Social Service Human Relations Board Meeting - September 3, 2025
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Social Service Human Relations Board Meeting - September 3, 2025
The Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB) met on September 3, 2025, to receive three presentations (Rise of Alameda guaranteed income pilot program, domestic violence prevention campaign proposal, and the LGBTQ+ action plan), hear work group reports, and conduct routine business. The meeting lasted from 10:00 AM to approximately 8:51 PM (transcript indicates evening, but the official start time is 10:00 AM). Key highlights include the one-year survey results for the guaranteed income program, a proposed community-based domestic violence campaign, and an update on the LGBTQ+ action plan.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (July 24, 2025): The minutes were approved unanimously by a roll call vote (6-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comments: None.
- Public Comments on LGBTQ+ Action Plan (Item 4C):
- Lily: A student and co-chair of the AUSD LGBTQ+ round table (transgender non-binary) spoke strongly in favor of gender-neutral bathrooms, citing personal experience of having no such facilities at their school. They also noted that Alameda Science and Technology Institute has no gender-neutral bathrooms on campus, forcing them to use a teacher's bathroom. They urged coordination with the school district and highlighted that teachers can opt out of LGBTQ+ training (one hour per semester) and that Love Elementary is the only school that has opted out.
- Jennifer Rukowski: A resident who previously presented on domestic violence, spoke in support of the LGBTQ+ action plan, emphasizing the need for transgender-specific resources, including passport identity issues and support for Lavender seniors. She noted the progress since the 1990s but stressed ongoing challenges.
Discussion Items
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Item 4A: Rise of Alameda Guaranteed Income Pilot Program – 12-Month Interim Report
- Presented by Eric Vonstein, Development Manager, Base Reuse and Economic Development Department.
- Program provides $1,000/month to 150 low-income households over two years (first payment December 2023, final payment November 2025).
- Eligibility: Alameda residents, 18+, income at or below 50% of AMI (about $51,000 for family of one in 2023).
- Key statistics: Average participant age 49, 26% are 62+; average household income under $32,000; 64% use public benefits.
- Research partner APT Global measured 40 outcomes, finding improvements in 17 (e.g., financial stability, ability to handle a $400 emergency, increased medical care for older adults, greater social engagement). Inconclusive results for employment, housing, and food security (attributed to small sample size and temporary nature of program).
- Total program cost: $4.6 million ($3.6 million in direct cash payments).
- Next steps: Operation Dignity is notifying participants of final payments and offering benefit counseling. A narrative storytelling component will be developed. The 24-month survey will launch in December 2025, with final report due summer 2026.
- Board discussion: Questions about sustaining the program, funding sources (one-time ARPA funding), and the importance of storytelling to humanize data. Eric Vonstein announced his retirement effective September 4, 2025; board expressed gratitude.
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Item 4B: Domestic Violence Prevention Campaign Proposal
- Presented by Jennifer Rukowski, Alameda resident and public administration professional with 20 years of experience in domestic violence advocacy.
- Proposed a community empowerment campaign starting with city employees, leveraging recent California legislation (workplace violence prevention plans, expanded leave for family members of DV victims).
- Four core elements: (1) strength-based approach using existing city resources, (2) view whole cycle of abuse (prevention, intervention, crisis response, recovery, healing), (3) broaden audience from bystanders to resources, (4) start with city employees to create cultural shift.
- Board discussion: Questions about scalability, measurement of success (SMART goals), and integration with existing task force. Board members expressed support and noted the need for coordination and funding.
- No formal vote; board will consider how to advance the proposal.
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Item 4C: LGBTQ+ Action Plan Presentation
- Presented by Assistant City Manager Amy Woolworth.
- City Council directed staff to create an LGBTQ+ action plan after a referral for a sanctuary city policy. The draft inventories existing efforts (e.g., Recreation & Parks partnership with Alameda Pride, updated bereavement leave, inclusive restrooms, Pride flag display, APD hate crime tracking, DEI training) and identifies opportunities (domestic partner registry, priority funding for gender-neutral restrooms, Transgender Day of Visibility celebration, economic development support for LGBTQ+ businesses, resource page for transgender community).
- Board discussion: Suggestions included adding coordination with AUSD, addressing cultural nuances for immigrant families, preserving LGBTQ+ history (possibly through the library and Alameda Museum), and expanding resource pages. The plan will be presented to City Council in October.
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Item 4D: Work Group Reports
- Domestic Violence Task Force (Bernie Wolf): Reported on a recent meeting with 10 participants from various agencies (APD, Fire, Family Services, etc.). New APD liaison Investigator Robbie Stoffel presented statistics on DV arrests (high in June/July). Fire Department paramedics trained to identify DV. Coordination with Family Violence Law Center is limited by lack of presence in Alameda schools. Task force will meet quarterly and is considering a school-focused campaign.
