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HomeMy WebLinkAboutE-10 - Response to LACO Civil Grand Jury ReportCONSENT ITEM E-10 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL VIA: TROY L. BUTZLAFF, ICMA-CM, CITY MANAGER FROM: SAMUEL G. GONZALEZ, CHIEF OF POLICE DATE: MARCH 21, 2016 SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO THE 2015-16 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY INTERIM REPORT ENTITLED “INADEQUATE EL NINO PLANNING FOR COUNTY HOMELESS POPULATION” SUMMARY: The Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury (CGJ) published an interim report entitled, “Inadequate El Niño Planning for County Homeless Population” on December 28, 2015. The CGJ requires all 88 cities in Los Angeles County to respond to the report’s seven recommendations regarding the shelter and supply needs for homeless individuals during the forecasted El Niño storms. This action approves the City’s draft response to the CGJ’s report and authorizes the City Manager to sign and submit the response to the Presiding Judge as required by law . RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council take the following action: 1)Authorize the City Manager to sign and submit the attached draft response to the Los Angeles County Presiding Judge responding to the Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury’s Interim Report. DISCUSSION: The CGJ investigates county, city, and joint-power agencies and their operations. Planning for the safety and care of homeless residents during the expected 2016 El Niño has been one of the investigatory topics of the 2015-16 CGJ. Findings are developed into recommendations regarding government and public services. The CGJ asked for a written response from each of the 88 cities within the County of Los Angeles (County), as well as the County regarding the findings and recommendations contained in that report pursuant to Penal Code Section 933 et seq. Each City is obligated to file a response. APPROVED COUNCIL MEETING 3/21/2016 Response to the 2015-16 Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury Interim Report March 21, 2016 Page 2 FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action. Prepared by: Reviewed and approved: Stephan Hunt Samuel G. Gonzalez Operations Captain Chief of Police Reviewed and Approved: Reviewed and Approved: Louie F. Lacasella Troy L. Butzlaff, ICMA-CM Management Analyst City Manager Attachments: 1) Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury Interim Report 2) Draft City response to the Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury Interim Report 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY INTERIM REPORT 1 INADEQUATE EL NIÑO PLANNING FOR COUNTY HOMELESS POPULATION: An Interim Report (IR) by the 2015-2016 Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The enormous and growing number of people without homes in Los Angeles County is tragic.1 Our county must better address the reality that more than seventy (70) percent of them, about 29,000 people, will be unsheltered during what is expected to be a historic rainy season. The members of the 2015-2016 Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury (CGJ) are alarmed by this fact. We have learned, as a result of recent inquiries to the 22 largest cities in the county,2 that not enough is being accomplished to alleviate the suffering that is certain to increase among those who lack reliable shelter as a massive El Niño weather pattern approaches.3 We urge at a minimum that funds be expended for the immediate stockpiling of supplies and equipment sufficient to provide at least minimal sheltering for homeless people who cannot be accommodated in shelters so that they might survive the rainstorms to come. A plan to efficiently distribute these supplies must be put in place. The CGJ is pleased that there is an effort to clear riverbanks and dry washes of human encampments as the winter approaches,4 but we are very concerned that the 2,772 shelter and surge capacity beds5 planned by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) is just a fraction of the number necessary to shelter homeless people in severe weather. Moreover, the information we received also indicates that current planning by individual cities will not adequately supplement the LAHSA shelters.6 The CGJ believes this situation is unconscionable and grossly inadequate. 1 The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported 44,359 homeless people in Los Angeles County in its January 2015 count. http://www.lahsa.org/homelesscount_results 2 See Appendix: Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury Homeless Survey 3 This El Niño is predicted to be perhaps the strongest on record. http://www.latimes.com/local/weather/la-me-ln- el-nino-coming-20151113-story.html The sea-surface water temperature in the Eastern Pacific Ocean reached its highest average point at this time of year since 1950. http://www.wunderground.com/news/strong-el-nino- december-2015 Above-average precipitation is forecast during the 90-day period beginning in January 2016. http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/lead01/off01_prcp.gif 4 