The Marin County Board of
Supervisors wants the grand jury to know that it is leading the search for
solutions to homelessness — and does not need a homelessness czar to help out.
The board, while taking issue
with much of a grand jury report on homelessness, agreed to track spending on
homeless issues across all county budgets and provide a clear fiscal report “in
the future.”
But supervisors flatly rejected
a jury finding that a leadership void exists on the homeless issue in Marin.
The jury report was titled, “Homelessness in Marin — A call for leadership.”
The jury said the Board of
Supervisors should assume leadership of efforts to eliminate homelessness, but
the supervisors contend they are already doing so. “This recommendation has
been implemented,” the county told the jury in a formal response.
Supervisors noted board members
co-chair a homeless policy steering committee but conceded “the board could
take a more active role,” and reported health officials will provide periodic
reports updating the status of plans to end homelessness. An update was issued
Tuesday by officials who noted spending of more than $15 million a year on a
variety of programs including mental health and housing, but added housing,
treatment and jobs remain challenging issues.
The jury’s call for appointment
of a “high ranking official with the authority to implement the ... plan to end
homelessness” and be accountable for results was rejected as “not warranted” by
the board.
The board said improving the
county response to the problem is a “top priority,” and noted it has placed
responsibility for health and welfare aspects of homeless services with Dr.
Grant Colfax, head of the Health and Human Services Department. Officials added
the health chief will identify improvements “necessary to better serve homeless
individuals in our community.”
A jury finding that the county
lacked a “coordinated, focused, systematic plan with a comprehensive budget to
eliminate homelessness in Marin” was rejected by the board. “The county has
taken the lead role in the development and implementation of the Marin County
Continuum of Care, a comprehensive 10-year plan to prevent and end homelessness
in Marin,” the board asserted.
“Homelessness is a complex
problem that requires a broad, multifaceted response by dozens of agencies
working in tandem,” the board added.
As for jury complaints that a
homeless policy analyst has little authority, the county “partially disagreed,”
saying the analyst coordinates services among government agencies. The county
also partially disagreed homelessness policy decisions are whipsawed by
government mandates and political pressure. It challenged a jury assertion that
most homeless are centered in San Rafael, saying about a third of the homeless
population is clustered in the San Rafael area.
Jack Nixon, foreman of the
grand jury who monitored the board session with other jurors, rose to the
podium to say that while policy did not allow him to comment on the jury report
which “speak for themselves,” he was able to comment on the county’s response.
He urged supervisors not to “devolve into self-congratulation about programs”
aiding the homeless but consider the jury’s finding that “somebody has to be in
charge of all that to make it work.”
Nixon, a former San Rafael city
councilman, also took issue with county assertions downplaying San Rafael as
the center of the homeless problem.
Nixon found an ally in
Supervisor Damon Connolly, also a former city councilman. “I agree with a lot
of what’s in the grand jury report,” Connolly said. “The county has to step up
and take the lead.”
Connolly, calling it a good
fiscal year to “evaluate what we can do better,” joined colleagues in
unanimously approving the grand jury response as written by the administration.
Solutions for homelessness have
been elusive for years, with the problem mushrooming since it became the focus
of attention at the Civic Center 35 years ago, when homeless people triggered
an uproar by camping on Civic Center grounds after officials pulled the plug on
a housing program.
July 1, 2015
Marin
Independent Journal
By
Nels Johnson
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