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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 1985Scheduled for Committee Approval on August 28, 1985 Minutes of the MAYOR'S SPECIAL CO.'elITTEE ON THE HOMELESS August 17, 1985 9:00 A.M. Present: Alds. Brady, Juliar, Drummer, Ream, Wold Absent: Ald. Rainey Officials and Flavor Barr, Helen McCarthy Staff Present: Presiding: Ald. Collens Ald. Collens opened the meeting and provided general background on how the question of the homeless originally came before the City of Evanston. She hoped the Committee could build on the work which had already been completed by other committees and not start from the beginning in the consideration of a solution to the homeless question. She requested that the Committee members familiarize themselves with the Zoning Amendment Committee (ZAC) testimony and transcript, and the minutes of the Planning and Development Committee meetings regarding the homeless issue. She stated that she sees the role of this Committee to be that of considering alternative way. to meet the needs of the homeless, rather than merely to revise the recommendations of ZAC and the Planning and Development Committee. She announced that she would like to allow public input at the end of each meeting directed toward the subject matter discussed at that Committee meeting. Revie.,; of !favor's Charge to Committee Aid. Collens reviewed the questions which the Mayor had asked the Committee to consider. These include: (1) Define the nature of the problem of homelessness in Evanston; how .:.any Evanstonians have no home? (2) What do other communi- ties Rio? t3) I%Iiat is responsible handling of non-Evanstonians who appear here? (4) What is the nature of our obligation? What are the limits of our obliga- tion? (5) What are the alternatives for dealing with the problem? Review of Work Plan and Schedule Ald. Collens stated that the Co,=.,ittee had been given six weeks to complete its work, and proposed submitting a report to City Council for the September 23, 1985 Council meeting. She proposed meeting dates of August 22, August 29, September 5, and September 12, with the possibility of September 17, if neces- sary. The Committee agreed to this schedule and also agreed to set aside the morning of Saturday, September 14, in case the Committee needed extra time for their work. told. Brady asked if this schedule would allot. the Unified Budget Panel to consider a reco=endation from this Committee. Ald. Wold and Helen McCarthy stated that the Panel would be convened on September 19, and all agencies requesting funds would have done so by that date. The final meeting of the Unified Budget Panel is scheduled for November 9, 1985. The Committee _ Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless ... 2 August 17, 1985 reviewed the work plan suggested by Ald. Collens and agreed that the following issues should be considered by the Committee: (1) data on the problem of home- lessness in Evanston including the review of the report from Evanston social service agencies who have been addressing this question; (2) consideration of how an Evanston "connection" or "residency" should be defined; (3) resources for addressing this problem, including federal, state, city, private and public; (4) alternative solutions, including non -shelter options as well as shelter options. This would include review of what other similar communities are doing to address the needs of the homeless. Ddate on Current Activities Related to the Homeless Population Ms. McCarthy gave a report on the work of a number of social service agencies who have met to address the issue of serving the homeless population. She reported that approximately 14 social service agencies have met since January, 1985. To date, they have accomplished the following: a survey of the persons utilizing the shelter in the months of February and March was completed; and a survey of agencies was completed. In the agency survey, agencies were asked to keep track of all requests for services from undomiciled individuals during the month of February, 1985. The survey indicated that during that month there were 55 individuals known to these agencies who were without permanent housing. The Committee also identified alternative ways to meet the needs of the homeless population including transitional shelters, small group homes, and a housing clearinghouse concept in which a staff person would match up homeless individuals with a vacant room or unit in the community. This Committee also appointed a subcommittee of direct service agencies to address the specific needs of persons staying at the shelter. The purpose of the subcommittee was to become acquainted in an in-depth manner with the needs of specific homeless individuals and the services which they had received from social service agencies, and to analyze the difficulties in obtaining; permanent housing solutions for these individuals. Ms. McCarthy reviewed the services currently available to the homeless provided by Emergency Assistance Services, ACORN, Evanston Hospital Crisis Intervention and Sustaining Care programs, St. Francis Hospital Adult and Child Guidance Center and the OATES prngraris, Salvation Army, and the `"ICA. she stated that the social service agencies would be meeting again on August 20, and that a report of their work could be made available to the Mayor's Special Committee at its next meeting. Other Discussion The Co=ittee discussed what the role of other churches might be in serving this population. Alds. Drummer and (team expressed their support of the concept of decentralizing shelter opportunities and of requesting other churches to each shelter a small number of persons, as opposed to having one large shelter. Ald. Ream suggested that it might be appropriate and necessary for the City to fund a program of centralized referral for homeless individuals, whereby a homeless person would go through a centralized intake and be referred to an available church for overnight shelter. .1tayor Barr expressed general support of the de- centralized approach but pointed out that there might be a conflict with the role of the City in regulating a church activity. Specifically she reported on a discussion with a minister from a downtown church indicating that although churches would be supportive of the City regulating health and safety issues within the church, the churches would not be in favor of the City regulating the "origin" or "residence" of individuals whom a church might help. The Com- Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless ... 3 August 17, 1985 agreed that the City's regulation of such a program would need to be discussed. The Committee also agreed that a decision would have to be made as to whether a church would be limited to assisting three or fewer individuals, thereby avoiding, amendments to the Zoning Ordinance, or whether a church would be allowed to assist a higher number which would require zoning amendments. The Committee agreed that Ald. Collens should request the Executive Director of the Evanston Ecumenical Action Council (EEAC) to send a letter to all churches asking what role each might agree to take in this issue, and specifically, whether the .:hunch would agree to shelter a limited number of individuals. The Committee's inten- tion is that EEAC would send this letter, give the churches enough time to con- sider this question within their congregations, and then convene a general meet- ing in which the issues would be discussed. Ald. Juliar distributed the results of the survey which he had conducted in the First Ward. The Committee concluded that there seemed to be support for providing shelter to homeless persons, particularly persons who are from Evanston. The Committee also noted that the respondents indicated that individuals who are stay- ing at the shelter should be required to use community agencies to find permanent housing. Ald. Juliar stated that he thought it was very important to determine the extent of the problem among Evanston people before moving ahead with any solu- tion. Ms. McCarthy reported that at any given time there are from ten to fifteen Evanston people at the shelter, defined simply as persons who had lived in Evans- ton at some time prior to staying at the shelter. The Committee agreed that a working definition of an Evanston "connection" or Evanston "residency" must be decided. The Committee acknowledged that this definition could be influenced by the solution in mind. For example, if a decentralized church shelter solution were implemented, the definit'..t of Evanston residency might be less significant than if the City has a strong involvement, either administrative or fiscal. Future Meetings At the next meeting, the Committee agreed to consider data on the problem of homelessness in Evanston, including a report from the social service agencies. The Committee also agreed to review how "residency" is defined in other contexts, and to review possible resources for addressing the issue. The Committee asked staff to have information on these issues available for the next meeting. The Committee also asked staff to contact other communities of a similar size to ex- plore what other options may be possible, and to have this available for a future meeting. Ald. Collens asked the Committee members who had not visited the shelter to do so as soon as possible. and asked the Committee members to read the back- ground materials made available to them. The Committee adjourned at 11:30 a.m. Helen McCarthy, Director of Health and Human Services Present: Absent: Officials and Staff Present: Presiding: Minutes scheduled for Committee approval at meeting on 9/5/85 Minutes of the MAYOR'S SPECIAL COIalITTEE ON THE HOMELESS August 21, 1985 7:30 P.M. Alds. Brady, Drummer, Ream, Wold, Rainey A1d. Juliar Jeanne Fox, Sharon Washington, Helen McCarthy Ald. Collens The Committee agreed to hold its next meeting on August 28, 1985 at 7:30 P.M. Meeting with Alds. Korshak and Bleveans and Center for Public Ministry Its. McCarthy reported to the Committee that Alds. Korshak and Bleveans and she had met with Rev. Thompson and Rev. Lynn from the Center for Public Ministry on August 20, 1985. She stated that the Center had not agreed to the conditions contained in the motion approved by City Council on August 12th. An Agreement was reached on three changes: (I) the number allowed at the shelter was increased from 20 to 30; (2) a requirement for an Evanston "connection" was changed to a "preference" for same; and (3) the criteria for admission to the shelter would be established by Ma. McCarthy in conjunction with the eight social service agen— cies identified by the Center for Public Ministry as referral agencies. Alds. Korshak