Title
The State of Homelessness in Gainesville -- Continuum of Care and Vulnerability Assessment (B)
This item is a request for the City Commission to direct the City Manager to work with staff to participate in the regional Continuum of Care, designated as FL-508, and conduct a vulnerability assessment to update the plan to end homelessness. **ESTIMATED STAFF PRESENTATION 5 MINUTES**
Explanation
The Continuum of Care is a community plan to organize and deliver housing and services to meet the specific needs of people who are homeless as they move to stable housing and maximum self-sufficiency. It includes action steps to end homelessness and prevent a return to homelessness. The U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is designed to promote communitywide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, and State and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness; promote access to and effect utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families; and optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
An effective Continuum of Care system is coordinated. It not only includes the fundamental components identified by HUD, but also the necessary linkages and referral mechanisms among these components to facilitate the movement of individuals and families toward permanent housing and self-sufficiency. It balances available capacity in each of its key components and provides a framework that is both dynamic and responsive to changing needs over time.
In addition, a COC system should include a focus on homelessness prevention strategies and services. A comprehensive CoC plan considers the needs of all people who are homeless. The North Central Florida Continuum of Care serves a five county area (Alachua, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy, and Putnam) and will conduct its annual point-in-time survey of the homeless population at the end of January. A vulnerability assessment could be made in Gainesville/Alachua County to research the most critical needs of the local homeless population; the results assessed to update the City’s plan to end homelessness.
Fiscal Note
There is no fiscal impact from hearing and discussing this issue.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) appoint a person at policy-making level (a Commissioner or Mayor) to sit on the Continuum of Care Governance Board; 2) direct the City Manager to appoint appropriate staff to participate in various sub-committees to be established in order to implement the policies set forth by the Continuum of Care Governance Board; and 3) convene a work group to conduct a vulnerability assessment to develop a five-year plan to address the immediate homeless needs and work with the Continuum of Care to develop a 10-year a plan to end homelessness.