On February 24, 2022, the City of San Rafael was listed as a recipient of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness Encampment Resolution Funding.
The funding will assist the City of San Rafael with its innovative approach towards addressing homelessness. The $522,000 award will allow the City of San Rafael to increase its case management services to the residents at the Service Support Area (SSA). The SSA is a safe location where approximately 38 unhoused adults reside and receive case management to help secure permanent housing. The SSA has been in operation since July 2021.The increased level of collaborative services of housing case management and mental health coordination assists our homeless community to attain and retain housing.
Key elements of the work related to the funding include:
- Provide housing location services tailored to the needs and preferences of each client.
- Assist clients in securing necessary personal documentation and completing required paperwork to attain housing vouchers
- Directly assist and work in partnership with clients to help them move into housing.
- Continue to meet with the client frequently after housing stabilization (likely after 60- 90 days of tenancy), as determined by their needs for clinical and housing support.
- Develop and provide (or connect to) high quality interventions and services in support of wellness and recovery.
- Maintain contact at least once per month with the client’s housing property manager to provide an opportunity to be informed of any housing challenges.
City of San Rafael Mayor Kate Colin expressed “this funding is extremely exciting to receive as it supports the innovative approach that is critical to helping our homeless community succeed in finding and achieving dignity through housing.”
Current Homeless Services Manager, Marc Sabin on the grant award, “This temporary site has been successful in part due to the hard work of our local non-profit partners, and these funds will help us add more social work and mental health services to people in need at the SSA.”