Dear Council Members,
I’m writing in regards to the process of which Item 5, Saturday Mobile Showers for the Unhoused – Library Parking Lot, arrived on the agenda.
There has been no public outreach, especially to the Main Street business community on this issue. There has been no discussion on how this might impact our local businesses, who have been struggling during and post-pandemic. Access to parking is an issue that always comes up with Main Street businesses. Anyone who has ever listened to or read surveys about Main Street will see that parking is a contested issue.
It is very presumptuous and cavalier that the County thinks that Sebastopol can give up important parking on Saturday mornings to mobile shower units. The proposal doesn’t even give basic information: How many parking spots will this take. What is set up time? What is tear down time? Is there security?
Sebastopol has spent a lot of money on “relaunch” and “community vitality” efforts. Over $150,000 with Co-Mission. Over $100,000 with Laura Hagar and her relaunch contract. We are trying to support our local businesses with various efforts like the façade improvement program. Doesn’t giving up parking during prime business hours go against all these efforts and investments?
In addition, we pay for a Homeless Outreach Coordinator. The Homeless Outreach Coordinator does not work on Saturday. Thus we will be bringing people into downtown Sebastopol on Saturday mornings who need Homeless Services without the Homeless Outreach Coordinator present to connect them with services. This makes no sense.
Finally, Council Member Rich gave her report on the unhoused and there was no mention of this program. If we are going to have a Council Member spend their time communicating with the public and acting as a liaison, shouldn’t there be more outreach about a program which impacts our local business community and public access to our parking lot? How did Sebastopol even get on the list for this program without any public input? Why were we not alerted to prior to the 4 days before it is scheduled to start? What kind of public notice is that? 4 days notice for such a radical change in use in downtown is not sufficient.
The proposal is to turn part of our downtown parking lot into a homeless services site on Saturdays mornings. That is a big change of use. There needs to be a lot more public input before this change happens.
There could be security issues that need to be addressed. As Council is well aware, many people who are homeless also suffer from drug addiction and mental illness. We have seen from the SAVS reports that they have had to evict several members of their community due to violent behavior. We know that drug addiction among homeless people is prevalent. What safeguards will be in place. Will there be any screening for people? The people of Sebastopol and our downtown business owners deserve better. This proposal does not take into consideration its impact on downtown, on local businesses or the full implications of the change of use it implies.
I urge Council to say no to this proposal and to meet with local downtown business owners, the SDA and the Chamber of Commerce before allowing any change of use of this magnitude in our downtown.
Thank you,
Kate Haug