and Bleveans plan to bring the amended agreement to the City Council for consideration at the August 26, 1985 meeting. Report from Social Service Agencies Jeanne Fox, Executive Director, Mental Health Board, joined the Committee. Hs. McCarthy began by reviewing the memorandum to the Committee, dated August 21, 1985 which summarized the work or the group of social service agencies looking at the needs of the homeless. She reviewed the results of two surveys: the first involved interviewing persons staying at the shelter during the months of February and March, 1985; and the second involved a log kept by social service agencies during the month of February of contacts from undomiciled individuals. Ms. :McCarthy reported that the full Committee of agencies had decided to focus on the individual needs of persons at the shelter and the assessment of the gaps in services in meeting, those needs, prior to looking at other issues related to the needs of the homeless, such as development of housing options. Its. Fox presented the report of the Subcommittee of agencies who had evaluated who uses the shelter, their needs, services available in Evanston to meet those needs, and the gaps in services. She summarized the problems which cause people to become homeless and reviewed the services provided by agencies in the community. She summarized the gaps in service for the persons using the shelter and the obstacles which arise in providing help to these individuals. These include the fact that limited services are available for persons who are alcoholics or drug abusers, that Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless ... 2 many of the persons at the shelter exhibit aggressive behavior which is difficult for agencies to deal with, that persons often do not accept the help available, that agencies often provide specialized services with specific eligibility criteria, and often persons at the shelter do not meet these eligibility criteria or have difficulty in negotiating the bureaucratic system. She reported that most homeless persons have multiple problems which take an unusual amount of time of agency per- sonnel in order to resolve. She summarized the Subcommittee's view that these problems in providing services could best be addressed through the development of a case management service. Case management is different from other types of social service delivery in that the needs of the individual client determine what services are provided, that the case manager works consistently with the client to resolve the problem which the client has, and that case management is an ongoing, and at times permanent, support service and is not limited by agency durational requirements or eligibility requirements. Committee members expressed their appreciation for this report and sated that.it provided a lot of useful information an the specific needs of homeless individuals. The Committee had a number of questions. In response to a question about whether the homeless population is a new population in Evanston, GIs. Fox responded that generally it is not a new population, that she estimates that about twelve of the Evanston persons at the shelter have been knourn to social service agencies for a long period of time. As they get older, their options for services in the community decrease because they have worked with various agencies and agencies may Fret "burned out" in trying to assist these individuals. In response to a question as to how often Evanston persons are referred to the Ellin Mental Ilealth Center, and how often they are released back into the community, Ms. Fox provided the following data: in the 1983-84 fiscal year, a total of 120 unduplicated individuals were referred to Elgin from Evanston; 16 of these persons were referred to Elgin for the first time. 45 of these persons were readmitted to Elgin two or three times during the year, and 22 persons were readmitted three or four times. 'Is. Fox was asked how many persons at the shelter would be helped with case management services. She is aware of six individuals who could actually accomplish a major, permanent status change and be able to live independently in the community. In response to a question about how many clients per year could be managed by one care manager, Ms. Fox said that one case manager could work with approximately fifteen individuals at one time, and considering the fluctuating population, could ;assist -5 unduplicated clients per year. Ald. Brady stated that different solutions will make sense for different people at the shelter. Some individuals will always need decent shelter and meals to be provided; another group will be able to use the services of a case manager to develop the ability to live independently; and another group will need other types of housing options, such as group homes. Ald. Collens stated that it might be necessary for this Committee to limit its task to that of recommending alternatives to the Zoning t%.mendment Committee recom.7endations, and that another group may have to be identified to work on the long range solutions and on the development of other housing options for this population. She stated that she would place the report from the social service agencies on the agenda for the next meeting so that other issues could be raised by Committee members after they have had an opportunity to read the report. Review of Resources The Committee reviewed the staff memorandum which summarized the possible funding for meeting the needs of the homeless, including federal and state funds which are Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless ... 3 available. In response to a question as to whether case management services could be funded from these sources, ;Ms. :McCarthy indicated that federal FEMA funds could not be used for this purpose, and that staff did not have an answer regard- ing Illinois Department of Public Aid funds. The Center for Public Ministry is submitting a proposal through Unified Budgeting Process to fund a case manager at the shelter. ;Ms. McCarthy said she would follow up on Ivan Lippitz' suggestion that the State Department of Vocational Rehabilitation could provide services to the Evanston homeless. Ald. Collens summarized recent discussions of the Budget Policy Committee regarding the anticipated two million dollar revenue shortfall for the 1986-87 year, and the resulting impact on the availability of "new" local funds for new human services. She explained that City staff are in the process of preparing a recommended budget with no increase over the prior year. In this context, new local funds for the homeless will be limited. The Committee reviewed the draft of the Chairman's letter to be sent to area churches, inquiring about the type and degree of church support which might be available to help the homeless. Ald. Collens explained that because the Evanston Ecumenical Action Council represents only 25 churches in Evanston, she recommends that the letter go directly from the Committee to the individual churches. The Committee made several editorial changes and agreed that the letter should include some additional background information about the homeless situation in Evanston. Definition of Residencv The Committee briefly reviewed the staff memorandum containing a sample of resi- dency definitions used by community agencies and several recent legal opinions dealing with the subject of residence definitions. The Committee discussed whether it is legally possible to limit the use of a shelter to persons with an Evanston "connection" or prior residence. The Committee agreed that although the legal opinions indicated that the answer to this question would be "no", this should be specifically asked of the Law Department at this ti-me. The Committee discussed various actions which the City Council could take vis-a-vis church shelters (in- cluding amending the Zoning Ordinance to allow for them, and not amending the Zoning Ordinance to allow for them) and whet effect these actions might have on the City's right to restrict use of Ghelter to Evanstonians. The Committee asked staff to request a legal opinion from the Corporation Counsel on the following questions: 1. To allow churches to operate homeless shelters, must the City amend the Zoning; Ordinance; If several churches house five or fewer persons (or three or fewer) would this violate the current Zoning Ordinance? 2. How long could a church operate a shelter without an amendment in the Zoning Ordinance? For example, could the City continue to allow the current shelter to operate during the 1985-86 season without amending the Zoning Ordinance? 3. Can the City require prior Evanston residency for admittance tc a church shelter? Can this be required even if there is no amend- ment to the Zoning Ordinance to specifically allow shelters for the homeless? Mayor's Special Committee • on the Homeless ... 4 August 21, 1985 4. If the City allows a church to operate a shelter which is open 24 hours a day (as opposed to 10 hours per day), does this make it "more" of a residence? (This question is intended to deal with the question arising out of the Reingruber case.) 5. Does the Law Department have any suggestions for hot; an individual can be given temporary, emergency shelter in Evanston without, thereby, becoming a "resident" in Evanston? Other Discussion The Committee posed several other questions which still needed to be addressed. If shelter is approved, what services could be available during daytime hours? Could another church or .ACORN operate a morning drop -in center? Should limits be placed on how long persons can stay at the shelter? How can we avoid having persons see the shelter as a permanent home? How can additional services be funded? What are possibilities for developing new long term housing options? Who is the proper group to explore and develop these options? The meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m. t Helen McCarthy, Direct.tlr of Health and Human Services • Minutes scheduled for Minutes of the Committee approval on MAYOR'S SPECIAL CODLMITTEE ON THE HOMELESS Sept. 5, 1985 August 28, 1985 1:30 P.M. Present: Alds. Brady, Drummer, ,luliar, wold Absent: Alds. Rainey, Ream Officials and Herbert Hill, Helen McCarthy Staff Present: Presiding: Ald. Collens Minutes The Committee approved the minutes of the meeting of the Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless of August 17, 1985 as submitted. Staff Report: The Committee received copies of the letter, dated August 23, 1985, to the churches in Evanston. Ald. Collens reported that she had added the historical information about the homeless shelter issue to the body of the letter. She stated that she had received one telephone call from a church