"I think the only way we're going to do it is by working with the private sector," Bohn went on. "We might have to work with the big nasty developers. That's who gets it done, the DANCOs and the Strombecks. Nobody came in here with the tool belt today. We're looking to Sacramento for help but they have 30 to 40 people camping on the Capitol lawn every night."
I disagree. The only housing these organizations provide are for those at the Federal Poverty Level. They do not provide affordable housing for those single, on SSI/SSA, or SSA. You want to provide housing that is affordable, build Single Resident Units for the very very low income.
Sure, DANCO & Strombeck might be building housing for Seniors & Veterans through public grants, but these come with support from Vouchers and other housing programs for tenants filling these - those units being set aside for use by DHHS will have limited funding to support the homeless to move in and are limited in numbers, as are the numbers being provided for those using mobility devices (which in the end will be filled with a walking disabled, and the one with a chair will be left out on the street (getting many calls for these now).
You want to get people out of the streets and bushes buld low low income housing, not affordable housing.
"Bohn said he was concerned that an ersatz shelter on public land, one of the potential outcomes of a shelter crisis declaration, might put the county into conflict with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The county has already come under fire for its non-compliance with ADA restrictions. Bohn emphasized the importance of private citizens, faith groups and non-governmental organizations working to address homelessness."
You are playing a game, do not use the ADA as an excuse. I have heard the ADA as an excuse from many as stopping things from going forward. The only thing stopping it from going forward is the lack of doing what needs to be done!
This comment from Bohn is an excuse, it solves nothing and places the blame on the wrong community!
The audit should be more than what is spent financially, but on th level of care because they do not have staff to care for those in their care.
A nursing aid is to give each patient 10 minutes per hour and also write a report on the care these individuals received - hard to do if they are expect to care for more than 5 - 6 patients an hour and then expected to write the report on their on time.
These facilities are poorly staffed, not because of those working there, but because of upper management not supporting the needs of the patients or staff of the facility.
The committee reviewing this need stakeholders to include users (or past users) of the services offered. I know from my experience (living in one for 6 months) and visiting local facilities the past 40 years there are several points I can point to that need to be addressed - again, it is not the staff present, but the lack of staff being asked to do the impossible relatives of the individuals cannot do!
Too bad the chief is moving on to Santa Rosa. First time I have seen a person in his position to listen to both sides, still supporting their staff but looking for the truth and working it out in the end, no matter the outcome.
I liked the "Become a media critic" part of this editorial best!
"If a media source is telling you exactly what you want to hear, it's probably biased"
I believe we as individuals trusts more what makes us feel good first before looking up the validity of what is written. And if someone may have shared an opposing view and it be reality or close to because it is against what made another feel good, they are attacked. It is too bad people can not disagree without attacking opposing views and at the same time take a step back and consider all the facts outside those that feel good.
Kay46, maybe you and other tenants need to take Squires to court? Stop leaving it up to the city to protect your rights as a tenant, only outcome going through the city is your loss.
Re: “Homeless with a Severe Disability”
Meg, you might of misunderstood a bit regarding these units. Here is the law that allows it to be used by another with a disability (Part b needs to be adopted by locals - I personally feel, after hearing so much feed back from others constantly being turned down from local units, they do not want to assist the severely disabled {yes, Eureka Rescue tried; commend them for this}):
8.27 Occupancy of accessible dwelling units.
(a) Owners and managers of multifamily housing projects having accessible units shall adopt suitable means to assure that information regarding the availability of accessible units reaches eligible individuals with handicaps, and shall take reasonable nondiscriminatory steps to maximize the utilization of such units by eligible individuals whose disability requires the accessibility features of the particular unit. To this end, when an accessible unit becomes vacant, the owner or manager before offering such units to a non-handicapped applicant shall offer such unit:
(1) First, to a current occupant of another unit of the same project, or comparable projects under common control, having handicaps requiring the accessibility features of the vacant unit and occupying a unit not having such features, or, if no such occupant exists, then
(2) Second, to an eligible qualified applicant on the waiting list having a handicap requiring the accessibility features of the vacant unit.
(b) When offering an accessible unit to an applicant not having handicaps requiring the accessibility features of the unit, the owner or manager may require the applicant to agree (and may incorporate this agreement in the lease) to move to a non-accessible unit when available.