TITLE
Recommendation to direct City Manager, Long Beach Health and Human Services Department and Long Beach Police Department to report on the current state of homelessness in the City of Long Beach and report back to the City Council at a future meeting. The report should include:
• Any updates on the current number of individuals facing
homelessness.
• Information regarding requests from the Long Beach
Health and Human Services Department for additional
grant funding from Los Angeles County.
• Information regarding all grants received in FY 15-16
for homeless services.
• Total number of funds allocated by the City for mental
health services and programs.
• Total number of funds allocated by the City for substance
abuse prevention services and programs.
• Current status on homeless individuals with substance
abuse issues.
• Resources provided by the City for homeless children
and families.
DISCUSSION
Every two years, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development requires the City of Long Beach Continuum of Care to conduct a citywide homeless count. The last homeless count in Long Beach was conducted by the Long Beach Health Department on January 29, 2015.
The data collected from reaching out to the homeless community gives the City good data on the number, characteristics, and service needs of individuals, families, and unaccompanied children experiencing homeless ness is a critical component of local homeless planning and program development. Accurate data helps the Long Beach CoC to understand changes in trends among homeless populations; adjust the types of programs and services available according to need and use resources as efficiently as possible; comply with reporting requirements; and measure community progress towards preventing and ending homelessness.
From the data collected, the Long Beach homeless population in 2015 is as follows:
Total number of homeless individuals: 2,345 Unsheltered individuals: 1513
Sheltered individuals (Emergency shelter, transitional housing or safe haven): 832
Total chronic homeless ness population: 927 Unsheltered: 731
Sheltered: 214
Chronic homeless - Persons with disabling condition who has been homeless for a year or more (i.e.living in a place not meant for human habitation and/or residing in a safe haven or an emergency shelter) continuously for at least one year.
Adults and Children Adults: 2,090 Children: 255
Other homeless subpopulations (unsheltered):
Adults with a Serious Mental Illness: 550 Adults with a Substance Use Disorder: 330 Adults with HIV/AIDS: 13
Victims of Domestic Violence: 108
Other homeless subpopulatlons (sheltered):
Adults with a Serious Mental Illness: 209 Adults with a Substance Use Disorder: 127 Adults with HIV/AIDS: 30
Victims of Domestic Violence: 97
Source:
Information collected from http://www.longbeach.gov/health/services/directory/homeless-services/about-usl
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact for this report.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
LENA GONZALEZ
COUNCILWOMAN, FIRST DISTRICT
SUJA LOWENTHAL
VICE MAYOR, SECOND DISTRICT
AL AUSTIN
COUNCILMAN, EIGHTH DISTRICT