Title
Supervisor Thomas recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Allocate up to $115,000 for The Winter Lodging Program with Housing El Dorado to provide one-time funding support for the Nomadic Shelter, and finding that such funding will provide a public benefit by housing vulnerable citizens and preserving life;
2) Direct staff to work with the El Dorado Food Bank to see if they can supply any needed items, thereby reducing General Fund impact; and
3) Direct staff to return on February 8, 2022 with a budget transfer from General Fund Contingency along with a Funding Agreement with El Dorado Community Foundation as the fiscal agent for Housing El Dorado for Board approval.
FUNDING: General Fund Contingency.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
As El Dorado Opportunity Knocks Continuum of Care (EDOK CoC) anticipates the release of the Strategic Plan on homelessness as well as progress on the development of a potential Navigation Center with an emergency shelter component or a Pallet community run by a professional service provider, community partners have stepped up once again to fill the gap on available shelter during the winter months.
The Winter Lodging Program through Housing El Dorado is operating as a Nomadic Shelter this year for our homeless neighbors. This program relies solely on a few small grants as well as community donations through a fund established with the El Dorado Community Foundation, and their volunteer board is stretched thin with running programs, fundraising and advocacy. Host sites for the shelter program include four nights at four different churches and a City of Placerville Building for three nights, which was added on December 26, 2021 in response to the harsh winter. The additional support would now provide for seven nights a week of shelter for our homeless residents, and shelter services will continue through March 31, 2022.
Prior to the City of Placerville stepping up to offer a building for shelter, the Winter Lodging Program only encompassed four nights a week of shelter and was already stretched thin on financial resources. With the additional three nights of coverage, there is a funding gap of $115,000 within the Winter Lodging Program in order to ensure services through March 31, 2022.
It is important to recognize that in order to operate the Shelter, it takes a tremendous amount of work for seven days a week coverage. Charlie McDonald is the Program Manager with Nichole Paine serving as the Assistant Program Manager. Either Charlie or Nichole supervise the Shelter every night, and Housing El Dorado has a team of drivers, evening supervision volunteers and paid staff for overnight supervision. Additionally, they have Volunteer/Staff orientations and have monthly meetings to review operations and provide education.
The Nomadic Shelter Program has space for a maximum of 17 guests per night. To date, the program has had 10 - 17 guests per night ranging in age from 22 - 65 years old. Guests include people who are veterans, disabled, those just discharged from Marshall Hospital and the jail, as well as youth who have aged out of foster care. A bed has been reserved for law enforcement and one for Marshall Hospital. The Shelter operates on Housing First Principles with a low barrier approach with continued participation with the Shelter based on adherence to the rules and respectful behavior.
Additionally, snacks, drinks and a bagged breakfast/lunch is provided upon leaving, as well as COVID screening and testing before boarding the van at the Upper Room or Walmart bus stop. Shaunda Crane NP, from Marshall Medical Center provides health consultation services for all guests. Thus far, Housing El Dorado reports that everything is running smoothly and that they have had no issues that have needed law enforcement back up. They also hope to add Navigation Services from the County when operations are stabilized.
While the EDOK CoC finalizes the El Dorado Strategic Plan on Homelessness and works to implement strategic responses to end homelessness in El Dorado County, there still remains the need to provide temporary shelter lodging during the 2021-2022 winter season as a stop-gap measure. In recognition of the immense effort by community groups and volunteers, as well as the partnership with the City of Placerville, it seems appropriate that the County of El Dorado join this partnership by providing up to $115,000 of one-time funding to support the Winter Lodging Program, ensuring that temporary shelter is available through March 2022 on the West Slope of El Dorado County while more permanent solutions are being anticipated and developed this calendar year.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to approve the one-time funding in support of the 2021-2022 Winter Lodging Program
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Marshall Medical Center, Local Law Enforcement, City of Placerville
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Up to $115,000 from General Fund Contingency
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Health Communities, Public Safety and Good Governance
CONTACT
Supervisor Wendy Thomas