Publication Date: Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Board of Contributors: Should Palo Alto form a 'Commission on Homelessness'?
Board of Contributors: Should Palo Alto form a 'Commission on Homelessness'?
(October 05, 2005) by Jeff Blum
The Palo Alto Weekly's coverage this summer of homelessness, or the "unhoused," in Palo Alto called attention to a serious problem that has plagued the city and will continue to plague it for years to come -- unless more action is taken.
The city's Human Relations Commission has labeled it as one of the top issues for it to address this next year. It is an issue often included in the City Council's top five priorities.
I commend the Weekly for its coverage. However, I was disappointed by the solutions posed to the problem. One article, mentioning how other cities handle the homelessness problem, couched the issue as one of "aggressive panhandling and loitering." Certainly, such actions by some homeless people are a concern.
But characterizing the issue in this negative way does not begin to solve the problem of homelessness. And bringing attention to the adverse characteristics of a few homeless people undermined the plea in another article for taking a more tolerant attitude toward the homeless. The other suggestion offered -- more housing -- is obvious, too vague and too narrow of a solution.
It is not surprising that few solutions were offered. Answers to the homelessness problem are elusive, as many cities will attest to.
Never a shrinking violet, I will offer my answer to the homeless problem in Palo Alto: create a Commission on Homelessness.
The recent soul-searching by many of us in Palo Alto about whether to confer authority for police oversight on the HRC led some to conclude that the issue was too much for the HRC to handle, given its mandate to address numerous other issues -- including homelessness.
Recognizing the need for police oversight, City Manager Frank Benest eventually proposed that two independent oversight boards be created. Although the HRC will continue to play a role in overseeing police, I suspect these boards -- which will review internal investigations of complaints against the police and police policies -- will be created.
The problem of homelessness is as important an issue as police oversight. Despite our best efforts, including the building of the Opportunity Center, too many people in Palo Alto remain unhoused. With its reputation for caring and tolerance, Palo Alto should do much more for our unhoused citizens. Business owners and residents concerned about prevalent aggressive panhandling and loitering also believe the homelessness problem needs to be addressed immediately.
The Commission on Homelessness I envision could have as its mandate to analyze the homeless population, funding sources, the supply of services -- including the location, capacity and hours of operation -- and the services mandated by government. It could provide an action plan which includes specific projects, costs and measurable results.
The commission could be a one-stop information center. It can bring all of the stakeholders together to creatively problem-solve and more efficiently determine needs and monitor delivery of services.
The commission could consider outreach to the chronically homeless, mainstream benefits assistance, permanent supportive housing, alternative sentencing, addictive disorders treatment, prevention assistance, early intervention services and reunification services.
It could be a forum for developing novel and forward-thinking ideas to address homelessness. What about developing a "Homeless Court Program," which could be a treatment-oriented diversionary proceeding allowing for the dismissal of misdemeanor infractions by homeless people upon completion of some work at shelter/service agencies?
Another possibility is to develop a "substance abuse rapid response team" to address serious cases where drug use within the homeless community might otherwise lead to an overdose, crime or even death.
The commission could have three distinct working groups, focusing on chronic homelessness due to physical and mental disabilities, chronic homelessness due to addictive disorders, and temporary homelessness.
Many experts in the fields of physical and mental health, social workers, and attorneys work or reside in Palo Alto. Qualifications in these fields, while not a prerequisite to membership, could help to make the commission a powerful and effective tool for defeating the homelessness problem.
But, please, no more lengthy soul-searching as we did with the issue of police oversight. Let's take action immediately to address an issue considered a priority and showcase Palo Alto as a caring, tolerant and visionary community by creating -- and empowering -- a Commission on Homelessness.
Jeff Blum, a family law attorney practicing in Redwood City, is chair of the Palo Alto Human Relations Commission. He can be e-mailed at blumesq@aol.com.
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