James Pogue 12:36 All right, we're on a minute or two past time and we have a pretty full agenda, and I like to wait till we get to 30 and we're 29 so I'll count that as close enough. So, if you don't know who I am. My name is James Polk and I'm the executive director of homeless services at comprehensive life resources and back in the before times I was the facilitator of the coalition in real life, along with Garrett nylund and as Garrett took over the duties online, and then has stepped away we've got a nice little village of us working on it so I'm helping the MC again and and Rob and Teresa and rosemary and a bunch and marine and a bunch of other of us meet after every one of these meetings to kind of talk about what we're going to do next week, so we can make sure they use this full agenda time. We do have again a lot of speakers and I see our first one is already here so I will go ahead and kick it off again if you're not part of the coalition, or whatever term swimming you are in Feel free to go to PC homeless. org. And you can see all of the links and, and all the agendas and all the upcoming events. So, belia, you're here today who has been a good partner of mine specifically for Metro parks at the center as our young adult shelter doesn't actually have showers and people Center has been a great partner for us over the last year, addressing our shower, even during the pandemic still working with us weather close so I really want to thank you and Metro parks for that. And then the off to allow your space for your agenda item. Delia Flores 16:21 Good morning. Thank you so much for allowing us this opportunity and he has been our pressure or pleasure to work with comprehensive library sources and offer that opportunity for the young adults. We're hoping that we continue collaborating with future programs and opportunities for those people who experience homelessness, we have a lot of respect for the work that you do. And we like to support it any way that we can. So thank you. With me today is Courtney aikka and Abigail Bishara parents, they're part of the outreach team for Metro parks in Metro parks is right now going through the process of doing our budget process, and the test that we have been given is to make sure that those voices of communities of focus have been represented so that here is, we are presented here to this group with the hopes that we have opportunities to collaborate, to ensure that the people who are experiencing homelessness, their voices are heard and represented in this budget process. But, Courtney has a small presentation to share with you guys and then we will open the floor for any questions, I'll hand that over to my colleague, Courtney. Thank you. Courtney Acoff 17:32 Thank you Dahlia Good morning everyone. Happy Friday we made it through another week so excited. I know a lot of parents are on the screen with kids at home Tacoma public schools online and it was a rough one for me but but I'm still standing and I'm excited about this work, and I'm excited to share this work with you all. I have a very small presentation just to kind of show you guys and give you a visual of what our team's goal is, but I think dehlia said it best Our main goal right now is collaboration and making sure that these communities of focus are heard. I will share the PowerPoint now. Give me just one second. Maureen Howard 18:23 So help us better serve you is our focus right now your parks Your voice is the term and slogan that we will be using for our 2021 22 budget. Our main focus right now again is to get these underserved underrepresented communities are focused voice heard. So your voice matters what we need right now is your help in reaching these communities, um, however we can collaborate again we're willing to hear you out and see what makes the most sense for these communities, our survey is a two step process so it's a brief survey through Survey Monkey about 12 questions that we're asking input for. And then the second tool is an interactive tool through balancing act very similar to the city's budget process, but it will allow you to demonstrate how we fund Parks and Recreation operations through zoological practices as well, and you'll be asked to make necessary reductions or reinvest your resources to meet the changes that our community needs especially with COVID-19 right now we do understand that there is a lot of changes, there's a lot of barriers and there's a lot of things that individuals don't have access to. And so we're trying to bridge that gap, through our 2021 budget 2021 22 budget development process. Our first process was developing the strategy just kind of understanding again where we are in the middle of COVID-19 and understanding the barriers and the challenges that our community is facing. And then we went into strategic actions and engagement which where you would come into play really trying to engage and find these strategic actions that make the most sense for collaboration and partnership. And then our third and final product through this team would be reporting the impacts of survey results, making sure that we hold Metro parks accountable for follow up with the community once our budget is finalized budget development strategy is maintaining nurturing and developing the relationships inclusively by collaborating with broader community base, helping to create helping Metro parks create a budget that takes all community needs into account and then ensuring that all community voices are heard I know that we keep mentioning communities of focus but we really want to be inclusive and ensure that all of our communities are heard. Our main focus right now is driving survey participation. My teammates will drop the survey link inside of the chat once we get a little further into the presentation, but then also realizing that we have to understand that there are impacts of COVID-19 in the civil unrest to racial inequalities that are playing effect until a lot of where people are today and so understanding that not everyone has access and that participation in the survey may be a little bit difficult for others. Strategic actions and engagement right now would be we're also you would come into play, collaborating with anchor organizations and then reaching external organizations and engage them with the community by providing information sessions listening sessions workshop whatever makes the most sense for your community and or your audience, we're willing to adapt certain strategies to ensure that your voices, your community's voices are heard by what their needs are and then listening to identify their barriers or challenges and opportunities, again to adapt the survey as needed. reporting the impacts of survey results will be to facilitate information sessions regarding what our next step of budget approval process is. And then for our team to develop ongoing material for ongoing engagement for overall collaboration so we don't want it to just end here. We do want to ensure that we continue this follow up process that once our budget is done we can continue to hear community voices and continue to hope. Help reflect that in our programming and our services. So providing follow up accountability by reporting back to the community on the process and the overall budget development that is created once executive and board finalizes that, and then creation of Community, Equity committees committees and Metro parks Tacoma equity Advisory Council committees, is something that we are still in the works of. We don't have a lot of information on what that would look like right now but we do know that we've had a lot of discussion with them within our team and we really want to make sure that Metro parks does have an equitable approach and that we have equitable and diverse and inclusive voices heard during during our processes when it comes to making decisions, and then adjustment to budget considerations of your voice, your dollar. So how your voice is impacted by the dollar budget development goals is to evaluate our programs and create an equitable budget for all. And then to identify opportunities to reprioritize where our existing programs and services are to better meet our community's needs especially during covid recovery phases we do understand that program priorities will have to shift based on where we are at throughout this pandemic. So just being transparent and realizing that not only is this the middle of a pandemic. But this is also the middle of a lot of racial injustice and so just kind of understanding what all community's needs will be. And then to evaluate programs, services, make sure that it is equitably distributed we have a lot of different communities that have a lot of different needs. And so we're really trying to hold Metro parks accountable to understand that we really have to focus on the results that matter most to the communities focus. Below is the link to participate in our survey, dehlia or Abigail will drop this link inside of the chat, please feel free to go to that link it will take you directly to our page for the survey. Um, it is also available in six different languages so if there are language barriers, please feel free to use those, those tools that are there for you. And then also we're encouraging all partners or anyone that would like to share our survey on social media on their page. Whatever makes the most sense for your organization and or yourself, there are social media posts links below. feel free to go to our Facebook or Twitter and or our Instagram to share and repost, and then please don't forget to tag us so that we can ensure that our community is working with this and appreciate and show love to the ones that are tagging us and sharing the work that we're doing right now. And then last but not least, our team's contact information myself Courtney a cough, Abigail the SCADA Pettis and Delia Flores all of them, our phone numbers and emails are in here. If there's any opportunities for collaboration we're looking to host listening sessions provide information sessions, workshops, whatever makes the most sense again for your audience please feel free to reach out. We're open all day for calls and emails and we're really looking forward to partnering with you all. Thank you again this is work legacy work that we've we really feel this can be legacy work for our district and for our community. What now, what better time than now for Metro parks to really take advantage of listening to what community needs are. We're really really passionate about the work and if there's again anything that you can do or we can do to better assist you and to better assist us please let us know. Thank you again for your time today and we will appreciate it. James Pogue 25:54 We have a few moments for a couple of questions I know some questions are populating in the chat box but is there anybody who has questions we're just going to try people to sell it and give it a shot. We probably have time for two or three depending on how long the answers take Unknown Speaker 26:12 once. James Pogue 26:16 Well okay, I think I would say thanks for putting all of your information in the chat box and of course, you can email Courtney, or Dahlia or any other folks, and I think Dell is gonna either email me the PowerPoint or email out the PowerPoint too so people have access to that teams. Oh, it looks like we do have a hand raised. Teresa, Theresa Power-Drutis 26:37 Teresa, I was, I was waiting because I often talk so I wanted to give other people a chance to questions, but I just want to say that, you know, we really appreciate that you are coming and talking with us and to also say that we're a varied group of people so when I just took a look at the survey and some of the questions are are these things important to you. What I didn't find is the nuance with these things are important to me but this is what I think the park should be doing. So, there wasn't a choice if I said it was unimportant to me. That wouldn't be true if I said I think that's where the park should be putting the funds that we've reserved for public green space. There was no way for me to say that. So I just, and that is how I feel, I feel that especially in poor communities we absolutely need the space we absolutely need that focus of the parks on supporting the community. And I think there. There are ways the parks can support people experiencing homelessness that don't mean that we no longer have parks that are available salutely. Maureen Howard 27:40 Absolutely, thank you for that we're taking notes right now just so everyone knows we will report this information back to our executive team. We