Agenda 12-06-21; 8-a - Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

28 1 Chair Price referred to the return to homelessness within 2 years, and asked if some 2 particular happened in 2019 to make the percentage so low and then go back up in 2020 and 3 2021. 4 Rachel Waltz said that is actually the number exited from homelessness to permanent 5 housing, not people returning to homelessness. 6 Chair Price asked if there is an idea of the number of people who will always be 7 homeless, because it is their choice or preference. 8 Rachel Waltz said this is a common question, but no one wants to be homeless; 9 however, shelter comes with a set of conditions that most people would not want for 10 themselves. She said permanent supportive housing is a best practice that has been around for 11 40 years now, and is designated for people who have experienced chronic homeless and have 12 a self-identified disability. She said there is large amount of research that people who are 13 permanently housed have better health outcomes, less interaction with criminal justice system, 14 more night housed, etc. 15 16 Commissioner McKee exited the meeting at 9:35 pm 17 18 Chair Price said there are people who just will not be housed for whatever reason, 19 whether to do with mental illness, or they just reject housing and would rather be homeless. 20 She asked if there is an idea of the percentage in this community. She said she did know one 21 person who preferred to camp in the woods, and did not want permanent housing. She said in 22 other locales, there are some people who remain homeless no matter what staff does, 23 Corey Root said it used to be acceptable in the field to say that some people just want to 24 be homeless and that is that; but now, in the work, there are a lot of people who are hard to 25 house, have barriers to housing entry and housing maintenance. She said there are no people 26 in this community who staff is not trying to continue to house, even if the answer is repeatedly 27 no. She said staff continues to have conversations about housing with people who may have 28 previously declined. She said if housing is offered with optional high quality case management, 29 where people can be in their own space and set their own rules, it is irresistible. She said this is 30 true nationwide as well. 31 Chair Price said she is glad to hear this. 32 Commissioner Greene said staff has always told her that if there are people who are 33 "choosing" to be homeless, it is not really their position, and it is the failure of the providers to be 34 reaching their needs. She said it used to be the broader feeling that some people prefer to be 35 homeless, or are unhelp-able, but there is more of an understanding that if one works hard 36 enough at it, people do want to be helped. 37 38 8. Consent Agenda 39 40 Removal of Any Items from Consent Agenda 41 42 Items 8-i and 8-j were moved from the consent agenda to the regular agenda at the start 43 of the meeting. 44 Commissioner Bedford asked to pull item 8-h from the consent agenda for discussion. 45 46 Commissioner McKee returned to the meeting at 9:40 pm. 47 48 A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Fowler, to 49 approve the remaining consent agenda. 50 51 Roll call ensued