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Lodi Improvement Committee reviews homelessness updates, explores pet-fostering pilot and outreach plans
Summary
Committee members reported progress on unsheltered services, including employment and housing transitions at the Access Center, discussed a pet-fostering proposal to reduce barriers to treatment, and planned outreach steps such as town halls and social-media strategies.
The Lodi Improvement Committee received updates on unsheltered services and discussed next steps on community outreach and a pet-fostering idea to support people entering treatment.
Lisa, the committee liaison to the Lodi Committee on Homelessness, reported outcomes at the Access Center: three people obtained employment and nine people transitioned into housing during the most recent reporting period; Hope Harbor referred clients into residential treatment and reported successful transitions for several participants. Lodi House continues to provide services for women and children experiencing homelessness and produces quarterly reports available to the public.
The committee discussed a proposal—advocated through the Lodi Committee on Homelessness—to establish a temporary pet-fostering service to remove a barrier to treatment for people entering alcohol or drug programs. A speaker said they had received a letter of support from Louis Ponick, identified as Executive Officer for the Community Foundation, and planned a meeting with the chief of police to press the proposal forward.
Committee members also discussed ways to improve outreach and engagement: holding town halls in neighborhood locations, rotating meeting sites to local businesses, using social media (Instagram and Facebook) to reach broader or younger audiences, and producing more visible public notices. Staff reminded the committee all meetings and special events must comply with Brown Act noticing requirements and be held with public postings and quorum rules.
The committee agreed to hold a meeting in December to onboard newly sworn members (swearing-in noted for Nov. 19) and to conduct goal-setting in January with a town hall planned for February. Members also discussed community-recognition nominations for citizens and property owners and noted that formal recognition requires forwarding recommendations to the City Council.
"We are making small, incremental progress," a committee member said when describing moves to advocate with the City on the pet-fostering service; the member added an update would be provided after a meeting with the police chief.
What's next: committee goal-setting in January, capital-project presentations in January if any are submitted, and a town hall in February to broaden public engagement.