do understand that some of the questions can be very challenging and they don't really give you the option to to answer to what your needs are. We are trying to adapt that survey so that community, our communities of focus, which are individuals experienced home experiencing homelessness. Individuals who don't have access disabilities, youth, and we're really really trying to adapt those surveys, the survey, as we get more feedback from the community. So thank you so much Teresa for that information, I believe, Abigail is taking notes, and we will definitely take your, your input into consideration. Abigail Perez 28:30 The thing that we cannot stress enough is that we are reliant on comments like Teresa's and on your support and gaining access to populations that, frankly, we haven't earned the trust. And so we really are we're so appreciative of your time and energy in this because this is a really different effort than than we've ever made before. And so when you request access to the PowerPoint I want you to know you also have access to us to a degree. I mean, as our capacity allows there are only three of us on this project, but we're really looking to partner with the health department and peers Conservation District and the City of Tacoma and the public schools, so that we can kind of do more. And we would love to work with you guys, in any way that you have for us to help if you need support for presenting a PowerPoint or if you want us to provide even more information there was a request for information about the impact of COVID-19 on our budget process and there's a separate PowerPoint for that that we could walk you through if you'd like that, just let us know what you need in order to serve your constituents, because Teresa's right. The questions are limited in their scope, but we want to hear beyond and outside of the boxes. Thank you so much. Unknown Speaker 29:56 And just one more thing to add. Right now the survey is on a digital format, but if you have opportunities for us to go in and provide the survey on a paper form or for us to partner with anybody who's doing an outreach and opportunities for us to take iPads or anything like that for your clients to take the survey, please don't hesitate to reach out to us we want to make sure that their voices are heard and represented in this process. James Pogue 30:32 Any other questions or thoughts I think that might be a good place to let it wrap that conversation. Maureen Howard 30:39 Maybe one final thought. Thank you. I look back last year on the relationship with Metro parks over the code changes. And this is like working with an entirely different organization. And people who were part of that conversation last year, might remember that the leadership of Metro parks didn't know that we existed as a coalition. And so the and then Mary Anderson I think began attending at one point the metro Park CEO was at a meeting, one of our meetings. I mean, it's an entirely different relationship. And it's just I, so please. Thank you. The three of you on this project, please. You know convey this to your leadership because it's a huge change. Unknown Speaker 31:34 Thank you. Thank you. James Pogue 31:36 It looks like we do have another question. Go ahead, our last one. Tina McLeod 31:41 That was good. Last time I do that. Al Ratcliffe 31:45 I had a thought about a kind of a program that might fit what you guys generally do for the public and that would be to develop a camping program for homeless families who have no place to live in one of the parks with Park. Personnel providing support and supervision and the rest of us doing. How about an help on a sort of an urban creative initiative that Maureen Howard 32:14 rarely Good idea. Oh, I know that executive is in discussion on what we can do for the whole individuals experiencing homelessness especially within our parks. Again, our team is definitely taking notes and thank you guys so much for the feedback today. We will definitely be taking this back to our executive team with hopes that they will address the questions that you guys are having and or give us answers so that we can be sure to follow up with you all with answers, Tina McLeod 32:44 but that's definitely a great idea. We would like to hear back from them after. Unknown Speaker 32:51 Absolutely. Unknown Speaker 32:52 Well so attending different Coalition's that we've been hearing from comprehensive life resources and Metropolitan Development Council, some of you are here on this meeting, too. And so we're working to help out with some like you said just please families that the, the numbers of children who are part of that population are staggering mind blowing. And so that's, That's why we're choosing partners we're choosing to extend our reach thanks out. James Pogue 33:25 Thank you guys so much. Thank you for both the conversation and the questions and I'm, it's a parking taskforce hasn't reached out to you already I hope they do as well to discuss what might be available for some of the facilities that you have that have parking lots, that aren't fully open and operational during COVID might be a good partnership if it hasn't already connected yet so Jan I know you're here if you're listening to me make sure you get. Make sure you make that connection if you haven't already. And with that said, I'm going to take the last word so I can transition to our next topic. I am excited to to introduce the gears transit and then a new grant that they've put together that offers nonprofits both reduced and free bus passes for some of the consumers and so I won't say anymore but any if you're here, I saw your name earlier. Take it away, Penny, they are. Penny Grelier 34:17 Thanks. Hi everyone, um, I see some familiar names and faces here on the grid of participants. I saw Sherry from Vallejo there that reminded me, one of the things I do at Pierce transit is run the caravan program. That's a program. Some of you might be familiar with where we take surplus vanpool vehicles and award them to nonprofits in Pierce County to use with clients. I did want to let folks know that that program has had to be put on pause for the moment due to COVID. We aren't buying new vehicles at this time and so that means we're not cert blessing, old vehicles we're kind of keeping them in service. As long as we can so I do hope that that program comes back in the new year because we've had some great stories from folks who received ban so stay tuned if that was something you had on your on your plan for the future. What I'm here to talk to you about today is our human service agency past program. Some folks here may already take part in this. Others may have heard of it and they're considering, and it might be new to some of you so basically what Pierce transit does in usual times is provide all day passes, and one ride tickets to nonprofits to give to their clients and those are available at 50% off the retail price. There's a little process to go through just to certify with us that you are indeed a nonprofit and are giving these passes and tickets to clientele to get them where they need to go. But what we did recently was applied to the Washington State Department of Transportation for some funds, and received them that allows us to give away at no charge 72,000 all day passes, those are all ages passes to us on Pierce transit local bus service. So we have those now. And we're in the process of distributing them. Basically what I wanted to do was show you the steps you go through to get certified and to order the passes. Now with one caveat. We are redesigning the page so it's a little easier to use some of our online forms are somewhat outdated and so I just learned a new tool called jot forms which is wonderful, free way to create a kind of online forum so that will be posted in the next week or two. So what I'm showing you today is kind of the somewhat clunky version but it still gets you where you need to go. So if I might be allowed to share my screen Unknown Speaker 37:18 that Unknown Speaker 37:19 here we are. Penny Grelier 37:24 Alright so what you should be seeing is the Pierce transit website. I'll put a link in the chat after I'm finished that takes you directly to the page that you'll need. So when you're on the Pierce transit.org website, you'll go over to the little tab called fares and all the way down to passes. And then there's different passes here but what you want to look for is Pierce transit tickets and all day passes and you'll see certified human service agencies here. So, you click on order today. And here we are with our little clunky form. This is the page where you actually order the passes that you need. If you have not yet done the certification process you'll need to do that first. And there's a link up here that says download a form. I've taken the liberty of pulling it up here so it's fairly simple. Again, this will be, we'll be converting it to an online forum but right now it's a PDF that you fill in and print out, so it just asks about your organization. What kinds of services you provide, we just want to make sure that applicants are 501 c three organizations, and that they provide some kind of service to clientele. And so you'll fill out a little information there and sign it, and then right now, send it in, but soon to be an online submittal. So once our marketing assistant Denise confirms your certification, you'll come back to this page whenever you need to order passes, and you'll fill in information here. And then there are all different kinds of passes that are available. These are the passes that I mentioned earlier where you can buy them at 50% off. But what you're going to do for the free passes, is scroll down and you'll see this icon here, here's transit all day pass all ages. And this is the grant funded all day pass, no cost verified 501 c three organizations. So this is where you want to enter your quantity and order those passes. Like I said, we have 72,000 of these to give away. I know they're probably going to go like hotcakes because it's a pretty good deal. Right now we're working with 140 different nonprofits in Pierce County, but we hope with this grant to increase that up to about 400 partners, because we It seems that each day, we run this program we hear about folks who don't know that this is available. So, our ultimate goal is to expand access to transit for populations that need it, and to boost enrollment in this human service agency past program because we know transportation is a big challenge for a lot of different people in our community especially now. When you order we recommend you order the amount that would be useful for clients for a 30 day time period. We do get a lot of people asking well Geez, how many Should I order you know but think about what your clientele or your program participants would need for 30 days, and that's the quantity you probably want to start with the reason we suggest that, instead of like a year's worth is because the old day passes I think they have an expiration date that's a couple years out, and sometimes when we do bulk passes and that some people find they still have some left in desk drawer and they've expired and someone else could have put those to us so we just want everyone to think about the 30 day number of passes that you could use. I'll stop sharing there and I'll put into the chat here. The link that gets you to that page. So, those passes again can be used by all ages. They're an all day pass, so you get on the bus in the morning, you scan the card with the driver and then you can use it all day. And then they are good on Pierce transit local service so they wouldn't work on Sound Transit going up to Seattle for example on one of the Express buses or the sounder train, but anything within our local routing is is applicable with these tickets. We also have our new runner service which you might not have heard of, which is an on demand. Service taking people from downtown and Tacoma dome station, all the way along rest in weigh in dark street, up to Pearl Street near the entrance of point defiance park so if people, maybe have job opportunities at one of the restaurants or businesses along restin way, or just want to go down there for recreation or shopping or to go to the farmers market, the runner service is now active to provide connection to that area. And that's available through you schedule a ride through an app or a telephone number so there's no routes no bus stops no schedule it's just an on demand service, every day of the week between seven in the morning and 10 at night. I think that's probably it's fairly straightforward. Just remember, if you haven't used the Human