which tins been providing substantial volunteer support to the shelter at the First Baptist Church. Other responses from the churches will be reported at the September 5, 1985 meeting. Criteria for Admittance to Shelter - its. ;lcCarthy distributed the draft cri- teria for admittance to the shelter which had been drafted by the social ser- vice agencies designated as referral agencies. She reported on one correction to item 5 of the criteria which should have stated that a person with immediate family in Evanston would be included as persons receiving preference for admit- tance. Ald. Wold asked staff to review the issue of whether persons with family members in Evanston should be given preference for admittance. She stated that she believed that persons who could not meet the criteria of "having previously lived in Evanston" should not be granted preference just because of a family member living here. The Committee discussed iten 43 which states that an indivi- dual must be without income cr have another extenuating circumstance which neces- sitates emergency shelter. Several Committee members felt that this might be too harsh as persons might have a limited income and require shelter. In response to a question as to whether Ceneral Assistance :ill serve people with children. Ms. McCarthy responded that families with children are eligible for public aid through the Illinois Department of Public Aid, and therefore would not be eligible for General Assistance. Sdhile such a family is pending public aid assistance, it could be helped through the City's Emergency assistance program. She indicated that she would check with the General Assistance office for any exceptions to this rule. City Survev Update - its. McCarthy reported that the survey of other cities was almost completed and that the results of the survey would be available for the September 5, 1995 meeting. Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless Minutes of 8/28/85 ... 2 Consideration of Residencv Definition and Other Legal Issues The Committee discussed the memorandum from Herbert Hill, 1st Assistant Corpora- tion Counsel, dated August 29, 1985. 14r. hill reviewed the memorandum which responded to the questions asked by the Committee at their prior meeting. In response to a question as to whether the City could allow a church to operate an "overnight prayer vigil", Mr. Hill responded that it would be up to City Council as to whether there would be a directive to the Corporation Counsel to pursue enforcement of the Zoning ordinance. ,fr. Bill explained that regardless of the number of rersons sheltered at a church, a church is not considered a residence under the Zoning Ordinance but is considered a house of worship. Therefore, any number of people sheltered at a church would be in violation of the ordinance. In response to a question as to whether the City has ever officially decided not to enforce the Zoning Ordinance, as it did in the instance with the homeless shelter, Mr. Hill responded that this was an extraordinary process of City Council and he did not believe that it had a precedent. In response to a question as to whether persons who had previously lived in Evanston could be given preference in staying at the shelter, 'Mr. Hill said that how such preference would be ad- ministered would need to be reviewed and analyzed by the Legal Department. He said it was not possible to bar people who have never lived in Evanston. There- fore a method would have to be developed where Evanston residents would be given preference but would not be given the exclusive right to stay at the shelter. In response to a question about whether there could be a percentage of occupants at the shelter who were previous Evanston residents, Mr. Hill said that he would re- view this approach and respond to the Committee for their next meeting. ?fr. I{ill said that it might be possible to define as a condition of the special use permit, a minimum percentage of Evanston residents to stay at the shelter. The actual percentage of such persons could be reviewed on a periodic basis and an extension of the permit could be granted based on the findings. ;is. ?cCarthy was asked to find out how the YWCA shelter for abused women handles the issue of preference for Evanston residents. She was also asked to find out whether Township General Assis- tance will approve someone for general assistance who is living at the YWCA shelter. In regard to the question of whether an extension of hours at the shelter, to in- clude daytime hours, would make the shelter "more" of a residence, Mr. Hill re- sponded that a 24-hvur operation would imply a residence ^ore than simply over- night sleeping quarters. He said that it might be possible to develop a new definition within the Zoning Ordinance which would be for emergency shelter housing and which is clearly not a residence. Aid. Brady asked if a 24-hour program were available, but with a specific 30-day limit on stay, could this be defined as something other than a residence"? Mr. Hill indicated that a 24-hour operation would make it more of a residence. The Committee discussed the i:isue of whether facilities; to allow persons to store their personal belongings should be present at the shelter. There was general agreement that the ability to store personal belongings also made the shelter more of a residence. Mr. Hill indicated that the issue of defining residency has not been settled in the courts. He described a recent case in the State of New York dealing with establishing a definition of "residence" for voting purposes. This definition included language that a residence was a place where someone expected to return to. Ms. McCarthy was asked to provide the Committee with a copy of the definition of "residency" utied by the City of Evanston for voting purposes. Mr. Hill stressed the importance of how any requirements of the Zoning Ordinance would be enforced. The Committee discussed whether certain requirements of the shelter operation, including length of stay, maximum number of occupants, and . Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless Minutes of 8/28/85 ... 3 other matters might be best covered in a licensing ordinance rather than a zoning ordinance. It might be possible for this Committee to return to the City Council with recommendations for zoning amendments, and with recommendations for regula- tions to be included as a licensing ordinance. Plan for Remaining Meetings Ald. Wold said that she thought that it would be very helpful if at the next meeting each Committee member would indicate his/her individual views of the need for a shelter, and what limits should be placed on the shelter. She said Hhe had doubts about whether a "decentralized" approach would be practical. Ald. Juliar stated that he was quite opposed to a large centralized shelter and felt that other alternatives still should be considered. Aid. Brady said that a need exists for a transitional shelter with limited programming on a 2/4-hour basis, with a 30-day limit on stay. Ald. Fold stated that options for where persons could be cared for during the day need to be considered. The Committee decided at the September 5, 1985 meeting, they would review the responses from the letter to the churches, the survey of cities. and non --shelter options, and a response from the Law Department about the issue of preference for Evanston residents at a shelter. They will then begin the discussion of recommendations to be made to the Citv Council. Public Input Mr. Michael Kent, the Treasurer of the Evanston Ecumenical Action Council, stated that he is familiar with a shelter in Brockton, Massachusetts which served as the model for the transitional shelter proposed by EEAC last summer. He said the important component of this shelter is that every person who stays there must be interviewed by a social worker, -nd must agree to work with a social worker to find a permanent solution to his/her housing problem. He emphasized the need for social work services and for case management services, either at the shelter or at ACORN. The Committee explained that a report had been prepared by social service agencies with similar recommendations. Hs. McCarthy gave Mr. Kent a copy of that report. The Committee adjourned at 9:50 p.m. 4du, Helen McCarthy, Directo of Health and Human Service Scheduled for Committee approval on 9/15 or 9/17 M Piinutes of the MAYOR'S SPECIAL C01,01ITTEE ON THE HOMELESS September 5, 1985 7.30 P.M. Present: Alds. Brady, Drummer, Juliar, Rainey, Ream. Wold Officials and Helen McCarthy Staff Present: Presiding: Ald. Collens Minutes The minutes of the meeting of the Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless of August 21, 1985 were approved as submitted. Staff Report: Legal opinion, dated September 5, 1985 The Committee reviewed the memorandum from Herbert Hill, 1st Assistant Corporation Counsel, dated September 5, 1985 dealing with the question of giving preference for shelter admittance to those persons with an "Evanston connection". The Com- mittee agreed that the legal opinion stated that it is possible to establish a minimum number or percentage of Evanston persons who shall stay at a given shelter, but that this number or percentage shall be set when a special use is granted, based on community need. The Committee discussed the extent to which this limit and the limit on the total number to stay at the shelter will affect community problems associated with the homeless. Aid. Rainey stated that problems are in the streets of Evanston, not in the shelter, and that regulation of the shelter is not the issue. She said the number of pcoolo in the smelter is related to severity of the homeless problem in the metropolitan area, availability of the soup kitchens in Evanston, and to the number of referrals made to 'Evanston from other places. Ald. Ream agreed. Ald. Juliar stated that limit on size of shelter and prior residence of persons at the smelter will reduce problems in the community by limiting the number of persons who seek shelter in Evanston, Ald. gold agreed and stated that when out- side people hear that it's difficult to be admitted to an Evanston shelter, they will not be as likely to come. MM Ald. Collens reported on a meeting with Rev. Thompson. He indicated a willingness to cooperate with the City to reduce the problems caused by the shelter in the community. He has personally visited businesses in downtown Evanston to ask Chem _ to let him know of complaints. Since this time, he has not received any. The Committee agreed that the problem in the surrounding area have diminished in the last two weeks. Ald. Juliar stated that this will probably be a short term im- provement. Ald. Collens stated Rev. 