Long ago, when community groups providing supportive
services reached out to housing developers to house our clients, we helped each
other gain new skills. Service
agencies learned about housing development, and housing developers learned
about needs beyond a place to live.
The partnerships strengthened each, and a significant number of our
homeless community were helped into stability and housing. Those fleeing domestic violence, being
flushed out of state mental hospitals, and struggling with addictions received
new hope.
But while the joint development of housing was certainly a
bold and successful addition to our community’s assets, it was the recognition
that forming a supportive community of those sharing the journey that made the
lasting impact. Remembering that
most of those being targeted had only limited experience alone on the streets,
our solutions were focused on fulfilling their desire to transition to
traditional family housing lifestyles.
Even so, success was greatly dependent on how effectively we helped build
a new intentional supportive community around them.
In the interim, those left behind in our efforts have built
communities of their own anywhere they could. Our unwillingness to push beyond the socially acceptable
homeless has not deterred those out early and pushed out consistently from turning
their anger and resourcefulness into survival strategies. The failures of our society to deliver
the basic components of upward mobility to most of our citizens has soured many
of them on whether it will ever be so.
In the work we will face over the next two months to create
a county response to the millions of dollars being offered by the state for
homeless supportive housing, we need to talk about what the housing and
supportive services which are needed by the long-term, un-housed homeless. Experienced in living in shelters,
vacant houses, buildings, tents, sleeping bags, and shadows – we need to work
with them to learn what they need to build stability and a willingness to reach
out to us.
We need to also recognize that this new group of long-term homeless may only be able to transition if the route is through small communities that give each other support. Many of those small communities have been cobbled together using less thsn traditional housing models, and the supportive services provided to each other are not available through existing housing designs.
Those of us who aspire to bring about new resources which meet the needs that are defined need to commit strongly to work together. We need to re-imagine both what supportive services and homeless housing are, and our roles in bringing it about. I am dedicated to bringing an open mind to that work, and I invite others to join with me in doing so.
Those of us who aspire to bring about new resources which meet the needs that are defined need to commit strongly to work together. We need to re-imagine both what supportive services and homeless housing are, and our roles in bringing it about. I am dedicated to bringing an open mind to that work, and I invite others to join with me in doing so.
Gregory Fearon
2040 Elizabeth Way
707 230-1198
gfearon@gmail.com
This is worth reading...people living outdoors have many needs and it's easy to house those used to houses. Our moral obligation is to see that all humankind receives sufficient care. The ticket is being born human...we live in a rich county...we can do this!
ReplyDeleteExcellent "Experienced in living in shelters, vacant houses, buildings, tents, sleeping bags, and shadows – we need to work with them to learn what they need to build stability and a willingness to reach out to us"
ReplyDeleteGregory, thank you.
ReplyDeleteFor me, diverse approaches and communities of like minded people can overcome barriers. I recognize in Gregory's writing references to organization which are housing people in community: Community Support Network, Interfaith Shelter Network, Buckelew, Progress Foundation and substance abuse treatment support of various names. We should recall that various business and political leaders actively participated in having each of these efforts succeed. Today’s business leaders in Sonoma County are just as compassionate, even though I think, not as proactive.
Classic research indicates that values driven and mission informed organizations are ones which survive because they serve people in genuine ways. For me a key model is an international organization called L'Arche. Although L'Arche was founded on connectedness to intellectual disabilities, I recognize that this model of community and philosophy extends into our work here. What should we learn from this?
https://www.larcheusa.org/who-we-are/charter/
The consensus driven values of Homeless Action have moved the conversation since HA! spun off from the Homeless Task Force. Concepts which we introduced are now cited as desirable (Safe Parking). Practical solutions have built up, even as they were torn down (Homeless Hill , Camp Michaela, Camp Remembrance) .
For my part I have been impressed with the organization and attempts to join with the RV and tent dwellers on Corporate Way. The way that things evolved last night were not a victory but they were effective primarily because it built our narrative and gives us leverage.
Some observations:
We should acknowledge the health and safety concerns at Corporate Center Way. Shit on the street and needles in the parking lot are not acceptable.
The organizing to address this furthers our cause.
We have an opportunity to engage (coopt) the business leaders and owners if they will commit to advocating solutions – in other words they too will advocate for people who are homeless by creating and probably funding (in part) a sanctioned encampment or tiny village model. (in the near term)
By educating them, we can also invite them to advocate for the CoC $$$ coming down in a way HA! et al develops.
Get our facts straight and keep respect at the forefront. The Executive Director of the North Coast Builders Exchange is Keith Woods. Use his name. He does not represent other building owners or managers other than his own.
Inflammatory rhetoric is useful - use it strategically.
It was a pleasure to see that now we, at lest, know each others’ first names.
Help the business owners and the public recognize and advocate for basic human decency. The tide is definitely flowing in that direction. Just like people who happen to be without a home, people with a home are generally decent.
I personally think the “enemies” language is counter productive. (Either for businesses, staff or CC)
Be insistent on transparency.
I repeat, civilly and directly insist upon transparency.
Recognize and learn who has the technical skills to do the various things which need to be done: Apartments, community houses, Tiny houses, self governing encampments, etc. The technical challenges are huge, but success can happen in various paths of activity. HA! has a role but needs access to power and money to actually meet our goals.
Organize voter
Make personal relationships with people because then listening is more likely.
Above all, be kind, always.
Just a reminder to try to veer away from using the term 'the homeless.' These are PEOPLE who are homeless, or 'homeless people.' It takes a little longer to say or write, but it conveys a subtly different message. IMO, Gail
ReplyDeleteAll very insightful writing, important information to being to the table, Gregory and all commenters. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWhat money and processes in the next two months are you referring to, please, Gregory? I've been out of the loop. -Alice