Marin County Grand Jury
• 2024-2025
• Agency Response
Older Adults on the Brink of Homelessness: Time to Act is Now,
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⚠️ 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: F4, F5, F6
Findings and Recommendations 9 findings
F2
OAC does not have enough information to conclude that “the lack of a mandate for aging equity by the Marin County Board of Supervisors” leads to “the County not prioritizing the needs of adults aged 60 and above who are homeless or at risk of falling into homelessness.” OAC recognizes that the County’s work to prevent and end homelessness is a challenging mission pursued with too few resources to achieve it. There are many reasons why the needs of older adults do not get prioritized under the current system. For example, federal constraints in how homelessness resources are allocated may be as much of a barrier to “prioritizing the needs of adults aged 60 and above” as the lack of a County mandate for aging equity. However, the OAC does agree that a county mandate for Aging Equity would help to move the needle on this and other equity gaps facing older adults in Marin County. We also understand that to be effective, an Aging Equity mandate from the county would need to focus on outcomes, not access.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Agree. OAC would add that a county strategic plan for prevention should account for the differing needs of unique populations like older adults and avoid replicating the existing limitations of a one-size fits all approach to services and attaining equity therein.
F3
OAC agrees that the primary cause of homelessness in Marin County is the lack of affordable housing. As the Civil Grand Jury is no doubt aware, however, older adults face other pathways into homelessness that tend to be overlooked. These include things like the death of a partner, medical emergencies, physical disabilities, cognitive decline, and social isolation. While people of nearly any age might follow similar pathways into homelessness, these pathways are particularly common among older adults.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Disagree. Homelessness prevention blends CDA relevant issues like rent control and tenant protections with direct services like housing navigation and delivery of rent subsidies that are more suited to the capacities of HHS. Many counties have therefore created independent homelessness departments that exist in the space between HHS and CDA. OAC believes the county should consider strategies that would prevent prevention from being siloed in either CDA or HHS.
F7
OAC has no position as to whether the County Area Agency on Aging is appropriately positioned or resourced to meet its federal mandate.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7
Agree. OAC notes that while Doorway will help to streamline the housing application process it will not negate the need for case management services to support older people in applying for affordable housing.
F8
OAC would like to see the County pursue and secure more resources for homelessness prevention programs and services for adults aged 60 and above. Nonetheless, we have no basis on which to conclude that the County has lacked diligence in the pursuit of these resources.
No recommendations for this finding
F9
Agree. OAC cautions, however, that a Marin-specific analysis of the relative costs and benefits of investing in measures to prevent homelessness vs. investing in services for people who are already homeless may not be warranted. Existing research finds that [5] homelessness prevention is well worth the investment.
No recommendations for this finding
F10
Standardized assessment tools for homelessness prevention are in use in many other Bay Area counties, just not in Marin. In addition, any screening tool developed to identify older adults at risk of homelessness must specifically account for the distinctive risk factors that older adults face, and should be linked to services and supports specifically targeted to the needs of older adults. Again, these tools currently exist and are utilized in other Bay Area counties.
No recommendations for this finding
F11
OAC’s understanding is that the County is currently working to implement the Doorway program.
No recommendations for this finding
F12
Agree. The county has, however, provided nominal financial support for the Home Match program which provides such services. OAC encourages the county to increase its investment in these services in line with other jurisdictions like San Francisco where over $800,000/yr is invested in shared housing services.
No recommendations for this finding
F13
Agree. OAC notes, however, that the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services released a Request for Proposals on July 8, 2024 for $250,000 to provide shallow rent subsidies as an intervention for older adults (60+) experiencing homelessness who are not otherwise good candidates for rapid rehousing. This funding was set aside by the HPSC from the CoC allocation of Round 4 of the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program. It is designed as a short-term pilot program.
No recommendations for this finding
Conclusions 1
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CL1Thank you, again, for inviting the Older Adults Committee to comment on the Civil Grand Jury’s report. The Committee joins in and wishes to amplify the sense of urgency conveyed by the report. Older adults in Marin County are facing a crisis of homelessness. We urge the Board of Supervisors to, at a minimum, allocate funding to establish a shallow rental subsidy program before the end of the year. We want to recognize the extensive collaborative work of HCC staff and the network of community based organizations to deliver homelessness services in the county. OAC is confident that HCC staff would do an excellent job developing and implementing a prevention strategy if it were determined that HHS is the appropriate home for homelessness prevention. We recognize and appreciate the commitment of BOS, CXO and HHS in working diligently towards addressing homelessness in Marin County and look forward to working to support expansion of these efforts to address the unique needs of older adults in Marin who are at risk of homelessness. [1] Homeless Policy Steering Committee Governance Charter and Bylaws, approved by HPSC May 11, 2017, p. 3 [2] Report of the Marin Older Adult Committee (OAC) to the Homeless Policy Steering Committee (HPSC), August 2023, p. 3. [3] Ibid. [4] Ibid at 2. [5] See, e.g., David C. Phillips, James X. Sullivan; Do Homelessness Prevention Programs Prevent Homelessness? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial. The Review of Economics and Statistics 2023 (finding that communities get back $2.47 in benefits per net dollar spent on emergency financial assistance).