Community leaders demand urgent action on homeless data

During a recent government meeting, officials expressed frustration over the slow progress in obtaining accurate data on homelessness in the area. One participant highlighted the difficulty in setting effective policies without a clear report on the number of homeless individuals, emphasizing that it has taken six months to count just 60 people. This delay has raised concerns about the efficiency of communication between city leadership and community health organizations.

In response to inquiries about staffing, it was clarified that two part-time employees are currently serving Citrus Heights, each working 20 hours a week. This arrangement totals a full-time equivalent of 40 hours, but the division of hours means that there is no coverage on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Officials acknowledged the need for better tracking of services provided, noting that employees log their time and activities in a payroll system, which is then reported to the county.

The discussion also touched on the outreach efforts of Community Health Works, which collaborates with various jurisdictions to provide services. While the current staffing model has its limitations, officials assured that urgent needs could still be addressed by reaching out to supervisors or other community health workers.

Overall, the meeting underscored the ongoing challenges in addressing homelessness and the importance of effective data collection and resource allocation to improve community health services.