Serve Our Vallejo Homeless

Yet More Homeless "Evictions"

2009-08-02T13:21:00.001-07:00

Greeting friends and advocates,

In the past month or so, we have been made aware of 3 MORE homeless "evictions" that have taken place in Vallejo. Add that to the 2 evictions in March of this year and that unofficially makes 5 evictions in the past 5 months alone! And that accounts only for the evictions that we KNOW of.

These actions of various city departments have only compounded the problem. City leadership fails to act. City residents complain vigorously but offer no workable solutions. Churches stand idle as if the suffering of our vulnerable residents matter not.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! Displacing and humiliating people is not the answer. Nor will complaining or scapegoating solve anything. Ignorance is not bliss. Homeless residents are PEOPLE and a disproportionately vulnerable part of our community.

We have put this off for some time, but now more than ever our community must come together and engage in conversations for change -- not in debates of polarizing generalizations.

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http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_12921519

Homeless, advocates push for county coalition

By Jessica A. York/Times-Herald staff writer

Posted: 07/27/2009 09:17:19 AM PDT

Some of Vallejo's transients are joining forces with local community activists to push for a citywide homeless coalition following a recent cleanup of an encampment.

Vallejo City Council members heard two of the city's self-described homeless members

share their concerns Tuesday night. One told of veterans facing depression, while the other noted an incident involving sheriff deputies in the midst of increasingly frequent routings of Vallejo-area homeless.

James Freeman, a 55-year-old San Pablo native, said in an interview Friday that shortly after a homeless encampment was emptied at the White Slough in March, he found his long-time stomping grounds near the waterfront River Park a bit more crowded.

A series of subsequent cleanups has chased him from four different locations in the past six weeks, after nearly a year and a half at one site, Freeman said.

Then, on June 27, Solano County Sheriffs deputies allegedly came into the camp, reportedly near county property but actually on city property, and removed some of the homeless' most prized possessions.

Freeman, 51, and homeless advocate Doug Darling said items like tents, medication and other essentials were missing when they returned later that day, and everything else was "trashed." Their main objection, the two said, was that the property had not been posted against loitering and they were given no notice to leave. That differed from nearby county property that was also being cleaned that day.

Darling said he understands that homeless people may be told to leave property, but added that there must be somewhere for them to relocate first. He said, with city leaders' support, he and fellow concerned resident Mark Mora hope to lead efforts to forge a homeless coalition uniting key figures citywide.

"The bottom line is it's cheaper to address the problem than deal with it later," Darling said. "I'm all for taking them off private property -- but they have to have somewhere to go. How long are we going to keep kicking the can, as the council would say. They are people, they need to be treated with dignity."

Darling and Mora said they hope to bring community leaders associated with homeless issues together soon. Darling, Freeman and a second homeless man plan to return Tuesday to city council chamber.

For more information on efforts to assist Vallejo's homeless, visit http://serveourvallejohomeless.blogspot.com.

Contact staff writer Jessica A. York at jyork@thnewsnet.com or (707) 553-6834.

Song Around the World

2009-04-10T14:05:00.000-07:00

A quick break from the dire news of rampant homelessness throughout the nation. Here's an example of music as an ingredient in collectivity and shared life. Community breaking boundaries of class, culture, creed, and nation.

Playing For Change | Song Around The World "Stand By Me" from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

"From the award-winning documentary, "Playing For Change: Peace Through Music", comes the first of many "songs around the world" being released independently. Featured is a cover of the Ben E. King classic by musicians around the world adding their part to the song as it traveled the globe. This video and "Don't Worry" are available now at iTunes. Other songs such as "One Love" will be released as digital downloads soon; followed by the film soundtrack and DVD in stores on 4.28.09."

Housing is focus of Fresno "tent city"

2009-04-09T12:13:00.000-07:00

A sign stating no trespassing and no loitering is posted on a wall in a homeless encampment on H Street on Union Pacific Railroad Company property in Fresno, California, March 11, 2009.
(Photo by Tomas Ovalle/Fresno Bee/MCT)

Scope the Boston Herald Article:

Cities move toward housing-first approach to tackle homelessness

By Denny Boyles / McClatchy Newspapers

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

===========

Excerpts:

-"The plan: First provide housing, then tackle the larger problems, such as mental illness, drug and alcohol abuse that can keep people trapped on the streets. That’s a departure from traditional programs that require the chronically homeless to undergo months of treatment and counseling before they’re deemed to be 'housing ready.'"

-"Fresno, which has struggled for years to solve its homeless problem, is hardly a pioneer in adopting a housing-first approach. Hundreds of U.S. cities have moved in this direction, and the early adopters - cities like Denver, San Francisco and Portland, Ore. - found that the added cost of homes and support services was largely or entirely offset by reduced demand on shelters, emergency rooms, mental hospitals, detox centers, jails and courts."

-"Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin said she is committed to the 10-year plan, and believes it’s the right approach to ending chronic homelessness. 'Until someone is in a stable living environment, it’s nearly impossible to get them the services they need, whether it’s mental health care or getting sober or help finding work to get back on their feet,' Swearengin said. 'We’re looking beyond just sheltering people and working toward long-term, sustainable solutions.'"

-"But paying the cost of housing upfront reduces some of the other costs that homeless residents create, said Phillip Mangano, executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, a national partnership that works with government and the private sector to address homeless issues. Mangano said a typical homeless person can cost a county or city up to $150,000 a year in medical and legal services."

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More pictures from homeless encampments in Fresno:

Photos by Jim Wilson/The New York Times

Homeless resident found dead

2009-04-07T12:08:00.000-07:00

Another Vallejo resident has passed away. And at this point, she is believed to be homeless. This type of a mysterious tragedy should not be happening this day in age. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family.

As a community, let's take responsibility.

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Times-Herald Article

Woman's body found near Vallejo restaurant
Officials say no sign of foul play, woman may have been homeless
By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen/Times-Herald staff writer
Posted: 04/06/2009 12:17:35 PM PDT

A woman was found dead in a Vallejo restaurant parking lot Monday morning, though foul play doesn't seem to have been involved, officials said.

The body was discovered by an employee of Vallejo's Olive Garden restaurant, in the business' parking lot. The call came in around 8 a.m., said Jimmy Pierson, operations manager of Medic Ambulance Service, who responded to the call.

A call to Vallejo Fire Department was canceled once the paramedics determined the woman was already dead, said firefighter Kurt Henke.

"She's listed as a Jane Doe as of now," Pierson said. "She appeared to be about 40 and there were no obvious signs of foul play. And she appeared to be homeless. She had two shopping bags of personal belongings."

The body, which looked to be that of a Caucasian woman, was found laying face up in a parking space, near a shrub, and seems to have been dead "for a while, for sure more than an hour," Pierson said.

Contact staff writer Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at (707) 553-6824 or RachelZ@thnewsnet.com.

Unemployment: Another catalyst in growing homelessness

2009-04-06T14:51:00.000-07:00

The US is facing a wave of homelessness for the first time in decades.

(Photo: Max Whittaker / Reuters)

Scope the Time article:

When Joblessness Becomes Homelessness

Monday, April 6 / by Douglas A. McIntyre

Excerpts:

-"The estimates of the number of homeless people in America vary widely. That may be because some surveys consider people who have no home for a night to fall into the category, while others only consider those who live in a chronic state of being without their own shelter. The disparities of measurement yield numbers that are as low at 800,000 and as high as three million."

