Form revised: December 14, 2010

FISCAL NOTE FOR NON-CAPITAL PROJECTS

Department:	Contact Person/Phone:	CBO Analyst/Phone:
Legislative	Traci Ratzliff/4-8153

Legislation Title:

A RESOLUTION regarding services for homeless people who may not currently be served by the existing shelter system; and creating a work plan and timeline for analyzing alternatives and recommending actions that meet the long term housing and immediate survival and safety needs of homeless people who do not have access to safe shelter.

Summary of the Legislation:

This legislation indicates the City Councils intent to review alternatives to the Mayor’s proposed homeless encampment at Sunny Jim beginning on or after July 31, 2011.  This review will begin after receipt of the Human Services Department’s report to Council on the City’s current shelter system that may include recommendations for improving the service to homeless people who may not be well served by our current system, working individuals, victims of domestic violence, among others. This report is due at the end of May. Alternatives to be considered, include but are not limited to: (1) renovating Fire Station 39 as a possible long-term shelter or housing facility; (2) working with faith-based communities to support shelter space in church buildings or parking lots, or on City land leased to churches; (3) purchasing another motel similar to the Aloha Inn to provide transitional housing; (4) providing additional rent assistance vouchers; (5) considering an encampment at a location such as those sites reviewed by the Citizen Review Panel that preferably will not require Comprehensive Plan or land use code amendments; and (6) modifying the City’s existing shelter service contracts to address any shortcomings identified in the HSD and Council reviews. The Council will review the legal and policy constraints and feasibility and costs of each alternative.

This

Background:

Mayor McGinn has proposed establishing a homeless encampment on City owned property known as the “Sunny Jim” site.  There are many legal and policy challenges related to this proposal. As a result, the Council wants to consider alternatives that can be implemented more quickly and can provide the needed services that will move people from  homelessness to housing without needing to overcome the legal and policy challenges associated with the Mayor’s proposal.  This legislation establishes the work plan and timeline for the Council’s consideration of such alternatives.

Please check one of the following:

__x__ This legislation does not have any financial implications.

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