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Home My WebLink About07.17.2024 - 2200 Ashland Street Ad Hoc Committee - Agenda Packet �� General Meeting Agenda ASHLAND GENERAL REGULAR MEETING AGENDA Wednesday, July 17, 2024 I. CALL TO ORDER 1. 1. Welcome 2. Agenda Review II. Business 1. 1. Follow-up Items &Announcements 2. Minutes of July 3, 2024 (in-depth review of small group notes) 3. Information from Homeless Services Masterplan 4. Additional Ideas 5. Next Steps 1. August 7: Discussion of homeless services, code requirements & identification of ideas to move forward 2. August 21: Discussion of homeless service and community possibilities, finalize ideas to move forward, preview community survey and 9/4 public engagement opportunity 3. August 25 Launch online survey 4. September 4: Public engagement opportunity at property III. Public Forum IV. ADJOURNMENT Page 1 of 1 r � Page 1 of 14 2200 Ashland St. Ad Hoc Committee Meeting Wednesday, July 17, 2024 3:00-5:00 p.m. 2200 Ashland Street AGENDA I. CALL TO ORDER 1. Welcome 2. Agenda Review II. BUSINESS 1. Follow-up Items&Announcements 2. Minutes of July 3, 2024(in-depth review of small group notes) 3. Information from preliminary Homeless Services Masterplan 4. Additional Ideas 5. Next Steps August 7 Discussion of homeless services, code requirements, and identification of ideas to move forward August 21 Discussion of homeless service and community possibilities,finalize ideas to move forward, preview community survey and 9/4 public engagement opportunity August 25 Launch online survey Sept.4 Public engagement opportunity at property III. PUBLIC FORUM IV. ADJOURNMENT Committee Meeting Schedule—3:00-5:00 p.m. —2200 Ashland St. August 7 and 21 September 4'`and 18 October 2, 16'`, and 30 November 19—Recommendation to City Council *Public Event ri Page 2 of 14 2200 Ashland St. Master Plan Ad Hoc Committee Charter Mission Create along-term master plan for the building and surrounding property at 2200 Ashland Street that aligns with contractual obligations, furthers the community's goals regarding homeless services and affordable housing, and enhances the experience of the surrounding neighborhood. Goal Identify the best use(s) of this City-owned property to further the goals identified by the community and state funding partners. City of Ashland Value Statements Supported by this Ad Hoc Committee • Regional cooperation, including in support for public safety and homelessness • Community affordability, including in available housing and childcare • Belonging through mutual respect and openness, inclusion, and equity • Quality of life that underpins the City's economic vibrancy • Environmental resilience, including addressing climate change and ecosystem conservation Committees Charge Discovery Phase: Develop a shared understanding of: • current needs regarding homeless services, transitional housing, and affordable housing related to regional efforts; • current economic challenges related to workforce housing; • existing conditions and challenges in the surrounding neighborhood; • contractual obligations that must be met on the property; • development limitations due to zoning or other land use regulations; and • the City Council's commitment to climate change mitigation. Options Development Phase: Investigate traditional and innovative solutions to the challenges identified in the Discovery Phase. • Identify viable use options for the property and configurations of those options • Host two community engagement events - the first focused on possibilities for the site and the second focused on feedback regarding the initial draft master plan and host two online surveys through the City's website in conjunction with these events • Develop a draft master plan 2 Page 3 of 14 Final Recommendation Phase: Finalize the draft master plan and present to Council for approval • Share draft master plan with the community and integrate feedback into final draft • Present final master plan recommendations to City Council for consideration and possible approval Scope of Authority The 2200 Ashland Street Master Plan Ad Hoc Committee will develop a proposed Master Plan for the facility and site and deliver it to the Ashland City Council. It will follow all standard public meetings and ethics regulations. Membership This ad hoc committee will be comprised of representatives from the following: • Surrounding Neighborhood 0 Representatives from the surrounding neighborhood will bring the perspective of the site's neighbors related to both residential and commercial interests. Neighborhood representatives will have voting privileges. • Unhoused Community o