Homless action table

REPORT TO COUNCIL To:

Mayor Schaffer and Councillors

Subject

Homelessness Action Table

From:

Francis Cheung, P. Eng. Chief Administrative Officer

Date:

February 2, 2017

Report #: File #: Doc #:

RECOMMENDATION: THAT City Council endorse the Terms of Reference for the Homelessness Action Table.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this report is to seek approval from City Council to endorse the Terms of Reference for the Homelessness Action Table.

POLICY: Creation of Task Groups Guiding Principles Policy No: CO-59

COMMENTS/ANALYSIS: The City completed the Homelessness Strategic Plan in 2016 in collaboration with Provincial ministries, the Fraser Health Authority, the Township of Langley, and social services agencies in the community.

A couple of strategies identified under the focus area of Collaboration and Capacity Building include:

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To: Mayor Schaffer and Councillors Date: February 2, 2017 Subject: Homelessness Action Table Page 2

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Form a Homelessness Action Table to create a forum dedicated to discussing homelessness issues in the Langleys and make recommendations on actions aligned with the Homelessness Strategic Plan.

Create a partnership between the City of Langley and the Township of Langley to identify projects of mutual interest and key areas of collaboration in addressing and preventing homelessness.

To this end, City Council is proposing to establish a Homelessness Action Table to achieve the objectives of these two strategies. Homelessness has continued to grow in our communities over the years. Limited affordable and suitable housing; poverty; circumstantial situations; unemployment and financial hurdles; mental health issues; addiction; family violence and breakdown are some of the contributing pathways into homelessness. It is our hope that the Homelessness Action Table will be able to implement a large number of the strategies identified in the Homelessness Strategic Plan, as well as track and report on progress and advocate for projects and funding to address and prevent homelessness. The Homelessness Action Table, in effect, replaces the Langley Homelessness Steering Committee that was disbanded after 2015.

The City has requested the Township of Langley to appoint one member of Township of Langley Council to join us at the table. Township of Langley Council has resolved to decline the request for a joint partnership with the City of Langley at this time, as Metro Vancouver is currently working on a regional plan and has a Task Force in place. Therefore, they would like to wait for those results before proceeding with an additional plan.

BUDGET IMPLICATIONS: Not applicable at this time.

ALTERNATIVES: That the Terms of Reference for the Homelessness Action Table be amended.

That City Council declines to create the Homelessness Action Table.

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To: Mayor Schaffer and Councillors Date: February 2, 2017 Subject: Homelessness Action Table Page 3

Respectfully Submitted,

__________________________ Francis Cheung, P. Eng. Chief Administrative Officer Attachment:

Terms of Reference, Homelessness Action Table

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Terms of Reference Homelessness Action Table

Background: The Homelessness Action Table (HAT) is an advisory coalition of various levels of government, social service agencies and faith based organizations dedicated to discussing homelessness issues in Langley and making recommendations on actions aligned with the Homelessness Strategic Plan.

1.0 Mandate: The Homelessness Action Table (HAT) is responsible for implementing a large portion of strategies in the Langley Homelessness Strategic Plan, as well as track and report on progress, and advocate for projects and funding. The HAT provides an opportunity to facilitate collaboration and partnership between community based agencies and the municipalities in implementing Langley’s Homelessness Strategic Plan.

3.0 Composition: 3.1 Membership:              

One representative from the Member of Parliament’s Cloverdale-Langley City Office One representative from the Member of Legislative Assembly’s Langley Office One representative from the Member of Legislative Assembly’s Fort LangleyAldergrove Office One member of Council from the City of Langley One member of Council from the Township of Langley One representative from the Langley RCMP One representative from the Stepping Stone Community Services Society One representative from the Gateway of Hope One representative from Encompass Community Services Society One representative from the Langley Community Services Society One representative from a local faith-based organization One representative from the Fraser Health Authority One representative from BC Housing One representative from the Ministry of Children, Family & Development Services

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Terms of Reference Homelessness Action Table Page 2

The Homelessness Action Table may invite other municipalities, community groups and organizations to provide input and expertise in order to fulfill the mandates of the Homelessness Action Table.

The Chair of the Homelessness Action Table shall be elected from amongst its representatives.

3.2 Staff Liaison  City of Langley  Additional staff and/or consultants may be invited to provide technical advice and assistance 4.0 Reporting Relationship: The Homelessness Action Table will report to the municipal Council of the City of Langley through its meeting notes and by making recommendations to the municipal Council of the City of Langley.

5.0 Accountability: The Homelessness Action Table is accountable to the municipal Council of the City of Langley. The Homeless Action Table will not have the authority to give direction to staff or to commit to expenditures of funds.

6.0 Administration: The City of Langley will provide secretarial services for the meeting.

7.0 Meetings: The Homelessness Action Table shall meet quarterly, or at the call of the Chair, at the Gateway of Hope facility.

A quorum shall be a majority of the total voting membership.

8.0 Terms: The terms of the Homelessness Action Table shall cease on December 31 of each year.

The terms may be extended to allow the Homelessness Action Table to fulfill its mandate.

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