http://www.latimes.com/local/countygovernment/la-me-tujunga-cleanup-20151115-story.html 5 http://documents.lahsa.org/Programs/funding/2015/2015_WSP_RFP___Funding_Recommendations.pdf http://file.lacounty.gov/bc/q4_2015/cms1_235457.pdf 6 See Exhibit B, infra. ATTACHMENT 1 2 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY INTERIM REPORT II. RECOMMENDATIONS The Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury therefore makes the following recommendations. IR1.1. The County of Los Angeles and each of its 88 cities should immediately locate buildings that could be used to shelter the approximately 29,000 homeless people who will not be accommodated by the plans known to the CGJ from the expected torrential rains. IR1.2. The County of Los Angeles and each of its 88 cities should determine what additional supplies and equipment need to be relocated to the buildings identified above to provide for the basic human needs of the people housed in those buildings during the El Niño event. These buildings should be identified and located according to need across the County. Shelters additionally should provide space for personal items and be staffed and controlled by Department of Health employees and patrolled by police. IR1.3. The County and its 88 cities should immediately take steps to reasonably modify ordinances and regulations that would impede the sheltering of people in public structures and facilities during the El Niño event, by relaxing restrictions in health, fire, and other safety standards applicable to non -catastrophic times. IR1.4. The County and its 88 cities should immediately take steps to waive ordinances and regulations that for whatever reason similarly block private entities from providing temporary shelter to people without homes. IR1.5. The County of Los Angeles and each of its 88 cities at a minimum should purchase and provide tents, tarps, and ponchos to people who cannot be accommodated in shelters because they have pets or for whom there is no room in existing emergency shelters. Every step should be taken to assure that unsheltered people remain dry and avoid hypothermia. IR1.6. The County and its 88 cities should make plans or they should partner with non- governmental entities to distribute these supplies. IR1.7. Public Service Announcements should be made throughout Los Angeles County about the location of public-building shelters available to unsheltered people, including public transportation when needed. 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY INTERIM REPORT 3 III. BACKGROUND The CGJ is aware that approximately 44,000 people are homeless in our county and that on any given night seventy (70) percent of them are not sheltered.7 Thus every day more than 29,000 people sleep on our streets and in parks. The County and its largest cities have developed plans for the coming winter that include providing emergency shelter for just a fraction of that number.8 IV. METHODS AND PROCEDURES The CGJ gathered information from cities within the county with populations exceeding 85,000. The questionnaire sent to city managers and to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA)9 asked recipients to provide a current estimate of homeless people in their jurisdictions and to detail plans to shelter those individuals in extreme weather. The questionnaire is attached in the Appendix. V. DATA The Grand Jury examined the data it collected and focused on the information pertaining to cities of 100,000 or more in population. These sixteen (16) cities, listed in Exhibit B, are located in all areas of Los Angeles County. The data present a clear picture of what preparations have been made to provide shelter to the County’s homeless population during severe winter storms. The data clearly shows that the number of beds planned will benefit just a fraction of the homeless population. Approximately 25,000 unsheltered homeless people in large cities across the County will be left unsheltered. Preventable outcomes, such as great suffering and possible loss of life in an already un healthy segment of our population, will likely occur. Exhibit A, which follows, is a chart showing the relationship between the total estimated numbers of unsheltered homeless people in those cities compared to the projected number of winter storm shelter beds provided by Los Angeles County and those sixteen (16) cities. 7 http://lahsa.org/homelesscount_results 8 See data in Exhibit B. This report specifically does not address shelter beds that are not funded directly by Los Angeles County or its 88 cities. 9 LAHSA covers all of Los Angeles County and assists county departments and independ ent cities coordinate the local response to the ever-increasing number of individuals without homes in the county. 