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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 21669-03-2015ORDINANCE NO. 21669-03-2015 AN ORDINANCE REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 20039-01-2012, WHICH CREATED THE FORT WORTH ADVISORY COMMISSION ON ENDING HOMELESSNESS, AND RE-ESTABLISHING THE FORT WORTH ADVISORY COMMISSION ON ENDING HOMELESSNESS; DEFINING ITS PURPOSE; ESTABLISHING GUIDELINES FOR APPOINTMENTS TO THE COMMISSION AND PROVIDING FOR THE COMISSION'S DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS CUMULATIVE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, homeless people reside in the City of Fort Worth, Texas, and are our neighbors, constituents, family members and friends; and WHEREAS, homeless persons are among the City's most vulnerable residents, experiencing higher rates of victimization and early death than the general public; and WHEREAS, homelessness is a serious problem in the City of Fort Worth and Tarrant County and frustrates orderly sustainable development, compromises the economic base of impacted neighborhoods, limits the effectiveness of efforts to create and maintain a clean, attractive city, and imperils the safety and health of those experiencing homelessness; and WHEREAS, the City cannot realize its vision of being Texas' "Most Livable City" without civic leadership and funding to help end homelessness; and WHEREAS, in April 2004 a dedicated group of concerned citizens was appointed to a Planning and Advisory Committee on Homelessness to develop recommendations for addressing homelessness; and WHEREAS, on February 22, 2005, the Committee presented its Final Report to the City Council which included a recommendation that a standing Advisory Commission on Homelessness be appointed with broad representation from stakeholders and including appropriate City staff support; and WHEREAS, on May 17, 2005, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 3203-OS-2005 which established the Mayor's Advisory Commission on Homelessness to advise the City Council on policies, plans and methods for addressing homelessness and to develop a ten-year plan to end chronic homelessness; and WHEREAS, the Commission researched local conditions and national best practices, incorporating feedback from focus groups of homeless people, health care professionals, downtown executives, business and neighborhood leaders, local clergy and national experts as well as written comments and testimony at public forums; and Ordinance No. 21669-03-2015 Page 1 of 4 WHEREAS, the Commission collaborated with the community to develop Directions Home: Making Homelessness Rare, Short-Te�m and Non-Recurring in Fort Wo�th, Texas, within Ten Years and recommended that the City Council adopt the plan; and WHEREAS, on June 17, 2008, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 3628-06-2008 which enacted the Commission's recommendations and adopted Directions Home: Making Homelessness Rare, Short-Te�m and Non-Recurring in Fort Worth, Texas, wzthin Ten Yea�s as the City's official ten-year plan to end chronic homelessness and amended the City's Comprehensive Plan to incorparate the Directions Home plan; and WHEREAS, the adoption of the Directions Home plan allowed the City to refocus its efforts from planning to implementation, and to reconstitute and rename the Commission as the "Fort Worth Advisory Commission on Ending Homelessness" to emphasize the active nature of the City's ongoing efforts to end homelessness and to increase opportunities for broad community participation which has proven to be a vital component in developing and implementing improvements to policies, plans and methods for addressing homelessness and to more effectively carry out the Directions Home plan; and WHEREAS, on January 10, 2012, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 20039-01- 2012, which repealed the resolution establishing the Mayor's Advisory Commission on Homelessness, and created in its place the Fort Worth Advisory Commission on Ending Homelessness and established guidelines for appointments to the 21-member Commission and provided for the Commission's duties and responsibilities; and WHEREAS, the City intends to continue its partnership with community- and faith-based organizations in efforts to help end homelessness; and WHEREAS, the City Council fmds it advisable to adopt an ordinance re-establishing the Fort Worth Advisory Commission on Ending Homelessness with a 15- member Commission and new guidelines for appointments and redefined duties and responsibilities. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS THAT: SECTION 1. Ordinance No. 20039-01-2012 is hereby repealed in its entirety. SECTION 2. There is hereby established the "Fort Worth Advisory Commission on Ending Homelessness" as follows: A. Purpose The purpose of the Commission shall be to promote and encourage community participation in efforts to end homelessness and to provide recommendations to the City Council regarding Ordinance No.21669-03-2015 Page 2 of 4 policies, plans and methods for addressing homelessness, including, but not limited to, the following: (1) The Directions Home plan, its update and implementation; (2) Diverse permanent housing opportunities for people who are homeless in a manner that promotes dispersion; (3) Methods to enhance the effectiveness and accountability for outcomes of programs for people who are homeless; (4) Public safety for people who are homeless and the neighborhoods where they reside; (5) Coordination of City services and collaboration with the Continuum of Care to enhance the efficiency, quality, and effectiveness of the community-wide response to homelessness; and (6) State and Federal legislative issues that affect local homelessness. B. Members The Commission shall consist of 15 members appointed by the Mayor, subject to the approval of the City Council. Commission members shall serve two-year terms except as provided below. Appointments shall be as follows: Places 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15. Terms expire each September 30th in odd-numbered years. The first term of such members shall expire on September 30, 2017. Places 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14. Terms expire each September 30th in even-number years. The first term of such members shall expire on September 30, 2016. The composition of the Commission shall include the following representation: (1) Businesses — at least three members, (2) Neighborhoods — at least three members, (3) Homeless service providers — at least five members, (4) Persons who are either homeless, formerly homeless who is or was homeless — at least one member, (5) Regional representatives of neighboring jurisdictions - or a family member of a person at least three members, C. Meeting The Commission shall meet at least six times per calendar year. D. Quorum A quorum of the Commission shall consist of eight members. The presence of a quorum of the Commission shall be required prior to deliberation or action by the Commission. Approval of all items before the Commission shall require a majority vote of those in attendance. E. Commission Procedures The Commission shall establish procedures, as necessary and appropriate, for the conduct of its business and for receiving of public comment on homelessness issues. Ordinance No. 21669-03-2015 Page 3 of 4 F. Report The Commission shall report annually to the City Council on the nature and extent of homelessness in Fort Worth, and the impact of homelessness on City services. The Commission shall include in its annual report the status of projects, initiatives and goals established by the Commission and by City Council as they relate to the implementation of the Directions Home Plan. SECTION 3. This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances and of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, except where the provisions of this ordinance are in direct conflict with the provisions of such ordinances and such Code, in which event conflicting provisions of such ordinances and such Code are hereby repealed. SECTION 4. It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance are severable, and, if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared void, ineffective or unconstitutional by the valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such voidness, ineffectiveness or unconstitutionality shall not effect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the incorporation in this ordinance of any such void, ineffective or unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section. SECTION 5. This ordinance shall take effect on adoption. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: -1, ��, Assistant City Attorn ADOPTED: March 3, 2015 EFFECTIVE: On Ado�tion Ordinance No. 21669-03-2015 Page 4 of 4