Homelessness after the fires

well, talk is cheap. - oh hell,
can't even pin the City Council down to do anything about the homeless, in fact, They stepped up their infraction ordinances concerning the homeless, and now they can be fined larger amounts of $$ and jail time, and they passed a homes first proposal over a year ago.
what has the BOS done? where are the tiny homes, the shelters, etc. i will give you though, that it's now a dire situation with the fires and both City Council and BOS must get down to seriously be providing for the increased homeless population.
it's a sad testament though that now that the fires destroyed so very much, displaced so many people, the County must address the homeless problem, when before the homeless were this overwhelming (problem) they just couldn't find a way to improve people's lives.
just providing porta-potties has been discussed ad nauseam as if providing a basic need for people is so damn difficult!
i'll say it again, "talk is cheap"

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Posted in reply to the post by tommy:

This does sound harsh, ....

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Lol- sorry if I’ve offended your sensibilities. I’m well aware that butter doesn’t melt in my mouth. It is obvious that criticizing our elected officials- the touchy subject... however, what's really hijacked, are our homeless. It’s always too little too late from our officials.
12 tiny houses might be a reason to applaud but with anywhere from 2-3000 homeless on the streets each night I can’t get too excited.
Housing is stalled because it’s always stalled that’s why the last city council meeting where people came with (simulated) water bottles filled with urine they were trying to convey the urgency of the situation and asking them to provide basic, basic , provisions, like porta-potties. discouraging the homeless by penalizing them further, with fines, and/or jail time, to discourage more homeless from coming is so bizarre, i'm appalled at the approach; the moral and ethical stance on this sort of thinking is troubling in the very least and Not a solution.
Yes, this is a complex problem but I will not slap our elected officials on the back, be it city or county for a modicum of improvement when the hole is gaping. And now, with the fires,
It’s even more urgent.
I realize it’s so hard to imagine the county literally turning over property, buildings to this problem and they can’t and won’t nilly-willy do this but when people watch year after year the county “Say they recognize they have to find solutions and so little is done, all you have to do is look on the streets, frustrations rise.
Too too little too late is often the result.
And since staying “on topic”, is so damn important and not the circumstances which creates many problems, including homelessness I definitely don’t want to go on a tirade about how our elected representatives are most definitely a component to creating our homeless (problem).
so "moving forward" - what will that look like and Mean!?

It's only small programs for the homeless, such as the 12 Tiny Houses, that will work... because they're small and relatively easy to control.

Did you see the huge public outcry in Guerneville, when providers and the County suggested buying a property on Armstrong Woods Road, for a homeless shelter? At the meeting chaired by Supervisor Hopkins, they took a vote on moving forward on that property, and it was only the staff of the W Co Community Health Center that was in favor. The proposal was dropped after that.

Why was it dropped? None of the neighbors wanted it. There's a whole other side to homeless that needs to be considered to understand the situation. The homeless have many social problems, addictions, and bad behavior. Rent a place to a homeless person, and all of a sudden there's a continuous trail of people coming over to take showers, camp, park, hang out, get loaded, store their stuff there, etc. This is why the helping hand only goes so far. Open a center for the homeless, and you'll be inundated with homeless from all over coming to take advantage of it. This reality of the homeless will always limit the government response.

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Posted in reply to the post by beshiva:

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12 tiny houses might be a reason to applaud but with anywhere from 2-3000 homeless on the streets each night I can’t get too excited. ...

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Look, I’m a little confused, frustrated and honestly, disgusted too; as the social illiteracy of these deep problems call for more than a kneejerk reaction, yet, I recognize how awful this dialog has become, especially now, with these comments which tell us - some people don’t want to explore or begin to understand the problems of homelessness, and all I’m reading here is a sad, superficial perspective and lame explanation of what the homeless are and are not, or what has supposedly been done (which by the way, is very very little)

there are no tiny homes (yet), and the Sam Jones shelter added more beds to an already overcrowded situation- that does not compute to saying the County has opened more shelters, not by any stretch.
I’m floored that the true feelings of so many concerning the homeless comes down to flat out discrimination of those who are already down, so why not give them a kick while we are at it.

I’ve said before on this thread, there are many people who find themselves homeless for a myriad of reasons and not ALL homeless people are defecating in the doorways, or stealing or just being a nuisance- not by a long shot. But it’s easy to demonize the least amongst us. (AND, where does one go to the bathroom when there are NO BATHROOMS?)

Since the County and the City hasn’t had a plan of any real positive impact to help the homeless I really don’t think anyone has to worry more people will come because it’s so grand here- you needn’t worry about that
And before anyone becomes righteous about the haves and have nots, let’s be clear, one certainly doesn’t have to be homeless to have social problems, or addictions or bad behavior! We don’t’ have to look too far to take note, our very own past Supervisor Efren Carrillo, a supposed leader of the community, exhibited this exact “bad behavior and addiction and then some, only to be vindicated- no surprise there. So many down and out folks would appreciate such forgiveness!

