Score: +41 (46/4/5)
Sonoma County Grand Jury • 2019-2020

Sonoma County Has a Homeless Crisis Is There a Response Plan?

Published: June 23, 2020 18 pages
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Findings and Recommendations 10 findings

F1
The absence of a sufficient number of temporary shelters, including support services, is a primary factor in the consistently high number of unsheltered homeless in Sonoma County.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Leadership Council develop and implement a strategy for funding appropriate shelter space that addresses the needs of sub-groups within the homeless community by December 31, 2021. [F1, F2, F3, F9]
F2
For temporary shelter sites to adequately meet the needs of homeless individuals, temporary shelters must be geographically dispersed and designed to encompass the needs of different target demographics such as families, mentally and physically disabled and LGBTQ people.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Leadership Council develop and implement a strategy for funding appropriate shelter space that addresses the needs of sub-groups within the homeless community by December 31, 2021. [F1, F2, F3, F9]
F3
In dealing with the Joe Rodota Trail encampment crisis, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors did not follow a strategic planning process.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors direct the Leadership Council to develop policies and procedures to manage the homeless crisis on a Countywide and strategic basis by December 31, 2020. [F1, F2, F3, F4]
F4
Sonoma County does not yet have a countywide plan to address future homeless encampments.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors direct the Leadership Council to develop policies and procedures to manage the homeless crisis on a Countywide and strategic basis by December 31, 2020. [F1, F2, F3, F4]
F5
Because the Department of Health Services and the Community Development Commission were not, until January 2020, under single leadership, there was a lack of coordination of housing and supportive services.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
The Department of Health Services and Community Development Commission remain under single leadership. [F6]
F6
Currently, short-term federal and state block grants provide the majority of funding for homeless programs.
No recommendations for this finding
F7
The County has no method to track local funding for homelessness services. It therefore, has no metric to determine the effectiveness of these funds in reducing homelessness.
Related Recommendations (2)
R4
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors develop a funding source for consistent and predictable funding of homeless programs by December 31, 2021. [F7]
R6
The County of Sonoma Board of Supervisors direct the County Administrator to develop a methodology for tracking all costs of homeless services and programs across County agencies by June 30, 2021. [F8]
F8
The Leadership Council played no role in developing policies or procedures to respond to the Joe Rodota Trail crisis.
No recommendations for this finding
F9
The fact that the Leadership Council does not include members from all cities in Sonoma County limits its ability to develop policies on a truly County-wide basis.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The Leadership Council adopt a plan to deal with homeless encampment emergencies by December 31, 2020. [F9, F10]
F10
Neither the Leadership Council nor the Technical Advisory Committee has the resources necessary to adequately address the homeless crisis in Sonoma County.
No recommendations for this finding

Conclusions 1

Commendations 1

Agency Responses 5

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

No Responses Found 1

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

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