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HOMELESS TRANSITIONS ACTION GROUPGoals and PrioritiesFinal (for now)Roseburg AreaDouglas CountyOregon February 2016“Offering a Hand Up to Homeless People in Douglas County”BackgroundThree non-profit organizations originally sponsored the work that led to this document: United Community Action Network (UCAN), NeighborWorks Umpqua, and the Downtown Roseburg Association (DRA). Numerous other governments, non-profits, churches, and businesses also supported the effort along the way either by providing meeting space or, more importantly, offering staff or volunteer time and other resources. These include: Greater Douglas United Way (GDUW), BP Media, Paul O’Brien Winery, Architrave, Mercy Medical, Community Health Alliance, ADAPT, Umpqua Valley Disabilities Network, Good Governance Committee, The Ford Family Foundation, Court Ordered Special Advocates (CASA), Hucrest Church of God, Roseburg Alliance Church, Redeemer’s Fellowship, Dream Center, Faith Lutheran Church, Douglas County, City of Roseburg, HADCO, and Environmental Dispute Resolution USA (EDRUSA)A working group composed of more than 60 participants helped develop the material presented in this document. This group included homeless people, advocates for their interests, community volunteers, service providers, local church leaders, caring critics, concerned businesspeople, and government representatives. Most of their names and affiliations, if known, are shown in Attachment A. Some participants hold strong feelings about key issues: economic and development impacts of homeless people’s presence and behavior in Roseburg’s central business district and other commercial areas, meeting housing needs for the poor and homeless, civil and property rights, public and private costs, use of public funds to serve homeless people, perceived irresponsibility towards other people and property by some homeless people, importance of being a compassionate community, and public health, safety, and security, for example.The people developing this document had all those issues and more in mind as they worked through the details. They view the goals and priorities presented here as a work-in-progress and one, if it is to be successful, that has to be connected closely to community values throughout the Roseburg Area and Douglas County. The work began with a questionnaire distributed in July 2015 to community leaders. The results of that questionnaire are shown in Attachment B. People participating in the first working group meeting held on August 18, 2015 confirmed the validity of the questionnaire’s results. Discussions of those results yielded five topics for focused work: information and education, crime, sanitation, housing, and services and support.Work progressed through five more monthly meetings as of January 2016 as well as at a public- discussion forum conducted in November 2015. Monthly meeting sign-in logs show the consistent presence of 15-30 people. After each facilitated meeting, the cumulative writings and agreements of all attending were compiled and then distributed for comment and correction via email to a much wider network of reviewers. Any comments received from the email distribution were incorporated into this goals and priorities document. An “implied-concurrence” model was used in which reviewers were told explicitly that, if they offered no comments or corrections, the working group would assume that the reviewers supported the work accomplished to date. People offering dissenting voices and different ideas were consistently asked and encouraged to participate in the public forum, the monthly meetings, and the email reviews.After two months of discussion, those present at the January 2016 monthly meeting adopted the name “Homeless Transitions Action Group” or “H-TAG.”To put the proposed H-TAG work in context, please consider the following figures from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Oregon Housing and Community Services:Nationally: 3 million people experience homelessness in any given year; 37% live in families 1.3 million are children; 25% are under 18 and 8% live on their own40% have a mental health issue12% are victims of domestic violence, mostly, but not exclusively, women10% are veteransHomelessness can take 36 years off of someone’s life expectancyPoverty is the number one cause of homelessness, a factor in at least 70% of casesOregon:2nd highest in nation for rate of unsheltered people in families3rd highest number of unaccompanied rural homeless children and youth4th in nation for total number of rural homeless people5th highest rate of statewide unsheltered unaccompanied homeless youth and children5th for largest number of rural chronically homeless individuals5th highest rate statewide of unsheltered chronically homeless individuals6th highest in total numbers of rural homeless families6th in the nation for rural homeless individuals7th highest for number of homeless rural vetsCounty: on any given night,Estimates are that over 500 people are homeless91 live in families with children -- 323 people with 182 of them under 189 are unaccompanied youth under age 1842 are veterans57 are chronically homeless and 32 of those people are unsheltered71 are victims of domestic violence and 25 of those people are