Service Agency pass before, do the certification step first and then you'll be ready to make your orders as needed. Unknown Speaker 42:53 Thank you. James Pogue 42:57 Questions. Awesome. Oh, Teresa, sorry that. Thank you very much for having a question. Theresa Power-Drutis 43:11 It's really a comment. I just want to say that, Denise Downes is a real treasure. She's always been really easy to work with and very helpful when you're working through things so thank you for coming and thank you for hiring good. Oh Penny Grelier 43:25 yeah, I'll tell Denise that she she has been very busy the last few months. This grant program in order so we're pleased to have are working on it. James Pogue 43:40 Any other questions I got there's a big group so if you have to just unmute yourself and jump right in. But I'll give another five seconds and see again. Robb Huff 43:53 I do see a question in the chat, I'm Alan asking Penny, what are the COVID protections on buses these days. Penny Grelier 44:02 Oh yeah, good question. Early on in the pandemic there was some kind of depressing news about safety on board transit subways buses, things like that. But actually, the research has shown that riding on board with precautions taken is a fairly safe way to get around so what we're doing at Pierce transit is. If some of you had been using the bus or working with people that did early on in the pandemic. We stopped charging fares because we were not wanting people to board at the front of the bus because of the close proximity to the driver. We want to keep riders safe as well as our staff so we had people boarding by the back door and not paying fair because there's no little cash box at the back. So now we have fares back in effect because we have created a health barrier in on all of our buses so it's a plastic curtain, or little swinging door that encloses the driver, so people can feel safe getting on and off and passing close by the driver. Everybody has to wear masks when they're on board. This includes our staff and all writers, we do now on each bus, have a disposable mask dispenser so if someone has forgotten to mask or doesn't have a mask handy. They will be asked to grab on to those in order to ride. The seats are marked off so that social distancing can be maintained. And then we also have staff at all of our transit centers as the buses move through the system throughout the day, they are cleaned every two hours and then at night they have a deep cleaning. So the cleanings that occur every two hours include spraying and antiviral solution all the high touch surfaces seats, grab bars of poles that people hang on, just to make sure that all of the surfaces are as clean as possible for riders. So those are the things that we've been doing over the last few months to ensure that people who need to use the bus can do so you know in a safe and healthy way. Robb Huff 46:13 And then one more comment in chat from Paula Anderson is that this program has been a lifesaver for new hope out in Puyallup and Denise is wonderful to work with. Penny Grelier 46:24 Oh, great. Thank you. James Pogue 46:29 Well awesome thank you so much penny for coming and sharing this info for us are with us and if you already. I think we landed if you already were registered, getting the half off bus tickets your nonprofit's already registered and all you have to do is go and take a couple more steps to order the free one so if you're already getting half price ones, take a couple steps and you can get some free ones. Thank you. Thank you. And next we have landlord liaison programs I saw a name or two with that so I will let the folks from LLP jump on and start their presentation. Tina McLeod 47:13 Hi, good morning everyone, this is Tina McLeod I'm the program manager at landlord liaison program. And I'm going to ask I guess for a little grace this morning because I Tony was supposed to present, and so I'm like, I don't see him on the call. So I think what I'll do is I'll just give you a couple bullet points and then maybe in another month we can make sure we have a formal presentation. And so, landlord liaison program just as a reminder of how we connect with the homelessness system in Pierce County is that the landlord liaison program builds relationships with area housing providers who we call property partners, and they enter into an agreement with LLP to offer units at fair market rent or below and also with amended screening criteria. And currently then we partner with service providers specifically. Rapid Rehousing is the focus area right now. And, and our Rapid Rehousing caseworkers can then access the housing bank and connect the clients Unknown Speaker 48:38 who are community members who are currently experiencing homelessness, connect them to these available units that again have the amended screening criteria, as well as the ideal is below fair market rent, but no higher than fair market rent on those units so I've been here for two months, and a couple of things we're going to be doing, so you know we're going to be mapping where our current property partners are. And when we look at Pierce County and looking at where we have deficits and we know we have that. And, and so that we can be expanding where these units are located. And ideally, finding more units or recruiting more landlords for units and higher opportunity areas near grocery stores on the bus lines in all of our school districts here in Pierce County. And in order to not just broaden the availability, but where all these units are located throughout the county. And we are kind of embarking on our own assessment of our own program and the different aspects of it specifically looking at it through a racial equity lens and seeing how we can improve the work we do, and make sure that racial equity is embedded into all aspects of the landlord liaison program. And then I'll just give a plug for the one I said, essentially direct service that we do to community at large, is our education series renter's readiness certification classes. And those are the first three Fridays of the month, and one classes on access accessing community resources and vodice presents that. And then this week on the second Friday of the month is financial capabilities and sound outreach presents that. And the third Friday of the month is landlord tenant rights and responsibilities and one of our property partners Mark mildness from Spinnaker Real Property Management currently presents that. And we're also undergoing an assessment all all of those pieces because we know there's things missing in the classes so we're going to be looking at what new curriculum will look like for 2021. So, one on the renter's readiness please encourage anyone you're working with community members, and your staff to attend and gather more information I know specifically the landlord tenant rights and responsibilities piece is very popular. And they're free they're currently still on zoom, and we're trying to work out some options to lower that barrier for people who don't have access, we're still trying to work figure out what that looks like, and possibly offering for two or three people with face coverings in our conference room to watch it in that location. And so we're still working on what that will look like so hopefully for next month we'll have something ready for that. So there's my bullet points. Okay. James Pogue 52:09 So any questions. Remembering that Tina said Be gentle. She was thrown into the last minute and all that good stuff but if you have grace, that was great, Tina McLeod 52:19 not gentle. James Pogue 52:22 We'll do both. Any questions that hopefully peanut can answer or write down and come back with the answer next week if if necessary. And I Unknown Speaker 52:36 just want to just say that we're really glad to be back in this space. And this is intentional we have three of our staff. I'm trying to be here on the first and second Fridays, another staff member on the third Friday and, and then Tony on normally the fourth, and if there's ever a fifth Friday. And so we think is really important for us to be in this space. And so I just kind also want to put that out there it's really great to see all of you, and to be here on a regular basis. Teresa. Theresa Power-Drutis 53:14 It's really good to see you. Tina, and I just wonder about how formerly incarcerated people are is, is your new format for application. Has that been taken into account already and do you have a model of the differences that you could send out so we could look at what you're doing. Unknown Speaker 53:39 And I appreciate you bringing that up. I'm just starting to look at all those aspects. And as you know, our housing units and our housing bank aren't open to the general public, it's specifically between our landlords and our service providers, and which it's my understanding in the future. There's interested in opening that opening that up beyond. Rapid Rehousing. So, we are looking at the amend. What amended screening criteria basically each new property partner or landlord and lets us know what they're willing to do, and but I think I'm well I know I'm going to write this down right now. And in regards to specifically formerly incarcerated, community members, because I know they're willing to many of them are willing to work with people with with criminal histories, but I haven't specifically since I've gotten here, ask them about that topic so I'll look into that and follow up. Theresa Power-Drutis 54:48 If there's, if there's ever an opportunity to have someone come in and pitch the idea of case by case and how some other places have managed it. Please call in new connections. Definitely. Thank you. James Pogue 55:04 Maybe one more question before we hand off to Maureen, if there's any more questions, or believe out there. Well, I'm going to call it again just to echo everyone else. Thank you so much and if we have additional questions or if in the future we want to have a full presentation with slideshows and everything we can give you more time. We know that Tony has asked multiple times he's ready I'm ready I want to do a presentation, and then we offer MySpace he doesn't show so I don't know what to say about that. So with that, I'm going to hand off to Maureen to talk out and set the table for our, our breakout sessions to look at some recommendations that the coalition may be trying to hammer out for the greater community foundation. So Maureen, and Maureen before you get started just so everybody. I don't know that everybody's seeing the chat. Robb Huff 56:01 There's some settings in the background for today's meeting that we needed to change, we didn't, we can't make the change during the meeting. That means we cannot actually do breakout sessions so I think what we would do is shift to have a more open discussion of what Orion is going to talk about next. And we'll also do an alternate means to take kind of a vote to move forward or not on the proposal so apologies ahead of time. Unknown Speaker 56:30 Oh fun. Okay. All right. It's an imperfect world we're here, that's the important thing. So thank you. So, you should have received if you're on the listserv you yesterday I sent out a message that said draft of letter to Raider two comma Community Foundation, and I just dropped it in the chat Oh by my very own self which is a first. So things are looking up with technology. So, in Jan runback, I want you to please weigh in on this conversation. So those of you who were at our Friday meeting, maybe three weeks ago when Jan presented about safe parking. She made a comment that she'd been in a meeting with the greater Tacoma Community Foundation, and that they had asked for the coalition to basically identify emerging emerging needs, and also provide a unified voice on homelessness issues. I followed up with Jan to clarify that. This was a funders meeting and Jan wears many, many hats. One of them is as a funder. And so, Pierce County connected is that pool of money that was put together. Early on, before we even had Care's money, I think, to meet immediate needs, and that money's gone a lot of it's gone into food and shelter for a while, Erica tutees, Senior Program Officer with the cine Foundation was sending out a daily report that included updates on needs and on resources and different sections got added childcare, transportation, employment, all that sort of thing so the intent of that daily report was really to keep the funders advised. And one of the things that I had observed early on was that the food people were pretty well organized on presenting what the food system look like and where it needed help and, you know, some of us just think