Most people who have no income will not live in shelters or on the streets. They will move in with friends or relatives. They will only be homeless to the extent that they no long have a place of their own to live and cannot afford one. It is a form of displacement that has not been seen in America since The Depression and one which replaces the government's assistance for the individual back with the social network of the community, whether that is the community of the family or some other close knit network.

-"If the economic downturn is as long or longer than many pessimistic experts believe, it may well lead to a sort of widespread tribalism within the United States that has never been experienced before, at least not in anyone's memory, and that may be imperative to the government's ability to render assistance to people who have absolutely no place to live. At some point, the federal welfare system could become insolvent because of the demands of those in need. The fact that people have bonds beyond their nuclear families may be the only thing that prevents that."

"New faces" of homelessness in SF Chronicle

2009-04-06T14:31:00.000-07:00

Photo: Brent Ward / The Chronicle
Video: Poor in the Promised Land

Scope the SF Chronicle article:

Ranks of homeless swell as middle class teeters

Monday, April 6, 2009 / By Kevin Fagan / SF Chronicle Staff Writer

Excerpts:

-"Homelessness across the entire nation is soaring, and experts say most of that growth is among people like Conroy - middle- to lower-middle-income workers - or families. But here's the tricky thing: They aren't all showing up in shelters yet."

-"There's a long ladder of resources they first have to tumble down before they hit bottom like Conroy. Right now, experts say, the newly homeless are mostly invisible - living with relatives and tapping friends and unemployment checks to avoid the shelters."

-"It's 'Junior League' homelessness," said Philip Mangano, who, as head of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, is President Obama's point man on the subject. "You can't have the number of foreclosures we've had, and the number of job losses we've had, and not have the homeless numbers go up. Everywhere I go, I hear of more need - and it's growing."

Another homeless "sweep" in Vallejo

2009-03-28T15:28:00.000-07:00

We've just received word from multiple sources that the the police have "swept" homeless residents from another location in Vallejo. Many of these residents were already displaced from the homeless sweep earlier this month in the White Slough, and sought to find some form of refuge at this location.

We're awaiting confirmation and further details but again, all indications seem to point to another senseless homeless sweep in Vallejo. And we truly believe WE as a city are ALL responsible for this.

Please pray for our further displaced homeless residents who have no safe or warm place to lay their heads. Please email ServeOurVallejoHomeless@gmail.com if you want to be a part of the CHANGE.

Peace and Godspeed!

Governator to coordinate with Johnson, Sacramento

2009-03-26T13:05:00.001-07:00

"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, left, and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson hold a news conference Wednesday outside the winter shelter at Cal Expo. Schwarzenegger said the mayor approached him at an event, and "that very same day we went out to the tent city."

-Photo by BRIAN BAER/mailto:BAER/bbaer@sacbee.com

"The governor said he will try to find state money and suggested he would provide assistance for other cities struggling with chronic homeless problems." (SF Chronicle article linked below)

Sacbee Article

SF Chronicle Article

Bloomberg Article

Good reads. Commendable that both the city mayor and state governor are working address short-term needs of "tent city" in Sacramento through temporary accommodations. But the question still remains of how communities (or a nation) can meaningfully alter systems and configurations that have led to such a moral and societal failure. It is, however, encouraging that some leaders and policymakers can publicly agree that WE CANNOT allow circumstances like of "tent city" to continue without a compassionate, coordinate, and sustainable response from ALL

of us.

=======================

Schwarzenegger, Johnson partner to address homeless issues
By Loretta Kalb lkalb@sacbee.com

Published: Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2009 - 12:20 pm Last Modified: Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2009 - 5:30 pm

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said today they are working together to address short-term public health and safety issues and long-term solutions for the city's growing homeless population.

"We cannot look away and pretend this is not happening. It is happening, and we must take action," Schwarzenegger said in a joint press conference at Cal Expo.

"We must do all we can to do right by these people, who are living in these difficult times."
Johnson said, with the governor's help, 50 new beds will be available at the winter shelter at Cal Expo. The operation, managed by Volunteers of American, will stay open until July 1.

Near Loaves and Fishes, 500 bins will be available for personal belongings and kennels for 20 pets.

Johnson and Schwarzenegger vowed to do address longstanding problems of homelessness.
"This was a problem when I came into office. I said we are not going to ignore it any longer," Johnson said. "The city has swept this under the rug, ignored it. We are no longer going to accept that in the city of Sacramento."

The governor said Johnson approached him at an event, saying "one more thing." That led to a breakfast meeting to talk about homelessness, and a tour of Sacramento's tent city encampment that same day.

Schwarzenegger said the campers didn't have drinking water, toilets or wash water. "People in America for years have tried to find answers" for dealing with this issue, he said. "Nobody has found the sweet spot."

Johnson said homeless people should be treated with dignity and compassion. He praised the combined efforts of government, business, nonprofit and homeless advocates in developing a program in two weeks, culminating in a unanimous City Council vote Tuesday night on a $1 million homeless program.

It will provide 150 additional beds in Sacramento as a first step in easing the plight of the homeless, whose numbers have been growing with the downturn in the economy.

The city allocated $880,000 in city and redevelopment agency funds for the program, which includes other area shelters and plans for long-term housing. Sacramento County may agree to provide another $150,000 early next month.

The program will enable closure of a tent city along the American River, which gained wide prominence when Oprah Winfrey featured it on her television show.

A county survey last year found 2,700 people are homeless in the county, including 1,200 who are living on the streets.

Call The Bee's Loretta Kalb, (916) 321-1073.

Washington state in the news

2009-03-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

Empowered by a generous sum from the Gates Foundation, the entire state of Washington is ramping up its homelessness prevention and exit efforts. Their homeless advocacy has taken them to greater heights.

================================

*From Philanthropy News Digest
*Build Changes: End Homelessness Together

Gates Foundation Commits Up to $60 Million to Address Homelessness in Washington State

The Washington Families Fund, a public-private partnership led by anti-homelessness nonprofit Building Changes, has announced a commitment of up to $60 million over the next ten years from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for an initiative designed to help end homelessness among families in the state.

As part of the initiative, the state of Washington; King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties; the cities of Seattle, Everett, and Tacoma; and several philanthropic and corporate partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which they pledge to redouble their efforts to minimize shelter stays and provide critical ongoing support services for homeless families with children and families on the brink of homelessness. The signatories also agreed to streamline funding for family homelessness programs so that current resources can be used more efficiently and effectively while they tap new resources to address what is a growing problem.

The partners will employ five proven principles to guide future family homelessness investments: early intervention and homelessness prevention; coordinating access to support services; rapidly re-housing families; providing services tailored to meet each family's individual needs; and increasing economic opportunity through education and workforce services. Beginning this year, pilot projects will be launched in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties. Lessons learned in those counties will be applied across communities statewide, with the goal of reducing homelessness among families with children by 50 percent in the next decade.

Other partners in the initiative include Boeing, Microsoft, the United Way of King County, the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, and the Ben B. Cheney Foundation.

"It saddens me that families with children make up nearly half of our state's homeless population. And unfortunately, the economic crisis may push even more families with children into homelessness," said Washington governor Christine Gregoire. "We must do more as a community to help families achieve and maintain stability. This Memorandum of Understanding is an important step at a critical time."