'M:ompson's view that many problems attributed to persons at the shelter may be actually persons attending the Saturday soup kitchen at the First Presbyterian Church. Ald. Juliar said he did not agree. Its. McCarthy reported that during the week of September 3, 1985, a total of 38 applications from persons at the shelter had been received. Eighteen have a previous Evanston address; 20 do not. Referral agencies will process applications riayor's Special Committee on the Homeless Minutes of 9/5/85 ... 2 and make decisions on referrals during week of September 9, 1985. Most of the Evanston persons are already known to the social service agencies. She reported that the agencies have revised the admittance criteria so that lack of income is no longer a criteria. Instead, an applicant must convince the agency that he/she has a valid need for shelter. Pis. McCarthy also reported on a prior question, that definition of Evanston re- sidency for voting purposes is 30 days residence in precinct prior to an election. Response from better to Religious Communitv Ald. Collens reported on the six responses received to date from the religious community, all of which are from churches who are involved in helping the homeless. Northminster - could provide meals and financial support. Reba Place - provides breakfast to shelter guests; also serves as "halfway house" for certain persons ready to leave shelter. St. ISatthews Episcopal - supply volunteers and financial support to soup kitchen. Hemenway -- operates a soup kitchen once per week. Serves as FACE distribution center. St. Paul's Episcopal Church -- provides volunteers and financial support for shelter; meal coupons for meals at VCA. Immanuel Lutheran - operated morning drop -in center last winter. Is considering offering same for this winter. The Committee discussed the conclusions to be made of survey and agreed that there was not any enthusiasm of new churches about operating a shelter. Persons who responded supported the work of First Baptist Church and Center for Public Ministry. Ald. Juliar said he had expected more churches to come forward with support for shelter; this did not represent an outpouring of support. Ald. Collens also reported on meetings with Kikanis groups. The general sentiment is to help Evanstonians, not others. Wily aren't Evanston agencies providing ser- vices to meet needs of the homeless? Report on Survey of Other Cities pis. tcCarthy distributed a report on survey of how other cities are helping the homeless. The survey showed that most cities are experiencing problems with the homeless and have some shelter facilities; most do not regulate the shelters (most do not exist in residential areas); and mo!;t do not have non -shelter options. Ms. McCarthy indicated that the cities of Portland, Oregon, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Madison, Uisconsin did utilize some non -shelter options. The Committee found the survey information extremely useful in understanding the problem on a national basis. Committee Discussion of Report and Recommendations Ald. Collens asked the Committee to focus on the 'Mayor's charge to the Committee. 1. Define the problem of homeless; how many Evanstonians have no home? Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless Minutes of 9/5/85 ... 3 The Committee agreed to the following definition of homeless: "Someone who is without safe, habitable shelter and without resources to obtain such shelter." The Committee agreed that bused on all available data, there are 15-30 Evanstonians, defined as having previously lived in Evanston, who are home- less at a given point in time. The information contained in the report from the social service agencies provides the necessary information on the nature of the problem. 2. What do other communities do? The Committee agreed that the recent survey provided this information. 3. What is responsible handling of non-Evanstonians? Ald. Brady stated that our focus should be on Evanstonians. We should help those non-Evanstonians who we are legally required to help. The Committee concurred. The Committee asked staff to find out what information might be available on how surround- ing communities deal with homeless individuals. G. What is nature of obligation? The Committee discussed what the specific responsibility of this Committee should be in answering this question. The Committee agreed to include the following; in its final report: - amendments to zoning ordinance - regulations governing shelter operation to be included in City Code Ald. Collens raised the issue of whether these ordinances should be prepared assuming the continued operation of the current shelter. Would the current shelter have to obtain a special use permit, or would it be "g;randfathered"? The Committee agreed that the shelter would have to obtain a special Ald. Brady proposed that a shelter be allowed in a church anywhere in Evanston, with a limit on 20 occupants. Ald. Juliar stated that the limit should be 15, with the expectation that two churches would operate shelters. Ald. Rainey stated that only one shelter exists; no others are likely to exist. Ald. Coliens stated that to meet the Evanston need or 15-20 homeless, a limit of 30 would be necessary. This would allow its not to illegally exclude non-Evanstonians. No agreement was reached on a limit. The Committee agreed that solving the problem of where homeless persons might go during the daytime hours would greatly affect City Council's willingness to support the shelter, and might affect the limit on the total number allowed. Ald. Wold reported that a meeting was scheduled next week with EEAC, Immanuel Lutheran Church, ACORN, and City staff to discuss the feasibility of a daytime drop -in center. The Committee discussed the possibility of requiring as part of granting a special use, that a shelter show that arrangements have been made for a daytime program. The Committee asked staff to check with the Legal Department as to whether this would be possible. Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless Minutes of 9/5/85 ... 4 The Committee agreed that on September 12, 1985 the Committee will review the proposed Zoning Ordinance and regulations for revisions. The Committee asked staff to propose additional regulations and possible enforcement procedures. Public Input 'There was no one from the public who wished to speak. The meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m. F / 71r_�_4{•��� Helen acCarthy, Directs of Health & Human Services Minutes approved 9/17/85 Minutes of the MAYOR'S SPECIAL COUMITTEE ON THE HOMELESS September 12, 1985 8:00 P.M. Present: Alds. Brady, Drummer, Juliar, Rainey, Ream, Wald Officials and Helen McCarthy Staff Present: Presiding.: Ald. Collens Minutes The minutes of the meeting of the Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless of August 28, 1985 were approved as submitted. Staff Report: Survey of Illinois Communities Ms. McCarthy reported on the telephone survey conducted by City Clerk Kris Davis of many homeless shelter programs supported by Illinois Department of Public Aid funding. The shelters surveyed were selected out of a list provided to the Chair- man by Senator Berman of State funded programs. Its. McCarthy noted that a number of the shelters provide a significant amount of self regulation. Several require guests to look for jobs or housing in order to stay at the shelter, or to work with social workers in solving their problems. flany have self-imposed restrictions on stays ranging from 3 days to 45 days. The Committee made note of the shelter in Aurora which is housed in six separate churches, each responsible for one night a week. In response to a question, ;is. McCarthy explained that there are no other shelters in suburban Cook County receiving State funds -- Chicago has six or seven. There is a program in Mt. Prospect receiving State fundinz which is not a shelter but consists of six apartments which are primarily reserved for homeless families. The Co.^.r-iitCec also reviewed a survey conducted by the To..nsiiip in "ay, 1985 0.1 how surrounding townships address the issues of the homeless. The Committee asked Ms. McCarthy to check with the Village of Oak Park and inquire as to any reasons why Oak Park has not experienced a homeless problem. Regulations and Enforcement Procedures Ms. McCarthy distributed a memorandum with reror%mendations for the Committee to consider regarding revisions to Ordinance 51-0-85. Report on Immanuel Lutheran Drop -In Center Ms. McCarthy and Ald. Collens reported on the meeting held with representatives from Evanston Ecumenical Action Council (EEAC), Immanuel Lutheran Church, and ACORN, as well as City staff. Ald. hold was also present at the meeting. The purpose was to review possible ways to provide a daytime drop -in center for the homeless. ACORN indicated that it could provide a morning drop -in program which would add 26 hours of additional drop -in hours to the ACORNN program per week. They estimated the cost of the program to be $115,000 utilizing 4 paid staff persons and 14 volunteers. Immanuel Lutheran would consider operating a morning drop -in center utilizing volunteers if it had financial support to pay a volunteer coordinator. Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless Minutes of 9/12/85 ... 2 In such a model, it might be possible for the social service agencies in town to contribute two hours per day of professional social worker time to assist homeless individuals. Ald. Collens had made a brief presentation to the Immanuel Lutheran Church congregation immediately prior to coming to the Committee meeting, and reported that the church would make a decision that evening. (Later in the meeting Ald. Mold had received information that Immanuel Lutheran had approved the drop -in center from the hours of 7 - 11 a.m. six days a week, and would move forward in making the plans.) Other Matters Ald. Collens reported on a letter from St. Luke's Church - the only other church communication since the last meeting. The Committee agreed that the attachment - a description of a community resource network of Chesapeake, Inc.