Former Modesto City Councilmember Bruce Frohman lives in the Woodland West neighborhood where the City of Modesto has proposed locating a tiny home community for homeless people transitioning to traditional housing. Below, he explains the anger and confusion that arose when he and his neighbors learned about the proposal. ed.
Before notifying the potentially affected neighborhood, staff members of the City of Modesto’s Community and Economic Development Department began studying whether a transitional housing project could be built on the grounds of the Church of the Brethren, in west Modesto, within the Woodland West Community neighborhood on Woodland Avenue.
After the study commenced, an emergency meeting was held on March 28 by city staff to inform the neighborhood of the study. Staff had already received and reviewed the proposal, obtained city council approval to proceed with a feasibility study, sent out surveyors, and created a site map before the residents of the affected area were offered the courtesy of a meeting.
On March 18, while doing the site survey, a project surveyor let the cat out of the bag. One of the church’s nearby neighbors noticed the surveyor and casually asked what he was doing. The surveyor replied that he was mapping out infrastructure needed for homeless housing. Say what?
Like a brush fire on a windy day, word circulated that a major homeless project was going to be built in the Woodland West neighborhood. Residents speculated that the decision to proceed had already been made and that the project could not be stopped. Nearby residents went into an uproar and started contacting their city council representative and the Community and Economic Development Department. Not all emails received a response and; phone calls received incomplete answers, causing rising anxiety in the neighborhood to escalate even further.
As the frequency and urgency of the calls increased, city staff decided to hold a public informational meeting in the auditorium of the Church of the Brethren. Staff informed neighborhood representative and liaison *Terhesa Gamboa about twenty-four hours before the scheduled emergency meeting. She then sent out a notice to her email list. The city did not have time to provide a formal public notice, unusual for a planning information meeting of this nature.
City staff members (with two City Council Members in attendance) had not printed enough informational flyers when the crowd entered the church auditorium for a meeting called at 3PM on a work day with only twenty-four-hours’ notice. Citizens attend public meetings when they think that they will be adversely affected by a government decision.
City staff stated at the beginning of the meeting that the city intended to provide information about the proposal to build transitional housing in temporary manufactured homes of 60 and 120 square feet in size, with separate public toilet and shower facilities. For some, this idea evoked a memory of the car camps in depression era 1930’s, as described in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath.
With the crowd clearly agitated, a city staff member started reading information about the proposal from a four-page handout that consisted of few words and vague information that answered few of the questions that the crowd had come to get answered. As the staff member read on, the crowd grew increasingly vocal. After about five minutes, the presentation ended, incomplete and unclear as to why the church site was specifically needed.
In the four years I served on the Modesto City Council, I had never seen a crowd so angry or hostile. Each time a staff member gave an answer, the next audience member who spoke seemed to ask a different question in an angrier tone, with greater outrage about the seemingly vague or incomplete answers.
Twice during the meeting, to settle the crowd, City Councilmember Chris Ricci walked to the front of the room and announced that no decision about the project had been made and stated that the crowd’s opposition was duly noted. However, he gave no assurance that the project was dead, so the meeting ended with the public having incomplete information about the transitional housing proposal and thinking less of city government. Some predicted that the project will proceed regardless of protest.
Most attendees were fearful and angry. Fear arose from potential problems associated with the worst known homeless behavior being brought into the neighborhood. City staff provided insufficient information regarding how candidates for housing and their guests would be screened. Anger stemmed from the prospect of facing homeless people on the streets more frequently, compounded by insufficient information from meeting coordinators.
The way the City of Modesto has allowed North Ninth Street to accumulate trash, the lack of police response to citizens’ calls for service, and inattention to other city services have created mistrust and lack of confidence in city government.
Given failed service delivery in recent years, an attendee commented that services to the homeless would replace services to taxpaying citizens. Any assurance or promise made by city staff or the councilman at the meeting was dismissed as not credible or valid. As a result, the transitional housing proposal was considered by the crowd a predictable failure and probable blight on the neighborhood.
