Documented by Artemes Gidram

Here’s what you need to know

  • For the Point-in-Time (PIT) 2024 count, the Continuum of Care is planning to skip doing an unhoused count and instead do a youth count in the middle of the year.
  • The Lived Experience Advisory Board is actively looking for new members.
  • The Fresno County Board of Supervisors approved funding for the Triage Emergency Shelter.

Follow-up questions

  • What are the pros and cons of skipping unhoused Point-In-Time numbers?
  • Are the Marjaree Mason Shelters having trouble with domestic violence happening unaddressed within shelters?

 The Scene

The Fresno Madera County Continuum of Care Board meeting was held on Sep. 14, 2023. The meeting took place entirely over Zoom. The agenda is available on the Continuum of Care’s website.

Names of Officials:

Laura Moreno, chair

Jody Ketcheside, vice chair

Sara Mirhadi, secretary

Misty Gattie-Blanco, treasurer

Alex Sanchez, member-at-large

Katie Wilbur,  member-at-large

  • The meeting opened at 8:36 a.m.
  • Point-in-Time (PIT) and Youth Count
    • Jody Ketcheside
      • Point-in-time counts are not required for unsheltered counts in 2024, only on odd years.
      • In the past, the Continuum of Care has done both housed and unhoused counts.
      • The board is considering skipping unsheltered counts and instead focusing on youth counts being done in the middle of the year.
  • Lived Experience Advisory Board (LEAB) Update
    • Maya Spark:
      • Since the September Continuum of Care meeting there have been two meetings of the Lived Experience Advisory Board.
      • The agenda and minutes are posted on the Continuum of Care website.
      • Sept. 19 meeting:
        • Doreen gave a presentation about rating and ranking panels
        • They are working to create a proposed budget for the Lived Experience Advisory Board.
      • Oct. 3 meeting:
        • The advisory board continued working on the proposed budget.
        • The budget will be proposed at the November Continuum of Care board meeting.
        • The advisory board will begin looking for new members beginning the first week of November.
  • Fresno County Update
    • Cynthia Cardenas, Fresno County
      • Grantee agreement for $600,000 in Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the triage emergency shelter was approved on the consent agenda by the Board of Supervisors on Sept. 19.
      • The master lease agreement with the Fresno Housing Authority at Monte Vista was approved by the Board of Supervisors as well on Sept. 19.
      • The Housing and Urban Development application was released by the deadline of Sept. 30th.
      • The cross-jurisdictional partners have had multiple pre planning meetings throughout the past month.
      • The Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) first three quarterly reports were submitted to the California Interagency Council on Homelessness(Cal ICH) on Sept. 25.
        • The report captures obligations and expenditures from inception through June 30th.
        • A summary of the reports will be provided at the next Continuum of Care meeting.
    • Yolanda Valenzuela, Fresno Department of Social Services
      • The county is drafting a request for a request for proposal(RFP) for Housing and Urban Development services.
      • The county is partnering with jurisdictional partners for planning entities interested in applying for funding through the upcoming request for proposal.
      • Those interested in applying should apply to be a vendor to receive notifications through the county purchasing website.
      • This request for proposal will be open for 30 days.
  • City of Fresno Update
    • Joe Pasillas, City of Fresno
      • Homeless street outreach and mobile showers were approved by the City Council.
      • The homeless youth request for proposal will be considered by the City Council on Oct. 19.
      • The city is working with Housing and Urban Development Round 5 for public meetings, landscape analysis and compiling the information together to meet their deadline.
      • The city has completed their quarterly reports, which were due on Oct. 1.
      • The city is looking to apply for Earth Three.
        • The Earth Three Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) will be released on Dec. 1.
  • Marjaree Mason Center Update
    • Laura Lopez for the previous month.
      • 943 hotline calls
      • 246 crisis drop-ins
      • 215 emergency safe house
      • 124 rapid rehousing
      • 37% exited to somewhere permanent.
      • The center has case management available for clients who are not interested in entering a shelter but are still looking for supportive services as they flee abusive relationships.
      • There are 106 clients enrolled in their community case management program, with 19 programs pending.
      • During October the center will hold several learning sessions.
  • San Joaquin Valley Veterans Update
    • Yvette Morales
      • Served 123 veterans.
      • 93 veterans were rapid rehoused.
      • 30 veterans were given homeless prevention services.
      • 32% of exits were negative and 68% were positive.
      • The average start date to move-in date is 57 days.
      • San Joaquin Valley Veterans participated in several programs.
        • Men’s Stand Down was in September.
        • Women’s Stand Up was in the month of October.
        • The Fresno Police Department will be meeting to talk about their safety concerns over activities happening at the complex.
        • Getting ready for the Veterans Day Parade will be held on Nov. 11.

Actions/Discussions/Public comment

  • Actions
    • No actions or votes were taken.
  • Public Comment

          Maryann Knoy, deputy administrator, Westcare.

  • The 12th annual AIDS Walk will occur Oct. 14.
  • Joel Bugay
  • Dez Martinez, founder, We Are Not Invisible.
    • Dez said she is getting a lot of domestic violence calls in which the accuser and the victim are staying in the same place at Marjaree Mason shelters.
    • Dez asked if Marjaree Mason Center is going to shelter clients for more than 30 days.
      • Laura Lopez, Marjaree Mason Center.
        • Law enforcement can trigger an advocate to go out with them on calls. Lopez said to encourage officers to bring an advocate if they are not already.
        • Certain clients, depending on progress, will be extended beyond staying at a shelter for more than 30 days. The center will continue to advertise for 30 days.

Conversation highlight

  • “So I’m a little confused on how we can fix this issue on domestic violence happening. Interpersonal violence happening inside the shelters right now,” said Dez Martinez, founder, We Are Not Invisible.

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at fresnodocs@fresnoland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.

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The Fresno Documenters are a group of local residents who are trained and paid to attend and take notes at local public meetings where officials decide how to spend public money and make important decisions...