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Home My WebLink About3/19/2003 - STAFF REPORTS (12) Y ✓/"��ri� e.r��u��=-ram� C�=�' .�1�� ce�._ /�'L��f�� Gx-�-r�-'-ZLs'� - v,1�L�.� ,.�'-'-r✓ "G'�-t�i �� u'--�.�/[Y-� v i ( f('S_2",ta✓ r ci't--A1 ��--``-`�,��'��-� '1 A� �� O.QJ /�-Ge.n1'Ge��. 1, _,C-k✓� -�� dL Irjv/LUGy U3i10i YUU3 rUh lU:UU FAA 323 981 U210 MBS-LA\MBR-LA 1&002/007 MCCormule Baron MCCORMACK BARON SALAZAR Salaear,lna \ 1401 E.P Stem,2"floor March 17,2003 Los Angeles,California 90033-3311 The Honorable William G.Kleindienst,Mayor's Office 323-981-2885 phone The Jeanne Reller-Spurgin,City Council Office 323-981-0210 fix The Honorable Ron Oden,City Council Office The Honorable Deyna Hodges,City Council Office The Honorable Chris Mills,City Council City of Palm Springs 3200 E.Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs,CA 92263-2743 Re:Vista Sunrise Project Dear Mayor Kleindienst,Councilmember Reller-Spurgin,Councilmember Ode% Councilmember Hodges,Councilmemher Mills: I am writing on behalf of the development team to respeetfally request that you vote against the denial of the entire Vista Sunrise Project and to offer possible modifications to the proposal that reduce its size and limit its scope in ways that embrace local neighborhood concerns,meet the housing and medical needs of Desert AIDS Project clients,and preserve the viability of the project. As you know the development team accepted the Planning Commission's decision to exclude the Homeless Drop-In Center.We urge you to limit any denial resolution to the Homeless Drop-In Center in order to have the opportunity to consider the rest of the project and each of its components. We believe that the modifications presented below insure a project that is appropriate for the neighborhood and creates a powerful synergy of mixed uses,A summary of McCormack Baron Salazar's original site analysis for the project is offered as Attachment I to this letter. Special Needs Tax Credit Housing Modification: ■ Re-focus the communities to be served as follows: o Individuals living with HIV/AIDS o Individuals living with HIV/AIDS who also qualify as homeless ■ Within the same 85-unit configuration—increase the number of permanent units and decrease the number of transitional units. Difference: The general homeless population would not be eligible for this housing • We would offei fewer transitional units Justification: • Approximately 40%of new Desert AIDS Project(DAP)clients arrive identifying as homeless uoi1014uU3 tun 10:1u rAA 3z3 u81 OZIU MBS-LA\MBR-LA IM003/007 March 18,2003 Page 2 • DAP receives 40-50 requests each month for housing evaluations due to emergency situations, eg., a health related job loss put clients at risk of homelessness because they can't pay their rent and/or utility payments. • DAP's client base is changing due to targeted outreach programs. Specifically, 10-15%of DAP's clients do not identify as gay. Approximately 50%of those not identifying as gay are women. The demographic change is evident in the following example:DAP hosts a Christmas Toy Drive for the children of their clients. In 2001 they gave toys to 63 children.In 2002 they gave toys to 125 children. ■ Special Needs Tax Credit Housing carries a threshold requirement that on site services(eg.,case management) will be provided at no cost to residents for a minimum of 10 years. Given that a significant percentage of individuals living with HIV/AIDS are at risk of homelessness,it makes the most sense to apply for government services funding within both HIV/AIDS programs and homeless programs that permit targeting to those living with HIV/AIDS. Non-profit office space(6000 sq.feet) Modification: ■ Eliminate the non-profit office space Difference: • This would decrease the square footage of the medical building by leaving only the Palm Springs Family Care Center. Having already eliminated the Homeless Drop-hi Center—the building would decrease in size from approximately 35,000 sq. feet to approximately 25,000 sq.feet. This achieves a nearly 30%reduction in the size of the building. ■ The number of required parking spaces would also decrease. As such,the project would most probably meet its parking requirement without need of a waiver. Justification: ■ The non-profit office space component was originally conceived as a way to most effectively serve the clients of the Homeless Drop-In Center. While the County has expressed support for the non-profit office space because they would like to enhance their service referral relationships,it is not a necessity. Palm SvrinRs Family Care Center Having already eliminated the non-profit office space,the Palm Springs Family Care Center would remain as an approximately 25,000 sq.foot facility. It is important to note that the Vista Sunrise site is already zoned for this use. The public record is replete with information about the services that will be provided at the Palm Springs Family Care Center.I offer a brief summary as follows: uo.lo.cauu nun ia:ll rae 444 Nbl UZIU MU5-LA\Mlni-LA Z004/007 March"18,2003 Page 3 Services to be Offered Health care services will include primary care for acute and chronic illnesses,prenatal care,well child health exams,family planning,adult and pediatric 'immunizations, communicable and sexually transmitted disease services. The Department of Public Health plans to add x-ray services. Public health programs services will include the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,Infants and Children(WIC);public health nurse home visits;prenatal and adolescent family life outreach and case management;parenting education;patient health and nutrition education;HIV/AIDS testing,counseling and outreach services;and communicable disease follow-up. The WIC Program will be the largest public health program at this site. Participants include women who are pregnant,breastfeeding or recently had a baby,infants and children to age 5 years. Eighty(80)percent of the patients and clients currently served at the existing Family Care Center are women and children age 0-18 years. Services that will not be offered Mental health and substance abuse services will not be offered and are not currently offered at the existing facility.The reason for this is that these services are not offered