate. shared. dormitory or SRO) · Step Up on Second (Mentally III Adults) Total: 110 36 146 SUMMARY OF MAXIMVM NUMBER OF RECOMMENDED BEDS AND UNITS Recommended Westside Emergency Cold Weather Shelter Program - expansion from current 60 continuous days to 90 contInuous days (annually. during cold weather months only): 150 beds Recommended Shelter and Transitional Beds: 131 beds Recommended Housing Units: 170 units