Host: City of Alameda
Openings: 1
Project Focus: Affordable Housing
Skills Needed: Project Management,Research, Stakeholder Engagement,Policy Analysis / Development,

Remote or On-Site Placement

Hybrid

Service Needs & Plans

The Fellow will help the City in several ways: 1) understand incentives and barriers to affordable housing development and improve services to its residents, both housed and unhoused: 2) educate the broader community about the multifaceted nature of homelessness and the efforts underway to combat homelessness-related issues, prompting involvement and proactive measures; 3) conduct policy analysis (affordable housing, alternative housing, et al); and 4) address homelessness and social service needs. The Fellow will be housed within the Housing and Human Services (HHS) department.

Project Description

Possible Activities:

Addressing Homelessness Alameda

Goal: Improve the provision of services to unhoused individuals and families and to the Alameda community by collecting quality-of-life data. Educate the community on homelessness in their local community. Understand the needs of people who are directly experiencing homelessness. Raise awareness and inspire action.

Project 1: Understand the experience and needs of individuals experiencing homelessness and the community they live in
•Gather data by surveys, focus groups, etc. on the needs and experiences of individuals and families experiencing homelessness in the City of Alameda.
•Work with city staff and the Social Service and Human Relations Board (SSHRB) to make progress on the implementation of the Homeless Strategic Plan. This could include working with the SSHRB on developing and executing a plan to engage the community to gather input and build an understanding of issues related to homelessness.
•Build the quality of the Road Home report used to provide an achievable roadmap to addressing homelessness in Alameda by gathering and organizing data, and conducting secondary data analysis.
•Engage the community to develop a shared understanding of the challenges and possible solutions to addressing homelessness: Gather data to showcase statistics, stories, and resources. Create data visualizations- the impact of homelessness on the individual, family, and community (charts, maps, infographics). Identify areas where the action is needed most. Organize community events, forums, and workshops. Gather experts and community members to discuss homelessness and brainstorm solutions.

Outcomes: Understand the individualized needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness, synthesize data to present to the community to combat misconceptions, and inspire action.

Project 2: Effectiveness and best practices for homelessness interventions
•Gather and analyze data to track the effectiveness of interventions for homelessness-related programs.
•Gather and analyze data on the effectiveness of programs serving the homeless in the City of Alameda.
Outcome: Improved services and outcomes for unhoused residents.

Addressing Social Service Needs in Alameda
Goal: Improve the provision of social services to low and moderate-income individuals and families in the City of Alameda.

Project 3: Help service providers administer more and/or enhanced services by providing tools, resources, and training to serve the community better.
•Goal: Understand the needs of our local service providers serving low-to-moderate-income individuals and families in our community.
•Identify training, technical assistance, and funding needed/wanted
•Needs Assessment: Gather information via surveys, attend community events and meetings to understand needs, challenges, and priorities.
•Create training material, provide resources, and provide technical assistance.
•Evaluate or collect data to evaluate the impact of the supportive services on individuals and families.
Outcome: Improve social services and outcomes for low to moderate-income individuals and families in Alameda.

Identifying and Addressing Policy Barriers to Affordable Housing Development
Goal: Improve understanding of policies impacting affordable housing development.

Project 4: Research and analyze policies, incentives, and alternative housing options to help the City better understand barriers and opportunities related to affordable housing development

•Research and analyze policies affecting affordable housing development.
•Identify incentives for developers to build more affordable housing.
•Research and promote alternative housing options (tiny homes, co-homes).
Outcome: Policy paper related to City policies and their impact on affordable housing development, affordable housing incentives, and alternative housing options.

Other
Work that will help develop the Fellows skillset, while contributing to the work of our department, including but not limited to:
oResearch reports and engage with contractors to contribute information to the City’s environmental review process.
oDraft and assemble slides for presentations.
oDraft one paragraph, program progress updates.
oPrepare reports that will be submitted to HUD, the State, or other regulatory bodies.
oHMIS access and support of report creation.
oACCYF Youth Advocacy Committee support.

Desired Skills

The ideal Fellow is a passionate, creative, critical thinker who has a strong understanding of the root causes of social inequity and is dedicated to inclusive community engagement and creating solutions that achieve equitable outcomes. Interest in data analysis, policy development, public outreach, clear communication, marketing, policy analysis, and the ability to juggle multiple projects at once will all be important. Basic project management skills, such as scheduling and procurement, as well as presentation skills, are useful. This position has the rare opportunity to work closely with multiple department heads; therefore, high-quality work products will be expected. In turn, the Fellow will have the opportunity to work on interesting and complex problems and can expect high-quality mentorship and experience with a city on the frontlines of housing the City’s unhoused residents.

Organization & Workplace Highlights

The City of Alameda is a 10.6 square mile island community located in San Francisco Bay. Alameda is seven miles east of San Francisco, and less than one mile west of the City of Oakland. Alameda is a diverse
community with a population of approximately 76,000.
The Housing & Human Services (HHS) Division of the City Manager’s Office is a dynamic, diverse, and collaborative
department responsible for implementing the Council goals for an economically diverse and financially sustainable community, and fulfilling the community’s plans to revitalize Alameda Point into a mixed-use, transit-oriented development. HHS seeks a balance between maximizing City real estate assets and providing housing opportunities for all income levels, including the City’s unsheltered residents. HHS actively works toward the following priorities and goals, which were identified its community needs assessment, and which focus on supporting and reducing barriers for low to moderate income households, some of which are listed below:
•Support programs for low income residents,
preserving safety net services for families and
individuals who are vulnerable or “in crisis.”
•Improve access to food and reduce food
insecurity.
•Support services that provide mental health
care or support services for those residents
experiencing mental health challenge
•Provide financing/grant for small residential
renovation projects that improve the housing
safety of a residence, including but not limited
to repairs which allow seniors and persons
with disabilities to remain safely housed
•Support the development of infrastructure for
homeless individuals who utilize RV’s or
other vehicles as shelter.
•Expand the supply of decent, safe, sanitary,
and affordable housing, particularly rental
housing, for very low-income and low-income
families

Collectively, the goals listed above provide
insight into the Department culture and the
work associated with being a public servant.

Community Highlights