CoC Issue at City Council

By Sarah Owens and Michael Livingston

Janet Carlson and Sean O'Day with MWVCOG at City Council

After a long delay, the ROCC: Leave or Remain? issue went before the entire Salem City Council last night, a mere 18 months after its Affordable Housing, Social Services and Homelessness Strategic Plan Work Group (including Andersen, Bennett, Cook and McCoid) recommended leaving (see "News from the Continuum", 29 July 2017).  

City Mgr's Update for 3/20/19

Politics dropped the  recommendation in the lap of the Mid Willamette Homeless Initiative (MWHI) Steering Committee, where it languished until February of this year.  See "MWHI Steering Committee Continues Oversight."

On March 28, the MWHI Steering Committee -- Tom Pessemier (Independence), Scott McClure (Monmouth), Kathy Clark (Keizer), Steve Powers (Salem), Colm Willis (Marion County) -- voted to recommend re-forming the Marion and Polk County CoC, possibly including Yamhill County.  In effect, another recommendation to leave the Rural Oregon Continuum of Care (ROCC).  See "Steering Committee Says Reform Local CoC."

In preparation for last night's work session, Council received two staff reports --  one at the April 8 Council meeting, one at the work session.  Both were by MWHI Steering Committee member and Urban Development Department Director Kristin Retherford.  Both included an issue brief on the CoC question by former Marion County Commissioner Janet Carlson, who is under contract with the Mid Willamette Valley Council of Governments (MWVCOG) to provide consulting services to the MWHI Steering Committee.  Neither report mentioned the "leave" recommendation made in 2017.  Neither did the City Manager's March 20 Update.  Amnesia or recency bias?

MWVCOG Consultant Janet Carlson

At the work session, Sean O'Day, Executive Director of the Mid Willamette Valley Council of Governments (MWVCOG), which houses the MWHI Steering Committee, gave a five minute  how-we-got-here intro that also omitted reference to the 2017 "leave" recommendation (in all likelihood, he wasn't aware of it).

Janet Carlson then gave an abbreviated version of her presentation to the steering committee.  See "Steering Committee Says Reform Local CoC."

Councilor Kaser asked the first question, which was "Why Yamhill?"  Sean O'Day responded, saying, basically, as Yamhill is part of MWVCOG, and the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde are in both Polk and Yamhill, it makes sense to ask Yamhill if they would like to be included.

Councilor Andersen asked whether local CoC funds are going to other areas of the ROCC?  Jimmy Jones, Executive Director of the Mid Willamette Community Action Agency (MWVCAA) responded, saying, basically, yes.

Councilors Ausec and Hoy at the work session

Councilor Hoy commented, and his comments were "seconded" by Mayor Bennett, that he appreciated and agreed with Carlson's analysis.  He said when he first learned, years ago, that Salem and Marion and Polk Counties were part of the ROCC, he was "stunned", indicating he would favor re-forming the local CoC (Councilor Hoy participates through his work in the highly competitive Clackamas County CoC).

Councilors Cook and Lewis likewise  expressed appreciation of the analysis.  Cook said she was "really excited about the accountability factor" and the potential for "data-driven results" in a re-formed, local CoC.  Lewis asked why three staff were proposed for the local CoC, when ROCC appeared to have only two.

Jimmy Jones and Janet Carlson at work session

Carlson responded to Lewis's question with a detailed explanation of the education, training and skill sets needed for each position, adding that MWVCAA would be "donating" the Homeless Information Management Information (HMIS) technical support position during the gap period.

Carlson also said, in response to a question from Mayor Bennett, that the steering committee would be taking a closer look at Jimmy Jone's suggestion to try to include Linn and Benton Counties, but that she had talked with the Marion County Commissioners about it earlier in the day, and "their reaction was not highly favorable" toward inclusion.

In closing the work session, Mayor Bennett asked whether the Council might move on the resolution in support of re-formation, but the City Attorney said no.  Bennett then asked whom Councilors should contact with questions and was told to contact Carlson, or her co-consultant on the project, Jan Calvin.  Carlson and Jones will offer a similar presentation to the Yamhill County Board of Commissioners today at 1:30.  

6/14/19 Update:  at its regular meeting on June 10, the Salem City Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2019-17, supporting the formation of a regional CoC.  By that action, Salem joins Polk and Marion counties, which adopted similar resolutions on April 24 and May 22, respectively.  Per the staff report, “The new Continuum of Care would be registered with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2020.”  A second meeting with area housing and service providers is scheduled for June 17, 2019.