Modesto City Councilmember Nick Bavaro raised a lot of hackles during the May 7 meeting of the Modesto City Council. The item in question was what appeared to be a routine funding approval for the Salvation Army to continue operating a day center at the Berberian Shelter, which includes a traditional Salvation Army shelter and Stanislaus County’s low barrier shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
Bavaro seemed incensed that the item appeared headed for an easy approval. He hectored Salvation Army Major Darren Stratton on a number of issues, but especially on claims that bookkeeping and records were “disorganized.” Major Stratton explained that inflation, fewer donations, and consequent staff shortages had made the Salvation Army mission much more difficult.
Given fruitless expenditures by the City of Modesto and Stanislaus County, Bavaro would be better advised to look at what the city and county spend on homelessness and what their expected outcomes are and how they measure them; he should also be looking at expenses for every nonprofit involved in homelessness, especially their outcomes and metrics.
The City of Modesto just allotted $200,000 to its CHAT team to buy motel stays for homeless people. What are the expected outcomes of that expenditure? Will the city be tracking results? What have been the outcomes to date from expenditures for the CHAT team?
We’re not talking about numbers of people encountered, chatted with, or referred to shelters. If we’re talking outcomes, we need to be measuring how many people have actually gotten off the streets for more than a month or two. While he’s at it, Bavaro should review expenditures for the city’s Park Ranger program as well.
By now most everyone who’s been paying attention realizes that, despite expenditures in the billions throughout the state, homelessness continues to burgeon. Much of the failure stems from two simple but tragic errors:
- State and local officials refuse to admit publicly that a lack of housing is a major factor in homelessness
- State and local officials refuse to admit publicly that we have insufficient services for those who need them; thus, when official announcements proclaim that a new policy or tactic will “connect them (homeless people) to services,” the claim is mostly untrue; there are not enough services.
As a consequence of these two fundamental errors, sweeps, busts and rousts simply move homeless people from one place to another and (often) back again to the same place. There is little to no return on the dollars spent treating homelessness as though it were a case of willful loitering. Congregate shelters like those managed by the Salvation Army face the same problems as everyone else; insufficient housing and services prevent people from moving on.
Instead of sniping at the Salvation Army, Councilman Bavaro should be asking his own city four simple questions:
- What are the total costs the City of Modesto spends on homelessness per year?
- What are the expected outcomes that justify those costs?
- How does the city measure progress in achieving those outcomes?
- What funding sources feed efforts to address homelessness in Modesto and Stanislaus County?
If he’s feeling especially ambitious, Councilman Bavaro should pose the same four questions to Stanislaus County officials, while asking them to be sure to include costs incurred by the bevy of local nonprofits dedicated to regional homelessness.
If he were to pursue such questions, Councilman Bavaro would find enough waste, redundancy and futility to fund a managed encampment big enough to shelter every homeless person in Modesto.
To his credit, Bavaro has spent more time among homeless people than any other elected official. It’s also to his credit that he’s proposed a “Streets to Camp” program that would be far more effective at managing homelessness than current tactics. Local citizens would be far better served if he continued working on that program.
Meanwhile, instead of sniping at the Salvation Army, which does as good a job as any entity at getting people off the streets, Councilman Bavaro should take a hard look at his city’s and county’s own glass houses, however opaque and enshrouded in mystery they may be.
To add to the investigation challenge, how about looking at the effectiveness of not only non-profits, but also report on the following major homeless organizations for starters:
– The Stanislaus Homeless Alliance (SHA)
– The Community System of Care (CSOC)
– The County’s homeless and Housing Division
I think that’s a wonderful idea that the more homeless should benefit with better shelter. With shelter, we’re not punished so much just for being homeless and it’s less dangerous.
He actually spent time with the homeless!? He should be evaluated or deported. Or is he really trying to help? Hmmm
What??!? What you said, makes no sense.
WHO IS ‘HE’?
Stop giving raises to lazy city’s administration.
Nick Bavaro, saved the night on May 7, 2024, by asking the pertinent questions necessary about the Salvation Army services, expenses, and percentages likely to leave Modesto, CA. No matter how much we want to break it all down, to know where each dollar is going, it amounts to a huge chunk of money being spent, whether or not the services are being carried out to expectations and/or utilized.
Had Nick Bavaro not asked, we would not know, some services are restricted, not only by the Salvation Army, but by whomever wrote up the local mandates the Salvation Army is expected to abide by.
I take it Bavaro and others think it is time to go back to the drawing board. Who wants to pay for a safe parking lot if many homeless can not use it? Money put to best use will be to get the vehicles legal. This will allow the vehicles to transport the owners back and forth to work, as well as serve as housing.
Out of all the questions, some half answered, no one chimed in how many people are without permanent housing in Modesto. That number is the key all else is to work with. Yet no one offered to say. It was not Salvation Army’s job alone to know, or get back with the total.
Did anyone else but myself and one man who came to the podium to thank Nick detect that Nick Bavaro’s questions were not as welcome as they ought to have been? To me Nick’s vote was appropriate. I cannot see how it was that the vote was cast so easily to a 5 “yes”, 1 “no” outcome. This is scarce money we are spending without much forethought.
