What questions do you have regarding homeless services in San Luis Obispo?

As a historian, I believe that memory, and the opportunity to include our personal stories in the history of our community, is a human right. What can San Luis Obispo do to ensure that everyone who calls our city home -- whether or not they live in a house -- has a chance to contribute their unique voice to our cultural record? How can we ensure that those less fortunate are recognized as the remarkable, creative, and valuable individuals that they are, and not just as statistics? Vachell, Buckley, and Venture Road area has become a camping ground for transients during the week. The police department has been called multiple times to report cars, RVs, and vans parked over multiple nights. Notices have been posted to these vehicles by the police department and the vehicles are moved by their owners just long enough to avoid being towed but always return at the beginning of the next week. Those who reside in these vehicles are leaving behind litter in the form of paper, metal, and plastic scraps. They are also creating traffic congestion due to lack of visibility around these overloaded vehicles. Many times, they can be found BBQ-ing next to the dry fields which creates an unnecessary fire hazard. While we have compassion for those who have fallen on hard times, there is a clear concern for the safety of for all those concerned, including the transients! It appears that because this area is near the county line it is not being taken seriously. What is the city doing to motivate transients to not camp overnight within the city limits? Why do our children come in a distant second place to the homeless people that litter downtown. I can no longer walk with my children downtown san luis obispo due to homeless people swearing, littering, loitering, sleeping, and aggressively panhandling. It's not only sad, but it is aggravating that a once beautiful, family friendly downtown has turned into the beginnings of skid row. This may sound dramatic, but if you've walked downtown with your children lately it's exactly how you feel. The police have made calls regarding the homeless their least priority. We are all tired of the constant vandalism and lack of mental health regulations. ASH releases patients because they can't accommodate the influx of mentally I'll and discharge them and eventually run out of medication. SLO is the place to be if homless. My question is, why are we welcoming them into our town, making new "day centers" when our police and county can't take on the constant problems they bring? I grew up in SLO and have seen first hand how quickly our community has declined. Locals who built this town are being driven away while the homeless and wealthy are flooding in. Where has the middle ground and regulation gone? Sad. The homelessness problem near Sinschimer park is out of control. I've had to change my daily routine because it's unsafe to walk the bike path near the park in the early morning. It looks like a scene form night of the living dead as people are awaking and coming out of the bushes and trees. Dirty toilet paper, human waste, occasional used needle litters the area. Often times there's computer screens, old TV's, piles and piles of trash. I've been threatened by homeless people and accused of trespassing while on the bike path, my dog was kicked. I've seen campfires in unclear wooded areas, directly behind residential housing and an assisted living facility where 70 fraile elderly people with memory loss live. It's only a matter of time before a fire occurs. Drugs, alcohol and campfires in a wooded area is a disaster waiting to happen. I've called the police, but they never show up, in fact a PD operator got nasty over the phone. Then there's the tweakers all over town. I saw one come within inches of getting ran over downtown, she was walking up to cars and beating them with her fists in the 7-11 parking lot.... this type of activity is becoming common downtown, especially on weekends. SLO used to be a nice, safe place to live. What happened? "CA Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council, There is a severe human and fiscal cost of homelessness in California. That is precisely why SB 1380 (Chapter 847, Statutes of 2016) became law in 2017. SB 1380 tasks the State to identify all programs that provide housing or housing-related services to people experiencing homelessness, or at-risk of homelessness, and implement them using a “Housing First” policy. In order to help accomplish this task, SB 1380 also establishes the creation of a Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council to oversee the implementation of the Housing First guidelines and regulations and to identify resources, benefits, and services to prevent, and end, homelessness in California. SB 1380 explicitly directs the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to provide staff for the Council, and that the Council shall meet quarterly." I have copied these lead statements in order to ask..... how is SLO and SLO County interfacing with this organization to place our County in their sights for funding?? What are the City and County saying are their priorities for use of such funding?? I am interested in our City/County leaders' responses to citizens' comments regarding feeling "abused" by the disregard transients have for our Community. Those who live, work, and pay taxes here have the right-of-way in our Community; transients are permitted here, but with the mental and physical problems they often bring with them, they need to be "managed" for their own good as well as ours!! What about "camping" being permitted at the new Homeless Shelter, with case managers outreaching to them while in residence?? How about our Court system putting sited transients on work details