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Homeless Services
City Council Adopted Goals and Strategic Priorities includes Housing and Homelessness as one of six goal areas of prioritization during the FY 22-23 and 23-24 budget cycle. Enhancing emergency sheltering services and reducing the number of unsheltered individuals using collaborative strategies were included as objectives to addressing the goal area. This page will be updated as we continue to make progress in this goal area.
Guided by the FY 22-23 and 23-24 City Council Adopted Goals and Strategic Priorities, the City initiated strategic planning to address homelessness in Paso Robles in May of 2023. Recognizing the complexity of issues related to homelessness, the City commissioned a working group comprised of a cross section of key City staff, several members of the former Unhoused Futures Studies Task Force, members of the Paso Robles Community who have “lived” homeless experiences, and representatives from stakeholder agencies and organizations to develop the plan.
The group met several times during the summer and fall of 2023. Having conducted a “SWOT” (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis, the group used feedback collected at two public meetings and through an online feedback form, to develop and refine six areas of focus that aligned with the San Luis Obispo Countywide Plan to Address Homelessness.
Subsequently, the working group and City staff worked collaboratively to develop goals and objectives in each area.
City Council approved the strategic plan on December 5, 2023 with the understanding that staff will bring the item back to Council as part of the upcoming 2 year budget cycle planning process. At that time, City Council will have the opportunity to review and consider the costs associated with funding a Homeless Services Manager position to execute the plan.
View the plan here
Update: This grant application was not funded. (September 18, 2023).
On April 4, 2023, City Council approved the submission of a letter in support of the San Luis Obispo County’s application for Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF). If granted, the funds will be used to establish a 20-unit supportive housing campus in Paso Robles with wrap around supportive services to address mental health, addiction, and other factors contributing to homelessness. Staff will return to City Council with a full implementation plan if the funds are granted. This would include discussion regarding site selection and designation. Click here for more information about this project.
On August 16, 2022, City Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ECHO Paso Robles that will provide ECHO with $444,000 over the next 2 years if they continue to maintain 50 emergency shelter beds, establish a community stakeholder committee, and provide quarterly accounting and statistical reports to the City in addition to other criteria outlined in the MOU. Click here for more information.
FY 22-23
In early 2022, the Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce (Chamber), through a partnership with the City, retained Bill Whalen and Associates, Inc. to facilitate a futures-oriented discussion on homelessness in Paso Robles. In February 2022, the Chamber solicited applications to join the Unhoused5 Futures Studies Task Force (UFSTF). Those requesting to join the UFSTF represented a broad cross-section of the community, and ultimately 16 were selected to join the UFSTF.
Futures studies are robust, holistic, and systematic ways to evaluate past and present social, technological, environmental, economic, and political trends and events that relate to a particular challenge being explored. Future scenarios can be developed through this analysis, and the impact of future trends and events can be better understood. The scenarios range from the possible to the probable, emphasizing the preferable. Futures studies are not about predicting the future. They are about understanding the interrelationship of the various trends and events to the challenge being explored. Through this understanding, policymakers can apply strategic analysis to reach the preferable future scenario.