Committee presses Office of Homeless Solutions on HMIS access and "Give Responsibly" impact
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Summary
Council members questioned the Office of Homeless Solutions about performance measures, a proposed increase in HMIS funding and the effectiveness of the "Give Responsibly" public campaign; members asked for monthly HMIS data access and evidence of campaign impact before continuing funding.
Members of the Housing and Homeless Solutions Committee on May 27 reviewed budget alignment that includes the Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS) and asked for clearer performance metrics, monthly data from the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and an evaluation of the city's Give Responsibly public campaign.
Jack Ireland, the city's chief financial officer, opened a discussion of committee-level budget alignment and said the city was providing department budget information to allow early committee input on the 2026 budget. Committee members used the opportunity to probe OHS program language and priorities as the department prepares changes associated with a realignment to new administrative structures.
Council members raised three central concerns: - HMIS access and reporting: Council member Middleton said she opposed additional city funding for HMIS unless the city receives timely access to the HMIS data. "I am not at all interested in funding a dollar of the HMIS system unless we're getting access to that data," Middleton said. Staff said the HMIS system is administered by the Continuum of Care partner (Housing Forward) and that legal and data-sharing questions are being evaluated; staff told the committee they will continue to pursue timely HMIS reporting for the city. - Give Responsibly campaign effectiveness: Council member Mendelson and others said signage and public messaging have not demonstrably reduced street giving or visible panhandling. Mendelson said, "I don't think a sign is actually changing behavior" and asked for a presentation assessing impact before committing more funds. - Mission and performance measures clarity: Council member Willis asked that OHS clearly state specific, measurable objectives (for example the steps for "readying" people for housing) and suggested the department return in the fall with an updated four-track strategy once summer realignment work settles.
Staff acknowledged work underway and said they will return with updated measures, a clarified strategy and additional detail about Give Responsibly and HMIS data access. Committee members asked for monthly HMIS reporting, public-facing performance measures that track units and affordability and a programmatic presentation on Give Responsibly's reach and effectiveness before further budget decisions.
The committee also asked staff to bring an update on the Austin Street shelter contract and to continue coordinating with partner nonprofits and philanthropic and banking stakeholders on housing-finance ideas. No action was taken; this was a budget and program briefing and follow-up was requested.