unsheltered86 are seriously mentally ill and 41 of those people are unshelteredOur county numbers come from a homeless persons’ count. But the reader should know that under-counting and -reporting homeless folks is to be expected because many are hard to find or, once found, to communicate with. In addition, although many Douglas County homeless people are locals and remain here year-round, others travel. So, populations vary by season, changing economic conditions, available and accessible work, and so on.From the Statewide numbers, it’s clear that Douglas County and the Roseburg Area have the same or similar challenges as other rural Oregon Counties and smaller communities. In addition, high rates of poverty and unemployment here compared to more urban or prosperous areas make our challenges more difficult to munity Values Guiding This WorkAfter the first meeting in August 2015, it became clear to the sponsors that four more-or-less conflicting philosophies…each vigorously supported by different participants and other voices from the community…were complicating the work. As the notes from that meeting state, “One approach was to minimize local services and support for homeless and transient people with the goal of having them leave the Roseburg Area. This approach night mean reducing or eliminating services and support presently provided and thoughtfully evaluating but mostly rejecting future options and opportunities.Another approach was to develop and maximize services and support to meet the specific needs of homeless and transient individuals. This might mean placing more emphasis on having case workers connect with individual homeless and transient people and assisting them as they worked through service and support systems.A third approach was to look at how current services and support systems might be made to more efficiently answer the generalized needs of the area’s homeless and transient populations. This might mean greatly improved delivery coordination by Area providers and joint development of new services.The fourth approach might be stated as, “We provide hands-up but not handouts.” This approach might evaluate and promote services and support efforts on their measurable ability to move individual homeless and transient people back into mainstream society, while minimizing custodial or other care for individuals unable or unwilling to make the transition.Because we have not been able to reconcile these competing visions, the Roseburg Area is experiencing near gridlock over homeless and transient issues. Different organizations and individuals are pursuing separate agendas, often in opposition or competition with one another. Even the best work undertaken under these circumstances stresses community fault lines to the breaking point and potentially wastes scarce public and private resources through duplication and unclear results.”After testing these different approaches with the working group and other people in the Roseburg Area, it became clear to the sponsors that the fourth approach was most likely to be embraced by local people. That approach is now embodied in the Homeless Transitions Action Group’s draft motto, “Offering a Hand Up to Homeless People in Douglas County.”What this might mean in practice can be found in the remaining portions of this Goals and Priorities document. However, at the motto’s core are significant levels of agreement that Douglas County communities should support willing homeless people to transition:From being jobless, to having a job, and eventually supporting themselves fullyFrom living on the street, to being housed, and eventually to paying market-rate rent or owning a homeFrom being alcohol- or drug-dependent to being sober or cleanFrom being mentally or emotionally disabled to being capable and life-skilledA lot of agencies and resources already exist in the County to accomplish these transitions, and in most cases they are doing excellent work. Governments, including law enforcement, and service providers are also working together to address issues and needs. However, the working group felt what community resources exist could be delivered more effectively and those ideas are incorporated in this document.For those homeless people not capable of or willing to make these transitions, the Goals and Priorities suggest that the communities would provide sufficient minimal support to meet basic needs while doing so in ways that minimize social and economic costs through improved communication, better property management, and stronger security and law enforcement.It’s clear that people in Douglas County and the Roseburg Area place high value on compassion, education, collaboration, responsibility, and accountability by all – governments, non-profit service providers, community members and volunteers, church leaders and members, and the homeless people themselves. The group is convinced that these values should permeate every future action as well as the relationships necessary to make those actions successful.Next steps for H-TAG include: forming a board or committee to lead and guide future work, outreach to more people and organizations in the Roseburg Area and Douglas County, further refinement and development of the goals and priorities, and mobilization of volunteers and resources to accomplish