CC SR 20230418 05 - Homelessness Strategic Plan
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 04/18/2023
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Regular Business
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to adopt and implement the City’s Homelessness
Strategic Plan.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Receive and file a presentation on the Rancho Palos Verdes Homelessness
Strategic Plan;
(2) Adopt the Rancho Palos Verdes Homelessness Strategic Plan thereby authorizing
Staff to begin implementing the recommended action items; and,
(3) Direct Staff to return with a six-month status update on the implementation of the
Rancho Palos Verdes Homelessness Strategic Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Karina Bañales, Deputy City Manager
REVIEWED BY: Same as above
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Rancho Palos Verdes Homelessness Strategic Plan (page A-1)
B. September 6, 2022 City Council Staff Report
BACKGROUND:
In 2021, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved funding
recommendations for Measure H - eligible Homeless Initiative strategies (Innovation
Grants), allocating $1,905,000 to the South Bay Cities Council of Governments
(SBCCOG). The City applied for and received a total of $40,000 in grant funding to
develop the City’s Homelessness Plan intended to prevent and combat homelessness in
the City by, among other things, connecting unhoused persons with County resources.
On September 9, 2022, the City Council awarded a professional services agreement with
Focus Strategies to assist with developing a plan that best fits the City of Rancho Palos
1
CITY OF 1 ANCHO PALOS VERDES
Verdes (Attachment B). Focus Strategies is a California-based consulting firm
specializing in supporting communities to develop and implement data -informed
approaches to reduce homelessness rapidly and equitably.
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes Homelessness Strategic Plan (Plan) was developed
over a nine-month period from August 2022 to April 2023. During this time, Focused
Strategies performed extensive research, conducted stakeholder meetings, surveyed the
community, and met with Staff to develop the Plan.
This evening, the City Council will receive a presentation from Focused Strategies on the
Plan. Staff seeks Council authorization to adopt and begin implementing the Plan, and
return with a six-month status update on the implementation of the Homelessness
Strategic Plan.
DISCUSSION:
The SBCCOG awarded funds to the City to develop a Plan to prevent and combat
homelessness. The City developed its Plan around strategies that are effective, reflective
of the City’s specific community needs, and responsive to the local landscape. The
strategies respond to the needs of people without adequate permanent housing, including
those living outside and households at risk of losing their housing.
Although rates of homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes are low relative to other
communities in Los Angeles County, creating a Plan ensures the City can respond to
homelessness effectively now and into the future by creating strategies, activities, and
partnerships that build a nimble and responsive infrastructure.
The Plan provides strategies and action steps for the City to enhance its ability to rapidly
respond to and address issues related to homelessness, build capacity within the City,
and strengthen partnerships with regional and local partners.
The Plan includes five sections:
1. How the Plan was developed
2. Scope of Homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes and current city protocols
3. Community Engagement and Findings
4. Strategic priorities to address homelessness
5. The first six months: An Action Plan to Respond to Homelessness in the City
Each of the Plan’s five sections are summarized below (Attachment A):
1. How the Plan was developed
Focused Strategies researched and compiled data related to the prevalence of
homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes and local and regi onal responses to
homelessness and housing insecurity. This included the review of city policies and
procedures, city reports and plans related to responding to homelessness or addressing
2
the housing needs of low-income residents, and local and regional data regarding
homeless response services and affordable housing access, to name a few.
The data and documents provided critical information on 1) the scope and scale of
homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes, 2) City, community, and regional resources to
prevent and respond to homelessness, and 3) City protocols related to interacting with
people experiencing homelessness. Findings from Phase 1 were compiled in a Baseline
Summary of Homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes.
2. Scope of Homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes and current city protocols
This section illustrates the scope and scale of homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes as
well as the City’s current homelessness response protocol. The City is uniquely
positioned to efficiently respond to homelessness given that rates of homelessness in the
City have remained relatively low even while homelessness across Los Angeles Cou nty
has risen in the past decade.
The City is part of Service Planning Area 8 (SPA 8) in the Los Angeles County Continuum
of Care (CoC). There were 4,445 persons estimated to be experiencing homelessness in
SPA 8 during the 2022 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count.
Within Rancho Palos Verdes, six people experiencing homelessness were identified
during the 2022 PIT. This reflects an increase from 2020 when the number of unsheltered
people was zero. The population estimated to be experiencing homelessness in Rancho
Palos Verdes in the 2022 PIT accounts for less than 1% of the overall population
experiencing homelessness in SPA 8.
The six people experiencing unsheltered homelessness within the City at the time of the
2022 PIT were evenly divided between those sleeping on the streets and those staying
in vehicles. Due to the semi-rural character of the City and broader Palos Verdes
Peninsula, City Staff estimates the PIT undercounts the number of unsheltered
individuals.
Currently, the City has an established process to respond to people who are experiencing
homelessness within the City, beginning with a request for service connectio n through
the Los Angeles Homeless Outreach Portal (LA -HOP), managed by the Los Angeles
Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA).
City employees assist or have the referring party complete the request form and submit
through the portal. Harbor Interfaith receives this request and directs a referral to outreach
teams, including People Assisting the Homeless (PATH). Outreach may not be able to
respond or assist the identified individual for several days after a request is submitted,
and some individuals will move on from their original location before outreach is able to
connect with them. City Staff also refers unhoused residents or residents at-risk of
homelessness to other LAHSA/CoC services.
3
It is important to note that the Public Safety Administrative Analys t in the City Manager’s
office serves as the liaison to regional homelessness response services coordinated by
the SBCCOG and is responsible for facilitating service connections.
3. Community Engagement and Findings
A critical component of this section includes engaging City stakeholders such as local
and regional government entities and nonprofit organizations .
A total of 12 interviews were conducted from the following entities:
• SBCCOG
• Salvation Army
• Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD)
• Library Representative (Palos Verdes Library District (PVLD))
• Public Transit (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
(Metro))
• Public Transit (Palos Verdes Peninsula Transit Authority (PVPTA))
• School District (Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD)
• City of Palos Verdes Estates
• City of Rolling Hills
• City of Rolling Hills Estates
Focused Strategies also released an online survey to gather input from residents. The
survey provided valuable insight to residents’ knowledge and perception of homelessness
in the community. The survey garnered a total of 336 responses.
Furthermore, the Rancho Palos Verdes Homelessness Task Force was established
during this process which included six employees from the Administration, Recreation
and Parks, and Community Development Department s. The Homelessness Task Force,
led by the Public Safety Administrative Analyst, allowed for an employee perspective on
their firsthand experience when coming across an unhoused person.
A common theme found in engaging these stakeholders, in particular from the Community
Survey, conveyed concerns of safety in public spaces, access to mental health and
recovery services, policies and programs that decrease rates of homelessness in the City,
and overlooked populations.
