BILL ANALYSIS �
Bill No: AB
1167
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Roderick D. Wright, Chair
2011-2012 Regular Session
Staff Analysis
AB 1167 Author: Fong
As Amended: June 21, 2011
Hearing Date: June 28, 2011
Consultant: Art Terzakis
SUBJECT
Homelessness: Interagency Council on Homelessness
DESCRIPTION
AB 1167 creates the California Interagency Council on
Homelessness (Council) consisting of representatives from
multiple jurisdictions to coordinate a statewide approach
in responding to the misfortune of the homeless and to
identify and apply for federal funding. Specifically, this
measure:
1. Makes various legislative findings relative to the
plight of the homeless in California and declares that
the state is not accessing all of the federal funds
for homelessness that it should due to a lack of
coordination among state agencies.
2. Creates the Council and provides that its mission
is to construct cross-agency and community cooperation
in responding to homelessness and to identify and
apply for increased federal funding.
3. Requires the Governor to appoint the chair and
vice-chair and to designate a lead agency or
representative from the Governor's staff to direct the
Council's work.
4. Stipulates that Council membership shall include at
least one representative from each of the following
state entities: (a) the Department of Alcohol and Drug
Programs; (b) the Department of Corrections and
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Rehabilitation; (c) the Department of Housing and
Community Development; (d) the Department of Mental
Health; (e) the Department of Social Services; and,
(f) the Department of Veterans Affairs.
5. Additionally, requires: (a) two representatives
from local law enforcement, county or city government,
or organizations representing these interests (one
appointed by the Senate Rules Committee and the other
by the Speaker of the Assembly); (b) representation
from two stakeholder organizations (one appointed by
Senate Rules and the other by the Speaker); and, (c)
two individuals who have experienced homelessness (one
appointed by Senate Rules and the other by the
Speaker).
6. Stipulates that members of the Council shall serve
without compensation, except consumer representatives
shall receive minimal compensation if private funds
are available. Also, makes it explicit that state
funds shall not be used to compensate members of the
Council.
7. Requires the Council to meet quarterly, to seek all
available monies to fund the Council and its
activities, and operate within the current budget of
each department and agency represented.
8. Permits the Council to act as the lead for
coordinating and planning the state's response to
homelessness, including identifying federal funding
sources and determining how the state should apply for
such resources.
9. Requires each department and agency to cooperate
with the Council and furnish it with information and
assistance that is necessary or useful pursuant to the
provisions of this measure.
EXISTING LAW
Under existing state law, several agencies have prescribed
responsibilities relating to homeless persons including,
among others, administering emergency shelter programs and
ensuring the provision of community mental health services
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for homeless persons.
Existing federal law establishes the Stuart B. McKinney
Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento) and authorizes
federal funding for homeless assistance programs
administered by several federal agencies, including the
United States Departments of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD), Health and Human Services, Labor, Education, and
Veterans Affairs. HUD operates two programs through
McKinney-Vento, the Federal Emergency Shelter Grant Program
and the Continuum of Care Program.
Existing federal law also provides for the Homeless
Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act
which reauthorized and made changes to McKinney-Vento,
including increasing the priority on homeless families with
children and increasing prevention resources.
BACKGROUND
Purpose of AB 1167: The author's office points out that
this measure is intended to create a collaboration of state
agencies and community efforts to coordinate a statewide
approach to address homelessness through an Interagency
Council on Homelessness. Using existing resources, a
primary purpose of the Council is to open up the state's
eligibility for federal funding, streamline the
administration of existing programs, improve efficiency,
eliminate fragmentation and provide a forum for information
and ideas to address homelessness in California.
The author's office notes that homelessness is on the rise,
particularly among seniors and families with children and
it affects all communities.
Additionally, the author's office cites a March 2009 report
by the National Center on Family Homelessness titled
"America's Youngest Outcasts" which found that one in 50
children is homeless in the U.S.A. - California is listed
as one of the worst states in the country for the extent of
homeless children. The report also found that California
has inadequate planning to address the problem.
The author's office also references the Governor's Homeless
Initiative of 2005 which created a funding program for
individuals who are mentally ill and chronically homeless.
The author's office states that the Initiative expressed
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intent to create an interagency council on homelessness
however the council has not met since 2005. As a result,
California continues to have a fragmented approach to
homelessness due to the fact that state agencies too often
pursue siloed policies that affect other state or local
programs. For example, too often, the state fails to apply
for federal funds for which the state is entitled because
an agency relies on another to apply, or the absence of a
coordinating council disqualifies the state. Also, state
agency staff duplicate the work of other agency staff or
enact policies that contradict another agency's policies.
The sponsors and proponents of this measure believe that an
active Council composed of state and local representatives
will help bring in federal monies to fund shelters, as well
as, create an innovative perspective to streamline
resources, improve efficiency, reduce duplication and
create greater accountability and transparency. The
sponsors and proponents emphasize that "in light of the
deep budget cuts the Legislature has made to the state's
safety-net programs, a Council whose chief purpose would be
to increase efficiency of remaining resources and identify
new options for federal funding that could total in the
millions seems more important than ever."
Governor's Homeless Initiative of 2005: Governor
Schwarzenegger established an initiative to end long-term
homelessness in California by providing integrated
permanent housing and services to long-term homeless people
in partnership with local governments and the private
sector. When announcing the initiative, the Governor said
"with this initiative my administration is committing more
than $50 million in state funding to build permanent
housing units where residents have an affordable place to
live. This housing will also provide access to the health,
employment and other support services they need to
transition off the street."
As part of the Initiative described above, the Governor
stated that he would commit the following:
Up to $40 million in Proposition 46 funds to leverage
private sector resources to produce 400 to 500 new
supportive housing units;
$10 million in funds from the California Housing Finance
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Agency to provide financial resources to community
organizations that lend to supportive housing projects;
and,
$875,000 in Proposition 63 and state general fund dollars
to provide for the formation of an interagency council on
homelessness and pre-development costs such as permitting,
engineering costs, site development and environmental
reports.
PRIOR/RELATED LEGISLATION
AB 1177 (Fong) 2009-10 Session. Similar to AB 1167 (Fong)
of 2011 in that it would have required various state
agencies to meet quarterly to coordinate efforts on
homelessness. (Held in Senate Appropriations Committee)
AB 56 (Ma) 2007-08 Session. Would have created a
cabinet-level position of Secretary to End Poverty in
California, and would have provided that the secretary
shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation
by the Senate. Also, would have required the secretary to
review the work of the state agencies, departments, and
offices that implement and administer antipoverty programs
in the state to determine whether those agencies,
departments, and offices are operating in the most
efficient and effective manner possible. (Died on Assembly
Appropriations Suspense File)
SUPPORT: As of June 24, 2011:
Corporation for Supportive Housing (co-sponsor)
Housing California (co-sponsor)
Butte countywide Homeless Continuum of Care
California Association of Social Rehabilitation Agencies
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
City of San Jose
Homeless Action Center
Larkin Street Youth Services
Los Angeles Business Leaders Task Force
National Association of Social Workers - California Chapter
National Alliance on Mental Illness
New Directions, Inc.
Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
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Santa Monica, City of
United Homeless Healthcare Partners
Ventura County Homeless and Housing Coalition
Western Center on Law and Poverty
And, numerous private citizens
OPPOSE: None on file as of June 24, 2011.
FISCAL COMMITTEE: Senate Appropriations Committee
DUAL REFERRAL: Senate Rule Committee
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