User:Alyssagpp/sandbox/homelessness-in-the-bay-area

Current efforts to address the issue by region
The creative communication strategies and practices of the Coalition on Homelessness, Poor News Network, and Media Alliance have both empowered voices from impoverished San Francisco Bay Area communities, and also enabled the development of "counter-public spheres" that work in tangent with mainstream media outlets.

Former state assemblyman Mike Gatto, in a 2018 opinion piece, proposed that a new form of detention be created as a method to force drug addicted and mentally ill homeless people (who make up two-thirds of California's homeless population) off the streets and into treatment.

California Housing Partnership Corporation (CHPC)
Ongoing efforts include the California Housing Partnership Corporation (CHPC). Established in 1988 as a private nonprofit organization, it aims to sustain access to affordable housing through project partnerships with other non-profits and government housing agencies, in addition to being a resource for affordable housing policy efforts. CHPC has been successful in preserving more than 60,000 homes through over $12 billion in private and public partnerships.

We Count California!
"We Count California!" is a collaborative effort between the California Homeless Youth Project and the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health to combat the issue of homeless youth being undercounted during the annual point-in-time homeless counts which are crucial for federal funding of homeless support programs. They hope to achieve more accurate counts by providing trainings and statewide technical assistance activities to support California communities toward improved youth inclusion.

Alameda County
Alameda County is currently investing $83.2 million dollars annually into a range of services oriented towards people experiencing homelessness. These services include providing housing and shelter ($46.7 million), health and other related supported services ($14.2 million), creating coordinated entry system ($13.2 million), preventing homelessness ($5.7 million) and outreach services to individuals and families ($4.3 million). In addition to this budget, Alameda County's 2018-2021 plan includes an additional $90.2 million one-time fund to be utilized over the course of three years. Within the 2018-2021 plan, the County Homelessness Council outlined plans to more effectively implement their budget, including servicing neglected areas of the county such as the eastern side of Livermore and some parts of Hayward and San Leandro, increasing coordination across cities, and utilizing new county housing initiatives.

Coordinated Entry System
Alameda County utilizes the coordinated entry system (CES) which can be reached by calling the number 211. This system creates a countywide database that helps to document and allocate housing according to need and in the most efficient manner. Having a countywide system allows for more coordination between the services available, service providers, and individuals who need housing. Individuals currently experiencing homelessness to be assessed based on their current living situation in order to gain immediate access to housing and related resources. Calling 211 does not guarantee that an individual will be gain access to housing, but individuals who call and give their name and contact information and disclose what their current sleeping arrangement is (on the street, in a tent, in their car, or at a friend's place, etc.) are placed on a list in order to be given housing based on their determined priority when it becomes available. In addition to connecting individuals with available housing, Alameda County 211 also offers a variety of resources including but not limited to employment assistance, legal assistance, physical health resources, substance abuse support, and child and youth services. The Alameda County 211 website also has information with resources related to transportation services and resources that are specifically for justice-involved individuals.

Outreach Organizations
Alameda County has a number of non-profit organizations that engage in homeless street outreach. These outreach organizations take hot meals, groceries, tarps, and hygiene kits to these concentrated areas of homelessness and distribute them to those who want them. They also distribute information about where to obtain hygiene-related services like free laundry machines and showers as well as potential housing opportunities. Among these organizations is Dorothy Day House, a non-profit organization in Berkeley, California that does mobile outreach services to a number of locations around the city including freeway underpasses and other areas of concentrated homelessness such as People's Park.

Another organization that participates in mobile street outreach is Operation Dignity in Oakland, whose services include bag lunches, water, and rain gear. In addition to providing these services, Operation Dignity volunteers also help to connect individuals with services that lead to long-term benefits, such as obtaining ID’s and other forms of documentation, filling out housing applications, and applying for disability or other benefits.

These outreach organizations and their efforts to alleviate the adverse effects that result from the condition of homelessness are funded by the Alameda County 2018-2021 Homelessness Action Plan budget that is specifically allocated towards outreach services. The Alameda County Office of Homeless Care and Coordination has a comprehensive list of organizations and services that are available to the unhoused community.

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