Episode 2: Homelessness and Livability.com Accolades

Elk Grove was named one of the top 100 places to live in America by Livability.com. Learn more about these accolades and how the City is serving Elk Grove's unhoused population and putting new Measure E funding to work to help address homelessness. New CityCast host and Elk Grove resident, John Hull, will also ask about how to report city issues, learn more about the production of the city's July 4th celebration, and get a civics lesson about local government from Public Affairs Manager, Kristyn Laurence.

Episode Transcript

Announcer (00:01):
Welcome to Elk Grove Citycast, the podcast about Elk

John Hull (00:18):
Hi, everyone, I'm John Hall. Welcome to Elk Grove

(00:38):
Kristyn. Laurence, she is thecity's public affairs manager

Kristyn Laurence (00:45):
It'll be 10 this year.

John Hull (00:47):
Congratulations. And you've seen our city grow

Kristyn Laurence (00:54):
Yes, I have.
It's a lot bigger than it used

John Hull (00:58):
That's right. Well, when I moved here 24 years ago,

Kristyn Laurence (01:20):
And if you ask the 2020 census, it was at

John Hull (01:36):
Today you know we're going to talk about the people
Kristyn, before we get to ourguest, I want to take note that

(02:13):
that list. Now what it does isit takes into account cities

(02:35):
one of the best places to livein the US. Elk Grove is brimming

(02:57):
Does something like this reallymean a lot to not just the city

Kristyn Laurence (03:08):
Well, that's a great accolade. Right. And I
for the community, which isalways a good thing. It might

John Hull (03:45):
You know what else it says here is beyond economics.
building practices. For example,in 2015, Elk Grove built the

Kristyn Laurence (04:20):
Yeah, it's a green facility that is even
materials that might might nototherwise be like something

(05:00):
the other interesting part of itis the Reuse Room, which is
the Reuse Room and our residentscan go in and shop there. So

John Hull (05:35):
And I was looking recently at the website, the Elk

(05:57):
you used to have it and andyeah, what do you do with the
mentions the anticipated openingin 2026 of dignity Health's Elk

(06:38):
think the announcement camearound the time of our State of

(06:58):
just in somewhere else. So,again, it's a good an, let's

(07:23):
outreach to the homeless wasSara Bontrager.
Talk to anyone who drives thecity streets around California

(07:51):
soars jumping 9% in LA Countyand 10% in the city. In fact,

(08:15):
discuss how we're dealing withpeople living unsheltered is

Sarah Bontrager (08:29):
I am the housing and public services

(08:51):
gives to nonprofit agencies thathelp Elk Grove residents
to get a firm number because ofthe transiency of folks

(09:29):
city. So what a bit less, thatis quite a bit less. When we

(09:56):
homelessness in SacramentoCounty. But of course for the

John Hull (10:04):
Oh, yeah, we all agree with that statement. And

Sarah Bontrager (10:17):
Yeah, so we have a range of resources. And
could be something like a persontaking someone to get an ID or a

(10:57):
of paperwork that people need tobecome housed through the

(11:18):
housing. So the navigators arekind of the front door for this

(11:43):
transitional houses. So placeswhere folks can stay for

(12:03):
units in those affordablehousing complexes.

John Hull (12:07):
I want to quote something out of the Elk Grove

(12:29):
funding from the city'saffordable housing fund. And

Sarah Bontrager (12:42):
Yes. So homelessness at its core is an

(13:04):
actually have currently almost700 units that are under

(13:24):
nine what we call permanentsupportive housing units. And
And that might include casemanagement, someone to help them

John Hull (14:05):
This would be something that unique to what

Sarah Bontrager (14:15):
Yeah, so the cornerstone village project has
that does have some permanentsupportive housing units as

(14:53):
of folks, especially ourfamilies that are going to do

(15:16):
disabilities. And that is abrand new thing for the city as

John Hull (15:21):
And I'm encouraged to hear about this because my work

(15:44):
resources for these individuals.
And so I'm excited to hear about

Sarah Bontrager (16:05):
Yes, yes. So we were extremely fortunate in the

(16:29):
homelessness. We are using thatmoney in a variety of ways. The

(16:51):
continuing motel vouchers forfolks. And then we're also

(17:14):
shelter. But we also havefunding allocated to services

(17:36):
We are also looking at trying toimprove access to mental health

(17:59):
are also looking at doing someongoing homelessness prevention
landlord tenant disputes, canhelp them with the tasks of