I’m disappointed there is not more of a healthy dialog to actually SOLVE the problem of homelessness, which now is going to increase, rather than lighting a match and start the fire of intolerance.
I’m not naive about shitty stuff which hangs over our County like the bad air from the most recent tragedy.
We must find a solution or it will bite us in the ass. We must include the homeless in the process and not demand they jump through hoops they can’t jump through.

I don’t want to see temporary shelters, I want people to be able to live, permanently in a tiny home, or an apartment, or a designated living space, like Camp Rembrance (formerly Camp Michela) where they are self-governed, and I Want and expect the community at large, those of us who have MORE, to move over and as damn difficult as it may be, accept being more of a giver than a taker and life will be better for everyone; take the leap.

And, finally, I’m tired of the rhetoric of intolerance. on a national level it's over the top....I lived in the West County for over 40 years, I’m not ignorant of the problems..so dammit, we work together and we find answers/long-lasting solutions and some will work and some won’t- but we keep trying because We are Community!!

Officials are NOT going to really address the problems of homelessness. People who were burned out were sent to Catholic Charities and were immediately spirited away for immediate assistance and referrals while people waiting in the shower lines,(a euphemism for serving the homeless) still wait. Officials do not have the WILL for dealing with the homeless problem, but they sure have a WON'T. Look what happened in Guerneville; the NIMBYS shouted down the plan for buying a large private property (with buildings) because it was too near the school. NEWS FLASH - many of the children who attend the school are homeless, but that doesn't count unless the same officials have their hands out for the Feds to contribute $$$ for the "homeless".
I could go on, I am passionate about this and I want you all to know that there ARE people who are grateful for your compassion. (Including the Friday morning outreach folks from St Rose Church).

BTW one reason folks congregate under the overpasses is to avoid rain and weather. Another is because people drop of dollar and five dollar bills. Please forego the latter, it does not usually go to good places.

What about the homeless shelter arrangement in San Rafael? Seems it provides alot and is working, tho i have only heard by word of mouth and honestly don't know firsthand. Is anyone familiar with it and if it is succeeding?

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Posted in reply to the post by findhorn:

What about the homeless shelter arrangement in San Rafael? Seems it provides alot and is working, tho i have only heard by word of mouth and honestly don't know firsthand. Is anyone familiar with it and if it is succeeding?

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Are you referring to the free dining room & support services, provided by St Vincent de Paul Society... on B St in downtown San Rafael? It is a sweet place, altho it's only open for lunch & counseling.

Not mentioned so far in this conversation is one of the primary causes of homelessness: the economy. Since the heyday of our economy in the late 60s & early 70s, rents have gone up dramatically, and jobs have disappeared... which are some of the primary causes of homelessness. Homelessness is a national problem - throughout California, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Hawaii, New York City... all over.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSXFnT5gH_o
please, please take the time to watch the SR City Council Meeting last night. speaking more eloquently than i ever could, these people sharing the heart-wrenching reality of homelessness and take note that Not One person on city council would second Julie Combs motion- where are all these people going to go? do people just miraculously disappear?

Homelessness is a very complex problem. There are no simple answers. Whose fault is it, what are the solutions....As Jesus reportedly said some years ago "the poor you will always have with you". There were wanderers even then. Inability to keep up with society's changes and self-medicating through various means to dull senses or explore 'adulthood' is age-old. Jack London was one such wanderer, he hung out in the Oakland public library, as he wandered about the waterfront and the Suisun marsh. We have to remember that these are OUR brothers, mothers, children. As disgusting as some behaviors are, even as we set limits, communication must remain open. Reach out, set limits, but do not turn your back.

We have created a pseudo support system and many youth seeking independence, druggies,(pardon the word), jobless, etc. exploit the system we have in place. If you know such persons who might use training in carpentry, The Carpenter's Union will be doing a local carpenter's training for the post-fire rebuild. Get the word out.

i agree there are NO simple answers. but, if we do not try, then there will be no answers. as stated so well by some last night at the City Council meeting, to not even open up the discussion, as brought by Julie Combs, to address some avenues of shelter, is outrageous...can't believe, not even Jack Tibbets (whom i thought had not started to walk the sell-out line, quite yet) is outrageous and very sad, we'll watch people evicted from under the overpass, approximately 100 people, to prove a point and i am not sure what point that is?

another quote i think of (thinking of Jack London), "not All who Wander are lost", last night, so well stated by Scott Wagner, yes, there are homeless people who will not avail themselves to shelter and the question as to "WHY", befuddles many of us. but, are we really here to demonize those people or work with them? Scott has been doing this for a long time but instead of giving up, he searches for answers and each and everyone of the SR Council should be doing the same, Dammit!