by the Department of Public Health. Some measure of mental health and substance abuse services are offered outside of Palm Springs by a different County entity—the Department of Social Services.As such,the Family Care Center will refer anyone needing these services to the Department of Social Services. In this letter I have attempted to offer modifications to the original proposal that take into account neighborhood concerns and also fulfill significant community needs while preserving a thoughtful and well-designed project. It is my hope that you will give my letter serious consideration. Please feel free to contact me at McCormack Baron Salazar,(323)981-2885. Very Trull Yours, V1 • A Mercedes Marquez Vice President Cc:John Brown,Desert AIDS Project UJilniwUJ 1un 10:1Z BAA az3 U81 UZ1U MBS-LA\MBR-LA 0005/007 ATTACHMENT 1 McCormack Baron Salazar Site Evaluation Prior to becoming involved with the Vista Sunrise project,McCormack Baron Salazar conducted an independent analysis of the site. Our evaluation included the following: Special Needs Tax Credit Housing ■ The site was evaluated for general appropriateness. All four comers of the Vista Sunrise intersection are dedicated to either retail and/or commercial uses(including the Desert AIDS Project building). The housing would be located next to a large affordable housing complex(senior co-op housing).A portion of the housing site was already zoned residential. The Planning Department's Staff report details the elements of a general site evaluation.We concur with their report ■ Of enormous importance in site evaluation was McCormack Baron Salazar's informal scoring of the site against California Tax Credit criteria. In the current tax credit competition,site amenities are worth a maximum of 15 points. We found that we could achieve the maximum points at this location because of the following amenities: o A bus stop directly in front of the property o Two full scale grocery stores within''/{mile o A primary health medical clinic for those with HIV/AIDS located within %,mile (DAP) o A pharmacy within '/4 mile o Many of the social services offered at DAP Given that Riverside County receives only 2%of California's Tax Credit allocation—it is imperative that maximum points be achieved in this category. ■ At this stage,the possibility of"free land"was of limited importance given that no formal agreement had yet been reached regarding land for housing with either the Desert Healthcare District or the City of Palm Springs, Palm Springs Familv Care Center • A general site evaluation was conducted.Most important was the fact that the site is already zoned for this use.We concur with the Planning Department's Staff Report. • McCormack Baron Salazar met privately with the County to discuss its reasons for wanting to relocate from its present location and to discuss their commitment to a possible development process. We came away from those discussions with a clear judgment that the Vista Sunrise site was appropriate for the following reasons: o The County made clear that they had long outgrown their current location and were considering having a building built to suit their needs in time for them to move when their lease with the City of Palm Springs expired. ooiioicuva iun 10:1i NM sZs UZ11 U21U MBS-LA\MBR-LA 191006/007 Attachment 1 Page 2 o The County educated us regarding the public competitive process they were already planning. o Thew general site requirements were a great fit for the Vista Sunrise site— capacity for a 25,000 sq.foot facility, a site located adjacent to public transportation,parking requirements,etc. The final decision by McCormack Baron Salazar to go forward with the Palm Springs Family Care Center was reached once: ■ The County Health Department was satisfied that they could move forward because the City of Palm Springs Community Redevelopment Agency sent them a memorandum dated August 29,2002 confirming the City Council's support of such a project to such a degree that the City agreed to release the County from the remainder of its lease with 12 months notice to vacate its current space. (See Attachment IA) • The County Health Department issued a Request for Proposals(September 2002)for the purpose of selecting a site for a new facility. ■ In October 2002,The County Board of Supervisors granted to the Vista Sunrise development team an in-principle approval to seek new space at the Vista Sunrise site. U3/18/ZUU3 '1'UG 15:14 FAA 323 981 0210 nBS-LA\MBR-LA Q007/007 - Mar 17 03 11:27a P.2 /�rrac }uk�N IA- ff'13-2003 THU 01:35 PH FAX N0. ] pax.:.. ; ` 04rALMsp City of Palm springs Conununity Redevelopment Agency MEMORANDUM A0q SO =• ' Dtaa: Aupa,26,2002 s..,,�„ xvnunrttatre,;mtrr�,„casa,rec;" "" To: Srcve GilUan Senior Heel Estate Managu ""'�'x"^^•�ixr M t M. ` s Riverside County t lFrtxre John Raymond,Airator of Cora wfuty d BeCammic Development rl Sabfeef: Lctru on RiverAk County office space,3255,East Tafigaiq Canyon Dire I discussed with the City Council Rnwaida Coanty'a coneent about moving forward on a lace € 3 for a new medical dinic in Palm Springs if the County remained cnrumboad by its lease with the Cky at 3255 Tacit Tahquitz We"mm4 the itan at a nrceting in July. Tho Council concurred r'• y with the following: };- F.: 4 1. New Facility. The Council supports the concept of an arpaoded beahit care and wellness A&is Palm Springs as proposed by the Desert AIDS Project and the Homeless Task 'Force. It is exciting that the County has expressed as mach support for the project as it has. 2. Existing Lease• Toward that end.the Council would be willing to reltasc the County lirorn the rmaloder ofiu lease with the City on unusod space in the former Police Station. et Based on the projed's timetable,chat could be up to two years sooner than the expiation ' crib*current ism though it will proWly he less than that. The Council will ask that the County notify die:City 12 months balore it intends to scam the premises,to allow the City to rcrnarket the property or plan its own use for it: Germ the long lad time hi developing&new iraeft 12 Twotba should not be J. problem ror the County, �. we epprecixte the,Courrty'M iatemu in developing a new tYclHry in Palm Springs that could provide Much a benefit for oil residents, Asa way of assiating