many of the priorities already defined.GoalsIn response to questionnaire results and the challenges represented by and affecting homeless people in the Roseburg Area, the participants developed the following goals:Information and EducationGoal I1: Homeless populations can access complete and up-to-date information about services and support opportunitiesGoal I2: Maintain ongoing awareness of homeless people’s conditions, needs, and interests and share that learning with other peopleCrime Abatement and Restorative JusticeGoal C1: Meet criminal behavior with appropriate consequencesGoal C2: Use detection, complaint, and arrest processes to divert some offenders into treatment, training, and support programsHousingGoal H1: Homeless people in the Roseburg Area have access to safe, accessible, and affordable housing, and they have the resources available to them to successfully remain in that housingSanitationGoal SA1: Homeless people have access to adequate sanitationGoal SA2: Keep the Douglas County communities garbage-free; actions we take prevent our places from being trashedServices and SupportGoal SD1: Communicate about and provide service options and supports (e.g., medical, mental health, food, and shelter) in the most efficient and effective ways possibleGoal SD2: Homeless people sustain themselves; they respond to the positive engagement they have with other people and the community by acting responsibly to the best of their abilityGoal SD3: Douglas County communities develop a successful collaboration with other communities, and the community leaders and service providers in those places, to make sure homeless people arriving here have adequate services and support before they travelPrograms and Priorities by GoalPrograms are shown in “quotes” and priorities for action identified by bolded rmation and EducationGoal I1: Homeless populations can access complete and up-to-date information about the Roseburg Area services and support opportunities“Arrowhead” -- Connect with the homeless populations:Hold in-depth conversations with members of the homeless populations in Douglas County and the Roseburg Area to understand their conditions, interests, and needsFind compassionate ambassadors and train them to provide one-on-one mentoring to homeless people [describe the need to churches and service organizations; we have the resources, we need the volunteers to focus on all categories of homeless folks]. First, educate the volunteers who will train the ambassadors (develop a list of possible trainers)Communication -- We believe this is the first step to our cause in creating needed contact and relationships with the homeless folksContact -- We need either a centralized drop-in center or decentralized, mobile services at many access points to help ensure successPossible Locations -- on the streets or at a drop-in centerPossible Leaders/Managers/Participants -- UVDN leads multi-interest group, Grant Goins supported by HADCO, churches to develop and support a “compassionate ambassadors” program, United Way, The Ford Family Foundation, Chamber of Commerce, community individualsGoal I2: Maintain ongoing awareness of homeless people’s conditions, needs, and interests and share that learning with other people“Ground-well” -- Obtain information from scientific and community-action literature about causes, conditions, and effective solutions:Data – get reliable data on the numbers, scope, magnitude, and composition of the homeless populations in Douglas County and the Roseburg Area; then work to keep lists and data currentReview and discuss existing research-based information about homeless peopleWork to understand the culture and sub-cultures within the homeless populations in Douglas County and the Roseburg AreaEducate ourselves to understand the difference between “chronic homeless” and temporarily “homeless” populationsConduct root-cause analysis with a community lead to conduct the surveyLook for successful rural solutions; urban settings like Salt Lake City, Denver, and Los Angeles may offer some ideas as well as the experiences of other large and small Oregon citiesPossible Locations -- Community will need addresses or locations for searches; existing service providers may have themPossible Leaders/Managers/Participants -- Academia: UCC, PSU, U of O, SOU; Penny Tannlund, UCAN, community members“Clear Word” -- Deliver reliable information about homeless folks and programs to the general public:Secure public relations expertiseGet organizations to share information and come on board with our programShare our work with a design and desire to overcome hostility and develop support for our ideas and suggestionsCollaborate (who are we and how do we work together most effectively)Use personal connections to tell the stories of people’s lives and put a human face on homelessness at community events and in the mediaPossible Locations – Douglas County community organizations, churches, and government bodiesPossible Leaders/Managers/Participants – homeless folks to help serve as spokespeople, caring community members, agency staff and boards“Knowledge Builder” -- Conduct orientation and training activities designed to inform professional and lay people providing services to homeless people in Douglas County and the Roseburg Area; these people include