Public meeting of the City Council's working group on homelessness.

I think recognize several faces from our last meeting, so thanks for those of you who were at our last meeting for coming back.

Um to hear from some of the professionals who work with our those in our community experiencing homelessness about kind of the scope of the issues related to homelessness that the city is dealing with.

And my idea for this meeting is to kind of explore some ideas, some ways that city council can jump in and start working to address the issues that we know are there.

And so we have of course Councilman Henderson here.

Some of that work is is already being done by different community partners, and of course, we heard from Urban Street Angels and the work they're doing out in San Diego to assist with homeless youth out there.

And there are some initiatives here in Chattanooga that I'm familiar with.

Do the work I do as a child welfare attorney.

So there are groups such as Chambless and the Partnership for Family Children and Adults who for young folks who are aging out of foster care.

So in other words, they're turning 18 and they're still in foster care, don't have anywhere to go.

There are groups that step in and provide housing and assistance with employment or education and transportation for those youth, which seems like kind of the same space that Urban Street Angels is working in out there.

And so one priority I would have is for council to work with those groups and provide additional resources for those youth who aren't exactly homeless, but the idea is that they don't become homeless.

And so one thing that Carta has already done that I've I've met with Charles Fraser about and they've already put into place is providing bus passes for those youth who live in independent living that Chambliss and the partnership provides.

Right now it's a pilot program.

And something else those youth have that they need, which they don't necessarily have.

They're required to have either a job or to be in school, which is great, but they don't often have much in the way of any sort of emergency fund or bank account at all.

And that's something that I would like to see if the city could look into providing some sort of emergency fund in the form of a savings account for those youth so that they have that as a safety net.

And so that if they do get a job, they have a bank account they can deposit their paycheck into that helps them to work on building credit and setting them up for financial success later in life.

So those are a few things on that issue that I'd like to look at.

Morning, Councilman.

Thanks for joining us for just getting started.

for those youth so that they have that as a safety net um and so that if they do get a job they have a bank account they can deposit their paycheck into and also that helps them to work on building credit and um and setting them them up for financial success um later in life so those are a few things on on that issue that I'd like to look at good morning counseling thanks for joining for just getting started I I started this right on time since I have to leave early so um so those are a couple ideas as it relates to um homeless youth or youth at risk of uh becoming homeless um just a couple ideas that that I've had and I've challenged other council members to to come with ideas and um so feel free to to jump in if there's anything that sparks your interest here um the other kind of priority need uh I think we identified last time is just uh uh kind of the vast shortage and emergency shelter beds that we have across the city um and uh kind of in and thinking about that issue as a a starting point to address that need um what what I would like to see and and to hear others thoughts on as well is um the idea of having um a a church or another community partner in each city district who could provide the sort of emergency shelter that chap foundation um already provides for you know extreme cold weather um providing a shelter like that in each city district for extreme weather as as a starting place um would would be an idea that I have along those lines um so those are kind of the two areas at least that that I identified um and and some thoughts that I have and I'd be happy to hear from my fellow council members any ideas that that you all have uh councilman harvey I was just kind of explaining um kind of the the purpose at least as I foresee for this meeting is to start getting into some ideas to address the issues that we um that we outlined or heard about at our last meeting so Casey do we have a database of churches that we work with or that are willing to work with us for the homeless I mean like we we've actually got a compiled list I guess is what I'm asking that yeah we do we do not have um a list of bake base um we started that a few years ago we had those meetings um but we didn't get a whole lot of participation so we have a few that we know of that that wants to do something but they don't know what and how they want to do it so there is a few but no we don't have like a master list.

Well I would say we have access to it though council and yeah on on that point if I could jump in because uh Linda uh Hershey right who's here this morning she was at our last meeting and she was kind enough to provide us just such a list just a list of these are just a few I mean I certainly don't know all of them but there are a few and I'm also inviting you all to come make biscuits with us.

My oh is this the biscuit biscuit brigade and so I noticed just looking over this list there's several churches in my district that I was aware um I'm I'm glad to see them on the list and I was aware of these things that they're they're doing.

And like I say these are just a few because I certainly don't know all of them but it seems like there should be some kind of coordination of services and things.

Well that's reason I was thinking if we could from whole you know from our standpoint create a database and I feel like there's a lot of churches that have facilities that they would be able to house especially in in a cold weather situation or maybe even some long term I mean almost all churches have a building somewhere that could house even if it's one individual or you know whatever I just but I think what we need to start off with is a database and maybe then have a meeting with all of those churches you know coordinating and finding out and and there but you know these churches may be able to help in ways that they're not even thinking that they can help.

You know they may I you know they may want to get involved but they don't even know how to get involved.

If you look at this list you'll also know the shower up which is a trailer that goes out and provide a place for people to take showers and several churches support that and food pantries and and uh I don't belong to first centenary but they've got an amazing mustard pre ministry that you should really should look into.

I feel like we do a pretty good job with food pantries and giving out food.

I think I think we need to capitalize on that and figure out how we can come alongside and assist because it you know what uh what I what we don't want to do is just get in the habit of enabling right them to be homeless, but like what kind of services can we come in behind if we're gonna distribute the food, what kind of services can we come in behind and support and say you know, how can we get you housed, and you know, if there's make two other quick suggestions.

One is there needs to be a glossary of what exactly homelessness means because there's so many different groups, and they're not really identified, they're just all piled together in one, and it'd be sense like chronic homelessness and you think.

Well, I think we do have those definitions, right?

Yeah, I I would love if I could get a copy of that, I would love to see that, please.

And also federal definition.

It's the federal definition that we use.

Yeah, okay.

It's a federal definition that we use.

Okay, and then the other thing is I would urge you all to have a citizen advisory group, like we do for women and for something else.

That's a good idea.

I like that a lot.

If I can just add to that, uh, my name is Cassie, I work across the street.

I don't um I think there are a lot of churches and and non-faith-based organizations and just citizens that want to help, and there's not that coordination, and so I think that's a place where the city could have you know, as part of OSH or whatever, but could coordinate because I think there's a lot of well, we know there's a lot of misinformation.

I think there's also a lot of best practices that the general public doesn't know about in working um towards homelessness, so that we are getting people ready for success and to be housed, and we're providing all those services.

Um, I think a lot of places don't understand that that sometimes even just being in a church is a barrier for folks who maybe are queer and they've been shunned by the church or you know have some kind of history.

So having like someone who can provide trauma-informed trainings and provide best practices on homelessness.

Um I think that's that's something that would really kind of like give this some momentum and some direction as well.

I'd be curious to know going back to uh the emergency shelters.

You hit on this just a minute ago, but uh not just specifically for faith-based institutions, but a number of beds citywide that are considered emergency shelter.

Do we have that?

We do have that.

Okay, citywide.

We the the coalition is on their website, um, and it's in the annual report as well, as far as like how many beds are citywide, but that's also countywide.

Um, but I want to say we did I did the math, and we have 124 beds in the city right now, uh, and the majority of that is family shelter or DV shelter.

Okay, to your point a minute ago, sorry, Councilman Henderson.

Um, you know, it's wonderful that we have these um organizations who are willing to provide the showers and and food and and things like that.

I I think where we lack, not not just in the city of Chattanooga, but as a country, is um the follow-up uh somebody you know walking with these people to say, what do you need?

What can we do to to give you a hand up to get out of your situation?

And that that I think is is truly the crux of the problem is um and I I want to invite um the Chattanooga uh room in the inn.

I think their model is excellent, not only for what they do at Chattanooga Room in the end.

Is Taylor here Taylor Hickson?