City of Marina*

Homelessness is a bigger problem in the County than the biennial homeless census would suggest. Response: The City agrees with the finding. The City does not track nor have an accurate count on the number of homeless in Marina. Serving a World Class Community

The County's homeless problem has the potential to get worse if we do not invest in accessible housing solutions. Growing housing insecurity will only increase demand on our underfunded, over-stressed public services. Response: The City agrees with the finding. The City is already seeing a growing demand on underfunded public services related to the homeless problem.

The County's strategy for addressing homelessness needs a clearer focus, accountable leadership, and enhanced capacity. Response: The City agrees with the finding. The homeless problems countywide are continuing to grow, stronger leadership to address this problem is critical.

Structuring the Continuum of Care administrator as a 501©3 nonprofit organization is conducive to securing funding and coordinating homeless services. However, a nonprofit organization cannot establish public policy and planning needed to end homelessness. Response: The City agrees with the finding. While the City is not directly involved with the Continuum of Care, it believes this would be a good program for securing funding and coordinating homeless services.

The County has unofficially established the Coalition of Homeless Service Providers as the central organization for addressing homelessness. Making any non-profit the center of homeless solutions effectively creates the perception there is governmental leadership when there is, in fact, no formal political leadership. This arrangement provides elected officials with a way to avoid accepting political responsibility for addressing homelessness. Response: The City partially disagrees with the finding. While the City agrees that the Coalition of Homeless Service Providers does not provide the best avenue for cities to work together to address the homeless problem, it does not believe the arrangement is a way for Marina's elected officials to avoid accepting responsibility for addressing homelessness. Because the structure of the Coalition of Homeless Service Providers is without political leadership, it does not have policy making power. Even when our elected officials have attended Coalition meetings, they have no authority to provide direction and end up being at the meeting only to gather information.

The Coalition of Homeless Service Providers is a small nonprofit that does not have sufficient capacity to administer the County's strategic plan to end homelessness and its continuum of care for both Monterey and San Benito counties. It does not provide political leadership to coalesce public support and government commitments around a concrete action- plan to end homelessness. Response: The City agrees with the finding.

The composition of the Leadership Council and its location within the Coalition of Homeless Service Providers has affected the focus of the leadership council. The Leadership Council's critical opportunity of generating and executing a strategic plan to end homelessness has narrowed to providing oversight of the Continuum of Care. Response: The City agrees with the finding.

The structure of the Leadership Council does not provide authority to design and execute a regional plan to end homelessness, and it does not support full public accountability for meeting stated targets. Response: The City agrees with the finding.

Political leadership is necessary to secure public support, enact policy and planning decisions that capitalize on state legislation, and execute a regional homeless plan. Response: The City agrees with the finding. As an example, the City of Marina has taken a leadership role working with the County in implementing a regional safe overnight parking program for the homeless at the County's Coastal Office located at 2616 First St. in Marina. This happened independent of other cities and with the political leadership support of the Marina Mayor and City Council.

Government decision-making is essential for making choices about resource commitments. Response: The City agrees with the finding.

To meaningfully change the course of homelessness and housing insecurity, there must be a regional approach to homelessness and the creation of a new governing body with the power to oversee implementation of the plan. Response: The City agrees with the finding. It is critical that each City be involved in working with the County to address homelessness.

The strategic plan to end homelessness serves as an informal guide rather than a definitive regional plan. It needs to be updated and fully implemented. Response: The City agrees with the finding.