City Council declares homeless shelter crisis
Paso Robles recorded second greatest number of unsheltered homeless persons of any city in the county
–At Tuesday night’s Paso Robles City Council meeting, the council unanimously decided to officially declare a homeless shelter crisis within the city. Such a declaration allows the city to make government owned buildings available to use as a warming center or shelter. Additionally, it provides for immunity from liability for “ordinary negligence in the provision of emergency housing” provided that the jurisdiction has declared a shelter crisis under this code and made a finding “that a significant number of persons within the jurisdiction of the governing body are without the ability to obtain shelter, and that the situation has resulted in a threat to the health and safety of those persons.”
On Jan. 19, the city council directed that a discussion of the potential of a Paso Robles homeless shelter crisis be set as an agenda item. On Jan. 20, the San Luis Obispo County Homeless Services Oversight Council voted to recommend that local jurisdictions consider declaring a shelter crisis for purposes of making government owned buildings available for use as warming centers.
On Feb. 2, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors took the step of declaring a shelter crisis and made $10,000 in funding available for community organizations to use for warming shelters. In addition, the board urged communities within the county to take similar steps. Later that day, the city council publicly discussed consideration of a homeless shelter crisis and requested that a formal “shelter crisis declaration” be scheduled for the next meeting. Additionally, council affirmed their desire for the city to work with other agencies and community organizations to help protect the health and safety of the homeless population in the community this winter.
The San Luis Obispo County January 2015 Point-in-Time homeless count reported that Paso Robles had the second greatest number of unsheltered homeless persons of any city within the county at 235 individuals. The non-profit group Paso Cares operates a warming center in the North County (rotating churches between Paso Robles and Templeton) Monday through Friday with a capacity for approximately 12 persons. On weekends, there is no warming facility available. In the event of prolonged or unusually inclement weather, the unmet need for temporary shelter to a large number of individuals will become a critical health and safety need.
No public lands or facilities have been identified for use as a warming facility at this time. However, a declaration of a homeless shelter crisis pursuant to California government code would provide certain protections to the city, the school district, or other provider making one or more properties available in the future.
Cherie Michaelson, the president of Paso Cares, said that so far this season, the organization has housed 37 individuals, 12 people at a time in their pilot program, “This is a huge problem…there’s no options, no resources…” she said. She said many homeless have pets, and the current warming shelter locks the individuals inside from 6:30 at night to 6:30 in the morning, making it sometimes not an option for them. The new declaration and the potential use of government buildings will make it so that everyone would be welcome, even their pets.
The council voted unanimously to make the declaration and to look into different options to assist the local homeless organizations. Councilman John Hamon was absent.