Jim Dewitt, longtime involved activist, told the City Council, what they can DO Now, a shelter which is available in Roseland. So my question is WHY NOT? why is there no response by our officials. well, most of the time i realize that our elected officials just don't want to solve a damn thing, not the city council, not the BOS- they are hard asses, and they refuse to listen to the very people they represent. why have we allowed this, that's what we need to ask ourselves!

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Posted in reply to the post by Dorothy Friberg:

Homelessness is a very complex problem. ...

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No doubt they will all be rounded up and taken to FEMA camps because we don't even have enough room in our prisons to hold all the homeless folks now. This situation is so dreadful I don't think most of us really even understand what has happened and what is going on now and what is to come.
Praying for Peace in PeaceTown

they took people off today- criminalizing homelessness, and that's what the great County of Sonoma has to offer our most underprivileged, in a county of the privileged.
Olivares is running for Sheriff- shame on him! shame on all in the City Council, except for Julie Combs, who at least tried. So we know where Olivares stands when it comes to the homeless- "lock em up"! way to solve it, ey.
wow.

This is from today's PD:

Santa Rosa cleans up downtown homeless camps

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/csp/me...YPE=image/jpeg
"This time, city officials say they’re not going to let the camps return, taking a tougher approach to the issue in response to a chorus of complaints from businesses owners and residents."

In your post, there's alot of judgment, finger pointing, & make wrong about public officials, who don't do what you want them to do for the homeless. This is a contentious issue, and marginalizing public officials may feel good, but it doesn't contribute to moving forward. My sense, reading the simple line from the PD, about responding to complaints from business owners and residents, is that many people don't agree with you. It's probably especially true for those who live near or have businesses near the homeless encampments under the bridges. They don't want people camping right next to them, on the sidewalks. Can you blame them? We live in a society of many views and opinions - isn't this what democracy is all about? The needs of all are relevant, not just the homeless and their advocates.

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Posted in reply to the post by beshiva:

they took people off today- criminalizing homelessness, and that's what the great County of Sonoma has to offer our most underprivileged, in a county of the privileged.
Olivares is running for Sheriff- shame on him! shame on all in the City Council, except for Julie Combs, who at least tried. So we know where Olivares stands when it comes to the homeless- "lock em up"! way to solve it, ey.
wow.

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So, where would you like these homeless folks to go? Isn’t that what it comes down to? I heard a lot of stories of people who were about to move into a place and then the fires happened. They lost out to people who lost their homes in the fires. So where do you suggest they go if they aren’t allowed to camp anywhere?

the frustrating part of this conversation is the unspoken judgement about morality and worth. That people who are homeless are that way because they are in some way flawed, immoral or mentally ill. If they were just good people who made good decisions they wouldn’t be in this situation. It’s the other end of the prosperity gospel and the new age low vibration.

Let me put it this way. Trump is in office because people think that his wealth shows that he is morally and intellectually superior. We give much more to wealthy people because the assumption is that they are morally superior and will “do the right thing” with the money they get.

We we now have a much worse housing situation than we did before the fires. My hope initially was that the rebuilding would bring justice to how we take care of ALL of our residents. That’s not been the case. Kicking people out of their small camps isn’t a solution to any real problems, except that of perception.

Jessica
www.daughterofthediviners.com

I never implied that the needs of ALL are not relevant nor that only advocates of the homeless need to be heard.
It’s obvious to me that you didn’t take the time to listen to the SR City Council meeting this week because if you had, you would have listened to what Julie Combs had to say,
Or Scott Wagner, or Jim Dewitt, who by the way did have a solution. Or others so articulately shared.
Listening is a necessary skill for actually hearing both sides to an issue.
I guess my question might be then, “what do YOU Think is a another solution other than just throwing people out of the few possessions they have and evicting them to go WHERE”?
And if they wind up in jail, whom do you think pays for That?


It’s kinda a round-robin thingie. You can push people along, ignore them, detest them, and they are going to show up again, another time, at another place, on another corner.
I can’t believe, it’s the end of the year coming round, the cold, the wet, the Holidays, and we’re having this conversation.
We’re coming to a new low in our society- if that’s even possible.
I recently saw On FB, slap on the back for Jack Tibbetts concerning apprenticeships (maybe even some san Quentin inmates) for rebuilding Santa Rosa. Hey, way to go Jack, slap your back.
But, just this week, Jack Tibbetts didn’t even second Julie combs motion to look at the Homeless and find some solutions
I say, the SR City Council, except for Julie, are a bunch of hypocrites.
Because, even though YOU, and the council, and maybe others don’t want to admit, you would rather homeless people Disappear, just plain disappear-simple as that.