Representatives who have experienced homelessness will provide first-hand knowledge of the lived experience of Ashland's unhoused residents and the effectiveness of a variety of possible options for the site. Unhoused community representatives will have voting privileges. • Service Providers 0 Representatives of local social service provider organizations will bring programmatic expertise to the planning process as well as a clear understanding of regional initiatives and how this property might address specific needs. Service provider representatives will have voting privileges. • City of Ashland o The mayor and a councilor will facilitate the Ad Hoc Committee process with assistance from staff. Representatives from the City will include subject matter experts on homeless services, affordable housing, and building and fire code regulations, as well as two councilors. City members will be non-voting. Timeline This ad hoc committee has six months from the date of its first meeting to develop its master plan recommendation to Council, but earlier completion of the task is encouraged. It is expected that the committee members will be confirmed by Council by the April 16, 2024 business meeting. Page 4 of 14 Goals for the 2200 Ashland St., Property Provide immediate safety during severe weather for Ashland residents who are experiencing homelessness Support economic development and public art efforts that build, energize, and beautify south Ashland, which welcomes visitors as a gateway to the city Provide a pathway to long-term housing for Ashland residents who are experiencing homelessness, possibly including immediate shelter Support wider community goals, such as emergency management, social equity and racial justice, and climate action Site Map M111111111 --eve Its + I interior Dimensions ion Land Acres Total Finished areas 5 2,2 72 s q ft, 1.20 acres 4 Page 5 of 14 Committee Timeline June 5— Introductions, scope of committee, level setting in terms of zoning and building code limitations of current commercial building and property, brainstorm potential uses of the site within the boundaries of the committee charter June 19 - Neighborhood issues/concerns. Discussion of current neighborhood issues for both residents and local businesses, community—wide needs regarding emergency management, resilience, economic development, and climate change — identification of wider community possibilities July 3— Discussion of community possibilities, identification of ideas to move forward July 17— Information from Homeless Services Master Plan Subcommittee Report identifying programmatic needs for Ashland's unhoused community— identification of homeless program possibilities for future study August 7— Discussion of homeless services, identification of ideas to move forward August 21— Discussion of homeless service and community possibilities, finalize ideas to move forward, preview community survey and public engagement opportunity 9/4 8/25—Launch online survey September 4— Public engagement opportunity at property September 18— Integrate public engagement feedback How to weigh/consider/incorporate public input October 2— Integrate public engagement feedback—finalize draft master plan elements October 16— Public engagement opportunity at property October 30— (5t" Wednesday of the month) Finalize master plan elements (new) November 19— Presentation of master plan elements to City Council 5 Page 6 of 14 2200 Ashland St. Ad Hoc Committee Meeting July 3, 2024 Minutes Name Role Attended 7/3/24 1 Matthew McMillan Member 2 Ruth Coulthard Member x 3 Maverick McCoy Member 4 Bob Kaplan Non-voting Member x 5 Allison Wildman Member x 6 Jason Houck Member x 7 Rachel Jones Member x 8 Tonya Graham Non-voting Member x 9 Debbie Neisewander Member x 10 Wendy Tanner Member x 11 Avram Sacks Member x 12 Gina DuQuenne Non-voting Member x 13 Trina Sanford Member x Jan Calvin Facilitator x V. CALL TO ORDER 1. Membership Update— Mayor Tonya Graham announced that Rhonda Lee and Bob Altaras regrettably submitted resignations, due to the fact that their schedules no longer allowed for their participation. NOTE:There are now 10 voting members, so no more than 5 can communicate outside the meeting. 2. Agenda Review—The agenda was reviewed. 