The following is a description of what applicants have been directed to via national newspaper advertisements for a Santa Monica homeless liaison at http://LeadershipOnHomelessInitiatives.smgov.net/ Because no regional entity is currently prepared to engage such a leader, the city of Santa Monica seeks to engage a representative for homeless initiatives who will act regionally while serving locally. This direction-setter will create and implement new approaches and expand successful models.
The brief for the representative for homeless initiatives includes: ■ Obtaining the necessary federal, state and regional resources to assure full implementation of initiatives. ■ Identifying and promoting the implementation of best practices to reduce chronic homelessness. ■ Achieving an alternative sentencing system for homeless individuals. ■ Establishing partnerships with hospitals to determine their current costs to serve homeless individuals for emergency and long-term care, and securing their financial support. ■ Fostering development of long-term therapeutic supportive housing for chronically homeless veterans in currently unused buildings. ■ Securing a year-round, 24-hour emergency shelter, transitional housing and long-term therapeutic supportive housing for the non-Veteran homeless. ■ Developing additional new paradigms for addressing homelessness in Santa Monica and across the region. ■ Developing regional consensus by seeking advice and support from top management of Los Angeles County and the cities of Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Culver City and Los Angeles. ■ Coordinating his or her work with efforts to end chronic homelessness in greater Los Angeles.
Terms of engagement The representative for homeless initiatives will serve for an initial period of 18 months, reporting directly to the City Manager, who will ensure appropriate support from all city departments.
An ad hoc committee of the City Council will provide policy support. Expert advice regarding mental health, housing, the law, law enforcement and other fields related to the issues of homelessness is available and the individual selected may wish to assemble a working group of advisors.
A fee of $200,000 will support the engagement for the initial 12 months, with the subsequent six months to be included in the 2006/07 city budget. Extension of the assignment beyond 18 months will be by mutual agreement.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 2, 2005. Read the original PDF.