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HOMELESS AND OTHER SPECIAL NEEDS ACTIVITIES See Action Plan Table for this year's activities. Implementation of the County-wide Homeless Continuum of Care Plan and tl:e Homeless and Special Needs Housing Plan Alameda County, the City of Berkeley and the City of Oakland and others have completed a long-term special needs housing process resulting in the F.veryOne Home Plan which seeks to address the housing-related needs of persons with serious mental illness, those living with HIV/AIDS, and those who are homeless. "the T'veryOne Home Plan retlects an increased recognition among health care and services agencies throughout Alameda County that affordable housing is crucial to the achievement of public and mental health program outcomes. Without stable, decent, and affordable housing efforts to promote public and mental health among low income populations in the County are compromised. Public and mental health funding investments may be wasted when their clients lose their housing. "fhe creation of an integrated, regional response offers a number of measurable, outcome-oriented alternatives to the current model. Alameda County has a history of collaborative efforts, but until now they have been focused primarily at the consumer or provider level -not at the systems level. Making adjustments and changes at the systems level requires active participation by top community leaders and government representatives. Moving towards this preferred filture requires that elected officials, as well as civic, business, and faith leaders recognize and commit to a regional approach that will include such outcomes as: Increased efficiency and effectiveness of local and regional housing and supportive service programs through sharing of information, planning, clients, resources, and responsibility across the multiple systems that must work together to address common issues. 2. More coordination of government and philanthropic funding. National research has demonstrated that an integrated approach to long-term homelessness can significantly reduce overall expenditures. 3. Increased local capacity to attract competitive grants from federal, state, and philanthropic sources that can augment existing housing and service systems and support the replication of emerging promising practice models. 4. Increased public interest and support for creative solutions to homelessness, excitement about and involvement in regional efforts, and willingness to support the creation of a new local or regional revenue stream. Action Plan - FY07 City of Pleasanton Page 24