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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 20039-01-2012 Repealed by Ordinance No. 21669-03-2015 March 3, 2015 ORDINANCE NO. 20039-01-2012 AN ORDINANCE REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 16630-10-2005, WHICH ESTABLISHED THE MAYOR'S ADVISORY COMMISSION ON HOMELESSNESS, AND CREATING THE FORT WORTH ADVISORY COMMISSION ON ENDING HOMELESSNESS; DEFINING ITS PURPOSE; ESTABLISHING GUIDELINES FOR APPOINTMENTS TO THE COMMISSION AND PROVIDING FOR THE COMMISSION'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. 3203-05-2005 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 WHEREAS, the Commission collaborated with the community to develop Directions Repealed by Ordinance No. 21669-03-2015 March 3, 2015 Home: Making Homelessness Rare, Short-Term and Non-Recurring in Fort Worth, 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-Term and Non-Recurring in Fort Worth, Texas, within Ten Years as the City's official ten-year plan to end chronic homelessness and amended the City's Comprehensive Plan to incorporate the Directions Home plan; and WHEREAS, the adoption of the Directions Home plan has 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, the City intends to continue its partnership with community- and faith-based organizations in efforts to help end homelessness; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds it advisable to adopt an ordinance creating the Fort Worth Advisory Commission on Ending Homelessness and establishing guidelines for appointments to the Commission and providing for the Commission's duties and responsibilities. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS: SECTION 1. That City Ordinance No. 16630-10-2005 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 policies, plans and methods for addressing homelessness, including, but not limited to, the following: (1) The Directions Home plan and its implementation; (2) Housing for people who are homeless; (3) Methods to enhance the effecti�,cness and accountability for outcomes of programs for people who are homeless: Repealed by Ordinance No. 21669-03-2015 March 3, 2015 (4) Public safety for people who are homeless and the neighborhoods where they reside; and (5) State and Federal legislative issues that affect local homelessness. B. Members The Commission shall consist of 21 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, 15, 17, 19 and 21. Terms expire each October 1st in odd- numbered years. The first term of such members shall expire on October 1, 2013. Places 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20. Terms expire each October 1st in even-number years. The first term of such members shall expire on October 1,2014. The composition of the Commission shall include the following representation: (1) Businesses—at least three members, (2) Neighborhoods at least five members, (3) Homeless service providers—at least three members, (4) Persons who are either homeless, formerly homeless or a family member of a person who is or was homeless—at least three members, (5) Regional representation neighboring jurisdictions—at least one member, (6) At-large representatives—six members. C. Meeting The Commission shall meet at least six times per calendar year. D. Quorum A quorum of the Commission shall consist of 11 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. 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. SECTION 3. This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances and of the Code of the Repealed by Ordinance No. 21669-03-2015 March 3, 2015 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: 4, cvaa� Assistant City Attorney ADOPTED: January 10, 2012 EFFECTIVE: On Adoption