- described ser- vices quite similar to those already available in Evanston. Ald. Collens also shared with the Committee a thank you letter received from Dion Haynes, a Medill Jounalism student. Committee Discussion of Report and Recommendations Ald. Collens asked the Committee if it would agree to recommend adoption of the amendments to the Zoning Ordinance to allow shelters for the homeless. The Commit- tee agreed on this recommendation. Ald. Collens asked the Committee to review Ordinance 50--0-85, last amended on August b, 1985. Ald. Brady proposed that a shelter be allowed in a church in any zoning district. She stated that the special use process would enable the City Council to review an application in relation to its impact on the community, and deny an application if necessary. Ald. Collens questioned whether there would be any instance in which a shelter would be allowed in an R-1 district. The Committee discussed the meaning of "church" and whether a shelter could be allowed in any church property, whether or not it was the place of worship. The Committee asked staff to review this with the Legal Department and Zoning Department. The Committee agreed to tentatively recommend a church in any zoning district. (Ald. Juliar arrived at meeting.) The Committee discussed the maximum number of occupants to be allowed. Ald. Juliar recommended 15; Alds. Ream, Rainey, and Drummer recommended 30; Alds. k'old and Brady recommended 20; Ald. Collens recommended 25-30. Ald. Drummer stated that 30 shelter beds are needed in Evanston and unless another location is found for additional beds, tie could not agree to a limit under 30. The Committee discussed other possibilities for providing 10 beds elsewhere, thereby enabling a limit to 20 at any one shelter. The Committee agreed that Alds. Collens and Drummer would meet with the City Manager regarding the possibility of "leasing" a block of ten rooms at the YMCA to use for emergency shelter to supplement space at the shelter. The Committee also asked staff to explore the feasibility of a similar arrangement at the Margarita Club or Catholic Women's Club to assist women and/or families. The Committee asked staff to make an unannounced visit to the shelter to determine how many persons are occupying the shelter currently. No consensus was reached on a maximum number of occupants. The Committee agreed that a provision should be added to the Zoning Ordinance re- quiring that an applicant for a special use demonstrate that a need exists in Evanston for a shelter. Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless Minutes of 9/12/85 ... 3 The Committee agreed that sections pertaining to maximum length of stay and re- ferral mechanisms should be deleted from the Zoning Ordinance and placed in the licensing ordinance. Ms. McCarthy asked if the Committee is committed to main- taining the requirement of a referral from the Department of Health and Human Services in light of the staff time this entails. The Committee agreed that the referral mechanism should be maintained. The Committee agreed that sections pertaining to requirement that the shelter obtain a license and that the shelter comply with all other code requirements be maintained. The Committee agreed that the special use should be granted for a two year period, with renewals granted by decision of the Planning and Develop- ment Committee and City Council. The Committee agreed that the Planning and Development Committee should hold a public hearing prior to granting a renewal. Future Meetings The Committee agreed that the next meeting would be on Tuasday , September 17. At that time, the Committee will review draft of Committee report, and will dis- cuss the licensing ordinance. The Committee agreed to forward Committee recom- mendations to City Council in the September 19th packets, and to forward revised ordinances 50-0-85 and 51--0-85 at a later time. The intention is for the ordinances to be considered and voted on by City Council at the October 14, 1985 meeting. The meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m. ,1 Helen McCarthy. Director off health 5 Human Services Minutes of the MAYOR'S SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE HOMELESS September 17, 1985 7:30 P.M. Present: Alds. Brady,.Drummer, Rainey, Ream, Wold Abesent: Ald. Juliar Officials and Helen McCarthy Staff Present: Presiding,: Aid. Collens Approval of the Minutes of September 5, 1985 .o be approved at meeting of 10/2/85 Ms. McCarthy reported that on page 2, the heading entitled "Committee Discussion of Non -Shelter Options" should read "Committee Discussion of Report and Recommen- dations". With this correction, the minutes of September 5, 1985 meeting of the Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless were approved. Approval of the Minutes of September 12, 1985 Page 2, line 23, should read: "The Committee discussed the meaning of 'church' and whether a shelter should be allowed in any church property whether or not it was a place of worship." Page 3, line 13: "Thursday" should be changed to "Tuesday", September 17. With these corrections, the minutes of September 12, 1985 were approved. Staff Report: Report on Visit to Shelter on September 16 Ms. McCarthy reported that in accordance with the Committee's request, staff had visited the shelter on September 16, 1985, at approximately 11:00 p.m. to check on the number of people staying at the shelter, and whether they had refer- rals from one of the referral agencies. She indicated that 39 people were at the shelter, 18 of whom had been officially referred. She reported on a telephone conversation she had had with Bob Lynn, Executive Director for Center for Public Ministry, about this. He stated that he was very surprised to hear of this number at the shelter since he had directed staff to only allow 30 people in the shelter. He stated that his intent has been and continues to be to comply with the agree- ment with the City. The Committee agreed that another visit should be made to the shelter to determine the shelter's compliance with the agreement. 'Committee members expressed their dismay that the Center was accepting more than 30 persons, and indicated that they believed it to be very important that the Center comply with the agreement in order for the City to be amenable to approving the shelter on a long term basis. Report on Question About Definition of Church Its. McCarthy stated that the Legal Department and Zoning Department staff recom- mended that a definition of "church" not be inserted into the zoning amendments. She stated that "church" is not defined within the Zoning Ordinance, and to attempt to define it in the context of "homeless shelter" might create unforeseen problems Minutes of the Navor's Special Committee on the Homeless - 9j17/85 ... 3 the Committee agreed that in some point in the future it might be appropriate for the Planning & Development Committee to refer to the Zoning Amendment Com- mittee the question of expanding on the possible locations for a shelter beyond a church. Ald. Brady stated that she would like to make it possible for an or- ganization such as the Evanston Ecumenical Action Council to operate a shelter in an apartment building. Ald. Wold asked whether under the proposed Zoning Amendments it would be possible for several churches to get together and provide a joint shelter with rotating locations. She wondered whether each church would have to make a separate appli- cation for a special use permit, or whether a joint application could be made. Ms. McCarthy stated that she would get an answer to this question from the Zoning staff. Review of Draft of Committee's Report to City Council The Committee complimented staff on the preparation of the draft report. The Committee reviewed the report and agreed on the following changes: page 6, recom- mendation 3 - The Committee agreed to add language stating that the Committee supports the recommendation of the social service agencies for expansion of case management services. Language should be added to state that the Committee recom- mends that the question of how case management services should be delivered and how they should be funded should be referred to the Human Services Committee. Also page 6, recommendation 4 - The Committee agreed that language should be added describing the agency referral process to the shelter, and the efforts being put forth by the referral agencies to coordinate services for persons at the shelter. Language should be added recommending that these efforts be continued. Ald. Collens stated that she would arrangefor a letter to be sent to each agency thanking them for their assistance with this population. Recommendation 5 - Language should be added expressing appreciation to the Immanuel Lutheran Church for agreeing to operate a morning drop -in center for shelter users. The Committee agreed to add a new recommendation to state that State and Federal funding would be sought for daytime services for the homeless, and for case management services. They agreed that the following items should be attached to the report: minutes of all meetings, the letter sent to churches, the report from social service agencies, the memorandum from staff regarding funding sources, the survey of other communities nationwide and the survey of shelters in Illinois, and the criteria developed by the referral agencies for referral to the shelter. Ald: Wold stated that the decision regarding the limit on the number of people to stay at the shelter would be influenced, in her mind, by whether or not another location was developed as a shelter. The Committee agreed to maintain the statement in the report that the Committee would continue to explore other emergency housing options and report to the City Council at the October 14, 1985 meeting. By that time Alds. Collens and Drummer would have met with Rev. Lane about the possibility of any housing in Alliance churches. The Committee also decided not to put this report on the City Council agenda for September 23, but rather to provide it as an informational item to City Council and to ask for input or suggestions on the report prior to the'Committee's next meeting. Consideration of Licensing Ordinance 51-0-85 The Committee reviewed the memorandum dated September 12, 1985, prepared by Helen McCarthy, regarding suggestions for the licensing ordinance. The Committee made Minutes of the Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless - 9/17/85 ... 