Editorial: Homeless, housing a test for city leadership

Housing and homeless crises demand action|

'The test of a civilization is the way that it cares for its helpless members.' – Pearl Buck

The Santa Rosa City Council on Tuesday declared a 'homeless emergency' as an opening salvo in what looks to be a concerted effort on behalf of the city to find solutions to assist the town's nearly 1,900 homeless. Additionally, city leaders declared a 'shelter crisis,' to ease health zoning restrictions at potential new shelter sites; ruled that homeless numbers constituted a local emergency, easing shelter zoning restrictions on private property such as churches; and, lastly, planned to seek a state-of-emergency declaration from Gov. Brown in an effort to draw state funding to combat the problem.

While Santa Rosa councilmembers acknowledged these moves were by no means solutions to homelessness, they agreed it was a place to start.

'It's all hands on deck,' said Councilmember Tom Schwedhelm.

That move by our neighbors to the northwest begs the question to Somonans: Do we have our hands on deck? Any hands on deck?

Do we even have a deck?

The questions arise as the results of the January 2016 'point in time' homeless survey were released earlier this month. That report, which conducted a single-day homeless headcount last Jan. 29, found 21 homeless in Sonoma. By definition, a single-day headcount will always underreport the real numbers. One can't possibly expect to see every homeless person in a region in a single day – most homeless people make an effort to stay out of sight. Many are in cars. Some are even at day jobs. Still, that's at least a floor of 21 – and perhaps a ceiling double that amount – of homeless in Sonoma. And while Santa Rosa city officials rally residents toward a community effort to find safe harbor for its most needy, Sonoma's hemming and hawing about the dangers of helping five homeless people/families.

Uh huh, five.

In June, the City Council was presented with a proposal from the Sonoma Overnight Support to allocate five safe parking spaces to car-dwelling homeless persons/families after dark. The proposed parking spaces, located in the First Street West parking lot in front of the SOS shelter the Haven, would be monitored by Haven staff, with further oversight by Catholic Charities and it wouldn't cost the city a dime. Cars would only be admitted after 9 p.m., avoiding overlap with day use at the nearby baseball fields, and the program would begin on a pilot basis; after the pilot period is over, the city could yank the program if it was creating problems. The Council would have to amend its no-camping ordinance, which would be easy to do.

Somewhat surprising, and certainly troubling, were the results of an online poll the Index-Tribune conducted in July to gauge support for the safe-parking program in which 53 percent of respondents suggested the local vehicular homeless should look elsewhere for assistance.

The City Council has shown muted enthusiasm, as well. After visiting and revisiting the matter, the council has called for more information before coming to a decision. Well, all the information they'll ever need they'd get in a three-month-long pilot program like the one SOS is suggesting. Councilmembers Rachel Hundley and Gary Edwards have voiced some openness to the proposal; all have expressed sympathies as to the plights of the dispossessed. None on the council has responded with a firm 'no' to safe parking; the Council plans to revisit the proposal in September.

The question was asked as to whether such a program fits into SOS's core mission. But, as SOS spokespeople have said at the council meetings, it is their mission to 'help the homeless and hungry in Sonoma Valley.' It's what their website clearly states. And they shouldn't be the only ones with such a mission.

Caution is always a good place from which governance should start. Councilmembers can't be faulted there. But caution about governing is one thing; fear of it is another. Progress requires risk; risk requires leadership. There's no risk in deciding whether or not to allow dogs on a hiking trail; there's no leadership in saying one likes or despises a leaf blower.

Sonoma is a mostly beautiful town with mostly beautiful people. We sip aperitifs, nibble sliders, talk vintages. It's all scrubbed clean, and wholesomely pretty. The wine's good, too.

But homelessness isn't those things. It's never pretty and is often ugly. It's dirty. Jaundice and ripe. Unwashed, desperate, frightened and hungry.

Homelessness is many things we don't want Sonoma to be, but – at the Haven, in hillside encampments, living in cars – is.

Taking action on that involves risk; not being stymied by that risk takes leadership.

On Monday, Aug. 15 the Council and the Planning Commission will meet in their second joint-session to discuss ways to address Sonoma's increasing need for affordable housing. We hope city officials eventually emerge from these meetings with a vision for their housing goals and a willingness to take action – before other families on the brink of being priced out of an apartment join the ranks of the Haven clientele.

Email Jason at jason.walsh@sonomanews.com.

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