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"This short video is about the many reasons behind homelessness and focuses on the life of Tomey Smith. This video was produced for Building Changes by Linas Phillips and contains excerpts from his film, Great Speeches From A Dying World."

The loss of a homeless resident

2009-03-19T19:15:00.000-07:00

Tragically, one of our homeless residents passed away this week. Even more reason to work together for a better configuration. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
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http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_11931180

Car hits, kills man with cart on dark street
Times-Herald staff report
Posted: 03/17/2009 02:02:22 AM PDT

A 49-year-old Vallejo man pushing a shopping cart was struck and killed by a car on Sonoma Boulevard early Monday morning, police said.

The man's identity has not been released as the Solano County Coroner's Office tried to contact his relatives, said Vallejo Police Department spokes-man Abel Tenorio.

It was Vallejo's first pedestrian fatality of the year.

The man, who police believe may have been homeless, was hit at 1:14 a.m. by a woman who was driving an older model BMW south on Sonoma, Tenorio said.

"A preliminary investigation indicates the driver doesn't appear to be in violation of any laws," Tenorio said. "It just seems the individual was trying to cross the roadway in the dark."

The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The accident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Vallejo Officer Justin Farrington at (707) 648-4329.

"Tent City" in Sacramento

2009-03-19T18:42:00.000-07:00

Not to detract from the seriousness of what's going on in Vallejo, but homelessless is burgeoning across the nation, especially in Sacramento where some say conditions are begin to mirror that of the Great Depression.

Email Us

2009-03-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry for any lag on updates. We're still diligetly working to spread awareness, get people on board, and research strategies.

You can always email us at serveourvallejohomeless@gmail.com if you have questions, comments, or concerns.

Peace and Godspeed!

Resources and Models

2009-03-13T14:47:00.000-07:00

Resources:
National Alliance to End Homelessness
http://www.endhomelessness.org/

National Coalition for the Homeless
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/

National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
http://www.nlchp.org/

National Resource Center on Homelessness
http://www.nrchmi.samhsa.gov/Default.aspx

Best Practices: http://www.nrchmi.samhsa.gov/Channel/View.aspx?id=17

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
http://www.hud.gov/homeless/index.cfm

The National Homeless Underground
http://homelessundergound.org/

Homeless Empowerment Organization
http://www.homelessunion.org/

Potential Models:
San Francisco Homeless Services Coalition
http://www.sfhsc.org/

Coalition on Homelessness, San Francisco
http://www.cohsf.org/eng/

Los Angeles Homeless Services Coalition
http://www.lahsc.org/

Sonoma County Task Force For the Homeless
http://www.sonomacountyhomeless.org/

San Diego Regional Task Force on the Homeless
http://www.rtfhsd.org/

Seattle/King County Coalition for the Homeless
http://www.homelessinfo.org/

Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless
http://www.mnhomelesscoalition.org/

Florida Coalition on the Homeless
http://www.fchonline.org/

Metro Atlanta Task Force For The Homeless
http://www.homelesstaskforce.org/

Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida
http://www.centralfloridahomeless.org/

Chattanooga Homeless Coalition
http://www.homelesscoalition.org/

Coalition for the Homeless (NYC)
http://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/

KQED Audio Forum

2009-03-11T16:40:00.000-07:00

VERY INTRIGUING audio clip from KQED Radio this morning on homelessness. The issue is undoubtedly garnering national attention. The latter half of the clip has an insightful panel discussion with several experts and advocates. Prior to that, and more notably, Kevin Johnson, Mayor of Sacramento and former NBA star, shares about Sacramento's refreshing but challenging plans on dealing with homelessness not just in the city, but in the region. Like we've been saying, there are already models, either already in practice or are in process, in various cities and regions in the country that are leading the way to adequately address homelessness. We would only have to keep the wheel rolling.

"Homeless Families
A new report by The National Center on Family Homelessness says that one in 50 children in the U.S. will experience homelessness. In Sacramento, a growing number of people are living in tents along the American River. We talk with advocates about the growing number of homeless families."

Videos On Homelessness

2009-03-11T16:34:00.000-07:00

Just sharing some video content we came across to add to the conversation.

Public Service Announcement from the Homeless Coalition of Tampa:

From May 2008, when then Sacramento mayor, Heather Fargo, and current mayor, Kevin Johnson, discuss cleaning up downtown Sacramento and improving the homeless situation. The two candidates faced off during a KCRA 3 debate.

Times Article: Homeless leave White Slough encampment; some vow to return

2009-03-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_11859721

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Homeless leave White Slough encampment; some vow to return

By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen/Times-Herald staff writer
Posted: 03/07/2009 01:01:34 AM PST

Chiqui, 51, looks at his home as packs up his belongings at the homeless encampment near White Slough. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)

The homeless of White Slough -- the few remaining after Friday's deadline to vacate the area -- have been granted a temporary reprieve, police and some homeless individuals said.

Most of the nearly 50 squatters living -- some for years -- along the water behind Vallejo's Carl's Jr. and Smart & Final, had already left by Friday afternoon.

One of those was Chiqui, a 51-year-old former bus driver who said he's lived in the homeless encampment for about seven months. Chiqui, who declined to provide his last name, said he feared he was going to jail when he saw police in the encampment Friday.

"I told them, 'I'm packing up, I'm leaving, officers, don't worry,' but they said not to be afraid, they weren't there to take me to jail," he said.

Last week, police distributed fliers warning the homeless living along White Slough to be out by Friday, or face arrest. But despite that notice, police would not force them to leave Friday, Vallejo Police Department spokesman Lt. Lee Horton said.

But, "the time has expired as of (Friday) and enforcement will be forthcoming if the problem is not resolved in a timely manner," Horton said.

Another White Slough resident said he planned to "lay low while they do their thing, and then come back," though that likely will be made more difficult by the new fence that workers were installing Friday.

Most of the homeless who had already left the area did so unhappily, while some understood the reasoning, Vallejo environmentalist and homeless advocate Doug Darling said.

"One or two went to stay with family members temporarily, but others have nowhere to go and are looking for some place to pitch a tent," he said.

Chiqui is like that. He said he lost his license to drive handicapped children because he couldn't afford the $1,000 renewal fee, couldn't find a job and was evicted. He has no family, he said.
"I have no place to go. I'll probably live in the street," he said. "I have no record, I'm a good citizen."

Randy Spering, who owns a building abutting the White Slough encampment, said he's sympathetic to the plight of the homeless. But his property has suffered copper thefts, public urination and most recently, some threatening graffiti, which he said he attributes to the homeless.

"It says stuff like 'your building is next,' and 'F the owner' and 'F the police,' " he said. "If you had a homeless encampment behind your house, would you like it?"

But Darling and Mark Mora, who identified himself as "an ordinary citizen," said they're sympathetic to all sides of the issue and are forming a coalition of concerned community members to address the root causes of homelessness.

"We need to stop scapegoating and trying to do quick fixes. It's in the best interest of the city, and the homeless folks, to really address the issue," Mora said. "It's just unjust to make them pick up and go, to become somebody else's problem."

Contact the coalition at ServeOurVallejoHomeless.blogspot.com or at serveourvallejohomeless@gmail.com.