rather than giving them tickets they don't pay?? Working with these people to acquire some job skills may gradually work them into Homeless Shelter environment, and case management that can then lead to paid work and housing. How about involving some transients in drafting the County's/City's White Paper on the Effort?? I happen to know a few ...... Recent City Council's enthusiastic embracing of recreational marijuana stores in our City will very likely attract more homeless people who use and or sell marijuana on the black market. This has occurred in Colorado, Oregon and Washington when recreational marijuana dispensaries were permitted. Please consider this when addressing the range of issues in dealing with homeless in our City. How will we manage and scale up needed services to address this? Who will pay for the increased levels of service when the City is struggling to address unfunded pensions and infrastructure needs? Is our Police Department even fully staffed yet? What about mental health facilities and staffing? While we want to show compassion and provide assistance for those experiencing homelessness due to family crisis, housing cost, health changes or employment issues, this is already nearly unmanageable not to mention drug-related theft increase in the City. If lax and short-sighted public policy attracts homeless drug users and dealers into our City, the problems we're experiencing now will pale by comparison. Associating relevant data on increased marijuana access and use, homeless population increase, and related cost of services and law enforcement can assist in evaluating whether recreational marijuana stores in SLO are contributing to the problem, and if so, discontinuing them. The Sr. Center in SLO is adjacent to Mitchell Park, where many homeless people gather to use the rest rooms and sit in the park. Many of these people try to come into the Center for free coffee or to use the rest rooms there, but rules posted deny them entrance. Instead, they are offered a brochure prepared by Benefits Advocacy and Resource Connections for the Homeless which lists the various support services available to them, including medical, food, transportation, legal, housing, etc. Most of these people, when offered the handout, decline to take it, saying they don't have money for transportation. I've often wished that a social service professional could be assigned to the Center in order to direct these people toward appropriate services but do not believe that the Sr. Center is the correct venue. Might the city, in conjunction with the county offer a type of "open center" downtown for the homeless where they can just walk in for free coffee, to use the rest rooms, and to meet with a licensed social services worker or other volunteers who could guide them towards appropriate services, of which there are so many in SLO? Also free shuttle transportation to these services. Finally, it would be good to put the brochures mentioned next to the donation parking meters in SLO to encourage all the downtown bench sitters to avail themselves of the many free services offered around town, rather than just panhandling. Do you believe that the construction of the updated Prado Day Center will encourage the homeless population in SLO to increase? How will you discourage the reliance on the county's increase in services and encourage homeless individuals to progress in their lives? (i.e. obtain jobs, housing, etc. as opposed to continue to rely on free services) I would like to know why the "whole person care pilot program" is not implemented in SLO County. A waiver for medical funds is an unconventional way to help the homeless obtain housing. There is funds available but no one cares to go through the intensive process to get the money for change. Can this program be considered in SLO County? The Social Services Department explain this as an option to the homeless in our area. Personality, I try to independently help out the homeless folks on my own in many areas around the County. I believe thinking outside the box is what is needed. Researching other homeless coalitions success stories thought the Country that have been proven to be beneficial for all parties involved, is a start. Thank you @ Kim Chaffee Los Verdes Park II is very near the creek on Los Osos Valley Road. We have had numerous breaks through our fence, large piles of homeless trash left, car break ins, potted plants stolen etc. We would like to see more police patrols and clearing out of that creek area. What can be done? THANKS I walk my dog every morning in Laguna Park -- primarily on the new track and the Eucalyptus grove -- and the park picnic structure. There are several, recurring cars parked along the road and in the parking lot that appear to be people staying the night in the park. What is the city's plan to address this issue? How can we work on meeting the needs of the homeless population? With home ownership and rental costs increasing, our mild weather, and a lack of wrap-around services to meet the needs, this population will continue to grow. How are APS, local hospitals, community organizations, houses of worship, county and private mental health agencies, police and EMS, and the city working together to meet the needs? Are they working together as a team or is everyone at odds with each other? Has a needs assessment even been completed and if so, by whom and what were the results of the assessment? What has the needs assessment shown as far as what funds are lacking that we as residents can help with? Are there any companies in town providing employment opportunities for those who qualify for work programs? For homeless people who have alcohol or substance abuse/addiction problems, and are therefore not eligible to spend their days at Prado, where can they go during the day, to