Thread by @CaityMaple

Yesterday I sat with a city leader in a smaller city not too far from #Sacramento. We talked about their innovative approach to addressing #homelessness and was blown away... (this thread is long but hopefully worth it)

First, they thought to themselves: how can we utilize our shared needs and resources to leverage collective power?

Brilliant.

They did this by signing an MOU with two counties and several cities to create a consortium. Each has one elected representative, their city manager or county executive, and city/county attorneys a part of the coalition.

Next, they set goals and timelines. Their objectives: service access, strategic planning, and sustainability.

Mind you, these places have significantly less resources than the Sacramento region, so every dollar counts.

The consortium brought together more than 70 partner organizations (nonprofits, churches, hospitals, schools, etc) to address specific challenges and put together outreach teams to connect unhoused residents to those resources.

An example: they bought washers and dryers for the schools so unhoused children would have a place to clean their clothes.

Another example: local hospitals have food and clothing closets as well as a "street nursing program" that provides healthcare in encampments.

The coalition ensures the churches that feed people are on a schedule that doesn't overlap and reaches all needed areas.

There is a coordinated entry hub where residents can go to get connected to job training programs in partnership with local employers, transitional housing, counseling and victim services, as well as showers, laundry, and child care.

Funds received by the federal and state government have been used in partnership with local developers to build low income, transitional, and supportive housing.

And to close the loop, they have created a "community court" in partnership with DA's and judges where each person is assigned a case worker, peer mentor, and transportation to resolve outstanding legal issues. Jail time is often avoided entirely.

So, I have to ask myself why Sacramento, with MILLIONS in resources over the years, has not been able to do any of these things well? We have near zero collaboration between jurisdictions (a huge detriment to getting things done).

Meanwhile, citizens with little $ fill the gaps

Every place in our region is struggling to house people in need, so why not work together?

It's not too late to do the right thing.

@threadreaderapp unroll

@davidkeenan1917 this is a thread on a model that I believe could work well for homelessness in Sacramento.