The Sioux City Homeless Task Force held a public forum on Thursday to answer questions community members may have about its operations.
The task force was created to connect homeless folks with services and address homelessness-related issues; it consists of city staff, police, and service providers.
Members involved with the program shared accomplishments and challenges it faces.
Mike Collett, Interim City Manager said they are trying to put a different name to the program, calling it the Homeless Assistance Response Team.
Collet said HART wants to get the resources out to the community; it has made a difference and hopes it continues to grow.
A common issue that kept arising in the discussion was the knowledge gap between city departments and organizations already working on different parts of HART’s goals.
Some entities that are involved include neighborhood services, the mobile crisis assessment team, and the warming shelter.
Captain Chris Groves said after he went to a training in Boston he brought back the concept of HART.
Groves said it was never about ending homelessness; it was about how to come up with solutions to manage it.
Groves said eventually organizations started reaching out and contacting them to see how they could get involved and help out.
In the meeting, police officers stated the program has helped people by providing transportation, assisting in obtaining documents like birth certificates, and finding places for people to stay or get help.
During the forum some residents shared their experiences trying to help people out.
When asked about how to provide resources to people on Sundays, as most entities are closed on the weekends, someone pointed out that the Siouxland Mental Health Crisis Center is open 24/7 and can help anyone in need.
In response to a question on how to help a person who has been kicked out of multiple organizations, an audience member suggested a program that provides bus tickets for those with a support system elsewhere.
Towards the end of the forum, Groves said he will be retiring, but Captain Ryan Bertrand will take his place and hopes the program continues to grow.