police, fire, businesspeople, city and county employees, and many others:Conduct public education through such programs as the Addictions Workshop (Ross Banister has the info), mental illness awareness and understanding, and the “Culture of Poverty”Identify gaps in available servicesExplore the concept of a “Replacement Culture” that supplants cultures of addiction and povertyObtain the means to promote public educationPossible Locations – Douglas County community organizations, churches, government bodies, and schoolsPossible Leaders/Managers/Participants – Chaplain Dr. Ross Bannister, volunteers, educators, church pastors and staff, teachers, people in stores serving homeless folksCrime Abatement and Restorative JusticeGoal C1: Meet criminal behavior with appropriate consequences“Watch-well” -- Use citizen engagement and information to support responsive and restorative community policing:Get better information (correct information)Bring community and homeless people together to define crime-prone “hot spots” on a regular basis and to make it safe and easy to identify criminals, homeless or otherwise, needing attention [community policing, person-to-person model like Boston’s]Respond to the challenge of prison inmates simply being turned out on the streets without resources upon their release; there are possible State and federal policy issues here, perhaps this should be taken up by the Public Safety Coordinating CommitteeDevelop neighborhood-watch groups communitywide -- throughout both residential and commercial areas -- with an emphasis on group action (recording, presence); locate existing Neighborhood Watch Groups and coordinate city/county law enforcement resourcesObtain high-res video cameras to record criminal activityKeep the numbers and names of people served so that progress may be measuredPossible Locations – Communitywide; information about numbers and names valuable because the populations are constantly changing and transitioningPossible Leaders/Managers/Participants – Rev. Dr. Ross Banister, NeighborWorks Umpqua – applied for “peer to peer” training opportunity, Public Safety Coordinating Committee, LEO liaison to Neighborhood Watch Groups, state or federal support to procure surveillance systems“Stand Up” -- Confront crimes against people, property, and public order throughout Douglas County and the Roseburg Area:Incarcerate, and otherwise hold responsible, criminals affecting public safety and security or committing property crimes (for example, tagging, menacing, trespassing, littering, drinking in public, urinating or defecating in public, dealing drugs, displaying weapons in public places, illegally camping, assault)Provide police department with real-time access to high res video camerasStrategyNeighbors communicating – having each other’s backInvest in systems (human and electronic) that provide witnesses and imagesIncrease security – obtain private security services for interested areas such as Downtown Roseburg to work closely with property owners, businesses, and policePossible Locations – Roseburg: Cass and Rose, Duck Pond, Gaddis Park, Eagle Park; downtown RoseburgPossible Leaders/Managers/Participants – Police, Sheriff, Neighborhood Watches, Public Safety Coordinating Committee, state or federal support to procure surveillance systems, Downtown Roseburg AssociationGoal C2: Use detection, complaint, and arrest processes to divert some offenders into treatment, training, and support programs“Different Path” -- Criminals with mental health or addiction problems are given a “hand up” and access to stability and recovery:Address the issues around the mental health and drug courts being more effective the people headed for prison; what about the others?Address the issues around the “abuse to detox” situation which have policy questions and capacity limitsReview and address the statutory limitations around lower-level criminal actions and access to detox and other servicesPossible Locations – multiple locations through a mobile mental-health service in which workers contact those in the community who have mental health issuesPossible Leaders/Managers/Participants – Community mental health services and workers, police and Sheriff, Douglas County Mental Health Court, Public Safety Coordinating CommitteeHousingGoal H1: Homeless people in the Roseburg Area have access to safe, accessible, and affordable housing, and they have the resources available to them to successfully remain in that housing“Housing First” -- People have access to accessible housing in whatever form they choose, can afford, and can responsibly care for:Support existing housing programs such as HADCO, Roseburg Mission, Samaritan’s Inn, and Casa de Belen while adding more housing for populations presently underserved or not served at allFind a standard for accessible housing homeless and people to model and then get the Housing Authority involvedFind a means to provide a return on investment to housing providersLook at a continuum of accessible housing opportunities, including connecting with other communities that have been successful with Housing First (sister cities?)Consider tiny-house optionsLower the requirements for drug or violent offenders to receive immediate housingDevelop accessible housing where sobriety is not a requirementExplore accessible housing needs