SPA 1 Virtual Report Back

Virtual Report Back

Los Angeles County Department of Homeless Services and Housing

SPA 1

Housekeeping

Opening remarks

Anna Bialik Lead Consultant

K.O. Campbell Senior Consultant

AGENDA

Project background & context

Overview of 2-Day Design workshop

Design presentations

Next steps & close

Community Engagement Process

Discovery Phase & Community Engagement

Summary Report & LA County Ongoing Report Back

2-Day Community Workshops

Virtual SPA Report Back

North & South County Workshop

Countywide Community Engagement Report Back

Community driven designs & recommendations

Community Engagement Process

Discovery Phase & Community Engagement

Summary Report & LA County Ongoing Report Back

2-Day Community Workshops

Virtual SPA Report Back

North & South County Workshop

Countywide Community Engagement Report Back

we are here

Design Areas

Strategies to Reduce Disparities

Foundations for Success

Feedback & Ongoing Co-design

Collaboration& Partnerships

Systems & System Performance

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The Roadmap

Design Area

Design Question

the design question the group responded to will be here

Short Design Description

the short description of the design will go here

Design Idea & Components

the details of the design they put together will go here

Short Design Description

the short description of the design will stay up for clarifying questions and feedback

Challenges & Assumptions

the critical assumptions we make to allow this to work

core challenges the design responds to

Strategies to Reduce Disparities

Design Question

How can we best ensure that a wide range of community voices and perspectives are included in the design and implementation of strategies to address racial equity? What would representation look like within the new department?

Short Design Description

Establish regional community advisory boards that the new department will engage to:

• Participate in equity data analysis
• Make recommendations on data collection strategies and strategies to reduce disproportionality in homelessness based on the data.
• Make annual funding recommendations based on equity data and trends.

The community advisory board will be responsible for communicating information and gathering feedback, using town halls and participant surveys from community members who identify as part of racial, ethnic, and special population groups that are disproportionately affected by homelessness, including people experiencing homelessness who are currently navigating our system.

Design Idea & Components

Qualifications:

• Must reside in SPA 1 (or each related SPA)
• Lived experience or at risk of homelessness OR
• 3 years working in or advocating within: Homeless services Justice involvement/re-entry services

Terms:

• 18-month term with quarterly reassessment
• Monthly meeting attendance, either in person or virtual

Will report to:

• Homeless coalition And will work with the LA County Department of Homeless Services and Housing
• Leadership Table Equity Subcommittee

The advisory board will have the following representatives from organizations and people with lived expertise:

• Black/African-American
• American Indian/Alaska Native
• Asian Pacific Islander
• Latinx
• Immigrant communities
• LGBTQIA
• Gender based violence
• TAY
• Re-entry
• Veterans
• Disability community .

Challenges & Critical Assumptions

Core challenges it solves

Critical assumptions for success

• Regional equity data will be provided by the new department

• The diversity of representation will bring multiple points of view for action

• That there will be some financial resources to support the board, especially people with liver expertise

• No regional affinity groups
• No groups to challenge the quality of the data collected
• We do not have regional data to give feedback
• We do not have racial equity data by SPA
• We do not have participant surveys or qualitative data from people navigating our systems

Short Design Description

Establish regional community advisory boards that the new department will engage to:

• Participate in equity data analysis
• Make recommendations on data collection strategies and strategies to reduce disproportionality in homelessness based on the data.
• Make annual funding recommendations based on equity data and trends.

The community advisory board will be responsible for communicating information and gathering feedback, using town halls and participant surveys from community members who identify as part of racial, ethnic, and special population groups that are disproportionately affected by homelessness, including people experiencing homelessness who are currently navigating our system.

Foundations for Success

Design Question

What specific actions can the Department take to ensure that all service providers, regardless of size, have the support they need to deliver effective homelessness services?

Short Design Description

HSH should create a program/funding source launch process, centered around a county-wide launch meeting, to ensure information is shared transparently and consistently either when: (1) a new program is launched, or (2) there are significant changes to an existing program such as decreases or increases in funding, program eligibility criteria, etc. This process should also include a feedback mechanism for reporting and resolving issues brought by service providers and community members.

