Question 4: Please comment on the homeless population and possible solutions.

Pamela Drake

I have worked on homeless issues since the early 90's. When I was staff to the council member in charge of the Life Enrichment Committee, one of the things we came up with was a program discouraging handouts in favor of donating to a program (such as Berkeley had at the time) that would provide a place for homeless persons to take a shower, make phone calls, and look for work. The program never happened but one similar to it but more comprehensive is working in Walnut Creek. It helps those who want it look for jobs and housing, and volunteer to promote themselves. It is grant and government funded.

While a lot of the funding and jurisdiction for those with mental illness is dependent on county programs, it is incumbent on the City to maintain good resource referrals for people seeking shelter and food. I have referred folks to shelters as Director of the Neighborhood Center . There needs to be a comprehensive guide and referral system such as is run by ECHO Housing. It is also important that we provide numerous levels of housing opportunities in the City, use strategies that don't result in gentrification while upgrading our neigborhoods, and protecting tenants from absentee slumlords.The City has never been vigilant over the Oakland Housing Authority. As someone who worked on reform of the OHA, I will take that on.

Shirley Gee

Before you can address the homeless population, you have to look at the reasons for and multiple types of homelessness. Each reason and type of homelessness requires different solutions.

The following illustrates the complexity of the problem:

Homelessness can be due to:

• Chronically Unemployed (unskilled, socially maladjusted, undisciplined)
• Mental Illness
• Drug Dependency (alcohol or drugs)
• Due to Lack of Support System
• Temporary transient (Women w/dependent Children, recently unemployed)
• Accepted Style of Existence (By Choice)

Solutions to Homelessness will differ depending on cause for homelessness.

Homelessness can be reduced or somewhat mitigated by addressing the root causes and then providing the necessary remedy (e.g., either funding, communal support, transient care, health care referrals, etc.).

In working as a Board of Director with Oakland Potluck (a food recovery program to feed the poor), I came to realize that all the social services in Oakland have a role in the homelessness problem and all citizens have a role in providing compassionate support or direction to the homeless when ever they encounter it.

Todd Plate

Homelessness is a problem with many facets. If we increase the number of jobs and affordable housing in this city we will be able to take care of part of the problem. However, there is a segment of the population that chooses to be homeless either because they are making a conscious choice to maintain their independence apart from a shelter or transitional housing or because there are mental health issues or drug and alcohol related problems. This second population will only be helped when the root causes of their problems are addressed. With declining money coming from the state and County Mental Health, we are forced to come up with increasingly innovative ways to attack these problems. It is only through community cooperation and involvement that these issues will be addressed.

Pat Kernighan

The great number of homeless people in Oakland and other cities is one of the most intractable problems of urban life.  Policy makers need to put much more thought and effort into trying to alleviate the problem, both from the perspective of aiding those who are homeless as well as relieving the general public from what has become a serious nuisance and a public health problem.  

There has been very little public debate in City Hall about possible solutions  to the homeless problem.   Homelessness stems from a great variety of social problems, and a big factor is the large number of untreated mentally ill people wandering our streets. Though there are obviously no easy solutions, I would advocate convening a task force of both the City and County to analyze the real impacts of the problem and make recommendations about possible remedies.  In these times of shrinking resources to local government, it is going to be difficult to fund the social and mental health services needed, but at least we need to have a plan for how to approach it.   

We also need to take an honest look at the hazard to public health that comes from having so many people living on the streets without access to bathrooms.  If we could address just that aspect of the problem, it would be a big step forward.  I will pledge to convene a working group on finding remedies for the problems of homelessness.

Peggy Moore

We need to focus on ways to prevent homelessness, and look at the causes, not just the symptoms.  For the majority of people who went bankrupt in the US last year, it was because of health care costs.  There have been cuts and closures in mental health services and transitional housing facilities.  The current proposal to cut adult education in Oakland would make it harder for people to get an education to be able to get a job, and therefore, would cause more homelessness.   Solving homelessness requires broader coalitions around universal healthcare, affordable housing, local hiring, education, and living wages.

Justin Horner

Although it is not as visible as it is in other cities, homelessness in Oakland is serious and needs serious attention.  In 2001, Councilmember Nancy Nadel chaired a Task Force on Homelessness and Very Low Income Housing.  The Task Force came up with a series of recommendations to preserve housing for people of very low income and to bring the City's attention to providing services for the homeless.

For example, Single Room Occupancy hotel units are often the last stop before homelessness for many people.  The Task Force recommended doing more to preserve these units, and my work on the Council has resulted in Oakland adopting the strongest replacement requirements for SRO units in the State of California .  I've also worked with Councilmember Brunner to ensure that our affordable housing dollars go towards those populations with the greatest need.

The Task Force's other recommendations are a start towards addressing the problem. Most of the public agencies working on homelessness are Alameda County agencies, but the City can and should do more.  We can make homelessness one of our legislative priorities in Sacramento and Washington; we can work with the County on the location, design and function of homelessness services facilities; and we can even, as the Task Force recommended, engage in a community education and fundraising effort to build new shelters and provide more services.  We also know that safety is a big issue for homeless people, and the City should commit to providing appropriate public safety services to them, as well.

My work on the City Council has focussed strongly on housing development and housing policy.  I look forward to tackling this challenge, as well.

Aimee Allison

Despite the popular belief that homelessness is an adult problem, it mostly afflicts our children here in Oakland . Homeless students are forced to move into shelters, live on the street or in cars. The causes of homelessness vary but many are due to poverty caused by underemployed parents. Other causes include domestic violence, and many families experience a serious illness or permanent disability that impact their living arrangements.

The City of Oakland can help alleviate the problem of homelessness by using city resources and leverage to create more living wage job opportunities.  For example, Oakland should require that companies fulfilling city contracts hire Oaklanders first, and incent local small businesses to hire Oaklanders. Further, the city should adopt inclusionary zoning policies that create affordable housing options for working class families.  Finally, the city must closely coordinate with county and state services to provide emergency assistance, mental health care, and shelter to homeless families.

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