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Home My WebLink About05/24/2022Staff: Committee Members: Christian Clegg, City Manager Councilmember, Ken Weir – Chair Anthony Valdez, Assistant to the City Manager Councilmember, Patty Gray Crystal Rubio, Administrative Analyst III Councilmember, Eric Arias Regular Meeting of the Homelessness Ad Hoc Committee of the City Council – City of Bakersfield Tuesday, May 24, 2022 12:00 p.m. City Hall North, First Floor, Conference Room A 1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield CA 93301 AMENDED AGENDA 1.ROLL CALL 2.PUBLIC STATEMENTS a.Agenda Item Public Statements b.Non-Agenda Item Public Statements 3.ADOPTION OF THE APRIL 26, 2022 AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT 4.NEW BUSINESS a.Discussion and recommendation to move to City Council First Reading of Shopping Cart Containment Ordinance. – V. Gennaro & V. King b.Update on City of Bakersfield contracts with Flood Ministries, Mercy House and Bakersfield Homeless Center for services to unsheltered individuals. – A.Valdez. (No action needed) c.Discussion of City of Bakersfield partnership with Kern Medical Center to address mental health and substance abuse Services. – A. Valdez (No action needed) 5.COMMITTEE COMMENTS 6.ADJOURNMENT Staff: Committee Members: Christian Clegg, City Manager Councilmember, Ken Weir – Chair Anthony Valdez, Assistant to the City Manager Councilmember, Patty Gray Crystal Rubio, Administrative Analyst III Councilmember, Eric Arias Regular Meeting of the Homelessness Ad Hoc Committee of the City Council – City of Bakersfield Tuesday, April 26, 2022 12:00 p.m. City Hall North, First Floor, Conference Room A 1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield CA 93301 Agenda Summary Report The meeting was convened at 12:05 p.m. 1. ROLL CALL Committee Members: Councilmember Ken Weir, Chair Councilmember, Eric Arias Councilmember, Patty Gray City Staff: Christian Clegg, City Manager Anthony Valdez, Assistant to the City Manager Crystal Rubio, Administrative Analyst Josh Rudnick, Deputy City Attorney Greg Terry, Bakersfield Police Chief Jeff Burdick, Bakersfield Police, Lieutenant John Frando, Bakersfield Fire Department, Chief Additional Attendees: Members of the Public 2. PUBLIC STATEMENT There were no public statements 3. ADOPTION OF THE MARCH 22, 2022 AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT The report was adopted as submitted 4. STAFF REPORTS Homelessness Ad Hoc Committee April 26, 2022 Agenda Summary Report Page 2 Assistant to the City Manager, Anthony Valdez provided a monthly update on the City of Bakersfield contracts with Flood Ministries, Mercy House and the Bakersfield Homeless Center. Assistant to the City Manager Valdez highlighted that the Brundage Lane Navigation Center has maintained full capacity, even though weather is fairing, speaking to the great culture that Mercy House maintains, adding that the 119-bed expansion should be ready by December. 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Overview of the City of Bakersfield’s enforcement efforts related to homelessness. -Valdez Assistant to the City Manager Valdez, introduced law enforcement partners as well as City Code Enforcement staff to provide an overview of the laws and case laws as they pertain to law enforcement. Assistant to the City Manager Valdez shared that with additional funding from Measure N PSVS, the City has become a more services rich area allowing for additional 500 beds for unsheltered individuals and strong collaboration with many local services. Assistant to City Manager, Valdez went on to share that although large efforts have been made, there are individuals declining services, mostly due to mental health and substance abuse issues. Leading to policy changes and new services at both local and state levels. Deputy City Attorney, Josh Rudnick provided some background on Martin vs. Boise case, affecting city ordinances and complying with the Boise decision and how it affects homelessness encampment Development Services, Building Director Phil Burns presented on code enforcement Rapid Response Team process efforts in combating homeless encampments. Along with the process of providing notice to these groups and the subsequent administrative process of citations by Code Enforcement. Assistant to the City Manager Valdez added that with every interaction, they are provided information and offered services through Flood Ministries, who accompany Code Enforcement. Bakersfield Police Lieutenant Jeff Burdick shared with committee members information on the Impact Team and their efforts to provide services to individuals they are called out to assist, with the support of MET Team. Lieutenant Burdick spoke to the resistance of some individuals to receiving services, mainly due to mental health or substance abuse issues. City Manager Christian Clegg provided a brief summary of all the City has done and