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<br />REPORT <br /> <br />7A <br />Page 1 <br /> <br />To the Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From the Housing and Human Concerns Committee <br /> <br />January 251 2010 <br /> <br />SUBJECT <br />Continued Funding for Human Services Financial Assistance Program and Redwood <br />Family House <br /> <br />RECOMMENDA liON <br />The Housing and Human Concerns Committee recommends that the City continue to <br />fund the Human Services Financial Assistance Program (HSFA) and Redwood Family <br />House at current levels and that if any reductions need to be made, they be done <br />proportionate to the percentage taken Citywide. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br />Now, more than ever, at the same time that the City is facing difficult budget challenges, <br />members of our community are being critically impacted by the current economic <br />downturn and state budget crisis. Because of this, it is more important than ever to <br />continue funding for HSFA and Redwood Family House. <br /> <br />Local food program providers have seen a 30% to 500/0 increase in the number of <br />people seeking food assistance. The County Human Services Agency has seen a 42% <br />increase in people requesting public assistance - many whom do not qualify due to the <br />low income threshold for cash assistance. The Fair Oaks Community Center has seen a <br />300/0 increase in the number of households requesting rental or deposit assistance. <br />CORA has seen a 44% increase in domestic violence calls. [see Appendix 8, <br />Economic Well Being Indicators, County Economic Urgency Response Team; Appendix <br />C, Second Harvest Food Bank Redwood City Based Services] Families and individuals <br />who have never needed assistance before are seeking services for the first time. <br /> <br />In addition, state budget measures are also adversely impacting some of the most <br />vulnerable members of our community - due to cutbacks in home care support <br />services, reductions in state funded disability benefits, reductions in funding for <br />domestic violence services and senior food programs like senior brown bag. <br /> <br />Many community members are only able to hang on thanks to the critical support they <br />receive through the non-profit agencies supported by the City: <br /> <br />IJ Due to budget cuts, which prompted a change in eligibility criteria, the Smith 1 <br />family was slated to no longer receive State funded in home support services for <br />their one-year old child who suffers from a terminal neurological disease. They <br />turned to the Ombudsman Service of San Mateo County, which provided them <br />information and referral services to help them appeal the ruling and explore other <br />options in the event that the support is indeed discontinued. As a result the family <br />has been able to secure a temporary "continuance" of their benefits while their <br />case is on appeal. <br />