Contact staff writer Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at (707) 553-6824 or RachelZ@thnewsnet.com

Video Interviews w/ White Slough Residents

2009-03-06T21:41:00.000-08:00

We feel that it's absolutely essential to hear from the residents themselves. We need to hear their stories because they are a part of our larger community story.

Marc Garman of Vallejo Independent Bulletin and community volunteer Doug Darling did some great work capturing sentiments shared by the some of the White Slough residents. But the real work was done by the homeless residents who resiliently continue to endure. Special thanks to those who graciously shared their stories with the public. Footage was shot on 3/4/09 and can be found at http://ibvallejo.com/ or http://vimeo.com/3497529.

We hope this adds a deeper human dimension to the oversimplified "issue" of homelessness in Vallejo.

White Slough Homeless Encampment--3/4/09 from Marc Garman on Vimeo.

Peace and Godspeed!

Stay Tuned

2009-03-06T21:18:00.000-08:00

We're in the process of convening a community meeting.

Look out for that.

Peace and Godspeed!

White Slough Eviction Day

2009-03-06T13:44:00.000-08:00

Even though we decided to cancel the rally, some of us ventured out to the White Slough area earlier today to see what had resulted from Eviction Day.

Upon arrival to Carls Jr., we scanned the scene. We noticed a news crew from NBC already combing the area and doing some filming. Some workers, more than likely sent by the owner, were at the main entrance inbetween Carls Jr. and Smart & Final putting up chain-link fencing to close the opening. We greeted the workers and kindly skirted past them into the muddy, weedy terrain of the White Slough.

It was a ghost town. Marching through the mud, we could readily see evidence of life: tents, tarps, wooden enclosures, personal belongings, trash, stuff - a whole lot of stuff, really - but no people. Nearly all of the residents had vanished. From what we know, thankfully, the police did not arrest anyone. Where the residents went, we not know exactly. Maybe the residents will return at some point, but we don't know that for sure either. What we do know is that this isn't right. Apart from the "stuff" left behind, the White Slough is - for the time being - an uninhabited space.

Our advocacy efforts MUST and WILL continue.

Most, if not all, of the residents of the White Slough are now former residents. And life will go on for them. After White Slough Eviction Day, life will go on for the rest of us as well. But while we sit in our climate-controlled vehicles and insulated homes, the problem of homelessness is still very real to the now former residents of the White Slough, and for all of our homeless residents in Vallejo. But now, many of them have been forced to attempt making "home" elsewhere.

Please don't think for a second that this issue is over. Arguably, the issue has now been worsened by their displacement devoid of alternatives. This is definitely NOT the fault of our police or our city officials or our basic needs service providers. WE did it. ALL of us. Citizens of Vallejo, we have a decision to make. Because of the White Slough eviction, homelessness is now in the public eye. The conversation has already started. That's great. It's a start. A humble beginning. But the question still remains.

How will we respond?

Today and everyday after that, we have a choice to make. Either we ignore our own, fellow human beings, or we work together as citizens of our city so no one has to ever resort to calling the White Slough, or any other inhumane dwelling, home.

Our hearts go out to our fellow Vallejoans who don't have a warm place to sleep tonight. We will continue to humbly and compassionately work towards making our city a better and more just place to live for and with you, which in turn, does so for all of Vallejo.

Won't you please consider joining our cause. Email ServeOurVallejoHomeless@gmail.com.

Peace and Godspeed!

Peaceful Gathering/Rally CANCELED!!

2009-03-05T19:44:00.000-08:00

Hey Friends,

Sorry for such late notice but after talking to some of the homeless residents from the White Slough, the PEACEFUL GATHERING/RALLY that was originally scheduled for tomorrow (Fri) at 6am is CANCELED.

We apologize for any inconvenience and we greatly appreciate all the work you all have done to help in this effort. But remember, THE WORK IS FAR FROM OVER!

WHY CANCEL?
We were definitely excited about the rally but there were a number of factors that led us to the last minute decision to cancel. What we can share right now is that a group of us spoke to some of the remaining homeless residents of the White Slough and learned that many have already left or are making accommodations to leave. Also, the ones that are considering staying have expressed that they prefer that we not draw anymore attention to them. Despite our obvious desire to advocate for them via the rally, and despite our anticipation of the of the rally being a potential springboard for others to join the homeless advocacy movement, we have unanimously decided to respect the wishes of the residents and cancel the gathering/rally.

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
This means that most of the homeless residents of the White Slough have found other places to stay, not necessarily safe or permanent living situations, but as you know, people who are homeless can be incredibly resilient. Whether or not the police actually sweep the area tomorrow (Friday), most, if not all, will have left the White Slough which has been a home to many of them for years. Canceling the gathering/rally means people are still going to be homeless tomorrow, the same way that people were homeless yesterday. Life goes on and the city moves forward...or does it?? Because of all the press and public attention to this issue, homelessness is now on our city's radar and we intend to keep it there until we all do something to resolve it.

WHAT DOES THIS NOT MEAN?
This does NOT mean the end of the road. This is NOT the end of homelessness in Vallejo so this does NOT, by any means, indicate that our advocacy efforts should stop here. There is far too much work to do catalyze the community to work together. And WE NEED YOUR HELP. Like we've been saying, this eviction issue was just the tip of the iceberg and now we have to maintain and use this momentum and energy for real change.

We'll be initiating a community forum/meeting soon, so stay tuned. In the meantime, you can always talk to our city officials about this issue and continue to think up strategies for further action. We especially suggest researching how other cities/regions went about finding a solution. You can always check for updates on ServeOurVallejoHomeless.blogspot.com or email ServeOurVallejoHomeless@gmail.com.

Peace and Godspeed!

Peaceful Gathering - Friday

2009-03-05T14:56:00.000-08:00

Here's some tentative info for what's going down tomorrow (Friday). It's tentative because anything can happen before then but we're confident that gathering tomorrow will still be powerful regardless of the circumstance.

WHAT: PEACEFUL Gathering in the White Slough
WHY: To support our homeless citizens who are being threatened by eviction and to push everyone in our city to take a serious look at how we can find real workable and sustainable solutions to homelessness in Vallejo. Our purpose is not to condone law breaking or blame the city/police but to bring attention to an issue we feel everyone needs to actively address together.
WHEN: Friday, March 6 @ 6AM SHARP
WHERE: Corner of Sereno Dr. and Sonoma Blvd. (in front of the chain link fence inbetween Carls Jr. and Smart & Final)
WARNING: We also want want folks to know that there is a chance that participants can get arrested or incur a fine. We highly doubt that but we want you to be prepared. Again this is a peaceful and compassionate gathering but if at any point you feel uncomfortable, you are free to leave at anytime and we'll completely understand. The point is not to be "rebels without a cause" but to demonstrate love, support, and solidarity. This could be a potentially powerful and profound message to send to our city, but it definitely won't be the only way that you can help or take part. There's much work to do after Friday.
INFO: Please park along the street or in the Mervyn's parking lot since they're out of business. Please do not park in the parking lots of active businesses. Please dress warmly and you may want to bring some snacks for yourself or to share. Some of us are willing stay for a significant amount of time but you are free to come and go as you please. Please be flexible too since we won't know some aspects until we're there.
CONTACT: Email ServeOurVallejoHomeless@gmail.com

Please don't blast all this info out to everyone because we don't want it to fall into the wrong hands. But you can definitely share this with people you know that are seriously interested in coming. We still need A LOT more people to verbally COMMITT to coming tomorrow. So if you talk to folks, try and ask them for a firm committment and even to commit to bringing a minimum number of people with them. Even if folks can only come for a couple hours it would be beneficial. Email so we can add to the head count.

