Homeless in a time of Covid19
My friends, one of my Shelter in Place (SIP) tasks has been to compile a chronology of homeless services in Sonoma County. If any of you have highlights from the period of 1987 through 2009 please provide them (we have great detail after that). For example, there were a series of Homeless conferences in the 1980 & 90s; what were the titles and dates? Grace and Adrienne and I are doing a draft then we'll share it for editing. We are looking at events, reports and initiatives over time. Scanned original documents would also be welcomed but not required.
The other thing I contemplate is our efforts to know what is going on right now. The clearance of the Joe Rodota Trail was difficult. The Los Guillicos situation is fraught now that there is Shelter in Place. The time it takes to set up SSU and hotels and the trailers are all factors people with no home we are living through as I write this.
The County emergency web site proposes use of hotel rooms and shelter changes.
https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/homeless-support/
"Priority for placement in alternative locations, such as motels/hotels, will be given to people who are 65 years or older, medically compromised, pregnant, and who are ill and being tested for COVID-19."
It is unclear who is responsible for assuring that people who desperately need this priority placement will get it (who should we call to suggest names?). Initially, based on the weekly provider meetings CDC is conducting, the process involves Whole Person Care, The HEART team, The Inter-Disciplinary Multi-Agency Team, and the homeless team at the Emergency Operations Center. They identify people who meet the FEMA criteria with some guidance from the Coordinated Entry list.
We have to understand that the shelters are first priority so that the residents there can begin to observe social distancing. A relatively small number of homeless people from Sam Jones are already at the Sandman Motel. We know that approximately 30 porta-potties and hand washing stations were placed in various areas of the county. There is food distribution as well, especially by private individuals, Sonoma Applied Village Services (SAVS), Sonoma Food Runners and Sonoma Acts of Kindness.
We are greatly concerned about those who are not currently being considered for any other services. The encampments are growing as people seek the comfort of friends and minimal sanitation. This is understandable. It is not safe to have this kind of group living. It is also not safe to disperse
these camps (according to the official CDC guidelines). Anecdotal information tells us that law enforcement knows where the camps are and are, in fact, telling some people where some safe places are to park at this time. Between 2,000-2,500 unsheltered homeless people in Sonoma County are at risk of contracting the coronavirus. These are people who need immediate services and support.
It was left to the providers and advocates to announce the porta potty placements. The HOME Sonoma Leadership Council is not making frequent ongoing status reports. Maybe the April 23rd meeting will produce this; but I posit that the once a month meeting is not as useful as we determine the best responses each day. The CDC staff who support HOME Sonoma providers are still overseeing the funding, and they provide retrospective numeric information. A practical challenge is to provide "real time" information in a way that does not add to their work burden. In the same vein, the Homeless Action! notes contain many good ideas on what is needed to help people now and what data we need to share that would help promote success in the future.
The whole community: the county , service providers and the general public should share what is being done or planned? Although overwhelmed with work, could the Home Sonoma staff take their notes from the provider meetings and share their efforts on the County Emergency services page as linked above? Sharing of information through such transparency will promote effective responses.
Anyone who cares is asking, "How can we protect our unsheltered homeless sisters and brothers as this pandemic continues?"
--Gerry La Londe-Berg
My friends, one of my Shelter in Place (SIP) tasks has been to compile a chronology of homeless services in Sonoma County. If any of you have highlights from the period of 1987 through 2009 please provide them (we have great detail after that). For example, there were a series of Homeless conferences in the 1980 & 90s; what were the titles and dates? Grace and Adrienne and I are doing a draft then we'll share it for editing. We are looking at events, reports and initiatives over time. Scanned original documents would also be welcomed but not required.
The other thing I contemplate is our efforts to know what is going on right now. The clearance of the Joe Rodota Trail was difficult. The Los Guillicos situation is fraught now that there is Shelter in Place. The time it takes to set up SSU and hotels and the trailers are all factors people with no home we are living through as I write this.
The County emergency web site proposes use of hotel rooms and shelter changes.
https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/homeless-support/
"Priority for placement in alternative locations, such as motels/hotels, will be given to people who are 65 years or older, medically compromised, pregnant, and who are ill and being tested for COVID-19."
It is unclear who is responsible for assuring that people who desperately need this priority placement will get it (who should we call to suggest names?). Initially, based on the weekly provider meetings CDC is conducting, the process involves Whole Person Care, The HEART team, The Inter-Disciplinary Multi-Agency Team, and the homeless team at the Emergency Operations Center. They identify people who meet the FEMA criteria with some guidance from the Coordinated Entry list.
We have to understand that the shelters are first priority so that the residents there can begin to observe social distancing. A relatively small number of homeless people from Sam Jones are already at the Sandman Motel. We know that approximately 30 porta-potties and hand washing stations were placed in various areas of the county. There is food distribution as well, especially by private individuals, Sonoma Applied Village Services (SAVS), Sonoma Food Runners and Sonoma Acts of Kindness.
We are greatly concerned about those who are not currently being considered for any other services. The encampments are growing as people seek the comfort of friends and minimal sanitation. This is understandable. It is not safe to have this kind of group living. It is also not safe to disperse
these camps (according to the official CDC guidelines). Anecdotal information tells us that law enforcement knows where the camps are and are, in fact, telling some people where some safe places are to park at this time. Between 2,000-2,500 unsheltered homeless people in Sonoma County are at risk of contracting the coronavirus. These are people who need immediate services and support.
It was left to the providers and advocates to announce the porta potty placements. The HOME Sonoma Leadership Council is not making frequent ongoing status reports. Maybe the April 23rd meeting will produce this; but I posit that the once a month meeting is not as useful as we determine the best responses each day. The CDC staff who support HOME Sonoma providers are still overseeing the funding, and they provide retrospective numeric information. A practical challenge is to provide "real time" information in a way that does not add to their work burden. In the same vein, the Homeless Action! notes contain many good ideas on what is needed to help people now and what data we need to share that would help promote success in the future.
The whole community: the county , service providers and the general public should share what is being done or planned? Although overwhelmed with work, could the Home Sonoma staff take their notes from the provider meetings and share their efforts on the County Emergency services page as linked above? Sharing of information through such transparency will promote effective responses.
Anyone who cares is asking, "How can we protect our unsheltered homeless sisters and brothers as this pandemic continues?"
--Gerry La Londe-Berg
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