Creating Smart Solutions to Homelessness: A Countywide Community Engagement Summit

Creating Smart Solutions to Homelessness:
A Countywide Community Engagement Summit

Saturday, Dec. 1 **10am - 4pm**
Cabrillo College (Dining Room in Building 900)
Lunch and snacks provided

What can we do about Homelessness in Santa Cruz County? The question itself strikes a passionate chord, with strong and divergent views in the community. There are many public and community based organizations providing programs and services to people who are homeless. Law enforcement and emergency response resources are used to address symptoms of homelessness. Neighborhoods, parks and business districts are impacted by homelessness, often in significant ways. However there is common ground - we all want less homelessness.

No single entity or program can address these issues on their own. We need a community-wide response and that means each and every one of us has a part to play.

Would you like to be part of the solution? Please join us at a community-built and countywide conference on homelessness with these objectives:

· Create broader and more diverse community engagement on homelessness.
· Develop better communication & coordination among those concerned about these issues.
· Improve understanding of the realities of homelessness in Santa Cruz County.
· Share information about proven, successful models and solutions working in other communities including some that are taking shape in Santa Cruz County.
· Develop a shared vision for change and agreed upon action steps.
· Form an ongoing community leadership group to carry the work forward on shaping policies to address homelessness.

We are seeking participation from all geographic areas of Santa Cruz County and representatives from all stakeholder groups including business, faith-based organizations, service providers, neighborhood groups and service clubs, law enforcement, elected officials, professionals, and people who are homeless or formerly homeless. Spanish language translation will be provided.

Event registration is required - go to eventbrite at http://www.smartsolutionstohomelessness.org to sign up. If you have questions please contact Phil Kramer, Project Coordinator at phil [at] smartsolutionstohomelessness.org or call (831) 334-4976

We look forward to your participation -

John Leopold - Chair, County Board of Supervisors
Don Lane - Mayor, City of Santa Cruz
Eduardo Montesino - Mayor, City of Watsonville
Mary Lou Goeke - Executive Director, United Way of Santa Cruz County
Lance Linares - Chief Executive Officer, Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County
Gary Merrill - Executive Director, Santa Cruz County Business Council
Christine Sippl - Director, County of Santa Cruz Homeless Persons Health Project
Linda Lemaster - Formerly Homeless Parent & Continuum of Care Evaluation Committee