Thanks and Godspeed!

City of Vallejo Contacts

2009-03-04T23:58:00.000-08:00

*We apologize that it's just a screen shot. All of this is public information so if you can't view the document or you want more info visit: http://www.ci.vallejo.ca.us/

=========================

Letter Template

2009-03-04T23:56:00.000-08:00

*See past entry entitled "ACTION Recommendations" for some suggestions on how to complete this.

============================

Subject: Eviction of Vallejo homeless citizens in the White Slough

To: Mayor Davis
CC: Councilmembers, Mr. Tanner, Police Chief Nichelini and the Vallejo Police Department

Message:

A recently published Vallejo Times Herald article entitled “Pack Up, Move On” (http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_11832718 ) along with coverage from Bay Area news radio station, KCBS (http://podcast.kcbs.com/kcbs/1614756.mp3), has alerted the public about an impending eviction of the homeless squatters in the marshland area off of Sonoma Blvd., otherwise known as the White Slough. According to the Times article, on Thursday, February 26, Vallejo Police distributed notices to the homeless in this area informing them that they are to vacate by Friday, March 6 or face arrest. There appears to be no plan for alternatives or aid, while homeless shelters in Vallejo and Fairfield remain at full capacity as they have been for some time now. The homeless citizens facing eviction have nowhere to go and our weather as of late threatens to further exacerbate their hardships. This shouldn’t be an approach to dealing with this situation.

Yes, the issue of homelessness in our city needs to be addressed. Yes, the resulting deterioration of the quality of life needs to be addressed. And yes, trespassing on private property is a serious issue that needs to be addressed as well. But, Mayor Davis, I believe a far more serious injustice would be to obligate homeless citizens to desert their dwellings without providing sound and tangible alternatives.

Evictions, or "homeless sweeps," and subsequent jailings are NOT solutions to homelessness—they have never been. They don't address how or why people are homeless. They only serve to shuttle the problem to other parts of the city creating further quality of life issues elsewhere. Worst of all, what message would that approach send about our perception of the most vulnerable citizens in our community? That they're second-class citizens? Or, dare I say, animals? How would this effect our city’s already suffering image? Being poor or homeless is NOT a crime, nor is it deserving of criminalization. Like the rest of us in Vallejo, they are citizens, and more importantly, human beings. They deserve our respect, support, and compassion.

Mayor Davis, I URGE you to do everything in your power to completely halt the pending eviction of our homeless citizens. We acknowledge that neither you nor city officials were initiators of this action but regardless, we, as a city, need to act on the behalf of our homeless residents. Please seriously consider contacting the property owner of that land to negotiate either a withdrawal of his/her eviction request, or at least to produce an adequate time extension that allows the city and its basic need providers an opportunity to work towards offering alternatives for these citizens.

Furthermore, I URGE you to take the lead in publicly acknowledging that homelessness is a serious issue in our city that needs to be addressed. I urge that the city initiate a task force or committee to begin seriously assessing this issue as well as our city's capacity and infrastructure to effectively resolve it. There are many organizations and concerned citizens, like myself, who are willing work WITH our city leaders to collectively find effective, sustainable, and just solutions.

The entire city of Vallejo, leaders AND citizens, have long ignored the plight of the homeless in our city. This current situation should make it painstakingly clear that homelessness in our city needs to be prioritized and carefully addressed. It cannot continue to be viewed as an arbitrary problem that can be fixed by a simple or quick response. The causes and impacts of homelessness are not simple so neither is the solution, and we should treat it as such. It won't be an easy task, but it's the right thing to do for these citizens and for our beloved city.

Mayor Davis, on the City of Vallejo website you greeted visitors by writing, "For those now a part of our community, we hope to provide you with important information to improve your quality of living in our city of Vallejo, a city in which we take 'Pride in Serving'"! I hope you, most of all, would reflect on these meaningful words. Please examine if WE, as an entire city, are truly improving the quality of living for ALL, including our homeless citizens – and if not, may each one of us have the moral fortitude and humanity to align ourselves with what’s right.

I hope and I pray that you, the leaders of our city, will exhibit moral leadership and compassion by halting this plan to evict the homeless in the White Slough and by pursuing a prudent and purposeful analysis of homelessness in Vallejo together WITH local organizations and citizens.

Sincerely,

John Doe of Vallejo
Affiliations (if any)
Address
Contact Number

ACTION Recommendations

2009-03-04T23:53:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

We are less than two days from Eviction Day. We have ONE DAY to do this right. Let’s mobilize.

Sorry for the delay. We know many of you have been waiting on some concrete ways to TAKE ACTION. If you’re still down, please consider undertaking one or more of these ACTION recommendations:

1) YOU can write a Letter of Concern and email it to our city officials.

Attached is a “Letter Template” that you can use as a model for your own Letter of Concern. You may use it exactly the way it is and simply fill out your name and info. Or you could edit and tweak it as you see fit. Or finally, you can use it as a guide for you to create a completely unique letter. A good rule of thumb is that personalization is always preferred but we do appreciate whichever option you choose. Bear in mind that we tend to operate on the perspective that ALL of us are responsible for homelessness in our city and that we all need to take ownership. Therefore, we hope that you powerfully communicate your point of view without excessively playing the “blame-game.” Also, please try to practice respect, clarity, love, and partnership in your letters. Please remember to include your personal contact information (which won’t be distributed) so they know that you are indeed a resident of Vallejo. We’ve attached a “City of Vallejo Contact List” that provides email addresses and phone number of our Mayor, Councilmembers, City Manager, and Police Department. Please send your letter to Mayor Davis and be sure to CC all the councilmembers. If you do send some emails, as a courtesy, we’d appreciate if you send a quick email to ServeOurVallejoHomeless@gmail.com indicating the date, time, and person you contacted so we can document it.

2) YOU can call our city officials.

City officials love to hear from their constituency. We didn’t have enough time to create a “talking points” sheet but we’re sure that if you needed to, you could glean at least a couple main points to talk about from the attached “Letter Template.” Remember that the “City of Vallejo Contact List” is there for you. More than likely you’ll have to leave a voice message. Make it quick and concise so they know exactly what you’re calling about. Again, please try to practice respect, clarity, love, and partnership in your calls. If you do make some calls, as a courtesy, we’d appreciate if you send a quick email to ServeOurVallejoHomeless@gmail.com indicating the date, time and person you contacted so that we can document it.

3) YOU can spread the word and inform people about this issue.

It’s understandable it cannot spare any free time in the next two days. Do us a favor and email blast this out to all your contacts. We’ve also attached a mock “Eviction Notice Flyer.” You could also make phone calls, post flyers, briefly mention this issue at a meeting, or just make it a point to season it into your conversations with people throughout the day. You could even think up your own creative way to get the word out. Feel free to use any documents we’ve created so long as they’re not used for evil (haha). Note that we have an email (ServeOurVallejoHomeless@gmail.com) and blog (ServeOurVallejoHomeless@blogspot.com) that you can refer people to.

