2007-08-22 Special Meeting
NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERSBOOK 31
JOINT MEETING WITH WILMINGTON CITY COUNCIL, AUGUST 22, 2007 PAGE 171
ASSEMBLY
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met for a Joint Meeting with the Wilmington City
Council on Wednesday, August 22, 2007, at 6:00 p.m. in the City of Wilmington Council Chambers, City Hall, 102
North Third Street, Wilmington, North Carolina.
Members present were: Chairman William A. Caster; Commissioner Ted Davis, Jr.; Commissioner
William A. Kopp, Jr.; County Attorney Wanda M. Copley; Clerk to the Board Sheila L. Schult and County Manager
Bruce T. Shell.
Vice-Chairman Robert G. Greer and Commissioner Nancy H. Pritchett were absent.
City Council members present were: City of Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo; City of Wilmington Mayor Pro
Tem Jim Quinn; City of Wilmington Council Member Pat Delair; City of Wilmington Council Member Lethia
Hankins; City of Wilmington Council Member Laura Padgett and City of Wilmington Council Member Earl
Sheridan.
Chairman Caster and City of Wilmington Mayor Saffo called their respective Boards to order, welcomed
those present and announced that the purpose of the meeting is to receive a presentation of the Homeless Plan by the
Mayor?s Steering Committee for the Development of a Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness.
INTRODUCTIONS
Wendell Daniels, Steering Committee Co-Chair, Cape Fear Region Ten Year Plan Steering Committee
introduced the committee members and welcomed those present.
PRESENTATION OF THE VISION, MISSION, GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND THE PLANNING
PROCESS
Ruth Peebles, Consultant, the INS Group, reported that in early fall 2006, the City of Wilmington and New
Hanover County formed a partnership to develop a Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness and Reduce
Homelessness in the Cape Fear Region.
The Management Advisory Team met weekly to provide oversight. The fifty-plus member Steering
Committee participated in seven full committee meetings and monthly subcommittee meetings. The four
subcommittees are: Prevention and Engagement; Services and Support; Transition to Independence; and Permanent
Housing. Community forums were held in Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender Counties with over 200
individuals participating, as well as focus groups being held with the homeless and previously homeless in the three
counties. A business roundtable meeting was held with regional business leaders.
Ms. Peebles presented the following vision, mission and guiding principles:
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Vision - Within ten years, every person in the Cape Fear Region will have access to permanent, safe,
and affordable housing with the needed resources and support for self-sufficiency and well-being.
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Mission - To end the cycle of homelessness, the Cape Fear Region will provide comprehensive support
services and housing opportunities for all residents.
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Guiding Principles:
? Inclusiveness
? Collaborative and coordinated effort
? Outcome-driven
? Research-based
? Maximize resources and minimal duplication
PRESENTATION OF HOMELESSNESS
Pam Wyatt, Cape Fear Area United Way and Steering Committee Member, presented an overview of
homelessness stating that chronically homeless is defined as an unaccompanied, disabled individual who has been
persistently homeless for more than a year or who has been homeless for four or more episodes over a three year
period.
According to the January 2007 Point-in-Time Count, there were 623 homeless people in the Cape Fear
Region. The 2007 Point-in-Time Count revealed:
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Almost 16% of the homeless are children
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59% are women
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40% are employed
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71% have their high school diploma or GED, some college or college degree
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Almost 22% are seriously mentally ill
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15% are Veterans
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In the Cape Fear Region almost 34% are chronically homeless
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National statistics state that 10-15% are chronically homeless
Chronically homeless individuals and homeless families use significant amounts of public funding, whether
through targeted homeless programs or through emergency or inpatient medical treatment, public safety and
criminal justice systems, or public resources. Those who are chronically homeless present the greatest challenges to
NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERSBOOK 31
JOINT MEETING WITH WILMINGTON CITY COUNCIL, AUGUST 22, 2007 PAGE 172
communities in terms of resources consumed. Nationally, 10 to 15 percent of the chronically homeless that use
emergency shelters throughout the year use 50 percent or more of all emergency shelter resources in those
communities.