- LGBTQ+ Resolution Work Group (Scott Means, Michelle, others): Met with mayor and vice mayor; mayor was supportive but cautious about timing (concerns about political climate). The resolution to bring to City Council is delayed; work group will continue conversations with other council members and focus on activities like United We Stand Hate Week and a poetry slam. Efforts to engage youth at high schools face logistical barriers.
- Road Home Work Group (Aging/Seniors): Held first listening session with 11 attendees (including representatives from Digby Village). Key issues: transportation (shuttle, bike lanes, bus stop accessibility), social isolation, and difficulty reaching seniors not already connected to services. The group will explore grant opportunities for transportation and continue outreach to AUSD.
- Resident Advisory Board (RAB) at Digby Village: Reported progress in building trust and communication; transitional housing program is successfully housing residents.
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Item 5: Staff Communications
- Gretchen (Housing and Human Services) reported: New metric specialist hired (starts September 9). Point-in-time count for homeless population still pending coordination with county. Operation Dignity (operator of Digby Village) has housed more people in recent months than the previous two providers combined. A six-month report will be presented at the next meeting.
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Item 6: Board Communications
- Scott Means announced that Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless has invited nominations for the RAD (Resilience and Determination) Award for 2026/2027, honoring individuals with lived experience of homelessness. Board will consider nominating someone from the RAB.
- Mention of free museum tickets and upcoming events.
Key Outcomes
- Approvals: Minutes of July 24, 2025, approved unanimously.
- Rise of Alameda: No action taken; report received as information. Final payment in November 2025; final report due summer 2026.
- Domestic Violence Campaign: No formal decision; board will continue discussion and consider how to support the proposal.
- LGBTQ+ Action Plan: Input gathered; plan to be presented to City Council in October 2025.
- Work Groups: The LGBTQ+ resolution timeline is delayed; work group will continue outreach. The Domestic Violence Task Force will meet quarterly. The Road Home work group will pursue transportation grants and further listening sessions.
- Staff Updates: New metric specialist hired; point-in-time count plans pending; Digby Village housing success noted.
- Future Meetings: Next meeting likely to include a six-month staff report and continued work group updates.
Meeting Transcript
Michelle Pan Hear us, it doesn't work. Michelle, you can hear us. Yeah, we're 40. All right. Good evening. Welcome to the August 27th, 2025, Social Service Human Relations Board Meeting. This meeting is being recorded. The chat function has been turned off. If members of the public would like to comment on an item, please digitally raise your hand or email Gracia Manayan, G-M-A-N-N-A-H-A-Y-O-N at Alameda C A dot gov. Comments submitted during the meeting before the conclusion of public comment section will be read into the record. Free mail address is also on the meeting's agenda. If you're calling in by phone, please email Ms. Manayan. You can also dial star nine to raise your hand, and we will call on you. Public comments will be limited to three minutes. The public has two opportunities for public comments. First, under agenda item two, public comments. Comments from the audience may concern matters either on or not on the agenda, but must deal with matters subject to the jurisdiction of the Social Service Human Relations Board. Second, under each item, there will be an opportunity for public comment on a specific item. Each item follows a format similar to City Council meetings. First, a presentation. Then we will ask if there are any public comments on this agenda item, and finally, after public comment, we will open the item up to board discussion and a vote if recommended. Diana Michelle Omi. Here Gerald Bryant. Michelle Buckholz. Samantha Green. Scott Means here. And uh board member Ruckholtz is joining virtually, so uh all those today will be done by roll call. Um also joining us from Housing and Human Services. We have Assistant City Manager and Wildridge and Gresham Mana Program Manager. So we'll go right to non-agenda public comments. The city welcomes speakers providing public comment, but please be advised. This is a limited public forum. Comments from the audience may concern matters either on or not on the agenda, but must deal with matters subject to the jurisdiction of the social service and human relations board. Comments will be limited to three minutes. Comments concerning matters on this evening's agenda will be heard when that item is called. If speakers fail to follow these rules, they will be warned. And if they continue to disregard the rules, their opportunity to speak will end. So do we have any speakers? We do not have any public comments. We will review an approved minutes for July 24th, 2025. Can I have a good question? Interruption. Oh, when that when the meeting was disrupted, I yeah, because there was a yelling and we had to stop the meeting, so I would answer a lot of interruption. Okay. Yeah. Thank you. Do we have a second? We have a second. Okay, we will do a vocal vote.
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