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County of San Luis Obispo Approves Public Input Plan for Housing and Public Services
Author: Homeless Services Division
Date: 6/20/2024 10:00 AM
The new plan enhances community engagement to shape the County’s funding priorities for housing and public services through 2029.
San Luis Obispo, CA—On June 18, 2024, the County of San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors approved the updated Community Participation Plan, an initiative aimed at enhancing community involvement to shape the County's funding priorities for housing and public services.
The approval of the Community Participation Plan marks a significant step toward ensuring that the voices of residents are heard and considered in the development of the County’s 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan. The objective of the Consolidated Plan is to determine and address the County’s most pressing housing and community needs for the next 5 years, including housing affordability, access to public services and facilities, and other issues that impact the community’s vitality.
With the Board’s support of the Community Participation Plan, the County of San Luis Obispo’s Homeless Services Division will begin gathering public input through a Community Development Needs Assessment starting later this fall. Using online surveys, public hearings, and social media, the needs assessment will ask community members about the local challenges they witness in their neighborhoods. This input will be shared with the County of San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors and serve as the base for the County’s 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan.
Marge Castle, Program Manager for the County of San Luis Obispo’s Homeless Services Division, emphasized the importance of this plan: "The updated Community Participation Plan is all about giving everyone in our community a say in how we use federal dollars to address local challenges. We are eager to learn more about the community's most pressing needs as seen and experienced by those who call San Luis Obispo County 'home.'"
The approval of the Community Participation Plan marks a significant step toward ensuring that the voices of residents are heard and considered in the development of the County’s 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan. The objective of the Consolidated Plan is to determine and address the County’s most pressing housing and community needs for the next 5 years, including housing affordability, access to public services and facilities, and other issues that impact the community’s vitality.
With the Board’s support of the Community Participation Plan, the County of San Luis Obispo’s Homeless Services Division will begin gathering public input through a Community Development Needs Assessment starting later this fall. Using online surveys, public hearings, and social media, the needs assessment will ask community members about the local challenges they witness in their neighborhoods. This input will be shared with the County of San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors and serve as the base for the County’s 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan.
Marge Castle, Program Manager for the County of San Luis Obispo’s Homeless Services Division, emphasized the importance of this plan: "The updated Community Participation Plan is all about giving everyone in our community a say in how we use federal dollars to address local challenges. We are eager to learn more about the community's most pressing needs as seen and experienced by those who call San Luis Obispo County 'home.'"
The updated Community Participation Plan includes several key elements to enhance public engagement surrounding the Community Development Needs Assessment:
- Modernization: The new plan allows for more online-based engagement, including social media and online surveys, to reach a wider audience and connect with community members through the communication channels they are already using.
- Improved Accessibility: Clear procedures and guidelines for community engagement, especially for low to moderate-income individuals, will be implemented to solicit ideas and opinions regarding community development needs. All communications related to the Community Development Needs Assessment will be shared and available in both English and Spanish, with other languages available by request.
- Cohesion with Existing Priorities: The Homeless Strategy provision of the Consolidated Plan will be updated to reflect the priorities identified by the San Luis Obispo Countywide Plan to Address Homelessness and the Homeless Services Oversight Council (HSOC).
For more information on the Community Participation Plan and to review the full document, please visit the County of San Luis Obispo’s website at slocounty.gov/communitydevelopment.