4 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY INTERIM REPORT This pie chart shows that only 13.2% of the unsheltered homeless people in LA County’s 16 largest cities will have shelter beds provided by LA County or the cities themselves. Exhibit B lists the County’s sixteen (16) largest cities and shows the number of homeless people, including those unsheltered, indicated by those cities. It also lists the number of winter shelter beds planned to be available. Exhibit A Estimated number unsheltered homeless Number of available beds 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY INTERIM REPORT 5 EXHIBIT B COUNTY CITIES WITH POPULATION >100,000 ESTIMATED NUMBER HOMELESS ESTIMATED NUMBER UNSHELTERED HOMELESS NUMBER OF AVAILABLE BEDS BURBANK 168 168 0 DOWNEY 180 165 0 EL MONTE 238 122 136 GLENDALE 208 128 80 INGLEWOOD* 150 50 100 LANCASTER* 2,818 2,612 104 LOS ANGELES 25,686 17,687 2,239 LONG BEACH* 2,345 1,513 144 NORWALK 235 118 117 PALMDALE 416 416 0 PASADENA 632 488 144 POMONA* 912 588 125 SANTA CLARITA* 298 238 60 SOUTH GATE 189 189 0 TORRANCE 28 28 0 WEST COVINA 72 72 0 TOTAL 34,575 24,582 3,249 This chart lists the 16 largest cities in Los Angeles County and the estimated number of homeless people and unsheltered homeless people in each (provided by the cities themselves). It lists the number of winter shelter beds planned for each jurisdiction. Every effort was made by the CGJ to obtain accurate information for this chart. *The available bed number listed is included in LAHSA Winter Shelter grants for 2015- 2016. VI. FINDINGS There are more than 44,000 homeless people in Los Angeles County. There is a severe lack of shelter beds and/or emergency beds available in Los Angeles County. 6 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY INTERIM REPORT There is very little substantive planning, at least as reported to the CGJ, that has the purpose of keeping large numbers of people dry during severe rainstorms. There are coordinated sweeps of river banks and dry washes, and, presumably, other areas known to present risk of flooding. There is little or no effort to suspend ordinances and regulations to provide additional shelter by government or private entities. Some private entities would provide emergency shelter if permitted to do so. VII. REQUEST FOR RESPONSE California Penal Code Sections 933(c) and 933.05 require a written response to all recommendations contained in this report. Such recommendations shall be made no later than ninety (90) days after the Civil Grand Jury publishes its report (files it with the Clerk of the Court). All responses to these interim recommendations of the 2015-2016 Civil Grand Jury must be submitted within ninety (90) days following the release of the report to the public, to: Presiding Judge Los Angeles County Superior Court Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center 210 West Temple Street Eleventh Floor-Room 11-506 Los Angeles, CA 90012 Responses are required from: Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors: IR1.1, IR1.2, IR1.3, IR1.4, IR1.5, IR1.6, and IR1.7. The 88 cities of Los Angeles County: IR1.1, IR1.2, IR1.3, IR1.4, IR1.5, IR1.6,and IR1.7. Agoura Hills Lancaster Alhambra Lawndale Arcadia Lomita Artesia Long Beach Avalon Los Angeles Azusa Lynwood Baldwin Park Malibu Bell Manhattan Beach 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY INTERIM REPORT 7 Bell Gardens Maywood Bellflower Monrovia Beverly Hills Montebello Bradbury Monterey Park Burbank Norwalk Calabasas Palmdale Carson Palos Verdes Estates Cerritos Paramount Claremont Pasadena Commerce Pico Rivera Compton Pomona Covina Rancho Palos Verdes Cudahy Redondo Beach Culver City Rolling Hills Diamond Bar Rolling Hills Estates Downey Rosemead Duarte San Dimas El Monte San Fernando El Segundo San Gabriel Gardena San Marino Glendale Santa Clarita Glendora Santa Fe Springs Hawaiian Gardens Santa Monica Hawthorne Sierra Madre Hermosa Beach Signal Hill Hidden Hills South El Monte Huntington Park South Gate Industry South Pasadena Inglewood Temple City Irwindale Torrance La Cañada Flintridge Vernon La Habra Heights Walnut La Mirada West Covina La Puente West Hollywood La Verne Westlake Village Lakewood Whittier VIII. ACRONYMS CGJ Civil Grand Jury IR Interim Report LAHSA Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority IX. COMMITTEE MEMBERS 8 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY INTERIM REPORT Heather H. Preimesberger, Co-Chairperson Cynthia T. Vance, Co-Chairperson Edna E. McDonald Stephen Press Molly Milligan Patricia T. Turner Sandy A. Orton Bob P. Villacarlos 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY INTERIM REPORT 9 APPENDIX Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury Homeless Survey TOPIC: Shelters for Extreme Weather Events and/or Heavy Rain Events As you may be aware, the function of the Civil Grand Jury is to investigate selected aspects of the operations of county and city government. We therefore ask a few questions related to your city’s policy and plans concerning caring for the homeless during periods of extreme weather events such as unusually cold weather and heavy rain, which is often accompanied by flooding, mudflows, and landslides. We ask these questions now because of the impending likelihood of heavy rainstorms during the strong El Niño weather season forecast to soon impact Southern California. Please provide the name, phone number and email contact of person with primary responsibility for dealing with the homeless people in your city and please provide by November 18, 2015 the following questions. 