Modesto City Councilmember Nick Bavaro didn’t have a chance to speak at the March 27 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the city’s new Dignity Moves Village for the homeless and mentally ill on 9th and D Streets. At the ribbon-cutting, Bavaro was credited for bringing the idea to establish Dignity Village to the City Council a little over two years ago. At the same time, he also approached Stanislaus County Supervisor Mani Grewal with the idea. Grewal was supportive and agreed to help pursue the project.
Had he spoken, Bavaro would have credited volunteer outreach worker and SHARE (Stanislaus Homeless Advocacy and Resource Enterprise) member Frank Ploof for recommending the Dignity Moves facility when Bavaro visited Santa Barbara in late February of 2023. Ploof may be the single best informed person on local homeless issues in the entire county. Bavaro found that out early on, when he made a study of homelessness prior to running for office.
“Frank Ploof is my homeless advisor and advocate,” said Bavaro. “When I told him I was going to Santa Barbara, he said I should visit Dignity Village. While I was there, I visited the village and was impressed by the whole operation.”
Dignity Village features truly tiny homes; most are 64-70 square feet. The compact space includes a bed, a small desk or table, and shelves for storage, as well as built in heating and air conditioning. Community restrooms and dining facilities are on site. With capacity for 42 residents, Dignity Village will provide shelter and services for mentally ill homeless people as part of California’s bridge housing program.
Dignity Moves’ founder and CEO, Elizabeth Funk, praised local officials and staff for working together to establish the tidy village.
“It’s not often they come together,” said Funk of city and county officials. While cities most often contain the vast majority of homeless people within a given county, “It’s the county that has the obligation [to manage homelessness] and resources,” said Funk.
The cooperation between city and county was a key factor in establishing a precedent for sheltering Modesto’s estimated 1600 homeless people, but there is a long way to go before even a significant fraction of those people are off the streets.
Early on in his study of homelessness in Modesto, Nick Bavaro realized the essential problem is homeless people, “have nowhere to go.” As part of the city’s “Camp to Home” program, Dignity Village represents a major step forward in managing homelessness, but “Camp to Home” misses a critical step in reducing homelessness not only in Modesto but statewide.
“We need a “Streets to Camp” program,” said Bavaro. “We still have too many people on the streets with nowhere to go.”
Along with fellow City Councilmembers Eric Alvarez and Chris Ricci, Bavaro has recommended that Modesto and Stanislaus County study other California cities’ tactics for managing homelessness, especially those with “safe ground” policies that feature small communities and temporary transitional shelter. Dignity Village will be a life-changing move for many homeless people, but its 42 units represent only about 5% of Modesto’s total homeless population.
As for the other 95%, Frank Ploof has plenty of ideas. After almost fifteen years of on-the-ground experience and study, Ploof has seen most every problem homelessness presents.
When Nick Bavaro named Ploof his homeless advisor and consultant, he knew what he was doing. It took city and county staff, political will, and public support, but Dignity Village is well worth the effort. It’s going to take even more such effort to assure that Dignity Village is just the first step toward getting many more people off the streets and under shelter, however rudimentary. Fortunately, Frank Ploof has plenty more ideas.
Good to see progress in getting a few people off the streets.
Now, if we could only see, and feel, how deeply wrong and terribly inhumane it is to deny our fellow human beings still on the streets any particular place to exist without fear of being rousted or arrested, we might resemble a true society.
Happy to see this project go forward and provide a chance for people. Thanks for the great reporting.
Went to the dedication Thursday and was really impressed with the units. It is certainly an interim solution until we get better options for long term housing.We still have so many people who need shelter. But we are at least doing something. My only concern was the location and hope that they will have security because it wasn’t in the best spot, in my view. Carole Stark
It is a very small step for only certain types of homeless. That’s a good small step but what is to follow?. Is the City and County planning the NEXT step? Small somethings are better than nothing and what we currently have is very little, Bandaids for all homeless. Kudos to all that got this as it must have been difficult since the City and County are not partial to helping homeless. Bavaro is to be thanked and so should F. Ploof be thanked and all those who who pound at the doors of resistance to get anything done.. The rest, City and County, I’m not so sure about thanking remembering past episodes of concentrated ideas to try and fix/help even safe camping. Lots of words and excuses to Why it can’t be done. Sorry for less than jumping up and down. So much more could and should be done soon. Thanks for the info.
WAHOO!
This is great news about a grand accomplishment, thank you Eric!
It might seem discouraging, since its “42 units represent only about 5% of Modesto’s total homeless population.” Those 42 units are very powerful for each inhabitant. California must continue making many more such projects. These tiny bits of progress are starting to add up, and should never be disparaged as “not enough.” WAHOO!