pass the time or get out of the heat/cold on extreme weather days? Clearly there is an enormous conflict between the need for homeless people to have a place to be, both during the day and at night, and the residents and visitors who want to make sure our parks and other public areas are clean, safe, and family-friendly. How do we find the right balance and make sure everyone is given input and treated with respect? I sincerely hope that everyone can keep in mind that those of us who are fortunate enough to have a place to live (in SLO no less) are in no position to judge those who are not -- with a few changes in life circumstances, any one of us could find ourselves in a similar position. My question I would like to know what day this event was in the planning, because many of my clients just got wind of it today, Friday June 22? When inviting the public make it time reasonable to get these questions out there, not the day of. It is frustrating, and gives us all reason to wonder why so last minute? As far as my question for the homeless issue, can we demand that all developers that are building in the future be required to establish a % for subsidized housing based on the number of homes being built in all San Luis Obispo County? This meaning for every five apartments/condos/ new housing developments one in five be designated to subsidized housing? This allows all areas to have quality homes, as well as healthy communities in all of the county. I have lived in san luis obispo for 63 years and have a relative who is mentally ill and homeless. I am often told that person has the right to be mentally ill.How can this person get help if she doesn't think she has a problem. How can she get housing if she doesn't trust people and is hard to work with due to the illness. Growing up in this town we had people that cared about their neighbors. Now we have people who don't want to help fix the problem and don't want the problem in their neighborhood.The 2017 homeless census and point in time survey does not show the real homeless counts unless you have a blind eye. I hope they keep the existing shelter open and use it for some purpose and have things like job training/ life skill rebuilding at the new shelter not just hanging out..Also when our hospitals want to expand or rebuild they should be required to add a mental health ward up to 16 beds. This would not cost much but they will make it sound like it does because mental health doesn't make money like the rest of the hospital programs.For those of you that moved here and ruined our town or to escape the area you came from, spend a little less time watching house prices and more time helping people or volunteering at a shelter. I asked my church a while back to start a program that families would help a homeless person kinda like fostering them, the city helps with financing and those serious get help those not will not. I will be willing and able to go that mile to help. We are all in this together. Alot of us are not trained for foster kids either and we do it and nothing can stop us from doing this also, plus some people can get some extra income and can also make a difference. Really this is a federal state and local problem, lets involve them all for aid. I have a business on McMillan ave and everyday at 5 pm the people come to park and go to eat at the shelter. During that time I have witnessed many drug deals, alcohol and drug consumption before they go and eat. My questions is aren't they suppose to be sober to use the facility and why don't the police ever come down and monitor the area at that time? If you go down McMillan there is garbage every where and also several vehicles that people are living in and they are using the bushes as bathrooms. We have called several time and requested they monitor the area but I never really see any police unless someone calls in a direct complaint. Thanks Thank you for your time When a known Mentally Ill person (someone who has done this before and has had to spend jail time waiting for treatment) goes off their medications and the sheriff department has been notified. What is the plan county now has in place for this? How long before ill person is helped? What is the plan for helping ? What are all reasons for county not to help? Will family who care and have been actively involved be alerted? I would like the panel to specifically address how, as individual entities, they will continue purposeful and outcome oriented discussions which have outcomes that include detailed, goal specific and measurable plan. I am open to speaking at the forum on 6/27/2018. I currently am consulting at Sunny Acres, Additionally, have worked and volunteered at both a homeless facility and sober living homes. The sober living homes included dual diagnosis and AB109 clients. In my time as a School Board President, many achievements were accomplished utilizing consensus both within the school district and in creation of a consortium with 5 individual school districts working together to harness resources and reduce costs for specific common goals. Regards, Gerald Anderson The City of SLO could look at the programs initiated in Texas, Los Angeles, Chicago, New Mexico, and Colorado, that offer homeless citizens the opportunity to clean up the streets and pull weeds for a $10 an hour wage. Continuum of Care provides grants to cities that offer the homeless a way to make a wage and work their way out of homelessness. HUD Secretary Ben Carson announced in January 2018 that the agency gave a record-breaking $2 billion to homeless programs across the nation through Continuum of Care grants.This information was in the January 21, 2018 Newsweek online edition. It seems like homelessness is in the rise in our City. Is it statistically?

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