Score: -2 (2/3/4)

Butte County Grand Jury • 2024-2025 • Agency Response

Response to: City of Chico

Office of the Mayor

Published: September 17, 2024 4 pages

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⚠️ Aviso de traducción: Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F3

Findings and Recommendations 3 findings

F1 Page 1

The City of Chico precipitated the Warren lawsuit when the unhoused were relocated without adequate shelter. Response: Disagree. The legal reasoning that served as the primary basis of Warren v. City of Chico and utilized in F1 was resoundingly rejected and overturned by the US Supreme Court in Johnson v. Grants Pass. And is more fully explained in 2024-07-17 City of Chico Press Release - Grants Pass.pdf, 2024-06-28 SCOTUS Johnson Grants Pass.pdf, and 2024-08-31 Chico Motion Pursuant to Rule 60.pdf

Related Recommendations (1)

Page 1

The Chico City Council direct the City Manager to develop and implement an internal committee specifically designated to interface with the unhoused population, current service providers and future county, state, and federal homelessness commissions by January 1, 2025. Response: The recommendation will not be implemented. Sufficient (more than weekly) internal coordination meetings regularly occur as well as extensive coordination with service providers and neighboring jurisdictions already exists.

F2 Page 2

Many unhoused individuals are unaware of 211 and the resources the hotline provides to the community. Response: Neither agree nor disagree as the level of awareness is unknown.

Related Recommendations (1)

Page 1

The Chico City Council develop a written policy that will deal with how the city will address the unhoused by March 31, 2025. Response: The recommendation was implemented in January 2022. R2 Appears to conflict with F4. Until modified, the stipulated Federal Court order “the Warren Settlement Agreement” is the written policy that prevails and is therefore already implemented. Also implemented is 2022-07-21 Resolution 40-22 shelter crisis_plan.pdf. As noted in F4, the City’s means, methods and actions are tightly controlled and prescribed by the 30 Page Warren Settlement Agreement, the February 24, 2023, court order and by the results of countless informal conferences with Magistrate Judges and Plaintiffs Council and will remain so until changed by a Federal Court Order. See the 2022-07-21 Resolution 40-22 shelter crisis_plan.pdf, 2024-08-31 Chico Motion Pursuant to Rule 60.pdf and other referenced documents for additional information.

F4 Page 1

Due to the notification and site-clearing directions in the Settlement Agreement, the City of Chico is constrained in the handling of complaints regarding the unhoused. Response: Agree.

Related Recommendations (1)

Page 3

Chico City Council should provide clearly marked spaces in all Alternate Sites, using the dimension & pod layout directions in the Settlement Agreement by August 30, 2024. Response: Implemented in part. The Settlement Agreement does not contain “dimensions & pod layout directions” for the Alternate Site. A layout was devised for the Alternate Site and was implemented as described by the 2024-08-08 City of Chico Press Release - Alternate Site.pdf.

Agency Responses 1

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

City of Chico

September 17, 2024 • 4 pages • 10 responses • Score: -2 (+2, 3, -4) View Details ▾

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10 responses to findings and recommendations

Response: Disagree Score: -1

Disagree. The legal reasoning that served as the primary basis of Warren v. City of Chico and utilized in F1 was resoundingly rejected and overturned by the US Supreme Court in Johnson v. Grants Pass. And is more fully explained in 2024-07-17 City of Chico Press Release - Grants Pass.pdf, 2024-06-28 SCOTUS Johnson Grants Pass.pdf, and 2024-08-31 Chico Motion Pursuant to Rule 60.pdf F4. Due to the notification and site-clearing directions in the Settlement Agreement, the City of Chico is constrained in the handling of complaints regarding the unhoused. Response: Agree. R1: The Chico City Counci...

Response: Will Not Implement

Score: -1

The recommendation will not be implemented. Sufficient (more than weekly) internal coordination meetings regularly occur as well as extensive coordination with service providers and neighboring jurisdictions already exists. R2: The Chico City Council develop a written policy that will deal with how the city will address the unhoused by March 31, 2025. Response: The recommendation was implemented in January 2022. R2 Appears to conflict with F4. Until modified, the stipulated Federal Court order "the Warren Settlement Agreement" is the written policy that prevails and is therefore already implem...

Many unhoused individuals are unaware of 211 and the resources the hotline provides to the community. Response: Neither agree nor disagree as the level of awareness is unknown.

Response: Agree Score: +1

Neither agree nor disagree as the level of awareness is unknown. Responses of the Chico City Council to the 2023-2024 Grand Jury Report Page 2 of 4 R1: Chico City Council should consider rotating camp sites to improve and maintain the health and safety at each campsite by July 30, 2024. Response: The recommendation will not be implemented. This has been considered. However, no suitable alternative locations have been identified that meet the requirements of the Warren Settlement Agreement section 10 (m) and the spirit of the unexecuted Implementation Agreement. Also see response to R5, below....