4) YOU can join some of us as we venture out to the White Slough with Northbay Covenant Church's Hearts for the Homeless ministry tomorrow (Thurs) at 4pm.

Northbay has been doing outreaches with homeless for sometime now. They have made friendships with many of the people they serve and the White Slough is among the areas that they regularly visit. They typically prepare food, hand out donated items, converse, and pray for folks. Whether you’re Christian or not, if you feel led to join us please email ServeOurVallejoHomeless@gmail.com

BY NOON tomorrow and include your name and number, noting “Northbay Outreach” in the subject line. We need to inform Catherine, the ministry leader, of how many people we will be bringing. We’ll be meeting at 4pm tomorrow at the flagpoles near JFK Library downtown.

5) YOU can donate items to the Hearts for the Homeless Ministry like tarps, sleeping bags, blankets, jackets, socks, etc.

They are always looking for items that they can give away during their outreaches. You can contact ministry leader Catherine Littleton at 707-704-8016 or imprayn247@comcast.net.

6) YOU can research models for change in other areas and/or seek guidance from folks experienced with homeless advocacy.

The impending eviction is just the tip of the iceberg. We readily acknowledge that if our city seeks to find effective and sustainable solutions to homelessness then it requires a long-haul push for assessment, organization, and collaboration. We also acknowledge that we can’t do this alone. We don’t seek to reinvent the wheel or even make up our own wheel, we want to learn from other similar movements and build local elements into their wisdom. Go online, read some books, talk to friends or contacts who have experience in issues like this and help build capacity for this movement.

7) YOU can literally STAND with our homeless citizens in the White Slough on Friday, March 6.

Yes, it seems pretty crazy and radical but hear us out. If no action is taken by the city or police to stop this eviction then we humbly invite you take part in a visible and very personal sign of support. Some of us are willing to literally stand PEACEFULLY with our homeless evictees on Friday to send the message that we do not support this. We don’t believe that arrest or criminalization is fair, especially if there are currently no alternatives in place. They are citizens as we are citizens and everyone needs a home. Time and place of meeting will be emailed out tomorrow (Thursday). We understand that this may easily be an uncomfortable option for most but if you are interested, do email ServeOurVallejoHomeless@gmail.com so we can give you more info and get a head count. We will take lengthy efforts to ensure that this is a SAFE, PEACEFUL, and SYMBOLIC demonstration.

8) YOU can pray. Please do this one.

In our opinion, this is one of the most important ACTIONS that you can take to advocate for our homeless citizens and the success of our cause.

9) YOU can creatively devise your own ways to help.

But please do share so we can all support you in that endeavor =)

The main issue is time and numbers. We have ONE DAY to build POWER IN NUMBERS. It’s definitely possible but it’ll require your participation in MANY of these actions.

Thanks folks and Godspeed!

Times Article - Homeless Camp Defended

2009-03-04T21:41:00.000-08:00

Homeless camp defended

By Tony Burchyns/Times-Herald staff writer

Posted: 03/04/2009 01:02:18 AM PST

Area homeless advocates Tuesday questioned the Vallejo Police Department's decision to clear out a homeless camp despite a lack of help available to the squatters.

Police acted alone, without contacting service agencies, threatening to arrest dozens of illegal campers for trespassing near the White Slough -- an approach some advocates called "irresponsible."

"There's nowhere for them to go," said George Dix, manager of Vallejo's only emergency shelter, the 65-bed Christian Help Center at 2166 Sacramento St.

"We turn away anywhere from five to 10 people every day."

The number of homeless people living in the camp is estimated at about 50. They were told last week to clear out by Friday.

"As far as what is going to happen to them, that is not a police department function to shelter those people," Vallejo Police Lt. Abel Tenorio said, adding police are not coordinating with groups or churches to place the illegal campers in shelters.

David Grabill, a Sonoma County attorney and housing advocate, said cities that have tried to remove homeless people have lost lawsuits for not providing enough of a safety net.

"If there are adequate shelters available, then I don't think you could fault the city for insisting that homeless people use those shelter beds," Grabill said. "In cities where there aren't enough shelters, when the police do raids on homeless camps, they create more misery on misery."

P.J. Davis, executive director of Community Action Partnership Solano, said she hopes Vallejo and other Solano County cities can do more to devise law-enforcement strategies to deal with homeless people. She said most suffer from mental illness or drug addiction -- or both.

"If all things worked well, as police break up these camps, they would be handing them information on where to go to get help," Davis said.

Some cities, like Santa Rosa, have already taken steps to try to place illegal campers in shelters before booking them into jail.

"It is not a perfect solution, but it is better than nothing," said Georgia Berland, executive director of the Sonoma County Task Force for the Homeless. "The sad thing is, homeless people form communities ... to disrupt them is disrupting a mutual support system. "I don't want to make the police sound bad, but there are ways to do it that are less disrupting to the people and their neighbors as well."

In September, Berland and others met with Santa Rosa city officials, including police, to talk about developing new outreach methods. Now, when police are required to raid a homeless camp, they call Berland's group first.

That kind of coordination is what Davis is pushing for in Solano County. She said she's already worked with Fairfield city officials to devise strategies similar to those in other communities.

"We don't have the answers yet, but we are moving in the right direction," Davis said. "Bring in the police departments ... bridges gaps."

On any given night, Davis said there probably are between 300 and 400 homeless people without shelter in Solano County. Yet there are just 160 emergency shelter beds.

"There are people turned away each day in the winter," Davis said.

Some relief may be on the horizon. Two county shelters, including Vallejo's, got grants to add more beds.

"It looks to me like the numbers of homeless people are rising," Davis said, alluding to the bad economy.

Contact staff writer Tony Burchyns at 553-6831 or tburchyns@thnewsnet.com.

OUR Eviction Notice (PNG Format)

2009-03-04T21:32:00.001-08:00

Feel free to pass this on or post electronically.

Our Eviction Notice (Simple Format)

2009-03-04T21:13:00.000-08:00

Eviction Notice

You have 7 days to vacate the premises or you will be subject to police arrest!

(Please take all of your belongings and move, even if you have nowhere to go. Good luck and be careful - it’s really cold and wet outside.)

Imagine for a moment that one day you received a notice just like this stating that you had but 7 days to pick up your belongings and leave your home. Take a moment to think about that. Seriously, think about it. How would you react? What would you do? Where would you go? How would you move your things? Who would you ask for help? Would you survive?

Now imagine receiving this notice when you are ALREADY homeless. All the shelters are full and you have no one you can turn to. Now, what do you do?

This is the impending plight of some of our homeless citizens of Vallejo.

An eviction notice was distributed to homeless residents of the White Slough area in the marshlands off of Sonoma Blvd. on Thursday, February 26. They have until Friday, March 6 to leave. Granted, they are trespassing, but they have been there for years and they have nowhere else to go. The city has not made alternative accommodations and there has been no mention of any plans for aid or support.

If you think this is wrong, please speak up and be heard.

You’re fellow Vallejo citizens need your help NOW.

For more info on how to help:

Email: ServeOurVallejoHomeless@gmail.com

Visit: ServeOurVallejoHomeless.blogspot.com

Unjust

2009-03-04T20:55:00.001-08:00

We will not stand for this. Let's gather and organize the people!

