BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1177
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 28, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Jim Beall, Jr., Chair
AB 1177 (Fong and Hill) - As Amended: April 16, 2009
SUBJECT : Homelessness: Interagency Council on Homelessness
SUMMARY : Creates a state inter-agency council to coordinate
efforts to combat chronic homelessness. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Creates the California Interagency Council on Homelessness
(council), whose mission is to construct cross-agency and
community cooperation in responding to homelessness, to use a
more efficient and supportive method in implementing
evidence-based approaches to address homelessness, and, to the
extent possible, plan to end homelessness in the state.
2)Requires the council meet at least quarterly, and include at
least one representative with decision making authority from
each of the following:
a) The State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs;
b) The Department of Community Services and Development;
c) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation;
d) The State Department of Education;
e) The State Department of Health Care Services;
f) The Department of Housing and Community Development;
g) The California Housing Finance Agency;
h) The State Department of Mental Health;
i) The State Department of Social Services;
j) The California Tax Credit Allocation Committee;
aa) The Department of Veterans Affairs;
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bb) A representative of the Governor's office;
cc) A representative from the Senate, to be appointed by the
President pro Tempore of the Senate, or his or her
designee;
dd) A representative from the Assembly, to be appointed by
the Speaker of the Assembly, or his or her designee;
ee) Two members of the philanthropic community from
organizations that are active in homelessness issues, to be
appointed by the Governor;
ff) Representatives of at least two stakeholder
organizations, to be appointed by the Governor; and,
gg) At least two people who have experienced homelessness,
to be appointed by the Governor.
3)Requires the Governor to appoint a chairperson and
vice-chairperson from among the members of the council.
4)States that all members of the council shall serve without
compensation, unless private, philanthropic or other nonstate
funding resources are available, or unless the Legislature
makes a future appropriation, to operate, manage, or conduct
the business of the council.
5)Requires all reports or documents created by the council to be
submitted at least annually to specified legislative
committees.
6)Requires the council to:
a) Act as the lead for coordinating and planning the
state's response to homelessness, including, but not
limited to, coordinating funding that the state receives
from the federal government for the prevention or reduction
of homelessness or for services delivered to people who are
homeless or at risk of homelessness;
b) Solicit input and suggestions from stakeholders, the
business community, the concerned public, and other
governmental agencies on the most effective strategies to
address homelessness;
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c) Identify best practices from other states in combating
homelessness;
d) Create a plan for council actions by the end of the
first year after the initial meeting, with annual review,
to implement recommendations for policy, regulatory, and
resource changes needed to accomplish objectives, as well
as each agency's responsibilities on the council;
e) Publish a plan to reduce or end homelessness within
three years;
f) Collaborate on planning for discharge of people likely
to become homeless after leaving institutions, including,
but not limited to, prisons, crisis health care facilities,
and foster care;
g) Create, not later than January 1, 2015, a centralized
database on homelessness, provided federal funds or other
nonstate moneys are available for that purpose;
h) Assist, not later than January 1, 2017, in the
coordination of a statewide continuum of care, provided
funds are available; and,
i) Identify private and public funding partnerships.
7)Requires the council to operate within the current budget of
each department and agency represented, as specified. Each
department and agency shall cooperate with the council and
furnish it with information and assistance that is necessary
or useful to further the purposes of this bill.
8)Makes Legislative findings and declarations.
9)Defines the following terms:
a) "At risk of homelessness" means a history of
homelessness and an income of 30 percent or below the area
median income;
b) "Council" means the California Interagency Council on
Homelessness;
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c) "Homelessness" means a condition where a person lacks a
fixed, regular, or adequate nighttime residence or who has
a primary nighttime residence that is either a supervised
publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide
temporary living accommodations or a public or private
place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular
sleeping accommodation for a human being. Homelessness
also applies to a person who is exiting an institutional
setting and is at risk of homelessness, or is living in
transitional or temporary housing.
d) "Stakeholder organization" means a nonprofit or
faith-based organization whose primary mission is to
prevent or end homelessness, to provide services or health
care to people who are homeless, or to create housing for
people who are homeless.
EXISTING LAW tasks several agencies with responsibilities
related to homelessness.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : According to the author's office, "The State of
California continues to have a fragmented approach in dealing
with homelessness. The state lacks coordination between state
agencies, local government, and non-profit organizations. This
bill will establish an Interagency Council on Homelessness in
the state consisting of representatives from multiple
jurisdictions."
Background : According to information from the sponsor,
California has the largest homeless population in the nation,
but is the only large state without an interagency council on
homelessness. More than 10 California agencies administer
programs affecting homelessness, but there is no official
coordination to ensure greatest efficiencies.
According to the Corporation for Supportive Housing, though 12%
of the nation's residents live in California, about 26% of the
nation's homeless population resides in California. With these
statistics, California not only has the highest population of
homeless people, but the highest ratio of homeless people.
Whereas the national incidence of homelessness is one in 400,
one of every 105 Californians is homeless on any given night.
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The health, personal, and economic challenges that chronically
homeless individuals and families face and the lack of
effective, coordinated services to address these problems often
lead to a vicious cycle of housing instability and health
deterioration. Health conditions of those experiencing
long-term homelessness often prevent housing stability, while
persistent homelessness impedes access to needed health and
employment services. Consequently, people who are chronically
homeless cycle through costly emergency-driven public
systems-emergency shelters, emergency rooms, detoxification
centers, criminal justice facilities-without getting the ongoing
care they need to address severe mental illness, substance abuse
disorders, or chronic health conditions. People who experience
multiple episodes or homelessness, who are chronically homeless,
or who frequently use avoidable crisis services use a
disproportionate share of public resources.
Arguments in support : The co-sponsor, Housing California,
writes, "AB 1177 represents a significant step forward in
eliminating our state's fragmented approach to ending
homelessness, and would provide hope to the hundreds of
thousands of Californians homeless each year by holding regular
meetings among agency personnel to ensure program requirements
maximize efficiency and minimize conflicts, the development of
administrative policies based on best practices, increased
coordination with regional and local government, and the
identification of available federal and private funding the
state could access. Finally, AB 1177 would use existing
resources and, if available, non-General Fund resources, making
it cost-neutral and an all-around win for every agency
involved."
SECOND COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE . This bill was previously heard
in the Assembly Business and Professions Committee on April
21st, and was approved on a 7-4 vote.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Corporation for Supportive Housing (Sponsor)
Housing California (co-sponsor)
Interagency Council to End Homelessness, Sacramento
Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness
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Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California
United Homeless Healthcare Partners
Yolo County Homeless and Poverty Action Coalition
Yolo Wayfarer Center
Western Center on Law and Poverty
NAMI California
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Frances Chacon / HUM. S. / (916)
319-2089