Shelter Planning Task Force — Portland, ME
Date: 2015-04-29

Shelter Planning Task Force
 April 29, 2015
 10 am – 12 pm

 AGENDA


1. Welcome, introductions, meeting schedule 10:00-10:15

2. Charge and proposed scope 10:15-10:30

3. Proposed decision-making principles 10:30-10:45

4. Work plan and time line 10:45-11:00

5. Services currently provided at Oxford Street Shelter 11:00-11:20

6. What works well and what should change 11:20-11:50

7. Wrap up and next meeting 11:50-12:00




389 Congress Street / Portland, ME 04101 / www.portlandmaine.gov / tel. 207•756•8363 / tty. 207•874•8936 / fax. 207•874•8669

Shelter Planning Task Force
 April 29, 2015
 Meeting Notes

Attendees:
Donna Yellen Preble Street Sean Kerwin Bayside Neighborhood Assn
for Mark Swann
Nicole Evans United Way Mike Tarpinian Opportunity Alliance
Cullen Ryan Community Housing of Dawn Stiles City of Portland, Health & Human
 Maine Services Dept
Bill Higgins Homeless Voices for Justice Jim Devine HVJ and Region 1 Homeless Council
Claude Rwangje Refugee/asylee communities Melissa Skahan Mercy Hospital
Jim Hanley Chamber of Commerce Dana Totman Avesta Housing
Jenny Stasio Region 1 Homeless Council Angela Havlin City of Portland, Oxford Street Shelter
Kim Cook Off-peninsula Bob Fowler Milestone
Dory Waxman Off-peninsula Cindy Namer MaineHousing
Norm Maze Shalom House Julie Sullivan Staff to the Task Force, City of Portland



 1. Welcome and introductions; meeting schedule

  Concerns were raised regarding the overflow shelter closure, and whether that issue should
 be incorporated into the Task Force’s work was debated.
  Julie volunteered to bring this request to Councilor Suslovic, the chair of the City Council’s
 Public Safety, Health & Human Services Committee, which authorized the creation of the
 task force.
 o Another question was subsequently raised regarding whether the Task Force’s
 recommendations will be a communication to Council or something to be adopted.
 Julie should also bring this to Councilor Suslovic to confirm.
 o Update: Councilor Suslovic confirmed that concerns regarding the shelter overflow
 closure plan can be shared at the public hearing on this topic at the Public Safety,
 Health and Human Services Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 12 at 5:30 in
 Council Chambers. He believes that the Task Force should continue with its original
 charge.
 o Update: Councilor Suslovic also confirmed that the Task Force’s recommendations
 are not a communication; the Committee will hear the recommendations, deliberate,
 and make their recommendation to the full Council.
  The group picked first, second and third choices for Task Force meeting dates and the
 meeting schedule will be the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays from 9-11 a.m. Nearly all meetings will
 be at City Hall in room 24 (with one exception on June 10).


 Page 1 of 3
2. Charge and proposed scope

  The proposed scope was discussed and the following changes are now incorporated: The
 Shelter Planning Task Force is charged with recommending a model of emergency shelter
 services for adults that is feasible within available funding sources, uses resources as
 efficiently and effectively as possible, and serves in the best interest of people experiencing
 homelessness and the city as a whole.

3. Proposed decision-making principles

  The proposed consensus decision-making approach was discussed and agreed upon with
 one addition: the fallback approach should the group find consensus unachievable will be to
 note both majority and minority positions.
  A majority is 51% of 21 (11 people), and a minority dissension to be included in the
 recommendations will consist of at least 25% of 21 (5 people).
  Individuals may also feel free to submit an appendix to the report should they dissent with
 the majority.

4. Work plan and time line – no changes requested.

5. Services currently provided at Oxford Street Shelter

  Angela Havlin, OSS Director, provided a comprehensive overview of services and staffing at
 Oxford Street and the overflow sites.
  In general, clients are 21 or older, though OSS does take clients at 18 if need be
  OSS is a “damp” shelter, serving as overflow when Milestone (“wet” shelter/detox) is full
  Open from 6 pm – 8 am
  Capacity 154, with about 50 spots for medical accommodations (like a cot)
  Preble Street has 75 mats for overflow (until June 30) with no capacity for medical
 accommodations
  Warming center at GA waiting room – up to 75, chairs only
  Used to have additional warming center at Refugee Services, no longer needed
  Highest number ever -292 clients
  Staffing is about 11 shelter attendants (5 at OSS, 2 each at Preble Street, GA, and to cover
 lunches/floating/Family Shelter/after hours GA)
  Moving to full GA eligibility screens upon check-in for new clients (then again every 30 days)
  Day shelter 5:30-8pm, 1-8 on weekends/holidays (when Preble Street not open)
  12:30-4:30 weekdays – housing triage services, housing placement counselors (4 FTE, 2 on
 leave; plus 4 FTE in Home to Stay program, not part of OSS budget)
  LCSW for crisis support, assistance applying for subsidies related to mental illness, referrals
 to other resources
  Shalom House case manager there at least weekly
  VA community-based outpatient clinic – weekly

 Page 2 of 3
  Family Crisis Services outreach
  Taxi vouchers (one way, within Portland only) provided for exigent health issues (eg, lice)
  Bus tickets to other municipalities

 6. Cullen Ryan of Community Housing of Maine provided statistics indicating that:
  33% of shelter users pass through within 1-3 days; 55% within 2 weeks; 80% within 2 months;
 and only 5% stay for 180 days or more.
  2,166 people pass through the shelter annually
  About 116 people are long-term stayers
  In 2013, City housing counselors housed 700 people, but the shelter numbers did not drop
 because focused on those passing through the shelter quickly.
  In 2014, focused on long-term stayers; 66 of the 116 were housed.

 7. Wrap up and next meeting

  Weds 5/13, 9-11 a.m., City Hall, rm 24
 o Overview of Preble Street, Milestone related to emergency shelter services
 o Revenues/expenses for Oxford Street, Preble Street, Milestone
 o What works well – eg, what from current system should we keep doing
 o Best practice models to be evaluated; materials from Task Force to Prevent and
 End Homelessness to review
 o Tour of shelters
  Web site: www.portlandmaine.gov/1512/Shelter-Planning-Task-Force
 o User name: taskforce
 o Password: portland15



Julie Sullivan
Acting Chief of Staff
207.756.8363
jas@portlandmaine.gov




 Page 3 of 3