2 within the Zoning Ordinance in general. Special Use Standards Ms. McCarthy distributed a copy of Section 6-12-7-C of the Zoning Ordinance which covers the standards to be utilized by the Zoning Board of Appeals in reviewing special use requests. Letter from Northwest Municipal Conference ij The Conference was not aware of communities within its membership who had -"pan -- handling" or "loitering" ordinances. Development of Alternate Housing at YMCA Ald. Collens reported that she and Ald. Drummer had met with the City Manager to discuss approaching the YMCA to see if some rooms could be made available to the City by contract for emergency housing. The City Manager had expressed reserva- tions about making this request of the YMCA, without some assurances from the City about how the City might assist the YMCA in its current problems in continu- ing the YMCA residence. Ald. Ream and Ald. Rainey expressed doubts about the feasibility of providing additional housing at the YMCA for the homeless popula- tion. Ald. Drummer reported that he had talked with Rev. Lane, the Chairman of the Black Ministerial Alliance, about the possibility of shelter assistance from churches in the Alliance. He said Rev. Lane was interested in what contributions the City would make to help the homeless. The other Committee members expressed that the City is not in a position to offer funds to churches to provide these services. Ald. Collens agreed to meet with Ald. Drummer and Rev. Lane to discuss how the Black Ministerial Alliance might become involved. Consideration of Ordinance 50-0-85 - Zoning Amendments Ald. Collens asked if the Committee wanted to reconsider its decision at its last meeting to allow a shelter as a special use in a church in any zoning district. She reported that the City Manager expressed some concern about opening up the possibility for shelters in all zoning districts. The Committee reviewed the standards for approval of special use requests which Ms. McCarthy had distributed earlier in the meeting, and believed that these standards afforded protection to the City in granting a special use for this purpose only if it did not have a negative impact on the surrounding area. The Committee foresees the possibility that a church in a R-1 or R-2 district might come forward with a proposal for a small shelter of three to five people, or for a small family shelter which might be acceptable to the neighborhood. The Committee decided to maintain its earlier recommendation. Ald. Collens also asked the Committee to reconsider their decision to allow a special use permit for a two year period which had been the original recommendation from the Zoning Amendment Committee. The Committee decided to change this to a one year permit which would allow the City to close a shelter which might be creating a problem to the surrounding neighborhood. The Committee agreed that language should be inserted into the Zoning Amendments requiring that a public hearing be held prior to an extension of a permit by the Planning and Development Committee. The Committee agreed with staff recommendation not to include a definition of "church" in the Zoning Ordinance. However, the Committee stated its intent that a shelter be allowed in church owned property, which might include a community house, parsonage, or a school owned by a church. The Committee asked staff to ask the Legal Department whether the language "church owned property" should be substituted for "church", in order to make the above locations permissible. a Minutes of the Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless - 9/17/85 ... 3 The Committee agreed that in some point in the future it might be appropriate for the Planning & Development Committee to refer to the Zoning Amendment Com- mittee the question of expanding on the possible locations for a shelter beyond a church. Ald. Brady stated that she would like to make it possible for an or- ganisation such as the Evanston Ecumenical Action Council to operate a shelter in an apartment building. Ald. Wald asked whether under the proposed Zoning Amendments it would be possible for several churches to get together and provide a joint shelter with rotating locations. She wondered whether each church would have to make a separate appli- cation for a special use permit, or whether a joint application could be made. Ms. McCarthy stated that she would get an answer to this question from the Zoning staff. Review of Draft of Committee's Report to City Council The Committee complimented staff on the preparation of the draft report. The Committee reviewed the report and agreed on the following changes: page 6, recom- mendation 3 - 1h a Committee agreed to add language stating that the Committee supports the recommendation of the social service agencies for expansion of case management services. Language should be added to state that the Committee recom- mends that the question of how case management services should be delivered and how they should be funded should be referred to the Human Services Committee. Also page 6, recommendation 4 - The Committee agreed that language should be added describing the agency referral process to the shelter, and the efforts being put forth by the referral agencies to coordinate services for persons at the shelter. Language should be added recommending that these efforts be continued. Ald. Collens stated that she would arrange fora letter to be sent to each agency thanking them for their assistance with this population. Recommendation 5 - Language should be added expressing appreciation to the Immanuel Lutheran Church for agreeing to operate a morning drop --in center for shelter users. The Committee agreed to add a new recommendation to state that State and Federal funding would be sought for daytime services for the homeless, and for case management services. 'They agreed that the following items should be attached to the report: minutes of all meetings, the letter sent to churches, the report from social service agencies, the memorandum from staff regarding funding sources, the survey of other communities nationwide and the survey of shelters in Illinois, and the criteria developed by the referral agencies for referral to the shelter. Ald: Wald stated that the decision regarding the limit on the number of people to stay at the shelter would be influenced, in her mind, by whether or not another location was developed as a shelter. The Committee agreed to maintain the statement in the report that the Committee would continue to explore other emergency housing options and report to the City Council at the October 14, 1985 meeting. By that time Alds. Collens and Drummer would have met with Rev. Lane about the possibility of any housing in Alliance churches. The Committee also decided not to put this report on the City Council agenda for September 23, but rather to provide it as an informational item to City Council and to ask for input or suggestions on the report prior to the'Committee's next meeting. Consideration of Licensing Ordinance 51-0-85 The Committee reviewed the memorandum dated September 12, 1985, prepared by Helen McCarthy, regarding suggestions for the licensing ordinance. The Committee made Minutes of the Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless - 9/17/85 ... 4 the following recommendations for additions to the Licensing Ordinance: to require as operator to obtain a license from the Director of Health and Human Services; to require an operator to submit an application with the information as described in the memorandum; to require the Director of Health and Human Services to review the application and arrange for inspection of the facility; to require the Director of Health and Human Services to issue a license after determining that City Code requirements have been met; to require the Director of Health and Human Services to arrange for an annual inspection; to provide for the, right of the City to inspect the shelter without prior notice and to review information on persons staying at the shelter. To provide for grounds -for revoking a permit, the Committee recom- mended that three formal written notices regarding violations be grounds for license nonrenewal revocation. To require persons staying at the shelter to have a referral from the Department of Health and Human Services to stay at the shelter. A require- ment that persons staying at the shelter sign an agreement stating his/her under- standing that this is a temporary shelter, and that he/she will cooperate with the operator of the shelter and social service agencies in obtaining a permanent resi- dence. To require that a maximum stay would be thirty consecutive days in one year unless an extension is granted by the Director of Health and Human Services. The Committee discussed whether a limitation should be placed an the shelter re- garding storage of possessions, and asked staff to ask for an opinion from the Law Department as to whether this addition would assist in reducing the possibility that the shelter would be considered a permanent residence. The Committee asked staff to provide a draft of a proposed licensing ordinance for the Committee to review at its next meeting. Future Meetings The Committee agreed to meet on October 2, 1985 at 7:30 p.m. to review the two ordinances to be considered by City Council on October 14, 1985. Public Input There was no one from the public who wished to speak. The meeting was adjourned at 10:45 p.m. Helen McCarthy, Directo of Health & Human Services Minutes of the MAYOR'S SPECIAL. COPt*I=E ON THE HOUELESS November 5, 1985 8:00 P.M. Present: Alds. Brady, Drummer, Ream, Wold, Rainey, Rev. David Handley, Rev. Edward Copland, Fr. John Spalding, Hilda Carper Absent: Ald. Juliar Officials and Mayor Barr, Helen McCarthy Staff Present: Presiding: Ald. Collens Ald. Collens welcomed the Committee and introduced the new members: Hilda Carper, Reba Place Fellowship; Rev. Handley, 1st Presbyterian Church; Rev. Copland, St. Mathews Episcopal Church; and Fr. Spalding, St. Andrews Episcopal Church. She passed on to the Committee the flavor's hope that the Committee could come up with a safe and legal way to shelter the homeless and to find a lasting solution to the problems of homelessness. She expressed confidence that the Committee members could find some common ground and could arrive at a solution that would be satisfactory to the City and the clergy. She provided background on the Committee's work to date and reviewed the Com- mittee recommendations on page 7 of the Committee's report, dated September 17, 1985. She explained that Ordinance 50-0-85 amending the Zoning Ordinance had been passed by City Council three weeks ago; that the 1st Baptist Church had asked the Law Department to review this ordinance in relation to several ques- tions and concerns. She said that the Law Department would provide an opinion on this ordinance in time for the November 18, 1985 City Council meeting. She said that Ordinance 51-0-85, dealing with regulations of the shelter, had been sent by the City Council back to the Mayor's Committee for revisions. Mayor Barr joined the Committee and thanked the new Committee members for their willingness to join the Aldermen in solving this difficult problem. The church community and the City Council have the same goal which is to assist the home- less; unfortunately an adversary relationship has developed. She hopes that we can now pull together - the City Council, the churches, and the neighbors -- to move ahead and solve this problem. Ms. Carper stated that she found the report and recommendations of the Mayor's Special Committee to be very helpful. Rev. Handley expressed understanding of some of the neighborhood concerns regarding the shelter and indicated that he hopes a way can be found for the shelter to be self regulated rather than regulated by the City. Rev. Copland expressed a commitment to represent a loose coalition of church related groups and working with City representatives to develop a reasonable policy regarding the homeless. Fr. Spalding emphasized the importance of the homeless issue on which he has worked for 1� years, and expressed hope that a workable solution can be found. Ald. Ream expressed his view that this new committee should not be seen as a negotiation session between the City and the churches, but rather that each individual member of the committee is joining others in discussing the issues before the Committee. Mayor's Special Committee I on the Homeless Minutes of 11/5/85 ... 