of the food that ends up in the food bank but there's actually more than one well organized system behind that distribution, and that the shelter portion was not as well represented it seemed to me as even what I knew. Even though there were the shelters were meeting every day with the county and then with the city joined in as well and it just seemed like you know there were gaps. And what we know as opposed to what was showing up. So I was really pleased when Jan passed on this information in this invitation. And so rather than start with an entire general conversation. I just invited a few people to a meeting we had a one time meeting to talk about how we might frame, a response. And so that when it came to the coalition as a discussion that we had at least a little bit of a framework to work within. And so we did meet, and I did a draft something that is in the chat, and that you also should have received last night. And it is just that it's a draft. I followed the format that we had used with the letter of the recommendations on the carrier's funding that we had agreed on. And I went back and looked at what was in that letter I looked at the transcript from the August 28 meeting of the coalition, where the breakout groups reported on a winter shelter plan. And I looked at mannose new report on the shelters. You know from the health department community branch side. And lo and behold, I even looked at my year old safe shelter taskforce proposal to the city have to come out which went nowhere because they said they didn't have time. But, so I sent a draft out to the small group took some comments, cleaned it up a bit. And so that's what you have. Now, but not, nobody is proposing that this coalition, make funding recommendations for a specific program, or an organization. Unknown Speaker 1:01:07 Rather, that what we came up with was that we asked the greater Tacoma Community Foundation. This Pierce County connected Fund, which still has money in it. And still, their last proposal deadline is September 30, and then their website indicates that they will they expect to do another round early and 2021. So we put it in terms of asking them to reserve at least a million dollars for a winter shelter program basically countywide bluntly, that nobody dies this winter. this winter is not going to be like any other winter we've all talked about that, and we can't just add and expect shelters to add people to every available inch. So, in the absence of any buddy leading this that I'm aware of, and maybe somebody is maybe the county is leading maybe there's a group that's leading and I just don't know. But, in that absence. Our recommendation is that they take $50,000 or up to $50,000 and actually hire somebody. And we're saying that the greater to come a Community Foundation do that hire somebody who's going to take this, our suggestions and put them into a very simple straightforward format, calling it a plan for lack of anything else. And that this person that is responsible to see that this gets implemented, and that it gets presented in such a way that we know what gets done and what doesn't. And if there, you know are reasons we can live with or not we can work on that later but. And then that the rest of the money be reserved for programs and in fact bring ensure that people are sheltered in a variety of ways. And I guess my thought is that with some sort of a big tent framework that individual organizations would go in just like you always do and say, you know, we're going to, this is what we want to do but that on this round of funding that it would go in specifically looking at the probable impact of winter, and how we preserve life, especially people who are not sheltered through this winter. And so, the more that I looked at the suggestions that had been made and the conversations. I then broke it into like unsheltered people who are literally unsheltered people who are sheltered. There are fewer points under that the staff, especially the frontline staff. I mean I don't know why we're still seeing people saying they don't have PP FEMA can buy that all day long. And then, the organizations are there's some organizational issues that need to be addressed to get through the winter. Increasingly, we're learning that the virus can be transmitted through the H back systems. And I know that's pretty low on everybody's list of just how you get up in the morning and get through the day. And then the system itself. Are there things that that need to happen in our entire system that could happen this winter. And then, to the extent to which things we learn things we do things we learn that we can carry those the good ones, the useful ones, the ones that really make a difference on into the future. So that's how this happened. That's what we have. And I don't want to lead this discussion I want to watch it. So Rob. Can you be the leader yeah and James, or something. I'd actually like James to be able to weigh in because you are a provider. And I know that MDC is a provider but however you want to do it, but I don't want to lead this part I want to watch and listen. And so we. Maureen Howard 1:05:19 Yeah, Jan. do you want to add anything before we start Unknown Speaker 1:05:26 I hope you're there No, Janet Runbeck 1:05:27 no I don't Maureen you're a hard act to follow I will, I'm taking notes. So take it away James and Rob. Robb Huff 1:05:35 So one thing that I'm not sure. We fully covered in the, in the setting the context is also the request on the part of creator to comic community foundation that whatever is proposed does help address some of the social justice issues that we've seen in the community. So, if I miss that while I've been running the meeting, sorry. Oh, just wanted to call that out as well. Um, but I'm having. Yeah, I'm happy to kind of help facilitate what's going to be kind of a wild and open discussion but what I think what we really want to hear from people is, if you've had a chance to look at the proposals that Maureen sent out last night, or to download it and look at it. Now, what pieces, do you think do you agree with disagree with and what do you think might be missing. And I think, rather than if you're more comfortable putting it in the chat, that's fine. But I think it'd be great to hear people's voices if you can just unmute yourself and ask a question and I know it'll be a little muddled with this many folks in one big room but I think we can do it. So any, any thoughts Janet Runbeck 1:07:02 on the coalition. My understanding we've not ever presented, or rarely present as a unified voice. So there needs to be before this is submitted there needs to be folks identified who can actually speak to the foundation, about how this plan would work. So, we're not a 501 c three we're not a secretary of state sanctioned, a nonprofit or charity. That's another discussion, but they're nice when the foundation comes back with questions. Who's going to answer. Robb Huff 1:07:52 Yeah, we will have to determine who that who those one or two people probably are that kind of serve as the spokes people for this plan to advocate for winter shelter. I do think the coalition has in the past, taken positions to advocate for issues and this is very similar, I think. But you're right, we need to have one or two point people for the conversation. Tina McLeod 1:08:25 She's really important and we'll need to do that. As I understand the proposal is not proposing that the coalition itself, get any of these monies. It's proposing that organizations that are going to carry out whatever plan has developed will get money. So, before that. We're not a 501 c three is another big issue. As long as that, as long as I'm talking how go ahead and raise my concern about this letter. It tries to cover, way too much. And it does it not, and beyond. First of all, I'm very much in favor of the proposal to do 50,500 and 950,000. Absolutely for that. When you get down to that long laundry list below item one, we're just going to confuse people. We have not indicated any priorities. And I frankly think that $950,000 focused on that number one recommendation is where we ought to focus I think the rest of it should be left off, but whatever is decided by the group I will support. Robb Huff 1:09:37 Thank you. Teresa. Theresa Power-Drutis 1:09:41 So I, I feel differently about that I think it's really important to provide a context of the whole issue and so that when people come to apply for grant money it's not okay you don't fit under this criteria so your idea is not supported by the coalition. I think it's actually a great ladder that I think we can work with. I agree with all that it would be good to have some prioritization in it. And I'm not sure how we would do that because of the kind of group we are but I think that would be a good thing to try the one, the one piece. First of all, I think if somebody hires someone to do this they should hire Maureen. That's my pitch. But I also want to say that there's a lot included in there. And this will go against owl too because I think there's another thing that needs to be included, which is the neighborhoods that are highly impacted, sorry. Oh, to say we're not going to move anyone along but we're also not going to focus in some way on the neighborhoods that are now the containment zones for people who are without homes is crazy because all that does is impoverish everyone in these high impact neighborhoods so that's a part that is still missing. In the conversations and I bring it up as someone who has a lot of neighbors who don't have homes, and I care deeply about them and I also care about my house neighbors who are right now. In real crisis because of the way our neighborhood is shaping up Janet Runbeck 1:11:24 our tree sec, or anybody who's high tech held the high impact neighborhoods been mapped. Is there a document that anybody has pulled together. Mapping high impact neighborhoods already high impacted neighborhoods. Robb Huff 1:11:44 So I can, I can offer a little bit of an answer to that. So, just from my familiarity last winter when MDC worked with associated ministries and the common ministerial Alliance around the topic of creating additional spaces for safe shelter throughout through last winter. Metro parks actually had at that time mapping that showed places where, where people had been staying overnight. Now I don't think it really captured. People who are sleeping in their vehicles, but it definitely captured places where people were staying outdoors. Literally outdoors throughout the night, and they were able to map it over a time period. So what what the map ended up looking like was, kind of, it wasn't quite a heat, heat map it actually had little tents, denoted for each area that it had someone staying there. But it shows kind of some of the areas that had seen the largest impacts. So I think it can be done. Theresa Power-Drutis 1:12:56 The other way that that's often mapped is through 311 calls about encampments. That's not a really accurate way because people get so discouraged when dialing 311 doesn't really have an impact. So you, it might look as if things have calmed down when in fact they are maintaining as very difficult. Robb Huff 1:13:28 I wanted to make sure everybody saw Cynthia's comment in the chat agreeing that we did did need to have point people, but we absolutely need to have a plan for shelters this winter there are not enough now and there will be an expanded need. So other thoughts and comments. James Pogue 1:14:04 I would just say, as I've been on a lot of the conversations around shelter expansion and what will happen during the winter and how COVID affects our planning, while I mean I think the whole letter itself is great and I think there's a lot of good points and there's some, some information there but I would under the creating the additional shelter space under the recommendation. Like, there's a bunch of things in there there's housing vouchers and safe parking and self manage temp camps and all that stuff. I think it would be helpful if nothing else to describe that we can't just add more bodies into our existing shelter this year and this is why we need these alternatives we need places where people can keep their six feet, and keep dry, keep warm. And some of them can include weather protected areas where they can self manage camping or parking garages where people can park ideally with a covering but if not, maybe one of our, our safe. Parking team can can give the recommendations there but but these are more dire than ever because every other year, all of the congregate shell providers with just a shelter providers would just keep filling to the