DATE: June 6, 2019
TO: Homelessness-Housing Task Force
FROM: Deputy City Manager
SUBJECT
Title
Update on the Hayward Housing Navigation Center and Provide Feedback on the Proposed Policy Approach for Prioritizing Future Residents of the Center
EndRECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That the Task Force reviews and provides feedback on the proposed approach for prioritizing the residents for the Hayward Housing Navigation Center.End
SUMMARY
On January 22, 2019, the City Council approved implementing and funding the Hayward Housing Navigation Center (Center) to provide integrated and targeted outreach, short-term housing, as well as case management and housing placement services to homeless individuals in Hayward. Since that approval, Bay Area Community Services (BACS), a Bay Area nonprofit highly qualified in operating comparable centers, was selected as the operator for the Center, and significant progress has been made on site development. The target date for opening the Center is Fall 2019.
Staff is continuing to secure outside funding sources, through finalizing the contract with Alameda County for the State awarded one-time Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) funding, and through pursuing grant applications, such as Proposition 47 funding. Additionally, progress has been made on site development: the site has been cleared; sidewalks have been installed along all street-facing sides of the property; and inside paving and utility connections will be complete by July 2019. Lastly, staff continues to undertake community engagement work on implementation of the Center, including at the Community Services Commission meeting on February 20, 2019, and a community meeting in the industrial area on April 24, 2019.
In anticipation of opening the Center this fall, it is important to determine which homeless individuals in Hayward will be targeted for the initial and ongoing available 45 beds at the Center. Staff recommends prioritizing placement by conducting outreach and placement in the Center to homeless residents of Hayward in areas that are highly impacted by homelessness, measured through data collected from Access Hayward and the experiential knowledge of Hayward Police Department and Maintenance Services staff. Using these data sources, staff have identified several geographic regions in Hayward that are highly impacted by homelessness that BACS should focus outreach in.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I Staff Report
Attachment II Site Development Photos
Attachment III Hayward Navigation Center Conceptual Plan
Attachment IV Map of Highly Impacted Areas