A Failure to Communicate – Restoring Trust and Accountability in Santa Cruz City Government

The inaccuracy of the HUD PIT Count results in significant numbers of homeless adults and children not being counted and therefore not receiving needed services. x AGREE PARTIALLY DISAGREE – explain the disputed portion DISAGREE – explain why Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): Agree. However, this is the HUD count methodology which we are required to utilize.

The lack of coordination between key stakeholders is a significant barrier to the efficient and capable implementation of homelessness solutions. x AGREE PARTIALLY DISAGREE – explain the disputed portion DISAGREE – explain why Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): Coordination between key stakeholders exists but is insufficient. There is regional coordination through the Homeless Action Partnership (HAP) that acts as the HUD mandated Continuum of Care. The HAP is a collaboration of the five jurisdictions in Santa Cruz County (the County and the Cities of Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Capitola, and Scotts Valley) along with homeless housing and services providers. There are also regional efforts to develop enhanced regional homeless governance options.

The public opposition to homeless solutions is partially due to a lack of education, engagement, and political will by City and County leadership. AGREE x PARTIALLY DISAGREE – explain the disputed portion DISAGREE – explain why Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): Over the past 20 years, City leadership has worked to understand and tackle the complex issue of homelessness. Beginning with the Homeless Issues Task Force (HITC) formed in the year 2000 to the most recent work of the Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness (CACH) that completed its work in 2020, City leadership has created, staffed, or participated in multiple efforts to educate and engage the public on the topic of homelessness and worked in an effort to reduce opposition to a wide variety of possible solutions in our community. Generally speaking, a lack of political will is defined retrospectively when looking at failed programs and initiatives. However, it is important to point out that while not all of

Santa Cruz County elected officials have been unable to combat NIMBYism, which is a significant barrier to getting projects approved and built to support the homeless. x AGREE PARTIALLY DISAGREE – explain the disputed portion DISAGREE – explain why Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree):

Inconsistent and unclear funding sources and processes inhibit the effective implementation of solutions that require long-term planning and sustained operations. x AGREE PARTIALLY DISAGREE – explain the disputed portion DISAGREE – explain why Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree):

The Homeless Action Partnership (HAP) is not organizationally equipped with the appropriate authority, structure, leadership, staff, training, or processes and, as a result, is ineffective in its mission of reducing homelessness. x AGREE PARTIALLY DISAGREE – explain the disputed portion DISAGREE – explain why Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): The HAP is a federally required COC for HUD recipients. Many of the homeless issues are outside the scope of the HAP. The ongoing work between our county governments is envisioned to strengthen local homelessness response and administration thereof.

There are parcels of land throughout the County that appear to be unused or underutilized and could possibly be used to build housing for the homeless. x AGREE PARTIALLY DISAGREE – explain the disputed portion DISAGREE – explain why Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree):

Santa Cruz County law enforcement response to homeless, addiction, and mental health issues has the potential to criminalize social, medical, and psychological conditions. This requires law enforcement to perform the role of social worker; a role for which they lack the resources and mental health training. x AGREE PARTIALLY DISAGREE – explain the disputed portion DISAGREE – explain why Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree):

There is a lack of leadership from County and City officials to engage the business community in exploring potential solutions to homelessness. AGREE X PARTIALLY DISAGREE – explain the disputed portion DISAGREE – explain why Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): City officials have engaged with the business community to not only explore potential solutions, but to work together to bring solutions to homelessness to the City of Santa Cruz. One most recent and notable example was the City’s engagement with the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz to learn about the nonprofit organization discussed in this Grand Jury Report, the Downtown Streets Team. Council members, city staff, business owners, community members and the Downtown Association worked together to educate themselves and others about this award winning and evidence- based work-experience program that helps people in their recovery from the state of homelessness. While engagement has occurred, there are opportunities for more.

Santa Cruz County and Cities, despite owning numerous parking lots, choose not to utilize their parking lots for safe parking programs, which results in an underutilization of resources that could help reduce homeless parking in neighborhoods and business districts. AGREE X PARTIALLY DISAGREE – explain the disputed portion DISAGREE – explain why Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): The City of Santa Cruz has been working with the Association of Faith Communities (AFC) to provide access to and use of city owned parking lots and other city-owned properties for the organization’s Safe Sleeping Parking Program. One such effort is described in this Grand Jury report, “witness testimony stated the Santa Cruz City Police Department provides an overnight parking program for three vehicles on a nightly basis in their downtown parking area.” Further research into this would have shown that the SCPD parking lot is, in fact, a designated space that the City has provided for AFC’s programming. More recently, the City has also been able to provide AFC with access to Lot #17 for additional capacity for the Safe Spaces parking program. The City of Santa Cruz encourages the County and neighboring cities to work with AFC to increase the capacity for the Safe Spaces parking program in our region.

Faith-Based Organizations are an underutilized resource in the effort to end homelessness. AGREE x PARTIALLY DISAGREE – explain the disputed portion DISAGREE – explain why Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): The City of Santa Cruz has been working in a collaborative way with the Association of Faith Communities in our mutual efforts to bring resources and solutions to those experiencing homelessness within the City. Should additional Faith-Based Organizations in the community have interest in sharing their time, energy, and talent to help our effort to end homelessness, the City of Santa Cruz would be more than receptive to engage with them.

Santa Cruz County lacks an organization that is accountable for tracking the cost of homelessness, allocating funding, and measuring the effectiveness of funding which results in the inability to make progress toward solving the homeless problem. x AGREE PARTIALLY DISAGREE – explain the disputed portion DISAGREE – explain why Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): Efforts to build capacity for accountable for tracking the cost of homelessness, allocating funding, and measuring the effectiveness of funding is ongoing. The County Human Services Department is launching a new Housing for Health Division in Fall 2020. The new Housing for Health Division will develop and track housing data and increase evaluation capacity.

If underutilized parcels of land throughout Santa Cruz County were identified, such as the area near Coral Street in Santa Cruz and the parcel adjacent to the County Government Mental Health Building in Watsonville, these parcels could potentially be used to increase the number of beds and services to support the homeless. x AGREE PARTIALLY DISAGREE – explain the disputed portion DISAGREE – explain why Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree):