City Council Meeting: January 9,
2007
Agenda Item: 1-H
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Gordon R. Anderson, Assistant City Manager
Subject: Approval
of Receipt of $35,000 from the California
Endowment For A Statewide Homeless
Community Court Conference
Staff recommends that the
City Council authorize the City Manager to accept $35,000 from the California Endowment
for a statewide homeless community court conference.
In support of
the City’s efforts to reduce the impact of homelessness on residents of Santa Monica and to
stimulate regional action on the issue of homelessness, the Special
Representative for Homeless Initiatives, Ed Edelman,
secured a commitment from the California Endowment to fund a statewide conference
on homeless community courts. These problem solving courts have proven
successful around the country in establishing collaboration between courts and
the local community to link quality of life offenders with appropriate
treatment or alternative community service.
Discussion
The City of Santa Monica is currently
establishing a homeless community court on a pilot basis with funds granted by
LA County. While the California Court system has been a national leader in
collaborative justice and innovative solutions such as Homeless Courts, this
conference will explore additional ways that the courts can collaborate with
the community towards a comprehensive approach to achieving justice, preventing
re-offense and reducing homelessness. This statewide conference on Community
Courts, scheduled for March 29, 2007, is intended to attract participants who
are interested in innovative solutions to homelessness that supplement those of
the successful Homeless Courts already functioning in California. It will demonstrate how Community Courts can
serve from the onset of the judicial process as gateways to services and
pathways to better individual lives and better communities. Leaders from the judicial, legislative and
executive branches of state government, as well as leaders from county and city
government and the non-governmental sector will be in attendance. They will
learn about and discuss planning, partnerships and collaboration. The conference is co-sponsored by the City of
Santa Monica,
the California Endowment, the State Administrative Office of the Courts, the
Center for Court Innovation, Public Counsel and RAND. Each organization is contributing in kind and
other services within existing resources.
Funds in the amount of $35,000 will
be deposited in account 20202.403570 for this purpose.
Prepared by: Kathryn Vernez, Assistant to City Manager for Government Relations
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Forwarded to Council:
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Gordon
R. Anderson
Assistant
City Manager
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P. Lamont
Ewell
City Manager
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