The Articles That Brought Visibility

2009-03-04T20:49:00.000-08:00

1st: Article from 3/2/09 on Eviction of Homeless Citizensfrom White Slough Area
2nd: Article from 3/3/09 on Catherine Littleton, a volunteer with the Homeless Ministry from Northbay Covenant Church
3rd: Article from 2/8/09 on Homeless camps in White Slough area off Sonoma Blvd.

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Pack up, move on
By Tony Burchyns/Times-Herald staff writer

Posted: 03/02/2009 01:01:36 AM PST

Vallejo police have ordered dozens of homeless people living by the White Slough to vacate their long-standing encampment by the end of the week or face arrest for trespassing.

Police distributed warning fliers Thursday, giving occupants eight days to leave their campsite in the River Park area behind the Carl's Jr. restaurant on Sonoma Boulevard.

Some occupants said they were caught off guard because they have been living there for years. They said the police and the city had tacitly approved of the camp, even encouraging homeless individuals around town to relocate there so they would be out of sight.

"There's nowhere to go," 56-year-old Francesca George said from inside her orange tent. "I came here because I thought I was going to die out there. ... It was so cold."

George said she's been on the streets for about nine years.

She said she suffers from ulcers and can hardly walk, so relocating would be painful -- literally.
"You don't really want to be where you shouldn't be, but you got to be somewhere," George said.
It is unclear how many homeless are living near the slough on what is private property. Some said the group numbers as high as 50 regulars.

Alhough the site is privately owned, some occupants said they had been allowed to camp there.
George said a Vallejo police officer recently suggested that she move to the field to be out of sight.

"Someone needs to buck up and help these people so they can help themselves," said Maureen Quinn, who said she lived in the camp until moving to a convalescent home after being diagnosed with cancer.

Quinn, however, wasn't sure what could be done on such short notice.

George Dix, a manager at Christian Help Center, Vallejo's one homeless shelter, said the city is ill-equipped to handle its homeless population.

"We do need more help here in Vallejo in terms of placement for these people," said Dix, who has been homeless. "We have 65 beds here and we have been full for the past eight or nine months. We need more rooms and more beds."

Health issues surrounding the camp may have contributed to the eviction, Dix said. There were signs of unsanitary conditions and broken bottles near tents Friday.

Fliers distributed by police warned the campers, "After your arrest, your personal property will be taken and stored at our evidence facility located at the Vallejo-Benicia Humane Society."

E-mail Tony Burchyns at tburchyns@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6831.

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Volunteer not rich, but eager to share
By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen/Times-Herald staff writer

Posted: 03/02/2009 01:01:38 AM PST

Catherine Littleton has never met a homeless person she didn't want to help.

So says Fay Mitchell of Vallejo, who has worked for more than a year helping Littleton help the homeless.

"Catherine is one of the most dedicated people I've ever known," Mitchell said. "I've seen her stop in the middle of the street to give food to someone. Her main purpose is to have these people know that God loves them. That's her heart. She's going through a lot in her personal life right now, but she puts that aside and does what she needs to do."

To an outsider, Littleton's life could seem overwhelming, but the Benicia resident said she's at peace, believing God will ensure everything works out as it should.

At 52, the Huntington Beach native and former Vallejo resident is dealing with her new husband's recent diagnosis of Lou Gehrig's disease and the resulting impending loss of the couple's house.

As a Realtor, Littleton's income drastically fell with the housing crisis, her mother isn't well and she's raising one of her grandchildren.

Through all this, Littleton, who has nine children and 12 grandchildren between her and husband Donnie, said she works to feed, clothe and pray with Vallejo's homeless every week. It's been her passion for about a decade, she said.

"When the housing market tanked, I went back to school for social work," she said. "I want to work with the homeless. I've always wanted to do that."

The Littletons believe in miracles, and hope for one for Donnie, she said.

"The only treatment or cure for ALS is prayer," she said. "And we're doing that and trusting in God. It's been a journey. And without the help of the Lord and the support of friends, family, the church and my husband's former Safeway co-workers, we wouldn't have made it."

Life turned from privilege to poverty when Littleton was in her early teens, she said.

"My mom got sick, so we moved from Huntington Beach to Vallejo and ended up on welfare," she said. Her only sibling, her younger brother Paul Edwards, a promising baseball player being pursued by the Giants, was found slain in 1983 at 24, she said.

Littleton said her own struggles only serve to help her better relate to those she's moved to help.
For the past decade, Littleton has worked with a ministry she helped found called Hearts for the Homeless. The ministry's volunteers visit the homeless where they congregate and distribute sack lunches and whatever else has been donated, she said. It includes a core group of about eight and began as part of Church on the Hill, though now it is affiliated with Northbay Covenant Church.

"Because the homeless are transient, our ministry is also," she said. "We go behind the library, to a trailer park, a motel, wherever the homeless are."

Littleton said she and her group distribute some 60 lunches each Thursday, but the need is rapidly growing and has begun including more families.

"Recently, there was this one man who worked all his life but got laid off and was living in a van with his wife and four kids," she said. "I can't believe how much it's growing. It's the worst I've seen it in 10 years."

Being able to make a difference to people whose problems dwarf even hers, is what motivates Littleton, she said.

"I see the difference we're making in their lives, and that just makes me know that all the hard stuff had a purpose," she said. "The love you get back when you're out there feeding the homeless, when you see you're being used by God in a tangible way, it makes it worth it."
Anyone interested in helping Hearts for the Homeless can call 704-8016.

Contact staff writer Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at (707) 553-6824 or RachelZ@thnewsnet.com.

=============================

Homeless camps strain environment
By RACHEL RASKIN-/ZRIHEN

Times-Herald staff writer

Posted: 02/08/2009 02:00:48 AM PST

Bill Wiley is a man with no other place to go. He said he's been living in Vallejo's various homeless encampments since 2002.

Originally from Concord, the 49-year-old Army veteran said he lives among about 30 homeless men and women in the White Slough area and uses "the pond" for bathing and the tulles as a toilet.

Wiley and dozens of others are living in an alternative Vallejo universe -- a world hidden in the underbrush along waterways, in culverts, under freeway overpasses and other secluded spots.

The legions of homeless in Solano County, and in Vallejo in particular, are increasingly setting up camp along the water and in high grass, and some say they present a growing environmental danger. There have already been a number of fires that officials say are attributable to the homeless.

"It seems due to the increasing down-turn in the economy, that there are more people living in areas around the city," said Vallejo Fire Department spokesman Bill Tweedy.

Tweedy said authorities are familiar with several encampments in the River Park area, the vacant area behind Carls Jr. on Sonoma Boulevard, and in the wetland area near Raley's.

Wiley's "neighborhood" consists of several tents, a couple of incapacitated cars and some makeshift shelters, all inhabited, some for many years.

The encampments are a vexing problem for environmentally conscious people like Doug Darling of Friends of Lake Chabot.

"As an environmentalist, I'm concerned about the negative impact these folks may be having on our water," Darling said. "I understand they're down on their luck, and that it could happen to anyone, but these are our wetlands, and they're creating an environmental hazard."

Many homeless people choose to stay near water hidden from plain view, for obvious reasons, Darling said. And, also for obvious reasons, their presence tends to negatively impact the area's cleanliness, he said.