for males, ages 14-18, who are presently underservedStrategyRemove barriers: research Douglas County and Roseburg zoning,research UT and CO codes, propose and secure changes that permit Housing First work to be successful; explore fair market rent issues (HADCO); address lack of single-unit housing (one bedroom, studio); review laws concerning landlord/tenant requirement (such as renting a single room in a private person’s house who would then receive compensation – HADCO); avoid creating camps and, thereby, “ghettos”Seek sites and zoning (Victoria)Attend Housing First HRM Conference March 23-25 in L.A. (Abe, Michael)Remain mindful of the rights of other property and business owners in making zoning changes or site selectionsQuestions: Who would police facility? Who would fund? What would the rules be for the different types of housing? How would we organize and combine multiple organizations to provide needed services better and assure safety for all involved, including residents?Possible Locations – multiple locations; possibly one near Sunshine Park in RoseburgPossible Leaders/Managers/Participants – UCAN, HADCO, NeighborWorks Umpqua, churches, private property owners, homeownersSanitationGoal SA1: Homeless people have access to adequate sanitation“Potty Down” -- People have access to toilets:Develop better ways to deal with human waste. Install chemical toilets [Now] and then consider permanent toilets, perhaps showers, after testing the chemical toiletsEnlist the support of the homeless people using the chemical toilets to help ensure their continued availabilityPossible Locations – multiple under- or unserved locations; downtown Roseburg firstPossible Leaders/Managers/Participants – Downtown Roseburg Association, private individuals, City/Communities, ROMTEC“Squeaky Clean” -- People have access to showers and haircuts:Consider a building location that offers showers and clothes-washing Offer daily access to showers at a supervised, central location and weekly access to barbers and hairdressersShare information about shower availability at the Roseburg Mission and Samaritans InnBring Mission Board into the conversation (or other interested party such as the Alliance)Possible Locations – Roseburg: South Roseburg or Harvard Avenue areas; other locations; drop-in centerPossible Leaders/Managers/Participants – church groups or service clubs, Garden Valley Church, Douglas County Evangelical Fellowship, YMCA“Suds for Duds” -- People have access to washers and driers:Consider a building location that offers showers and clothes-washing Offer weekly access to washers and driers at a supervised, central locationAugment other clothes-washing services in the community such as that offered by the Roseburg Rescue Mission and Samaritan’s InnShare information about washer and drier availability at the Roseburg Mission and Samaritans InnBring Roseburg Rescue Mission Board into the conversation (or other interested party such as the Alliance)Possible Locations – South Roseburg or Harvard Avenue areas; other locations; drop-in centerPossible Leaders/Managers/Participants – church groups or service clubs, Garden Valley Church, Douglas County Evangelical Fellowship, YMCAGoal SA2: Keep Douglas County communities garbage-free; actions we take prevent the communities from being trashed“Clean Home” -- With the help of the homeless and community, Douglas County and Roseburg area communities get cleaned up and stay so:Look at new ways to deal with litter such a general garbage and used hypodermic needlesDevelop a tagging program whereby durable items recovered on the street such as sleeping bags and food containers can be identified by their agency source (might require an ordinance)Test whether garbage may be handled with a voluntary “Adopt-a-Block” programTrash management should include education for the general public under the motto of “Keep Oregon Green”Distribute sharps or Cross boxes around the Roseburg Area and in other communities to reduce hypodermic needle litter; provide for proper disposal of boxesPossible Locations – well-distributed locationsPossible Leaders/Managers/Participants – HIV Alliance, public health organizations and servicesServices and SupportGoal SD1: Communicate about and provide service options and supports (e.g., medical, mental health, food, and shelter) in the most efficient and effective ways possible“Home Hub” -- Services for homeless people are provided in a safe, centralized location:Create a central hub for communications and coordination of services and support such as a Drop-In Center where staff can be present to meet the needs of homeless populations for personal health and welfare (possible warming center, too)Streamline support systems so that they operate much more simply for homeless folks than they do now (one call gets results…211 system is broken because data are not up to date)Consider centralizing services and support such as feeding programs to reduce costs to providers and to homeless folks, too; reduce or eliminate barriers to services and support such as the requirement to be clean or sober to receive a mealConsider gaps in services on nights and weekends as well as geographic location and available transportationBring Roseburg Rescue Mission Board into the conversationPossible Locations – Downtown Roseburg (Mondays