Stakeholders not only identified a desire to see increased outreach and housing
navigation services but specifically articulated a desire for those services to be quick and
responsive. Interviewees described the current protocol as having long wait times for
connecting individuals to services and unreliable referrals and processes. Having locally
available outreach and housing navigation services will allow City professionals and law
enforcement to support individuals in connecting to interim or permanent housing options
and resolving their homelessness.
4
Across groups, stakeholders agreed that housing resources are critical to combating
homelessness in the City. Many also believe referring people to shelter (rather than
housing) is an important strategy. However, shelter within Los Angeles County is in short
supply and the most efficient response to homelessness involves connecting people to
housing through housing navigation and re-housing opportunities.
Lastly, not all City and community stakeholders are aware of the existing City protocol for
addressing the needs of unhoused residents in the City. Homelessness Task Force
members, interviewees, and community survey respondents want more information about
what to do when engaging and supporting an individual experiencing homelessness.
Some stakeholders expressed a desire for a step -by-step guide on how to respond and
where to make service referrals when someone experiencing homelessness se eks
support. Other stakeholders requested a unified City procedure inclusive of professionals
working in public spaces like libraries, transit, and recreation and parks.
4. Strategic priorities to address homelessness
Five key strategies of this Plan were formed by community feedback and local data and
based on best practices that have been shown in other communities to effectively address
homelessness. The City is in a unique position in which rates of homelessness are low
compared to other communities in Los Angeles County. By implementing these
strategies, the City will achieve a proactive response to homelessness that meets the
needs of community stakeholders, housed residents, and people experiencing
homelessness.
Five Strategies
The five strategies were developed through analyses of local data, community feedback,
and stakeholder recommendations. These five strategies will guide the City’s efforts in
effectively and efficiently responding to homelessness.
Strategy 1: Increased Coordination with Peninsula Partners, Community-Based
Organizations, and Regional Providers
Based on the small scale of homelessness in the City, it is essential to focus on sustaining
relationships and improving collaboration between community -based organizations and
Peninsula and regional partners. This allows the City to leverage resources and foster
stronger and quicker connections to housing and services .
Strategy 2: Outreach, Housing Navigation and Re-Housing Resources, and Prevention
Services
This strategy expands access to outreach, housing navigation and re-housing resources,
and prevention services. Furthermore, pairing outreach with housing navigation and re-
housing resources ensures that once someone is contacted by outreach, they can be
quickly assisted to access housing or referred to other resources in the region. Activities
5
under this strategy will result in directly supporting individuals to end their homelessness
or prevent homelessness.
Strategy 3: Strengthening City Policies, Protocol, and Interdepartmental Response
Strategy 3 strengthens the City’s response to homelessness, including ensuring a
consistent response to homelessness across City departments. The City has an
established protocol to respond to homelessness. However, the current protocol relies on
utilizing Los Angeles County CoC services which does not generally deliver a timely
response. Once the City contracts with an agency to provide localized outreach, housing
navigation and re-housing resources, and homelessness prevention services (Strategy
2), this protocol will be updated. In addition, the City can strengthen its response to
homelessness by developing a process to consistently collect data, share information,
and track activities across departments. City Staff and the Homelessness Task Force can
revisit the protocols regularly, as part of monitoring the implementation of this Plan, to
ensure it continues to meet the community’s needs.
Strategy 4: City Staff Training and Skill Building
Increasing the number of staff trained and offering a broad range of training topics for
staff strengthens the internal capacity of the City to address and respond to issues of
homelessness both as they appear now in Rancho Palos Verdes and for how they may
change in the future. Building local expertise of City Staff will also facilitate the
implementation of this Plan and enhance coordination efforts with regional providers and
programs.
Strategy 5: Community Education
Community education can increase community awareness of resources avail able for
those experiencing homelessness and those at-risk of experiencing homelessness and
enhance the community’s understanding of the causes of and solutions to homelessness.
This can help decrease stigma, which is important to ensure households at risk of losing
their housing, or those with family members or friends who are experiencing
homelessness, are comfortable seeking assistance. In addition, offering opportunities for
community members to deepen their understanding around topics such as leading
causes of homelessness, evidence-based solutions to homelessness, and current
availability of resources for people experiencing homelessness are likely to be useful in
successfully implementing the Plan.
These strategies will guide the City’s planning effo rts in effectively preparing for and
addressing the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness and those at -risk of
experiencing homelessness. Each strategy includes several activities. In addition, a six-
month Action Plan that with concrete steps to a dvance each of the five strategies below
is included in this Plan.
5. Action Plan to Respond to Homelessness in the City
6
On the next page, Focus Strategies provided an action plan that outlines the specific
steps required to implement the first six months of the Homelessness Strategic Plan. The
Action Plan is best implemented as a living document that will be modified as needed,
including adding or editing action steps and/or adjusting timelines to match the progress
being made.
It is expected that the Public Safety Administrative Analyst will spend time familiarizing
themself with the Action Plan and understand the best approach to implement each phase
and if it requires additional funding to execute.
7
PHASE 1 – LAYING THE GROUNDWORK
Primary RPV Staffing Support:
Administrative Analyst City Manager/Dep. City Manager
Possible Partner Support:
Homelessness Task Force, Peninsula Cities, Dept. of Human Resources
Strategy Task
1 Increased coordination with Peninsula
partners, community-based
organizations, and regional providers
☐ Broaden Homelessness Task Force to include Peninsula city representatives and other
representatives (e.g., SBCCOG, law enforcement); extend invitations to new Task Force members
☐ Schedule and plan agenda for first meeting with expanded Task Force
☐ Identify a City staff member to organize and lead Homelessness Task Force meetings
☐ Plan and facilitate meetings with Peninsula city leaders to discuss depth and breadth of
partnership opportunities
☐ Identify regional meetings, including CoC membership meetings and subcommittees or
gatherings facilitated by the SBCCOG, related to homelessness
2 Outreach, Housing Navigation and Re-
Housing Resources, and Prevention
Services
☐ Identify resources available for homelessness response efforts
☐ Allocate resources to support localized outreach, housing navigation and re-housing resources,
and prevention services
3 Strengthening City Policies, Protocol,
and Interdepartmental Response
☐ Identify protocols and/or policies needed to ensure a unified and coordinated City response to
homelessness, including a protocol for uniform data collection and information sharing
4 Increased City Staff Training and Skill
Building
☐ Identify training opportunities available to City Staff through regional partners or national
homelessness response organizations
☐ Identify City Staff positions that would benefit from training about homelessness response
best practices
5 Community Education ☐ In conjunction with Homelessness Task Force, begin planning community education
opportunities by identifying topics and forms of engagement (e.g., town hall, informational
presentations, education campaign, etc.)
