The Homeless Encampment Assistance Pilot Program has scheduled a community meeting on July 8th regarding encampments downtown on the Prince Memorial Greenway, Olive Park, Morgan Street and Highway 101 underpasses. 

Residents and business owners from neighborhoods surrounding the encampments are encouraged to attend, and all community members with an interest are welcome.

COMMUNITY MEETING
Monday, July 8, 2019, 5:30 pm
Santa Rosa City Council Chambers
100 Santa Rosa Avenue

The Homeless Encampment Assistance Pilot Program involves a multi-disciplinary team focused on a compassionate approach to address the health, safety, and shelter needs of persons living in encampments and to ease impacts to surrounding communities. The July 8th meeting will bring together City staff from Police, Fire, Housing and Community Services, Transportation and Public Works, Community Programs and Engagement, and Water along with Catholic Charities, to provide information and answer questions.

The City will continue the Pilot Program at these downtown encampments over the next few weeks with a target resolution date of late July as follows: 

• Intensive, proactive, and coordinated outreach and engagement with occupants by the Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST)
• Relocation of occupants through a comprehensive services plan to include shelter options at the housing-focused Samuel L. Jones Homeless Shelter, enrollment in Coordinated Entry for access to community-wide programs, and resources to reconnect individuals with family and other support networks or for placement into permanent or temporary housing
• Ongoing cleanups of the area to mitigate public health and safety concerns, enforcement to address criminal activity, and management of the area following relocation of individuals and resolution of the encampment to discourage reoccupation. 

Efforts at these downtown locations are modeled after prior Pilot Program outreach completed at encampments located at the Farmers Lane Extension, 101 underpasses, Doyle Community Park, and Corporate Center Parkway. These programs resulted in the placement of approximately 50% of occupants into services, shelter, and housing. The Pilot Program also provided support to the County of Sonoma’s resolution of encampments in the Roseland area. 

For information on the City’s efforts to solve the challenging, community-wide issue of homelessness, please visit the Homelessness Solutions web page.