Design Idea & Components

Core components include:

• County-wide launch meeting (including both funded providers, other community providers or partners, and community members) to:
• Create a transparent mechanism for rolling out contracts and programs and create greater transparency on funding sources, purposes, funded agencies, and responsibilities.
• Communicate clear expectations for who has what responsibilities in the program and who is receiving funding to provide specified services
• Provide clear workflows and a liaison list for funded agencies
• A feedback loop to report and resolve issues and make changes as the result of identified issues that is available to funded providers, other services providers and partners, and community members

Challenges & Critical Assumptions

Core challenges it solves

Critical assumptions for success

• There should also be separate region-specific convenings especially in SPA 1.
• Contracts will need to be finalized and ready prior to contract start date to make the launch event successful.
• This will only be successful if there is good participation from service providers and other participants in the launch event.

• Transparency into the system is necessary in order to build strong programs.
• Prior to delivering services, service providers need full visibility of the whole of the program and key partners in order to build strong, effective programs that fully leverage the work of other service providers and the system as a whole.
• Service providers currently receive information in a fragmented and informal manner and not all service providers have access to the same information which leads to inconsistent programs across the County.

• Everyone (community, non-county providers, faith community, etc.) need to know who has been funded for what so they can hold organizations accountable and connect people appropriately to funded services.

Short Design Description

HSH should create a program/funding source launch process, centered around a county-wide launch meeting, to ensure information is shared transparently and consistently either when: (1) a new program is launched, or (2) there are significant changes to an existing program such as decreases or increases in funding, program eligibility criteria, etc. This process should also include a feedback mechanism for reporting and resolving issues brought by service providers and community members.

Feedback & Ongoing Co-design

Design Question

How might the new department increase transparency about available programs throughout the county? When there are key challenges, realities, and limitations of the system, how should the new department communicate these more clearly to the broader public?

Short Design Description

Erect an Antelope Valley Care Campus that houses a SPA based HSH Office and rapid response team. This Campus will host existing and new contracted providers and other vetted community based organizations to create a low-barrier one-stop/1st-stop access point for all populations (e.g. Adults, Families, TAY) and intersecting subpopulations (e.g. GBV, Re-Entry)

Design Idea & Components

Components:

• Deployment of SPA-based Project Management Team -
• Familiar with the local SPA
• Provide one-on-one technical assistance to local contracted providers
• Have authority to convene local contracted providers
• Participatory Design:
• Physical campus should be co-designed with local providers and people with various lived-experiences
• Hire People with Lived Experience:
• Local PWLE should be hired for a variety of positions
• Uniform Training:
• All staff working on the campus should receive annual training

Challenges & Critical Assumptions

Core challenges it solves

Critical assumptions for success

• Review and assess existing contracts so providers can participate on the Campus.

• Access to available resources and clear eligibility criteria.
• The matching process will make or break this concept
• Staff in need can also access services on the campus.
• People with diverse lived experiences will be hired as part of the Campus staff team.

• All staff, including security, will be trained in mental health first aid, de-escalation, overdose reversals, and other relevant training.

• An existing site like a former school campus or military barracks or former Costco, could be used.

• Cities of Lancaster AND Palmdale buy-in

• Rapid changes in funding is creating critical impact - ongoing impact analysis and information is needed from system funders/program sponsors.
• Input from people navigating services is crucial; mechanisms need to scale
• Low barrier access points
• Cities are part of the homeless response system
• Outreach to providers through a frequent format
• PWLE should be hired inside of SHS and intentional recruiting efforts and entry into county jobs.
• Pushing out information should be frequent

Short Design Description

Erect an Antelope Valley Care Campus that houses a SPA based HSH Office and rapid response team. This Campus will host existing and new contracted providers and other vetted community based organizations to create a low-barrier one-stop/1st-stop access point for all populations (e.g. Adults, Families, TAY) and intersecting subpopulations (e.g. GBV, Re-Entry)

Collaboration & Partnerships

Design Question

How can the Department foster collaboration to create a more integrated coordinated response to homelessness?

Short Design Description

Regional Coordination Redesign: A strategic regional coordination model for SPA 1, designed to:

• build unity through strengthened cross-sector partnership, and
• increase alignment around resource utilization with the goal of getting people into housing and keeping them housed.

Design Idea & Components

Community Engagement:

• Address NIMBYism with coordinated messaging and education campaigns.