8
PHASE 2 – LAUNCHING
Primary RPV Staffing Support:
Administrative Analyst City Manager/Dep. City Manager
Possible Partner Support:
Homelessness Task Force, Peninsula Cities, Dept. of Human Resources
Strategy Task
1 Increased coordination with
peninsula partners, community-based
organizations, and regional providers
☐ Facilitate first Homelessness Task Force meeting with expanded membership and focusing on
increasing City and Peninsula capacity to address and resolve homelessness; topics to include
establishing a new charge for the Homelessness Task Force to support Plan implementation,
planning for community education opportunities, and/or drafting City policies and protocols
related to homelessness
☐ Establish connections between City Staff leading implementation of the Plan with regional
partners, including LAHSA and SBCCOG
☐ Prioritize regional meetings for Staff to participate in, with consideration for which will
strengthen the City’s capacity to respond to homelessness
2 Outreach, Housing Navigation and Re-
Housing Resources, and Prevention
Services
☐ Finalize the scale of increased outreach and housing navigation resources (answering technical
questions such as number of days or hours per week for contracted services, etc.)
☐ Reach out broadly to agencies the City could potentially contract with to understand how
services are provided; information gathered can be used to develop an RFP for services or a sole
source contract
3 Strengthening City Policies, Protocol,
and Interdepartmental Response
☐ For data collection protocol, identify types of information staff should track and secure method
for capturing and sharing information
☐ Draft data collection and information sharing protocol and share with select Staff to begin
using
4 Increased City Staff Training and Skill
Building
☐ Determine which types of trainings (e.g., de-escalation and conflict response or resources
available to address homelessness) should be required or offered to select Staff positions
☐ Make trainings available to City Staff; track registrations for trainings and records of completed
trainings
9
PHASE 2 – LAUNCHING
Primary RPV Staffing Support:
Administrative Analyst City Manager/Dep. City Manager
Possible Partner Support:
Homelessness Task Force, Peninsula Cities, Dept. of Human Resources
Strategy Task
5 Community Education ☐ Reach out to local experts to gauge interest in and availability for participating in community
education opportunities
☐ Launch first community education opportunity
PHASE 3 – BUILDING
Primary RPV Staffing Support:
Administrative Analyst City Manager/Dep. City Manager
Possible Partner Support:
Homelessness Task Force, Peninsula Cities, Dept. of Human Resources
Strategy Task
1 Increased coordination with peninsula
partners, community-based
organizations, and regional providers
☐ Schedule and plan agendas for quarterly Homelessness Task Force meetings
☐ Participate in identified regional meetings and initiatives
2 Outreach, Housing Navigation and Re-
Housing Resources, and Prevention
Services
☐ Continue working to expand outreach and housing navigation services through contracted
services; options may include releasing an RFP for services or drafting a sole source contract
3 Strengthening City Policies, Protocol,
and Interdepartmental Response
☐ Review use of data collection and information sharing protocol; refine and/or expand if
needed
☐ Identify additional protocols and/or policies needed to ensure a unified and coordinated City
response to homelessness
4 Increased City Staff Training and Skill
Building
☐ City Staff continue to enroll in and complete training opportunities
☐ Solicit feedback from Staff to refine training recommendations for each position
10
PHASE 3 – BUILDING
Primary RPV Staffing Support:
Administrative Analyst City Manager/Dep. City Manager
Possible Partner Support:
Homelessness Task Force, Peninsula Cities, Dept. of Human Resources
Strategy Task
5 Community Education ☐ Integrate the Homelessness Task Force feedback and feedback from community members
interacting with the first community education opportunity into the development of additional
community education materials and future educational opportunities
☐ Develop a workplan and/or timeline for releasing future community engagement
opportunities
PHASE 4 – SUSTAINING
Primary RPV Staffing Support:
Administrative Analyst City Manager/Dep. City Manager
Possible Partner Support:
Homelessness Task Force, Peninsula Cities, Dept. of Human Resources
Strategy Task
1 Increased coordination with peninsula
partners, community-based
organizations, and regional providers
☐ Regularly facilitate Homelessness Task Force meetings
☐ Participate in identified regional meetings and initiatives
2 Outreach, Housing Navigation and Re-
Housing Resources, and Prevention
Services
☐ Finalize City approach to contracting with a provider to increase outreach and housing
navigation services
3 Strengthening City Policies, Protocol,
and Interdepartmental Response
☐ Incorporate anticipated changes in services (Strategy 2) into revised City protocol regarding
engaging and supporting individuals experiencing homelessness
4 Increased City Staff Training and Skill
Building
☐ Work with Departmental leaders to incorporate training opportunities in onboarding materials
for Staff positions
5 Community Education ☐ Finalize plan for community education effort
☐ Host regular community education opportunities
11
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the City Council adopt the Plan and direct Staff to return with a six-
month status update on the implementation of the Plan. This will ensure that the Plan is
properly executed for the community.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Do not implement the Rancho Palos Verdes Plan;
2. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
12
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
HOMELESSNESS STRATEGIC PLAN
Prepared for the City of Rancho Palos Verdes by Focus Strategies
April 2023
A-1
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Introduction.................................................................................................................. 3
II. Vision .......................................................................................................................... 3
III. Plan Snapshot: 5 Strategies to Address Homelessness .............................................. 4
IV. How the Plan was Developed .................................................................................... 5
A. Phase 1: Information Gathering and Review ................................................................................ 5
B. Phase 2: Stakeholder and Community Engagement.................................................................. 6
C. Phase 3: Strategy and Action Plan Development ........................................................................ 7
V. Scope of Homelessness in RPV and Current City Protocol ........................................... 7
A. Unsheltered Homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes .................................................................. 7
B. Rancho Palos Verdes Broader Housing Context ......................................................................... 8
C. Resources for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness or At-Risk of Homelessness ........... 9
D. Current City Process and Protocol ............................................................................................... 11
VI. Community Engagement Findings ........................................................................... 11
A. Concerns of Stakeholders .............................................................................................................. 13
B. Stakeholder Priorities in Addressing Homelessness ................................................................ 14
VII. Strategic Priorities to Address Homelessness in Rancho palos verdes .................... 16
A. Strategy 1: Increased Coordination with Peninsula Partners, Community-Based
Organizations, and Regional Providers ............................................................................................... 17
B. Strategy 2: Outreach, Housing Navigation and Re-Housing Resources, and Prevention
Services ………… .................................................................................................................................... 17
C. Strategy 3: Strengthening City Policies, Protocol, and Interdepartmental Response ........ 18
D. Strategy 4: City Staff Training and Skill Building ....................................................................... 19
E. Strategy 5: Community Education ............................................................................................... 20
VIII. The First 6 Months: An Action Plan to Respond to Homelessness .......................... 20
IX. Summary .................................................................................................................. 25
A-2
3
INTRODUCTION
On July 13, 2021, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved funding
recommendations for Measure H-eligible Homeless Initiative Strategies, to be allocated
through councils of governments. The South Bay Cities Council of Governments
(SBCCOG) awarded funds to the City of Rancho Palos Verdes (City) to develop a City Plan to
prevent and combat homelessness. The City developed this Homelessness Strategic Plan
around strategies that are effective, reflective of RPV’s specific community needs, and
responsive to the local landscape. The strategies respond to the needs of people without
adequate permanent housing, including those living outside, and households at-risk of losing
their housing.
