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Council Meeting: 12/10/91
CDD:CNS:JR:tfh2
DEe 1 0 1991
Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and city Councll
FROM: city staff
SUBJECT: Transmlttal of the Report Entitled The Santa Monica
Task Force on Homelessness: A Call to Action and
Recommendation to Hold Public Hearing.
INTRODUCTION
This staff report transmits The Santa Monica Task Force on
Homelessness: A Call To Action, which is the final report of the
city council-appointed Task Force on Homelessness, and recommends
that the City Councll hold a public hearing on December 10th on
the Report.
BACKGROUND
In March 1991, the Clty Councll created the Task Force on
Homelessness to formulate recommendations on immediate and long
term action for the City to better respond to the continuing and
growing crisis of homelessness in Santa Monica. The Task Force
was asked to come up with a balanced approach considering the
need for assistance and services for homeless people, public
safety for all people in Santa Monlca, and advocacy to urge the
County, State and Federal governments to solve this growing
crisis.
Specifically, the Task Force was asked to develop
initiatives to achieve the following goals:
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DEe 1 0 1991
o Increased publ~c safety;
o Reduction in the numbers of homeless people in
public spaces (~ncludlng parks and the downtown,
etc. ) ;
o Enhanced homeless services and housing to flll
current gaps;
o strengthening of coordination between housing and
human servlces;
o Increased advocacy efforts targeted to state and
federal governments for policy changes and
lncreased funding related to homelessness (lack of
affordable housing, mental health services, etc.);
and
o Definition and development of regional planning
strategies to increase coordination and create
partnerships between local government, non-
profl.ts, business, religlous, countyjstatej
federal governments.
The members of the Task Force
represent d~verse community
perspectlves on the lssues of homelessness.
The group is
comprised of residents; business, religious and social service
leaders; and community members knowledgeable about housing,
nelghborhood issues, research, or general concern and experience
with issues related to homelessness.
The City council asked that the Task Force complete its work by
the end of 1991.
DISCUSSION
The attached Report represents the final recommendations for
policy and program initiatives as approved by the entlre Task
Force.
The City staff wl1l submit a follow up staff report for
Council action on December 17th.
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BUDGETARY IMPACT
There is no addit10nal f~scal 1mpact at this t~me.
RECOMMENDATIONS
city staff recommends that the City Council accept The Santa
Monica Task Force on Homelessness: A Call To Action and hold a
Public Hearing on the report in preparation of final Council
review on December 17th.
Prepared By: Julie Rusk, Human Services Coordinator
Debby Maddis, Senior Adm1nistrative Analyst
Department of community Development
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