3. Announcements— Debbie shared information about new 1 bdrm. lofts renting for $2,500+/mo. Discussion noted the City's limited ability to add affordable housing; essentially annexation and land banking. She also shared photos of Pallet shelters, noting that the city owns 13 such units. Some history of their use was shared. Avram noted the upcoming heat wave and announced the need for volunteers for the cooling center (call him at 541-220-7307). VI. BUSINESS 1. Decision-making — Mayor Graham reviewed the decision-making process, saying that typically 50% plus one is enough to decide an issue. The desire is for greater agreement. Sometimes a motion is made that you don't wholeheartedly agree with, but you don't want to oppose, so a "neutral" vote can be cast. For example, 6 people vote yes, 3 vote neutral and 1 votes no. This is different than if 6 vote yes and 4 vote no. The former might be a final decision. For our purposes, the latter would be an example of the need for more discussion, rather than simply saying the decision is made. The goal is full agreement, and the "yes/neutral/no" process may also be used as a "straw poll" vote to determine the level of agreement. 2. Minutes of June 19, 2024 - Reviewed. Approved; all thumbs up! 3. Follow-up Items &Announcements Jan mentioned the two follow-up emails sent with information about weed abatement (since completed at 2200 Ashland St.)and the reasoning for closing pathways around the property. 6 Page 7 of 14 Jan reported that City staff have completed the compilation of code information about potential uses of the property, which will be on the August 7 agenda. The group reviewed the discussion and comments of the June 19 meeting, including a follow-up conversation about the charge/purpose of the committee. The conversation reinforced the fact that committee recommendations will need to be acted on by Council, followed by the identification of funding to implement selected recommendations. Such a process takes time and may not align with everyone's priorities for the use of their time and talents. People were asked about their"take sways" from the last meeting. Debbie offered some thoughts about ways to mitigate some of the concerns that had been expressed; she noted that the municipal court still operates by Zoom and schedules appearances months out. People experiencing homelessness often have difficulty tracking such a calendar. If municipal court could schedule timelier in person sessions, perhaps there would be fewer arrests for warrants. This demonstrated an example of a system change, while other examples were for programs/services. System Improvement Ideas • Municipal Court held in person, more timely scheduling • Community Service restitution that benefits the community • Better service coordination and system for referrals • A cohesive strategic plan Service Improvement Ideas • Community meal locations in South Ashland (for community-building) • More safe spaces to sleep • Greater access to behavioral health services Other Ideas for Improvements • Engagement of people experiencing homelessness in solutions • More opportunities for empowerment and belonging • More attention to community relations and efforts to be a good neighbor by service providers • Engagement and alignment of service providers with the community 4. Exploring the Possibilities The group revisited the Council-approved goals and identified what we need to know. Goals: • Provide immediate safety during severe weather for Ashland residents who are experiencing homelessness • Support economic development and public art efforts that build, energize, and beautify south Ashland, which welcomes visitors as a gateway to the city • Provide a pathway to long-term housing for Ashland residents who are experiencing homelessness, possibly including immediate shelter • Support wider community goals, such as emergency management, social equity and racial justice, and climate action 7 Page 8 of 14 Property/Site Needs for Services • Pallet houses • Day center • Emergency shelter • Laundry • Laundry • Clothing closet • Pet care • Storage • Job training • Food pantry/ microwave • Community garden • Family/ elderly/women with children • Meals • Where are the gaps? Who isn't served (i.e.: • Community art families w/children, elderly, disabled) • Use of property - day vs night • What is OHRA offering? Let's not duplicate. • Pallet = single vs family • Rehab /chemical dependency • What funding to develop the site? • Counseling (mental health, addiction, job • Property maintenance — City vs partner skills, coping) • What is the City's responsibility for the property? • Food — how to engage restaurants, grocery (weeds, maintenance) stores— center for excess food • How big is a rentable commercial kitchen? Can it • Legal assistance be added to the property or does it need to be in • Targeted services-elders, homeless seniors the existing building? • Food insecurity, housing for elders • Needs to create credibility and establish • Halfway between OHRA and independent in relevance to this