The underlying drive of this Plan is preparedness and proactivity. Rates of homelessness in
Rancho Palos Verdes are low relative to other communities in Los Angeles County. Creating a
Homelessness Strategic Plan ensures the City can respond to homelessness effectively now
and into the future by creating the strategies, activities, and partnerships that build a nimble
and responsive infrastructure. The Plan provides strategies and action steps for the City of
Rancho Palos Verdes to enhance its ability to rapidly respond to and address issues related to
homelessness, to build capacity within the City, and to strengthen partnerships with regional
and local partners.
VISION
Utilizing this Plan, the City aims to make strides toward preventing and addressing
homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes. This Plan is intended to serve as a guide for the City to
take proactive steps to resolve instances of homelessness as they occur.
A-3
4
PLAN SNAPSHOT: 5 STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS
The Plan is organized around five strategies, developed through analyses of local data,
community feedback, and stakeholder recommendations. These five strategies will guide the
City’s efforts in effectively and efficiently responding to homelessness. Each strategy is
explored in more detail in later sections.
Strategy 1: Increased Coordination with Peninsula Partners,
Community-Based Organizations, and Regional Providers
Strategy 2: Outreach, Housing Navigation and Re-Housing
Resources, and Prevention Services
Strategy 3: Strengthening City Policies, Protocol, and
Interdepartmental Response
Strategy 4: City Staff Training and Skill Building
Strategy 5: Community Education
A-4~mmrroatq ~ ~ m1 Lol
5
HOW THE PLAN WAS DEVELOPED
In July 2022, the City began working with Focus Strategies to develop the Homelessness
Strategic Plan. Focus Strategies is a California-based consulting firm specializing in
supporting communities to develop and implement data-informed approaches to rapidly
and equitably reduce homelessness. The Plan was developed over a nine-month period from
August 2022 - April 2023. To develop the strategies and actions included in this plan, the City
utilized a three-phase planning approach:
Phase Purpose of Phase Timeline
Phase 1: Information
Gathering and Review
Collect and analyze existing data
related to homelessness in RPV.
August 2022-
December 2022
Phase 2: Community
Engagement
Engage critical stakeholders to
provide feedback on priority areas
and approaches to addressing
homelessness in RPV.
January 2023-
February 2023
Phase 3: Strategy Setting and
Action Plan Development
Synthesize all data and community
feedback to develop a
Homelessness Strategic Plan that
reflects the needs and capacities of
the City.
March 2023-
April 2023
A. Phase 1: Information Gathering and Review
Phase 1 focused on compiling and examining local data related to the prevalence of
homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes and local and regional responses to homelessness and
housing insecurity. Data were used to establish a baseline understanding of homelessness in
the community and to help identify opportunities to effect meaningful change. The following
types of data, materials, and information sources were examined in Phase 1:
• Internal City policies and procedures
• City reports and plans related to responding to homelessness or addressing the
housing needs of low-income residents
• City Council materials and minutes related to addressing homelessness
• Regional annual data on scope of homelessness (e.g., numbers of individuals
experiencing homelessness)
• Local and regional data regarding homeless response services and affordable
housing access
A-5
6
The types of data and documents listed above provided critical information on 1) the scope
and scale of homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes, 2) City, community, and regional
resources to prevent and respond to homelessness, and 3) City protocols related to
interacting with people experiencing homelessness. Findings from the Phase 1 were
compiled in a Baseline Summary of Homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes.
B. Phase 2: Stakeholder and Community Engagement
Phase 2 of the planning process kicked off with a meeting of a Homelessness Task Force. City
departments that commonly interact with people experiencing homelessness in the City were
invited to participate in the Task Force and provide input to the strategic direction of the
Plan. The following City departments were represented on the Task Force: City Manager’s
Office, Recreation and Parks, Community Development, and Emergency Preparedness.
During the Task Force meeting, members discussed the data findings presented in the
Baseline Summary of Homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes and provided valuable input on
their departments’ experiences of interacting with people experiencing homelessness.
This phase of the planning process included stakeholder interviews. Twelve individuals,
representing local and regional government entities and non-profit organizations involved in
addressing homelessness, were interviewed. The entities engaged through interviews
included the following:
• South Bay Cities COG (SBCCOG)
• Salvation Army
• Los Angeles County Sheriff Dept (LASD)
• Library Representative (PVLD)
• Public Transit (Metro)
• Public Transit (PVPTA)
• School District (PVPUSD)
• Palos Verdes Estates
• Rolling Hills
• Rolling Hills Estates
In addition, the City released an online survey to gather input from Rancho Palos Verdes
residents. This effort provided valuable insight to residents’ knowledge and perception of
homelessness in the community. The survey garnered a total of 336 responses.
A-6
7
Groups engaged through Phase 2 include:
Stakeholder Group Type of Engagement Participation Numbers
RPV Homelessness Task
Force
Group Presentation and
Feedback Session
6 City department
representatives
Stakeholder Interviews One-to-One virtual meetings 12 Individuals Interviewed
Community Engagement
Survey Online written survey tool 336 Survey Responses
Data collected through all stakeholder engagement efforts were analyzed to understand the
opportunities available to the City to more effectively respond to homelessness. This
information was used to define and refine the strategies included in the Plan during Phase 3.
C. Phase 3: Strategy and Action Plan Development
Analyzing the data learned from Phase 1 and the feedback and insight collected from
stakeholders in Phase 2 yielded five strategies to address and prevent homelessness in
Rancho Palos Verdes. In addition to broad strategies, the Plan includes a 6-month Action Plan
with concrete steps to advance these strategies. The five strategies are the culmination of an
intentional process to identify approaches to addressing homelessness best suited to the
needs and capacities of the Rancho Palos Verdes community. Each strategy is rooted in data,
local capacity and feasibility, and stakeholder priorities.
