From: Pratima Gupta
To: PlanningCommission AP
Subject: Agenda Item for Meeting on 10/14/2024 -- Safe Parking in Sunnyvale Date: Sunday, October 13, 2024 10:14:27 PM
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Dear Planning Commission Members,
Safe parking is a WIN-WIN for the unhoused and the city of Sunnyvale.
As a founder of a nonprofit organization providing outreach services for the unhoused in Sunnyvale, I feel very strongly about implementing a safe parking zone in the city.
Specifically, within the City of Sunnyvale this is a necessity for the unhoused, for the following reasons-
1. Case Management to help people find jobs, obtain the benefits they are eligible for so they can make progress in their lives to working and getting housed, can only happen if unhoused individuals and families are able to participate and connect with a SINGLE case manager consistently.
Otherwise, with all encampments now swept, they are constantly on the move searching for a place to sleep at night where they won't be asked to leave. 2 . The organizations/advocates working with them to help them obtain government assistance, medical care and jobs lose track of most of the folk who cannot be in one place since all encampments have been swept. The relationship built between the person and the organization can only be maintained if the client is able to have one stable place they can stay at for a reasonable length of time where the case manager or non-profit volunteer can locate them
3. There is a serious shortage of shelter beds, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing. The Hamlin Court North County Shelter will no longer be an option for single adults. Even if some people opt to go to a shelter, there are no beds available(best they are offered is to be waitlisted).
Many do not want to move to another city as they are unfamiliar with the surroundings, some have jobs in the local area and it can take hours to travel to their workplace from the shelter in another city.
4. Frequent and repeated camp abatement wastes taxpayer money, because the city/county has to pay for the clean up, security and other expenses during the process.
With the changes at the North County Shelter, and the abatement of ALL encampments in and around the city, the unhoused single adults in Sunnyvale have no place to go. A safe parking Attachment 6
site will help at least those who do have vehicles to park and get some rest at night, which will help them face the next day with some hope, to move forward with job searches, going to work, going to county/SSA offices to obtain documents etc.
Please consider Safe Parking and temporary housing on government-owned land for the unhoused so the seniors and adults, and families with children, are able to get A CHANCE to move forward in their lives.
Otherwise, the unhoused do not have even a sliver of a chance to end their cycle of homelessness.
Thank you for your consideration.
Regards,
Pratima Gupta
Founder/Treasurer
Helping Hands Silicon Valley
Attachment 6
From: Rose Gregorio
To: PlanningCommission AP
Subject: Safe Parking
Date: Monday, October 14, 2024 4:35:41 PM
WARNING - This email came from an EXTERNAL source. Confirm the sender and its contents are safe before responding, opening attachment or links.
Dear Board Members,
Safe parking and temporary housing on government-owned land is a WIN-WIN for the unhoused and the county.
Specifically,
within the City of Sunnyvale these are a necessity for the unhoused, for the following reasons-
1. Case Management to help people find jobs, obtain the benefits they are eligible for so they can make progress in their lives to working and getting housed, can only happen if unhoused individuals and families are able to participate and connect with a SINGLE case manager consistently. Otherwise, with all encampments now swept, they are constantly on the move searching for a place to sleep at night where they won't be asked to leave.
2. The organizations/advocates working with them to help them obtain government assistance, medical care and jobs lose track of most of the folk who cannot be in one place since all encampments have been swept. The relationship built between the person and the organization can only be maintained if the client is able to have one stable place they can stay at for a reasonable length of time where the case manager or non-profit volunteer can locate them
3. There is a serious shortage of shelter beds, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing. The Hamlin Court North County Shelter will no longer be an option for single adults. Even if some people opt to go to a shelter, there are no beds available(best they are offered is to be waitlisted). Many do not want to move to another city as they are unfamiliar with the surroundings, some have jobs in the local area and it can take hours to travel to their workplace from the shelter in another city.
4. Frequent and repeated camp abatement wastes taxpayer money, because the city/county has to pay for the clean up, security and other expenses during the process.
With the changes at the North County Shelter, and the abatement of ALL encampments in and around the city, the unhoused single adults in Sunnyvale have no place to go. A safe parking site will help at least those who do have vehicles to park and get some rest at night, which will help them face the next day with some hope,
to move forward with job
searches,
going to
work, going to county/SSA offices to obtain documents etc.
Attachment 6
Please consider Safe Parking and temporary housing on government-owned land for the unhoused so the seniors and adults, and families with children, are able to get A CHANCE to move forward in their lives.
Otherwise, the unhoused do not have even a sliver of a chance to end their cycle of homelessness.
NOTE
A family
with a 4 yr old having 4-7 times seizures a day due to multiple benign brain tumors living in their van has to move from place to place while having seizures.
Seniors, elderly men who are hanging out in the library in their cars/home. One of them got his car towed due to expired registration.
People living in their cars suffering from inclement weather can be closely watched to prevent heat stroke or hypothermia or death.
Safe Parking is needed
so we can take care of our most vulnerable neighbors in our community.
Thank You Very Much
rose gregorio
Attachment 6