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Staff Update May 3, 2023 May 21, 2026 Candace Cannistraro, Deputy City Manager Lindsey Balinkie, Deputy Director Community Services Jussane Goodman, Human Services Administrator Off the Streets Emergency Shelter Program Mesa’s Crisis Response Model Police Fire & Medical Street Outreach Emergency Shelter Mental/Behavioral Health Physical safety of person and property from immediate or threatened danger Physical safety of person due to immediate health or injury. Stabilization and referral to relevant resources Physical safety of person due to immediate or threatened danger. Stabilization and referral to relevant resources Physical safety of person due to immediate health. Stabilization and referral to relevant resources Physical safety of person due to immediate or threatened danger. Referral to relevant resources 2 Human Services Division Office of Homeless Solutions Objective: Create robust partnerships and comprehensive services in addressing homelessness to support a healthy and safe community for all in Mesa. Core components • Street Outreach • Emergency Shelter • Heat Safety • Collaboration • Support to first responders, neighborhoods and businesses Programs and Services City Departments Community Partners 3 City Involvement: Lessons Learned 4 Mesa pays for homelessness with or without providing services. City-led coordination is essential in meeting public safety needs of entire community. First Responder support is required. Collaboration increase capacity to serve needs better together. City investment in services strengthens accountability and aligns services with priorities. Police Department Fire & Medical Court & Jails Park Safety Libraries Hospitals Street Outreach Heat Relief Services Shelter Services Case Management Higher Cost Lower Cost Diverting from Higher Cost Systems Importance of Mesa’s Involvement Homelessness touches nearly every public system: • Police • Fire/medical • Behavioral health • Courts • Libraries • Code enforcement • Housing services • Neighborhoods 5 Emergency Shelter Demand Mesa families are in crisis and are lacking basic needs to survive • In the last 12 months, we have provided emergency housing to 85 families with 235 children, and 100 seniors. • Today we are helping 17 families at Windermere with 17 families and 109 singles on waitlist, with a 6-week wait. • In the region, coordinated entry wait list requires 2-4 months before entering system. • There is a significant gap in housing availability and rental prices for those earning 50% of the Area Median Income.* Non-profit and faith-based organizations provide services and some shelter support but cannot meet all needs of the community • No organization is able/willing to fully fund an emergency shelter at this time. Agencies are willing to partner with us, if we provide funding. (Request for Information solicitation April 2026) • Emergency shelter is a difficult service for a non-profit to provide as there are no program revenues to offset costs. Recently emergency shelters have been turned into revenue models with transitional housing or affordable housing. • Alternative models may be possible with time and collaboration. Non-profits need time to develop revenue campaigns and will need a partnership with the city during the transition 6 *Mesa’s Balanced Housing Master Plan Emergency Shelter Availability Family Emergency Shelter options in Mesa are extremely limited: 7 4,846* Shelter Beds in Maricopa County 244* Mesa Shelter Beds 126 Shelter Beds Lost in Mesa in 2024- 2026 Homeless Shelter Beds With our program: 111 or 156 beds (Windemere/Sunaire location) for families, women, and seniors 28 additional family beds 105 beds for single men Mesa's population makes up 11% of Maricopa County. Mesa provides 5% of emergency shelter beds in Maricopa County Without our program: 28 beds for families 0 beds for all women without children 105 beds for single men Mesa provides less than 3% of emergency shelter beds in Maricopa County Most cities are focused on serving their own residents, which places Mesa residents as a lower priority and on long waiting lists when receiving shelter outside of the city. *Single adult & family beds County Shelter Beds Source: COC HIC Off the Streets Current Program Data 458 Unique Individuals Assisted in Last 12 months 235 Children 100 Seniors 202 Domestic Violence Survivors 8 Previous Off the Streets Council Direction 9 • Council approved the use of CARES/ARPA federal funds to set-up and operate an emergency shelter program through leased rooms at the Windermere Hotel • June 2022 Council allocated ARPA funds for a long-term solution. After multiple locations were considered, on May 2023 Council approved the purchase of 6733 E Main St, previously known as the Grand Hotel, currently known as Sunaire • As the ARPA funding was coming to an end, the need to transition to alternate funding was