SCOPE OF HOMELESSNESS IN RPV AND CURRENT CITY PROTOCOL
This section provides a condensed overview of data and information collected in Phase 1 of
this planning process and included in more detail in the Baseline Summary of Homelessness
in Rancho Palos Verdes. It illustrates the scope and scale of homelessness in Rancho Palos
Verdes as well as the City’s current homelessness response protocol.
A. Unsheltered Homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes
Rancho Palos Verdes is uniquely positioned to efficiently respond to homelessness given that
rates of homelessness in the City have remained relatively low even while homelessness
across Los Angeles County has risen in the past decade. Rancho Palos Verdes is part of
A-7
8
Service Planning Area 8 (SPA 8) in the Los Angeles County Continuum of Care (CoC). There
were 4,445 persons estimated to be experiencing homelessness in SPA 8 during the 2022
Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. Within Rancho Palos Verdes, six people experiencing
homelessness were identified during the 2022 PIT. This reflects an increase from 2020 when
the number of unsheltered people was zero. The population estimated to be experiencing
homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes in the 2022 PIT accounts for less than 1% of the overall
population experiencing homelessness in SPA 8.
As there are no emergency shelters for people experiencing homelessness in Rancho Palos
Verdes, all individuals identified during the PIT were experiencing unsheltered
homelessness. The six people experiencing unsheltered homelessness within the City at the
time of the 2022 PIT were evenly divided between those sleeping on the streets and those
staying in vehicles. Due to the semi-rural character of the City and broader Palos Verdes
Peninsula, City staff estimate the PIT undercounts the number of unsheltered individuals. In
addition, Point-in-Time Count data is based on a definition of homelessness from the U.S
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and does not include individuals or
families who are doubled-up with family or friends, persons in institutional settings, or people
paying for their own motel accommodations.
B. Rancho Palos Verdes Broader Housing Context
While a relatively small number of people experience homelessness within Ranch Palos
Verdes each year, a larger number of residents may struggle with housing affordability.
Environmental factors such as housing instability, rental costs, and vacancy rates of rental
units have a complex impact on rates of homelessness in every community. As housing
market dynamics shift, low-income households at risk of homelessness may require
assistance to maintain their housing.
The data below reveal affordable housing realities in Rancho Palos Verdes. These data points
are meant to 1) show the limited housing supply that exists within the community for low-
income and extremely low-income households and 2) represent households that may benefit
from a Homelessness Strategic Plan that considers both individuals experiencing
homelessness and those at-risk of experiencing homelessness.
A-8
9
$5,200 is the Median Monthly Rent for all bedroom sizes of apartment and
condominium rentals in RPV1.
34 units exist in the only rent-assisted property in RPV 2.
1,119 households qualify as extremely low-income in RPV; two-thirds of
these households are renters 3.
36% of Rancho Palos Verdes households qualify as cost-burdened
(households that spend more than 30% of their income toward their
housing costs). 19% of Rancho Palos Verdes households pay 30% - 50% of
their income toward housing and 17% of Rancho Palos Verdes households
are severely cost-burdened and pay more than 50% of their income toward
housing 4.
In examining cost-burdened households by race and ethnicity, Black Non-Hispanic
households are the only group in which more than half of households are cost-burdened or
severely cost-burdened. Additionally, 70% of senior renters and 33% of senior homeowners
with incomes at or below 100% of AMI have severe housing cost burdens.
C. Resources for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness or At-Risk of Homelessness
Understanding the current capacity of the homelessness response system is critical to
addressing issues of homelessness. Given the small number of people experiencing
homelessness, there are no emergency shelters, care centers, or designated outreach teams
in Rancho Palos Verdes or the surrounding Peninsula cities. People experiencing
1 ”Rancho Palos Verdes, CA Rental Market,” Zillow Rental Manager, updated November 28, 2022,
https://www.zillow.com/rental-manager/market-trends/rancho-palos-verdes-ca/.
2 “HCD Review Draft 2021-2029 Rancho Palos Verdes Housing Element Update,” accessed November
28, 2022, accessed https://www.rpvca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18687/N-Revised-HE-8-5-22-clean
3 “HCD Review Draft 2021-2029 Rancho Palos Verdes Housing Element Update,” accessed November
28, 2022, accessed https://www.rpvca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18687/N-Revised-HE-8-5-22-clean
4“HCD Review Draft 2021-2029 Rancho Palos Verdes Housing Element Update,” accessed November
28, 2022, accessed https://www.rpvca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18687/N-Revised-HE-8-5-22-clean
A-96) .II!" • ••• ~)/ ~o
10
homelessness on the peninsula are typically connected to services available through the Los
Angeles County CoC. Below are two data points from Los Angeles Homeless Services
Authority and Los Angeles County CoC that shows the limited resources available to
individuals experiencing homelessness in the region:
• The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Point-In-Time Count (PIT), shows
28,458 persons experiencing unsheltered homelessness in 2022. In LAHSA’s 2022
Housing Inventory Count (HIC), there were 15,026 emergency shelter beds available
within the Los Angeles County Continuum of Care 5.
• According to the Homeless Data Integration System for the State of California, the Los
Angeles County Continuum of Care reported an average of 181 days from identification
of a person in need of housing resources to moving into permanent housing in 2021 6.
These data illustrate there are many more individuals in the region who need access to
shelter and housing resources than the number of resources available. The limited supply of
all types of shelter and housing resources creates waiting periods that often mean individuals
are not able to access shelter when they are in a housing crisis.
Homelessness Prevention Assistance for People At-Risk of Homelessness
Data from the California COVID-19 Rent Relief program suggests that residents of Rancho
Palos Verdes have turned to eviction prevention programs to resolve housing instability in
recent years. As of November 21, 2022, 187 households in Rancho Palos Verdes completed
applications for the California COVID-19 Rent Relief program. Ninety-eight percent (98%) of
Rancho Palos Verdes applicants were approved for emergency rental assistance and
provided with an average of $21,927 in rental assistance7. The California COVID-19 Rent
Relief program was intended to serve as a temporary homelessness prevention program. The
program stopped accepting applications as of April 1, 2022.
5 “HC 2022 Data Summaries”, The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, accessed March 15, 2023
https://www.lahsa.org/news?article=893-2022-greater-los-angeles-homeless-count-data
6 “Homeless Data Integration System, 2021” State of California, Business, Consumer Services and
Housing Agency, accessed March 15, 2023
https://bcsh.ca.gov/calich/hdis.html#:~:text=The%20HDIS%20is%20a%20statewide%20data%20ware
house%20of,coordination%20and%20planning%20bodies%E2%80%94into%20a%20statewide%20da
ta%20warehouse.
7 “California COVID-19 Rent Relief Program Dashboard,” BCHS Housing is Key, accessed November
22, 2022, https://housing.ca.gov/covid_rr/dashboard.html.
