Francisco Garcia’s Post

Findings from a thematic analysis of focus groups with 44 people experiencing homelessness: "Almost all of the focus group participants had sought access to the shelter on one or more occasions. All focus group participants stated they would use the shelters if they were accessible, safe, and clean. Most participants asserted that the shelter lacked enough beds, did not provide needed services, and was unsafe and unsanitary. Negative experiences at the shelter also influenced their decisions, especially disrespectful or abusive treatment by shelter staff or the perception that the shelter's policies were unreasonable. They proposed better choices, such as camping sites or tiny houses." Time and time again, we see that people don't reject shelter simply because they prefer to be unhoused. That's why encampment bans are so ineffective and inhumane; access to safe and dignified accommodations largely doesn't exist in the first place.

It is disappointing and disheartening to be part of action-planning discussions in September to address extreme weather situations that will threaten life and limb in the winter months to come only to find limited, or no support for daytime warming centers or additional overnight spaces when the need arises. 'Leaving people where they are' (huddled behind shopping cart windbreaks or in summer tents covered in low-quality tarps) as opposed to actively moving them along during double-digit negative temperatures and upwards of a foot of snow falling shouldn't be seen as 'helping'. That is, quite literally, doing nothing for individuals in dire need of shelter, assistance, and support. When the temperatures rise and the snow disappears the cycle of talking about how to address how to support those living in vulnerable environments or living unhoused in harsh weather will start anew. We should do better, we can do better. Time will tell if we actually do any better.

Despite push back (in some cases by service providers) this strategy is proving to be a key step on the road to more stable housing. As I have stated all along, this is not THE solution but a part of THE solution. #Pallet #denver

Muizenberg is a seaside, windy little town south of Cape Town and a place I call home. It's got lots of open spaces, a beach, a mountain and lots of shops and restaurants in a compact area. Like most suburbs in Cape Town, there are housed people and unhoused people that form part of the community. News landed today from our City of Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis: "...Geordin Hill-Lewis has announced the City’s approval of funding for another new Safe Space [homeless] shelter. The facility will serve the broader Muizenberg area..." https://lnkd.in/driycHKv Back in 2022 I was part of the Muizenberg Improvement District (MID) team that advocated to get the City of Cape Town to open up a Safe Space in Muizenberg. We negotiated for two potential city-owned sites to be considered for a 40 - 60 person safe space. A safe space is where an unhoused person can sleep a night inside a secure area, with food, water and access to ablution facilities. The MID had access to some funding and worked with both Mould Empower Serve and U-turn Homeless Ministries to establish how we'd get this thing off the ground followed by a operations plan to keep it sustainable and well managed. We finally got an offer for one of those sites and we begun the process of getting the residents of Muizenberg (both the housed and unhoused) informed so that they could have their say on how we should proceed. It was super early days in the whole process. Before we started the official public participation process we thought we'd start by having a public meeting to get a sense of what people were feeling as news had already begun to spread. These two articles sum it up: "Upset at site visits" https://lnkd.in/dTSAj4N3 and "Residents reject proposed site for homeless safe space" https://lnkd.in/dbmnR6jD. There was so much heat already and we hadn't really even begun. It had taken us almost two years just for the City of Cape Town to give us the green light on a piece of land and there were now lawsuits being prepared, threats I received on email and whatsapp and about 100 official email complaints sent to the ward counselor and this wasn't even in the public participation phase yet. The brakes were pulled, we lost momentum, the legal threats and personal threats put a significant halt on my enthusiasm and eventually the offer seemed to be withdrawn. We were back to square one! So this news that's come out today is a pleasant surprise that things are picking up again. I am no longer part of the MID and it seems that uTurn have managed to work directly with the City this time around which ultimately is a good thing. Lets hope the unhoused community finally get their safe space.