brim, and none of us can we've all been to the brim with the COVID protocols all summer long which is normal, but we can't do anything more because of the COVID protocols. This time around, at least in our congregate care spaces. Robb Huff 1:15:35 And just for perspective James, do you off the top of your head no typically in the winter months how much excess extra capacity is created in shelters that won't be there this time. James Pogue 1:15:49 I thought Gary earlier he probably know exactly, our shelter, specifically goes up, just approximately 20 fish beds, which is 40 to 60 to call my rescue mission. Now that's a little bit skewed this year because they do have additional female beds and they don't normally have so there's already some additional capacity and some rain, and at the same time they've also reduced their, their other side to adjust some of the protocols for COVID. But typically, I thought Divina maybe she would be better at telling you trm normal capacity and expanded capacity but I would say some version of 400 beds, give or take between the Salvation Army, as well as freezing nights and Pew Allah is not going to be online and that's somewhere between 40 and 80 beds and night. The rescue mission does something like 40 ish beds, back in the regular time Salvation Army did a couple extra families. And then, again, the, the, the Nativity house already had the reduce their already existing capacity for COVID, and they are not going to expand it back up to their normal and they're not able to take on the extra which was pretty big I think they use their whole cafeteria and made something like 60 or 70 extra beds so you can just hear all those things. Now, there might be the care center that adds a few extra beds in the hotel world there might be some COVID dollars that came through that have expanded some hotel vouchers. I just, that would be a great question maybe to circle back with Valerie who I knows on the call at some point, how many extra beds has COVID produced for us through shelter and stuff. But I would say that just from our, our typical winter months. We're going to be 400 ish beds down from the congregants shell shelters, maybe 300 that might be a high estimate. Robb Huff 1:17:39 Yeah. And I'm sure Valerie could speak to it but. The other challenge of course with the cares Act funding is that much of that runs out at the end of the year. So, and unfortunately the winter is not over on by January one so James Pogue 1:18:00 I saw a bell turn her camera on I think she wants to speak to it. Valeri Knight 1:18:04 Yeah, I can I can I can chat about that so yes all the carriers in COVID dollars ends December 31. So unfortunately, all of that fun goes with it also all of most of if not all of the carriers and Cova dollars for shelter actually went for social distancing of shelters to very few new beds were actually created they were just expanded to new locations, helping hand there are some locations who received motel and hotel vouchers, I can get back out through my last six months of notes and get a list but most of those have already spent down all of their dollars. Helping Hand house as vouchers for families over in eastern Pierce County, but most of those funds were really really focused on that social physical distancing requirement. When COVID first started as well as maintaining those programs so unfortunately not a lot of new beds if not anything we still lost some beds. Robb Huff 1:19:01 Thank you, though. Maureen Howard 1:19:03 I just want to add one clarification that we use the money terms of. So when Valerie talks about the cares dollars she's talking about the relief fund. And same with Rob and others of us, so that that's a particular pot that's the money from the Department of Treasury, that's the money that ends December 31. There are other monies in the cares Act. The emergency end ESG and the CDBG those monies were in creased, they go to look certain local jurisdictions, those monies have a life beyond December 31. So, and we've not talked about those because everybody's been so focused on making sure that the relief funds, get used and used well. So, but we are not totally without money come January, 31 we don't have anywhere near the amount of money that the relief fund provides, but we are not without money. Robb Huff 1:20:09 Yeah, great, great background. Valeri Knight 1:20:11 I'll also add to that too. As Jeff was here last week in talking about the new shelter application that was due. Last month I think around August 21 that will bring new beds. City of Tacoma was a partnership of Lakewood city of university place and say if Paula. So we're just. I'm not in depth, part of that conversation but I'll see if there can be an update. You got me this week because either they're on vacation or they're dealing with an emergency so I'm here. But they. That's part of what we'll be creating new beds in city of Tacoma, as well as somewhere in eastern Pierce County. I don't know the exact location but I know I've heard several things from in and outside Pew all of in and outside Fife and so soon as I hear more information I'll ask specifically for this coalition to get an update on what that looks like, as well as we do know there is a second round of ESG dollars coming. And what that process will look like and so john and Heather were both very clear they heard they heard the coalition they know you want input you, they know you want lived experience input as well as shelter provider so that's a part of our planning process but we are still waiting to hear from the state what that exact amount looks like, and what restrictions may or may not come with that so thank you Marina, Marina has a definitely in the plan. Robb Huff 1:21:34 So, I'm paying attention a little bit to the clock, we've got about, maybe 10 more minutes so we can devote to this conversation. We haven't heard from everybody obviously in the room. So why don't we get to do. I would ask those who might have real concerns about the idea of this proposal, if you could speak up now and let us know what concerns you have so we may be able to make adjustments. That would be great. Jan 1:22:08 So, this is jam with Lance, and I've got an echo, try to figure out how to deal with that. Unknown Speaker 1:22:17 And Jan 1:22:19 I think it's a great idea but I have to agree without that, are you hearing that echo Is it just me, Robb Huff 1:22:27 we're not hearing it now. Jan 1:22:29 Okay, Well, maybe it's the voices in my head. So, um, I have to agree with all that it's a little bit too broad. And the other thing is that I think trying to get something accomplished in this big group is really difficult. And so what I would suggest is you know I hate to put something off but I would suggest maybe people who would be interested in participating in a further discussion, you know, raise their hands now, so to speak, and I'd be one of those people so I'm not just trying to put it off. Because if something like this is going to happen, it has to happen quickly. And then the suggestion, made by Teresa that marine be the one that maybe she doesn't even want to be hired but maybe, she'd be deputized or hired to do it. Um, That may have been not serious but I think it's a good one because anybody to pull this off is going to have to be ready to jump in. Immediately they have to know the whole landscape and be able to start going forward. So anyways, my suggestions are. I think it's a little bit too broad needs to be focused down a little bit. And to do that, you need fewer people in the room. Robb Huff 1:23:52 Thank you. Do others have thoughts or concerns. Carrie 1:24:03 I am, I'm Carrie from us Washington. I haven't been to this club before so thanks for. Thank you, that's awesome to hear about all the amazing work going on. For those of you who don't know us Washington is a progressive political or in Washington, and a lot of my work is in Pierce County, and my knee jerk reaction because it's my work is to think of the political buttons and if there's. I would love to talk more with anybody about candidates that we are supporting and ways we can collaborate to move forward these agendas on a multilateral agenda. So, say hello and thank you for all your work. We're. Thank you. Robb Huff 1:25:02 Any other thoughts. So Maureen, in terms of process. So I know there originally we had thought about doing a poll to assess people's to assess the coalition members willingness to move forward with the proposal has amended with the suggestions in this meeting, technical issue we can't do a poll, but probably functional functionally More importantly, do we think we need to pull together one more small group meeting to make adjustments to the proposal or time wise do we make adjustments and, and move through a shorter process and that not to put you on the spot. Unknown Speaker 1:26:05 I think my biggest concern is that we have two radically different proposals on the table. One is that we maintain the breadth of this proposal, the other is that we eliminate everything after unsheltered. That's a big deal. And I know we can't pull but what if we used raised hand Unknown Speaker 1:26:25 that at least would pick up people on video. Robb Huff 1:26:29 Well actually we can use the raise your hand function for anybody who's not I don't believe you can do that on a phone so we have three participants who can't do that on, zoom, but if people want to raise their hand. And we want to call the question. Then we can see who's raised their hand. In the zoom setup. Unknown Speaker 1:26:55 So I think that's one question then. Unknown Speaker 1:26:58 I said to the group on. Do we leave the breadth of the proposal or do we restrict to unsheltered only Theresa Power-Drutis 1:27:08 the other questions that I answer no question, Unknown Speaker 1:27:10 where it can be posed as yes or no. It robs you of that out. The second one is just in terms of being able to move forward. Whoever is going to take this forward, has to have that information. The second one is a sense of the group on Do you want another small group meeting or not. And the third is the recognition the time limit. They round is September 30. or greater to come around three deadline is September 30. We're at September 11 if we leave this meeting without a vote to adopt this, then we need to make sure that we do that next Friday the 18th, so that it can get to the greater Tacoma Community Foundation, it seems to me before they begin reviewing their applications for round three. So I would say if we do another meeting, it would have to be within the next you know first couple of days of next week to have something finalized to go back out to the coalition no later than Thursday for a vote on Friday. Unknown Speaker 1:28:32 Those are the three immediate things. Yeah. James Pogue 1:28:37 And I would jump in to say for people who are either new or haven't been here in a while and wonder what what the, what are we doing right this second, like the coalition by design doesn't take stances so that everybody is welcome to join and you don't have to feel any conflicts of interest, and if you are our government agency or you work for a place that has very strong views or you yourself have views that might not align with some of the conversations that we're having, we don't take stances so you don't have to have any conflicts, like that's the goal is that everyone can come here we can have an Open Table what we call the big 10 format. We come we learn we collaborate we communicate we strategize and when we have to take or choose to take an opportunity for advocacy that's more tailored with a decision and a request. Things like, you know. Thanks Jim campsite might not be aligned with your personal values and or whatever and then you may make a decision that attending this meeting is starting to challenge either your agency or yourself in terms of where you align so when we do have an opportunity to use our collective Think Tank, we want to take it seriously. We want to open up to everyone there's six or eight of us who meet weekly and have email exchanges and we could have easily done all of this on our own and just say this is what the coalition believes but that's the total antithesis of what the coalition should be which is the person who just showed up today, like, that was the Introduce yourself carry, and has no idea, like I'm new like you're just as valuable in your opinion and your voice and you're just as welcome as some of us who spend most of our extra time doing extra work on this for the last three or four years so that's the goal. And that's why we're doing a big 60 person conversation that has some painstaking technological