Blog note: this article references a grand jury report.
As Monterey County continues to grapple with rising homelessness, its former head of social services is stepping in to help following the resignation of the area's top homeless resource coordinator.
Effective July 15, Elliott Robinson will replace Katherine Thoeni as the Coalition of Homeless Services Providers' top administrator until a replacement is found, a news release announced Thursday. He will also assist in selecting a new leader, expected by September.
Thoeni recently resigned after five years. Coalition officials cited the matter as a personnel issue and declined further comment.
The coalition is the federally designated Continuum of Care, or CoC, provider tasked with addressing homelessness in Monterey and San Benito counties. It's made up of nonprofit organizations and public agencies working on issues related to homelessness along with housing and supportive services.
Under her leadership, Thoeni promoted the coalition's expansion to include San Benito County's CoC, a master list that refers vulnerable homeless people and families into housing first, and a recent $12.5 million award from California's Homeless Emergency Assistance Program, the release said. That funding will help pay for Salinas' new overnight shelter on Natividad Road.
Robinson retired last August from director of the Monterey County Department of Social Services after seven years.
In addition to crafting local and state policy, Robinson served in executive positions on the County Welfare Directors Association, National Council of Local Human Services Administrators, and the state's Interim Statewide Automated Welfare System Consortium, per the release.
The coalition is also tasked with administering the biennial Point-In-Time census of local homeless populations.
While this year's count is expected to be released later this month, the 2017 census showed 2,837 people experiencing homelessness in Monterey County, an increase.
Close to half lived in Salinas, which saw a 57% spike in homelessness from 2015.
But as Thoeni said in January when the 2019 count was done, the Point-In-Time only measures the U.S. Housing and Urban Development's definition of homelessness, considered more narrow.
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, however, is a separate, broader view of homelessness that includes those living in crowded "doubled-up" housing.
The McKinney-Vento law provides funding so identified students receive counseling, referrals, school supplies, clothes and transportation, among other services.
Monterey County has one of the highest McKinney-Vento populations in California, and Salinas City Elementary School District had more than one in three students qualified as homeless.
Elliott Robinson, Monterey County's Director of Social Services, talks about what he likes about his job. Amy Wu
The coalition has received criticism for its administration of services in the region. A 2018 Monterey County Civil Grand Jury report argued it was too understaffed to address rising homelessness.
Jurors added greater leadership and collaboration are needed to ameliorate homelessness and housing insecurity in the county.
“The complexity of homelessness requires long-range committed regional planning in addition to coordinated social services,” the report said. “Political leadership is required for the higher-level decisions and policy actions needed to meaningfully address homelessness.”
July 11, 2019
Salinas Californian
Eduardo Cuevas
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