Sadly, the potential benefit of the proposed housing program might not come to fruition in Modesto unless another location is identified. At the meeting, staff said three other sites have been proposed. Let us hope they are better able to promote one or more of those sites so that the community can be better served.
*Thank you to Terhesa Gamboa for assistance in the formulation of this article.
You do not even realize that everything you said here in your post, amounts to sheer snobbery. If not in the Woodlawn area then where? You regurgitate all your misgivings and use analogy to paint a picture of how your neighbors were thinking, then with assumably your blessings, you pass what you view as the worst that could happen in your area, off to some other church in some other area of town, as long as it is not your area.
Your thoughts disgust me. Thinking about the homeless as you do, and claim your neighbors do as well, breaks my heart. We are talking solely about newly out of a place to live people and your hearts are already closed off to them. Beligerant, to say the least, is how I see you, clearly. It is exactly how I have sized up the type of people who usually fill up the seats of City Councils and Boards of Supervisors, with small town thinking. They, as yourself, have envisioned a dome over the city and/or county and are determined to keep things as they were decades ago. Fresh, new thinking, is not welcome. Period. A bunch of phoney groupthinkers working against progress, against problem solving, sobotaging what is necessary for the public goodwill, and whining about anything that sounds like change.
I for one am discouraged that the current mayor was reelected. She displayed during her first term an inability to offer Modesto anything this city truly needs to grow out of the delayed development it is stuck in. Modesto needs a mayor who can think outside of the dome. I am willing to come out and play the race card. I am hungry for a black, hip to all the nonsense, mayor. Someone we had the opportunity to vote in recently, but too many voters were fearful of any positive upheavals to the way people want things done around here. I sincerely hope those black men start campaigning again, soon, for the next mayoral seat, so they get known in this city for making all the difference, long prior to the last few months. Modesto needs a cultural shift in thinking. I am not black, need I be, to have my conscienceness raised? No!!!
I do not speak of wokeism. I do speak of down to the bone grit applied where it has been lacking for centuries. Class warfare has infiltrated the church. This is on display before our very faces.
I point out what is very obvious within this post and the last post. What pierced my heart is how it became transparent that almost every sentence threw the homeless under the bus. All the appeals to separate the newly rendered homeless from the longer rendered homeless is disgraceful. No wonder why Modesto can not solve the hardship of our houseless. The last two posts and some comments leaked out real thoughts about them. I am ahgast! Read them over and keep count of all the negativity cast about on those poor souls who live and die with the misfortune of having been out and about on the streets longer than they ever should have been expected to be.
They deserve apologies from all who deem them less than (just as) human and less than (just as) deserving of help as any one else. Blessed are the poor for they shall live (even if resurrected) to see the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
I am a believer in Messiah and his second return, and I live my life in accord with the entire book of Holy Scriptures, the best I can. There are somethings very lost about Modesto. They are not those with no homes that you make excuses about. Humble ourselves, pray and repent that we can be set free from what ails us. Then, Almighty God may heal the land.
Mr. Valero,
It seems to me that the author of this article gives an account of what happened and, in his opinion, why. That does not mean that he supports the beliefs of the people or things said at that meeting.
In American English when you focus narrowly on something or define it carefully you “get a bead” or “draw a bead” on it. In this expression the term “bead” comes from the former name for the little metal bump on the end of a gun barrel which helped the shooter aim precisely at a target.
Unless the writer stuck around to interview people in the angry crowd, to draw a bead on what exactly they had been thinking, and why, the writer’s “opinion” was too close for my comfort to have not been mostly his own thought: For some, this idea evoked a memory of the car camps in depression era 1930’s, as described in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath.
I have read other posts and comments by this writer, thus familiar with how he himself puts his thoughts and opinions to print.
