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The Buffet of Educational Experiences - Feb. 2 - May 4, 2019

  • ADVOCACY EXPERIENCES

Goal: Get to know homeless advocates, formerly homeless people, and local elected leaders. Local advocacy ideas area available at http://irvineforeveryone.org/advocate

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Buffet of Educational Experiences - Feb. 2 - May 4, 2019

2018 I4E Advocacy Campaign (retained as an example; but City Council members reflects Nov. 2018 changes): Advocate to end OC homelessness and increase the supply of affordable and permanent supportive housing in Irvine.

1) Email local elected officials (Talking Points below):

2) Call/Email the Board of Supervisors. Encourage them to unify and cooperate to end homelessness by building more affordable housing in the OC.(See also Talking Points below)

3) Email your affirmation and support of Judge David O. Carter , District Judge - DOC_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov

Talking Points (suggested):

  • I support the City of Irvine building more affordable, permanent supportive, and services enriched housing. 
  • I support Irvine building a Housing-First based shelter.
  • Irvine has many great not-for-profits based in Irvine, serving all OC, working with niche homeless populations such as families, victims of domestic violence. Irvine, however, has no known emergency housing or intake for other groups such as single unaccompanied older women and men, and disabled seniors. Yet of the ~4800 homeless, 67% live alone; 57% male; 52% middle-aged (50 or older); 12% vets. Furthermore, 68% of our homeless have lived in OC 10 yrs or longer and 90% are born US citizens. The time has come for Irvine to accept a fair share and be a good neighbor by integrating homeless housing and taking a leadership role in South County for ending the homelessness.
  • Irvine can do more to help end homelessness in the OC by creating the full spectrum of housing, which includes temporary and emergency housing-first model shelters as well as extremely low/very low, low, income housing, and permanent supportive housing, not just moderate and above moderate affordable, market rate, and luxury homes. This is the kind of prevailing leadership Irvine needs if we are to thrive and shine sustainably into the future.
  • Irvine has SB-2 (emergency housing) zoned areas.  I support the building of safe, healthy, humane housing-first based shelters in either of these areas.
  • Building a South County Regional Assessment Center with wrap around services and emergency housing-first in the county-owned land across from the Great Park in Irvine would sustainably help the homeless in the long term because it fits the OC Continuum of Care plan calling for three regional service centers. Plus, Irvine's successful record of balancing inclusionary zoning housing with business (jobs) would be an asset.
  • Building an integrated housing campus which includes a South County Regional Assessment Center with wrap around services and emergency housing in the county-owned land across from the Great Park in Irvine would not negatively impact the community around, because studies have shown otherwise for permanent supportive housing. The May 31st OC Grand Jury report highlights they found no evidence for crimes increasing or property values decreasing. NYU’s Furman Center in 2008 found that supportive housing in New York City does not have a negative impact on nearby property values. In fact, the authors found that, five years after a supportive development opens, nearby property values tend to have risen more than in similar areas with no such facility. Importantly, neither the size of the building nor the density of the neighborhood had any impact on these results 
  • Building an integrated housing campus with all kinds of housing for the homeless, and which includes a South County Regional Assessment Center with wrap around services and emergency housing in the county-owned land across from the Great Park in Irvine would be beneficial to current residents in Irvine because we know from many different sources that there is homelessness in Irvine and it is experienced by not just families, but also other older, disabled, and single people. We have an amazing community that loves to go out to Santa Ana and Mexico to serve and now they can serve the homeless in our own community and show the world how we're truly a world class inclusive community.
  • The United Way OC/UCI/Jamboree Housing study shows that it cost cities up to $120 million of a total $300 million for managing OC's homeless because of emergency room visits, hospital stays, etc. Studies from around the world attest to the "Housing First" model and show that housing the homeless costs far less. Please abandon costly litigation and instead work with the County, Cities, and all stakeholders and collaborate to end homelessness.  The county owned Great Park land is already zoned SB-2. Irvine with its track record for inclusionary zoning and planned development can help lead this effort. Establish a South County Assessment center with wrap around services and emergency housing on this land. Hire award-winning architects. Let Irvine be Irvine. Safe and strong for everyone.
  • Irvine is one of the few cities in the OC which is building a lot of housing. Irvine, in fact, has exceeded its allotted RHNA quota of the higher end categories of affordable housing. Furthermore, Irvine has a long term policy of preventing homelessness and so we've come to believe that there are no homeless in Irvine. The reality though is that every city in the OC, including Irvine, has homeless people and children and the City's own Housing Element (General Plan) discusses this. There's simply not enough housing being built for the working poor. That is why Irvine, like every other OC city, is on the State's SB-35 list of RHNA determinations. This means that the City is not building enough homes in the two lower affordable housing categories: extremely/very low, and very low income homes. Neither does it meet the SB-2 requirement for an emergency shelter.  Irvine is a leader in inclusionary zoning and planned development that balances business and housing. We have an unique opportunity to help the County plan a Regional Assessment center (emergency intake) with wraparound services and emergency housing along with other integrated housing of all kinds, on the County-owned land across from Great Park in Irvine. Let's do it.

References:

References:

Baum, Joshua.(June 2018) The Changing Household and Housing Characteristics of Irvine, 2000-2016. URL: http://i4e.omeka.net/items/show/32

Coleman, Anita and Wendy Williams. (April 2018, Voice of OC Op Ed). Support for Integrated Housing Campus in Irvine Grows. URL: https://voiceofoc.org/2018/04/coleman-and-williams-support-for-integrated-housing-campus-in-irvine-grows/

Coleman, Anita. (March 2018, Voice of OC Op Ed) Integrating Homeless Offers Unique Opportunity for Irvine, URL: https://voiceofoc.org/2018/04/coleman-integrating-homeless-offers-unique-opportunity-for-irvine/

Coleman, Anita (March 2018). The City of Irvine is Uniquely Positioned to Help End Homelessness in the OC. URL: https://medium.com/charis-research/the-city-of-irvine-is-uniquely-positioned-to-end-homelessness-in-the-oc-92717b1fd30d

Coleman and Wendy Williams. (2018). Irvine For Everyone Position Statement.

Housing First Checklist, 2016.  URL: https://www.usich.gov/tools-for-action/housing-first-checklist/

Snow, David and Rachel Goldberg. (2017). Homelessness in Orange County: The Costs to our Community. United Way/UCI/Jamboree Housing.