City of Lawrence, Kansas

COMMUNITY COMMISSION ON HOMELESSNESS

February 8, 2011 Minutes (Lawrence City Commission Room)

Members present: Hubbard Collinsworth, Brad Cook, Wes Dalberg, Karin Feltman, Charlotte Knoche, Samantha Snyder, Cary Strong

Members absent: Mike Monroe, Shannon Murphy

Staff present: Danelle Dresslar, Margene Swarts

Public present: Steve Cowan, Shannon Oury, Sara Taliaferro, Saunny Scott

The meeting was called to order at 8:30 am by Vice Chair Collinsworth.

ITEM NO. 1 Introductions

The members of the CCH introduced themselves.

ITEM NO. 2 Approval of the Agenda and the December 14, 2010 Minutes.

ACTION TAKEN

Motion by Knoche to approve the Agenda and the December 14, 2010 meeting minutes of the CCH. Seconded by Cook.

Motion passed unanimously.

ITEM NO. 3 Election of Chair and Vice Chair.

Collinsworth indicated that Murphy did not wish to continue as Chair of the CCH. He said that the Chair position presides over the meetings and works with staff to set the agenda.

Dalberg nominated Knoche for the position of Chair. Seconded by Feltman.

Collinsworth nominated himself for the position of Chair. Seconded by Knoche.

The CCH cast their vote for Chair via paper ballots. Knoche was elected Chair.

Feltman nominated Collinsworth for the position of Vice Chair. Seconded by Cook.

Cook nominated himself for the position of Vice Chair. Seconded by Strong.

The CCH cast their vote for Vice Chair via paper ballots. Cook was elected Vice Chair.

Chair-elect Knoche took over the meeting.

ITEM NO. 4 Bert Nash Update on Osawatomie State Hospital Patient Transportation – Eunice Ruttinger.

ITEM NO. 5 Receive 2010 Fourth Quarter and 2010 Annual Summary from Bert Nash Outreach Team.

Eunice Ruttinger from Bert Nash asked that Item Four and Item Five be discussed together as the information ties into each item. Knoche approved.

Ruttinger told the CCH that the Annual Report highlights that 692 people were seen in 2010. As in past years, 50% of the individuals seen by Bert Nash staff have mental illness and 38% have substance abuse disorders. Ruttinger said that in terms of outcomes that the important thing to look at is how this program has progressed. The program has helped individuals and families in the community get housing, maintain housing, and gain and keep employment. Ruttinger said that Bert Nash is most proud of the number of individuals that have been able to obtain and maintain housing. The agency works closely with the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority (LDCHA) and landlords. The number that shows how many individuals who maintained housing is 107 which is a good number. She mentioned other outcomes for last year included working with 35 folks incarcerated and 24 hospitalized in a psychiatric setting. Ruttinger said that Bert Nash also assists those who are discharged into homelessness from the jail and the psychiatric hospitals. Last year Bert Nash saw 19 that were discharged from hospitals into homelessness and 31 that were discharged from jail into homelessness.

Ruttinger said that it is not uncommon that most that are homeless that receive psychiatric care go to State hospitals including Osawatomie. Ruttinger said that there have been major shifts over the last few years and State hospitals are bringing people back to their home community upon discharge. This is part of the discharge planning process. The majority of people that are being transported to Lawrence that do not see a Bert Nash case manager upon discharge are typically involved in a Friday-Monday stay, so the case managers do not necessarily know that they have been in Osawatomie, and subsequently do not know that they are being discharged. When they come back to the community they always have an appointment. There are situations that people being transported do not come into Bert Nash’s building. Ruttinger acknowledged that event can happen. Additionally, if they come back to the community and they do not want to come for an appointment they can request another drop off location. Ruttinger said that Bert Nash does see people hospitalized who are homeless at the time. If they are homeless at the time and they go to the hospital they usually come back out homeless. Bert Nash tries to help them with assistance for their discharge, but cannot guarantee they will not be homeless when they are discharged.

In looking at the report Ruttinger said that Bert Nash is proud of things accomplished that were based on input from the CCH. She said they have changed their process in that they have an actual intake time and office hours. She said that it had been helpful as they now have an opportunity to return calls and maintain their case load intake. Bert Nash has also added a Masters student to assist the Outreach Team, have reestablished the monthly provider meeting, and effective January 17, the Outreach Team are entering all new client data into the HMIS system.

