City of Lawrence, Kansas
September 9, 2014 Minutes (Lawrence City Commission Room)
Members present: Michael Brouwer (Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Re-Entry Program), Brad Cook (Bert Nash Homeless Outreach Team), Laurie Hooker (LDCHA), Lt. Matt McCluer (Salvation Army), Trent McKinley (LPD), Becky Peters (Family Promise), Cary Strong (Lawrence Business Community)
Members absent: JoAnne Bair (LMH)
Staff present: Danelle Dresslar, Brad Karr
Public present: Anna Van Schoelandt (Willow Domestic Violence Center), Steven Robinson (LCS), CJ Brune, Nickie Daneke (Catholic Charities)
The meeting was called to order at 8:32 a.m. by Chair Cook.
ITEM NO. 1 Introductions
The members of the HIAC and public introduced themselves.
ITEM NO. 2 Approval of the March 11, 2014 Minutes.
Motion by McCluer to approve the March 11, 2014 meeting minutes of the HIAC; Seconded by McKinley.
The motion passed 7-0.
ITEM NO. 3 Receive Bert Nash 2014 2nd Quarter Report.
There were no questions about the report.
ITEM NO. 4 Housing Vision Reports.
A. Non-Housing – 2015 Point-in-Time Count
Dresslar provided information on the 2015 Point-in-Time Count. 2015’s count will be both a sheltered and unsheltered count conducted on January 28, 2015. Data will be collected for 3 days, asking where individuals stayed the night on January 28, 2015. The format of the surveys is changing this year from using SurveyMonkey to being recorded on paper. The data will then be entered into a database to generate more useful information and eventually custom reports. The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) is paying for the creation of this database. Cook asked if the United Way would again be helping with the count. Dresslar said no, that was a one-time contract with the United Way to assist with setting up the count; they will not be involved in the 2015 count.
Dresslar said that the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition (KSHC) has hired a new Executive Director, Cheryl Patrick. She has replaced Doug Wallace.
Cook asked if Dresslar has a copy of the 2015 Point-in-Time Count questionnaire. Dresslar said the questionnaire is the same as last year, except the previously removed question about foster care has been added back, but now it will be listed under the reasons for homelessness. Dresslar said she would forward the questionnaire to Cook.
B. Emergency Shelter/Temporary Housing – Lawrence Community Shelter
Steven Robinson, Executive Director of the Lawrence Community Shelter, reported on the current state of the shelter. Different reporting will be used by the staff to increase detail and accuracy.
Hooker asked how many case managers are at LCS right now. Robinson indicated that there are currently three case managers. They currently have two AmeriCorps workers on staff.
C. Transitional Housing/Supportive Services – LDCHA
Hooker said funding was approved for the HOME vouchers, and they should be able to assist 22 families. Cook asked about the waiting list for assistance. Hooker said the waiting list for public housing is far less than for vouchers, so they encourage everybody, especially transitional, to apply for public housing also.
D. Permanent Supportive Housing – Project Able
McCluer explained that Project Able is comprised of two programs, the Permanent Supportive Housing program and the SSO. The PSH program has 11 households, with a total of 23 people currently housed. Intensive case management is also provided under this program.
The SSO program has received a new grant to start Pathway of Hope. The Pathway of Hope program will help about 15 families with children to break the cycle of poverty. Long term case management will be proved to help these families to become self-sufficient.
Hooker asked if there are any openings yet for Pathway of Hope. McCluer said they would begin recruitment for this program in December around the holiday season, with families being chosen and the program starting in either January or February.
Cook asked about the Salvation Army providing IDs and birth certificates for the homeless population. McCluer said that a lot of people need those basic items, but they cannot be the sole provider for the entire homeless population in the community. They have an agreement with the LCS to assist with providing those needed documents for shelter residents. Hooker stated that the LDCHA can also provide their tenants with assistance in getting those documents under the Move to Work program.
Nickie Daneke, Catholic Charities of North East Kansas, asked about the availability of emergency hotel dollars from the Salvation Army. McCluer explained that they never really had hotel dollars, but they would sometimes assist a family with nights in a hotel. Then word got around that the Salvation Army would pay for hotel rooms for anyone getting kicked out of the LCS. McCluer said if a family comes in now, particularly with children involved, and they have a plan they will try to put them in a hotel for a few nights.
E. Permanent Housing – Catholic Charities of NE Kansas Rapid Rehousing
Nickie Daneke, Director of Emergency Services in the Lawrence office for Catholic Charities of NE Kansas, spoke to the committee about the ESG grant they were awarded through the state. The grant was for rapid rehousing and homeless prevention with the goal being permanent housing. They were also awarded an additional grant to start a new program called Street Outreach.
The Street Outreach program is for unsheltered guests, those sleeping outside in parks, in cars, and on the street, but not those doubled up. The unsheltered guest would first contact Bert Nash to identify and provide third party verification, and then they would be assessed for a housing stability plan and needs for healthcare and emergency transportation. To be housed does require income, and Catholic Charities now has an employment center to assist with that.
There are 168 people enrolled in the rapid rehousing program.
13 people have been assisted in the homeless prevention program.
ITEM NO. 5 Calendar/Miscellaneous
Dresslar asked the committee if they wanted to alter the quarterly meeting schedule after the first of the year to begin in January. The committee agreed to meet in December, and then start the quarterly meetings in January. The next meeting of the HIAC will be December 9, 2014.
ITEM NO. 6 Public Comment
Cook presented a handout about the Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2014. He asked that the committee review the information and then decide if they would like to write a letter of support and request that the City Commission also write a letter of support. Dresslar said the committee would have to vote to request that the City Commission write a letter of support. Strong said he would draft the letter of support and email it to Dresslar to distribute to the committee, and then they would vote on it at the December meeting.
Cook reminded everyone that the City Commission approved the LCS to add additional beds when the temperature dropped below 40 degrees. Brune commented that next Friday is supposed to drop to 38 degrees. Robinson said the policy is that capacity is set at 125, but when the weather is 40 or below, capacity can increase to 140.
ITEM NO. 7 Adjourn
Motion by Strong to adjourn the September 9, 2014 meeting of the HIAC; Seconded by McKinley.
The motion passed 7-0. Meeting was adjourned at 9:17 a.m.
Attendance Record
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Members |
03/14 |
06/14 |
09/14 |
12/14 |
01/15 |
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Michael Brouwer |
+ |
E |
+ |
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Brad Cook |
+ |
+ |
+ |
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Matt McCluer |
U |
U |
+ |
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Trent McKinley |
+ |
+ |
+ |
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Cary Strong |
U |
U |
+ |
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Laurie Hooker |
+ |
+ |
+ |
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Becky Peters |
+ |
E |
+ |
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JoAnne Bair |
E |
E |
E |
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X - Meeting Cancelled Due to Inclement Weather
E - Excused Absence
U - Unexcused Absence
() – Last meeting in term.
* - First meeting in term.
^ - Last Meeting
# - Meeting not official – no quorum