I have not forgotten how he made it clear that $2M dollars to be spent on Coffee Road sidewalk repair was a more worthy cause than applying that same $2M towards housing of some destitute homeless. It was not that there was an option on the table to spend the $2M on the homeless rather than repairing sidewalks, yet he could not resist pointing out which was the weightier between the two. As I recall someone besides me commented to his comment as to which was truly more weighter given a choice.
When it comes to how and what people think and do not think about any poor or homeless person or persons, I am known to be hypervigilant. I will not give a blind eye or a deaf ear to, or provide excuses for anyone, even myself, for not treating them as I would want to be thought of and treated. As you can see, I am known to be blunt, so there is no mistaking my point. I loathe the fact that some look past what needs to be corrected. There is a world of hurting people out there in the world, while too many pride them selves as better than those they view as beneath them, or, above those they view as being a bleeding heart. I can love those people but I cannot stand idly by and not love them enough to tell them the truth about themselves. We all need correction. We are all fall short of the God’s wisdom.
It does not make doing so right…
Mr. Valero,
I suggest taking a look at SB4’s text. It’s a recent development that allows churches, colleges and universities to construct micro and tiny housing on their properties without going through a zoning process. Construction codes would have to be followed and the State has already established guidelines for micro shelters.
The way I see it, Modesto will not progress until the homelessness issue is addressed. I’d like to see an open concerted effort where City, County and host facility work together to make a positive that will cause high end businesses to see Modesto as a city that can tackle its problems in a good way.
Take a look at Community Supported Shelters in Eugene Oregon. They have bee doing micro shelter enclaves on church properties for years. They are successful and their efforts enhance Eugene’s ambience. Their website is very informative.
I suggest that rather than being a naysayer, try to understand how the problem detracts, how others approach the problem and once you get it, be a supporter.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB4
Good to somewhat make your aquaintance, John. It never ceases to amaze that no matter what some people do or say their intent is often misread.
I have been stating for the last 4-5 days pretty much the same that you have said to me, give or take a few blunt thoughts about how I see we need to view our need to put the homeless as priority #1 on our minds and stop making excuses for those who resist that idea. Appeasing people who are naysayers is not conducive to getting anywhere fast.
I like to give others the benefit of the doubt but not if it requires dancing around a priority: being to care for the houseless, and not wasting valuable time attempting to change people set on ‘NO’…
They may eventually come around or they may not, but valuable time can be wasted, none the less.
If you read all my comments in the two posts having any thing to do with the Church of the Brethren and the Woodland resistance, many of which were directed to specific others, you may be able to see I am not a naysayer.
If you read me into this as a naysayer, so be it. You are forgiven.
I read your other 2 comments prior to this comment to me. It was good to see you, the city, the county, Downey HS and others have been seeking how to do more for less money. Certainly necessary wise steps.
I have seen how ‘the problem detracts’ and I see how what some say to the public can seem defeatest. If words are all some have to go by, I am going to call people on the words.
Once you get that you may see I am a supporter of action, not laggers.
I have been viewing other church projects in and out of CA, for years now, yet it seemed all the police chief had to say was, ‘nay’. How long ago was that stall out?
Time is of the essence.
I will be watching, show me some real timely progress. Who could not get behind that?
As for SB4 I have been spreading the word myself. Modesto needs to be seen in a better light. I use the word ambiance myself a lot. People tell me ambiance is a thing of the past. We know better. But, thus far Modesto has had its brakes on. The only tackling I have seen has been the illegal sweeps of people not resilient enough to stand up for them selves. Illegal as to the 9th District Court.
It always comes down to making an impression on ‘high end business,’ if you get my drift, to get the moral, ethical juices flowing. To hear you tell it, it sounds more like a different type of sweep. The ole sweep it all under the carpet trick.
Don’t sell Modesto off to the plunderers who will hollow it out at good citizens’ expense. Many of the closing, and closed, businesses have gone that route.
Yes, I have a streak of suspicion, when all of a sudden people are willing to do what should have been done in a timelier manner. Like a watchman on the wall. Not all money is good money, if at the root of evil.
You have my blessing, if you have Almighty God’s blessing.
