As homeless numbers continue to grow throughout California, the disconnect between people on the ground and state and local leaders also continues to grow. That widening gap between those who work almost daily with homeless people and those who set policy was starkly evident during a meeting of the Modesto City Council on May 9.
With a progress report on the city’s efforts to abate homelessness on the agenda, the meeting attracted numerous citizens with long histories of involvement with homeless people. Most were volunteers or close observers; some were members of local non-profits.
Featuring Modesto City Manager Joe Lopez and city staff, the report on homelessness turned out to be more directed to plans for affordable housing than to managing homelessness, though it did include plans to open a day center that would offer services to homeless people during daylight hours. At the end of the meeting, the City of Modesto still lacked a homeless management plan.
A constant theme from members of the public was the need to act now to provide the sick, the disabled, the elderly and infirm the services they need just to survive what local citizen James Costello called a “humanitarian crisis.” Costello added that homelessness is an “emergency” that needs to be managed now. Another speaker, Ramon Rodriguez, added that even affordable housing is, “out of reach for many.”
In response to resistance from city officials to permitted camping, Modesto resident Derrick Castle said, “It’s not a matter of should we have a homeless camp; we already have camping.” Castle, who lives near two of Modesto’s most attractive neighborhood parks said that homeless people camp around town at night and spend their days on the streets and at local parks.
“The greater question,” said Castle, “is whether we have Graceada and Enslen [local parks] as a homeless camp or somewhere where there’s less collateral damage.”
Castle’s point was echoed by other speakers who pointed out that so-called “affordable” housing is prohibitively expensive and often takes years to build.
In one odd disconnect from the general consensus, Modesto resident Brad Hawn spoke and said, “In Stanislaus County, we believe people need to change, and they won’t change with free stuff.” Though he sits on numerous county committees and boards, some directed to housing issues, Hawn does not hold elective office. Some people wondered why he seemed to think he was speaking for the entire county.
Also, Hawn seemed not to understand that testimony by people like Modesto resident Lynelle Solomon was about sick and elderly homeless people and the widespread policy of “treat and street” that is the rule for sick people with nowhere to go.
“We are failing our elderly,” said Solomon.
In fact, according to Cal Matters, the fastest growing segment of California’s homeless population is the elderly, many of whom are disabled. Asking the disabled, the elderly, the sick and traumatized who comprise a large segment of the homeless population to change before receiving “free stuff” is like asking a drowning person to reform bad habits before tossing her a life preserver. Assuming that disability or distress is due to bad behavior is not just prejudicial, it’s cruel.
Hawn may have been channeling a long-discredited meme about homeless people “choosing” to be homeless because they are lazy or prefer drug addiction and sloth to honest work. In fact, the chief factor in California’s homelessness is a statewide housing shortage.
By definition, “housing shortage” means there are more people who want and need housing than there is housing to serve them. Most experts argue that California needs to build at least 180,000 housing units per year just to meet demand, with a significant percentage of those units meeting the “affordable” criteria. Overall, Governor Gavin Newsom has announced we need to build 3.5 million total units of housing as soon as possible; we’re not even coming close.
In addition to failing to help elderly and disabled people during the homelessness crisis, we’re also failing the mentally ill who make up another large segment of the homeless population. People do not choose to be mentally ill nor is mental illness caused by bad behavior. One Modesto resident spoke about repeated failures by law enforcement and local behavioral health services to help her mentally ill son.
Modesto Police Chief Brandon Gillespie argued that safe sleeping sites “don’t reduce homelessness” and attract people from out of town. That was another puzzling statement, especially since local homeless people are all well known to outreach workers. Outsiders are easily recognized, if not by outreach workers and police officers, then by the homeless people themselves.
There can’t be a reduction in homeless numbers until we have enough housing, and there will not be enough housing for years. The best cities and counties can do now is manage homelessness with transitional shelter options like safe sleeping areas and pallet villages.
Like many who’ve worked closely with homeless people, housing advocates agree that homelessness is a humanitarian crisis, not a matter of bad habits or choices:
“We need government to treat this the way we treat a natural disaster, because that’s how it’s impacting people’s lives,” said Chione Lucina Muñoz Flegal, executive director of Housing California, a housing advocacy organization. “And that’s not what we see happening.”
While many of Modesto’s leaders and authorities still seem content to chase homeless people from place to place around town, some may at last be willing to deal with the stark realities of the statewide housing shortage.