glitches and real life is so much easier on zoom, without having full administrative controls. It's tough. So what I would suggest in terms of time, and our agenda is Maureen if you could write question one in the chat with the two options and let people answer in the chat. And then after like 10 minutes ask question two with the two options and question three. I think that you don't need to ask another small group let's just make that happen now like we need to have a separate meeting to wrap up, and then we'll present the wrap up from today and a separate meeting next Friday as well so I'm just going to make an executive decision on that one. But for the first two questions if you want to repeat them and put them in the chat. And we can get people's feedback. Dan's about to lose her arm. Janet Runbeck 1:31:03 Yes. Sorry, James Pogue 1:31:05 sorry I'm sorry, Kevin a moment Dan, sorry. Janet Runbeck 1:31:08 You're in the moment you're you got the groove to address Al's point and, and other people's point. Why not have the letter B, both unsheltered, and sheltered points, number one, and two, the rest of the points in the letter, could be rewritten as background or supporting but don't address just unsheltered my request is that the population we serve is both sheltered and unsheltered al would you consider that point number one, and point number two, and then drop the rest as an option. Theresa Power-Drutis 1:32:00 That doesn't work for me so I still like asking the question, I think we need the broader strokes. Robb Huff 1:32:08 Well, and would it work in the proposal to refer to the broader items as refer to them as things that could be included in the plan such as, and that longer list, rather than making a sound like they're required. Rosemary Powers 1:32:31 I think, I think if it's framed in a way that makes sure that all of the points could be covered by groups who participated. I don't think don't think that's the point about not having priorities, but some of the things that we're experiencing in our neighborhood really, I wouldn't want them to be left out because they are significantly potential ways that we could actually do something creative. So the foundation may want to support something like this. And if we say these are things we would like to see supported that's not the same as saying these are things that must be supported. Robb Huff 1:33:09 So, moving forward. oriented you want to put in the chat, the questions. Maureen Howard 1:33:19 You know I don't know what the question is now. Unknown Speaker 1:33:23 Okay, here's my first question. Do we want to respond. Unknown Speaker 1:33:31 We have an invitation do we want to respond. James Pogue 1:33:37 If people can say yes or no in the chat that would be great. Unknown Speaker 1:33:41 Can we just raise Theresa Power-Drutis 1:33:43 raise our hands. If we mean yes, you see. James Pogue 1:33:47 Yeah, hi everybody can not everyone has video not everybody's in a place where they can. I Unknown Speaker 1:33:53 guy. I'll see, I'm gonna James Pogue 1:33:55 assume that you're gonna say yes so I'm just gonna add you to the list anyway. And why we're doing that I'm gonna go ahead and transition to our governmental updates and then when we have a moment Teresa can ask that our marine can ask the next question I know it's a little confusing without the administrative ability to put a poll up and stuff. It made it even 10 times harder so just bear with us but I would like to honor the time of the folks that give updates right now we'll start that process in case they have information that needs to go along, are you okay Rob for me to move the agenda along. Sure. Great. So Valerie, you're up first. Valeri Knight 1:34:40 I mean, thanks for having me on. We Pierce County has was asked to come each week and give an update on our rental assistance program. So, irap which is a fiction Rental Assistance Program by the state is fully up and running so it's super super exciting. We have 14 providers with those funds specifically, eight, nine of them are buying for agencies and a pretty big handful of those are able to serve their own populations so they don't have to take from our referrals. We did that to allow folks to work with people that they're comfortable with and that they already have an abiding relationship with and so that was a contractual change that the county has implemented through these cares dollar so I think that's pretty exciting every program pretty much is up and running, either serving our own folks or accepting referrals from our backlog so that's great. We are still suspended for the moment, but we are very very quickly getting through our backlog. So hopefully we'll be able to start accepting new applications here in the next couple weeks, but I will keep you posted on that. So as of today, I saw 2182 applications, so far we're going through and finding folks who are either out of county or out of state, who I guess just really liked our program better I'm not really sure but we weren't able to serve them. And then we have already paid full rents for 909 people, totaling 1.78 6 million and rental assistance dollars, only two that does not include operations, nor does that include admin that is specifically funds to landlords. So we are working through that every day to things that we have also changed as I sent out an email to every single applicant in the roster so I sent out about 9pm last night. I've finished 1600 emails and folks are sending emails back whether or not they have questions if they still need assistance and so I'm just working through those one by one, as well as the homeless team is calling every single client on the list so that we can just let them know we know it's been a frustrating process we know you're still waiting, but we still have your application we are not out of funds. Until we're just reaching that doing that human contact and so that has been really relieving for a lot of people. We can also just answer a question some folks apply but really only need utility assistance or some folks have paid their rent but now they have school questions. And so we're working through all of those kind of nuances and referring folks out. Something else that we've done is workforce central came on Wednesday and did a really awesome presentation. So every provider who has rental assistance dollars will be able to connect folks to work for central programs, which is great because they can pay sometimes rent, they can pay utilities. They can also pay that first day of work stuff like boots and tools and that kind of thing. And so that's a direct connection and folks can just do an email or a phone call and they do a warm handoff to those amazing programs so all of that has happened in this very short, very very busy week of a four day workweek. The 1.78 6 million is missing to providers from that dollar amount because they were evacuated due to fires and so they were unable to give an update. And so we're just being patient and understanding that folks are all having their own struggles with the fires and everything that's happening so that is on that for cares all contracts are fully out there everybody's working through the backlog cares dollars they're only working the backlog they're not doing their own clients at this time. So, because they don't have that buy in for entity eligibility status by the state so just really lots of moving parts on that. We're also still working very closely hi Sherry with hygiene and sanitation, we are extending that contract through December for most malayo to provide services a YMCA as well as CMR. So all of those shelters will still be available through the end of December so working out those contracts today. Clearly I'm doing longer than eight hour days so if you got an email from me. At 930 last night. That's just how it is. So, I have a very graceful husband who just feeds us and brings me a new puppy so that's great. I got a new puppy today it's on its way. So I'm very excited. So yeah so that's kind of what we're working on ESG allocation funds working out that as well as really focusing on what that second ESG allocation is going to be in just working through our normal process right like coordinated entry knows who's going to have to come out soon they were normal enough is going to have to come out soon continuum of care, we're still waiting to hear what HUDs going to do about those funds. Generally we would have already submitted by now so we're all getting a little anxious about what that might look like. As well as we have heard potential for us homelessness demonstration grant may or may not open this year also so lots of the normal process has to happen while we're still all in the pandemic response phase so I'm happy to answer any questions and if I don't have the answer I will be sure to bring it back to you next week so I'm happy to help her again. Maureen Howard 1:39:42 Valerie thank you Unknown Speaker 1:39:45 just go back to Unknown Speaker 1:39:47 2182 applications are still under review. Valeri Knight 1:39:55 Yeah, so, um, actually no I wrote that down that's hygiene and sanitation has already been served. So 1700 is for my apologies I wrote, very quick notes while y'all were chatting. So, I'm sorry, 2182 hygiene sanitation shower 1700 W and the rest of CMR they averaged about 125 a week applications we were just over 3000. We are still working through 909 have had their rent paid, everybody else has either been contacted being contacted her husband deemed ineligible either their rent wasn't late, they weren't in the county or they were over the annual area medium income so working through those last buckets but when I pulled up yesterday we had 1400 applicants who either were not documented as being contacted yet by our provider, or they just weren't notated yet so what we found yesterday was some folks have already actually been served but they weren't properly updated by their service provider, so I am also on my little tiny laptop screen, working through all of those Excel spreadsheets and making sure everyone is properly documented and so we are notating who's received what months of rent. And then if, and then we're still taking like I'll get a lot of emails in the prevention email inbox about folks who are needing assistance. So we're letting them know that we are currently suspended, more than likely we will open the first week of October, but then we're digging deeper like we know losses got funds for city of Tacoma. My understanding is there's also funds out there for city of Lakewood to the US Telecom, as well as reach has 1.2 million for young adults ages 24 and under. So we sent them over 100 referrals that we had waiting in our queue to get them served more quickly so sharing a little bit of the love as well as a little bit of responsibility. So, but it's all manual now since almond left it all has to be done one beautiful application at a time. And so that's that takes up the bulk of my, my days with great internet by the way. Thank you. Unknown Speaker 1:41:57 You're welcome. Valeri Knight 1:42:02 Okay, well if there's any questions for me, shoot me an email, call me I have multiple ways, you know, Skype me Whatever. I'm happy to help. I am sitting here probably until about nine o'clock tonight as well. So, let me know. James Pogue 1:42:14 Well, I previously saw Erica and then I think I can't find her anymore Eric Are you still around or someone from the city of Tacoma. All right, well, I did see the health department here so I let them take it away. Manu or Carrie or somebody Manu Rodriguez 1:42:38 unmute myself. How's it going, thanks for having me, and just wanted to share really briefly, I'm about to share just a document of recommendations from the state. Delia Flores 1:42:51 Just some recommendations for wildfires smoke in COVID-19 during this really difficult wildfire season. We continue to respond to COVID, but of course, you know, everything is further complicated with, with the wildfires, but I think this document will be really helpful just provide some, you know, tips and strategies on how to protect yourselves, your neighbors, including our houses neighbors, and your families. So I'll send that to the coalition listserv and respond, and then as far as other updates, I've just been working with the shelters, to continue to coordinate some mobile testing and immunization clinics, the more we learned. So thank you to all the shelters who have been so great at gathering information are helping me gather information to inform planning on that. And I think that's that's it for now. I wanted to say that the yeah the, the wildfire. Oh, the other guidance that I'm