I know the answer for many might be, “I really don’t give a crap Where they go, just get out of MY face”. But, you and I -both know that’s not a solution.
People who own business’ know that ONE simple solution is provide a place for people to go to the Bathroom- not rocket science.
People who own business’, (an articulate business owner actually spoke at the Council meeting if you listened) for the most part do not want to see people on the streets crapping in their doorways, but they Know the City is ignoring them too. So, they go to the City and demand some solution, and the City, washes their hands and tells them, “we just don’t know what to do”- which is a bold-face lie.


Right now, as I write this, at least temporarily, there is a solution and there is a shelter in Roseland that can be used to house some of these folks, get them out of the rain, show some damn compassion.
Not a long term solution, but you should note that some of those people were taken in by Rembrance Village, The very people who themselves have so little, and STILL, they moved over and gave some other homeless people some space in their, already, crowded shelter.
Stop making excuses for not finding solutions.
There are still people who lost their homes, and those very people Are amongst the homeless. So, do they matter More to you?

Tent cities Work.

They did during other times in people history.

It may be, the BEST we can do is to allow well-run tent cities for all the millions of homeless people in the US.

Why would we not do, the best that we can do ?


There is little resolve among the Shirley Zanes of the world to solve this "problem".

The homeless folks have a right to exist somewhere.

Where I live, I know where to find them - along a stretch of railroad track and blackberry bushes.


Once I was releasing a rat that had been caught in a trap, at about 5 AM in the morning. Some guy who was camping came out of the bushes and asked me not to release the rat there. So I walked it 50 yards away and let it go there.

Now I have an over-supply of cats and I am thinking about letting some of them go near the homeless people. I am pretty sure some of the kittens would be adopted.


It's not clear to the Board of Supes etc. that being allowed to camp and have a pet cat (or rat) is something very close to a Basic Human Right.

One of the things I observe from reading wildfire & local news is the number of large wildfires started by homeless people who just built a fire to keep warm. I believe one of the bigger recent California fires was started that way.

I'm not sure California will ever figure out as a State how to manage wildfires.

However, I would say government approved tent camps for homeless people is one of the primary features of any realistic California policy to deal with wildfire risk.

One of the reasons to allow homeless encampments is to allow them to build campfires somewhere where people can see the fires. It's possible that sounds crazy but, California's problem is not controlled burning. California's problem is uncontrolled burning.

When California allows government approved homeless camps, that element of wildfire risk is almost eliminated.

I do hope you weren't serious about turning your "over-supply of cats" loose. That would be utterly irresponsible on your part. What about the ones who aren't adopted by homeless people? What if the homeless people can't afford shots and medical care for the kittens? Take them to a shelter or a rescue organization if you just can't be bothered to find them good homes individually. Are you going to spay/neuter your cats to prevent this "over-supply" from happening again? For decency's sake, I hope so.

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Posted in reply to the post by Hot Compost:

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Now I have an over-supply of cats and I am thinking about letting some of them go near the homeless people. I am pretty sure some of the kittens would be adopted....

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Here's the link for the Humane Society Low Cost Spay Neuter Clinic.

https://sonomahumane.org/owner-suppo...t-spay-neuter/

"Our clinics operate on Tuesdays for dogs, and Wednesdays for cats. To schedule an appointment for your four-legged loved one, contact us at 707-284-FIXX (3499)."

I think it is $35 to spay a kitten for low income persons. If it is just a stray you have maybe it can be done free and either put up for adoption or returned to you.

I took a friendly, sickly stray there. They fixed him, nursed him to health and put him for adoption and he got a home quick. I had said I'd take him back if not adopted because he was scrawny and not well looking. I also volunteer there and it is enjoyable. They can fix 20+ cats/kittens in a day, maybe even 30.

They work hard trying to cut down on the overpopulation so please help out. Especially don't give away kittens without getting them fixed first. Thank you.

Amen to that! So important!

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Posted in reply to the post by MikeH:

Here's the link for the Humane Society Low Cost Spay Neuter Clinic.

https://sonomahumane.org/owner-suppo...t-spay-neuter/

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I've split of this homelessness discussion in that cropped up from the "Coffey Park residents wary of grand plans" thread. New thread title is Homelessness after the fires.

Hello neighbors of Sonoma County,

THE HOMELESS POPULATION ARE OFTEN ON MY MIND. I see several reasons for the problems. There are several solutions that come to mind also. As we move forward in looking out for each other, our fellow human and animal citizens, we will come up with more solutions and refine those in place.

ECONOMIC REFUGEES. I Ihave often felt that many people are blindly following what they were taught, "Work hard, make money, buy a house or pay rent." Many still haven't done the math on how many hours someone would have to work on averages wages to cover living expenses in this area. Even the "living wages" that have been proposed and will come about, still are not quite enough.

HUGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE SUFFER FROM BRAIN HEALTH ISSUES. Of the many with mental illnesses, most self-medicate, at least that's my guess. Addiction creates a cycle of instability, which can lead to losing one's home.

