City Council Agenda
Memo to: Manteca City Council
From: Toni Lundgren, Acting Assistant City Manager
Date: September 21, 2021
Subject: City Council Ad Hoc Homeless Committee Appointment and Consideration of formation of a Homeless Subcommittee or Commission.
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City Council Ad Hoc Homeless Committee Appointment and Consideration of formation of a Homeless Subcommittee or Commission.
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Background:
City has been actively addressing the homelessness crisis by public outreach and through resources and references available through the City’s website and social media platforms. For the past several months, the City has been operating an emergency homeless shelter and resource center in a temporary structure on an RDA-owned parcel, which has been subsidized. Council has identified a preferable RDA-owned parcel fronting Main Street that is intended for the development of a permanent structure in which to operate.
In July, a City Council Ad Hoc Homelessness Committee was formed and has been meeting concerning the many issues involved with homelessness. The Ad Hoc Committee is advisory to the City Council and is working to engage community partners, stakeholders and community leaders to support and help solve homelessness issue, and funding shortfalls. Depending on their actions, Ad hoc committees may not subject to the notice and posting requirements of the Brown Act so long as the committee is comprised solely of members of the governing body; consists of less than a quorum of the legislative body; has a defined purpose and a timeframe to accomplish that purpose; is advisory in nature, has not been delegated any decision-making power, and will be reporting back to the City Council on its recommendations.
The councilmembers serving on the Ad Hoc Committee is expected to work with and support staff in efforts to gather information on homelessness, the types of services available to people experiencing homelessness, and to work on researching and soliciting future funding sources for homelessness programs and services.
On September 7, 2021, Councilmember Breitenbucher resigned from the Ad Hoc Committee and a constituent at that meeting spoke in favor of the formation of a “Homelessness Commission”. City Council directed staff to bring back an explanation of the role of the City Council Ad Hoc Homelessness Committee as well as direction on the formation of a Homelessness Commission or other options. The ultimate goal is for the Ad Hoc Committee to be replaced by a Homelessness Commission or to transition into another form of scheduled public meetings.
Staff is suggesting Council consider the following options and provide direction to City staff on how to proceed:
1. Continue to move forward with an appointment to fill the vacancy on the Ad Hoc Committee and give staff time to continue developing the City’s homelessness program, processes, and procedures;
2. Instead of an ad hoc committee, start a City Council Homeless Subcommittee compromised of two councilmembers. This subcommittee will be governed by the Brown Act when it meets, and its meeting will be noticed and open to the public. This subcommittee can appoint citizen ad hoc committees for advisory purposes. This subcommittee can also make recommendations to the full Council, here presentations, listen to and receive public comment, and vet matters prior to going to the full Council for a decision; or
3. Consider forming a Homelessness Commission comprised of Manteca citizens. This commission would function similar to the Planning Commission. Accordingly, the formation of this commission would require amendments to the Municipal Code, an applicant-vetting process, the development of bylaws, and would be subject to the Brown Act regulations. Moreover, because Manteca is a general law city (and not a charter city) powers reserved for the Council governed by the Government Code may not be delegated to citizen commissions.
Fiscal Impact:
None.
Documents Attached:
None.