I’m optimistic; talking is over. Time to get moving and micro has to be part of the mix. Will be fleshing out my views as November approaches. Oversight is key and county should be very much a part of that.
Forgive me, above, I meant to use quotations marks around: “For some, this idea evoked a memory of the car camps in depression era 1930’s, as described in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath.”
I doubt this identical memory was evoked by some. Yet, I do believe it circulated through the writer’s mind as he himself envisioned such a similar possibility coming to the Woodlawn area. Projection has a way of occuring, like a Freudian slip.
Today April 7th, letter to the Bee described something no one, except from WOOD Colony, would think of to worry about. Not too very long ago the city made a big push to make inroads into taking over Wood Colony area as part of the City. This letter points out how much they have to fight and fear that is happening again. That fear is valid because that ground is the easiest to manipulate, build on. Unfortunately that ground is also one of the biggest below ground water catcher in the area. Seems like the City officials would be cutting off their “nose” to gain revenue.
i don’t think the Church of the Brethern property is the “Wood Colony” or the statement “its one of the biggest ground water catchers” if documented applies to consideration of tiny home construction. Also briefly .North Ninth St. trash ,not mentioned by Ms Kroeze , problem is not equivalent at all to church’s grounds.
2nd try to answer.. my statement was only pointing out why an OPINION letter in the Bee mentioned WOOD COLONY. In the past the Group were threatened by the City of Modesto Business interests to make inroads into THEIR “WOOD COLONY” area because it is easiest to build on for Business. It was easy for me to see their worry as money tends to have it’s way. YES the WOOD Colony ground are a BIG underground water catcher, partly because it is agricultural and concrete stops absorption. The other reason is the very underground there is very conducive to allowing the water to gather. Try not to let emotion take over common sense please. Churches are prompted to try and help the Homeless and to help those with nothing. Funny thing the trash. No one seems to notice that, no trash cans are even placed to catch these peoples homes, the streets and easy to find.
Bravo Sir, I 1000% concur. The fact of the matter comes down to this, Homelessness is a systemically created & exacerbated atrocity throughout the State that continues to be derailed by Pure Selfishness,Greed & Nimbyism, Our State & Cities have allowed it to continue for way too long. Since Reagan’s CQWA Law when He was Governor of California was put in place Nimby’s have abused it to control & or block building affordable which has lead Us to where we are now, Homelessness is so out of control that Seniors & disabled people are being pushed to the streets because they can’t afford to Rent due in part to insane & unreasonable Rent’s Prices, This isn’t the 1970’s, you can’t rent a bedroom now for under $900 a month & if you can find one you have to meet all kinds of ridiculous requirements that are intended to further oppress your lifestyle & comfort. I would Love to see constructive Actions that’s good for all involved but My hopes aren’t high looking at how thing’s have been handled thus far.
This creepy neighborhood forced the closure of one of the most beautiful businesses in Stanislaus County, the Woodland Iris Gardens. true to form they are unreasonable trashtalkers
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I attended the meeting and rightfully so the residents had every right to be angry! We had no prior notice of this horrendous plan to build this homeless encampment in our great neighborhood!! The city needs to do a better job of notifying its residents!!!
Must a church notice a neighborhood that it will be housing any homeless?
They did not previously, and the neighbors did not even know. It was that discreet. Plus, churches have been feeding the impoverished, outfitting buses to shower the poor, doing the laundry of those who need to keep clean clothes on their bodies, and much more…
NOW, new laws have been enacted that give CA churches the PRIVILEGE of housing those who are homeless, newly or otherwise. Nothing states these PRIVILEGED churches need to notice anyone. Take that up with the State of California, whose legislators knew ahead of time, that as typical, surrounding neighborhoods would be disgruntled. NIMBY types left CA legislators no choice. Our houseless ppl must live somewhere. They already do live in each and every area of the city. Legislators knew what they were allowing, they could no longer wait for everyone to come to agreement.