WRONG TAX BREAKS Have you ever wondered how and why so many commercial properties sit around year after year, empty, not serving as business nor for the community they sit in? Did you know that the owners of these empty buildings are benefiting from tax breaks when they leave these buildings idle? I propose that the owners of commercial buildings that stay empty more than six months lose their tax breaks and actually get fined for creating problems by keeping their buildings empty. Do you think they should continue to get tax breaks from doing nothing for society? Many of these buildings look perfectly fine and could be used for many purposes.

REZONING. Another idea would be to classify more buildings for live/work, commercial/residential. We don't need those strict rules about where people and live and/or work. They should not be separated under most circumstances. Today so many people are already working from home or cafes on their laptop computers and cell phones. Our laws are antiquated, no longer serve our needs. Let's revamp the zoning laws. Let's allow and encourage, thru' loss of tax breaks, vacant commercial buildings to become homes and businesses. Most already have shared restrooms down the hall. There are plenty of people in the world who share restrooms with others in their buildings. We do that at work. We pay people to keep them clean. Why can't we do that at home too? Hostels and cheap hotels in parts of Europe have a shared toilet and bath down the hall.

INSTALL SHOWERS IN OFFICE BUILDINGS. Did you know that all new office buildings in Sacramento are required to have showers for the employees? This law was created to allow more people to bicycle to work, to reduce car emissions and to promote use of the bike paths.

DECRIMINALIZE POVERTY. What the heck is going on with arresting people for not having a place to live? That was not what I had in mind when I heard the term, " war on poverty ". Now it's a war against our most vulnerable citizens? This is sick.

DECRIMINALIZE CAMPING OUT. If folks prefer to live out in Nature, let them, as long as they are not treaspassing. I heard of people getting arrested or at least having their camps removed forcibly while they were camped out on private property with the owners permission. Let's make this freedom obtainable. We can camp in our National Parks for free, as long as we are careful and respectful. Perhaps we need to designate a few more parks, that are closer to Santa Rosa and other towns, as free-for-campers. Have you ever camped out in the rough in a National Park? I have. It was wonderful, free and natural! That summer near Breckinridge, Colorado, allowed me to spend time with my toddler daughter instead of putting her in childcare while I worked just to cover daycare and rent. She still hikes regularly and introduces her friends to hikes in the forest.

SPEND MONEY ON HOUSING FOR LOW-AND-NO-INCOME PEOPLE instead of spending money on trying to get rid of them. Give them a cheap and simple place to go home to, for as long as they need it. It could save a lot of money by just giving them what they need... wages that are high enough and if not, homes that are cheap enough. Look at other countries in the world that have done this. Let's open our ♥️ hearts.

ASK HOMELESS PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED AND WHAT THEY WANT. Who am I to tell another how to live? Can we judge others without walking in their shoes? I'm not saying they should be camping out in the front of businesses. Where would they like to be if we lived in a better world?

I am grateful for your piece on Homelessness after the Fires. As a urban planning consultant for many years, I found your ideas on these issues to be among the best I have read and heard discussed. Had you thought of submitting this to the PD as an OpEd and to other local media? And perhaps sending this as an open letter to the Board of Supervisors signed by many others in the community?

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Posted in reply to the post by CatSwan:

Hello neighbors of Sonoma County,

THE HOMELESS POPULATION ARE OFTEN ON MY MIND. I see several reasons for the problems. There are several solutions that come to mind also. As we move forward in looking out for each other, our fellow human and animal citizens, we will come up with more solutions and refine those in place.

ECONOMIC REFUGEES....

HUGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE SUFFER FROM BRAIN HEALTH ISSUES. ...

WRONG TAX BREAKS ...

REZONING. ...

INSTALL SHOWERS IN OFFICE BUILDINGS. ...

DECRIMINALIZE POVERTY. ...

DECRIMINALIZE CAMPING OUT. ...

SPEND MONEY ON HOUSING FOR LOW-AND-NO-INCOME PEOPLE ...

ASK HOMELESS PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED AND WHAT THEY WANT. ...

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with all due respect, i'd like to point out that these points have been brought to both the SR City Council and the BOS, for quite a long time, both by the homeless themselves and homeless advocates, only to fall on deaf ears.
i mean, let's not forget that the SR City Council, recognized the urgency of the situation coming down on the city, so more than a year ago, officially declared "housing first" was their new motto. ( i mean they actually Voted on it), Since then, virtually nothing has been done and now with the fires, it's become dire; now it's becoming "punishment first" as the new motto.

they are not punishing people who lost their homes to the fires-giving them a leg up when possible. that's a good thing, of course. so, what separates them from the (other) homeless.

yes, there is property, unoccupied, privately owned and property owned by the city and county too. i really don't understand how the city and county allows privately owned buildings to be unoccupied, kicks back a tax break to the owners, and doesn't think this is a lose lose situation?
County has property to start working on tiny houses- and expedite the permits-give it a try.