and Tuesdays); well-distributed locations using mobile units; drop-in centerPossible Leaders/Managers/Participants – CHA, Roseburg PD, and DCEF;Architrave; UCAN; Trained Individuals; Peers; Trained volunteers and paid staff to lead and oversee servicesGoal SD2: Homeless people sustain themselves; they respond to the positive engagement they have with other people and the community by acting responsibly to the best of their ability “Smooth Connect” -- Organizations and individuals providing services to homeless people do so in a coordinated and collaborative way with a focus on individual needs of those served:Identify how to engage/enroll homeless people into available assets and assure accessBring homeless people together regularly to develop a list of service “hot spots” or problem areas needing attentionDevelop better and more complete ways to communicate program functions and resourcesRethink our approaches because the homeless people who present the most challenges are often not able to function well within the support systems we offer themDesign support systems so that homeless people who can choose have the freedom to select the right services for them; make those systems understandable and useful to those being servedStudy and potentially implement a day-labor employment program, providing homeless folks with a chance to work for pay on a “pick up” basis (such as Albuquerque’s only at a localized scale)Follow a broad-based approach so that resources can move together in the same directionStart membership and volunteer-placement program Consider using the existing UCAN program that moves homeless people out of areas (such as moving people sleeping in doorways) ten hours a dayConsider offering 24/7 services because of gaps in services nights and weekends and lacking relational componentConsider working with and through Umpqua Disabilities Network, which does direct contact and work with homeless people nowPossible Locations – Downtown Roseburg (Mondays and Tuesdays); well-distributed locations using mobile units; drop-in centerPossible Leaders/Managers/Participants – CHA, Roseburg PD, and DCEF;Architrave; UCAN; Trained Individuals; Peers; Trained volunteers and paid staff to lead and oversee servicesGoal SD3: Douglas County communities develop a successful collaboration with other communities -- and the community leaders and service providers in those places -- to make sure homeless people arriving in Douglas County have adequate services and support before they travel hereNo program yet definedAttachment A H-TAG Participants to DateHomeless RepresentativesMike Taylor*Kory Harris*Mike Kelly*City Lance Colley, City of Roseburg*John McDonald, City of Roseburg*Steve Kaser, City of Roseburg*Larry Rich, City of RoseburgAndrea Zielinski, City of RoseburgTom Ryan, City of Roseburg*John McDonald, City of Roseburg*Alison Eggers, City of RoseburgKen Fazio, City of RoseburgLew Marks, City of Roseburg*Gregg Timm, City of RoseburgJim Burge, City of Roseburg*Juliana Marez, ESD*CountyTim Freeman, Douglas CountyChris Boice, Douglas County* John Hanlin, Douglas County*Janeal Kohler, HADCO*StateChad Alcock, OR Dept. of Veterans*ChurchesAssoc. Pastor Grant Goins, Roseburg Alliance, DCEF*Pastor Jon Nutter, Hucrest Church of God, DCEF*Pastor Steve Walker, Redeemer’s FellowshipPastor Mike Kildal, Redeemer’s Fellowship*Pastor Jane Baker, Faith Lutheran*Chaplain Ross Banister, Redeemer’s Fellowship*Christopher Hutton, Dream Center*Sylvia Davis, Dream Center*Christine Seals, Faith Lutheran*Fran MacKenzie, Faith Lutheran* Leo Treselle, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church*Medical ServicesKelly Morgan, Mercy Medical*Mitch Hall, Architrave*Becky Bright-Jones, Architrave*Katrina Conn, Architrave*Natalie McFarland, Architrave*Janet Holland, Community Health Alliance*Janet Palmer, Community Health Alliance*Angela Gross, Community Health Alliance*Non-Profit BusinessesMike Fieldman, UCAN*Deana Butler, UCAN* Mike Fernandez, UCAN*Mickey Beach, NeighborWorks Umpqua*Merten Bangemann-Johnson, NeighborWorks UmpquaGreg Brigham, ADAPT*Bryan Trenkle, United Way*Alex Campbell, the Partnership for Economic DevelopmentDave Fricke, Umpqua Valley Disabilities Network*Abe Long, Umpqua Valley Disabilities Network*Roxana Grant, Downton Roseburg Association*Matthew Kowal, Downtown Roseburg Association*Nancy Straw, The Ford Family Foundation*Max Gimbel, The Ford Family FoundationSharon Fitzgerald, Central City Concern, PortlandKristy Martinez, Second Chance Village*Dora Haymond, Second Chance Village*Renee Yandel, HIV Alliance*Business and Other ParticipantsVictoria Hawks, City of Roseburg, Hawks Realty*Gary Leif, CASA, Leif Photography*Brian Prawitz, Dream Center, BP Media*Scott Kelley, Paul O’Brien Winery* Allan Painter, Umpqua InsuranceRenee Clavell, Occasionally Yours Party Rentals*Ray Bartram, Studio 713*Catherine Paul, DC Housing Homeless Coalition*Penny Tannlund, Good Governance Committee*Daniel Robertson, Good Governance CommitteeJoyce Akse, Good Governance Committee*Kevin CampbellStacey HowardAubree BrownMarie Green*Diane FaganShelly Pruitt*Sean O’Neill*Martha Bryson*Betsy Cunningham*Brian Coulombe*Colleen Hanks*Verna B*Rebecca Taylor*Anthony Griffin*Bradley Straw*Meg Story*Mary Corelli*Beverly Paulson*John Brewer*Mark Riley**Participated personally in the questionnaire, or in one or more of the meetings (2015 - 8/18, 9/23, 10/28, 11/16, 11/23. 