[Council Communication]  [ Additional Agenda Information ]  [Supporting Documents]

Council Communication

Title:	Study Session on Homelessness
Dept:	Administration
Date:	June 4 2003
Submitted By:	Ann Seltzer
Approved By: ...........................	Gino Grimaldi, City Administrator

Synopsis:	The purpose of this study session is to educate the Council and the public on the scope of homelessness in Jackson County and in Ashland and to consider what role, if any, the City might play in helping to address gaps in services. This study session frames the issue of homelessness through four aspects: · Education of the public and decision makers about homelessness · The need for housing and shelter · Camping enforcement issues and options · The need for jobs. This packet contains a variety of information associated with the topic including: · The Jackson County Continuum of Care Strategic Plan · The Homeless Task Force Action Steps · The Continuum of Care Gaps Analysis · The Continuum of Care Homeless Survey · The Homeless Shelter Nightcount Report · Myths and Facts about Homelessness · City of Ashland Health and Human Services Plan · City of Ashland Resolution No. 86-35 · City of Ashland Social Service Grant History
Recommendation:
Fiscal Impact:
Background:	The City of Ashland Strategic Plan includes a Social and Human Services element. One of the goals of FY 2002-2003 was to develop a Health and Human Services Plan. That plan is in place and one of the goals is to provide a comprehensive and coordinated system of services to address people in need. A number of policies associated with that goal are identified. One of Council's goals for FY 2003-2004 is to review and consider the strategies identified in the Health and Human Services Plan. In March of 2001, the Jackson County Homeless Task Force was established under the auspices of the Jackson County Continuum of Care. A Continuum of Care is a national model for a local or regional system for helping people who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness by providing housing and services appropriate to the whole range of homeless needs in the community. In 1996, HUD implemented the Continuum of Care approach, under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, to streamline the existing competitive funding and grant-making process and to encourage communities to coordinate more fully the planning and provision of housing and services for homeless people.

I. Education - Framing the problem
A. Jackson County Homeless Task Force (HTF)
Co-chairs, Ed Angeletti ACCESS Inc., Bill Yaeger, Salvation Army· Overview of HTF

· Demographics of the homeless in Jackson County
· Existing services in Jackson County and Ashland
· Gaps in services and possible options

B. Community Works, StreetWise
DawnDee Elliott, Homeless Youth Advocate

· Homeless teens
· Challenges
· Needs

C. Interfaith Care Community of Ashland (ICCA)
Sharon Shreiber,· Families and Transient People

· ICCA's roles in the Continuum of Care regional picture
· Services provided
· Gaps and Challenges
· Health Needs

Sharon Laws, Senior Program, City of Ashland
Community Health Center

II. Camping enforcement issues and possible protocol options
Scott Fleuter, Chief of Police
Cate Hartzell, Councilor

III. Job/Employment
TBD

• Homelessness Supporting Documents
This document is available in PDF format.  To view the document on your computer, please click on the link below.  The Adobe reader program will open in a new browser window.  Please use the browser's "Zoom" feature to adjust the size of the text for comfortable reading.

Homelessness_Supporting_Documents.pdf (1286.4KB)

The above document(s) are Adobe® Acrobat® PDF files and may be viewed using the free Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™. Most newer web browsers already contain the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™ plug-in. However, if you need it, click on the "Get Acrobat® Reader™" icon to download it now.