Camping, - How much more simple can it get. i'm not advocating a free-for-all. but, they Must allow people to camp, ease up some of the crowded conditions in some of the shelters. there still are National Forests , and State Beaches in this state, where you can simply Go and Camp. what's wrong with expanding the concept (again) in SoCo?

they started criminalizing the homeless after they completed the town square, upped the ante on punishing the homeless and gave the go-ahead to law enforcement to hand out fines and at times, jail people. for what purpose does this serve? they don't have an answer- literally they just blankly stare back at the public.
public restrooms, opened more than just a few hours a day keeps the public safe from human waste winding up on our streets and gives people dignity in the most basic way right- why some privacy isn't considered important to these officials is mind-boggeling. it's even a bit cruel to deny bathrooms

i've advocated for the homeless to participate in their own solutions, another request that falls on deaf ears.
So, i applaud, that all these good solutions be repeated to them over and over and over again, until they LISTEN!-i wonder if they ever will? if the fires didn't bring home to them the obvious crisis we are facing, not sure What it will take for them to deliver?

thank you again for stating the obvious- but not obvious enough apparently, to our elected officials.

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Posted in reply to the post by Dogenzip:

I am grateful for your piece on Homelessness after the Fires. As a urban planning consultant for many years, I found your ideas on these issues to be among the best I have read and heard discussed. Had you thought of submitting this to the PD as an OpEd and to other local media? And perhaps sending this as an open letter to the Board of Supervisors signed by many others in the community?

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Posted in reply to the post by Dogenzip:

I am grateful for your piece on Homelessness after the Fires. As a urban planning consultant for many years, I found your ideas on these issues to be among the best I have read and heard discussed. Had you thought of submitting this to the PD as an OpEd and to other local media? And perhaps sending this as an open letter to the Board of Supervisors signed by many others in the community?

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:Yinyangv: Well, thank you very much, Dogenzip. Today I sent it to Susan Gorin's fb page and to NextDoor Sonoma. It would be better to send the letter to all the BOS sups. Thank you for your encouragement! Some of my ideas come from my time in City Planning in Sacramento, when I worked in building permits and participated at meetings as an interested community artist, full of ideas, during the mid 1980s. "Second Saturday" art night is one of my legacies.
It would feel rewarding to participate in the political arena more, here in Sonoma County. Let's start with getting people off the street and into appropriate buildings or campsites for sleeping! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

https://youtu.be/T1GCzu4JEdE

last night's SR City Council meeting. some really wonderful articulate people last night-
issues discussed- Safe Parking, keeping public informed on daily basis with online info, and most importantly, council members need to develop a sub-committee to work directly with advocates and some of the homeless to keep these channels of communication open, and recognize the need for transparency

the people who started Camp Rembrance, (back of the dollar tree store in Roseland) and now a new one right outside it's gates are a great resource for those who wish to be involved- Ozzy O'Toole, Carolyn Epple, Susan Chunco and others too-are truly heroes in this struggle. the camps can use supplies right now. Carolyn suggests some of them on the video from last night. thx

Here's an encouraging letter from the director of PRMD regarding their plans for responding to the "Sonoma Complex" fires:

https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/PRMD/New...From-Director/

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Posted in reply to the post by beshiva:

with all due respect, i'd like to point out that these points have been brought to both the SR City Council and the BOS, for quite a long time, both by the homeless themselves and homeless advocates, only to fall on deaf ears. ...

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Thanks for keeping this topic open;

I just want to add a not so small perspective to the larger issue

I have seen (on a day I was taking a huge sack of survival equipment to the homeless in S.R. ) I saw the S R police, possibly the sheriff and SMART train cops rudely and with unnecessary use of harsh language and force evict a small homeless village on (get this!) Carrillo st. they were using a power loader to load the tents into a dumpster ,and not allowing people to remove their possessions first oh sure, they undoubtedly gave them notice the day before or some such. I talked to a SR police officer there and he said"oh well these people all have drug and mental issues" we need to get them OFF private property" so it would actually be more expensive to imprison all of them. they must not be allowed to life OUT OF SIGHT ((this is an important aspect of the police generated tactic)) anytime their sad shelters are located out of site they are torn down ((oh they make messes and shit and piss everywhere)) they are also not allowed in the street (in a trailer or motor home or car) so we have side-walk incarceration .or the sidewalk insane asylum if you will and anyone's insane in this country if they expect a cup of coffee for a reasonable price right?

So look (I am a borderline Homeless person,I have lived under the radar all my life , my parents were gypsies and so am I. I have FRIENDS, and having lots of those who can cope in the current financial system allows me to circulate among them and BARELY keep a seance of being a functioning part of "sociality" ) so if I have any opinion that's valid It's not coming from a beige living room with a 50" t v .every-place I lived had tailights for 50 years.

