Social-services working group urges homeless census, service inventory and stronger code enforcement

State Representative Andrea White presented the Social Services Working Group’s findings and recommendations during the Aug. 10 joint meeting, emphasizing that homelessness and mental-health issues are intertwined but require tailored responses.

White said the group recommends a downtown census of people experiencing homelessness, creation of a comprehensive inventory of services to reduce duplication, stronger code enforcement at properties that pose public-safety or health risks, and exploration of alternatives so students are not disproportionately reliant on RTA transportation. "Recommendations included conducting a census of the downtown homeless population, creating a comprehensive inventory of available services, reducing duplication among programs, strengthening code enforcement at problem properties, and exploring alternatives to student reliance on RTA transportation," White said.

Commissioners welcomed the focus on service coordination but did not adopt concrete implementation steps at the meeting. Officials said improved coordination among service providers would be a necessary next step to address downtown needs while preserving resources across the county.