Nearly a decade ago, here, in Modesto, I attended meetings designed (though poorly) to seek a way to curb it’s homeless crisis. Back then citizens demanded the homeless citizens out of the parks, as if the complaining citizens had some insider’s right to exclude these other citizens. Local government BECAUSE of how it groupthinks was more than willing to oblige. Locally, nothing much has changed the stinking thinking. Even though the attendees of the ongoing meetings, who claimed they wanted to find a solution, made multiple gestures that Modesto churches would be a large part of the solution moving forward. Just as churches have a long history, back awhile, of stepping in to perform the majority of necessary social services, they are remembered as having done so, and done so well. So great a crowd of women serving shoulder to shoulder. Older women are to teach the younger. Without that teaching ppl have lost the way.
Were their not any Woodland neighbors, who attended those meetings, all along? I never heard a single objection to the lions’ share of possible tasks being suggestively passed on to Modesto’s churches. Although, I do recall a few faces grimacing at the table where church advocates we’re sitting. They knew what a heavy lift fulfilling such an appointment could be, especially as a volunteer army. Did they know citizens would show up at their doors angry, rather than relieved that someone was willing to step up?
Now, almost a decade later, the state of CA has their back. Best of all the Good LORD has their gifts ready to move into action on behalf of his poor. And, they do not have to be civilly disobedient.
They do not need local governments or opposed citizens’ permission. It is only because they sought help paying for lodgings for some hopefully “temporary” houseless that they are getting themselves embroiled in government red tape. There is money to do what is needed without turning to local government. Plus, at a much reduced price, if planned with God’s wisdom. Ask, and you shall receive. Pray and listen for the still small voice. Recall, faith without works is dead. This is God’s way of revival. Awaken, O sleeper. Smell the fragrance of His smelling salts. Come to, your great commission.
As for local government, keep your hands off God’s work and watch Him perform His plan. Modesto church, body of Messiah, you have the green light. Trust God!
Make no excuses. Nehemiah was given permission to build, and, he built with the sword of God in one hand. Allow the LORD to revive each member, for such a time as this. Occupy till the end. The LORD is calling on the intercessors. No age is too young or too old. Step forth!
Thank you for the article to describe what the Woodland Community were faced with. I have some minor feedback on the meeting.
For some, this idea evoked the scenes at the Beard Brook Park homeless camp and the 9th St Bridge camp that very quickly looked horrendous and didn’t cover all the homeless needs.
You are correct that the City staff provided insufficient information regarding how candidates for housing and their guests would be screened, how long each tenant would remain there, the fact that these very small tiny sleeping sheds (not tiny homes) had no electricity, no kitchen, refrigerator, stove, bathroom (no plumbing), if the candidates for the homes would have full access to the assigned sheds 24/7 or given only sleeping time (e.g. 8pm to 9am). Would case management supervise the area 24/7? How would they get food, wash dishes? Hart-Ransom and Martone Elementary are full to capacity. How would 30 + family members affect the schools, the garbage pick-up, the fire and police services. Why are current programs not utilized? Wouldn’t HUD and affordable housing (low income, hotels, etc) with all the amenities be a better solution? These are all questions not mentioned. The chat and Nextdoor apps consisted of a lot of name calling and shaming of the Woodland Community.
Could other locations be better solutions? Did homeowners, business owners get notified through the mail of the RFQ application so more sites can be considered? Not everyone has Social Media accounts, access to Modbee.com or visits the City website frequently to find out about this project.
SOS – This area would be perfect for a makeover and could house in current building or have tiny sheds on lot near the building
GOTTSCHALK – Oakdale
TOYSRUS – Sisk
ORCHARD SUPPLY – Sick
OLD LONGS ON MCHENRY
There are so many vacant locations in Modesto.
While Brethren Church is zoned P-D, the obligation is to maintain neighborhood compatibility and to protect the public health, safety or welfare. This project does not meet this requirement per all the statements provided at the meeting.
