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Home My WebLink About06/07/2016 10 Homeless Location Options and UpdateBUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDASTATEMENT Item No. 10. For Meeting of: June 7, 2016 ITEM TITLE: Homeless location options and update SUBMITTED BY: Jeff Cutter, Interim City Manager Joan Davenport, AICP, Community Development Director (509) 576 -6417 SUMMARY EXPLANATION: At the May 25, 2016 City Council special meeting related to homeless issues, the Council requested staff examine alternative locations of City -owned land that may be suitable for a temporary homeless facility. Atotal of 5 properties are presented. In addition, this report also describes the urgent need to provide restroom facilities to the existing East Chestnut encampment. ITEM BUDGETED: NA STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Neighborhood and Community Building �t APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: Interim City Manager STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Review presented material and provide direction BOARD /COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: This item was discussed at the Neighborhood and Community Development Committee on May 19 and the Economic Development Committee on June 2, 2016. ATTACHMENTS: Description Upload Date Type D report 61212016 Coxer Me MEMORANDUM TO: Honorable Mayor Gutierrez and Members of the City Council Jeff Cutter, Interim City Manager FROM: Joan Davenport, Director of Community Development DATE: June 2, 2016 SUBJECT: Yakima Homeless Location Options and Urgent Action Needed Background for this report At the May 25, 2016 Yakima City Council special meeting, staff presented a draft resolution, contract, and related materials that would have initiated the establishment of a temporary location for a homeless encampment, sponsored by a faith -based organization on a city owned piece of land. There is currently between 20 to 40 people camping along the south side of East Chestnut Street between 6t" Street and the alley, adjacent to a residential neighborhood. There are no basic facilities available for these people including bathrooms, potable water, trash facilities and other basic human needs. For several weeks this encampment has been located in this area and continues to increase in the number of homeless persons. As previously presented to the City Council, the residents and businesses in this neighborhood have expressed concern and dismay that this encampment continues to exist. Numerous police - related calls and code complaints have been documented by the City and addressed to the limits of the law. Unfortunately, City police and code enforcement staff cannot remove the people and /or their belongings from public property unless there is an alternate location available, based upon a recent case (Jones v. City of Los Angeles). This information was detailed for City Council in the May 18, 2016 memorandum from Senior Assistant City Attorney Sara Watkins. The encampment continues to exist. This situation creates various urgent public health and safety concerns. While the City Council acknowledged this, analysis of additional locations for the temporary encampment was requested as soon as possible. Finding the Solution City staff have been meeting with representatives from various non - profit organizations to address this situation, as well as the general problems of homeless in the Yakima valley. All parties express commitment to finding an appropriate solution to this spontaneous encampment as a top priority. Unfortunately, the strategy for creating an alternative location or solution to the East Chestnut encampment has been a difficult process. The steps that are actively being pursued include, in the order of urgency: Pagel of 3 1. Provide the people in the encampment basic human needs as soon as possible to reduce the negative impacts to the neighborhood, 2. Identify immediate alternatives and funding to an encampment, such as motel vouchers. Various agencies are exploring this alternative. 3. Identify a location for an alternative encampment quickly. City owned land is limited for this purpose, but several locations are included in this analysis for review. A non -city location may be available but is not known at this time. 4. Identify an organization to sponsor the encampment and provide direct services as needed. Sunrise Outreach Center has volunteered to manage the temporary encampment, if one is developed. 5. Fund the establishment of the encampment facilities and over - sight. Funding for homeless issues is provided to the community through the "Filing Fee Revenue" program. Each of these five points above have multiple action steps. This problem has been the topic of a collaborative effort by various groups to find solutions in a timely manner. However, the most immediate need remains the provision of basic sanitation facilities at the current site to reduce the public health dangers and the extreme impact on the neighbors. During the day, Neighborhood Health has made bottled water and restroom facilities available to campers at "The Depot" site, 602 East Yakima Avenue. Neighborhood Health owns multiple land, parking lots and structures within the immediate vicinity of the East Chestnut encampment. Staff has been in discussion with representatives related to how to address the immediate need for basic sanitation facilities. The preferred location for immediate sanitation facilities would be on land owned and controlled by Neighborhood Health. This would allow supervision of the temporary facilities by an agency that is uniquely qualified to address the needs of the homeless. If necessary, the City may need to locate a temporary, portable sanitation facility on the East Chestnut street right of way. While this would provide a short term solution to the lack of facilities for this encampment, it will also create other negative neighborhood impacts. Funding the solution Funds for local programs to address homeless issues are provided by the State of Washington through the Filing Fee Revenue authorized by RCW 36.22.179; 43. 185C.060 and 43.185C.240. In addition, there are various Federal funds available to Yakima County by the HUD Continuum of Care program. Approval to use the homeless program funding for the purposes described in this memo will take approximately 30 days and must first be: • Endorsed by the City of Yakima • Approved by the Homeless Planning Policy Council • Approved by the Executive Committee of the Yakima Valley Conference of Governments • Approved by the Yakima County Commissioners Page 2 of 3 The replacement for the East Chestnut encampment may be able to wait for 30 days, but provision of sanitation facilities is a current and urgent need that must be addressed as quickly as possible. Evaluation of Alternate City Owned Sites At the May 25th City Council meeting regarding homeless issues, The City Council approved the Resolution and contract for services with Sunrise Outreach Center for management of a temporary homeless camp at a site to be determined. The Council articulated a few criteria that were a significant concern. Five locations were identified which were owned by the city and may be considered viable candidates for a temporary homeless facility. Consideration of City Owned Land Related to Temporary Homeless facility The matrix indicates some of the criteria necessary for evaluation. Additional information will be presented at the Council meeting related to these five sites. No recommendation is offered at this time for a temporary encampment site. Funding for the temporary encampment is not available until the end of June. In addition, funding and location for sanitation facilities at the current East Chestnut site is an urgent matter. Page 3 of 3 Tiger Fair Ave Race Bravo Co Wastewater EVALUATION CRITERIA Mart & 1-82 St Park Roundabout Plant field N 1st St ram p Is site NOT on a major entryway into City? N Y N N N Is site NOT near hospitality Services? N Y Y N Y Is site AWAY from a residential zone or uses? Y N N N Y Is site near a transit line? Y Y Y Y N Is site near human service providers? N N N N N Does site have public water and sewer? Y N N Y N Is site AWAY from a school or on a school Y Y Y Y Y walk route? Can site be fenced for security? Y Y Y Y Y Is there any shade? N Y Y N N Does site have any structures that could Y N N N N be used for accommodation? TOTAL "YES" Criteria 6 6 5 5 4 Consideration of City Owned Land Related to Temporary Homeless facility The matrix indicates some of the criteria necessary for evaluation. Additional information will be presented at the Council meeting related to these five sites. No recommendation is offered at this time for a temporary encampment site. Funding for the temporary encampment is not available until the end of June. In addition, funding and location for sanitation facilities at the current East Chestnut site is an urgent matter. Page 3 of 3