Q&A for the City / Operators

Questions, concerns and topics to be discussed and answered

1. Provide agenda for meeting DONE

2. HSNAC would like to have ample time to cover question and answers provided along with additional questions and concerns from the HSNAC.

THERE WAS NO TIME

3. Possibly have last 10-15 minutes open for public comment. DONE

4. Community Meetings to be held every 30 days until deemed unnecessary by the HSNAC. SCHEDULED FOR 7/11/18, 8/15/18, 9/19/18 @ COMM22 (2235 Commercial Ave SD 92113)

5. Make sure all attending members of the panel have copies of the agreements and scope of work with them for reference and explanation when giving answers to the committee and community questions. NOT DONE

Documents:

1. Provide updated and accurate “Agreement for Transitional Storage Center with Mental Health Systems”. This is the legally binding document that holds all parties accountable for the operation and function of the facility. (including amendments) NOT DONE / NO LINK SENT YET

2. Provide “Plan of Operation” specifically from Mental Health Systems for day to day operations of facility. This will allow general public to know what is expected of the operator each day and their scope of work in operating the facility.

"The Commission and program operator work together to develop a plan of operations based on the terms of the contract, (which dictates Commission expectations of the operator) and continue to work on finalizing the draft plan during implementation to incorporate potential unanticipated needs. In this case in particular part of working through the draft plan has been to gather feedback and input form the community and incorporate that as appropriate into the final plan. We anticipate having a finalized plan within the next week or two, though the plan of operations will be updated throughout the term of the contract as needed"

3. Provide informational and instructional pamphlet/flyer at meetings and at the facility location to include all contact information for operator, city officials, police, environmental services, security, ect. Include detailed step by step instructions on what to do regarding safety, security, trash, noise , loitering, illegal activity, “Clean and Safe Zone”, etc.. Basically an instructional manual for the public on how to function and operate in and around the facility to keep it from, as stated in the contract agreement, “amount to a public nuisance and shall not be detrimental to the residential neighborhood.”

4. How can general public obtain information from city regarding the facility on a regular basis? (Website?, facebook?, public notices?, etc.) "Please refer to the flyer and the phone number and email contact details for the operator"

5. Contract and agreement accountability. Who makes sure every part of the legally binding agreement, scope of work, and Plan of Operation is being upheld and enforced? Who reports to who? Who monitors and checks the facility for proper operation on a daily basis? NOT ANSWERED YET

Operations: Request for amendments to the operating agreement

1. Require ID at a minimum to obtain and access storage bin. NO ID IS BEING REQUESTED

2. Make sign-in and Client list public information. CANNOT BE DONE

3. 90 day “referral only” period needs to come from immediate area. The location was chosen because we were told this is where the problem is, so this area gets first priority. Open to other areas after 90 day period.

4. Hours of Operation. Agreement states hours of operation will be 7:00am-7:00pm Monday-Friday, 8:00am-12:00pm Saturday. No Sunday hours allowed. NEW HOURS MON-FRI 7AM-7PM SAT & SUN 8AM-11 AM (FORMER HOURS AS SPECIFIED AT COUNCIL ON 3/20/18 M-F 7AM-7PM SAT 8-12 CLOSED SUNDAY)

THE HSNAC REQUESTED THE HOURS TO BE AS INITIALLY APPROVED BY COUNCIL AND THE RECOMMENDATION WAS NOTED BY REP BAHIJA HUMPHREY

5. Require clients to show proof that they were “transitioning” to be able to continue to use the facility. (ex. Doctor appointments, working, looking and applying for work, housing, education, etc) STILL PENDING RESPONSE

Sanitation:

1. Area being referred to “Clean and Safe” one-block radius. At City Council meeting a motion was presented for this to be ½ mile radius from storage site. Please provide exact perimeters and map of “clean and safe zone”. STILL PENDING RESPONSE

2. “Clean Zone” is to have added trash cans. How many, who responsible for cleaning and maintaining, if excess occurs what type of response time should be expected. STILL PENDING RESPONSE

3. Sanitation of storage bins. What is the cleaning procedure between use from one client to the next. CLEANING PROCEDURE FOR BED BUGS ON ALL