1. How significant, using numbers, is the homeless problem in your city? 2. Has the number of homeless people in your city increased or decreased during the last 5 years? Is there a consistency in the homeless population in your city, or have you observed a change in the makeup of the homeless population in terms of the number of single adults, couples, and children in families? 3. Does the city have an Emergency Preparedness Plan that includes providing services to homeless people during extreme temperature events (very low or high temperatures), and/or severe rainstorms? If so, could you provide us with a copy of this plan? 4. Does the city currently provide shelters for the homeless during times of extreme temperature events and rainstorms? If so, how many shelters does the city provide, where are they located, and during what hours are they open? Are cots or other sleeping facilities provided? Is food provided, and if so by whom? Are toilet and washing facilities, including showers, provided at the shelters? 5. After the need for short-term shelters has passed, does the city provide any service, either directly or indirectly, to aid the homeless as they leave the shelter to find transitional or permanent housing? 6. Is there anything else you’d like to tell us to better understand your city’s preparation and response to the need for homeless people to have shelter during extreme temperature events and rainstorms? ATTACHMENT 2 March 21, 2016 Presiding Judge Los Angeles County Superior Court Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center 210 West Temple Street Eleventh Floor, Room 11-506 Los Angeles, CA 90012 Subject: Response to Cities of Los Angeles County El Nino Planning for the County’s Homeless Population (Civil Grand Jury Report) Dear Presiding Judge: Please accept the City of Azusa’s (City) responses to the 2015-2016 interim recommendations made by the Civil Grand Jury which are contained in the Cities of Los Angeles County Inadequate El Nino Planning for the homeless population report as required by California Penal Code Section 933(c) and 933.05. IR.1 Cities should locate buildings that could be used to shelter the approximately 29,000 homeless people who will not be accommodated from the expected torrential rains. Response: Agree; this recommendation has been implemented. The City of Azusa has identified the Memorial Park Recreation Center and the Scout Hall as facilities that can be used to provide temporary sheltering for homeless people in the event of torrential rains. The facilities are owned by the City of Azusa and are managed by the Azusa Parks and Recreation Department. The Memorial Park Recreation Center is located at 320 N Orange Place, Azusa, and the Scout Hall is located at 1320 Old San Gabriel Canyon Road, Azusa. Both facilities can provide sufficient overnight accommodations for approximately 60 people. In addition, the East San Gabriel Valley Coalition for the Homeless (https://esgvch.org/) has a designated pickup location located in the City of Glendora and provides free transportation to cold weather shelters throughout the San Gabriel Valley. Members of the Azusa Police Department and City Staff have and will continue to assist with transportation needs for those requesting shelter. Response to Cities of Los Angeles County El Nino Planning for the County’s Homeless Population March 21, 2016 Page 2 IR1.2 Cities should determine what supplies, equipment, and staffing are needed to monitor shelter residents and provide basic human needs of the people housed during the El Nino event. Response: Agree; however, elements of this recommendation may be implemented using Red Cross support services and private security as necessary to monitor the site(s) in lieu of Police Department and/or city staff. Both the Memorial Park Recreation Center and Scout Hall can provide sufficient room for overnight accommodations for approximately 60 people. The Memorial Park Recreation Center is equipped with a kitchen facility and restrooms. The Scout Hall is equipped with a restroom facility. A mobile showering trailer would need to be rented, but the City would secure agreements with rental companies to provide mobile showering and restroom trailers. The designated facility would be supervised by volunteers and City staff, and would be patrolled by the Azusa Police Department. In situations where police and city staff are not available, outside agencies such as the American Red Cross, Area D, East San Gabriel Valley Coalition for the Homeless, or other support groups including private security firms would be contacted to assist with monitoring the facilities. For the past year, the Azusa Police Department has assigned a lieutenant, corporal, and officer to serve as Homeless Assistance Liaison Officers, and this unit would assist in operating a temporary homeless shelter. IR1.3 Cities should take steps to modify ordinances and regulations that would impede sheltering people in public facilities during the El Nino event. Response: Agree; this recommendation has been implemented. As a result of the Colby Fire that occurred in January of 2014, the City of Azusa is facing an increased threat of flooding when heavy rainstorms occur. As a result, the City of Azusa developed an emergency response