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Wish Book: Santa Cruz farm provides jobs to the homeless, food for the community

in Community/Food/News/People

Brenda Deckman had lots of jobs in her life. Nurse’s aide. Manager of a Subway sandwich shop. Home health care aide. Laundromat worker.

But after a turbulent marriage that ended with her losing custody of her 5-year-old son, she fell into a deep depression, spiraled downward and ended up homeless, living in a tent in the Pogonip Open Space Preserve, a 640-acre wooded park on the northern edge of Santa Cruz.

She had no car. No bike. Not even one photo of her son. Adrift, aimless and lacking self-worth, she survived on food stamps, panhandled and bathed in a creek.

Continue Reading on The Mercury News

Turlock Police: Boy told homeless man to leave park, then stabbed him

in crime/News

TURLOCK, Calif. (KTXL) — Police said a homeless man was stabbed Tuesday afternoon in a Turlock park by a boy who now faces attempted homicide and hate crime charges.

Around 3 p.m., officers were called to Columbia Park and found the homeless man with stab wounds nearby, Turlock police reported.

Continue Reading on FOX40

Homelessness at record high in Stanislaus County

in News/People

The number of homeless individuals in Stanislaus County jumped 28 percent from last year during the annual point-in-time count for 2021.

Every two years, during the last 10 days of January, the U.S. Department of Housing & Community Development requires communities across the country to conduct a comprehensive count of people experiencing homelessness. The goal is to measure the prevalence of homelessness in each local community.

Continue Reading on Ceres Courier

Shelter seen as key to tackling Manteca issues with homeless

in Community/News/People

The most effective law enforcement tool the Manteca Police can be armed with to address quality of life crimes and low level misdemeanors committed by the homeless might just be a drop-in shelter.

That runs counter to the reasoning many of those in opposition to the concept espouse that “if you build it, they will come”.

At last week’s Manteca City Council meeting opponents to the city buying 8 acres On South Main Street with the intent of placing a homeless navigation center/drop in shelter and transitional housing on the eastbound most portion made that point.

Continue Reading on Manteca Bulletin

City of Turlock helps relocate unhoused community after emergency declaration by council

in People

TURLOCK, Calif. — The city of Turlock was working to relocate more than 50 unsheltered people from an encampment on Thursday after its city council voted to ratify a local emergency declaration dealing with the homelessness crisis during the coronavirus.

The city said in a press release the first encampment, which is located on private property, is one of three where they were working to rehome and clean up. Maryn Pitt, public information officer for Turlock, said that the Stanislaus County multi-agency service team was out at 8 a.m. Thursday, March 18, cleaning the site. 

"You know, there's health and safety issues that obviously are of concern to both the city, and are of concern to the folks that are living there," Pitt said.

Continue Reading on ABC 10

Turlock declares homelessness emergency

in business

Interim Turlock City Manager Gary Hampton issued a proclamation of a local emergency in response to the increase of individuals experiencing homelessness in Turlock and the Turlock City Council ratified it Tuesday night, and in doing so approved funding for mitigation efforts.

The proclamation was passed 5-0 and the funding was passed 4-1 with Councilman Andrew Nosrati casting the lone no vote.

The City Council approved spending $498,417 to assist shelter providers with additional costs of operations and to accommodate the increase in people served. The funding also will pay for site clean-up, supplies, service agreements, materials, staffing costs, maintenance and upkeep, and miscellaneous expenses.

By declaring a local emergency, the City can obtain additional resources, establish an immediate plan and respond quickly to urgent situations.

The local emergency proclamation will last for four months and has an end goal of reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness and setting up encampments around Turlock.

Continue Reading on Turlock Journal

Manteca is inching toward year round homeless shelter

in Around California

Manteca has taken the first step toward city funding of a year-round homeless shelter and services.

The City Council Tuesday authorized spending $180,000 in the first of what could be a series of six month contracts with the Turlock Gospel Mission to operate an emergency homeless shelter at 555 Industrial Park Drive.

The vote that extends the shelter through Sept. 30, 2021 also grants the city manager authorization to extend it for a second six-month period from Oct. 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022 for an additional $180,000.

They also approved a conditional use permit to allow the tent operation to legally take place in the industrial park much to the chagrin of neighboring property owners and businesses.

They expressed their dismay in an email to city officials sent via a representative. At least one owner that had spent significant money buying and repairing a nearby industrial building that had been damaged by an illegal marijuana growing operation several years ago has decided to sell due to the proximity of the homeless shelter. They have been experiencing non-stop issues with homeless that vandalize, trespass, and defecate on their property.

Continue Reading on Manteca Bullentin

MAYOR CANTU FRUSTRATED WITH HOMELESS PROGRESS

in People

Ben Cantu spent nearly three decades as a cog in Manteca’s municipal government.

As a planner, he often dealt with people who believed government moves too slow even if it has no choice due to regulations and laws that govern how cities operate.

Today after two years as Manteca’s mayor Cantu repeatedly has expressed his frustration with what he sees as the city’s lack of nimbleness in executing endeavors. And no subject draws his ire more than Manteca’s efforts to step up how it addresses homeless issues.

Cantu on Tuesday, before the council again made getting a homeless navigation center in place as a high priority for the budget year starting July 1, voiced his frustration at what he sees as a lack of progress.

“Frankly I don’t think we’ve been successful,” Cantu said after City Manager Miranda Lutzow updated the council on the status of current fiscal year goals that included the navigation center.

Continue Reading on Manteca/Ripon Bullentin

HOMELESS WARMING CENTER FOR 4 MONTHS COULD COST $225,000

in People

Manteca’s homeless warming center this winter will cost taxpayers significantly more than last year.

The City Council when they meet today at 5 o’clock will decide between two options for a homeless warming center. One is a 40-foot by 80-foot tent option for $180,000. The other is a 48-foot by 60-foot modular options for $225,000.

 Last winter the city in partnership with Inner City Action opened a warming center with the city setting aside $25,000 to run generators to heat the tent. The faith-based non-profit handled the other costs through donations. They did get some additional help from the city when donations came up short to cover fuel to run the generators.

The City Council meeting can be viewed livestreaming via the city’s website or by going to Comcast Cable TV Channel 97.

Continue Reading on Manteca/Ripon Bulletin

Homeless Outreach Effort In Riverbank

in People

The Stanislaus County Outreach and Engagement Team hit the streets of Riverbank last Friday morning, Sept. 18 to assist the homeless individuals. Vice Mayor Luis Uribe contacted the group to aid the less fortunate after volunteering with Christian Food Sharing earlier this month. The team visited several locations in Riverbank including the Scout Hall, St. Frances of Rome Church, and Jacob Myers Park to engage with the homeless.

“I spoke to ten of our homeless and the feedback I received from them was valuable,” said Uribe. “I immediately contacted Kyle DeJesus to set up a visit from their Outreach Team. I think it's important that we be proactive and continue to build relationships and trust with our homeless.”

The team consisted of the following agencies: Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS), Community Services Agency (CSA), Center for Human Services (CHS), Golden Valley Health Center (GVHC), Telecare Outreach, and Turning Point Community Programs (TPCP) Housing Assessment Team (HAT).

Continue Reading on The River Bank

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