2 Discussion of Ordinance 51-0-85 The Committee discussed possible changes to be made to the ordinance regulating shelters. Rev. Copland recommended that Section 8-20-7 on page 5 of the ordi- nance pertaining to smoking materials, smoke detection devices, and evacuation diagrams be included in the ordinance; all other portions of the ordinance should be left up to the shelter to regulate on its own and should not be under City authority. The City's right to regulate a church is limited only to regu- lating health and safety issues and not other matters. Ald. Wold asked what should be done if a shelter does not impose reasonable regulations on itself. Rev. Copland said that an effort should be made by all concerned to encourage a shelter to follow reasonable regulations, however it should be done on a voluntary basis and that the City is not able to impose such regulations. Ald. Collens stated that this issue of the City's authority to regulate an operation of a shelter at a church is what is being reviewed by the Law Department. up to this point, the City Council has not challenged the Lau, Department's opinion that a shelter is not a legal use in a church, and therefore the City has the authority to regulate its operation. Ald. Brady stated that she believes this ordinance to be progressive social legislation which could serve as a model ordinance to other communities for a way by which social service involvement can be assured in the operation of a shelter program. Rev. Handley expressed the need for a shelter to operate within reasonable regulations on a voluntary basis, and asked that an atmosphere of trust be developed between the City and the church community. Ald. Wold pointed out that it is the City Council's responsibility to protect the entire community and that trust alone is not sufficient. Ald. Rainey stated that the regulation of the internal operations of the shelter would not affect the population's impact on the community out- side the shelter. Rev. Copland asked why a shelter was limited to a church loca- tion. Ald. Brady responded that the original reference from the Planning and Development Committee to the Zoning Amendment Committee (ZAC) was to consider shelters as a special use in churches only. Therefore, the resulting debate has been limited to a church location, Ald. Collens asked for feedback on three important points in Ordinance 51-0-85: limit on total number, limit on length of stay, and the referral process from social service agencies to the shelter. Now can we assure that the homeless population will become involved with the social service network if the referral process is not included in the ordinance? Rev. Copland said that all involved should emphasize, encourage and facilitate involvement with social services, but that social service involvement should not be required of the homeless persons. Rev. Spalding asked staff what progress had been made by social ser- vice agencies in meeting the needs of the homeless and whether the agencies had been able to overcome certain eligibility restrictions on serving this popula- tion. Its. McCarthy indicated that the agencies have worked hard on trying to assist the persons at the shelter, that some progress had been made in loosening agency guidelines to serve this population; however agencies cannot solve a problem for an individual homeless person unless he/she can cooperate. Its. Carper said that at times she felt that the ability to stay at the shelter was being used as a "weapon" in order to force a homeless person to seek services from a social service agency. Ald. Brady asked the clergy representatives how long people should be allowed to stay at the shelter. Rev. Handley said that appropriate pressure should be put on the homeless individuals to move out of the shelter and to make permanent living arrangements. A 30 day requirement may be reasonable, however, it should be imposed by the shelter rrther than contained in the law. I Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless Minutes of 11/5/85 ... 3 Rev. Copland stated that the challenge is to engage homeless persons in the day- time and to assist them in alleviating their need for the homeless shelter. The work at the night time shelter should be left alone. This is a service already being provided and the City should focus its attention on what happens outside of the shelter. Ald. Wold asked if a limit is placed on the number of people to stay at the shelter - either by City regulation or by self regulation - will the other churches be able to handle overflow which may exist? Rev. Copland said that many churches are not able or willing to handle such overflow; others would do so as they have historically helped persons seeking shelter. Rev. Spalding stated that it is the City's responsibility, not the churches, to shelter the homeless. Ms. Carper proposed that rather than having the City impose regulations on the shelter, that a group of churches form a committee or coalition to develop guide- lines for operation of the shelter, and to monitor the shelter's operation in accordance with these guidelines. Ald. hold said the concept of a church over- sight body had merit. Ald. Brady said that as an alderman she must balance the needs of the neighbor- hood against the needs of the persons at the shelter. Residents of the communi- ty have experienced such problems as homeless individuals using public streets and alleys as bathrooms, going up to the neighbors' houses and yards, harass- ment of pedestrians and people using public parks. There is a need to say to constituents that the homeless population is being helped, that they are not dangerous to the community -at -large, and that adequate police presence is avail- able. Public Comments Ald. Collens recognized members of the public who wished_ to speak about the issues discussed by the Committee thus far. Earl Constantino stated that he lived in southeast Evanston in the vicinity of the Evanston Ridgeview. He said that the park on the corner of Main and Ridge is more of a Problem than Raymond Park due to the residents from the Evanston Ridgeview using that park. Lucile Krasnow said that she is an Evanston resident, the former Director of the Mental Health Association, and currently owns a business adjoining the alley next to the shelter. She stated her support for maintaining a shelter; she recormended that the Committee be expanded to include other Evanston residents and representatives from the business community, and although the shelter is being defined as a religious effort, some way needs to be developed to regulate the shelter due to the real problems which are caused by the homeless population which affect the downtown businesses. Ald. Rainey stated that none of the cur- rent regulations would affect the behavior of homeless individuals outside of the shelter. She also stated that she believes the constituency of the neigh- borhood and the downtown businesses have been well represented by the alderman of the ward, and that she was opposed to expanding the Committee. Rev. Copland stated that he agrees with Ms. Krasnow about the need to expand the Committee. Howard 3felton said he is the owner of Private Lives on Chicago Avenue and an Evanston resident. He indicated that the City Council is within its rights to regulate a shelter. He also indicated that the Committee should be reconsti- tuted to include residents and merchants of the area. He expressed his concern Mayor's Special Committee on the 'Homeless Minutes of 11/5/85 ... 4 about the behaviors of homeless persons in the time period when they are not at the shelter - shouting obscenities, loitering, urinating in public places, and harassing some residents of the area. Joseph Ballway stated that the problems outside of the shelter, panhandling, etc., are separate issues from regulation of the shelter, and that these anti -social behaviors should be dealt with by the Police and not by regulation of the shelter. Shirley Dare, a member of the ACOR1: Board, stated that she supported Ms Carper's idea about a church oversight committee. She recommended that the Aldermen scrap the regulatory ordinance, and that the City work now to deal with the issue of how to shelter the homeless after June, 1986, and to deal with the lack of low income housing for this population. Discussion of Ordinance 50-0-85 Fr. Spalding asked if the Zoning Ordinance can be changed. Ald. Collens indicated that three options are available to the Cite Council: to repeal the ordinance, to enforce the ordinance, or to direct the staff not to enforce the ordinance for some period of time. Ald. Brady said that the Cite Council might consider the possibility of maintaining the Ordinance but agreeing to grandfather -in the cur- rent shelter. Rev. Copland said that this would not resolve the problem since agreeing to grandfather -in would acknowledge the City's right to regulate a shelter operation in a church, The Committee asked staff to request that the Legal opinion regarding Ordinance 5-0-85 be available in time for the Committee's next meeting. Other Discussion Ald. Collens asked the members of the Committee to consider with their constitu- encies the idea of a church oversight committee to develop guidelines for opera- tion of the shelter. Ald. Brady stated that it was important that some mechanism be developed so that these guidelines would have "teeth". Rev. Copland proposed that the churches might agree to certain guidelines and agree to support a shelter only if it complied with these guidelines. If a shelter did not ccrply with these guidelines, the churches could withdraw their volunteer and financial support which would serve as a strong incentive for a shelter to comply with the rules. He said that he would attempt to meet with other clergy representatives to develop draft guidelines to bring back to the Committee at the