So why won't the city rent them disgusting portapotties? . (personally I cannot enter one, but It has been suggested) "oh then we'd be a mecca for every hobo in California and Nevada" (come to the wine country , live in a portapotty!!)

OH and then in dear ol' Santa Rosa we see a huge unused building what?every six or eight lots all along S. Santa Rosa ave ! In Roseland there are giant brand new office buildings that have sat mysteriously empty for a decade! (some kind of real slimy boondoggle) where are all the homeless Immigrants??actually I DID meet a few recently,but it's a new trend, they work, make friends with a back porch.

Shelter basic food and Medical Care are a RIGHT and our society can more than afford to cover that

how many STUDIES :hmmm:have the big grants paid for in Sonoma County!!? I'd like to know the exact figure on the cost of that. Give me Half the money that went to offices , computers and consultants and I will set up tent cities, water, trash recycling compost and composting toilets for ALL the homeless, disallow LAWYERS to say LIABILITY won't let us use that building!!! and every one could be indoors in two days. Its all a matter of imagination, in Spain ,there is a simple law you do not OWN a building if you are not using it, and if someone else wants to and can. :2cents:
My Talk is cheap too, I wish I had more to give than ideas!? anybody want to help?

Ideas are just ideas, without the power to implement them. Many ideas I've seen expressed here are intelligent, compassionate, affordable, and possible, but those in power have a different perspective on the homeless, unless caused by the fires, which means "not their fault". Fire victims are "blameless", unlike the standard variety of the mentally ill, drug addicted homeless, who, from the city/county official's perspective, like being homeless. And, they don't want to be helped. Many refuse to go to shelters. We wonder why. I've heard first hand reports of theft, bullying, sexual abuse, drug exchanges, forced religious activities, out by 6am only to come back and stand in line with no guarantee of a bed. A woman friend said it was the worst experience of her life, and she's in her 60's. She said she'd rather sleep in her car, until rousted by police at 1 and 2 am.

For all the beauty of Sonoma County, our compassion in action is low, beyond those who devote themselves to feeding and clothing the hungry, and sometimes even housing them, though it can be a risky endeavor, as I've personally experienced.

I continue to help in ways that I can by sharing the posts of people here who are gathering shoes, socks, warm clothes, blankets, jackets, caps, and even dog coats and beds. I've picked up several loads to deliver, since the contributors work and can't deliver personally.

I have a fantasy that at this moment, wealthy compassionate people are gathering together to create solutions that emulate those that they've seen working in other countries where their wealth has allowed them to vacation. They're smart and entrepreneurial, with an eye for solving problems. Every successful business must solve problems. We've got some big ones here, and the solutions are visible and viable to make
Sonoma County Great Again. We can't give up hope, just because Obama isn't President anymore. :candle:

We wonder why so many homeless don't want to go to shelters. Has anyone gone incognito as a homeless person and spent 2 or 3 nights in a couple of shelters? I remember that there was an elected official from another city, and county who did this. Does anyone remember that?

The best thing you can buy with money is privacy and when you don't have money you get privacy where you can.
Being in a shelter is like being in a dorm in prison. If you can imagine that.

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Posted in reply to the post by Shandi:

We wonder why so many homeless don't want to go to shelters. Has anyone gone incognito as a homeless person and spent 2 or 3 nights in a couple of shelters? I remember that there was an elected official from another city, and county who did this. Does anyone remember that?

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Santa Rosa Ave and Petaluma Hill Rd, which are both my neighborhood, are filling in/"developing" really fast. Some of those recently-empty lots are housing, but not enough. The empty buildings won't stay that way for long. I keep wondering where the homeless folks who were living in the abandoned lots can go now :(

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Posted in reply to the post by nicofrog:

...OH and then in dear ol' Santa Rosa we see a huge unused building what?every six or eight lots all along S. Santa Rosa ave ! ...

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Medicine Hat maintaining homeless-free status 2 years on - Calgary ...

https://www.facebook.com/JungleVT/vi...6157123556974/
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/medicine-hat-homeless-free-update-1.3949030


I realize that this is "old news", but I don't remember seeing it posted here, and wonder if our officials are aware of what's been done, and what's possible, or if they do know, and don't give a damn!

It's a brief video that shows the plan in detail and what was done, and how much MONEY was SAVED.

Makes me wonder if some of the savings went into our officials pockets as a reward for implementing a program like this....naw, they have other ways of siphoning money from us, under the table, and behind closed doors.

Who's proud to live in Sonoma County, home of the growing homeless?

