Turlock prepares to sweep this homeless camp. Why did emergency plans draw criticism?
The Turlock City Council unanimously approved a homeless emergency proclamation Tuesday, clearing the way for crews on Thursday to sweep an encampment where about 50 people live.
Residents questioned the cost and strategy of the emergency plan in public comments, but the council voted 4-1 to spend an estimated $500,000 for the 120-day effort to mitigate homelessness. Council Member Andrew Nosrati cast the dissenting vote.
The city on Thursday is set to begin sweeping the homeless encampment at 1400 West Main St., located between Planet Fitness and Evergreen Packaging, Interim Turlock Police Chief Steven Williams said.
Police first gave people living there notice to vacate on March 9, he said, and informed them again on March 11 and Tuesday. County and nonprofit agencies have visited the camp offering services — including disability, mental health and drug and alcohol addiction resources — since March 2, he said.
Crews are also scheduled to start building a fence around the homeless camp area on Friday, and Williams said the city does not expect reimbursements from private property owners for any service done during the 120-day emergency response.
Liz Padilla of Helping Hands Ministry called for daytime homeless shelter and services, such as restrooms, in public comments. She questioned how effective additional overnight shelter beds will be if people must still leave in the morning.
“You guys can’t just stress them out and go out there and say, ‘We’re throwing you out, you got this thing, either you do it or you don’t, or we’re going to arrest you’,” Padilla said during the meeting. “And then you’re going to go to the next camp and they’re just gonna keep moving and moving. You need to come up with a program that’s gonna work for them, not for you.”
Padilla recommended the city provide options for couples who want to be together instead of staying at separate shelters for men and women with children. Nosrati similarly expressed concerns about whether adding more beds to current shelters will attract people who live on the streets. Spending $500,000 on non-congregate living shelters may be more effective, Nosrati said, adding that the city should ask the county about available homelessness funding.
The city did ask the Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services for an additional 200 shelter beds, Williams said. Staff believe adding those will mean there is a bed for every Turlock resident who needs it, he added. The average point-in-time count for 2019 and 2020 was 239 homeless people, and the city estimates the population grew during the coronavirus pandemic.
Where will Turlock put 200 homeless shelter beds?
Only some of the 200 beds will go in We Care and Turlock Gospel Mission shelters, Williams said. Acting City Manager Gary Hampton said it would be inappropriate to say where the city will put them.
“It would be inappropriate and it would be very difficult for the city to identify the property owner or entity that is working with the nonprofits that will be providing the space through a contract with them,” Hampton said. “And that is far as I’m going to go.”
Turlock Gospel Mission is permitted for 49 beds, Executive Director Christian Curby told The Bee Wednesday. The nonprofit organization is preparing to add another 135 shelter beds over the next few days and months for the city’s emergency plan, Curby said. But the mission plans to only set up about 20 of those additional beds inside its building, he said.
We Care has 40 shelter beds, Board of Directors Treasurer Maris Sturtevant previously told the Bee. With the emergency plan funding of $139,000, We Care plans to add three pallet shelters in its backyard and — if the fire marshal approves — shelter beds in its dining hall.
During the special city council meeting, Curby said the proposed and estimated city contract of $190,000 would cover insurance costs and extra staff and security to expand shelter operations. He described the city’s emergency declaration as a commitment to getting people sheltered and helping the community.
“Shelter is not ideal by any stretch of the imagination,” Curby said. “It’s hard and it’s hard for a lot for reasons. But the truth is it exists not because we want to force you to live there. It exists as as a safety net; it exists for folks who are really at a point where they have no other option.”
What are next steps for the homeless emergency plan?
Besides the 120-day emergency plan, Hampton said the city intends to form a committee to develop a two- to three-year strategy to reduce homelessness. Staff will seek the council’s direction on forming this work group at a future council meeting, Hampton said. In public comments, several residents suggested the council appoint people who are homeless to share their perspective.
When town halls will take place to gather general community input is unclear. Michael Camara of the Downtown Property Owners Association requested the council hold meetings with businesses and residents who will be affected by these homeless emergency plans. Williams said the meetings Camara suggested will be part of the long-term plan.
For the current 120-day plan, Williams said the city will develop its next action after crews finish sweeping and fencing the homeless encampment on West Main Street. Like other officials, he said the city does not intend to enforce or police its way out of homelessness.
“There is no intent to enforce our way out of it,” Williams said. “It can’t be done. We’re just the partner in the project.”
This story was originally published March 18, 2021 at 4:54 AM.
