Group seeks responses to problems outlined in grand jury reports
Advocates for Humboldt County’s homeless population on Monday delivered a letter to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors asking for a swift response to civil grand jury reports that earlier this summer outlined worsening problems for the county’s homeless.
The county’s Human Rights Commission calls for the board to approve a number of the jury’s recommendations for addressing homelessness. One jury report found that current housing solutions are far behind in solving the problem. Among its recommendations, the jury calls for the county to contribute funding to an existing trust fund for local housing.
Another report reviews the “criminalization” of homeless people in Eureka, due to what the jury calls a “counterproductive” use of law enforcement to address homelessness. In its letter, the commission urges the county to consider encouraging changes in Eureka laws.
“Within the city of Eureka, in particular, ordinances appear to make it impossible for the homeless to exist without violating an ordinance,” states the letter, authored by Commission Chair Jim Glover.
“Since a great portion of the existing homeless population is centered in our biggest city, increased coordination of efforts to diffuse further polarization of our community are highly desirable,” the letter continues.
The two jury reports span dozens of pages. Both were published this summer, part of an annual series of citizen-compiled assessments of county practices. As outlined in the reports, the county has 60 to 90 days to formally respond to jury’s numerous recommendations.
Currently, the county is planning to release its responses around the start of October, spokesperson Sean Quincey said in an email.
“We’re trying to prod them to take a certain set of actions,” Glover said Monday. “We’re hoping they address the reports in a timely manner.”
Nezzie Wade, who sits on the Housing Trust Fund and Homelessness Solutions Committee, echoed the report’s findings that the current levels of funding won’t do the trick. In order to receive larger state grants, the committee will need local support, she said.
“You have to have money in your account to show you can match what (the county) would give you,” Wade said. “With the county’s support, we would have that.”
Incidentally, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday plan to approve an agreement to provide up to $100,000 in mobile hygiene services to homeless individuals. The agreement is with Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives, where Wade serves as president.
The housing trust fund committee, meanwhile, will meet on Thursday to discuss potential funding sources.
September 9, 2019
Eureka Times-Standard
By Shomik Mukherjee
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