in the project,the City will work , with the County to ensure That the transition to the new facility is as smooth as possibly ji Fri ZA'd 00:[I £OOL 41 AN OZIS,85E 606=�� d March 15, 2003 Mayor: William Kleindienst Council member: Deyna Hodges Council member: Jeanne Reller-Spurgin First of, I want to thank all three of you again for your support. and vote concerning the Vista Sunrise Project at the City Council Meeting on March 5, 2003. However, I am compelled to write to you, once again, regarding the project issues, after reading yesterdays Desert Sun article" Advocate for Homeless files claims". I am seriously questioning, " What is the hidden motive" behind all of this? Does the headline imply that the homeless have more rights than the citizens of Palm Springs that will be affected by the project? Is Palm Springs obligated to take on the plight of the homeless for the entire Coachella Valley? Why is Wayne McKinney pushing this into Palm Springs' lap? Why not Indio, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, Bermuda Dunes or LaQuinta? Is it solely due to John Brown's involvement? The DAP is pushing too hard for transitional housing for their patients. If that is their primary concern, then the DAP should be adding housing to their existing complex or purchasing land close by to house those in need that are infected with HIV-AIDS. Thereby, they would be adhering to their mission statement. Why take on the whole valley and try to wrap everything into one neat little package? That"package", as presented at the Council meeting would not guarantee that every needy DAP patient would be guaranteed a"spot" in the housing project. So why take on the entire valley homeless issue? Truly, what is there really at stake and to gain for DAP out of this project? Something is not adding up here. What type of"pressure" does Wayne McKinney intend to apply to the Council to reconsider their votes? I personally can't take Mr. McKinney as a voice of reason, since he loudly proclaimed outside of the council chamber: " all those in there opposed to this project are brainless and are probably NRA card carrying members". My husband told Mr. McKinney he did not appreciate his insults and he apologized, however, I question the "balance" of this man. Andrew Greene was quoted in the Press Enterprise of stating that the oppositon"used flat out lies" at the council meeting. It is Reverend Green, right? Is he accusing all of the Senior Citizens of concocting lies? Is he referring to the pictures presented at council of the other projects as lies? Is he referring to the HUD statistics regarding homeless as lies? He even went so far as stating on numerous occasions that we (opposition) lack compassion. Does Andrew Green know each and every one of us on a personal level? If so, then he may find a whole lot of compassion, as well as many volunteers for charitable causes in our midst. It appears to me that Andrew Green is digging really deep to come up with some"cheap shots" to make the headlines. I am ever so thankful that he is not leading my congregation. Please continue to take into consideration the many, many citizens that will be negatively impacted by this project and that stood before you to plead their case individually and as a group in the surrounding neighborhoods. We are not without compassion for the plight of the less fortunate. However, we have to be realistic about the impact of such a project to the surrounding neighborhoods and keep looking for a more suitable location that will benefit everyone concerned EQUALLY! Thank you for your firm and unified votes regarding this project. Yours truly, Briget Zawaideh 1209 Verdugo Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 Cc: Council Member—Ron Oden Council Member— Chris Mills William Kleindienst From: Balance92234@aol.com Sent, Sunday, March 16,2003 11:43 PM To: willk@ci.palm-springs.ca.us;jeanners@ci.palm-springs.ca.us; denyah@ci.palm-springs.ca.us; chrism@ci.palm-springs.ca.us; rono@ci.palm-springs.ca.us Subject: If you feed them they will come. Date: 3-16-2003 To: Palm Springs City Council From: Keith Davis Cathedral City Cove, CA 92234 760-321-909 Re: If you feed them they will come. I am against the Idea of providing services for the homeless in Palm Spring. In fact I am against the Idea of providing facility-based services for the homeless anywhere along Palm Canyon Drive. I think that from Palm Springs to Indian Wells is a tourist zone. I am for helping the homeless in Thousand Palms, Indio or Coachella. It has to do with property Values and tourist appeal. We all know about Santa Monica. The people in the beach facing condos and homes cannot enjoy walking their own streets without being hounded by please for money or whatever. Think of Santa Cruz California. It's a homeless Mecca for the drifter. Both these cities have in my opinion an out of control homeless problem because they have allowed the bleeding hearts to convince them to services the homeless in their respective towns. I think that when someone is homeless they should try to get their feet backunder them. But if your being served your basic needs in a good part of town, well then the livens easy, why work to do better. Frankly I don't like drifters, homeless or pan handlers. I have done a lot of right things in my life and now I live in anice touristy town. I don't want someone who continues to make a mess of their lives to get a free ride where I have worked hard to establish myself. 