community community • Attractive land use; responsible tenants • Emergency services in earthquake, fire Neighborhood / Surrounding Area Givens/ Constraints • Community dumpster • Municipal Court (Zoom only) • Porta Potties • Warrants!? • If Pallet houses, no porta potties • Community service opportunities • Improve crosswalk (OHRA/shopping) • What is heat shelter population count? • Safety • Can we rent out Pallet houses? • Outreach • We cannot solve all problems; focus on what • No temporary situations we can • What do local businesses need in terms of workforce? Restaurants? Retail? • How do we protect? Responsible, legally? • Empower an action team to fix problems • Economic growth • Desirable • Clean up! Beautify! Possible Partners Other • SOHFA • Community meal • Liaison w/police dept for neighborhood • How to give homeless value? Buy-in, how? • Who manages, and how dependent are we on • Responsibilities. What can the homeless be them (accountability) required to do to help themselves? • On-site manager/ host • Look to other areas that have succeeded • Chamber—do we have a need for a rentable (Houston) commercial kitchen? • Management? • Non-profits (e.g., Dunn House) • City's commitment? • Churches • How are we funding management? • The homeless community • Carefully chosen individuals who require • Lease out property(?) limited time to motivate change • AA/NA • Flip the point system used by OHRA • Mental/Behavioral Health Services 8 Page 9 of 14 The group did a quick debrief to offer highlights from the small group work: ACCb�f�`f� � Y ��f6t�r( �-�uca,s et mee S ue, �-�/C� �exucc�s `� l�Fc�-� �the.��tc�`j�+n� �j u.5��C z7q hk� cm C�NR�1 d� are` Who is Aom Ak wro') _I `p SC'XV1CL a�Vr�e�l' l�o TU �� N�0 S N4 b�,na� S&Qe) > �g U.�o��'�vcce �� 77 vvh�`� ��S (��ys ��,k� j� ,n �oYvteS� �Yl�� 'A�4 5. Next Steps The next meeting will include information from the preliminary Homeless Services Masterplan, after which the committee will begin refining the ideas to present for public input. V11. PUBLIC FORUM Helga suggested that the portable classrooms that were used at the Science Works may be useable for temporary housing. Committee members thanked her for the idea but noted that existing plans for units make them unavailable. Meeting Adjourned at 5:05 p.m. 9 Page 10 of 14 Exploring the Possibilities a. Goals for the Property • Provide immediate safety during severe weather for Ashland residents who are experiencing homelessness • Support economic development and public art efforts that build, energize, and beautify south Ashland, which welcomes visitors as a gateway to the city • Provide a pathway to long-term housing for Ashland residents who are experiencing homelessness, possibly including immediate shelter • Support wider community goals, such as emergency management, social equity and racial justice, and climate action b. Preliminary Services List from June 5 What Would Be Exciting?! • Flea Market • Vibrant Multi-Use Maker Space • Contribution to Economic Vitality • Resource Center that Meets People Where They Are • Tiny/Pallet House Community • Storage Space for People's Belongings • Services for People with the Greatest Needs (that aren't being met elsewhere) • 24-7 Shelter for Seniors and/or Families • Soft Landing or Step Down for Post Treatment—and/or Step Up from Shelter • Opportunities to Help Others/Volunteer/Contribute • Multi-population Space for Community-building c. Community-focused List from June 19 Things to pay attention to: • Safety • Care for one another • Coordinated action & risk management • Privacy • Aesthetics • Climate friendly • Economic boosters, or at least not detractors 10 Page 11 of 14 The followin g is an excerpt from: e9eA 0 Homeless Outlining the City's City' role in providing and supportiny resources and services that address the issues of homelessness in the Ashland community. 2024 Created by the Hometess Services Ma ter L n Subcornmittee,JuLy2,2024 Reviewed by the Housing&Human Services Advisory Committee,July 18,2024 Presented to City Counck,August 5,2024 11 Page 12 of 14 Actions Summary The issues of homelessness are complex.As such,there are no simple answers.This report is offered as a means to better understand the issues, current realities,and possible opportunities. Selecting the best action depends on the objective.Any one of the following options would produce benefits;some may produce unintended consequences.The Subcommittee recognizes that careful consideration and clear objectives are necessary in selecting a course of action. Each heading might be considered an objective.The opportunities listed below each heading were identified through