Task Forces

The problems to solve as identified for the Finance Task Force are as follows: 

• Resource Transparency
  Resource transparency - develop a clear picture of funding within each local jurisdiction: what are the sources of revenue, how is each jurisdiction spending its money, and can we collectively identify redundancy and unmet need? Articulate the limits of what human services funds can support and what they cannot.

• New & Sustainable Revenue
  Creating a new, more sustainable local source of revenue — what are our options (e.g., rate structure like the utility system), what are the costs/benefits, and what would need to happen for it to be adopted? How can we bring in other sectors together?

• Unified Funding Advocacy
  Developing a stronger, unified approach to funding advocacy to the State: quantify what the region will collectively invest and then more clearly and powerfully articulate the state’s responsibility for funding homelessness response services in Pierce County

• Regional Approach to Service Contracts
  Develop a regional approach to partnership on contracts — can we collectively fund the big things we care about instead of issuing small contracts to the same providers for different things? How can we be more efficient in how we deploy our funding?

Members

• Laurel Turner – Executive Director St. Francis House in Puyallup, Continuum of Care (CoC), Pierce County Homeless Coalition

• Ashley Howard – Puyallup Tribe of Indians-Wrap Around Department

• Faatima Lawrence – Catholic Community Services of Western Washington

• Dionne Jacobson – St. Vincent de Paul of Tacoma, Pierce County

• Gerrit Nyland – Volunteer with the Coalition to End Homelessness, Continuum of Care

• Maya Ramos – Community Member

• Bianca Shell – Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department 

• Amy Richardson – Pierce County Human Services Financial and Administration Officer

• Nick Federici – Human Services and Tax Policy Lobbyist, Community Member

• Stephanie Hanh  – (on behalf of Rep. Adison Richards, WA State Legislature)

• Scott Schubert – Executive Director, Metropolitan Development Council

• Vicky McLaurin – City of Tacoma 

• Kelvin "KC" Cesar – United Way Pierce County/211

• Councilmember Ned Witting – City of Puyallup

• Steve Decker – Family Promise of Pierce County

• Mayor/Representative Josh Penner – City of Orting

The problems to solve as identified for the Operations Task Force are as follows: 

• Single Point of Entry
  Creating a single point of assessment and access for people experiencing homelessness (e.g., universal application adopted by all jurisdictions and service providers; a Kayak-style system that shows availability of services and beds across the region)

• Shared Data
  A shared data system and data-sharing agreements for all jurisdictions and service providers in the region (allowing consistent oversight and real-time data sharing to support client success; potentially moving to by-name lists that are cross-jurisdictional)

• Standard Contract Language
  Creating standard contractual language that outlines service delivery expectations, defines success, and articulates expectations for data collection, and, and supporting regional goals (e.g., serving people regardless of where in the region they came from)

• Standard Operating Processes
  Creating a standing operational process to resolve bottlenecks and triage cases (how will operational teams work together through the URA)

Members

• Dr. Alfonso Brown – Let's Get to Work  

• Annie Tustison – Community Health Care of Tacoma, Vice Chair of the Board  

• Annika Fraga – Associated Ministries or Tacoma-Pierce County  

• Carlos Garcia – Director of The REACH Center, and Vice Chair of the CoC Board  

• Christina Alexander – Certified Peer Specialist on the Anti-Homelessness Team for the City of Auburn  

• Cory Shears – City of University Place, Community Outreach Officer  

• Delci Whited – Key Peninsula Community Services Homeless Housing Program  

• Emil Floresca – Pierce County Human Services  

• Heather Knous-Westfall – Pierce County  

• Jason Scales – LASA (Living Access Support Alliance)

• Javon Carlisle – City of Tacoma HEAL Team  

• Samie Iverson – Tacoma Public Library, Library Social Worker; CoC Governing Board Member  

• Sherry Bernklau – Interested Stakeholder  

• Tamiko Jackson – City of Fife Jobs Program  

• David Bond – Pierce County Code Enforcement  

• Josh Graham – Family Promise of Pierce County

• John Barbee – Pierce County Human Services

The problems to solve as identified for the Governance Task Force are as follows: 

• Interlocal Agreement
  Inter-local agreement to align policies and practices on specific, smaller agreements (e.g., inclement weather policy)

• Structure & Authority
  What should the format of a larger, lasting approach to a unified regional approach be? How does this align with the Continuum of Care?
  Is this a new entity? What powers should it have — how can it work to align resources, engage other partners (e.g., land use departments, faith partners, people with lived experience)?

• Individual Jurisdictional Engagement
  How should every jurisdiction engage with the unified regional approach on an ongoing basis? What will the agreement, accountability, and regular practices look like to make sure that every jurisdiction is getting something and held accountable for giving what they can/what is appropriate for them?

Members

• Chief Rusty Wilder – Pierce County Sheriff's Office

• Councilmember Rosie Ayala – Pierce County Council

• Cynthia Stewart – Chair, Pierce County Continuum of Care

• George Conzuelo – -Service Provider: Crisis Case Manager, Family Promise of Pierce County | Direct Care Staff, YMCA of Greater Seattle (Adult Transitional Living Program) Advocate: Youth Action Board Member, REACH CenterYouth

• Jay Worley – CoC board member, Chair of the SSHA3P Advisory Board, Tacoma Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness member, Washington Commerce Permanent Supportive Housing Advisory Committee, and Office of Community Voices Empowerment Advisory Committee

• Katie Blinn – Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney's Office

• Mary Connolly – Pierce County Council Staff

• Michelle Camacho Estrada – Domestic Violence Advocate with Our Sisters' House & Crystal Judson Family Justice Center stationed at the CCB

• Rob Huff – Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, Tacoma Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness

• Robert Sheetz – Pierce County Veterans Services Division Manager

• Sally Perkins – Community Member

• Sarah Bridgeford – Community Wellness Program Manager

• Tamera Shovein – Community Member

• Tim Fairley – Chair, NEW TACOMA neighborhood council dist. 2., CoC- Continuum Of Care Governance Board SSHA3P Executive Advisory Board- affordable housing developers, CERC- City of Tacoma special events funding and city of destiny awards,Board of Directors -Family Promise of Pierce County, PC inclement weather task force.

• Valeri Almony – Pierce County Human Services