City of Pomona - Homeless Services

Homeless Services - 909-620-2571

HOMELESS SERVICES OVERVIEW 7.0 homeless

The City of Pomona plans, coordinates and organizes strategies to assist the City's homeless population in collaboration with other public and private organizations.

The Homeless Services Coordinator oversees the services provided to assist the homeless in the City. Responsibilities include the development of Pomona's Continuum of Care Plan, the implementation of the Homeless Response Program, and the administration of the Emergency Shelter Grant and Supporting Housing Program grants. The Homeless Services Coordinator also serves as a liaison for homeless issues at the local, regional, county and state levels.

The County of Los Angeles through Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) has the primary responsibility for providing regional homeless services. The City of Pomona provides the above additional services to assist the homeless community within the City.

HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

EMERGENCY SHELTER GRANT

Funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Emergency Shelter Grant Program is designed to help improve the quality of emergency shelters and transitional housing for the homeless. The type of activities which are eligible for funding under this program include:

Shelter Operations to meet the costs of operating emergency shelters;

Essential Services to provide necessary social services in the community to homeless families and individuals; and

Homeless Prevention to provide assistance to at-risk families through emergency assistance with deposit, rental and utility costs.

SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM

Funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Supportive Housing Program provides supportive housing and services to assist homeless persons in the transition from homelessness into permanent housing and maximum self-sufficiency.

Within the City of Pomona there are several Supportive Housing Programs that assist homeless individuals and families, victims of domestic violence, persons with disabilities and those with histories of substance abuse.

THE POMONA HOMELESS OUTREACH PROGRAM

The Pomona Homeless Outreach Program consists of a mobile Outreach Team, The Homeless Services Coordinator, and a City Homeless Liaison. The Team provides street outreach by vehicle and by foot. Street Outreach, Case management, and referrals are provided to homeless families and individuals through this program. Homeless clients are provided guidance in the identification of barriers to overcoming homelessness and the development of a plan to address these challenges. The Team then assists clients at a highly supportive level to address those needs which may include accessing mainstream services, increasing income, developing self-determination, and accessing shelter and housing.

COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTORY

This online directory is designed to give the residents of Pomona direct access to information regarding local community services, as well as local, county and federal government agencies.

To access this directory click here - Pomona Community Links

THE POMONA CONTINUUM OF CARE COALITION

Established in 1999, the Pomona Continuum of Care Coalition provides a means for stakeholders to work together to address the issues surrounding homelessness. The Coalition is comprised of over 40 agencies including service providers, advocates, faith-based organizations, local government representatives, and county departments, as well as, homeless and formerly homeless people and concerned citizens. Meeting monthly, the Coalition shares information, maximizes resources and minimizes duplication of effort. The result of this collaborative effort is that those at-risk from becoming homeless are provided the support they need to remain housed and that persons and families that are homeless are provided with an accessible system of services that supports movement from homelessness to stability.

THE COALTION MEETS THE FIRST
THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH

From the Heart Church Ministries
8:30am-10:30am
655 N. Mills Ave.
Pomona, CA 91767

For more information about the PCOCC
Please contact Elizabeth Leon
City of Pomona's Homeless Services Laison
909-620-2116 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FOR HOMELESS SERVICES

The City of Pomona's Continuum of Care is organized to deliver housing and services to meet the specific needs of people who are homeless within our community. By calculating the need, identifying the existing resources and prioritizing identified gaps we strategically address the issue of homelessness

Through funding sources such as the Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), Supportive Housing Program (SHP), Shelter Plus Care (S+C), the Section 8 Program and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG); emergency, transitional, and permanent forms of housing have been supported. Although not a complete solution, these programs, combined with services and other sources of funding, bring us closer to the goal of a seamless and comprehensive system of care for the homeless.

Fundamental Components of a Continuum of Care System

The fundamental components of a comprehensive Continuum of Care system include:

Prevention: Stabilization services and activities that assist those individuals and families at risk of homelessness to maintain their housing.

Outreach, intake, and assessment: Services to identify and address an individual's or families' needs. Linkage to immediate and on-going supportive services is provided. Outreach begins to develop trust and rapport with the most vulnerable of the homeless population who may be unable or unable to accept shelter.

Emergency shelter: A safe, secure, but temporary place for individuals and families to reside while they seek more permanent housing or the supportive services needed to help them prepare to live in permanent housing.

Transitional housing: Longer-term (generally up to 24 months) housing with supportive services. The housing accompanied by services provides a period of stability, continue recovery, if necessary, and skills development that enables people who are homeless to successfully transition to and maintain permanent housing.

Permanent Housing and Permanent Supportive Housing: Long-term safe, decent, and affordable housing for those individuals and families that have transitioned from homelessness to self-sufficiency.

Supportive Services: Those support services needed for a person to move towards self-sufficiency and independent living.
Volunteer Program: 909-524-9822 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

COMMUNITY GRANTS

Weed and Seed Program

The City of Pomona Weed and Seed Program, a community-based strategy sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), is an innovative, comprehensive multiagency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, and community revitalization. Weed and Seed is foremost a strategy that aims to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in the designated Weed and Seed area.

The designated Weed and Seed area is located in the southern region of Pomona, with a northern border of Lexington Avenue, a southern border of California Hwy 60, a western border of Hwy 71, and an eastern border of Reservoir Street. The site area encompasses three (3) police reporting districts (#83, #84 and #87), three (3) census tracts (4031.01, 4029.02 and 4029.01) and has a population of close to 15,000 residents.

Focused Service Goals

The following represent the goals of focused service within the designated Weed and Seed area:

Law Enforcement: Reduce the incidents of drug and gang activity. Increase incidence of crime reporting by area residents.
Community Policing: Encourage resident reporting of all illegal weapons, drug and gang activity. Increase neighborhood watch efforts and crime prevention strategies.
Prevention/Intervention/Treatment: Provide focused services for at-risk youth and families within the designated area or at determined Safe Haven Sites. Services should focus on prevention, intervention and treatment services to the youth and/or adults of the site area. The goal is to improve the overall quality of services to residents.
Neighborhood Restoration: Improve neighborhoods and increase economic development opportunities within the targeted area.