Report Prepared by: Steve Carrigan, City Manager
Title
SUBJECT: City Council Response to 2015-2016 Grand Jury Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
City Council Response to the 2015-2016 Grand Jury Report Regarding Merced County’s Efforts to End Homelessness.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion approving the response to the 2015-2016 Grand Jury Investigation (No. 15-08-17) regarding Efforts to End Homelessness and authorizing the submittal of the response to the Merced County Civil Grand Jury by the Mayor.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
Direct staff to make revisions to the draft response.
AUTHORITY
City of Merced Charter, Section 200
Penal Code sections 933 and 933.05
DISCUSSION
Pursuant to California Penal Code section 925a, civil grand juries are authorized to
“. . . investigate and report upon the operations, accounts, and records of the officers, departments, functions, and the method or system of performing the duties of any such city or joint powers agency and make such recommendations as it may deem proper and fit.” The investigations are summarized in written reports issued by the civil grand jury during their term. These reports are compiled and assembled into a Final Report which is typically released at the end of the grand jury’s term.
During the 2014-2015 term of the Merced County Civil Grand Jury (MCCGJ), members of the grand jury voted to conduct an investigation concerning the issue of homelessness in Merced County. However, due to time constraints that investigation was not completed and was instead referred to the 2015-2016 MCCGJ for investigation. In August 2015, the 2015-2016 MCCGJ voted to adopt the investigation and thereafter commenced their investigation into the matter. Their report on the matter, entitled “Merced County’s Efforts to End Homelessness” was included in the 2015-2016 Grand Jury Final Report, which was released at the end of July 2016.
The full investigation report regarding Merced County’s Efforts to End Homelessness is attached to this Administrative Report. This report does not make any negative findings about the City of Merced. Instead, MCCGJ commended the City for their efforts in initiating a constructive program for dealing with the homeless issue. The MCCGJ recommended that the City continue work with community organizations and other local governments to address the issue of homelessness and to continue to support the Continuum of Care (“CoC”). The grand jury also recommended that the City continue to seek funds from federal and state government agencies that can be used to provide aid in combating homelessness in our area.
Pursuant to Penal Code sections 933 and 933.05, a written response to the recommendations contained in the Grand Jury report is required to be submitted to the presiding judge of the superior court by the Mayor. The MCCGJ requested a response from the City regarding its recommendations. Pursuant to Penal Code section 933.05, subdivision (b), when responding to the Grand Jury’s recommendation, the City is required to indicate one of the following actions:
(1) The recommendation has been implemented, with a summary regarding the implemented action;
(2) The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future, with a timeframe for implementation;
(3) The recommendation requires further analysis; or
(4) The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable, with an explanation therefor.
This year, as part of the HUD 2016 Annual Action Plan, the City approved $38,000 in funding from Community Development Block Grant funds to the CoC. The purpose of this funding is to increase community involvement and the number of programs applying for state and federal grant money to assist the homeless. Moreover, as it has in the past, the City continues to seek out funds from federal and state government agencies that can be used to provide aid in combating homelessness in our City. Accordingly, the attached Response to the Grand Jury report confirms that the City has implemented their recommendation and details our efforts in that regard.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
None.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Grand Jury Report Concerning Merced County’s Efforts to End Homelessness (Investigation No. 15-08-17)
2. Draft Response to the Civil Grand Jury’s Request