Cook said that one thing that may be affecting the number of folks that are discharged into homelessness from the State Hospitals is that Manhattan will not accept them into their emergency shelter upon release. He said that this may be adding to the number seen in Lawrence.

Feltman asked if the number of individuals housed and maintained was a carryover number from month to month.

Ruttinger said yes.

Dalberg said that when the Salvation Army was running their shelter, Osawatomie would drop folks off at the shelter without any notice. He said that he did not know if the Lawrence Community Shelter is experiencing this occurrence as well. He said that it was a problem because at the time they were not set up to do anything with them.

Ruttinger said that this occurrence has improved to some degree. She said that there was a position created at Bert Nash that just does hospital liaison work. If someone was at the shelter previously and want to go back, they make an effort to coordinate that.

Feltman said that the CCH has had discussions over last few meetings about speaking to Osawatomie about having a structured drop off point. She said that patients can request where they are dropped off now. She asked Ruttinger if she thought that there can be a change in procedure for a starting and ending point so the van driver is not driving all around the community.

Ruttinger said that this situation of where the patient is dropped off depends on driver.

Feltman said that she envisioned it working similar to an airport shuttle that goes from point A to point B.

Ruttinger said that the majority of patients are dropped off at Bert Nash. She said that they do not have the power to change the policy but they can begin a discussion. Ruttinger said that sometimes this is not as flexible as it could be because it is dealing with patient rights.

Dalberg said that when they are in transportation provided by Osawatomie, Osawatomie should be able to dictate where they are dropped off.

Ruttinger said that she can make that request to them.

Feltman added that it would be safer for drivers and others in the vehicle to be on a designated route. She said she looks at this as a safety issue as well.

Cook said that the Bert Nash hospital liaison said the communication has gotten better with coordination of dropping folks off at the shelter.

Knoche asked about the discharged number in the annual report and asked if it designated different folks or potentially the same due to multiple hospitalizations.

Cook said most of the time it is a unique individual, however the annual number may have duplicates. He said that the number is comprised of discharges and not individuals.

ITEM NO. 6 HPRP Program Update – Steve Cowan.

Cowan said that he asked to be put on the agenda to bring the CCH up to date on the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing (HPRP) program. He said that the City of Lawrence and the LDCHA were awarded the $648,000 grant in November of 2009. Since then 325 have applied for help with both programs and 217 have been determined eligible for assistance. Cowan said that there have been 38 rapid re-housing and 179 prevention clients assisted. He indicated that LDCHA has approximately $258,000 left in the original grant. Cowan said that at the current expenditure rate LDCHA will expend all funds around October. He said that so far LDCHA has met the target for the number they wanted to serve, even going over the projected target for prevention. Cowan said that a change in definitions have affected the re-housing portion of the grant, and HMIS changes have prevented LDCHA from serving a lot of families they thought they would be able to help. Cowan said the LDCHA knew it was a time limited grant from the beginning. He said they are anticipating with the cold weather rule there will be a big demand for utility assistance.

Strong asked where he could find a copy of the program rules.

Cowan said he would forward the document to Dresslar to disperse to the CCH. He said that the City and LDCHA originally applied for $2.5 million in ARRA funds for the program. Cowan said that HPRP is a nationwide program that is administered state by state. LDCHA structured their program in that they wanted to serve ten families for prevention and five families for rapid re-housing each month. This program is to provide short term assistance. As he mentioned previously, a lot of those who they anticipated being able to help are restricted by HMIS. He said he is the program director, they have one social worker on staff as well as two part time office assistants. When someone is looking to be assisted by the program, LDCHA meets with them and does an assessment. At this assessment they look at strengths as well as housing barriers and work with the individual to come up with a plan. LDCHA has partnered with Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc. and works with those who are eligible for services. Those who are eligible are required to attend a two hour class. After they attend class LDCHA will make pledges to landlords or utility companies for assistance. HPRP can go two months back for rent and utilities. The funding also has the ability to go forward with payments as well. As mentioned, LDCHA has been hitting the anticipated numbers of those obtaining assistance. Additionally LDCHA works to try to connect people to other services in the community. After they are assisted by the HPRP office they also provide follow up. This program is set up as one-time assistance.

Knoche asked how long the clients can access the case management services.