Response: Requires Analysis

Score: 0

R5: The Chico City Council should expand shelter opportunities for unhoused people who currently live outside sanctioned shelter facilities by June 30, 2025. Response: The recommendation requires further analysis. Many millions of dollars have already been invested and are continuing with multi-million dollar per year operational costs that are defined and will be defined in the future by City Council budget priorities and budget deliberations. Very importantly the Grand Jury report fails to provide recommendations regarding where funding would be reduced to offset the costs of their undefined...

The Chico City Council should implement this written policy within all City departments that interface with the unhoused population by June 30, 2025. Response: The recommendation was implemented in January 2022. The involved departments are well aware of The City’s means, methods and actions that are tightly controlled and prescribed as detailed in the response to R2.

Response: Will Not Implement

Score: -1

below and to the 2024-08-08 City of Chico Press Release - Alternate Site.pdf. F2: Many unhoused individuals are unaware of 211 and the resources the hotline provides to the community. Response: Neither agree nor disagree as the level of awareness is unknown. Responses of the Chico City Council to the 2023-2024 Grand Jury Report Page 2 of 4 R1: Chico City Council should consider rotating camp sites to improve and maintain the health and safety at each campsite by July 30, 2024. Response: The recommendation will not be implemented. This has been considered. However, no suitable alternative loca...

Due to the notification and site-clearing directions in the Settlement Agreement, the City of Chico is constrained in the handling of complaints regarding the unhoused. Response: Agree.

Response: Agree Score: +1

Agree. R1: The Chico City Council direct the City Manager to develop and implement an internal committee specifically designated to interface with the unhoused population, current service providers and future county, state, and federal homelessness commissions by January 1, 2025. Response: The recommendation will not be implemented. Sufficient (more than weekly) internal coordination meetings regularly occur as well as extensive coordination with service providers and neighboring jurisdictions already exists. R2: The Chico City Council develop a written policy that will deal with how the city ...

Response: Implemented

Score: 0

Implemented in part. The Settlement Agreement does not contain "dimensions & pod layout directions" for the Alternate Site. A layout was devised for the Alternate Site and was implemented as described by the 2024-08-08 City of Chico Press Release - Alternate Site.pdf. R5: Chico City Council should ensure that care and maintenance supervision of current Alternate Site conforms to health and safety regulations by November 30, 2024. Response: This recommendation will not be implemented. Such a site does not, by its very nature conform with the most basic regulations for human habitation facilitie...

The Chico City Council should expand shelter opportunities for unhoused people who currently live outside sanctioned shelter facilities by June 30, 2025. Response: The recommendation requires further analysis. Many millions of dollars have already been invested and are continuing with multi-million dollar per year operational costs that are defined and will be defined in the future by City Council budget priorities and budget deliberations. Very importantly the Grand Jury report fails to provide...

Response: Will Not Implement

Score: -1

, below. R2: Chico City Council should direct the Target & Outreach Team to issue fresh assessments on current Alternate Site residents by July 30, 2024. Response: The recommendation will not be implemented. A "Target & Outreach Team" does not exist. Assessments are conducted by the Outreach & Engagement staff. Additionally, the situations of those assessed at the site are well known to the staff that interface with the residents on a regular basis. If a material change of circumstance occurs, staff recognizes those changes. Most assessments to the Alternate Site are based upon prior criminal ...

The City of Chico continues funding transitional and emergency housing programs. Response: The recommendation requires further analysis. The recommendation is vague and imprecise. The City of Chico has a long history of funding transitional and emergency housing programs. Specific financial support will be defined in the future by the availability of efficient and effective programs to fund, City Council budget priorities and City Council budget deliberations. See the 2023-12-19 Shelter Crisis D...

Response: Requires Analysis

Score: 0

and the 2024-08-31 Chico Motion Pursuant to Rule 60.pdf for additional information. R6: The City of Chico continues funding transitional and emergency housing programs. Response: The recommendation requires further analysis. The recommendation is vague and imprecise. The City of Chico has a long history of funding transitional and emergency housing programs. Specific financial support will be defined in the future by the availability of efficient and effective programs to fund, City Council budget priorities and City Council budget deliberations. See the 2023-12-19 Shelter Crisis Declaration S...

Response: The Grand Jury report requires a response to R7, however, the report does not contain recommendation number 7. Section 2, beginning at numbered . Note that the Findings and Recommendations are not numbered in the report. Numbers are applied herein. The Grand Jury findings and recommendations requiring a response and the response to each are as follows:

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

, however, the report does not contain recommendation number 7. ___________________________________ Section 2, beginning at numbered page 23. Note that the Findings and Recommendations are not numbered in the report. Numbers are applied herein. The Grand Jury findings and recommendations requiring a response and the response to each are as follows: F1: The City of Chico is responsible for allowing the appalling conditions at the Site due to neglect. Response: Disagree. Refer to Warren Settlement Agreement section 10 (m) for the complete description of the Alternate Site attributes and authoriz...