AGENDA DATE: 11/4/2015
TITLE:
Title
Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Community plan to end homelessness
ITEM TYPE: Consent Information Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Foley, Walker, Davis, White
PRESENTER (S): None
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Thomas C. Foley
BACKGROUND: The Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless (TJACH) was created in 1989 and formally incorporated in 2009. Its vision is to make homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring in the City of Charlottesville and Counties of Albemarle, Louisa, Fluvanna, Nelson and Greene. In 2013, TJACH’s governance structure was reorganized to include representation from the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County local governments, representatives from service providers, and private citizens with subject matter expertise and an interest in eliminating homelessness.
TJACH serves as the lead agency on homelessness in this region:
• TJACH sets local policy on homelessness through the development and implementation of a community plan to end homelessness
• TJACH incubates improved coordination and collaboration within the homelessness system of care through incentives and feedback
• TJACH distributes local, state and federal funding to local providers in the interest of meeting the goals of the community plan
• TJACH educates providers and the general community on homelessness
• TJACH gathers and reports on community level data
STRATEGIC PLAN: Mission: To enhance the well-being and quality of life for all citizens through the provision of the highest level of public service consistent with the prudent use of public funds.
DISCUSSION: Albemarle County, in cooperation with the City of Charlottesville, provided funding to TJACH for the past two years to reorganize, to develop a coordinated approach to serving the homeless, including hiring a housing navigator, and to develop a Community Plan to End Homelessness. The reorganization included the appointment of the County’s Chief of Housing and Director of Social Services to the TJACH Board. TJACH identified The Haven as the preferable location of a housing navigator and The Haven filled that position in 2014.
TJACH’s coordination efforts identified the following components, and service providers for each component:
Street outreach - Region Ten, On Our Own, The Haven
Coordinated assessment - The Haven with broad access through website
Prevention - The Haven
Emergency shelter - People and Congregations Engaged in Ministry (PACEM), Salvation Army, Shelter for Help in Emergency & Community Attention Homeless & Runaway Youth Program
Transitional housing - Salvation Army, Shelter for Help in Emergency, Monticello Area Community Action Agency (MACAA)
Rapid re-housing - The Haven
Permanent supportive housing - The Crossings, Region Ten
In March 2015, City Council approved TJACH’s Community Plan to End Homelessness (Attachment A) after the TJACH Board adopted the Plan. Council approval was a requirement of the joint funding from the City and County. No action was required by the Board.
BUDGET IMPACT: There are no budgetary impacts associated with this report. Annual funding requests from TJACH are reviewed by the County/City Agency Budget Review Team (ABRT), and the ABRT’s funding recommendation is considered as part of the County’s annual budget process.
RECOMMENDATION:
This report is for information only. No action is required.
ATTACHMENTS: A - Plan