SUSIE,
I thought I would familiarize you with P-D Zoning:
10-7.101 – Purpose and Intent.
The purposes of the P-D Zone are:
(a)To encourage creative and efficient land uses.
(b)To encourage mixed or multiple use projects.
(c)To permit variations from the density, height and other standards in the various zones where needed to accomplish unique development.
(d)To permit development based on a high standard of performance and design.
10-7.102 – Applicability.
The regulations in this Chapter shall apply in all P-D zones, except that where conflict in regulations occurs, the regulations in this Article shall apply.
10-7.103 – Permitted Uses.
The following are permitted uses:
(a)Any use specified in the ordinance establishing a P-D Zone.
(b)The following uses are permitted only in a P-D Zone:
(1)Residential condominiums, community apartment projects and stock cooperatives.
(2)Mobilehome Parks
(3)Cemeteries
(c)Similar uses that are less intense than the uses specified in the ordinance that established the P-D Zone may be allowed as determined by the Director.
Please, end your blockade and instead encourage the Church of the Brethren to vary from the typical zoning you seem to think P-D zoning affords the Woodland neighborhood.
I stand with your seeking out places for homeless to reside. The commercial buildings you mention seem ideal as temporary housing, yet ‘first use’ rules may require a remodeling of sorts in order to use them for housing the homeless since that specific use would not be in compliance with ‘first use’. Then, the owners would have to agree. And, zoning comes into the equation somewhere, very likely. I would like to think Modesto already considered those sources. One never knows if they are turning over every stone, so to speak.
If these posts and comments are correct, thankfully, 4 churches are already considering their housing of families, though only temporarily, with state, local, and perhaps federal support.
May I suggest you look on-line for a Salt Lake, UT temporary encampment (very recently in the news). The encampment’s name starts with Switch… The governor is pleased enough with the results that he just signed on to keep it operating for 6 more months. That start up cost was only half of what Modesto seems willing to pay and their MAY be more buildings in use (don’t quote me). The Switch…Manager’s name was given out on the news. Might she have some answers for you, since she knows firsthand details?
You might want to request local government, here, use the Salt Lake, Manager, as somewhat of a mentor, so as to better streamline this project here. If the cost is less, Modesto could possibly change vendors, to start up more than 1 church housing project. That would be a plus, right?
Thank you for your input.
Read SB4, it’s a recent State law that allows churches, colleges and universities to host homeless shelter enclaves without going through a zoning process. If done in a thoughtful manner with oversight, it would be a positive for our community. I would like to see Stanislaus County get so good at it, that other counties would look to us for guidance. It’s doable.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB4
The difference in Switchpoint is electricity and heating units. The smallest size is 75, not 60. It makes a difference.
https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/12/19/long-last-salt-lake-city-has-its/
“Camp residents live in what look like stripped-down tiny houses that feature private spaces with lockable doors, fold-up beds and tables, electricity and heating units.”
No idea what their situation was as far as location. The comments on articles appear to have the same concerns.
THANK. YOU, Susie
You did an excellent job finding an article that gave more detail, on Switchpoint, than what I viewed on the news from a TV news channel.
I hope it helps Valley Citizens to view it.
Salt Lake City, being more populated, may have more resources as far as experienced non-profits working with the unhoused. Yet, I have seen some real Tiny House projects south of Fresno who started off with next to no experience, yet sought out mentors out of Texas they networked with them, and they are up and running well. Gov. Newson was pleased. Not certain that means much to people. Point being he was not pleased with the lack in progress that many California cities failed to make, at the time, so he gave an approving shout out to the homeless tiny house site as an example.
There are growing numbers of churches and parachurch groups stepping up to do what they can do to house those currently unhoused. I come across them while researching.
As for Modesto, and Stan Co, thus far I am very disappointed. They have been at this for over a decade, yet it does not appear anyone has the head knowledge nor the heart to proceed in a timely fashion. What they reveal to the public is too expensive and piecemeal.