working on developing is like a toolkit or decision tree related to, you know, COVID-19 and flu. Just so the shelters and our service providers have, you know, a document handy and appendix flowcharts or infographics, to help guide decision making, around COVID in flu. So, more to come on that, and I'll just make sure to communicate with folks on how. That'll be presented. James Pogue 1:44:38 Okay. And I think that the next on our agenda is Ivan from Emergency Management I didn't see him on the call, but it's somebody from Pierce County Emergency Management and or are there any updates. Twice. Great. So then we didn't put safe parking but I did remind Rob that we do you want to have safe parking as a regular agenda update I don't know Jan if there's any updates for the safe parking subcommittee, and the work you guys are doing. Janet Runbeck 1:45:08 Yes, thank you. Safe parking is moving along we are now, forming two committees we've been having a wonderful workgroup Committee, which is going to continue. We'll meet again, I think next Thursday at two o'clock. So that's open to everybody, and we are finalizing a funding committee which will be fewer folks to actually lay eyes on the applications of site request if a site wants funds for a specific project. So that committee is being formalized right now. And I think that's all I've got a Rob is there anything that I've missed. Robb Huff 1:45:54 No, I don't think we have any clear first sites lined up quite yet so that, that brings us to where I remember we were from the last meeting. Janet Runbeck 1:46:06 All right, Colin is in discussion with several folks who are interested, and we are. Oh we finalized, our draft four site application so if a site wants to be considered for money, we've, we've had a great discussion at our last open meeting and we finalized the draft of the application that a site would submit. James Pogue 1:46:38 Awesome. And I'm gonna break the agenda for five minutes to, I wanted to take an opportunity before I hand it back off to Maureen to talk about advocacy to share the coalition's resource website. If you didn't know we had one it's called Pierce County resources.com, and I can put that in the chat, but I want to let me see if I can share my screen for a second I just want to walk you guys through a few things it's already on there if you've been using it awesome if you're not, I want to share it with you as well as some of our goals to update it, and how comprehensive is also using it to help coordinate some of our outreach efforts. So hopefully you guys can see my screen. Great. Thanks Rob for confirming that let me move around a bit. So this is the website that comprehensive operates, but it's for the coalition, and we have some information on here for the coalition and I wanted to start up here at the buttons. Under contact if nothing else, you click the contact button and you'll get information this is really. Are you an agency that has a resource or is your resource in here or do you know about a resource that we're not using, and this will help us to update it and if you could just fill out the recommendation information here if you have it or if you're the person that would be helpful. There's a lot of information here that we would, preferably collect from the agency themselves, but if it's not you, then it could be helpful to direct us in the right direction but we we try to categorize them and every time you click click on one of those buttons it really helps us to make that filter better. So that's just a real quick, we are trying to update this. The next one is everybody who has been on the coalition website at one point or another we have them consider what we call members so if you hear of an agency, and you want to know about him all the agencies that at one time either presented the coalition, or on the PC website, their name is here with a link to their website. So that's just one stop shopping for you if you're looking for an agency that came over the name of them. They were something like ministries and then if you come here and look in alphabetical order Oh associated ministries click on it and go to their website. So ideally for new clinicians, it could be helpful. You don't have to remember every website that exists, we have them here. The next kind of fun part that we've added our agency pump, as part of our homeless outreach strategy to address the folks living in encampments we built what's called a mobile clinic. I'm really proud of Sonia, our manager and the team that works on that for building this, so we used to do referrals like 311 and we'd go to different outreaches. And while we still do all of that for our positive interactions and outreach grants we found it a little bit easier to have site locations for the larger encampments and we have a big, you know, 13 passenger van that we fill up with supplies and we go out in groups and this is our current schedule, we have these places set in stone right now and we update this weekly so every Monday at one o'clock we're going to the encampment on 19th and orchard and etc, etc. If you're like Maureen and you know all the encampments that are happening all the places every day. We do have a request here encampment suggestion. This is not a one client on the corner. We have a phone number for that and I'll show you that later, but if there's a legitimate tent camping site that you would like us to add to our to our outreach efforts. This is the information you can fill out and it gets emailed to us but here's the information from the sites that we go to right now for our coordinated outreach clinic for homeless services. And here's our phone number as well on the website that is there and then the last button before I actually show you the resources is, I looked at this thing, it's so complicated I don't know I can't find what I'm looking for. I just need help. If this is really good for the client themselves who's looking for a resource that they couldn't find if you fill this out or the client does or call this number, an automated email with all the information that's put in here is sent my whole team, my whole homeless outreach team, and we get an email, I'd say at least once a week of a person who says I found that website. I'm living under a bridge or I'm living in my car or whatever, and then give us contact info and we follow up with them. So, again a little bit more one stop shopping on the client end. And now the real reason why we have this resource website is the resources. So, it's supposed to be self directed but of course if you're a case manager you can operate it yourself. You choose resources, and then kind of Who are you, I'll just pick a male age range. If you would like, we're going to add some other buttons as well for shelter but then you'll get an interactive map. It'll take a minute to update with a whole bunch of categories that you can filter by, so I'll just pick shelters here to make my life easier, except for it's not the first one, and then you'll get kind of an interactive map, and you can zoom in to the location, and if you pick a shelter that you're looking for you click on it, and then you'll get the information that showed here with a link to their website this is a stability site, but you can look down here, it we're trying our best to open it, update it look through it. Keep ourself, but it takes a lot of time and COVID changes happen and we don't know about them. It's all self directed self managed so we don't have like, if you change something on your website it doesn't automatically update what we're doing here, and all that jazz. So I think that's the gist of all I have to share I just wanted to make sure that people were aware, I'm going to go ahead and stop sharing here, and I'll send the link out whoops I said stop video man stop sharing, stop sharing. So I just wanted to make sure that people knew about it one of the goals that we had a long time ago was to make our resource community as small as possible so everyone can navigate it. Tom has started the process we put this together and we, it's a just a normal, we call Squarespace site that we just put together and we're paying for it and I want to make sure that it's useful if you weren't aware of it. Awesome, go take a look and try to familiarize yourself, but I'll say at least once a month. I'll be in a meeting, either the coalition the CRC or something else and the answer is you know what we need. We need like a database with all the resources and I was like, ah, like I'm paying for it and I've dedicated staff to managing it so if we're not using it we don't need it, it's not valuable I wanted to stop doing both of those things, not paying for it and stop having a staff manage it. But if it is valuable and we can work together to keep us up to date I'm asking for a little help, just looking through it and helping like updates things or if anybody else has some desire to do some outreach for us we have a survey that we send out periodically. But as you know, anytime we send stuff out we don't get any feedback so we actually have to call like each provider. And so it takes a lot of time to update it we don't do a good enough job, but I'm just gonna stop there and hand off to Maureen maybe if there's any questions about the resource website. I am putting it in the chat here. and if there's any questions I can answer real quick. If not, I'll let moraine jump in with the legislative advocacy updates. Unknown Speaker 1:54:12 Okay, thanks. Before we do that, can we tie up the response to the greater to come a Community Foundation. Robb Huff 1:54:22 So not as many folks voted in this or provided feedback as we were chatting going on with the meeting for the second question, the first question we had 21 of the folks in the room say yes to responding to the opportunity. We had at my last count eight people say yes to focusing on the first two items and making the rest of the items in the proposal, be listed as items services such as rather than required. So essentially, my takeaway would be those two questions we have positive feedback on both. What I guess my question to you, Maureen is. Are those the last questions we need to ask to move forward, or is there a third question we need to pose to the group. Unknown Speaker 1:55:23 I think the other one is Unknown Speaker 1:55:26 Jan asked for a small meeting, Rob, I think you've followed by saying that this conversation would need to serve. How do people want to go forward if one option is, I can redraft. And anybody who wants to see it, see the new draft can contact me you I'll have my email and I'll send it to you. Robb Huff 1:55:53 Yeah, I think moving, moving along. It was actually James there proposed we do this quick on a quicker timescale but I think doing that might make more sense rather than trying to schedule another meeting. Unknown Speaker 1:56:04 Okay, so I will redraft I'll get something out to anybody who asks to see a copy of it. And we'll bring a final two. We'll go out to the coalition Thursday. And for a up or down vote on Friday. Okay, good. All right, Thank you. Okay, now so what we don't know what we do know and what we don't know. It appears that while we've been talking that Tacoma city of Tacoma has been clearing an encampment at People's Park. I have that from an email from somebody. So, I don't know what outreach was done I don't know if all of those folks went to shelter. If they did, I don't know how they did it. But that's to start us off the city of Tacoma is on the night on the 15th which is next Tuesday will be its monthly community forum which is the only opportunity the public has to speak on anything. Otherwise it's limited to certain agenda items. So, because it's expected that there will be a number of issues that will be addressed by many people. Remember that you can always email and I'll send out over the weekend, I'll send out the link for the city clerk, and you can address your comments to the entire Council in that way. The coalition itself will not comment. This is going to be up to individuals and individual organizations. My understanding is that the city is presenting at the study session on the 15th. It's something about its homelessness strategy. But I don't know and I haven't seen anything. And then one by Monday hopefully I'm actually going to have a computer new enough to Now, again, access the city's agenda which hasn't been the case for the last several months so. So that's the city. The second thing for the safe parking folks and everybody else. If you've been watching the news on the Red Cross response and emergency management responses to the fires the evacuees from the fires guess