Today, MSP’s mobile outreach is on-site at a larger encampment outside the downtown area, preparing residents to work with Siloam Mission’s M.O.S.T. team on a mindful cleanup. Main Street Project has been visiting this encampment all summer, supporting those living unsheltered with support towards housing and basic needs and with regular light clean up around their living area. Yet, without regular pick-up from the city (such as with residential garbage pick-up), the job is too big and has those living at the camp relying too much on neighboring dumpsters - which shouldn’t be used in the first place. Here’s where the City’s Encampment Garbage Clean Up Initiative comes in. MSP flagged this site with our working group for extra clean-up support. The job was approved, and a date was set. Throughout the week, MSP has been letting residents know that a mindful clean-up was scheduled for today and that they should start readying the camp to remove more items all at once. MSP staff helped residents with final prep this morning before Siloam Mission’s MOST clean-up team arrived. This last contact ensures that there aren’t any surprises and that anyone with discomfort regarding strangers being present at the camp can receive some support. Siloam’s crew is removing all unneeded items to freshen things up and improve the area for campers, the environment, people walking by, and neighbouring residents. We love to be a part of this amazing and mindful community collaboration. 💛 Our mindful approach to encampment clean-ups aligns with the principles we outlined in our previous post, Garbage Clean-up Initiative, as part of our educational series A Human Rights Approach to Homelessness. By working collaboratively with our partners, we’re committed to supporting the garbage clean-up initiative in encampments while respecting the dignity and rights of all individuals. Check out the full post to learn more about our mindful clean-up initiatives: https://ow.ly/YhxY50T4joZ #MSPBuildingStability #Winnipeg #Manitoba

If you don’t know what I do, here are some articles about recent notable zoning and site plan approvals obtained. 80 unit homeless shelter from use variance through site plan approval (with a great team. https://lnkd.in/ezrga-2z

I took this photo yesterday while on a homeless outreach ride along the same day Portland city leadership unanimously voted to enact an updated camping ban. Unfortunately, the city’s ‘modified’ camping ban is little more than a declaration of surrender to the devastating unsheltered homelessness crisis in our city. The measure doesn’t ban camping but instead entrenches the public health disaster of tents and derelict RVs across our city. It is little wonder Portland city commissioners collectively sit at a 16% approval rating, with 70% of the public disapproving. If you are looking for a meaningful solution to the tragedy of unsheltered homelessness in our city, you will not find it in this measure or among our current leadership. Abandoning our neighbors to campsites and vehicles is inhumane, and it’s costing lives. When elected mayor, I’ll get people under roofs within 12 months of assuming office. Nighttime emergency shelter will provide safety, security, shelter, and sleep. Day shelters will serve as a ‘warm handoff’ designed to assess individual needs, connect with resources, and permanently help our neighbors off the streets. It’s a proven blueprint developed by my nonprofit, Shelter Portland. We’ve seen the success of this strategy in other cities. Now it’s time to bring it to every corner of Portland. #portland #pdx #keithwilsonforportlandmayor

The U.S. Supreme Court has just issued a decision on the homelessness crisis. Here’s why this ruling is a ticking time bomb for Portland: ⚠️ Oregon is the only western state with a codified right to camping if too few shelters are available. ⚠️ If surrounding states and cities aggressively enforce new camping laws, Portland may become the city of last resort. ⚠️ We do not have enough emergency shelter beds. Our failed city leadership refuses to build enough for our current needs and has not prepared for the implications of the Grants Pass decision. It’s time to stop blaming the federal, state, and county governments for failing to act. We must clear our city of hazardous encampments, derelict cars, and unregistered, unsafe RVs, but we must do it cost-effectively and with the compassion that has always defined our community. As mayor, I’ll end unsheltered homelessness in Portland within 12 months of assuming office. Nighttime emergency shelter will provide safety, security, shelter, and sleep. Day shelters will serve as a ‘warm handoff’ designed to assess individual needs, connect individuals with resources, and permanently help our neighbors off the streets. It’s a proven blueprint developed by my nonprofit, Shelter Portland. We’ve seen the success of this strategy in other cities. If you want to bring this winning blueprint to Portland, a contribution to my campaign could make all the difference. #portland #pdx #homelessness #grantspassdecision #scotus #keithwilsonformayor

“Care looked like people down at the sandbag station, as soon as it opened right through the night.” – Sarah, community volunteer Care is the glue that holds communities together during disasters. So what would it look like if communities were resourced to give that care? It could be training for the local green grocer, so they can check in on the mental health of the community member who’s lost their house in the recent fires whilst buying some onions. It might be cash grants to the local Neighbourhood House, so they can provide it directly to those who’re struggling to pay for groceries. Maybe it’s installing air conditioners in the local hall, to cool people down when they seek refuge on a hot day. It might be paid disaster leave, so volunteers from firies to fence-menders aren’t working around the clock. Read more about how we can SUPPORT communities to do their essential care work in our Care through Disaster report: https://lnkd.in/gtyZKVMh Women's Health Goulburn North East (WHGNE) #careanddisaster #auspol #disasterrecovery #disasterrelief #disasterresponse #communityresilience #floodrecovery #firerecovery #climateaction #climateactionnow #visionled #australiaremade #theremakers #remakers #communitycare #auspol #communitiesofcare #valuingcare #care #disaster #climateresilience