Item 9. 2 Written Communications
Shilling – Received 8/ 23/ 2022
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First Name Chris
Last Name Shilling
Email Address
Comments
As a lifelong resident of Chula Vista, and someone who has spent the last decade working on the homelessness issue throughout the county, I am shocked that the city would consider shutting down Harborside Park to address a homeless encampment. I currently oversee homeless services in the City of Carlsbad, where we are one of the only cities to see a 20% reduction in homelessness according to the 2022 Point- in- Time Count, and I previously worked for the Regional Task Force on Homelessness where we developed the regional standards for addressing homeless encampments ( however, I am only contacting you in my capacity as a Chula Vista resident).
Spending $ 350, 000 to close the park and not provide housing to one single person is unconscionable. I went by the park today to understand the situation better. The numbers are manageable and the encampment is distanced and seems well maintained. Criminalizing homelessness or shutting down areas and moving people along has proven time and time again to be ineffective. In fact, there is not one area around the country where this strategy has ever worked. When people are forced to leave a location or placed in jail, they don’ t cease to exist. They move to other areas and further impact the community. However, now after being displaced, they have faced additional trauma and are disconnected from any support or resources they had, including opportunities for housing.
Instead of closing the park for 90 days, the city should engage in a 90 day outreach campaign prior to any clearing action. This should include:
Focused non- law enforcement outreach in the area to identify, connect with, and build relationships with the households living in the park. Create a by- name list of the people in the encampment which also identifies their status and needs. The list can be used by the multiple service providers ( since we have identified this as a priority area) working with the people in the encampment to case conference and collaborate. Ideally the city, county, and local service providers would prioritize people in the encampment for available housing resources and assistance including rapid re- housing, housing choice vouchers, permanent supportive housing, etc. ( more opportunities can be created with the $ 350, 000). So as people get their paperwork and documents in order, they can quickly move into suitable housing that meets their needs with supports when necessary). They should also be put into the region’ s Coordinated Entry System and maintained on that list, which may help them acces s homeless dedicated housing, and veterans and youth should be connected with the housing programs available to them ( which typically have availability because of the funding allocated to them). Some people will also choose to move into a suitable shelter or a long- term motel program, while they continue to work on their housing, and they can be prioritized for those resources ( The city’s new non- congregate shelter and use a small part of the $ 350, 000 identified to operate a temporary motel program) as appropriate. Some people can be reunited with family or other supports with some mediation and assistance like transportation. People’ s needs and solutions will vary and the process would be a coordinated effort over time. As people move out of the area into shelter and more importantly permanent housing destinations, it may then be appropriate to identify ways to secure the space in ways that discourage more unsheltered individuals from returning to revive the encampment ( if there are safety and public health reasons).
This is how this situation should be addressed. Please vote against closing the park and instead follow evidence- based best practices to address the unsheltered crisis in Chula Vista, and specifically this encampment.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Chris Shilling
Item # 9. 2 – Written Communications
Cat – Received 8/ 23/ 2022
First Name Leo
Last Name Cat
Email Address
Comments
This i a comment i wrote on YouTube. Channel 8 News concerning the Chula Vista homeless.
Just thought you might want to hear from one of the residents in your area.
What follows is my comment).
Gaawd! What an idiot council member!
Im homeless and i live close to that area.
A few thoughts:
1) What they are doing is not cost effective for the tax payer.
Fire fighters assisting the homeless.
The total for five hours of fire personnel on the scene totaled more than $ 8, 500. The use of the fire trucks cost more than $ 12, 300.)
Almost everyday I see a fire or emergency vehicle go to the pa rk to assist a homeless person ( i think it a homeless person because the homeless in that particular park are the drug users. The alcoholics are at the park by the orange street library).
An Article:
Donovan said in the March 5, 2012, appearance. " Because, at the end of the day, it costs, between shelters and emergency rooms and jails, it costs about $ 40, 000 a year for a homeless person to be on the streets." So lets make being homeless more difficult, create more animosity between the Chula Vista poli ce and the homeless by placing a 500 ft ban around schools. Great idea! Not! IT MAKES A POLITICIAN LOOK LIKE HE OR SHE IS DOING SOMETHING FOR THE VOTERS JOKE! This is no solution!
2) They need to make laws / policies that see the homeless as part of an individual group of people. As in gays, blacks, mexicans.
A group of people but with in are sub groups.
Ie. The permanent homeless, because there are homeless who will always be homeless and they don' t feel part of society.
Not so different than blacks who doesn' t feel like cops treat them the same as whites.) They' re needs to be communication, not more distrust.
There' s the homeless working.
There' s the homeless elderly.
There' s the homeless who live in cars, vans motorhomes ect.
There' s the ex cons .
There' s the Vets.
There' s the illegal aliens.
I use to go to town hall meetings in Chula Vista. Many times the people would say i had good points and ideas.
Even a politician would agree.
But he also mentioned something about, " The political will," being the problem.
I hope some news person reads this and some commercial or political big wig reads this.
I want to help b4 i pass away. I don' t want anything but to help others.
God bless,
Item 9. 2 – Written Communications
Curry – Received 8/ 23/ 2022
Chula Vista Honorable Mayor And City Council,
Agenda 9. 2 Proposal Harborside Park Closure
https:// pub- chulavista. escribemeetings. com/ Meeting. aspx? Id= aa9ae899- f01c- 4b4e- b676- 6fc8b3cd6456& Agenda= Agenda& lang= English
PLEASEDO NOT CLOSE THE PARK - ENFORCE THE LAW
YOU CANNOT TAKE PUBLIC LAND AND MAKE IT YOUR OWN PROPERTY TO LIVE ON https:// kusi. com/ city- deems- harborside- park- a-health- crisis- and- public- safety- issue- due- to- homeless/ The SD County HHSA next to the park the cause of homeless LIVING IN THE PARK. The city, county and state must start adressing the real issue - No it is not mental abuse, but a drug problem. No enforcement against using drugs and on public property just creates more homeless looking for free services tax fundered that just exasperates the drug addiction leading to more homeless. Where is the encouragement to work to have a sense oft worh by being self sufficent? Affordable Housing is useless if no enforcement of rules! No you cannot do drugs and you must get a job to live there just like the rest of society. Our grand children will be paying others rent of affordable housing forever!
Oh and a question of water use restriction on our parks. WHY DOES HARBORSIDE HAVE BROWN GRASS YET CITY HALL HAS WATERED LUSH GREEN GRASS?
Alan Curry
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