identified. • Original program called for moving the program to Sunaire while retaining some rooms and the dusk to dawn room at Windemere to service single males. During the 25/26 budget process, Council approved staff’s recommendation to discontinue all programming at Windemere once the program moved to Sunaire. $2.5M in General Fund was identified to cover the annual budget, with an impact of $900K in 25/26 due to residual ARPA funding. Council requested staff look for alternate funding to help offset the general fund in the future • Fall 2025, staff identified one-time funding through HOME ARP and ARPA interest income that can fully offset General Fund for three years Current Status of Sunaire • Sunaire is Ready. • Certificate of Occupancy issued, City has possession • Notice of Intent to Award issued to Mercy House for emergency shelter services pending funding* • Mercy House has been providing shelter services for 33 years • Operates 156-bed City of Tempe-owned emergency shelter • Mercy House applied for a $1.0M Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) grant on behalf of the Sunaire program. The results should be known by the end of May. • If/when the program is operational, Mercy House will explore obtaining in-kind support and other means of funding through grant applications. • The city will support fundraising efforts either through Mercy House or independently through a new city administered 501(c)(3) *A Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued in Fall 2025 to provide emergency shelter services at Sunaire. Seven proposals were received. Site visits were completed for the top three applicants. Mercy House was deemed the top applicant based on cost and quality. A notice of intent to award was issued in Spring 2026, which allows Mercy House to apply for grants on behalf of the program. 10 Proposed Operating Funding 11 Years one through three: • One-time funds from HOME ARP can fully offset the programming/case management costs • One-time ARPA interest income can fully offset the property maintenance/leased room costs Years four and beyond: • General Fund • Pursuit of federal/state funding • Pursuit of fundraising opportunities • Grants through a new city 501(c)(3) • Corporate sponsorships • Individual giving Location Options for Off the Streets Program 12 Lease rooms at Windemere or an alternate hotel • 65 rooms – 111 beds • Monthly program cost $106,000 ($955/bed) • Monthly room cost $104,000 • Monthly food cost $0 • Annual budget $2,520,000 Utilize city-owned rooms at Sunaire • 64 rooms – 158 beds • Monthly program cost $100,000 ($633/bed) • Monthly property maintenance cost $66,600 • Monthly food cost $41,700 • Annual budget $2,500,000 Discontinue program • Extremely limited options in Mesa • Phoenix Rescue Mission will need to refer Mesa families to outside of the city to receive services • Limits support to Mesa PD/Fire • Current ARPA funds estimated to run out at the end of August. A transition plan would need to be created 13 Sunaire Related Council Requests 14 Council Request Result Determine rental agreement interest Request for Information (RFI) to solicit interest in Sunaire rental agreement, conducted in April 2026 • Only one RFI response with request for city to provide 2.5M in funding • Feedback from other agencies indicates city funding would be needed to provide services Real Estate Appraisal 2026 appraisal value: $6,300,000 • Purchase price of property: $7,474,388 • Improvement cost: $6,529,257 • Total City ARPA related investment: $14,004,645 • Total funds subject to repayment: $13,280,950 Seek Department of Treasury Guidance The city is still awaiting a response from the U.S. Department of Treasury regarding payback requirements Regional Government Efforts Heat Safety Street Outreach Regional Homeless Court Heat Safety Street Outreach Shelter Support Court Heat Safety Street Outreach Shelter Regional Homeless Court Heat Safety Street Outreach Community Intervention Court Heat Safety Street Outreach Shelter Community Court Heat Safety Street Outreach 158/111 City-owned Shelter Beds Community Court Heat Safety Street Outreach Regional Homeless Court Heat Safety Street Outreach 53 Rented Shelter Beds Support Court Heat Safety Street Outreach 240 City-owned Shelter beds Regional Homeless Court Heat Safety Street Outreach Community Intervention Court Heat Safety Street Outreach 700 City -owned Shelter Beds Community Court 15 Family Promise Bridge Housing Up to 10 Families with Minor Children Up-to 60 days length of stay Funded by private donations, grants, and 12% government funding. Eden Village Permanent Housing Single Adults No cap on length of stay Funded by private donations and grants. The Other Side Village (Utah) Permanent Housing Single Adults No cap on length of stay Funded by client rent, social enterprise, private donations, and grants. City land contribution and funding for capital. Other Program Models 16