Derek Castle and the neighborhood group he spoke of, seem disappointed that the parks near them are not set aside for whatever they think they exist for. An example of NIMBYs, smiling up into City Council faces, yet, all the while whining their dream is not coming to fruition.
Eric Caine, I agree, Nick Bavaro could ask many more questions. Thank you for your multiple suggestions.
Nick Bavaro is on the right track of following the money. He deserves a raise.
How many, besides me, thinks 10 months is plenty long enough to know the answers Nick asked, about the Salvation Army operations? I sensed offense over having been asked for an accounting. Tough…
Too much money cannot be accounted for when it comes to all things labeled, HOMELESSNESS! I say expect to give an accounting, from now on in…
Valley Citizen’s can count on you Frank to steer us in the right direction. TY!
Also look into Community Housing and Shelter services and why the county uses them for people who are granted 16 days of homeless assistance and CHSS is supposed to provide assistance with finding housing in the 16 days. They receive a lot of funding and do not provide any assistance with finding housing. They print out a listing weekly of local property management rental listings and the majority of the listings are over the allowed budget for deposit assistance and they also claim the property management companies are willing to rent to participants when they have no knowledge or relations with the rental agencies to be claiming that. The staff at the welfare office often books the motel for the client anyway and CHSS does not need to be paid the amount of money they are to sometimes call the motel and book the room or hand out a useless rental listing and call it providing supportive services.
YOU TELL IT STRAIGHT, MARIE. TELL US MORE, PLZ!
What can be done for the elderly that’s homeless in Modesto? I’m getting really upset seeing these older folks slowly moving, sometimes in the dirt pushing their walkers. Can’t we as human beings get them a place for them to call home or do we just look the other way and think about what we’re having for dinner? I don’t think Jesus would look the other way.
Good question Ag and the answer is: very little. Just look at which local govt agency is responsible and their budget!! Most subsidized (Feds) senior facilities have 2+ year wait lists. Look at the development of new facilities; almost 0 except for a few the housing authority is working on. Where is the local senior lobby? Maybe it’s time to form one. And of course many seniors also need some type of support system, often medical assistance, which is in short supply for the poor.
I READ TODAY, MEDICAL IS BEING HIT AGAIN, BY GOV NEWSOM, WHO DOES NOT GOVERN ADEQUATELY. THIS AFTER ENTERING A DEAL WITH MEDICAL PROVIDERS JUST LAST YEAR.
OBVIOUSLY, HE GOT THE NOTION OF RUNNING FOR PREZ OUT OF HIS SYSTEM. HE ONLY KNOWS HOW TO FLUNK OUT. CITIZENS HAVE FAR TOO MANY FLUNKIES TO DISCARD ALREADY.
FRANK, EXCELLENT IDEA, WE NEED A LOCAL SENIOR LOBBY, YET WITH THE MEMBERS CHOSEN WISELY. WE DO NOT NEED NIMBY TYPES.
WE DO NEED MEMBERS OF ALL SHADES; A HIGHER RATIO OF LOW INCOMES; CONCENSUS DECISION MAKERS; AND, THOSE WHO DO TRULY ENJOY BRAINSTORMING.
OTHER MUSTS? CHIME IN, PLEASE.
“”TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU 1000% HECK YEAH “”
Stop the drug use among the homeless and get them in drug rehab or AA group. Do more to stop street level drug dealers.
Thats a great idea. Maybe make drug use illegal too. Smart very smart. We going to be great again one day I’m sure. Not
[…] Story continues […]
[…] Story continues […]
The Salvation Army Shelters have a record of success which should be lauded and supported.
LAST I KNEW CHURCH AND BUSINESS ENTITIES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE OPEN TO QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY IF RECEIVING PUBLIC/GOVT FUNDS. SINCE WHEN DID ASKING QUESTIONS BECOME A MATTER OF COMING UNDER ATTACK?
I APPLAUD ANY MODESTO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, STAN COUNTY MEMBER, AND, CITIZEN MEMBER WHO DELVES IN.
He ran on “I have common sense values”. I would be happy if he just had common sense. He completely spoke out of turn regarding The Salvation Army. He neglected to educate himself regarding topics he was very critical of and even went so far as to defame the character of some very professional, hard working people. To say the least, he ought to be ashamed of himself!
AGAIN, WHO?
Isn’t it time to bring back the Tent City of a few years ago which for some hidden reason was suddenly dismantled sending the occupants scurrying for shelter that was mostly to be found in parks, alleys, down by Dry Creek or the river, next to the railroad tracks, outside the main library, etc..
Oh yes, the new Salvation Army run shelter opened to great applause. Only it hadn’t sufficient beds to handle everyone and strict rules were rejected by others.
Was the Tent City perfect? Not by a long shot, but it appeared to be a large step in the right direction. People with similar problems, homelessness, drug & alcohol dependency, lack of money & work, mental illness, bad luck, were in the same location where service providers could find them and start them on a road to self dependence and respect. I believe toilets and showers were provided and police services as well as medical calls dropped for this section of our society.
The occupants started keeping the city neat and clean for the most part and watched out for each other’s wellbeing.
Perfect? Not by a long shot, but in comparison to the present situation, you be the judge.
I believe it’s time for the Modesto City Council and the Board of Supervisors to move back to the future.
Quit asking the hard questions and ACT. Get off your tax paid arses.