I don’t want to write about good news. It’s no fun! But this week I have no choice. I have no choice but to give the county a pat on the back for its efforts on homelessness.
As San Luis Obispo County put forward a “safe parking area” on a dirt lot outside of its jail and moves to reinstate and reinforce its no parking ordinance, Santa Barbara County is working with community partners like the Good Samaritan Shelter to start a 90-day program that includes an innovative way to provide shelter to the houseless.
In the last year, Santa Barbara County and its community partners managed to improve the rate at which homeless residents are getting housed, according to an Aug. 28 presentation to the Board of Supervisors. The county made steps to increase the number of units that can be used as temporary or permanent housing in the last six months and has goals for where the number of available beds, units, and rentals need to be.
At the same time, though, the number of homeless encampments in the county has grown. But instead of just clearing out those encampments and hoping to connect individuals with services while county and city public safety agencies deal with evicting residents and cleaning up what they leave behind, the county Department of Housing and Community Development came up with a strategic plan.
Perhaps learning from past mistakes made in giant cleanups such as Lompoc’s efforts in the Santa Ynez Riverbed—which cost the city half a million dollars in 2018 and didn’t change much in the grand scheme of things—the strategy proposes to “resolve” (code for “clean up,” just call it what it is) 45 encampments over a three-year period. And the county plans to place at least 60 percent of the individuals in alternative shelters, through outreach, long-term rental subsidies, mental health assistance, and new permanent housing units.
Recognizing that the key to keeping new programs going is sustained funding, Homeless Assistance Program Manager Kimberlee Albers told supervisors that the county needed to find more permanent funding for this program and others.
First District Supervisor Das Williams made a point to ask residents and lot owners to step up and help the county make this program happen—“We need 14 more sites to make this happen,” he said. “Allow us to rent your sites from you so you can make money and help in solving this issue.
“We need to do more,” he said.
We do need to do more, more than give lip service, more than complain about the homeless residents who you might have to look at as you drive to work or dinner. The residents who you might notice as they walk by you on the streets. You might be saddened by it, angry, or disgusted. But whatever you are, it’s time to follow the county’s example and do something about it.
Homelessness is not a new thing.
Anecdotally, the number of homeless residents may have increased during COVID-19, but because of the pandemic, there’s also state and federal money available for innovative solutions. And those solutions are being offered up in your county.
That’s something to be proud of. m
The canary is weeping tears of joy. Send thoughts to canary@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Sep 2-9, 2021.