Redding has joined Shasta County and the McConnell Foundation in forming a united front to begin addressing a growing homelessness problem, but Tuesday’s 4-1 vote by the City Council suggests the issue is far from resolved.
The council voted to support Shasta County’s “path forward” plan to strengthen and streamline the Continuum of Care (CoC), a partnership of agencies, nonprofits and service providers tasked with delivering services to the homeless.
The plan is a joint production by City Manager Kurt Starman and Shasta County Executive Officer Larry Lees that, as approved on Tuesday, proposes the county remain the lead agency for the CoC; that Northern Valley Catholic Social Services be contracted to conduct the “point-in-time” count and prepare the application for federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding; and contract with an individual or nonprofit group to serve as the CoC’s fulltime executive director.
Shasta County Executive Officer Larry Lees answers questions on the “path forward.” Photos by Jon Lewis.
Starman said the cost would be between $75,000 and $100,000 that would be split between the city, the county and the McConnell Foundation with Shasta Lake and Anderson agreeing to chip in $5,000 each. Starman said Redding’s share would come from the former Redevelopment Agency’s coffers since those monies must be spent on housing needs anyway.
Missing in the plan are two elements that Councilwoman Kristen Schreder argues are essential to make meaningful progress on reducing homelessness: funding for an updated homeless management information system (HMIS) and funding for a coordinate entry system.
Schreder said the HMIS software is essential to generate the accurate analysis HUD requires when allocating funds; a process that is becoming increasingly competitive. “We’re often competing with communities that have already figured this out,” Schreder said.
The coordinated entry system is needed to quickly and efficiently match homeless families with adequate housing, she said.
Both the HMIS upgrade and the coordinated entry system were listed as critical in a consultant’s report prepared for the Redding Area Homelessness Coalition Project. Schreder, acting on her own, spearheaded the 18-month-old project and funded it with $115,000 in donations.
In explaining her dissenting vote, Schreder said the missing elements made the plan a disservice to those who worked on her project and provides for a CoC director who will lack the tools to do the job properly.
She reminded the council that the consultant concluded that the growing homeless population racks up some $34 million a year in costs and services related to health care, law enforcement, emergency shelter, food, environmental cleanup and jail space.
“We won’t get that money back but we will be spending it more wisely” with a complete CoC in place, she said.
The council did vote 5-0 in support of Mayor Missy McArthur’s motion asking Starman to report back in a month with ideas on how to fund the HMIS upgrade and coordinated entry program.
In other action Tuesday, the council:
Megan Rapinoe reaction
–Agreed to reject a community member’s request to repeal Megan Rapinoe Day, which was established on July 21, 2015, to honor Rapinoe’s role in the women’s national team victory in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Palo Cedro native and Foothill High School graduate garnered worldwide attention last week when she opted to kneel, rather than stand, while the National Anthem was played prior to her Seattle Reign’s professional soccer team game. Rapinoe said her act was a show of support for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has declined to stand during the anthem at preseason football games.
Rapinoe, whose mother, Denise, is a longtime waitress at Jack’s Grill, also helped the U.S. Women’s National Team win a gold medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Redding city flag
–Councilwoman Francie Sullivan received nods of support for her wish to have Starman report back on options for updating Redding’s city flag. Inspired by a “CBS Sunday Morning” report on city flags, Sullivan said she was surprised to learn Redding’s flag features both Mt. Shasta and Shasta Dam, both of which are well outside the city limits.
Vice Mayor Brent Weaver and Councilwoman Francie Sullivan listen to testimony.
“We need a flag with the (Sundial) bridge on it,” Sullivan said. Starman concurred that the flag “is dated a bit, to be candid.”
