From: Brandi Nuse-Villegas
To: Clerk
Subject: Public comment, 4-27 Mayor"s Plan
Date: Wednesday, April 27, 2022 9:24:50 AM
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The focus “One Fresno” has felt very ironic when it comes to the unhoused, but on the ground, the unhoused don’t feel like they are part of “One Fresno.” Again, they haven’t been included in this plan.
I oppose adding $7.5 million for HART. Many people are constantly being displaced, which.
As noted in the encampment sweep moratorium recommendation of the Here To Stay report, it actually impedes people from housing. The team doesn’t have mental health professionals or training, which also impedes successful work. As well, we have many people I have spoken to who want help with housing and at least shelter who are being left out of outreach, as even as motels open, they are not included, because they are part of a project area or haven’t been reported through 311.
Their response would inform this. Regarding the cabins at Villages of Hope: We have asked for shelter to be in other districts. Placing cabins on H Street continues to put more cabins continued to place shelters in the same area. Many of the unhoused do now want to go to the Poverello House area, including H Street, because it is unsafe for them.. Some have experienced trauma in that area. Some have experienced trauma and cannot be housed with a stranger in a shared cabin. We do need tiny homes. We need the remainder of any shelters to be outside district 3. As I have said before, people are asking for housing/shelter in the district/neighborhood in which they live. They have jobs, connections, resources and feel safer there. These need to be in high opportunity areas. We need to invest in safe lots, with mental health providers, as it will still take time for any shelter and housing to be built and learn from successful safe lots in other areas.
The motels as well need to be in high opportunity areas.
Very little of the investment for housing the unhoused, $999,000, in this plan are in, actually, housing, and while I know that the whole other report deals with housing, more needs to be invested in supportive housing above all and ensuring they can access housing. We have people already in the shelters waiting for housing since they arrived. If they are able to be transitioned into housing, more shelter space is open. Insist on more money towards this, and not toward landlords, but the people themselves.
Please demand that the voice of those who are unhoused are heard in making plans affecting them. The subcommittee does not equate to representatives of the unhoused.