TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, Acting City Manager
FROM:
George Gabriel, Assistant to the City Manager
Patricia Matson, Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Quarterly Update on the City’s Homelessness Initiatives (Acting City Manager Mirzakhanian).
(Estimated Time: 30 Mins.)
1) RECEIVE REPORT
2) DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive the report detailing various efforts and initiatives staff is undertaking regarding homelessness and discuss and provide direction regarding whether the City should participate in the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) Functional Zero Street Homelessness Program.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
The City has taken an active role in addressing homelessness both strategically and regionally. In doing so, the City is doing everything possible to assist homeless individuals in obtaining the services needed, while simultaneously ensuring public safety.
On a quarterly basis, the City provides an update to the City Council and community on homelessness initiatives that staff that has undertaken as well as regional developments. For the purposes of this report, efforts will focus on those relevant and notable since the last quarterly update on March 5, 2024.
DISCUSSION:
Homeless Count and CityNet Homeless Census Proposal
On June 20, 2024, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) publicly released the point-in-time homeless count data for 2024. According to their data, there has been a slight decrease in homelessness in LA County by 0.27%. At the regional level (South Bay SPA Area 8), homelessness decreased by 16% from 6,476 to 5,428. At a local level, the count in Manhattan Beach for 2024 reflected two persons counted and two improvised dwellings (i.e. cars, vans, RV’s, tents and makeshift shelters). This data accurately reflected homeless count volunteer observations in January 2024. For comparison’s sake, the 2023 count reflected nine individuals and 15 improvised dwellings.
At the last update provided on March 5, 2024, staff indicated that the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) was exploring contracting with the City of Redondo Beach’s contractor, CityNet, to provide a regional homeless count that provides accurate and detailed data on the homeless population by city.
The SBCCOG received two proposals from CityNet for regional homeless census services ranging from $176,753 - $387,943. Ultimately, the SBCCOG could not identify funding for the services and did not move forward with the project. Thereafter, staff approached CityNet and received a proposal for $24,402 to conduct a homeless census survey solely for Manhattan Beach. Staff determined that the proposal was not cost-effective, given the low homeless count the City typically observes.
Manhattan Beach Outreach Metrics
Following Council’s action to approve an agreement with Harbor Interfaith Services for dedicated housing navigation/case management services in November 2021, the Outreach Services Worker was assigned to Manhattan Beach in January 2022 and began working at the Police Department in February 2022.
The Outreach Services Worker has now completed two years and six months of service as the City’s dedicated resource. On a daily basis, she typically has two to four interactions with homeless individuals and actively manages approximately 10 clients who are interested in services. On a monthly basis, Harbor Interfaith Services provides an individualized report to Manhattan Beach (see attachment) that summarizes key metrics and progress toward goals outlined in the contract.
The following information reflects data from July 2023 - July 2024 and summarizes the reportable metric work completed by the Outreach Services Worker:
• 652 interactions with homeless individuals (including repeat interactions with the same individuals);
• 107 unique clients assisted;
• 36 clients assisted with document production or enrolled with benefits;
• 19 clients referred into interim housing;
• Six treatment program referrals attained; and
• Five stable housing placements.
Beach Cities Regional Outreach MOU and Contract Management
Over the past five years, the City of Manhattan Beach has served as a contract administrator for two Measure H grants totaling $546,000. The grants funded homeless outreach workers to service the cities of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and El Segundo and allowed staff to manage outreach efforts regionally with Harbor Interfaith Services.
Since the introduction of the City’s dedicated housing navigation/case management services in 2022, staff has relied less on the regional services and focused efforts on overseeing the City’s dedicated services. In light of the staff time and resources dedicated to managing the regional contract, the SBCCOG and staff have agreed to transition this ongoing responsibility to ensure the contract is managed by a regional entity, given that it is a regional contract. Therefore, SBCCOG will be the contract administrator for the beach cities contract and will request formal approval at their September 26, 2024, meeting.
Homeless Services RFP
The City’s current agreement with Harbor Interfaith Services for dedicated outreach and housing navigation services will expire on December 1, 2024. In anticipation of this, staff has released a request for proposals (RFP) to explore consultants that provide a similar level of service. Considering that the last RFP was released in 2019, staff would like to ensure costs and services remain competitive with all providers.
The RFP was released to the public on August 8, 2024, and has a deadline of September 6, 2024. Staff will review all submitted proposals, conduct interviews as needed, and will then return to City Council in November recommending an agreement with the selected consultant.
Homelessness and Changes in the Law
On June 28, 2024, the United States Supreme Court provided an opinion in the City of Grants Pass v. Johnson that sided with the City of Grants Pass in a 6-3 decision, ruling that an ordinance passed by the city that essentially made it illegal for homeless residents to camp on all public property was not unconstitutional.
On July 25, 2024, the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, issued Executive Order N-1-24 directing State agencies to address homeless encampments on State land and encouraged local governments to adopt similar policies. Thereafter, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a motion which included supporting a “Care First” approach, clarifying county jails will not be used for housing those prosecuted under “anti-camping” ordinances.