what they're setting up safe vehicle parking places, that's where they're delivering services. And guess what they're using for shelters hotel rooms, until they absolutely run out they're going to Olympia they're going anyplace they can from the, you know, Pierce County area. So, one of my thoughts is that now that safe parking has become acceptable because housed people are using it. Under the Red Cross under emergency management protocols, then maybe it will become easier for people who are not housed. To be able to use it. So I think that's something, and also I think we should get from you know obviously not today, but as we get through the fire crises, a conversation with the Red Cross, about how they handled volunteers how they trained them who they sent out the emergency management people to these vehicle parking areas, because they asked people to do that. And they're also doing it in huge numbers in Oregon, but Oregon's a long way from having fires under control. I mean, they've got half a million people under evacuation orders. So, now, the federal government your friendly federal government does not appear that it will act on any additional funding to relieve any part of the COVID crisis which is just seems incomprehensible. I expect that are not me, I mean people who know things, expect that the President will do some things by executive order. But we don't we don't know what, and we don't know what the unintended consequences of anything might be. All I can say is, stay tuned. I don't have any update on the governor's group that's meeting around eviction policy. Hopefully by next Friday, I would think we'd have something. I also don't have an update on the unlawful detainer mediation pilot, which is supposed to start next week. So, again hopefully we'll have something. And the I did send out a report out on the listserv. That's all about eviction defense resources that I'm aware of. So please take a look please send changes. Unknown Speaker 2:01:03 James I'm not going to try and put it in your resource page. Somebody else can figure some of this out. that was just what I happen to know. Prompted by Matt Driscoll, or a piece in the News Tribune which I did a link to that which is about the loophole that if your landlord, if you're a property owner is selling the property or intends to move into it. Move themselves or their family into it, that is a quote, legal eviction. And just, not every landlord every property manager is ethical and not everyone is aware of the eagerness of the Washington State Attorney General to follow up on all complaints so I put that link into. So if you've got folks. I mean just really as many people outreach workers on this call people who are on. Supportive Services medical folks whoever you are, as every time you hear somebody who is housed who is nervous about their housing, reach out to those legal resources and try and figure out a way to keep people housed unless they're moving to housing, that is better for them. We just got to keep them housed. And then at the other end, we got a bump up Rapid Rehousing so that people get through faster and bump up diversion so people get through any kind of system we've got faster and get How's that, I mean, I don't know what else to do. We're not going to hotel our room, out of this coming crisis, and God only knows what happens on January 1. At least we have a little time in terms of the eviction moratoria. So the last thing is that if since it wasn't enough to try and figure out a response to greater Tacoma Community Foundation. What that activity prompted was a return to a conversation that many people in this group have had over the past few years. The coalition has amazing, the part that's hard. As we've just gone through and painful process is our inability to actually make a decision. As a coalition, because we don't have a structure that provides that. So, a few of us have been talking. And we have gone back to a Garret. I think his brain cleared. And so he actually proposed a structure for our 501 c three that neither Rob Huff, nor I in our wisdom can locate in our, our box of files and put in the chat, but which I will email to the listserv. Following this meeting today you will have it early afternoon. It says draft all over it. I think we're on version 1.2. It is an upside down, organizational chart. The executive board is the bottom of the page, and it moves up toward the proposed sort of key activities one being these weekly coalition meetings staffing for them. Another being an advocacy and policy division. That would have a way to take positions. Another being a speaker's bureau of people who have lived experience, either recently or currently people who are experiencing or have experienced homelessness. Another being a relationship with the continuum of care. And another being administrative support for the Tacoma attendance Organizing Committee. This is not meant to be the end result, this is like the letter to coma greater to comic Community Foundation is meant to be a way to begin a discussion, or decide not to begin a discussion. Either way, and so apologies for not having it Unknown Speaker 2:05:43 in my box. And, but promises that go, it will go out on the listserv following this meeting our suggestion is that comments go to info at Pc homeless.org Garrett will watch us comments and we'll figure out how to do it. It is not a closed process. It's just something it felt it was time to bring forward in a more focused way, including your comments, I'd like to participate in this, I'd like to, I think there should be a working committee. I don't think we should do this whatever it is that's important to you. Please take time to do it. So, that's what I know. Thank you. As always, Thanks for letting me do this. James Pogue 2:06:37 Well, all right, I think we've covered a lot today, and we've come to the end of our agenda, this also we like to save space for anything of the good of the order or to give people a chance to introduce themselves or network if they have an announcement. It's a little bit more difficult on zoom but if you have an announcement or your agency has something to share you personally are excited to hear something. This is your time. Pamm Silver 2:07:04 Hello there, James This is Pam from Molina Healthcare. James Pogue 2:07:10 Hey, Pam. Unknown Speaker 2:07:11 Hi, Pamm Silver 2:07:12 I'm thinking that Sara Irish will be attending the meetings, because this is my last day working with Molina, I'm retiring today. So I think I'm going, I know, I know, excited. Yeah, well I'm going to practice some self care, which. This brings me too. What I'd like to talk about is we forget that we all need self care and we're trying to help others. So, let's make sure that we take care of ourselves and be be cognizant of what can wear us down. So anyway yes so I will be attending as Molina but when I can I will attend. And so, Sarah Irish is the one from the Lena, that would be taking over any committees or or spots. And so I want to thank everybody for always being there and I've always loved being part of the Pierce County Homeless Coalition. So thank you again. Theresa Power-Drutis 2:08:08 We love you to Pam. Unknown Speaker 2:08:10 Thank you. Unknown Speaker 2:08:13 Five pounds, five pounds by. Sherri Jensen 2:08:21 I hate coming at the tail end of that update I'll send out a flyer for a shower programs, the YMCA has reopened their locations. So we've reduced our locations from Lakewood Pew all up and Tacoma to exclusively Tacoma on Market Street and the pure location. We've reduced hours from 25, hours a week, unfortunately to 12 hours a week. So the schedule is Monday Wednesday Friday and Tacoma from 10am to 1pm and Tuesday and Thursday and Pew all up from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. We were really apprehensive about the evening schedule, but our week this week has been good we had 36 participants, I believe, on, on Thursday. So yeah, that's all. Unknown Speaker 2:09:37 Question. I don't know, this is a good time. Sure. Um, I noticed people were making comments on social media, about the wildfires happening in encampments. And people thinking that a lot of the wildfires are caused by arson. Just Unknown Speaker 2:10:10 relating it to the homeless population. Unknown Speaker 2:10:15 How would you guys best Unknown Speaker 2:10:19 recommend going about that conversation with someone who already has that judgment on homeless people. Unknown Speaker 2:10:29 I don't know if you had any advice. Robb Huff 2:10:36 Well I hadn't actually heard that it's one of the theories being floated I, of course, there have been a couple of people arrested for starting fires or attempting to start fires. But I actually haven't heard that floated is one of the causes of of particular fires I Unknown Speaker 2:11:00 saw it in the news. Someone from, I believe, Tacoma Fire Department said it was started in a, in an encampment near the lumberyard. Valeri Knight 2:11:10 So I don't I have not confirmed, so that that is what the media is put out so far. Lovely. Maureen Howard 2:11:18 Is that the one in liquid. Unknown Speaker 2:11:21 I know I get lost every time I leave this house I have no idea. Sorry. Janet Runbeck 2:11:31 The one in South Houma. Yeah. Unknown Speaker 2:11:35 Yeah, it was in supposedly in an encampment Now does that mean like a person, because you know encampment means something very different to a lot of people but that's I heard, heard the same thing my husband woke me up to read me the news article I get one this morning. So, yeah, Robb Huff 2:11:51 I mean it's safe to say that I wouldn't necessarily. Assume that people who are living outdoors are getting the alerts about fire conditions, and it's quite possible somebody is using a campfire to cook could lose control of it just like people happens when people camp. And leave a fire unattended so you know there's that I hadn't heard anything about theory that people who are living outdoors are intentionally setting fires. Theresa Power-Drutis 2:12:41 We've had two tent fires on our block in the last 30 days. One of them was intentional the other was someone cooking inside their tent. But I think, I guess in response I what I'm hearing in the question is, how do we respond to this and say, this is, you know, people. There are all kinds of people who start fires There are all kinds of people who, during outdoor activities. Fires result there's the whole gender reveal crap that happened. I think the answer is, it's no worse for someone who is camping out in fact there might be a little more understandable. Reason for a fire starting when someone is living outdoors and someone's gender reveal party. So I think what I wouldn't stand up there and say no. Someone who's without a home would never intentionally start a fire because I know that isn't true we've had several in our history here of arson by people who were really pretty desperate, but I think it's really important to say that's not most people who are without homes and so I guess in answer to Janie's question, I would just say people without homes are no more uniform than the people who are housed there all kinds of people Sara Irish 2:14:02 are also the people that are smoking in their cars, and they just flick their butts out of the window, those are the ones they also start fires, and they don't get hold accountable for their actions. Robb Huff 2:14:17 Very true. Unknown Speaker 2:14:29 Thank you Unknown Speaker 2:14:30 gotta go. James Do you want to invite people to stay on if they're interested in. James Pogue 2:14:34 Yeah we speak for those that are still here thank you and again congratulations Pam and we'll miss you and I'm excited for you and you're always welcome to keep joining in. Matter of fact, some people who are retired spend more time at the coalition, so I just want to throw that out there. But for the, those that are starting to log off we do meet right after we just leave the zoom meeting open so we can chat about what's what's on the agenda for next week and different tasks to do and follow up and debrief so if you're interested to either listen in on some of us talk it out, or participate and assist, that would be great. I think I'm going to take a minute to grab some food and use the bathroom, but after that. If you're still here you're gonna listen to us chatting about what's on the agenda for next week, Unknown Speaker 2:15:20 oh five minutes you want to take five minutes, James Pogue 2:15:23 if that works. I'm going to take five people can still sit in chat but see some folks soon and have a good weekend, Unknown Speaker 2:15:31 everyone. Robb Huff 2:15:32 Thanks for joining.