3/17/2003 Page 2 of 2 Think of Beverly Hills, heck think of Indian Wells or Palm Desert. They would never allow this. 1 am sure they would give financial aid to help a homeless program somewhere else. Also I think of homeless services to be a business. People are making money servicing the homeless. Salaries, board of directors etc. Remember.. If you feed them, services them, housethem, make excuses for them..... they will come. KeithDavis 3/17/2003 PS G o g-,— s. gM10;1,k 1409X.. S2,wi-isc F�Cyy. #J2 Palm Sprig s, Co. 92262 Phone/Fax (760) 323-0653 MSHoJPS@aol.com 3/15/03 Hon. Mayor Will Kleindienst City Hall Palm Springs, Ca. 92262 RE; VISTA SUNRISE CAMPUS Dear Mr. Mayor: This "little old Lady" wants to thank you from the bottom of my heart for voting against the erection of the Vista Sunrise Campus. By having the courage to vote on your convictions, you have taken a big load off of my mind as well as the mind of other senior citizens as well as other residents of our neighborhood. Please, Mr. Mayor, do not let yourself be forced into re-opening this case by the advocates for the homeless. After all, do they, the homeless that is, pay taxes and vote? Well, WE DO! Again many thanks. You will not regret your action. Cordial yoyars, ' o ` Margot S. He z. l� Gz�� rdaG � Nancy A. Williamson 1780 Paseo Pelota Palm Springs, CA 92262 March 14, 2003 The Honorable William G. Kleindeist, Mayor City of Palm Springs 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 Dear Mayor Kleindeist, As a resident of the neighborhood in which the proposed Vista Sunrise project was to be located, I applaud your decision to vote against it. Your thoughtful consideration of the negative impact this would have had on the surrounding area of schools, churches, homes and condos is very much appreciated, I urge you to affirm your stand at the next City Council meeting on March 19, 2003. Sincerely, Nancy A. Williamson CX" �. AWWa4 1857 Sandalwood Palm Springs, California 92262 March 19, 2003 The Honorable William G. Kleindeinst, Mayor City of Palm Springs 3200 East Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262-6959 Via Email:Willk@ci.palm-springs.ca.us Ref: Vista Sunrise Project Dear Mr. Mayor: I regret having to bother you again, but unfortunately my previous direct emails to the City Manager and Council Members have been returned undelivered. Your assistant was kind enough to ensure that copies of my previous letter were delivered to the appropriate city officials, and I am hopeful that I can once again look to your good offices for similar assistance. It is my understanding that, last week, the City Council had voted to disapprove the furtherance of the Vista Sunrise Project. (Project). I have since been informed that a technical loophole may, in fact, allow the Project to continue. The support from you and messrs. Hodges, Mill and Oden to date has been most welcome and appreciated. I, along with my fellow homeowners, trust that this support will continue at the City Council meeting this evening. Sincerely, '"0 pwha4b Helen R. Richards cc. John Brown, Executive Director Jack Newby, Conummications Director Denise Goolsby, Community Liaison Desert Aids Project P. O. Box 2890 Palm Springs, CA 92263-2890 .l i Cd 0"', • SHEILA GRATTAN 2942 ORELLA CIRCLE • PALM SPRINGS• CALIFORNIA 92264 PHONE 760-323-2967• FAX 760-320-1037 March 11, 2003 TO The Palm Springs City Council Mayor William Kleindienst Councilwoman Denya Hodges Councilman Chris Mills Concilman Ron Oden Councilwoman Jeanne Reller-Spurgin FROM Sheila Grattan Phone: 760-323-2967 FAX: 760-320-1037 SmoneenG@aol.com REGARDING Vista Sunrise Project The Council, Vista Sunrise Project proponents and opponents deserve praise. Important questions were raised. Some were answered. Many others were not. Passions ran high on both sides. Yet, interested parties, for the most part, treated one another with respect . and dignity. Having raised questions, researched issues and recently embraced the Homeless Task Force, I have some observations. I will present these in outline form as you have enough stuff to read and I can provide the back- up for any questions. Regional Approach • Regional governments, however, • Consider that regional issues may often seek out individual cities to require regional solutions even take on regional issues to avoid though other government players controversial brokering among cities. would love to encourage Palm Springs to take ownership for the • CVAG Executive Committee entire Western Valley. participation sends a signal to various communities that the ■ Why counties exist? County voter/taxpayer leadership, not just departments provide public social welfare stakeholders, support a services such as health data, health project. services, immunization, mental health, WIC, teen pregnancy, • CVAG discussion and determination, welfare, delinquency and probation. even when contentious, show Federal and State funds flow through residents decisions are made with the counties so that these services regional give and take, a process that can be provided on a regional basis. 1,� • may lead to greater acceptance of facilities serving regional responsibility. populations? ■ Downtown L.A., Santa Monica, San Local non-profit organizations Francisco, San Diego and most other serving homeless and disadvantage cities that have unilaterally added folks often measure success by their homeless beds regret jumping in ability to expand existing services, without benefit of regional planning rather than studying and adapting to and responsibility. a changing clientele. ■ The fact the City of Indio is averse to The County could lease space letting local homeless facilities anywhere in the Valley for a health expand until the rest of the Valley clinic. With that flexibility, would takes responsibility further clinic clients be better served on a demonstrates the regional impacts less-trafficked and lower- profile inherent in homeless issues. street or intersection? What About The Recipients? What About Growing Desert Aids P_r giect Clientele? ■ The County of Riverside is just beginning a survey of the homeless ■ Desert Aids Project HIV patients market it wants to serve. Who they should not be subjected to the drug, are, how fast this population is crime and mental illness population • growing, where they are coming involved in mixed transitional from, the likeliness of them availing housing. themselves of services, general health conditions, sub-populations of Desert Aids Project will need to veterans, mentally ill, drug or expand with the aging of baby substance addicted, paroled, criminal boomers and the shutting down of background. Survey starts here on services for HIV patients in other the 14`b. This must be critical to states. DAP might look to the Desert intelligent planning. (See Press Healthcare and City acreage for HIV Enterprise, Local Section, 3/12/03. senior retirement housing. ■ Shouldn't clientele needs, rather than What About The Conununity? stakeholder needs, drive the solution? Consequently, clients with Day centers for homeless (mostly diverse needs, frailties and fears male with various problems) might be better served at individual, traditionally create problems for lower-profile locations rather than surrounding areas. The City of the so-called "campus" approach. Glendale's experience with crime and library disturbances is notable. ■ Should shelters with beds, showers, The program now involves bed meals, and an address to qualify for shelters, good intake and case health benefits be stand-alone management plus veteran services 2 and outreach to those who will not use the shelter. The State of California also realizes many homeless are falling through ■ Homeless programs should have cracks due to its own lack of inter- extensive community education to state agency communication. A offset unrealistic community major study of how State agencies expectations. (Some downtown interact is underway this year. See merchants believe a shelter will rid hcd.ca.gov/hpd/IATF-rpt- the downtown of the obvious homeless.pdf. 105- page homeless.) introduction. Follow-up report is due soon. This report may provide ■ The media must become educational important planning information, partners in helping to resolve these regional issues. The media needs to The State of California Department fully understand these issues along of Housing has money for regional with community perceptions to best shelters, per Julie Bornstein, fulfill its mission and help educate Director, State Department of the region. Housing and Community Development. Julie is willing to ■ Homeless advocates and the media meet and provide details. might have more credibility if they avoid invoking guilt or insinuating Task Force Statats Clarification political motivation when • community members or elected Homeless Task Force status is officials raise uncomfortable confusing. Is it or isn't it an official questions or disagree. Dismissing city task force? Depending on whom "opponents" in these ways leads to you ask, the task force is unofficial entrenchment and bitterness rather or official. The Desert Sun calls it than problem solving. the City's task force and it has been represented as such at regional Resources to Explore meetings. In any case, the Brown Act applies even though members do not ■ Check out the Martha's Village recognize its responsibilities under approach to transitional housing the Brown Act. where participants live in dormitories, are not allowed to bring ■ Could the Task Force be weighted food into their rooms, do not have towards stakeholders rather than a much privacy and must spend cross-section of the community? specified time cleaning the dorms daily. This as opposed to private ■ The Task Force should be re- apartments with amenities that might assessed by the Council. It should actually discourage independence. have official status with all that The Martha's Village approach may implies or it should fold. Anything serve more people for less up-front less is troublesome. investment and may provide more Consider re-appointing critical key . motivation to be self-supporting. leaders from among the stakeholder 3 • groups along with citizens from the homeless continue to be served at the business and residential community Fry Building. See if Desert Regional for a more balanced community Hospital might be a backup for meal perspective. preparation. ■ Make sure, while this next step is underway, that the hungry among the We can work together on a regional basis to better resolve these issues. Surely stakeholders and government agencies are capable of simultaneously recognizing the concerns and fears of the clients as well as those of the citizens who live and invest in our communities Sincerely Sheila Grattan • 4 PE.com I Local News I Riverside Page 1 of cc M • � T@ti R. �n;�x"E nk�r}rr3se Making them count A county census aims to identify who lives on the streets 03/13/2003 By DAVID SEATON THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE When counting the homeless, stereotypes help. Scruffy hair, sunken cheeks, soiled clothes. Drinking Magnum at 8 a.m. These are good clues, but not always enough. Is that one, sitting outside a fast-food restaurant on Magnolia Avenue? Him? No, her -- the woman with bushy hair, large eyeglasses. Maybe not, she's talking on a cell phone. "I don't think that person is homeless," said Darlene Mees, a volunteer for Riverside County's homeless census. • "They can fool you now," replied Mike McNeil, another volunteer who lived on the streets himself. "Just because they look nice, sometimes it doesn't mean they're not homeless." Mees, McNeil and Marilyn Zaragoza blanketed Riverside's Arlington and La Sierra neighborhoods Wednesday to count the homeless in the first countywide census that seeks a more accurate picture of the homeless population and its needs. The counters tallied people who identified themselves as homeless • :• and some who just appeared so. They were told not to wake anybody up or enter abandoned buildings. "You can't count the ones that are living in people's houses, but it ~ will give us a good street count, at least," said Frances Charles, who supervises the county's outreach program for mentally ill homeless. The county hired Hebert Research, Inc., from Bellevue, Wash., to Peter Phun/The Press-Enterprise conduct the census. The firm set up eight command centers and Volunteer Marilyn Zaragoza, hoped for more than 300 volunteers, but a few hiccups challenged right, asks a homeless woman the project early on, questions as part of a countywide census of the Not all the desired volunteers showed for training, and • homeless population. The communication problems lead to empty centers at Blythe and Lake woman was sitting in the Elsinore, said Mindi Bennett, a staff analyst coordinating the project shadows between buildings in a for the county. http://www.pe.com/egi-bin/gold_print.cgi 3/13/03 PE.com I Local News I Riverside Page 2 of 3 strip mall in the La Sierra area I Homeless service providers in Lake Elsinore offered volunteers, but of Riverside. Hebert did not confine their participation, Bennett said. She said about 30 volunteers will saturate Lake Elsinore today. Homeless count Other locations like Riverside had better luck. Tom Fisher of Hebert said he dispatched 15 teams from that center