On May 31, 2018, the Orange County Grand Jury released its 2017-18 Grand Jury report, Where There’s Will, There’s a Way Housing Orange County’s Chronically Homeless.  The purpose of the report was to examine the topic of the growth of homelessness in Orange County and examine housing solutions.  In compliance with Penal Code 933.05(a) and (b), the City is required to provide a response to each of the findings and recommendations directed to the City Council by August 29, 2018.  Specifically, responses are required for eight of the findings and seven of the recommendations which pertain specifically to municipalities.

The majority of the findings within the Grand Jury report outline the fact that homelessness is a County-wide issue that will require the development of a regional plan for the development of Permanent Supportive Housing units throughout the County.  Further, the report finds that Cities within the County have taken a “silo” approach to developing Permanent Supportive Housing which results in inefficient leveraging and pooling of funds across municipal borders. 

The City of Garden Grove agrees with some of the findings.  However, with regard to the findings about reluctance to provide sites for Permanent Supportive Housing, blaming and finger pointing, cities’ silo approach to developing Permanent Supportive Housing and no independent leadership body within the County to address regional homelessness issues, the City of Garden Grove partially disagrees.  Welfare and Institutions Code 17000 makes it a County responsibility to provide public assistance to the indigent.  Notwithstanding, the City of Garden Grove has chosen to enact its own Housing Authority and directly manage Federal CDBG, HOME and ESG grants as an entitlement jurisdiction. The City is committed to partnering with the County and its fellow municipalities to create Permanent Supportive Housing units.  Further, Garden Grove is a member of Association of California Cities - Orange County (ACCOC), and as such, is a member of the ACCOC Homelessness Taskforce.

The report also makes seven recommendations to cities pertaining to the development of Permanent Supportive Housing.  The recommendations request that the decision makers of Orange County cities participate in their region’s Service Planning Area meetings, develop a plan and list of potential sites for the creation of Permanent Supportive Housing, and collaborate with the United Way on the “United to End Homelessness” campaign.

The City’s response states that some of the recommendations have already been implemented.  The recommendations that have not already been implemented will be in the future.

The cost of developing Permanent Supportive Housing is not yet known.  However, staff will implement and follow up on the Grand Jury recommendations to identify the number of Permanent Supportive Housing units needed, the associated costs and potential funding options to create the necessary units.

It is recommended that the City Council:

• Approve the attached response;

• Authorize the Mayor to sign the response on behalf of the City; and

• Authorize submittal of the response to the Orange County Grand Jury.

By:    Allison Wilson

         Neighborhood Improvement Manager