Homeless inmates significantly impact facility costs through associated medical, dental, and housing
expenses. Wilmington Police Department reports that approximately sixty-four man hours are used per day to
address the current number of homeless, in the amount of $1,006.08 per day, based on the average hourly rate.
Homeless individuals often use the emergency services at local hospitals as clinics or primary care
facilities. The New Hanover Health Network, a regional health care system in the Cape Fear Region, treated 1,233
homeless patients during 2006 at a cost or loss of $523,892.
PRESENTATION ON THE GOALS OF THE TEN YEAR PLAN
Ms. Wyatt continued reporting that the Ten Year Plan builds on the existing resources of various service
agencies by reinvesting and redirecting current resources. Implementation of the plan is a substantial undertaking
that, to be successful, requires a community effort from local and state elected officials, human service providers,
the private sector, faith entities, and citizens throughout the Cape Fear Region. The implementation portion of the
plan must have a defined structure, clear roles and responsibilities, and a long-term commitment from all partners to
achieve the following goals:
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Goal One ? Provide prevention and supportive services to prevent persons from becoming chronically
homeless and enable those who are chronically homeless to move to and remain in a stable housing
situation and maximize their self-sufficiency.
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Goal Two ? Provide permanent housing for the homeless.
In summary, the proposed plan will increase the odds of success; help focus limited resources on important
outcomes; and lower the investment on means or strategies that do not work. The proposed plan justifies funding
for specified results; helps those who are homeless; and makes the Cape Fear Region a more pleasant and inviting
place to work, live and visit.
PRESENTATION OF IMPLEMENTATION AND NEXT STEPS
Spiro Macris, Co-Chair, Cape Fear Region Ten Year Plan Steering Committee, presented an overview of
current shelters and housing options:
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Good Shepherd Ministries ? night shelter serving thirty families and eighty-eight individuals
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Driftwood ? fourteen units providing permanent supportive housing
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The Arc ? four duplexes providing permanent supportive housing
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Fourth Quarter ? provides transitional housing for twenty six
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Langdon House ? provides three apartments for transitional housing
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Ashley ? provides twenty-three beds for transitional housing
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Hopewood ? provides twelve units for individuals and four units for families for transitional housing
Dr. Macris presented the following proposed eight-member Executive Board stating that the composition of
the Board could be revised to include a representative from the hospital and community college:
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Mayor of City of Wilmington or Representative
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New Hanover County Board of Commissioners Chair or Representative
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Pender County Board of Commissioners Chair or Representative
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Brunswick County Board of Commissioners Chair or Representative
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Cape Fear Area United Way Representative
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Business Roundtable Chair
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University of North Carolina ? Wilmington Representative
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Tri-county Homeless Interagency Council Representative
The following timeline was proposed for implementation:
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January 1, 2008 - June 30, 2008 - start up in the amount of $59,550
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July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009 - $109,900
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July 2, 2009 - June 20, 2010 - $113,160
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Total project cost estimated to be in the amount of $282,610
These amounts include personnel costs for a Project Manager and Administrative Assistant, office supplies,
computers, printing, phone, postage, and marketing and public relations costs.
The proposed budget for the implementation phase over the next 2½ years was presented as follows:
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City of Wilmington - $100,000
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New Hanover County - $100,000
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Burgaw and Pender County - $40,000
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Leland and Brunswick County - $40,000
NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERSBOOK 31
JOINT MEETING WITH WILMINGTON CITY COUNCIL, AUGUST 22, 2007 PAGE 173
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Total in the amount of $280,000 for the implementation phase
In closing, Dr. Macris presented the next steps in the process:
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Work sessions to be conducted with Brunswick and Pender Counties to present the draft plan.
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Presentation of the final plan for formal adoption of resolution of endorsement of the Plan to the City
of Wilmington Council Members and Boards of Commissioners in Brunswick, New Hanover and
Pender Counties.
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Presentation of the final plan to the community through a press conference and public hearings in
October 2007.
A brief question and answer period followed as well as suggestions for clarifying details of the final plan
and comments stating the need for affordable housing in the county.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, Chairman Caster and City of Wilmington Mayor Saffo adjourned their
respective Boards at 7:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sheila L. Schult
Clerk to the Board