and probably would deploy more tomorrow. Volunteers out of Indio discovered two encampments of 60 and 40 homeless each. Counters planned to hit the shelters and soup kitchens across the county starting at 4 p.m. Past homeless population estimates by county officials and homeless advocates have ranged from 2,000 to 10,000, but nobody really knows. Fisher said the census margin of error should be about 2 percent. "I'm feeling very confident that this is going to be a good count and is going to help us improve our services," Bennett said. The findings are expected May 1. San Bernardino County expects to release information from its November homeless census by late May. County leaders hope the data helps secure more grants for homeless services and convinces city officials of those needs. Background survey Randomly selected homeless filled out surveys that probed the subjects' backgrounds, including how they became homeless, their education level, medical history, their last residence and how much control they feel they have over their lives. "I'd say pretty close to gone," answered Kenneth Hensley, 67, as he clanked two silver dollars in his shaking, dirt-stained hands. "I used to be a painter," Hensley said. "I can't do it now, because I've been in two car wrecks." McNeil handed him a $10 gift card for doing the survey. "He's one of my regulars," said McNeil, a homeless outreach worker for Lutheran Social Services. The team counted five homeless people in Arlington Park, including a woman who says she is pregnant from being raped and can't get medical attention. By 10 a.m., Mees complains that it's been slow. "I expected to count a lot more people than this." More emerge as the day warns. Before noon the team tallies 74, including 40 from the Whiteside Manor transitional shelter. • A team in Hemet estimated they spoke to 200 homeless people. Mike Lord ran into a man he knew under different circumstances. http://www.pe.com/cgi-bin/gold_print.cgi 3/13/03 PE.com I'Local News I Riverside Page 3 of 3 "When I lived in Moreno Valley you helped put the tile up in my bathroom," said Lord, a behavioral health specialist with the county's homeless services in Hemet. "And you did a goodjob." But Allen Stovall, who had cuts over his hands and along his arms, could not recall the encounter. "One minute I'm in my bathtub and next I'm in outer space," Stovall said when asked to elaborate. Another team counted 91 homeless in Romoland, Sun City, Juniper Flats, Green Valley and Perris. "We found a 21-year-old at Walmart with a 2-month-old baby and a 3-year-old," volunteer Larry Valdivia of Perris said. "She didn't have any diapers for the baby. All she had was two boxes of Kleenex." Staff writers Vanessa Colon, Han Kwak and Melissa Eiselein contributed to this story. David Seaton can reached by entail at dseaton cbe•coon. Online at: httn-//www.pe.com/localnews/riverside/stories/PE NEWS nrcount13.alacd.html http://www.pe.com/egi-bin/gold_print.cgi 3/13/03 PE.com I Local News I Riverside Page I of 2 S@u P a•E. nxar}r r3:se Census to help assess service HOMELESS: Riverside County to start counting today to determine the level of assistance needed. 03/12/2003 By DAVID SEATON THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE Today, homeless advocates across Riverside County will get what they've wanted for years: a thorough census of the homeless population. Hopefully. Counting the homeless is little like trying to catalog snowflakes -- they are elusive and not easily identified. "It's a somewhat daunting task," said Don Smith, who oversees Project Achieve homeless programs in Riverside. Starting this morning at 6 a.m., before many homeless shake off the morning dew and start their search for food and shelter, more than 300 volunteers from eight command centers will scour the county's 7,300 square miles to conduct a homeless census. They will be led by service providers and the homeless themselves, a similar method to a census conducted in November by San Bernardino County. "The homeless people were able to point out the locations where other homeless people might be encamped," said Carolyn Debevec, a staff analyst for the community services department. "It worked out really well." Results of San Bernardino County's survey will be revealed at a press conference expected by late May, Debevec said. Riverside County wants a final report by May I from Hebert Research Inc., the firm being paid $80,000 to organize its census project. "It will better illustrate our problem and where the gaps in services are," said Susan Loew, deputy director for public social services. "It will also help us engage cities in a regional effort," to help the homeless become self-sufficient. The county hopes to complete 1,000 surveys of 30 questions to collect detailed demographic information and to understand what kind of help the homeless need. • Lack of useful estimates Homeless population estimates range from 2,000 to 10,000. The flimsy numbers have hamstrung the http://www.pe.com/cgi-bin/gold_print.egi 3/13/03 P,E.com ILocal News I Riverside Page 2 of 2 county in applying for federal funding for homeless shelters and services, Loew said. • The county received just $1.7 million in federal homeless grants this year, after getting $4.8 million last year. Previous research has shown that about 3 to 5 percent of the population experiences homelessness each year, said Smith, director of program development for the Institute for Urban Research and Development. That would amount to 48,000 to 80,000 people homeless at some point in Riverside County each year. "It's definitely more than the average person realizes," Smith said. The volunteers will hunt for the homeless in parks, under bridges, in buses and in fields where they are known to congregate. Shelters, soup kitchen and other service centers will count heads, too. The census will continue Thursday if the counters don't reach all the targeted areas. Supervisor Bob Buster said he hopes the census will persuade recalcitrant cities such as Lake Elsinore and Moreno Valley to join a countywide network of emergency and transitional shelters. Lake Elsinore Councilman Robert Schiffner said he thinks estimates of 100 to 200 homeless living in his city are inflated. "I resent the implication