plan to deal with the effects of heavy rainstorms. This plan includes responses to at risk areas as well as areas that could affect our homeless population. In the event of an emergency rising to the level of a local disaster as declared by the City Manager; The City Manager has the authority to suspend City Municipal Codes as deemed appropriate for the incident. IR1.4 Cities should take steps to waive ordinances and regulations that block private entities from providing temporary shelter to people without homes. Response: Agree; this recommendation has been implemented. The City of Azusa does not have city ordinances that would prevent private entities from providing temporary shelter to homeless people. Over the past 10 years, the East San Gabriel Response to Cities of Los Angeles County El Nino Planning for the County’s Homeless Population March 21, 2016 Page 3 Valley Coalition for the Homeless has hosted winter shelters at several locations within the San Gabriel Valley. Members of the Azusa Police Department and City Staff have and will continue to assist with transportation needs for those requesting shelter. We also have available non-profit groups (NGO’S) within our community that supplement servicing the homeless population. IR1.5 Cities should purchase and provide tents, tarps, and ponchos for those who cannot be accommodated in shelters to assure that unsheltered people remain dry and avoid hypothermia. Response: Agree; this recommendation has been implemented. The Azusa Police Department has a stock of supplies (ponchos, trash bags) that can be utilized for assisting the needs of unsheltered homeless individuals. The City of Azusa has taken steps in assisting our homeless population, including establishing a partnership with area police departments and the Department of Mental Health in creating the ESV MET team, as well as dedicating two Azusa police officers to serve as Homeless Liaison Officers. The duties of these officers are to assist the homeless in providing them with assistance and necessary resources. IR1.6 Cities should make plans or they should partner with non-government entities to distribute supplies. Response: Agree; this recommendation has been implemented. In November 2015, the Azusa Police Department partnered with the Glendora, Covina and West Covina Police Departments, along with a clinician with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH), to create the East San Gabriel Valley Mental Health Evaluation Team, known as the “ESV MET” team. One of the MET team’s primary duties is to assist the homeless in providing assistance and resources to the homeless. The DMH clinician has specialized training and access to contacts and resources that patrol officers do not typically have access to. IR1.7 Cities should make public service announcements identifying the location of public shelters and information about public transportation when needed. Response: Agree; this recommendation has been implemented. Both the City of Azusa and the Azusa Police Department have Public Information officers and media teams on staff, including social media specialists. The City of Azusa and Azusa Police Department make daily use of local and social media in making public service Response to Cities of Los Angeles County El Nino Planning for the County’s Homeless Population March 7, 2016 Page 4 announcements. For those who are without electronic communication, patrol officers and the ESV MET team make face-to-face contact to assist unsheltered homeless people in locating temporary and long-term sheltering solutions. Based on the Greater Los Angeles Homeless count held on January 26, 2016, there is an estimated 41 homeless people living in the City of Azusa, including those who may be living in vehicles. The City of Azusa strives to provide excellent service to the homeless population living in our community. We have passionate staff members who take their tasks of being the face of our community to this group seriously. With the interaction and efforts to better know the stories of each of the homeless individuals who reside within our community, these liaison officers have become the greatest resource we have in assisting the homeless. We are able to provide contacts for social services and temporary housing in not only emergency weather situations but more importantly year round. These staff members and the local NGO’S and their dedicated volunteers are just as passionate in helping their fellow citizens to find shelter, food and comfort during these difficult times. The City of Azusa believes that the above responses adequately address the recommendations and required responses contained in the Civil Grand Jury’s Interim Report for Inadequate El Nino Planning for the County’s Homeless Population as required by California Penal Code Section 933(c) and 933.05. If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Azusa Police Captain Stephan Hunt at (626) 812-3266 Sincerely, Troy Butzlaff ICMA-CM, City Manager cc: Chief Samuel G. Gonzalez, Police Department Director Kurt Christiansen, Economic and Community Development Director Daniel Bobadilla, Public Works/City Engineer Director Joe Jacobs, Parks and Family Services