next meeting. Future Meetings The Committee agreed to meet on Tuesday, November 12, 1985 at 7:00 p.m., and if necessary, to hold a breakfast meeting on Thursday, November 14, 1985 at 7:00 a.m. The Committee adjourned at 11:00 p.m. Helen McCarthy, Director of Health and Human Services Minutes of the MAYOR'S SPECIAL C0124ITPEE ON THE HaIELESS November 12, 1985 7:00 P.M. Present: Alds. Brady, Drummer, Ream, Rainey, Wold Hilda Carper, Rev. Handley, Rev. Copland, Rev. Spalding Absent: Ald. Juliar Officials and Jack Siegel, Jeanne Fox, Helen McCarthy Staff Present: Presiding: Ald. Collens Review of Legal Opinion Regarding Ordinance 50-0-85 The opinion of Jack Siegel, Corporation Counsel, dated November 12, 1985 was distributed to the Committee. Mr. Siegel reviewed the memorandum for the Committee. He stated that the issue of regulation of church uses is not new to the City and he referred to four cases in which the City has been involved dealing with this question. In one case, Lubavich Chabad vs. the City of Evanston, the City did not prevail. He briefly discussed the cases identi- fied in Mr. Ballway's letter of October 30, 1985, specifying why the findings in each case were not applicable to the City of Evanston in this situation. He stated that in the State of Illinois there has been a clear acceptance of the city's right to regulate church uses within its zoning ordinance. In response to a question about what would be necessary to make a homeless shelter in a church an accessory use rather than special use, Mr. Siegel said that this would require an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance. He said any change to Ordinance 50-0-85, including an amendment or repeal of the ordinance, would have to be referred to the Zoning Amendment Committee and subject to a public hearing. In response to a question about how the shelter at the First Baptist Church could be "grandfathered in" to the ordinance, Mr. Siegel said a reference would have to be made to the Zoning Amendment Committee for this purpose, and a resolution passed declaring a moratorium on enforcement of the ordinance for this facility during the interim period while the amendment was being considered. New shelters would still fall under Ordinance 50-0-85. Review of Proposed Statement of Cooperation and Understanding Rev. Copland stated that the four clergy members of the Committee had authored the statement of cooperation and understanding, and that ten churches had met and endorsed the proposal which the Committee had received prior to this meeting. Ald. Collens requested two changes to the document: first, that the document acknowledge a maximum number of people to be cared for at the shelter; and two, that the document include requirements on the occupants to work with social service agencies in leaving the shelter. Rev. Copland and Rev. Handley agreed with the City's estimate that 15 to 30 Evanston residents are homeless and there- fore that an appropriate limit on the shelter should be 30. Ald. Brady, referring to a prior legal opinion stating that an Evanston preference would be legal, and that a percentage of slots could be set aside for Evanston people at a shelter, recommended that a way be found to allow 30 persons in the winter months and 20 Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless Minutes of 11/12/85 ... 2 during the summer. In response to a question as to whether the clergy had con- sidered a seasonal shelter for only seven months, Rev. Handley said that there had been discussion on this issue but no consensus had been reached. Ald. Collens stated that the agreement must include some reference to a maximum number of people to be cared for at the shelter. Rev. Copland agreed to con- sider adding language to limit the numbers at the shelter. Helen McCarthy elaborated on the need for some social service involvement in assessing the needs of each person at the shelter, and recommended that each person be required to meet with the case manager or another more appropriate social service agency in order to design a plan for arranging to leave the shelter. Rev. Copland stated that he thought some language to this effect could be added to the agreement. Ald. Wold asked that the senior representatives of the religious congregations be specifically indicated as members of the Oversight Committee, and that these persons have the responsibility for the decisions of the Committee. Ald. Brady asked that specific references to the City be taken out the agreement since the statement involved the oversight of the Center for Public Ministry shelter by the Oversight Committee. This was acceptable to the clergy members of the Committee. Rev. Spalding joined the Committee The Committee discussed the need for a resolution to be prepared for City Council which would include a number of actions. The Corm:ittee agreed that the resolution should include a reference to the Zoning Amendment Committee to exempt the current shelter from Ordinance 50-0-85, and should call for a moratorium on enforcement of that ordinance while this reference was being considered. The Committee also agreed that there should be an exemption for this shelter on the limit of 20 people. Ald. Brady said that she would accept a maximum of thirty persons during the winter months but that due to the problems in the summer, lower limit is necessary during this time. The Committee agreed that the exemption on the 20 person limit should expire as of June 1, 1986. The Committee also agreed that the resolution should contain a recommendation for a blue ribbon committee to be appointed to discuss the long term solution to the homeless, particularly in light of the Center for Public Minitry's statement that it plans to close the current shelter as of June, 1986. Father Spalding said that other options to sheltering people in a church basement must be developed such as a more long term housing alternative. lie said that the Evanston Ecumenical Action Council has been working on this project. Marilyn Cehant, the Executive Director of FEAC, said that there is a EEAC Committee which is developing two models for the City to consider. The Committee also agreed that the blue ribbon committee should focus particular attention on developing a drop -in center during the summer months or other types of services to involve homeless individuals during the daytime. Consideration of Revisions to Ordinance 51-0-85 Rev. Copland asked that the references in this ordinance to special use require- ments be eliminated. Ald. Drummer said that in the spirit of cooperation and negotiation the City has given up several regulatory requirements, but that the special use requirement was very important to uphold. The Committee agreed to the following changes in the ordinance: Section 8-20-3, pertaining to application for license, a section would be added requiring a shelter to submit operating guidelines such as admission requirements, linkages with other agencies. and re- quirements for "stay determination"; Section 8-20-6-2, pertaining to referral Mayor's Special Committee on the Homeless Minutes of 11/12/85 ... 3 was deleted; Sec. 8-20-6-4, regarding admission agreement, delete statement "unless said person has signed an agreement stating that he/she will cooperate with the shelter staff and the director in obtaining a permanent residence"; Sec. 8-20-6-5, pertaining to maximum stay, be eliminated; Section 8-20-6-6, would be amended to state that "no shelter shall operate more than 12 hours per day; Section 8-26-7, pertaining to staff requirements, would be amended to state clearly that "two persons must be awake during operating hours"; Section 8-26-8, pertaining to records and reports, would be amended to state that the director may require data "to reasonably carry out the ordinance". Ald. Rainev joined the Committee. Section 8-28-C, pertaining to storage of personal belongings at the shelter, the Committee agreed to delete this item pending the approval of the Law Depart- ment. if the Law Department strongly recommends that this language be retained, it will be retained in the final ordinance. The Committee had a brief recess. Consideration of Recommendations for Report to Citv Council Rev. Copland said that he was concerned about how opinions of the Committee would be expressed in the final report. He said that certain members of the Committee still believe, in spite of Mr. Siegel's legal opinion, that special use require- ments for shelters in churches are unnecessarily restrictive on the practice of religion. lie said that he continues to believe that Ordinance 50-0-85 is not constitutional. The Committee agreed that the cover memorandum for the City Coun- cil should clarify the differences of opinion on this issue. Ald. Brady stated that she was very strongly in favor of maintaining the special use requirement for a shelter in a church. Ald. Rainev said that she does not Bee the distinction between a nighttime shelter in a church and a daytime drop -in center in a church, or other programs operated by a church. The Committee agreed that there is sub- stantial disagreement on this issue but that the work done by the Committee to date is directed toward solving the immediate and long term problems of the home- less. Ald. Brady recommended, and the Committee agreed, that a reference should also be sent to ZAC at a later time to include locations other than churches as places where a shelter may exist as a special use. The Committee agreed that the following would be prepared for City Council: a cover memorandum; a resolution which would include a reference to ZAC about exempting the current shelter,,a moratorium on enforcement of the zoning ordi- nance, a moratorium on enforcement of the limit on occupancy in the licensing ordinance as long as a limit of 30 was maintained, and a call for a new committee made up of religious and citizen representatives, as well as City representatives. The Committee agreed that the charge to the long term committee should include items 1, 2 and 4 of the subjects listed in the statement of cooperation and understanding, and should emphasize the development of daytime programs. The Committee also agreed that the final Committee report should be forwarded to City Council by July 1, 1986. The last item to be included in the packet would be a copy of the statement of cooperation and understanding. The Committee also asked staff to be sure that the reference to the Police Services Committee re- garding panhandling and loitering had been received. The Committee agreed to meet at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, November 14, to review a draft of the resolution. The Committee adjourned at 11:15 p.m. Helen McCarthy, Director!�if Health and Human Services