Homelessness declared an emergency in Turlock. Here’s what that means
The Turlock City Council on Tuesday is set to consider a homeless emergency declaration and a $500,000 plan designed to reduce dangers associated with encampments.
Acting City Manager Gary Hampton declared a crisis Sunday because of the rise in unsheltered homeless residents, prompting the special council meeting.
City staff will ask the council to approve spending about $500,000 of general fund reserves on shelter services from Turlock Gospel Mission and We Care, clean-up crews, fencing and other resources, according to an agenda report. The funding is part of a four-month plan to connect unsheltered people with resources, as well as reconnect them with their families. The plan aims to reduce the number of unsheltered homeless people, decrease homelessness and reduce the safety dangers encampments pose to both those living in them and the overall community, says the report prepared by Interim Turlock Police Chief Steven Williams.
With the current number of homeless encampments, We Care Board of Directors Treasurer Maris Sturtevant said the city and providers must try to get people inside shelters or housing.
“It’s really hard to help the people when they’re living in the encampments,” Sturtevant said. “If they come inside, (then) we have a little bit of time to work with them and see if they are able to sustain housing and that kind of thing. I think that the initial effort is to try to put them into some kind of sustainable housing, which of course is a real problem right now with the cost of rent.”
The city estimated 225 people lived in the five largest homeless encampments this February, but the count does not include people living in smaller camps or in emergency shelters, Williams reported. In comparison, the average point-in-time count for 2019 and 2020 was 239 homeless people, which was up from an average of 178 for 2013 through 2018.
To help reverse the trend, city staff propose paying Turlock Gospel Mission about $190,000 and We Care about $139,000 for additional services. The funding would allow We Care to set up beds in its dining hall, Sturtevant said, as long as the fire marshal approves. The budget in the staff report covers estimated costs for additional staffing, another security guard and fire watches, Sturtevant said.
The coronavirus pandemic reduced capacity of the men’s shelter at 219 South Broadway from 49 to 40 beds, to allow social distancing. If the council approves the four-month emergency plan as is, Sturtevant said We Care can also purchase three 64-square-foot shelters for men with dogs. Pallet Shelter, a Washington State-based company, demonstrated the $7,000 shelters in Modesto two weeks ago.
In addition to the shelter services, the proposed city plan proposes spending $45,000 on clean up crews, $30,000 on fencing and site security and $30,000 on mobile security towers. The proposal also calls for city staff to develop a three-year plan to reduce unsheltered homelessness and encampments.
“The situation of homeless encampments over the last few months has gone from an unsightly nuisance, to a real and present danger to the health and safety of the entire community for both the unsheltered homeless persons in encampments as well as to the community,” Hampton said in a press release. “Our focus in this 120-day plan is to decrease the illegal and nuisance behaviors engaged in by some in encampments, and reverse the noticeable decline in the quality of life for businesses, residents and visitors in the city of Turlock.”
During the 5 p.m. meeting Tuesday, the council may approve, reject or modify Hampton’s emergency proclamation and the $500,000 spending plan. If the council does not ratify the emergency proclamation — which states the COVID-19 pandemic worsens public health dangers unsheltered people face — the declaration will have no effect. The declaration allows the city to coordinate new homelessness resources immediately.
Members of the public can participate in Tuesday’s meeting via Zoom or in-person at City Hall.
This story was originally published March 15, 2021 at 1:32 PM.
