Mixed messages from survey on homelessness

10% either did not respond or claimed to not know.

The top concerns were:

Trash/rubbish, 85%.

Public safety, 68%.

Homelessness creating and increasing crime, 57%.

The three biggest barriers to stable housing were seen as:

Mental health, 77%.

Substance use, 67%.

Refusal to access shelter, 45%.

The most needed services were:

Help locating/accessing mental health services, 61%.

Help locating/substance use services, 49%.

Affordable housing with supportive services onsite, 46%.

Trash removal, 40%.

Job training, 32%.

When you look at the responses from the 31 unhoused folks who took the survey (done in the field directly), there is a significant difference.

In terms of most needed services, they had:

Housing with affordable rent, 75%.

Assistance paying utilities, 62%.

Mental health services, 62%.

Emergency shelter, 50%.

Housing with supportive services, 50%.

In the area of concerns, they listed as the services most needed and not received:

Housing with affordable rent, 62%.

Legal camping/parking area, 50%.

Assistance with housing deposits, 50%.

What stands out is that when it comes to biggest concerns, the residents do not focus on housing or even care for the homeless but rather their biggest concerns are for their visuals and danger to themselves.

When considering approaches to the problems, we see a little more focus on housing in some areas but still some wide gaps in emphasis – with the unsheltered going directly into housing of any sort as their highest unmet need.

Mental health services are common ground. How to

Grand Jury, from page 1 Concord council looks to pick Master Developer

• Coordinating with the East Bay Regional Park District in 2019 regarding Thurgood Marshall Regional Park.

Looking Into Cityfunding

The grand jury launched an extensive investigation following a citizen complaint about city money spent on the project. The 46-page report makes a variety of recommendations to address “a series of prior missteps” and to “accelerate the productive utilization” of the area.

The grand jury reviewed a June 2022 report that showed city expenditures of $37.4 million, which includes federal grants, state redevelopment money, developer funds and city loans. Expenses paid with city loans totaled $14.06 million as of February 2020.

In response to Roberts’ suggestions on improving the reporting process, Bjerke said the city will update the February 2020 report and associated table of expenditures and will implement annual reporting on city loans to the LRA. The city will also release a record of deposits and refunds to Concord First Partners (CFP) by Sept. 30.

The report advises the city to find funding sources other than its self-insured workers compensation fund. Bjerke countered that the city is not self-insured for workers compensation claims, but only for its deductibles.

“The current loan from this fund is not creating undue risk to the fund in that it is funded to

Toyota, from page 1 scheduled this season, slated to end Oct. 2 with a Sting concert.

That 2013 contract with Live Nation allowed for a name change should a suitable sponsor be found.

“We’re thrilled to announce Toyota as our partner for this beloved venue,” said Andy Peikon, Live Nation’s Senior Vice President and Head of Venue Sales. “With over 40 years of involvement in the Concord community, this partnership allows Toyota to connect with local fans during memorable live

90% certainty,” he said.

He also noted that the most recent loan to the LRA –$530,000 on June 13 – comes from unallocated General Funds.

Questionsabout Developerselections

The report addresses problems with the 2016 selection of Lennar as the first master developer, including the decision to remove a staff recommendation for Catellus, the competing developer, from the final staff report. A subsequent investigation, called the Jenkins Report, found that the city violated the Brown Act after several council members met privately with the city manager about the matter.

According to Bjerke, the city agrees with all grand jury conclusions regarding the Jenkins Report but will not implement the proposals regarding how the city paid for the report.

Concord’s negotiations with Lennar ended in 2020 over a local project labor agreement. The council then selected CFP as the new master developer in August 2021.

After 16 months of delays –and mounting concerns about the developer’s financial wherewithal, the council rejected CFP’s Term Sheet in January 2023.

According to the grand jury review, financial information CFP submitted to the city was incomplete, and the city did not perform “due diligence” to con-

music experiences that matter so much to them.”

firm that CFP partners had “sufficient financial strength to undertake and successfully complete a project of this scale.” The city’s response says they agree with all grand jury findings regarding the lack of information about CFP’s finances.

In addition, Roberts said the council should consider adding language that incomplete or nonresponsive submissions may lead to disqualification of an applicant. Bjerke said the city has already approved the next master developer selection process without such a clause. “However, the City Council has full discretion to reject respondents based on incomplete or nonresponsive submissions as outlined in Appendix F of the RFQ (Request for Qualifications),” he wrote.

Bjerke noted that the LRA has specified that there will be no extensions or second requests for missing information in the RFQ or RFP (Request for theatre and orchestra companies.

Proposals) process. Meanwhile, he said the city will not implement a recommendation that LRA staff and designated consultants be the sole evaluators of RFQ or RFP responses.

“The City Council are the directly elected governing representatives of the community and it falls within their scope of authority and responsibilities to make the decision on which firm the LRA will work with as a master developer for the CNWS project,” says the city’s response, signed by City Manager Valerie Barone.

The LRA discussed the letter at the Aug. 8 meeting and sent the response on Aug. 9. According to Bjerke, the Civil Grand Jury has no authority to oversee any changes.

“It’s the report that is the punchline, so to speak,” he told the Pioneer. “The idea is the city responds and we make commitments to take some corrective action and we will do so.” achieve the application of those services is the problem in that they cannot be forced and the 5150 “danger to yourself and others” has been ineffective.

Letter to the Editor