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28 <br /> Corey Root said it was going to be an ask from Town of Chapel Hill, for a fancy port-a- <br /> potty with some tracking technology to understand how often it is used, etc. <br /> Chair Price referred to the return to homelessness within 2 years, and asked if some <br /> particular happened in 2019 to make the percentage so low and then go back up in 2020 and <br /> 2021. <br /> Rachel Waltz said that is actually the number exited from homelessness to permanent <br /> housing, not people returning to homelessness. <br /> Chair Price asked if there is an idea of the number of people who will always be <br /> homeless, because it is their choice or preference. <br /> Rachel Waltz said this is a common question, but no one wants to be homeless; <br /> however, shelter comes with a set of conditions that most people would not want for <br /> themselves. She said permanent supportive housing is a best practice that has been around <br /> for 40 years now, and is designated for people who have experienced chronic homeless and <br /> have a self-identified disability. She said there is large amount of research that people who are <br /> permanently housed have better health outcomes, less interaction with criminal justice system, <br /> more night housed, etc. <br /> Commissioner McKee exited the meeting at 9:35 pm <br /> Chair Price said there are people who just will not be housed for whatever reason, <br /> whether to do with mental illness, or they just reject housing and would rather be homeless. <br /> She asked if there is an idea of the percentage in this community. She said she did know one <br /> person who preferred to camp in the woods, and did not want permanent housing. She said in <br /> other locales, there are some people who remain homeless no matter what staff does, <br /> Corey Root said it used to be acceptable in the field to say that some people just want to <br /> be homeless and that is that; but now, in the work, there are a lot of people who are hard to <br /> house, have barriers to housing entry and housing maintenance. She said there are no people <br /> in this community who staff is not trying to continue to house, even if the answer is repeatedly <br /> no. She said staff continues to have conversations about housing with people who may have <br /> previously declined. She said if housing is offered with optional high quality case management, <br /> where people can be in their own space and set their own rules, it is irresistible. She said this is <br /> true nationwide as well. <br /> Chair Price said she is glad to hear this. <br /> Commissioner Greene said staff has always told her that if there are people who are <br /> "choosing" to be homeless, it is not really their position, and it is the failure of the providers to <br /> be reaching their needs. She said it used to be the broader feeling that some people prefer to <br /> be homeless, or are unhelp-able, but there is more of an understanding that if one works hard <br /> enough at it, people do want to be helped. <br /> 8. Consent Agenda <br /> • Removal of Any Items from Consent Agenda <br /> Items 8-i and 8-j were moved from the consent agenda to the regular agenda at the start <br /> of the meeting. <br /> Commissioner Bedford asked to pull item 8-h from the consent agenda for discussion. <br /> Commissioner McKee returned to the meeting at 9:40 pm. <br />