by people that it's our obligation to be a collector for homeless all over the • area," he said. "I'm really interested to see how many there are, and why they're here." Moreno Valley councilmen Richard Stewart guessed that the city's visible homeless population is between six and 16 people, although the homeless gravitate to service centers and Moreno Valley has no shelter, he added. Grace Slocum, former director of the Volunteer Center in Riverside, wonders whether the census is a good use of public dollars. She fears homeless families may be undercounted because they fear having their children taken. "What's the sense of counting when you know they're not being served?" she asked. Reach David Seaton at (909) 368-9456 or dseatonQ�pe.com. By The Numbers 300 volunteers are expected to count Riverside County homeless. Riverside County homeless population estimates range from 2,000 to 10,000. Online at: hfp://www,pe.com/localnews/riverside/stories/PE NEWS nrcount12.581bd.html http://www.pe.com/cgi-bin/gold_print.cgi 3/13/03 Not aP the cNdfen of ... ..,H - ei31eix night i •*+c s> 3 c! No, fA Fe}�3�.yE�"3't rywg€H?'`� , Y � > n ",;,'; sV, l�i��u`' averf�J down.... 'he � : . .tt iair of Ems, 0 '`� x i1XGs;9iYY,c. `L'7Y' i`` S•� "SGtr }Y''q�s.�u'i h t r. s F3adaws,: araa gone ,:��3%Jd�?os:]>i>.n'E ::�.:c•,:c:iaa, ?.>s>as�:.c;. s 3 8 3n•`]S �its% �if,':i Hsu °ST;uy%,' iY6f�i]'�l ��'G7 s3fQa ? s3� ] i;: 3 7 , 33 i�,,,i•. :,sL w�:. _ .. .'. .� r'-rrr • ' nror' of the Ir-Iteer x a n H ln-%leIes ne s Preparred for Governor Gray Davis July 13 200 Introduction On March 21, 2002, Governor Gray Davis created, by Executive Order D-53-02, the Interagency Task Force on Homelessness. The Task Force is co-chaired by the secretaries of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency and the Health and Human Services Agency and includes the secretaries of the Youth and Adult Correctional Agency and the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary for Education, and the directors of the departments of Alcohol and Drug Programs, Corrections, Employment Development, Housing and Community Development, Health Services, Mental Health, and Social Services. The Governor directed the Task Force to provide to him, by July 1, 2002, "a plan to incorporate homelessness prevention as an integral part of the mission within all state programs with the goal of reducing the incidence of homelessness in California." The Task Force was further directed to "incorporate at-risk assessment tools into existing program services to assist in identifying individuals at risk of homelessness, and develop recommendations to provide services to the homeless in an integrated manner." Finally, the Task Force was charged with developing recommendations to "utilize existing housing programs and proceeds from future housing bonds to significantly expand the number of permanent and transitional housing units for the long-term homeless population by 2010, and • link supportive services into these programs to the greatest degree possible." The Task Force held its first meeting April 16 and subsequently met nine times. This included two public hearings, both held in Sacramento, on April 22 and May 22, Task Force members also attended the Governor's Statewide Summit on Homelessness on April 22. The Task Force additionally solicited and received written public comment from those unable to attend either of the public hearings. Plan Parameters In proceeding with its work, the Task Force made three important early judgments. First, the Task Force believed that the Governor's choice of the words "plan" and "recommendations" rather than "report" indicated that this document should be action-oriented. In keeping with the focus on action, this plan proposes a variety of steps the State could take to address the issue of homelessness. Some of these proposals could be implemented immediately, while others would need a longer timeframe due to complexity, resource needs, or a variety of other reasons. Still others require further study to develop an appropriate course of action. Second, the document focuses primarily on what State agencies can do individually or collectively. The State focus is the result of the specific directives provided by Governor Davis in his Executive Order. The Task Force recognizes that the bulk of services provided to the homeless occur at the local level and, as is reflected in several recommended actions, 4 ianticipates increased collaboration between the State and local and non-governmental service providers in combating the problem of homelessness in California. Finally, this document is part of an ongoing process to substantially reduce the incidence of homelessness in California. This is not the final word on how to "end homelessness" in California. Indeed, many of the recommendations explicitly require further study. Similar to the report presented to the Governor in March 2002, this is in many ways a report on the progress already made since the Governor elevated combating homelessness to a top state priority. The Task Force has learned a great deal about the causes and remedies of homelessness and concrete steps have already been taken at the State level to address this serous problem. However, we need more knowledge, more tools, and more time to develop other necessary steps. Public Comments The Task Force has heard from scores of people interested in the issue of homelessness in California. Many testified in person at one of the two public hearings held by the Task Force; others presented at the Governor's Summit on Homelessness; and still others submitted written comments and testimony. Additionally, Task Force members and their staff pored through countless studies conducted in California and nationally that provided a tremendous amount of • information on homelessness. Some of the comments have led directly to recommendations, while others still need more discussion before bringing forward a recommendation. 5 'r Guiding Principles- While the Task Force focused on the Governor's call for concrete action rather than general study, members did find it helpful to develop several guiding principles. Task Force members recommend that these principles guide all state action in combating homelessness. 