A-10
11
D. Current City Process and Protocol
Rancho Palos Verdes has an established process to respond to people who are experiencing
homelessness within the City, beginning with a request for service connection through the
Los Angeles Homeless Outreach Portal (LA-HOP), managed by the Los Angeles Homeless
Services Authority (LAHSA). City staff assist or have the referring party complete the request
form and submit through the portal. Harbor Interfaith receives this request and directs a
referral to outreach teams, including People Assisting the Homeless (PATH). Outreach may
not be able to respond or assist the identified individual for several days after a request is
submitted, and some individuals will move on from their original location before outreach is
able to connect with them. City staff also refer unhoused residents or residents at-risk of
homelessness to other LAHSA/CoC services.
A staff member in the City Manager’s office serves as a liaison to regional homelessness
response services coordinated by the South Bay Cities Council of Governments and is
responsible for facilitating service connections. This designated staff member participates in
regional training opportunities and shares resources with key City departments as
appropriate.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FINDINGS
In addition to analyzing existing data, information, and reports related to homelessness in
Rancho Palos Verdes, the City engaged stakeholders through a community survey tool,
Homelessness Task Force meetings, and one-to-one interviews. These additional data
collection efforts provided significant opportunities to gather feedback from the City, local
A-11
C ity staff assist o r have t he unhoused
resident complete the service connection
request and submit through the LA-HOP
portal.
The City cont racts w ith Los Angeles
County Sheriff Department assist wit h LA-
HOP outreach requests . Law enforcement
also ass i sts wit h behavio ral hea lth crises
when required.
Harbor Interfaith
d irects a referra l to
People Assisting the
Homel ess (PATH).
PATH responds t o
outreach requests
from Rancho Pa los
Verdes on ly on
Fri days.
This process can
resu lt in unreliable
servi ces because
indi vid ual s o ften @-move on. ..
12
government and nonprofit leaders, homeless service providers, and community members.
The feedback from these important stakeholder groups served the following purposes:
1. To ensure this Plan reflects the specific needs of the Rancho Palos Verdes community.
2. To integrate local expertise and knowledge into the development of the Plan’s
strategies.
3. To utilize a process of strategic planning that reflects best practices and centers
people.
Stakeholder groups were asked to provide their input on the following questions related to
the development of this Plan:
• From your perspective, what should we know about solving homelessness in Rancho
Palos Verdes? What are some unique factors that this Plan should consider?
• What types of policy, program, or system changes can the City make that could have
significant impact for people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness in Rancho Palos
Verdes?
• How big of a challenge do you think homelessness is in Rancho Palos Verdes?
• How would you rate the importance of addressing the needs of people experiencing
homelessness in the community?
• What’s most important to you in addressing homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes?
• What would success of the Homelessness Strategic Plan look like?
• Are there initiatives or projects underway that seem particularly promising in
preventing or responding to homelessness (either within Rancho Palos Verdes or in
other communities that you think could be particularly beneficial if implemented in
Rancho Palos Verdes)?
While responses from interviewees, Homelessness Task Force members, and survey
respondents varied widely, some overarching themes emerged from large numbers of
stakeholders.
A-12
13
A. Concerns of Stakeholders
Across the various stakeholder groups and feedback platforms, the following themes related
to community concerns were commonly shared:
SAFETY IN PUBLIC SPACES
ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES
POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT DECREASE RATES OF HOMELESSNESS
IN THE CITY
OVERLOOKED POPULATIONS
Many stakeholders, particularly from the Community Survey, conveyed concerns about
unhoused individuals sheltering outside where, as a result, fires may be used for warmth or
cooking and where there may be poor sanitary conditions. Rancho Palos Verdes is almost
entirely located in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ) and the City has taken
action to mitigate this fire risk by prohibiting camping in VHFHSZ at all times 8. Currently,
stakeholders described addressing these concerns through the Los Angeles County Sheriff
Dept (LASD), with many sharing their hope that individuals who are outside are connected to
shelter or housing that is safe for human habitation.
In addition to recognizing the need for access to shelter and housing, stakeholders also
reported concerns about access to mental health services and resources for those
experiencing unsheltered homelessness in RPV. Some frontline City staff shared difficulties
they faced when making appropriate referrals for mental health services as well as not having
sufficient training to engage and support unsheltered individuals in the community with
8“City Council Agenda Report 11/02/2021”, City of Rancho Palos Verdes, accessed March 15, 2023,
MetaViewer.php (granicus.com).
A-13
14
complex mental health needs. Due to the limited homeless response services available in
RPV, law enforcement and other City stakeholders noted the lengthy and often unsuccessful
experience of connecting individuals in RPV to services, including behavioral health services,
in Los Angeles or surrounding areas.
Many stakeholders shared a desire for unsheltered individuals to be connected to resources
that can resolve their homelessness and ultimately decrease the number of individuals
experiencing homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes. While rapid access to permanent
housing is the most efficient and effective resource to resolve homelessness, housing units
accessible to people at low- or extremely low-incomes, including people currently
experiencing homelessness, are in short supply within Los Angeles County. Many
stakeholders focused on access to shelter or transitional housing opportunities instead. As
demonstrated by local data, however, there are more people experiencing homelessness in
Los Angeles than available shelter beds.
Finally, stakeholders with direct experience working or volunteering to support low-income
residents of Rancho Palos Verdes raised concerns that older adult populations and families in
RPV are often overlooked in conversations related to addressing homelessness. These two
populations may not be experiencing unsheltered homelessness in visibly public spaces.
Although these are not the populations many visualize when thinking about homelessness,
stakeholders believed the City would benefit from investing in local homelessness prevention
services, including rental assistance or subsidies.
B. Stakeholder Priorities in Addressing Homelessness
Across the stakeholder engagement platforms, respondents were asked about the priorities
they believed were most important in addressing homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes. In
the community survey, participants were also asked how important they believed the issue of
addressing homelessness was to the city of RPV. Among 336 responses, the majority of
participants in the community survey reported the importance of addressing the needs of
people experiencing homelessness in RPV as very important or moderately important. While
the specific priority areas discussed in this section varied across stakeholder groups, the
majority of participants agreed that addressing homelessness is an important City priority.
A-14
15
Opinions on how to address homelessness in RPV varied widely across community survey
respondents, with significantly less variability across interviewed stakeholders and
Homelessness Task Force members. The themes below reflect priority areas that emerged
frequently amongst all the stakeholder groups.
Timely Outreach and Engagement
Connection to Resources and Services
Unified City Protocol
Stakeholders not only identified a desire to see increased outreach and housing navigation
services but specifically articulated a desire for those services to be quick and responsive.