John Hull (18:33):
That's very true. And let me tell you, I'm excited to

(18:56):
is to find the right resourcefor them. And so many times you
you said to write to navigators,that's, that's going to be

Sarah Bontrager (19:35):
Yeah, we would like for them to tell us when
instances of that. Once we haveour navigators hired and onboard

(20:16):
possible, recognizing, you know,that many people move often and

(20:39):
at threat of of doing harm, youknow, it's perfectly okay for
and friend relationships. And,you know, by the time they

(21:19):
them, goes a long way to helpingpeople feel safe in the

John Hull (21:42):
For people that are experiencing homelessness, or

(22:05):
have the best way that we havecurrently in Sacramento County,

Sarah Bontrager (22:25):
We do encourage people who are worried about
give that may help people paytheir rent, a one time thing to

(23:06):
starting point for folks who areimminently homeless or currently

John Hull (23:11):
And I think you said something a few moments ago that

(23:31):
is, I'm sure encouraged as aresident of Elk Grove to hear

Sarah Bontrager (23:46):
Thank you.
Happy to happy to help.

Unknown (23:52):
Each CityCast I want to ask Kristyn questions that I
[e-mail].
That's

Kristyn Laurence (24:20):
I'm ready.

John Hull (24:21):
Okay, here we go.
Number one. I have neighbors andare required to do and

(24:41):
maintaining property. But let's

Kristyn Laurence (24:53):
Well, I would say the first approach I would

(25:14):
hazard, there is a SeeClickFixElk Grove app that's available

(25:38):
if there's issues with potholeor trees down or things along

(26:02):
submitted that it allows you totrack that information. And

(26:26):
our best to try and knock thoseconcerns down. And our code
and who's handling it.

John Hull (26:45):
Okay. And again, the name of the app is...

Unknown (26:48):
say,

Kristyn Laurence (26:49):
See, click Fix Elk Grove.

John Hull (26:54):
Okay. Next question we just experienced and I
basically puts this annualcelebration on for its all?

Kristyn Laurence (27:32):
Sure, we're, like you said, we're just coming
Like we just turned 23. So theparty was going on much before

(28:15):
27th year. We even found a wayto host it during the pandemic.
various different aspects of theevent that are involved. So we

(28:54):
those holidays, we're alreadytalking about fireworks and

(29:14):
Group and some other localbusinesses in town that support

(29:37):
charge $10, a vehicle to park inElk Grove Park and all of that

(30:01):
inexpensive event, but one thatwe find really contributes to

John Hull (30:11):
May I say to even if the city did come out in the red
kind of like, Hey, this is partof being an Elk Grove, you know,

Kristyn Laurence (30:38):
It's also a really, it's a much safer
the folks that that came to thepark and avoided that.

John Hull (30:57):
Okay, here's our third question in our rapid fire
community service district.
Along with most of our city

Kristyn Laurence (31:33):
Sure. So Elk Grove has been a community
mentioned earlier, our city'sbirthday was July 1, and we

(32:12):
of residents felt like theydidn't have local control over

(32:32):
Elk Grove Community ServicesDistrict. So it is a bit of a
services for the city of Galt.
So they cross city limits to

John Hull (32:58):
So how are they governed? It's separate than the

Kristyn Laurence (33:04):
That's correct. The CSD, like I said
representative. It's a fivemember board. And that's in

(33:43):
years the residents reallywanted to see more local control
important to them, as well asmore control over our

John Hull (34:10):
Right.

Kristyn Laurence (34:10):
So back in 2019 and 1999 and then into

(34:36):
functions that are separate fromCSD.

John Hull (34:38):
Alright, so there's your civics lesson for the day
[e-mail].
dot O R G I'mKristyn, before we sign off, I

(35:06):
have to we'd be very remiss ifthat honor only. Well, I'm just

(35:30):
gonna say only six Elk GroveI mean, it is very, very rare

(35:50):
for anybody to be drafted bysince Casey, we've had now five

(36:11):
other guys and just on the ninth

Kristyn Laurence (36:26):
That's awesome. We have so many amazing

John Hull (36:43):
Yes, indeedy. Well, thank you for your time,

Announcer (36:57):
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