There are cities in the US who do this with the same results. While conservatives annoy the heck out of me (sorry to be blunt) the one idea that we should all adopt is fiscal responsibility. The government has limited funds and all too often use them to cover up problems, not fix them. If Sonoma county wants to be fiscally responsible about addressing homelessness, getting people housed is much cheaper than sweeping the problem under the proverbial rug. We wouldn’t spend so much on “housing” them in jail. We would spend less on bulldozers to wipe out camps. In terms of public health, it’s much easier to take care of yourself if you are housed. It’s much easier to be employed if you are first housed (try going on job interviews when you don’t have funds for washing clothes, or you have no access to a shower). I’m appalled that we are wasting so much money on optics when it would be much easier to address the essential problem of being homeless: not having a home.

Everyone is so bought into the mythology around homelessness that they feel doing something about it is a waste of time and money. Homeless people are broken and thus disposable in our culture. As someone who has been homeless, most of the services don’t address the real problem. My one pet peeve was having someone at the shelter lecturing us about how to manage money. Believe me, being poor is a full time job. If you don’t have enough money to manage, you spend all of your time trying to manage the little you have.

Jessica

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Posted in reply to the post by Shandi:

Medicine Hat maintaining homeless-free status 2 years on - Calgary ...

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Homelessness itself is NOT a very complex problem - it is a long term camping trip for those who live that way.

There are certainly more simple answers, though what communities need are not simple answers - they need good effective answers.

The good answer, and the simple answer, may not always coincide.

Communities simply need to NOT criminalize homelessness.

That means providing for basic needs, including the most obvious - bathroom facilities.

100 years ago, America was not so terrified of "night soil." It was used in gardens and farms as fertilizer. Certainly, excrement is a disease vector, but then, so is any kind of manure.

This year's fire near Bel-Air was started by a cooking fire at a homeless encampment.

I don't care to dwell in the minutiae too much, but I believe one of the larger fires was also.

That is a problem that is going to bite California in the rear end again, and again.

What worked in the past, during the Great Depression ? Tent cities, for example.

If it worked then, why wouldn't it work now ?

Very simply, the shot-callers who have the most influence at City or County hall, do not want the problem solved.

Until Sonoma County is organized so that the Greater Good is more important than the wishes of the wealthy and the influential, homeless people will be camping everywhere they can find a hiding place.

I live on 15 acres that adjoins about 100 square miles of forest. The total amount of fuel there is greater than a small nuclear bomb, and with comparable destructive power.

My backyard looks up a hill (which I love walking on). ANY homeless encampment up there threatens to start the Blaze of the Ages, which terrifies me and my neighbors.

Personally, I would react very forcefully to remove any homeless encampment that has the ability to start a large wildfire.

However, I also know where some of the more popular camping spots are - a mile or 2 of railroad track adjoined by an industrial area and many acres of blackberry bushes.

That, and the parking lots of local big chain stores, are where homeless people go.

Ignoring it and criminalizing it really doesn't make it better, it makes the situation worse.

Compounding the problem is the accessibility of fire - any homeless person with a lighter can make life very difficult for those who have made their life difficult.

I don't expect that Sonoma County or Santa Rosa or California (or any neighboring states) will realistically deal with the problem. But I think it's one of the most important situations that the US needs to deal with.

Part of the nature of the problem is people looking for a "Good" solution. Sometimes, what life has to offer is a choice between terrible fvcked up situations, that wouldn't even normally be called solutions.

That's one area where Americans are weak, they always want the "Good" solution.

If I had to pick an area in Sonoma County for a large homeless encampment, I would pick the area near Sonoma Compost.

The area between Nicasio Road and Nicasio Reservoir, near where I put the "X". I pick that area because I am sort of familiar with it, and because it is bounded by the road (a natural fire-break) and the reservoir, another natural fire-break.



Sonoma Compost gets an incredibly sweet deal from the county, $35 a truckload for letting people drop off yard waste. 300 truck-loads a day, and then they sell the finished compost, which is about 1/6 the volume of what it started out as. i.e. they sell about 50 truckloads a day of finished compost, the result of their hard work.

So if they complain, I would say, "too bad. If you don't like it, you lose your sweet deal". I should add, I have tremendous respect for the senior scientist at Sonoma Compost, so I don't mean to be harsh & controlling. But the county has a problem that needs to be solved.

As far as the home-owners nearby, there is a 7 megawatt natural gas facility that gets methane, from the landfill beneath Sonoma Compost. To sweeten the deal for them, I would reduce their electricity bills by about 50%.

I would add bus service, so that the people living in the encampment aren't stuck there. And parking, so homeless people with cars can join in the, ahem, fun.

I know that is not a perfect solution and may not be the best solution. If there is going to be a genuine solution or solutions, it will involve people getting out maps and looking at them, and any potential encampment site has to have very good answers viz a viz the subject of urban interface wildfires.

So that means any meetings on the subject has to be attended by experienced wildland firefighters, or whatever the proper term is.

I would also add, this is a problem that comes with a deadline - the beginning of the 2018 fire season.

If it's not massaged into a workable solution by then, California and Sonoma County get another year of Homeless Person Roulette. That did not work out too well in 2017.