Interviewees described the current protocol as having long wait times for connecting
individuals to services and unreliable referrals and processes. Having locally available
outreach and housing navigation services will allow City professionals and law enforcement
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Very Moderately Somewhat Not At All
HOW IMPORTANT IS ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN RPV
Very Moderately Somewhat Not At All
40%
17%
29%
14%
A-15
■ ■ ■ ■
(9
~
16
to support individuals in connecting to interim or permanent housing options and resolving
their homelessness.
Across groups, stakeholders agreed that housing resources are critical to combating
homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes. Many also believe referring people to shelter (rather
than housing) is an important strategy. However, shelter within Los Angeles County is in short
supply and the most efficient response to homelessness involves connecting people to
housing through housing navigation and re-housing opportunities.
Not all City and community stakeholders are aware of the existing City protocol for
addressing the needs of unhoused residents in Rancho Palos Verdes. Homelessness Task
Force members, interviewees, and community survey respondents are seeking more
information about what to do when engaging and supporting an individual experiencing
homelessness. Some stakeholders expressed a desire for a step-by-step guide on how to
respond and where to make service referrals when someone experiencing homelessness
seeks support. Other stakeholders requested a unified City procedure inclusive of
professionals working in public spaces like libraries, transit, and recreation and parks.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN RANCHO PALOS VERDES
The five key strategies of this Plan are informed by community feedback and local data and
based on best practices that have been shown in other communities to effectively address
homelessness. Rancho Palos Verdes is in a unique position in which rates of homelessness
are low compared to other communities in Los Angeles County. By implementing these
strategies, the City will achieve a proactive response to homelessness that meets the needs of
community stakeholders, housed residents, and people experiencing homelessness.
These strategies will guide the City’s planning efforts in effectively preparing for and
addressing the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness and those at-risk of
experiencing homelessness. Each strategy includes several activities. In addition, a 6-month
Action Plan that with concrete steps to advance each of the five strategies below is included
in this Plan.
A-16
17
A. Strategy 1: Increased Coordination with Peninsula Partners, Community-Based
Organizations, and Regional Providers
Strategy 1 focuses on sustaining relationships and improving collaboration between
community-based organizations and peninsula and regional partners. Given the small scale
of homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes currently, the City is best positioned to partner with
other entities to respond to homelessness and expand access to affordable housing rather
than develop solutions independently. Stronger collaborative relationships will afford the City
greater opportunities to leverage resources and foster stronger and quicker connections to
housing and services.
1. Expand the Homelessness Task Force to include representatives from other
peninsula cities.
2. Utilize and expand partnerships with peninsula cities to coordinate regional
strategies to respond to homelessness.
3. Continue collaboration with regional systems, including the Los Angeles Homeless
Service Authority (LAHSA).
B. Strategy 2: Outreach, Housing Navigation and Re-Housing Resources, and
Prevention Services
Strategy 2 expands access to outreach, housing navigation and re-housing resources, and
prevention services for those experiencing homelessness and at-risk of experiencing
homelessness. This can be achieved through the collaborative relationships strengthened
under Strategy 1. Localized, responsive outreach services are needed to rapidly respond to
people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Rancho Palos Verdes. Pairing outreach
with housing navigation and re-housing resources ensures that once someone is contacted
A-17
18
by outreach, they can be quickly assisted to access housing or referred to other resources in
the region. Activities under this strategy will result in directly supporting individuals to end
their homelessness or prevent homelessness. Outreach, rapid response, and prevention
services will also fill referral gaps that were identified by frontline City and provider
stakeholders.
1. Determine administrative process for contracting for outreach, housing navigation
and re-housing resources, and prevention services.
2. Explore shared contracting for services with other peninsula cities.
3. Identify community-based organizations for contracted homelessness response and
housing navigation services.
4. Ensure City staff and/or contracted providers fully utilize available resources,
including SBCCOG client-aid programs.
C. Strategy 3: Strengthening City Policies, Protocol, and Interdepartmental Response
Strategy 3 strengthens the City’s response to homelessness, including ensuring a consistent
response to homelessness across City departments. The City has an established protocol to
respond to homelessness. However, the current protocol relies on utilizing Los Angeles
County CoC services which does not generally deliver a timely response. Once the City
contracts with an agency to provide localized outreach, housing navigation and re-housing
resources, and homelessness prevention services (Strategy 2), this protocol will be updated.
In addition, the City can strengthen its response to homelessness by developing a process to
consistently collect data, share information, and track activities across departments. City staff
and the Homelessness Task Force can revisit the protocols regularly, as part of monitoring
the implementation of this Plan, to ensure it continues to meet the community’s needs.
A-18
19
1. Design City protocol that is inclusive of new outreach and housing navigation
resources and observed throughout City departments and public service agencies.
2. Develop shared process and protocol to collect data and share information across
City departments.
3. Utilize Homelessness Task Force and other City inter-departmental communication
avenues to share tools and resources on how to address issues related to
homelessness and implement City processes and protocols.
4. Revise Homelessness Task Force charge to include monitoring use and success of
City protocols.
D. Strategy 4: City Staff Training and Skill Building
Increasing the number of staff trained and offering a broad range of training topics for staff
strengthens the internal capacity of the City to address and respond to issues of
homelessness both as they appear now in Rancho Palos Verdes and for how they may change
in the future. Building local expertise of City staff will also facilitate the implementation of this
Plan and enhance coordination efforts with regional providers and programs.
1. Expand the use of local prevention and problem-solving interventions by ensuring
City staff access professional development opportunities such as LAHSA’s Problem-
Solving Trainings.
2. Provide training for select City staff on topics such as demystification of
homelessness, cultural awareness and responsiveness, trauma-informed responses,
de-escalation and conflict response, and resources available to support people
experiencing crisis.
A-19m
20
E. Strategy 5: Community Education
Community education can increase community awareness of resources available for those
experiencing homelessness and those at-risk of experiencing homelessness and enhance the
community’s understanding of the causes of and solutions to homelessness. This can help
decrease stigma, which is important to ensure households at-risk of losing their housing, or
those with family members or friends who are experiencing homelessness, are comfortable
seeking assistance. In addition, offering opportunities for community members to deepen
their understanding around topics such as leading causes of homelessness, evidence-based
solutions to homelessness, and current availability of resources for people experiencing
homelessness are likely to be useful in successfully implementing the Plan.
1. Create community education opportunities regarding homelessness response
system resources and solutions to homelessness.
2. Provide the community with access to the City protocol that provides
information about the best way to refer individuals for services.
THE FIRST 6 MONTHS: AN ACTION PLAN TO RESPOND TO HOMELESSNESS
This Action Plan outlines the specific steps required to implement the first six months of the
Homelessness Strategic Plan. The Action Plan is best implemented as a living document that
will be modified as needed, including adding or editing action steps and/or adjusting
timelines to match the progress being made.