4. What is the protocol inside and outside the facility if Hep A or other outbreak occurs? STILL PENDING RESPONSE

5. Bathroom and hand washing stations. Will there be any provided? Where will they be located? Who is responsible for maintenance and security of use STILL PENDING RESPONSE ON A REVIEW AS THE FACILITY OPENS

Safety:

1. Security Personnel. Industry standard is 1:100. One security guard for 100 people. MHS stated that they are prepared to provide one security guard inside and one security guard outside. Based on the size of the facility and the area needed to cover around the facility, it is already understaffed. STILL PENDING RESPONSE

2. Who exactly will be patrolling this “clean and safe zone”? Employee of MHS? Subcontracted professional security service? Expand and explain security protocol.STILL PENDING RESPONSE

3. What kind of response times should be expected if an issue arises? STILL PENDING RESPONSE

4. How will city and operator address safety issues during non-operational hours? POLICE PATROLLING | USE GET IT DONE APP

5. What safeguards will be put in place to ensure the safety of the children and staff at the local schools? STILL PENDING RESPONSE

6. What protocol will be in place to discourage clients from loitering in the surrounding neighborhoods? STILL PENDING RESPONSE

General: STILL PENDING RESPONSE

1. How many people is MHS prepared to service at one time? What is the protocol if the number of clients get beyond staff capacity. There is no policy or statement in contract agreement that they can turn anyone away as long as there are storage bins available and the client isn’t posing a threat.

2. Status of railway crossing at 19th St, additional street trees, lighting and other public improvements to the area.

3. Will the improvements they are making to the sidewalk and curb at the facility continue up Kearny Avenue to the broken, crumbled and missing pieces of curb in front of our Lady of Guadalupe Church ?

4. Expand and explain protocol for “queuing”/line forming.

5. How is it determined if the facility is working to help transition homeless and clean up the streets and sidewalks? Are there goals for number of people to be transitioned? Is it considered successful if every bin is used? How is the facility justifying $1.4 million dollars to operate per year? If no one transitions, then all money, effort, and time is a waste.

6. Will there be periodic reports on the success or failure of the program?

7. Explain how funding is being allocated to the Faciltiy. Agreement describes using “anticipated savings”, and “real estate reserve fund”, and “expectation of reimbursement for low –moderate income housing asset fund”. This sounds like there isn’t any money allocated to run the facility. It is taking from a housing reserve fund in a time where affordable housing is critical to mitigate continued homelessness. A misallocation of funds for a facility that has been proven to not help “transition” or help the homeless population.

8. Budget and fund justification. $1.4 million budget for year one operations of 500 storage bins is equal to $2800/year per unit. Standard rate for 5’x8’ public storage unit is $67/month or approximately $800/year. This equals an over expense of $2000/year per unit. Multiply that by 500 units and it wastes $1,000,000.00 per year. Aren’t these funds better used to truly help rather then pacify the homeless situation?

9. Does MHS have experience and or training in running a storage facility, security for 500 homeless clients and public, along with providing a one block or ½ mile radius “Clean and Safe” zone.

Important:

As the neighborhood advisory committee, we are constantly asked by the community that the actions of the city be proactive rather than reactive. We ask for this facility to be over prepared and ready for the worst, but expect the best. We need to be provided with information and updates rather than relying on the neighbors to handle the operations, welfare and safety of our community. We also need to use this opportunity as a resource of best, practical and safe practices for dealing with complex issues. The homeless policy and procedures of the city have been laughed at, ridiculed, and shown to be substandard in addressing the issues of the community. The lack of foresight and planning that has continued and the danger posed by this facility will continue to prove we have no leadership and no respect for the demands and desires of the community to keep our neighborhoods safe, our innocent children safe, and uphold the integrity of those who have and have not. So we ask of you as a final statement…. At what cost will it take to understand the danger of creating an area for 500 undocumented, unvetted people in a community surround by elementary schools, residential neighborhoods, and small businesses. Will it take an innocent child to be put in danger to believe this must be shut down and moved to a more responsible location, will someone need to obtain bodily harm for knowingly and willingly putting this facility along train tracks without any safety barriers, will those immediately around the facility need to sell their houses because of the nuisance caused by the poor planning of the facility, will another Hep A or other outbreak be needed to understand confining 500 unsanitary items in one enclosed location be detrimental to the health and well being of the employees and clients?

What will be considered bad enough, and at whose expense, to no longer allow this facility to operate? STILL PENDING RESPONSE