Cowan said that they can access follow up case management for up to a month after they come to the class and LDCHA makes the pledges in homelessness prevention. He said it is not uncommon for the office to get calls from those previously helped in the program. He said that they have been doing what they can to help with referrals. Cowan said that they learned early on if they keep following people they cannot do justice to those who are in need of more intensive services. In rapid re-housing, they look at the opportunity for long term housing stability. Additionally, LDCHA has to follow grant parameters as well as LDCHA rules. They can only lease up in units where rent and utilities are less than 50% of the renter’s income. For this they are able to provide follow up for three months post lease up. They have to try to demonstrate that people will be homeless but for this assistance. They require detailed budgets and documentation as the clients must use money that is freed up to stabilize.

Swarts said that the City partnered with LDCHA on this program, and when one thinks about the money originally received the numbers seem a little low, but the program was designed that way so LDCHA can provide the services. The success rate for what they are doing is very good. The premise of the program was the client’s ability to stay housed. LDCHA is putting them in housing and doing what they can to keep the client there. It is a hard population to get housed and keep housed. The program is not just putting people somewhere to live with no regard for whether they can maintain the housing.

Cowan said to actually stabilize housing for this population one has to have small enough case loads to effectively case manage.

Swarts said that this program was just a piece of the larger puzzle. The Vision has the Emergency Shelter part and the Transitional Housing part, and this is another piece that goes together with the big picture. There is not ever one solution.

Knoche said that this program fits in with progressive Vision. She said that it really fits in stabilization and permanent housing. It is the importance of keeping those stable in housing that are on the verge of tipping into homelessness.

Cowan said that they are focusing on letting folks know all the housing opportunities in the community. They are serving the County as well. If the client is low income then they have the 50% mandate for rent and utilities. If the client’s gross income is low they will need subsidy. HPRP is very user friendly regarding the application process, although it does require lengthy documentation. One piece of the program is helping clients fill out the application and listing what is needed. Cowan said that they are adapting as they go along. They have seen a need for an increase in funds for case management. Agencies like ECKAN received ARRA funding for case managers, and up until recently ECKAN had three case managers and the program director. Now they are down to only the program director.

Knoche asked what all the funds can be used for.

Cowan said that nationwide the funding can be used for all kind of things. Within the LDCHA HPRP program, Homelessness Prevention can include up to two months of arrears for direct rent or direct utilities. They work to negotiate with landlords and utility companies on charges and late fees. After this, one month rent going forward can be used. For Rapid Re-Housing, funds can be used for utility deposits, rental unit deposits, and up to three months rent. LDCHA tries to use as little as they need in order to stabilize the client. LDCHA set up limits at the beginning, but have found that with larger families they cannot be stabilized with the limits originally imposed.

Collinsworth said that he understood this funding was a one shot affair for $648,000. He asked if the CCH could take this as a recommendation for funding to the City Commission and say “this program works so funding should be sustained”. Additionally, the CCH can also advocate adding this to legislative sessions.

Swarts said that would be something that the CCH can recommend. She said there is currently additional money at the State level in reallocated funds for HPRP. The City applied for additional funding but the State decided that the structure of the current program and expenditure of funds did not warrant additional funding at this time. The City and LDCHA are looking at how the program could be changed to make a better case for the local need for additional funding.

Swarts noted that she was unsure there was local wherewithal to budget from the General Fund for a program such as this. With the local economic climate, the City Commission has not been interested in adding additional programs to the City budget. It will likely take the economy to turn around and sales tax numbers and property values to increase before that can be potentially explored.

Knoche asked if there was renewal funding available for this grant.

Swarts said no. Locally we need to demonstrate how we can spend the additional funding and then we can apply for more. As mentioned, the LDCHA is looking at possible program restructure to allow for greater expenditures. She said that when that pot of money is gone at the state level, it is gone.

ITEM NO. 7 Discuss First Draft goals and Action Items from CCH Retreat and Determine Calendar for Action Plan Implementation.

Taliaferro said that at the retreat the CCH tentatively agreed to focus on the first five items in the draft goals. She said that in reading through the document there is still work needed to fine tune it. The CCH has the ability to pull some “goals” out as overarching statements. There should also be a measure of feasibility or sustainability. There are items under all of the headings that are action items. Taliaferro suggested having one more session to refine the goals and action items.

Swarts said the CCH could look at one more retreat to determine how to proceed, structure and implement their action items through the next year. Staff can work on By-laws and the Resolution. Staff needs to talk to the Legal Department and see if the document will be a new Resolution or if it just incorporates changes only. Staff will work with Legal and place this item on a future agenda.

