MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – On July 2, a broad countywide coalition gathered to address the issue of homelessness in Mendocino County.

The Health and Human Services Agency’s Housing Options for Mendocino Team, or HOMe, in partnership with the Mendocino County Homeless Services Continuum of Care, also known as MCHSCoC, invited Kitchen Table Consulting facilitator Miles Gordon to work with local community members, service providers, law enforcement agencies and government leaders from Ukiah, Willits and Fort Bragg to formulate an action plan in response to recommendations from Dr. Robert G. Marbut’s March 2018 report: Homelessness Needs Assessments and Actions Steps for Mendocino County.

HOMe Team Administrator and MCHSCoC Chairperson Maya Stuart said, “We used the report’s recommendations to launch our process.”

The report was the result of a six-month study of street-level homelessness of adults in and around the County’s largest service hubs – Ukiah, Willits and Fort Bragg.

During the three-hour meeting, coalition members discussed the importance of communicating with the public and with all the agencies involved in ending homelessness in Mendocino County.

Gordon said, “The group expressed a strong consensus about the importance of using consistent data and embracing a collaborative, comprehensive, systems approach.”

The coalition committed to creating and implementing a plan that:

– Addresses the root causes of homelessness;
– Uses accurate data that is based on common definitions and language;
– Emphasizes stakeholder and community education;
– Utilizes diverse approaches;
– Incorporates case management and continuing support; and
– Minimizes negative community impacts.

The group will reconvene in early August to continue their work.

Coalition members include Project Sanctuary, Ford Street Program, Redwood Community Services, Mendocino Coast Hospitality Center, the City of Fort Bragg, Manzanita Services, the Mendocino County Office of Education, the City of Willits, MCHC Health Centers, the Veteran’s Administration, the City of Ukiah, the Mendocino County Community Development Commission, North Coast Opportunities and the Mendocino County Health and Human Services Agency.

Find the link to the Robert Marbut Consulting report at https://www.mendocinocounty.org/home/showdocument?id=20042.