In a moving concluding statement, Councilmember Chris Ricci said,
“Being poor isn’t a crime. We need less cruelty and we need more empathy. We need to learn the lessons of MOES (Modesto Outdoor Emergency Shelter, a permitted campsite) and provide limited safe camping and put an end to ‘treat and street’ tactics.”
Ricci added that sweeps just move homeless people from one place to another, citing a recent sweep that pushed homeless people from outside city limits into another councilmember’s district.
“Less cruelty and more empathy” might also mean recognizing that if every homeless person in California were to “change” tomorrow — whatever “change” may mean — they would still be homeless and there would still be a housing shortage.
So, what would a homeless management plan contain? The first thing that comes to mind is a manager. We know that the city does not have a homeless services manager like many cites its size do. Why is that, budget? Why not fill this position using one of the vacant assistant city manager slots then?
What else makes up a management plan? Surely, we need an organization to be managed which has goals/objectives/outcomes and of course resources such as staff, supplies, and equipment. We have a myriad of organizations within the city but none to my knowledge are dedicated to homelessness. The city does have resources allocated to deal with homelessness such as CHAT/HEART teams which are housed in the Modesto Police Department. The city also funds the Downtown Streets Team and Camp2Home projects through the Community Development group. Without a single manager, accountability and integration are lacking.
In order to effectively manage, we need measurements, control, and accountability. To do this well we need a robust Information System that collects and makes available timely and relevant data tied to our stated goals/objectives/outcomes. To my knowledge we do not have such an Information System. We do have discrete ones to support the CHAT team as well as the HUD HMIS where data is deposited. It makes sense that we don’t have one as the city doesn’t have an integrated homeless system to manage!
Lastly, a plan must include how it interfaces with all the various organizations that provide homeless services within the area….nearing 40 at last count.
I therefore agree completely with the author, based upon information presented at the City Council meeting on 5/9/23, the city Still has no homeless management plan!
I would therefore recommend strongly that the city hire a Homeless Services Manager using a vacated assistant city manager position ASAP to facilitate the creation and implementation of a City of Modesto Homeless ACTION Plan.
Frank:
Excellent analysis. Thank you.
As large a readership of The Valley Citizen is, your comments probably have not reached all of our City Council people and our Supervisors.
How can we get this message to them?
I am currently a homeless working class single woman that lives in my car. It is so frustrating to constantly hear and read about how Modesto is doing this and that for the homeless, ie. assistance with housing. I am living proof that very little is being done but instead giving people in need the run around and dead end leads. What has Modesto done with all the funding that was given to help the homeless because I don’t and haven’t seen very much being actually used towards the homeless if anything it’s being used to line the so called advocates pockets. The first thing Modesto needs to do is that the stereotype of all homeless are lazy and drug addicts when in actuality it’s the greed of property owners and leaders. Everyday I stress on the way home from work wondering if my car is still going to be where I left it or will it be towed away. The fact of me losing my car will put me in a dire situation. I will lose all my work clothes, no where to sleep so I can be well rested and no where to be able to get ready for work which in turn I will lose my job and be worst off than I am now. Be homeless is NO JOKE and is harder to survive.
Dear Working Class Homeless:
Your story in compelling. It is completely unacceptable You are working despite the lack of the comforts that the rest of us just assume are necessities for life.
Several of us have formed a Modesto Citizen Action Group that is working to help Modesto establish Permitted Camping and also Tiny homes for the many hundreds of Modestans still unhoused despite the recent expensive City/County efforts.
I would invite you to visit our new web site, which is mocag.org and contact us from there. Your voice CAN be a powerful one if you attend the City Council meetings with us.
Tell me about it. Very little is done. All these programs that are to serve he homeless who are they actually serving. The ppl in office n those they know. Nothing is being done. Ppl blame the homeless for problems the city has start putting the blame where it belongs. 61 homeless ppl placed in permanent housing I think I read that years ago in the Modesto bee the number has stayed the same as the number of homeless keeps going up. Money put towards a shelter that should be put towards permanent housing. The Salvation Army has always been a shelter that has made it I believe through donations. You say the salvation army runs the access center sounds to me your passing the buck
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My thanks to Jim Costello, Derek Caster and Chris Ricci for speaking out on behalf of the unhoused in Modesto. To Mr. Hawn, who I know identifies himself as a Christian, I have one question – WWJD?
Since, as Frank points out, it will take years before we have adequate housing to meet our needs, offering unhoused people a safe, clean place to park and/or pitch a tent is the most humane solution. Everyone wants to live without fear and with the dignity of being able to be clean and safe. That is something permitted camping would offer.
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