12/15, or 2016 - 1/13); everyone on this list has had access to the draft materials and has been invited to participate and comment; note: not everyone on this list agrees with the Homeless Transitions Action Group’s work in part or in sumAttachment BQuestionnaire about Homeless and Transient People in the Roseburg AreaResponses as of 8/16/2015Respondents: 6 Respondent group composition: elected official, business leader, ministers, lawyer, non-profit executive, community activistHow many homeless people do you estimate live in the Roseburg Area? (5 of 6)Low:150High:1500 Mean: 630Of these, what percentages are men, women, and children? (5 of 6)Men Low: 50%Women Low: 5%Children Low: 10%High: 70% High: 25% High: 30%Mean: 68% Mean: 16% Mean: 22%On average, how many new transients appear each month? (3 of 6)Low: 10High: 50Mean: 27Are there seasons when more transients appear? (3 of 6) Spring [X] Summer [X] Fall [X] Winter [ ]What percentage of transients decide to remain in the Roseburg Area? (4 of 6)Low: 10%High: 30%Mean: 17.5%What are the top challenges facing communities in the Roseburg Area concerning homeless and transient people? How would we know if those challenges were successfully met?ChallengeSuccess MeasureViolenceReduction in police incident reportsCrimes against or by homelessReduction in police incident reportsPublic indecency and disturbancesReduction in business’ and citizens’ reportsLitter and vandalismReduction in business’ and citizens’ reports/ no litterSpent needles from high-use intravenous drugs laying around in the streets, public use of…Spent needles eliminated from streets or homeless’ sleeping/camping areasPublic safety less than desiredReduction in police incident reportsHuman waste (urine and feces)Reduction in business’ and homeowners’ reportsCamps (garbage, public health)Camps cleaned upHomeless/transients visible on streetsEstablish a drop-in center/shelter with a grant writer to supportNegative impacts on downtown commercial coreProductive roles for homeless/transient or have a dedicated site with services, washers/driers, etc.Negative impacts on neighborhoods near wooded areas and along riverbanksHave a dedicated siteNegative impacts on healthcare facilitiesImprovement reported by hospitals and clinics/ dedicated clinics or service centers for homeless/transientsDrugs and alcoholNot enough affordable housing/shortage of Housing First initiativesFewer people living on the streets because housing is available/apartments occupiedNo housing that is not dependent on sobrietyFewer alcoholics/addicts living on the streetsPermanent housing not availableReduction in warming center occupantsNot enough living-wage jobsFewer people living on the streetsLack of access to mental healthcareA place to refer people for treatmentLack of access to needed services (VA, mental health)Services use increasesLack of mental illness and addiction servicesReduction in police incident reportsPolice are frightening to many homeless and transient peoplePolice training leads to trust from homeless/ transientsRoseburg area residents do not understand homelessnessOrient and educate Roseburg area residents about homelessness Faith-based organizations are not involvedOrient and educate Roseburg area faith-based organizations about homelessnessNo synchronized approach by agencies, groups, and concerned individualsDevelop an overall, coordinated approach to the challenges, beginning August 18Lack of leadership to address these problemsOrganizations that help the homeless/ transients have leadership that advocates and lobbies for servicesIn your own terms, please describe the different categories of homeless and transient people you deal with or observe. For example, people sleeping in doorways or people camping under bridges. What needs do they seem to have? Add more categories and needs if you wish.CategoriesNeedsPeople who sleep at the Warming Center on nights when the temperature drops to 30 degrees or belowTents, sleeping bags, tarps, socks, long underwear, hand warmersPeople who stop by the church needing helpMental health care, rent assistance (before they are about to become homeless)People camping under bridgesTents, sleeping bags, tarps, socks, long underwear, hand warmersTeens and families living at Casa de Belen Shelter for Homeless Teens and Families with TeensMentors, drug/alcohol counseling, transportation, childcareVictims of abuse and childrenPermanent housing and support servicesMentally ill/more severely mentally incapableMental health services/reinstatement of resources to monitor, house, and care for those who are unable to care for themselvesDrug addicts/ older traditional substance abusersAddiction services/ Tough to help because they’ve been this way for a long timeHeavy drug and alcohol abusersWork with them for recovery optionsSituational homeless/newly homeless due to life circumstances. I notice many people walking with a suitcase, perhaps well-dressed. Seem to be new to the populationJobs/ a pathway to work as well as services to not slip further down the slope of abuse and crimeThose who work and maintain but live out of their car due to financial reasonsHousingPeople who don’t want to live in traditional settings and obey the lawA ticket