is doing to aid the issue of homelessness, noting that at this time the City has exhausted avenues on addressing the issues. City Manager Clegg knowledge the challenges around the law yet hopeful that there are next steps available through collaboration with local law enforcement. Homelessness Ad Hoc Committee April 26, 2022 Agenda Summary Report Page 3 B. Roundtable discussion with law enforcement officials regarding the region’s enforcement efforts related to homelessness. -Valdez City Manager Clegg introduced Kern County Chief Probation Officer TR Merickel to open up the discussion with local law enforcement, Kern County District Attorney and committee regarding enforcement efforts and limitations by law officials. The conversation focused on next steps options for individuals suffering from mental health and substance abuse and providing resources to keep them from committing next level crimes by have services available for diversion. Committee Member Eric Arias commented that the discussion should happening at the State level, noting that he agreed that the City is now up against a wall with available next step options. Committee member Arias applauded the great work being done within the limitations being faced but asked if the issue with homeless setting fires in abandoned buildings could be further discussed at a later time. Committee Member Patty Gray thanked everyone for the collaboration between City and County on their efforts addressing the city’s homelessness population. Committee member Gray expressed her appreciation for having received all the information on the actual effort being made and asked whether that information is being shared with the public. Committee Member Ken Weir stated his understanding that the homelessness issue will not be completely resolved but asked that specific areas be identified and bring focus to the individuals declining services in hopes of having a more significant impact on the overall issue. 6. COMMITTEE COMMENTS No additional comments. 7. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 1:34 p.m. Page 1 of 2 Bakersfield City Council Homelessness Ad Hoc Committee Monthly Report April 2022 The City of Bakersfield contracts with Flood Ministries for street outreach services to unsheltered individuals. April Report Weekly Average Contacts with homeless individuals in the field 92 City’s Brundage Lane Navigation Center (BLNC) turn-aways due to lack of dorm or pet capacity (includes field contacts, walk-in, and call-ins) 71 BLNC turn-aways due to lack of dorm capacity 58 • Male 19 • Male with pet 1 • Female 7 • Female with pet 5 • Couple (# of individuals) 18 • Couple with pet (# of individuals) 8 BLNC turn-aways due to lack of pet capacity 13 • Male 2 • Female 5 • Couple (# of individuals) 6 Service Resistance Month Total • Shelter referrals received for an individual from the following sources o Executive Referral o Elected Official o City and County Staff o Email o Social Media o City and County Code Compliance o City and County Joint Evaluation Teams o Bakersfield Police Department o Sheriff’s Office o County Park Rangers o Flood Ministries Front Desk o Flood Community Referral Line o Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (HAT, ROEM, etc.) 76 • Referred individuals who refused shelter 29 • Percentage of individuals refusing service 38% Page 2 of 2 The City of Bakersfield contracts with Mercy House to operate all aspects of the City’s Brundage Lane Navigation Center (BLNC). April Report Weekly Average Maximum Capacity % Of Capacity Filled Weekly City’s Brundage Lane Navigation Center beds filled 146 150* 97% • Male 73 76 96% • Female 53 54 98% • Couple (# of individuals) 20 20 100% Housing Placements April Total Fiscal YTD • Placed in permanent housing 6 59 • Guest/Family reunifications 3 9 * BLNC’s maximum capacity is 150 beds. Each night four (4) beds are held open for the Bakersfield Police Department to utilize which brings the functional capacity to 146. CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: The 119 bed expansion of the Brundage Lane Navigation Center remains on track to be completed by December 2022. General Contractor RYMAC reports that asbestos abatement, interior building demolition and concrete slab removal have all been completed. Underground plumbing is underway and is planned to be completed by June 10th. Wall framing will follow. The City of Bakersfield contracts with the Bakersfield Homeless Center (BHC) for a jobs program serving multiple City functions, including but not limited to downtown ambassadors, green solid waste, high-way clean-up, animal shelter, and sump cleaning. A new City-funded BHC Jobs Center building was completed in December. April Report April Total Calendar YTD Maximum Capacity % Filled Newly hired employees 5 26 -- -- Current employees 103 -- 109 94% • Male 64 -- -- -- • Female 39 -- -- -- Program participants placed in permanent jobs 2 4 -- --