BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1167
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Date of Hearing: April 12, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS, PROFESSIONS AND CONSUMER
PROTECTION
Mary Hayashi, Chair
AB 1167 (Fong) - As Amended: April 4, 2011
SUBJECT : Homelessness: Interagency Council on Homelessness.
SUMMARY : Creates the California Interagency Council on
Homelessness (council) and requires various state agencies to
meet quarterly to coordinate efforts on homelessness.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Creates the council, whose mission is to construct
cross-agency and community cooperation in responding to
homelessness and to identify and apply for increased federal
funding to respond to homelessness.
2)Requires the Governor to designate a lead agency or
representative from the Governor's staff to direct the
council's work.
3)Requires the council membership to include:
a) At least one representative with decision-making
authority from each of the following:
i) Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation;
ii) Department of Housing and Community Development;
iii) Department of Mental Health;
iv) Department of Social Services; and,
v) Department of Veterans Affairs.
b) Two representatives from local law enforcement, county
or city government, or organizations representing these
interests, with one be appointed by the Senate Committee on
Rules (Senate Rules) and the other by the Speaker of the
Assembly (Speaker);
c) Representatives from two stakeholder organizations, with
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one to be appointed by Senate Rules and the other by the
Speaker;
d) Two individuals who have experienced homelessness, with
one to be appointed by Senate Rules and the other by the
Speaker; and,
e) A chair and vice-chair, to be appointed by the Governor.
4)Requires the council to:
a) Meet quarterly;
b) Seek all available funding to fund the council and its
activities;
c) 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
pursuant to this bill; and,
d) Serve without compensation, except consumer
representatives shall receive minimal compensation if
private funds are available.
5)Authorizes the council to:
a) Act as the lead for coordinating and planning the
state's response to homelessness if necessary as a
requirement to apply for federal funding;
b) Establish working groups, task forces, or other
structures to assist in its work, within current costs or
private support;
c) Engage or accept the services of agency personnel and
nonprofit organizations, or employ council staff with
private or non-state funding; and,
d) Invite stakeholders to participate in meetings or
provide information to the council.
6)Makes legislative findings and declarations.
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7)Defines the following terms:
a) "Council" means the California Interagency Council on
Homelessness;
b) "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 :
Purpose of this bill . 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.
AB 1167 will establish a council 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.
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
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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 of homelessness, who are chronically homeless,
or who frequently use avoidable crisis services use a
disproportionate share of public resources.
This bill differs from AB 1177 (Fong) of 2009 by revising the
council membership and its appointments and reducing the
council's mandated actions. This bill would authorize and
encourage the council to seek federal funding for its
activities.
Support . The co-sponsor, Housing California, writes, "In light
of the deep budget cuts the Legislature has made to our state's
safety net programs, a council whose chief purpose would be to
increase efficiency of our remaining resources and identify new
options for federal funding that could total in the millions now
seems more important than ever. A council is a wise investment
at a time when economic hardships and budget cuts could result
in additional homelessness. Because California has the largest
homeless population in the country, the state needs strategic,
thoughtful approaches driven by practices that work. Currently,
the 11 state agencies that administer programs affecting
homelessness in California often administer conflicting
programmatic philosophies, or duplicate staff effort."
According to the City of Santa Monica, "While local governments
are taking the lead to address homelessness on the ground,
�local governments] are constantly hampered by conflicting
regulations and policies that vary across state and local
agencies. As a state that is home to the largest concentrations
of homelessness, including homeless veterans, it is critical
that resources and responses are coordinated at the state
level."
Previous Legislation . AB 1177 (Fong) of 2009 is a similar bill
that would have required various state agencies to meet
quarterly to coordinate efforts on homelessness. This bill was
AB 1167
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held in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Double-referred . This bill is double-referred to the Assembly
Housing and Community Development Committee.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Corporation for Supportive Housing (co-sponsor)
Housing California (co-sponsor)
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
City of Santa Monica
Los Angeles Business Leaders Task Force
United Homeless Healthcare Partners
Western Center on Law & Poverty
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Joanna Gin / B.,P. & C.P. / (916)
319-3301