out of townThere seems to be a community network among homeless populations that have chosen to remain in RoseburgVariations on a place to call “home.” Tiny houses, in a complex, single-room occupancy for those who have special needs (mother/children)I’m not in town at night…do see they need a clean place to congregate off the streets of town“All I want is a room somewhere….”Transients—both addicted and mentally illLower-barrier shelter, drop-in center, access to treatment, mental health, medical, and cottage industries. More aggressive needle exchanges and disposal programsTransient teens and 20’s passing through. This can get worse with legalized marijuana. Tough as they are, homeless by choice, and tend to cause the most problemsVagrants passing through the communityTransportation or an opportunity to earn money to get them to where they are goingNewly released from prison. Jail release less of a problem because many relationships are still intactAn employment specialist to inform employers of tax benefits, etc., for hiring. Funding for first three months for living, which used to be provided for probation and parole.Of the categories you have noted, what are the most offensive behaviors or characteristics you observe? For example, urinating in public or leaving hypodermic needles in public spaces.CategoriesOffensive BehaviorsHomeless people do not “offend“ mePeople who don’t want to live in traditional settings or obey the lawPublic urination, loitering, fighting, drug useDrug and alcohol abusersPublic urination, loitering, fighting, drug use/leaving needles and alcohol containersCrime and drug dealing as an alternative economyPublic use of intravenous drugs and nodding out against buildingsPeople using the streets as toilets, fighting, menacingPan handlers at the Post OfficeAt times, overly aggressiveHomeless who are unsanitaryDefecating/urinating in public/leaving trash around the cityHomeless who are violentFighting/aggression towards each other and citizens/touristsHomeless creating disturbancesSleeping in doorways/entering businesses and disturbing customersBusinesses attracting and exploiting homeless/transients to the detriment of their neighborhoodsStronger monitoring of business practices. Homeless/transients congregate near convenience stores and bully or intimidate shoppers/workersWhat organizations are you aware of that are direct providers of services to the various categories homeless/transient folks and how are they involved? Add more categories and information if you wishSleeping outside in winterThe Douglas County Housing & Homeless Coalition with Faith Lutheran ChurchMeal & a safe, warm place to sleep on the coldest winter nightsHungrySt. Joes Kitchen, FISH, Feed the ‘Burg, Salvation ArmyMeals, food boxesYouth/Children/familiesCasa de BelenProvide shelter, food, intense case management, medical assessment and care, drug /alcohol counseling, mental health care, employment assistance, parenting classes, mentoring, financial literacy classesMen, Women Roseburg Rescue Mission, Samaritan InnMeals, shelterVeteransRoseburg VA(some) Low- cost housing, mental & physical health careUCANFood, housing, basic needsBattered Persons AdvocacyUnited WayMercy HospitalFacebook group: All About Questions Douglas CountyRoseburg MissionShelter/food, workUmpqua Valley Disabilities NetworkMental healthWhat information do we lack that would help us make effective decisions? For example, how many homeless currently live in the Roseburg Area and their ages, genders, or veteran’s status?Who and what are the obstacles in the way that are preventing solutions to homelessness that will benefit ALL of the citizens of Douglas County?Who are the people we see hanging out around town? Are they from the Mission, in permanent low-income housing, from transient camps by the river, housed people who like to hang out with homeless friends, drug dealers…?Has anyone surveyed the homeless folks hanging out around town? Of those who are homeless, how many prefer to be homeless? How many don’t want to be homeless but don’t know how to change their circumstances? Data is important – so is networking, bringing more people together to work on this…everything from the idea of “shower trucks” to renovating apartments needs to be considered. If all we can do is baby steps, then let’s start there….We do not truly understand the nature of the homeless/transient population. Why are they in Roseburg? How long have they been here? Are they transient? What is the draw to our town? What is their sobriety status? Are they veterans? Do they utilize the Mission or other services?Although this populations may, in general terms, self-identify as disabled, finding leaders within the segment may bring insights to the conversation. I believe it is important for the community to develop a better understanding of the population’s more frequent issues, needs, and tendencies.I also believe we need to take a look at communities that are similar in culture and population to Roseburg that have taken steps toward addresses the issue and learn from them. No two communities will be the same, but getting the conversation elevated to involve decision makers is going to have to happen at some point if we are to see any positive change. ................
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