• Build trust through transparent communication with communities.

• Engage cities and faith communities as partners.

Resource Leveraging:

• Identify shared funding opportunities

• Co-investment strategies to avoid duplication.

• Utilize existing infrastructure and assets more efficiently.

Capacity Building:

• Training for providers on systems navigation.

• Shared learning spaces and technical assistance.

• Improve understanding of each other’s programs to enhance referrals.

Create a regional coordinating body or hub.

• Joint strategy and planning across providers in SPA 1
• Align with broader countywide rehousing and prevention strategies
• Shared resources and investment alignment in the SPA.
• Strategic partnerships with cities, LAHSA, County Departments, and CBOs.
• Facilitate regular convenings to align priorities.
• Regional data dashboards and shared measurement tools

Service Navigation Improvements:

• Develop clear pathways & referral processes.

• Centralized system

• Shared language and tools

• Improve communication across providers to ensure real-time updates.

Challenges & Critical Assumptions

Core challenges it solves for

Critical assumptions for success

• There is a budget for this.

• We hire locally in SPA

• That we have buy-in from partners

• The work is funded

• Participation is Mandatory in SOW and funded

• Have dedicated staffing at County level for SPA 1

• Lack of coordinating body (COG/active Coalition) in SPA 1
• Need for a unified voice for SPA 1 to better align strategies and reduce fragmentation

• Need for improved participant flow and navigation between programs and services
• Need to integrate housing, outreach, behavioral health, and supportive services more effectively.
• Geographic isolation
• Need to address issues related to local community resistance
• Gaps in communication and coordination between systems (behavioral health, healthcare, housing, etc.).

Short Design Description

Regional Coordination Redesign: A strategic regional coordination model for SPA 1, designed to:

• build unity through strengthened cross-sector partnership, and
• increase alignment around resource utilization with the goal of getting people into housing and keeping them housed.

Systems & System Performance

Design Question

What does a transparent and simple rehousing system from outreach to permanent housing look like in the new department?

Short Design Description

The proposed design establishes a Regional (Satellite) Office in Service Planning Area 1, Antelope Valley, as part of the new LA County department’s strategy to deliver localized, responsive, and equitable services to one of the most underserved areas in the county.

Design Idea & Components

Regional (Satellite) Hub in SPA1 - Antelope Valley (A.V.):

• Physical Hub Presence A regional (satellite) office will be established in SPA1 – Antelope Valley.
• The hub will be physically located within the region and adequately staffed.
• Staffing Principles
• Staff will be local hires with: lived experience, regional knowledge, expertise in local systems and services, strong knowledge of local resource networks
• Resource Allocation Adequate resources (funding, staff, tools) will be allocated to meet regional capacity needs.
• Operational Control & Decision-Making
• Regional team will have control over the by-name list and matching to housing resources:.
• Staff will be empowered to make local decisions and advocate for regional priorities.

Challenges & Critical Assumptions

Core challenges it solves

Critical assumptions for success

• Coordinated Outreach
• Focused outreach to individuals exiting state systems (e.g., corrections, institutions) to ensure continuity of care and housing placement.
• Access & Drop-In Center
• A low-barrier entry point for services
• Walk-in access to housing assessments, case management, and referrals to Housing Navigation Services
• On-site housing navigation to streamline placements into Interim Housing and PSH
• Coordination with local landlords and housing authorities
• Locally Driven Solutions
• Programming and staffing that reflect the needs and demographics of SPA 1 (Antelope Valley)
• Decision-making rooted in local context and community input

• Geographic Isolation & Service Gaps in SPA 1
• Lack of Local Decision-Making Power
• Disconnected Outreach and Housing Systems
• Inequitable Resource Distribution
• Insufficient Community Engagement & Transparency
• Staffing Gaps & Lack of Regional Expertise

Short Design Description

The proposed design establishes a Regional (Satellite) Office in Service Planning Area 1, Antelope Valley, as part of the new LA County department’s strategy to deliver localized, responsive, and equitable services to one of the most underserved areas in the county.

Next Steps & Close

Community Engagement Process

Discovery Phase & Community Engagement

Summary Report & LA County Ongoing Report Back

2-Day Community Workshops

Virtual SPA Report Back

County -wide Workshop

Countywide Community Engagement Report Back

what's next

Thank You