A-20
21
PHASE 1 – LAYING THE GROUNDWORK
Primary RPV Staffing Support:
Administrative Analyst City Manager/Dep. City Manager
Possible Partner Support:
Homelessness Task Force, Peninsula Cities, Dept. of Human Resources
Strategy Task
1 Increased coordination with peninsula
partners, community-based
organizations, and regional providers
☐ Broaden Homelessness Task Force to include peninsula City representatives and other
representatives (e.g., South Bay Cities COG, law enforcement); extend invitations to new Task
Force members ☐ Schedule and plan agenda for first meeting with expanded Task Force ☐ Identify a City staff member to organize and lead Homelessness Task Force meetings ☐ Plan and facilitate meetings with Peninsula City leaders to discuss depth and breadth of
partnership opportunities ☐ Identify regional meetings, including CoC membership meetings and subcommittees or
gatherings facilitated by the SBCCOG, related to homelessness
2 Outreach, Housing Navigation and
Re-Housing Resources, and
Prevention Services
☐ Identify resources available for homelessness response efforts ☐ Allocate resources to support localized outreach, housing navigation and re-housing
resources, and prevention services
3 Strengthening City Policies, Protocol,
and Interdepartmental Response
☐ Identify protocols and/or policies needed to ensure a unified and coordinated City response
to homelessness, including a protocol for uniform data collection and information sharing
4 Increased City Staff Training and Skill
Building
☐ Identify training opportunities available to City staff through regional partners or national
homelessness response organizations ☐ Identify City staff positions that would benefit from training about homelessness response
best practices
5 Community Education ☐ In conjunction with Homelessness Task Force, begin planning community education
opportunities by identifying topics and forms of engagement (e.g., town hall, informational
presentations, education campaign, etc.)
A-21
22
PHASE 2 – LAUNCHING
Primary RPV Staffing Support:
Administrative Analyst City Manager/Dep. City Manager
Possible Partner Support:
Homelessness Task Force, Peninsula Cities, Dept. of Human Resources
Strategy Task
1 Increased coordination with
peninsula partners, community-
based organizations, and regional
providers
☐ Facilitate first Homelessness Task Force meeting with expanded membership and focusing
on increasing City and Peninsula capacity to address and resolve homelessness; topics to
include establishing a new charge for the Homelessness Task Force to support Plan
implementation, planning for community education opportunities, and/or drafting City policies
and protocols related to homelessness ☐ Establish connections between City staff leading implementation of the Plan with regional
partners, including LAHSA and SBCCOG ☐ Prioritize regional meetings for staff to participate in, with consideration for which will
strengthen the City’s capacity to respond to homelessness
2 Outreach, Housing Navigation and
Re-Housing Resources, and
Prevention Services
☐ Finalize the scale of increased outreach and housing navigation resources (answering
technical questions such as number of days or hours per week for contracted services, etc.) ☐ Reach out broadly to agencies the City could potentially contract with to understand how
services are provided; information gathered can be used to develop an RFP for services or a
sole source contract
3 Strengthening City Policies, Protocol,
and Interdepartmental Response
☐ For data collection protocol, identify types of information staff should track and secure
method for capturing and sharing information
☐ Draft data collection and information sharing protocol and share with select staff to begin
using
4 Increased City Staff Training and Skill
Building
☐ Determine which types of trainings (e.g., de-escalation and conflict response or resources
available to address homelessness) should be required or offered to select staff positions ☐ Make trainings available to City staff; track registrations for trainings and records of
completed trainings
5 Community Education ☐ Reach out to local experts to gauge interest in and availability for participating in community
education opportunities ☐ Launch first community education opportunity
A-22
23
PHASE 3 – BUILDING
Primary RPV Staffing Support:
Administrative Analyst City Manager/Dep. City Manager
Possible Partner Support:
Homelessness Task Force, Peninsula Cities, Dept. of Human Resources
Strategy Task
1 Increased coordination with
peninsula partners, community-based
organizations, and regional providers
☐ Schedule and plan agendas for quarterly Homelessness Task Force meetings ☐ Participate in identified regional meetings and initiatives
2 Outreach, Housing Navigation and
Re-Housing Resources, and
Prevention Services
☐ Continue working to expand outreach and housing navigation services through contracted
services; options may include releasing an RFP for services or drafting a sole source contract
3 Strengthening City Policies, Protocol,
and Interdepartmental Response
☐ Review use of data collection and information sharing protocol; refine and/or expand if
needed ☐ Identify additional protocols and/or policies needed to ensure a unified and coordinated
City response to homelessness
4 Increased City Staff Training and Skill
Building
☐ City staff continue to enroll in and complete training opportunities ☐ Solicit feedback from staff to refine training recommendations for each position
5 Community Education ☐ Integrate the Homelessness Task Force feedback and feedback from community members
interacting with the first community education opportunity into the development of additional
community education materials and future educational opportunities ☐ Develop a workplan and/or timeline for releasing future community engagement
opportunities
A-23
24
PHASE 4 – SUSTAINING
Primary RPV Staffing Support:
Administrative Analyst City Manager/Dep. City Manager
Possible Partner Support:
Homelessness Task Force, Peninsula Cities, Dept. of Human Resources
Strategy Task
1 Increased coordination with peninsula
partners, community-based
organizations, and regional providers
☐ Regularly facilitate Homelessness Task Force meetings ☐ Participate in identified regional meetings and initiatives
2 Outreach, Housing Navigation and
Re-Housing Resources, and
Prevention Services
☐ Finalize City approach to contracting with a provider to increase outreach and housing
navigation services
3 Strengthening City Policies, Protocol,
and Interdepartmental Response
☐ Incorporate anticipated changes in services (Strategy 2) into revised City protocol regarding
engaging and supporting individuals experiencing homelessness
4 Increased City Staff Training and Skill
Building
☐ Work with Departmental leaders to incorporate training opportunities in onboarding
materials for staff positions
5 Community Education ☐ Finalize plan for community education effort ☐ Host regular community education opportunities
A-24
25
SUMMARY
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes is uniquely positioned to greatly impact the issue of
homelessness by acting on a few strategic priorities. By taking decisive actions to meet the
needs of people experiencing homelessness and those at-risk of homelessness, building
capacity within the City, and strengthening partnerships with regional and local partners,
Rancho Palos Verdes will be prepared to nimbly respond to the needs of the community.
Developed based on the analysis of local data and the input from various stakeholder
groups, this Plan reflects the needs and priorities of Rancho Palos Verdes. Most importantly,
the Plan is feasible. Implementing the Homelessness Strategic Plan and its corresponding
Action Plan will set the City of Rancho Palos Verdes on a path to effectively prevent
homelessness and resolve it when it occurs.
A-25