rigorous review of local data and community feedback. Triage and Manage Homelessness ➢ Provide multiple locations for electronics charging and Wi-Fi access. ➢ Increase the number of public restrooms and access to drinking water. ➢ Respond to community livability concerns, particularly in south Ashland;clean up unsightly areas, provide more trash receptacles and weed abatement. ➢ Strengthen partnerships between law enforcement, social service agencies,and volunteers to connect people with help and support. ➢ Expand access to showers and laundry facilities. ➢ Develop a daytime lockable storage program where unhoused people can store their belongings while navigating other resources,employment, etc. ➢ Create a day center/respite from outdoors,with access to water, bathrooms,and resources. ➢ Establish a winter shelter for seniors and other vulnerable populations that is open 24/7 from mid-November through mid-April;explore healthcare partnerships to address chronic, acute, and emergent needs. Support Pathways from Homelessness to Housing ➢ Develop priorities for funding effective housing-focused homeless services; monitor housing placements and retention outcomes. ➢ Expand street outreach services;ensure seamless connections to resources. ➢ Provide educational/skill-building programs and meaningful employment opportunities. ➢ Establish ahousing-focused transitional shelter with case management and access to health services, employment resources, ready-to-rent courses, and other assistance. ➢ Expand local access to countywide Rapid Rehousing programs. Create Long-term Change ➢ Approach issues of homelessness from a public health, mental health, and social service perspective.Advocate for quality, effective, and evaluated services. ➢ Improve neighborhood livability through infrastructure development and community-building strategies(both structural and social avenues). ➢ Participate in the development of a countywide strategic plan to address/end homelessness. Ensure research-based strategies and promising practices. ➢ Develop a strategic plan to address/end homelessness in Ashland; identify community goals and metrics for success. ➢ Implement the Ashland Housing Production Strategy. 12 Page 13 of 14 Maximize Resources ➢ Develop federal and state Legislative Agendas related to issues of homelessness, ranging from eviction prevention to homeless response to affordable housing and development. ➢ Educate and advocate for federal and state funding to address homelessness in Ashland and the greater region/county. ➢ Increase financial resources through grant writing ➢ Provide grant-writing assistance to homeless service providers. ➢ Monitor the capacity and use of homeless service programs in an effort to maximize use. Foster Public Engagement ➢ Strengthen methods for community engagement and information sharing about issues of homelessness in Ashland. ➢ Promote volunteer opportunities available with homeless services programs. ➢ Establish a"community donations portal"for donor-directed contributions to a wide range of homeless services. ➢ Host focus groups to gather feedback, explore new ideas, and identify hidden resources. Form Strategic Alliances ➢ Strengthen City of Ashland participation in the Jackson County Continuum of Care. ➢ Leverage existing relationships (intergovernmental, economic, social, etc.)to increase communication, coordination, and collaboration around issues of homelessness. ➢ Facilitate coordination of current health service providers(e.g. Max's Mission,ACCESS, JCMH, La Clinica, HIV Alliance, Pathfinders/other peer support); host mini summits. ➢ Convene an interdepartmental team to keep pace with and address issues of homelessness in Ashland. Continue to Learn & Educate ➢ Keep pace with federal and state priorities. o Subscribe to news from the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, National Alliance to End Homelessness, HUD Exchange, and Oregon Housing and Community Services(OHCS) o Monitor the work of the Oregon Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Senate Interim Committee on Housing and Development, the House Interim Committee on Housing and Homelessness, and the OHCS Housing Stability Council ➢ Convene, sponsor, and otherwise expand access to professional development courses for frontline staff, such as Motivational Interviewing techniques,trauma informed practices, equity, and cultural responsiveness. ➢ Provide and collect relevant data, analyze trends, and monitor the performance of the homeless services system, as well as individual programs. ➢ Continuously learn about what works and what doesn't- and seek to understand why. 13 Page 14 of 14