Sunday, August 28, 2016

[Solano County] Solano panel: Drop-in centers won’t cut number of homeless

FAIRFIELD — Drop-in day centers will not decrease the number of unsheltered individuals, says a joint powers authority of six cities in Solano County and county government, which instead supports permanent housing for the homeless.
Community Action Partnership Solano takes issue with a grand jury report that it work with the Board of Supervisors, Department of Health and Social Services drop-in center.
The grand jury, in its June 15 report “Homelessness – Omnipresent and Invisible?” recommends the agencies establish a drop-in center or permanent, year-round shelter.
Community Action Partnership, which oversees up to $500,000 allocated yearly to agencies seeking to end poverty and homelessness, responded Wednesday to grand jury recommendations including the drop-in center.
Agencies that are the subjects of grand jury reports are required to respond in writing by Sept. 8.
Community Action Partnership also took issue with the grand jury finding that no significant changes in the number of permanent, emergency and transitional beds have been made since 2008.
The joint powers authority said it has worked to increased federal Housing and Urban Development funds as well as Community Services Block Grant money.
An unprecedented nearly $2 million was received in 2015 and the funds were targeted to housing, the group said in its grand jury response.
Community Action Partnership Solano contracts with the federal Housing and Urban Development agency to oversee $1.2 million for services to homeless individuals and families.
Representatives of Fairfield, Suisun City, Vacaville, Vallejo, Benicia and Rio Vista – along with the county – serve on the board for the partnership, which met Thursday in Fairfield.
Fairfield City Council members at their Aug. 16 meeting approved a response to the grand jury that includes Fairfield stating the city began in 2015 to track costs attributed to the homeless and continues to do so.
Recommendations by the grand jury included that all cities in Solano County assess costs of homelessness.
August 27, 2016
Fairfield Daily Republic
By Ryan McCarthy


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