On August 22, 2024, media reports regarding encampment clean ups occurring at Dockweiler State Beach began to circulate. Shortly after these reports were circulated that morning, the Manhattan Beach Police Department alerted the homeless outreach team and ensured their weekend availability to respond to homeless individuals who potentially relocate south of Dockweiler Beach. Additionally, the City’s dedicated homeless outreach contractor was also available on August 23 beginning at 6:00 AM to ensure that outreach resources were available if necessary.
Functional Zero Street Homelessness Program
Recently, the SBCCOG has been working closely with the City of Redondo Beach on a program titled, “Functional Zero Street Homelessness.” The program aims to supplement the homeless count data as a tool to monitor homelessness in a community by ensuring that a community’s homeless services system is able to prevent homelessness whenever possible and ensure that when homelessness does occur, it is rare, brief and one-time.
Specifically, Functional Zero Street Homelessness is achieved when the number of people exiting street homelessness is be greater than the number of people entering street homelessness, and the median duration of the current street population is less than 90 days.
The SBCCOG is attempting to expand the program across the beach cities of Hermosa Beach, El Segundo and Manhattan Beach. The SBCCOG will be providing a presentation on the program, which will be contained within staff’s PowerPoint Presentation. If directed by Council, staff may participate in the SBCCOG’s commendation program that allows the SBCCOG to track, monitor, and report on a City’s progress towards Functional Zero Street Homelessness.
SHARE! Collaborative Housing
The City’s contract with SHARE! expired in September 2023 at which time the City began relying on the SBCCOG for services and funding for the collaborative housing program. Since September 2023, the SBCCOG has funded housing for 15 individuals experiencing homelessness in Manhattan Beach.
In total, this has amounted to approximately $35,700 in cost savings to the City. The SBCCOG has also afforded the City flexibility with housing more than the allotted five individuals as well, thereby increasing opportunity to the City’s.
Since the City began utilizing housing services in December 2021, the City has observed the following notable metrics:
• 35 individuals have been placed into SHARE!;
• 106 total months of rent have been paid either by the SBCCOG or the City;
• 18% of those placed into SHARE! transitioned to another interim housing solution;
• 45% of those placed into SHARE! transitioned to a permanent housing solution; and
• 36% of those placed into SHARE! returned to the street and continued experiencing homelessness.
“Measure H 2.0” Ballot Measure
Los Angeles County voters approved a countywide measure on the March 7, 2017, ballot, which imposed a 10-year, ¼ cent sales tax to help fund housing and support services for the homeless population throughout the County. With the upcoming expiration of Measure H scheduled for March 2027, Los Angeles County stakeholders have been discussing the future of homeless housing and service funding.
In an effort to extend the 10-year, ¼ cent sales tax to help fund housing and support services for the County’s homeless population, the non-profit organization, United Way of Greater Los Angeles (United Way) has qualified for an LA County citizen-led ballot initiative on the November 5, 2024, general election ballot. The measure titled, “Measure A” will be considered by voters and will ask voters the following question:
“HOMELESSNESS SERVICES AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING ORDINANCE. To require accountability and results, create affordable housing, support home ownership, provide rental assistance, increase mental health and addiction treatment, reduce and prevent homelessness; and provide services for children, families, veterans, domestic violence survivors, seniors, and disabled people experiencing homelessness; shall the measure repealing the Measure H tax and replacing it with a 1/2 cent sales tax, raising approximately $1,076,076,350 annually until voters decide to end it, with new audits and oversight, be adopted?
Following staff’s analysis of the measure, three important notes regarding this ballot measure include:
1. Currently, Measure H is scheduled to expire in March 2027. Measure H 2.0 does not have a sunset clause and can only be repealed by the voters;
2. Measure H 2.0 does not impact the sales tax limit imposed by the State. Assembly Bill 1679 passed by the Legislature last year, authorizes L.A. County to impose a new sales tax of up to 0.5% that “in combination with other transactions and use taxes, would exceed the above described combined rate limit of 2%” under certain conditions. The bill is a special statute for the County of Los Angeles and therefore would not infringe upon the City’s ability to raise the sales tax beyond the 10.25% sales tax cap now or in the future. Therefore, if this measure passes, the City’s sales tax will increase to 9.75%. If the City’s Measure MMB sales tax measure also passes, the City’s sales tax will increase to 10.25%; and
3. Measure H 2.0 does not have a direct allocation for cities to cover costs of homeless services. Therefore, cities would likely continue to apply for Measure H funding with their respective Council of Governments to receive funding.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive the report detailing various efforts and initiatives staff is undertaking regarding homelessness and discuss and provide direction on whether the City should participate in the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) Functional Zero Street Homelessness Program.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City Council's consideration of an update regarding the City’s homelessness initiatives is not a “project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines because it does not have a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. Therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the activity is not subject to CEQA, and no environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Manhattan Beach Outreach Program Outcomes
2. 2024 Manhattan Beach Homeless Count Data
3. PowerPoint Presentation