"People living on our waterways create an impact," Darling said. "The question is, how do we approach that? What do we do? Obviously, these people have no place to go or they wouldn't be here."

One neighbor of Wiley's is Michael, 30, a Vallejo native who said he's been living on the water for several years. He said his family helps sometimes, "but there's a situation."

"I'm trying to get organized and to get a job on the side," said Michael, who declined to give his last name. "I recycle to survive."

"We're making do with nothing," Michael said of himself and his girlfriend. "We have comforters to keep us warm, and the church brings food sometimes. At Christmas and Thanksgiving, they brought us dinner."

Northbay Covenant is one local organization that's been working with Vallejo's growing homeless population for the past four years. Pastor Harvey Goldstein said his congregants visit as many of Vallejo's homeless as they can every Thursday.

"The numbers have been growing, especially in the past six months," Goldstein said. "We go to where they congregate, form a circle, pray for them, and then hand out whatever we have -- clothes, blankets, rain gear, whatever, and some sort of bag lunch."

Goldstein said he recognizes the homeless are likely negatively impacting their surroundings, but he feels society's concern for the environment needs to be tempered by compassion.

"They're the poorest of the poor, and we have a heart for those that are poor," Goldstein said. "We don't know the answer, but these are human beings, and until someone comes up with an answer, we can't let them starve or freeze."

Code Enforcement manager Nimat Shakoor-Grantham said her office's mandate is to get owners to clear garbage, trash and other debris from private property. It has no jurisdiction over publicly owned land, and removing homeless people is not in the job description.

"There was this one older man living near the water between Wilson Avenue and Highway 37, who uses a cane and doesn't seem that well," Shakoor-Grantham said. "I've called various charities and agencies about him, but no one seems to be able to help. It's frustrating."

Shakoor-Grantham said she even asked if getting the man arrested might be an option.

"I figured at least that way he'd have three hots and a cot, but the police will only arrest and release."

The White Slough homeless say they try to create a civilized "neighborhood," and to get along as a group. Most disagreements are over who gets possession of a particular recyclable can or bottle, said Tony Rosario, 47, another "neighborhood" resident.

"There's a lot of competition," he said. "I ate Top Ramen for every meal for the past month."

Also a veteran, Rosario said he's lived on the water for nine months.

"Before that, I had a life in Vallejo," Rosario said. "I got laid off and things just started going down hill, picking up speed."

The winter has been difficult, he said.

"You freeze when it's cold. You light a bunch of candles to stay warm and hope you don't catch a fire," Rosario said.

Before landing in the White Slough neighborhood seven months ago, Walter, 57, said he lived a normal life.

"I had a place in Vallejo," Walter said. "I just didn't take care of business, I guess."

Walter, who declined to give his last name, said the "neighborhood's" population is growing.

Relatively recent arrivals, Tess and her husband have been here about five months, she said.

"We had two houses, and we lost them, and my husband lost the urge to work," said the 50-year-old mother of grown children. "It's lonely. It's been cold." Tess said her husband was a telephone technician before he was laid off.

Tess, who also declined to reveal her last name, said she often goes to friends' homes to bathe and use the restroom. Sometimes, she walks to a restaurant to go.

"It's easier for the guys. They have a much bigger restroom." she said, indicating the bushes. "I've been begging my husband to find us a place or to apply for help."

The White Slough area is privately owned and the "residents" say the owner allows them to be there and provides a cleanup twice a year. The owner of record since 2006, Robert C.M. Chiang of San Francisco, could not be reached for comment.

The homeless know about, and occasionally make use of the Christian Help Center and other resources, they said. But they'd like to see something more done. Rosario suggested some of the city's empty buildings might be opened as shelters. And it's not as though many of the down-and-out aren't willing to contribute what they can.

"A lot of us are capable of working," Walt said. "I bet most homeless people have a talent or a skill that's worth something."

But officials say this would present its own problems.

"There would be security issues, heating issues and possibly crime issues, and we don't have the manpower to patrol these buildings regularly," said Vallejo Police Department spokesman Abel Tenorio. "That isn't a reasonable solution from our perspective."

The White Slough isn't the only area where people camp out. Many of the culverts around town contain homeless campsites that appear to have been abandoned when the creek rose and flooded the banks.

"These creeks rise when it rains, and they wash these encampments away," Darling said. "As an environmentalist, I can't ignore it."

Several such soggy former campsites have been there for years, he said.

"We have periodic cleanups of the waterways, but we don't let the volunteers touch these sites," he said. "There is no way to know what kind of contamination there is."

Vallejo Sanitation & Flood Control District Community Outreach Specialist Jennifer Kaiser said the situation is really more of a garbage issue than a homeless problem.

"We're concerned with the impact the homeless encampments are having on the water quality, but garbage seems to be the biggest problem from what we can see, and the homeless are only one garbage source in Vallejo," Kaiser said.

There area also health issues for the homeless themselves, she said.

"We're not sure it's healthy for the people living there," Kaiser said. "I'm sure they're tempted to wash in that water, and it's raw water -- not treated in any way -- it's not the same quality."

A continuos human presence may also be having an impact on wildlife, she said.

"At what point do we do something about this?" Darling said. "This is a humanitarian crisis."

But, Darling said he clearly sees the conundrum officials face.

"The environmental side of me sees the problems with the homeless residing so near our waterways," he said. "Environmentally, I should not just close my eyes to this reality. But the humanitarian side of me recognizes these folks already face hardships. How do you find solutions without disruption?"

Darling said he thinks exposing the problem is a first step.

"How will homeless issues ever be addressed if people are not made aware of it," he said. "Problems require solutions, and solutions will not be found in the darkness of silence."

Darling said he doesn't believe the city or the community should expect anything to improve unless they are willing to be a part of the change.

"Does anybody want change?" he asked, "Or are we content with the way things are?"

Maybe we've become inured to the problem, choosing not to see it most of the time, Darling said. But many of us aren't born that way, he said.

"I remember when my wife's son was about 7 years old, he used to cry when we went by a homeless person, because he knew they had no where to live and that deeply saddened him," he said.

And it's not as though most of those living on the water would choose that life.

"This is where you go when you got nowhere else to go," White Slough "neighborhood" resident Rosario said.

Just ask Bill Wiley.

E-mail Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at RachelZ@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6824.

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Welcome - Flame Fanners

2009-03-04T20:21:00.000-08:00

Friends,

For one reason or another, you have been led to this blog. Welcome. We hope what we offer here will satisfy your inquiry for information. We're not professionals or experts. We don't have all the answers or even some. But we care about plight of homeless citizens in Vallejo and we believe that the city of Vallejo needs to come together, leaders AND citizens, to effectively assess and produce real solutions.

Simply stated, the purpose for which this blog was created was to offer relevant information about Vallejo's homeless citizens. We don't claim to be the definitive or even an original source of info but we hope to gather, glean and share as quickly and constructively as we can.

The circumstances under which this was created was/is the impending eviction of homeless citizens in the White Slough in the marshlands off of Sonoma Blvd. We seek to inform, organize, and mobilize on behalf of our homeless citizens.

Who are we? A random collection of concerned citizens, community organizers, youth, volunteers, Christ-followers, artisans, ragamuffins, ordinary radicals, and storytellers. We are you. We are the community. We are all sojourning in this city, this land, and this Earth. We.