I hope someone draws City Council’s attention to your comment and link. Their spokespersons could at least learn the language and walk the talk. So they know how to get their points across enough to relate during unplanned meetings.
May God bless you, Susie. Hope to hear from you more. With love…
Yes, I also hope the link provides good information to help fix the homeless situation in a manner that works for them as well as the surrounding areas.
Susie, you know what City Council and the Board of Supervisors need to put an uncomfortable light under them? They need to hear from a large group of citizens that show up without notice to their meetings and each and everyone go to the podium with their scripted 3 minute piece of their mind. Let them know citizens are fed up with their not housing the homeless, at the very least setting aside some safe ground for them to exist on, with water, showers, meal prep, trash recepticles, small places to lock up some personal items, and 24 hour security, etc. Ideally, I think the homeless should be able to stay at the safe ground encampment instead of being rousted out every morning to return early evening. Fewer will be wondering around seeking something to do. Most will likely stay put.
Gov’t wastes so many tax dollars doing SWEEPS that only move the houseless over a few blocks. Do you think it is time to stop that illegal manuever? The 9th District court found that CA cities are not to do that, when there are not enough temporary shelters to house them or encampments to place them in. The houseless have to sleep and rest, right, somewhere…
The city and county play a game, thinking it is okay to penalize them, all, if even 1 shelter bed is open on any given day, they can be written out a citation. How are all the house less ppl suppose to know there is 1 shelter bed open? Even if they all found out there was 1 or 2, possibly, open beds, how do they know if by the time they get to the shelter that someone else did not fill them? It is ludicrous yet they use what the city or county know, but the homeless do not know, against those without a bed. The city and county get away with that, thinking none will sue them for criminalizing the homeless like that.
So far no one local has sued but could. A group north of here did sue and won and the city had to hurry up and put them in numerous tiny homes, and pay fines.
The local gov’t, here, banks on noone calling their bluff. I suspect even a crowd like what showed up at the Church of the Brethren would put some momentum under the gov’t here.
Tell the local gov’t you all want them to get off their duffs and do right by citizens by their doing right by the homeless. It is gov’t that has to clean up it’s act.
The gov’t can pass an ordinance of some form that the homeless can not drag all the belongings they collect up with them and not use bright blue tarps that are visibly an annoyance. In lieu they can be supplied earth toned tents or ice fishing tents to rest in, at designated safe grounds, ONLY. It isn’t a perfect idea but much better that what anyone has o
currently that I know of.
Would you be willing to plan and organize that? Or know who would? Have it picked up by the newspapers and news channels. I would love to, but I am very ill. Been in the hospital 8 times the last 2 years, and due back soon for 2-3 more surgeries.
Pray about it and ask around, please. There have to be some safe grounds that can be utilized for the homeless and to put other citizens at ease, besides the Church of the Brethern. That was for newly homeless people anyways. I am talking about all the rest who are weary of not having a sanctioned place.
If you do get involved, be wary of the local gov’t faking their way into taking a long time to do what they must do. They may try to stop each one from speaking, you want it picked up on video and by the press. They may say they have the idea and set a time off in the distance to meet again, to temporarily shut you all up. Be prepared to only agree for no more than 30 days time, preferably less. State for the record homeless citizens and citizens with houses are fed up with stall tactics. Period.
I know it may seem like a stretch but it is time. Either gov’t controls the citizens of the citizens control the gov’t. Which do you prefer? I know what I prefer. Local government have had the reigns long enough and have done next to nothing yet.
Like, Jesus the Messiah, turned the tables on the money changers who were taking advantage of all. The homeless and the housed have been abused and used.
Thank you, Susie and all willing… otherwise gov’t will keep fudging the funds…
It is just another dirty deal by City of Modesto to not notify and to try to sneak something in on the residents in the area and the community.
Shame on the City of Modesto.
Everybody needs to open up their eyes and look at what they’re going to do at the Beckwith Standiford overpass. Here is another whole issue Of taxpayer money, being wasted, and businesses that will be gone