1. Every man, woman and child in California should have a decent, safe and affordable place to live 2. Programs and services of the State of California should be administered in a manner that facilitates the prevention or alleviation of homelessness. 3. Homeless people are individuals and families who have become homeless for a variety of reasons. Remedies must be tailored to the needs of each individual and service providers must be ready, and have the flexibility, to do whatever it takes to get a person out of homelessness 4. Long-term solutions require programs that are broad-based, comprehensive, collaborative, and integrated. The full spectrum of state educational, social, and health programs can and do have an impact on homelessness. 5. Results matter. Programs intended to prevent or reduce homelessness should be accountable to the public for results. Programs and services should be measured in terms of outcomes, not merely in complying with program procedural requirements. 6. Fund what works. Programs that get the best results should continue; programs that do not get results should be improved or ended. Expectations for results and provisions for determining results should be included as conditions of funding. 7. The State must maximize and leverage funding opportunities from other sources, including the federal government and private philanthropies. 8. Actual service delivery is primarily local and local input and participation is critical for success. 6 s Specific Proposals Cross-Cuttinq Issues Proposal 1.1: Establish a State Council on Homelessness, an Advisory Panel on Homelessness, and a State Office of Homelessness. Proposal 1.2: Make homelessness prevention a key mission of state agencies. Proposal 1.3: Conduct research on risk factors associated with becoming homeless and use the findings to develop prevention and intervention assessment protocols. Proposal 1.4:Ensure that staff to the proposed Council on Homelessness includes a point person whose charge is to coordinate administrative data collection across agencies, departments, programs, and local entities providing services to individuals or families who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Proposal 1.5:Ensure that staff to the proposed Council on Homelessness includes a point person whose charge is to coordinate policy research and program evaluation across agencies, departments, programs, and local entities providing services to individuals or families who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Proposal 1.6:Develop an annual homelessness agenda for California's federal advocacy efforts, Inteqration of Proqrams and Services Proposal 2.1:Integrate and coordinate AB 2034, SHIA, AB 3777, and PATH grant evaluation and data management processes. Proposal 2.2:Reorganize the Systems of Care (SOC) Division within the Department of Mental Health (DMH) to create a new organizational structure that would combine the department's homeless efforts and create a primary point of contact for homeless issues within DMH. Proposal 2,3:Examine existing barriers and opportunities to providing seamless linkages between children's and adult mental health service systems. Proposal 2.4:Create a new category of Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Program Certification entitled the Homeless Shelter Program. Proposal 2.5: Modify the Terms and Conditions of both the DCP and CDCI grants to identify participants who are homeless and require each grantee to report quarterly on the number of homeless participants. Proposal 2.6: Establish the Veterans Homes Division Homelessness Task Force within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Proposal 2,7: Utilize existing network of homeless services organizations to do outreach and education with organizations/providers to gather input regarding improving access to clinical care for homeless populations and preventing TB transmission in homeless individuals Proposal 2.8: Expand state support of collaborative planning activities for the development of integrated housing assistance and service delivery and maximization of available resources. Proposal 2.9: Direct the California Rural Health Policy Council to devote public meeting time to the issue of rural homelessness. Proposal 2.10: Utilize the housing-specific civil service classification "Housing and Community Development Representative/Specialist" within state departments and agencies administering homeless programs. Proposal 2.11: Require the proposed Council on Homelessness to collaborate with the Department of Education to provide technical assistance to local education agencies on the resources available to homeless families or families at risk of becoming homeless. Prevention Proposal 3.1: Identify the major barriers, issues, and needs impacting alcohol and other drug (ACID) clients who are homeless. Proposal 3.2: Ensure that services through the federal Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities (SFDSC) program be provided to at-risk and currently homeless youth, including those in need of mental health services. Proposal 3.3: Incorporate homeless service delivery models into existing Department of Alcohol and Drug Program (ADP)funded training and technical assistance contracts, and expand the services of the ADP Resource Center to include published research relating to homelessness and ACID problems. 12 nn�„ City Council Members Palm Springs, California Dear Council Members , As residents of Sunrise Oasis condominiums , ( located on Sunrise Way between Tamarisk Road and E1 Alameda) , from the bottom of our hearts we want to thank the three Council members who voted down the transitional housing project on Sunrise and Vista Chino at your March 5th meeting. Please, please stand by your decision and save our neighborhood . Sincerely, � l March 19 , 2003 City Council Members Palm Springs , California Dear Council Members: As residents of Sunrise Oasis condominiums , ( located on Sunrise Way between Tamarisk Road and E1 Alameda) , from the bottom of our hearts we want to thank the three Council members who voted down the transitional housing �H�ar cti S' o. project on Sunrise and Vista Chino at your meeting . Please, please stand by your decision and save our neighborhood. Sincerely, AJ F