Turlock declared homeless emergency continues indefinitely. Here are some reflections
As Turlock passed the seven-month mark of its declared unsheltered homeless crisis, community members from shelter providers and business owners to people living on the streets shared varying perspectives on the issue.
Some of the unsheltered called on the city to change its strategy, while shelter providers said they have not reached capacity since the city began the local emergency July 9.
During the declared emergency, the city aims to reduce homelessness and connect people with shelter and social services, officials have said previously. The Turlock Police Department, the lead agency for the crisis, has worked on repeated outreach efforts with partnering agencies such as Stanislaus County. The City Council reaffirmed the emergency Tuesday, and the crisis will continue until the governing body decides to end it.
Sheryl Bremen, who lives in an RV with her blind adult daughter, said she talked with county outreach workers as recently as Wednesday. But Bremen said the declared emergency does not seem to be helping the community, adding she has been intermittently homeless in Turlock for 22 years.
Designated camping grounds or parking areas could improve their quality of life, said Bremen, who has breathing problems because of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A space similar to the Modesto Outdoor Emergency Shelter that closed in January 2020 could provide safety and portable toilets, Bremen said.
“To me, that’s the biggest problem: finding a safe spot to camp,” Bremen said. “When instead you’re worrying all night if the cops are going to come kick you out in the middle of the night.”
Instead of going to a traditional shelter as outreach workers suggest, Kenny Lee said he would rather see the city set up pallet homes, which can be 64-square-foot shelters. Lee lives on Turlock streets with his wife and said he cannot stay in a shelter because of his post-traumatic stress disorder. Lee also described the declared crisis as ineffective.
Another unhoused man told The Bee he did not know the city is in an emergency. Thomas, who declined to give his last name for privacy reasons, said Turlock police asked him about four months ago if he considered staying at a shelter. He did not know the city has been devoting more resources to homelessness, however.
“I don’t know what exactly their agenda, angle or goal is, really,” said Thomas, who has been homeless in Turlock for 13 years.
Turlock shelters say beds available
On average for the past two months, about 40 men have been staying at the We Care Program shelter per night, Executive Director Maris Sturtevant said. One of two shelters in Turlock, We Care offers 49 beds.
Sturtevant recently visited an encampment to tell people about a homeless hygiene center for laundry and showers that We Care opened on the corner of B Street and South Broadway. Children were living in the encampment, she said.
“I understand why they still are doing kind of a crisis because there are a lot of people still out there on the street,” Sturtevant said. “That hasn’t ended and the We Care Program still has room in our shelter. People are not coming in, and you can’t make them.”
Turlock Gospel Mission usually has around 40 beds available out of its permitted 80, Executive Director Christian Curby said. The nonprofit has offered 80 beds per night for women, children and men since March 2021, when the city began a homeless encampment crisis. The crisis ended in July, around when the city declared the current emergency.
During the four-month-long crisis, 343 unique individuals stayed at the mission’s shelter, Curby previously told The Bee. As of Feb. 7, Curby said 203 unique individuals have stayed at the shelter since the current emergency began seven months ago.
The mission has not received any funds the council budgeted for the current emergency, Curby said. City officials in September approved an agreement to reimburse the mission up to about $138,000 for providing an overflow shelter at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds. The mission can open the fairgrounds shelter only at the city’s request or if it exceeds its 80-bed capacity, per the agreement.
As of Friday, Curby said the city has yet to pay an invoice for $14,000 covering fairgrounds rent and administrative fees. Interim Police Chief Gary Hampton did not respond to The Bee’s inquiry about whether the city has paid the invoice.
Six days after The Bee emailed questions, Hampton said police can respond in the next week or two. COVID-19 has limited department staffing, Hampton said, and the new police chief swears in Feb. 16.
“The City of Turlock works hard to provide transparency, evident by information the Police Department presented to the City Council and public during the last meeting in December, wherein activities and statistical data regarding the homeless was reviewed,” Hampton said in an email.
The city has not given any updates on the emergency since the Dec. 14 meeting. Capt. Steven Williams was the incident commander for the crisis, but spokesman Sgt. Michael Parmley said Williams is on leave, retiring and unavailable to be interviewed. The homeless ad hoc committee was scheduled to give an update during the Feb. 8 meeting but postponed it to Feb. 22.
Business owners describe fewer issues
Compared to July 2021, two restaurant owners said they are experiencing fewer issues related to homelessness. During the first declared crisis, they told The Bee some people living on the streets acted aggressively toward customers and hurt downtown businesses.
Paramjit Sanghera, owner of 10 East Kitchen and Tap House, said fewer people are living at Central Park near his restaurant. Instead of around 15 people, Sanghera said he sees about four there at a time.
LeRoy Walker, co-owner of Bistro 234 and First & Main restaurants, said not offering outside seating also means less interaction between customers and people experiencing homelessness.
“From my perspective right now, it’s better than it was six or seven months ago, but I have a hard time believing that the city of Turlock has done something to correct it,” Walker said. “I think it’s just the circumstances of the cold weather.”