Knoche asked the CCH if they wanted to have a follow up retreat to establish the goals and direction of the CCH.

The CCH agreed they wanted to meet and agreed upon Wednesday, February 16, 2011 from 8 to 10:00 am.

Knoche said that everyone on the CCH needs to look at this document carefully. The goal should be to divide between the things the CCH needs to do and the goals set for the community. Some of these items are things that as an advisory board the CCH needs to do. Other items are more that the CCH would like to see in the community. At the retreat the CCH can organize the implementation of these goals and actions.

Collinsworth asked if anyone had an idea of where LCS stands on their relocation process.

Cook said that LCS had a court date scheduled on February 1, but because of the snow that day the court was closed. He said the judge has a month to make a decision after hearing the arguments, but he was unsure of the reschedule date for the hearing. He said that he knows that the Judge is aware that LCS needs to purchase the building by March 31. Hopefully, the lawsuit should be resolved by then.

Knoche asked if the CCH can ask for an update from LCS at the March meeting.

Swarts said yes and that staff will contact Loring Henderson. She said that the shelter is poised for a positive outcome. LCS was able to secure an earmark for part of the acquisition funds. The process is complete in terms of Environmental Review requirements, federal approval, publications, and release of funds. The Shelter is ready for this relocation effort. In addition, the City has set aside some CDBG-R funding towards acquisition. As soon as this decision is finalized in a positive way, those funds will be requested. Henderson has already contacted HUD regarding the process to access the earmarked funds when all is approved. At this point, everything is hinging on the legal decision.

ITEM NO. 8 Miscellaneous/Calendar.

There were no additional items.

ITEM NO. 9 Public Comment.

Ericka Shear spoke about the “Change of Heart” newsletter. She said that the Coalition for Homeless Concerns has been administering the publication of the newsletter; however the printer is unable to continue subsidizing the printing costs. Shear asked if the CCH had any funds, or had knowledge of any funds to help subsidize the printing costs.

Swarts asked how many copies the newsletter would be.

Strong said that it runs at about 1200 copies three times a year.

Swarts said that through the City’s CDBG Citizen Participation funds, this has been the type of thing that staff have helped with in the past. She said staff can work with Shear for one printing run on the newsletter. She reminded everyone that the City is not a printer, so the print run would just be on the department copy machine. Last time staff helped with this type of project there were volunteers present from the requesting agency to fold the newsletters. Swarts said that the City is happy to help work with them for the next issue while they are looking for a long term solution. Swarts said that the CCH does not have any funds at their disposal, however individually the members may be able to provide references.

Feltman said that she could check with the print shop at the hospital.

Snyder suggested that splitting up the newsletters among several groups might be an option. She said that possibly churches could work together and can each do a handful. She said that she would check on this possibility.

Knoche asked if they had approached other printers.

Shear said that they had. She said that they do have some funds, but the final printing is about a $1 per copy, and this is more than they have available for funding.

Knoche said that the CCH can endorse or recommend the project for funding sources, but they do not apply for City funds.

Swarts said that the City sends out most of their printing, but because the City has CDBG funding for citizen participation, help can be provided in the interim. She noted that this could not be an ongoing project and the City will not want to take it on either.

Feltman asked what the purpose of the newsletter was.

Shear said that it is used for outreach to the community to keep them informed about homelessness issues.

Cook added that people who are homeless or previously homeless can submit the material that is in the newsletter. In addition, they are able to make a little money. The newsletter is sold downtown for $1. The person selling the newsletter keeps $.75. The newsletter keeps $.25.

Strong said that the newsletter is for homeless as well as low income people. The document contains resources for pantries and shelters and is a very educational piece.

ITEM NO. 10 Adjourn.

Motion by Cook to adjourn the February 8, 2011 meeting of the CCH. Seconded by Feltman.

Motion passed unanimously.

Attendance Record

Members

01/11

02/11

03/11

04/11

05/11

06/11

07/11

08/11

09/11

10/11

11/11

12/ 11

Hubbard Collinsworth

Brad Cook

Wes

Dalberg

Karin Feltman

Charlotte Knoche

Mike

Monroe

Shannon Murphy

Samantha Snyder

Cary Strong

X Meeting Cancelled Due to Inclement Weather