City of Torrance, Staff Report on the Homeless Situation

Type:

Research & Studies

Summary of the Torrance Social Services Staff Report: Recommendation, Background and Analysis on the Subject of homelessness

RECOMMENDATION

Recommendation of the Social Services Commission that the City Council:

1. Accept and file proposed homelessness report by the Social Services Commission; and

2. Approve staff's recommendation that the Social Services Commission prioritize the creation of a City homeless plan, and return to Council for its adoption and for quarterly updates on progress;

3. Approve staff's recommendation to direct the City Manager to explore creating a Homeless Task Force comprised of City staff and partnering agencies.

BACKGROUND

At the City Council meeting on June 4, 2019, Councilman Mattucci sought the concurrence of his colleagues for staff to bring back an item to City Council so that the Council can discuss the growing number of people experiencing homelessness in Torrance. In particular, Councilman Mattucci requested an item so that the City can seek all legal options to help individuals experiencing homelessness to be off the streets and into programs to help them, seek all available resources and service providers, and look into what other cities are doing in regards to camping (public and private property) and generally living on the streets. Councilman Mattucci brought this up because he noted that some neighboring cities have completely neglected the issue of homelessness, and that there is plenty of funding available. He brought this matter to the Council to ensure that the City gets a head start on homeless issues.

At the Social Services Commission meeting on June 27, 2019, the Social Services Commission directed staff to produce a report, to be forward to City Council, which addresses the following areas:

1. A review of relevant laws related to homelessness, including ordinances other municipalities have adopted to address homelessness;

2. Findings of the Torrance Social Services Commission in its work with people experiencing homelessness;

3. Current action of Torrance Departments; and

4. Ideas the City may wish to adopt that will truly help people experiencing homelessness.

At the Social Services Commission meeting on September 26, 2019, the Social Services Commission approved the Homelessness Report prepared by staff, which includes the following components:

1. A summary of laws of local cities related to quality of life and homelessness. Staff reviewed public information from neighboring cities on ordinances that could be used in matters pertaining to quality of life. The ordinances identified in the report may or may not be used to the extent of addressing homelessness.

2. A summary of the Commission's work related to homelessness.

3. A summary of City efforts in addressing homelessness.

ANALYSIS

The Commission developed its workplan in 2016, which was received and filed by City Council on November 22, 2016. The workplan includes strategies for all four of the populations in the Commission's subject matter jurisdiction: people experiencing homelessness, veterans, adults with developmental disabilities and youth with special needs.

The Commission has spent a significant amount of time over the past few years working to understand homelessness and solutions. The Commission has gained a better foundational knowledge of homelessness in Torrance and throughout LA County in large part to the following partnering agencies, whom have presented to the Commission:

Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA)
South Bay Coalition to End Homelessness
Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative
Torrance Unified School District's Building Bridges Program
Harbor Interfaith Services
1736 Family Crisis Center
South Bay Family Promise

In the three years since the workplan was developed, homelessness has changed significantly. In response to this change, staff believes that now is an appropriate time to reconsider separating strategies to address homelessness from the remainder of the workplan.

Specifically, staff believes that creating a homeless plan would allow for community input in addressing quality of life issues related to homelessness. A homeless plan may also open the door for funding opportunities, as having an adopted homeless plan has been a criteria for receiving Measure H City Implementation funds.

The Los Angeles County Homeless Imitative issued an RFP in 2017 for municipalities to retain consultants using funds from Measure H to develop city homeless plans. City staff did speak to several prospective consultants to determine if pursuing these funds would be beneficial to our community at that time. Because the Commission already had a workplan that included, in part, strategies for addressing homelessness, staff did not apply for these funds.

In writing this report to City Council, staff reached out to the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) to query about potential funding, should the Council concur with the Commission's recommendation to create a homeless plan. Staff learned that at the end of October, the Homeless Initiative is requesting that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors aivide a portion of Measure H funds among the eight Council of Governments. Should the Board 3 of Supervisors concur with the Homeless Initiative's recommendation, SBCCOG will then recommend to its board in early 2020 to prioritize part of the SBCCOG's allocation to provide funds for Torrance to retain a consultant to create a homeless plan. In the SBCCOG, seven cities currently have a homeless plan, including Carson, El Segundo, Hawthorne, Hermosa, Inglewood, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach.

It should also be noted that cities across the United States may be affected by the pending outcome of the Martin vs. City of Boise court case. In summary, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that cities will not be able to punish or arrest people for sleeping on public property unless the cities provide adequate and relatively accessible shelter. The court explained it was unconstitutional to enforce such "camping" laws, as it was considered cruel and unusual punishment. The court decision, which was filed on April 1st, 2019, has since been affecting the legality of similar municipal codes enforced by law enforcement in the western United States. It should be noted that numerous cities, including the City of Torrance, have already filed amicus briefs asking the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge the case. Attachments 8, C, and D contain more information regarding the case.

Furthermore, while significant efforts are continually made by City departments to connect homeless individuals with services, the City has not had a coordinated effort to bring together all relevant City departments and community-based agencies to conduct outreach to people experiencing homelessness in Torrance. As such, the Commission is recommending that the City Council direct the City Manager to explore creating a homeless outreach team comprised of City staff and partnering agencies.

To read the full Social Services Commission Staff Report (138 pages), GO HERE