Guest Author: Felicia Salcido will be blogging with us due to her particular expertise in this area. She is a student of anthropology and a very capable ethnographer. The following is from her:
I began working with the homeless when I received an email from my Professor Hank Delcore, about local architects wanting to build dwellings for the homeless in Fresno. I never worked with the homeless and definitely wanted the chance to be involved with something that would help out the community.
In January I volunteered to help get a head count of the homeless. I spent my afternoon at the Poverello House. The count is done bi annually to help the city and county implement the Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness. If you did not know this already, the count will provide leaders of the county a better understanding of the number of homeless people.
The Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness was adopted because of this rapidly increasing population of displaced persons. It is about time that the city and county established that homelessness is problem, but what’s next? How does the county end homelessness in ten years? I have been given the opportunity to witness first hand how the community is responding to this plan. It is no secret that there is a need for affordable housing. Yes, it is true that housing costs are low, but it is also true that a large portion people living in Fresno County are going into foreclosure. Thus, the community needs affordable housing. Local architects of Fresno recognized the need for affordable housing and therefore designed and constructed a 350sq ft dwelling that would allow the homeless to live in. The dwellings would be built in a vacated lot in Downtown Fresno. These built dwellings would hope to reduce some of the homelessness in our city.
Where does Anthropology come in? The architects were concerned with the efficiency of living space and wanted to know what the minimum amount of space for a successful dwelling was. A mock up of the dwelling was showcased at Archop night in February and it was the jobs of the student anthropologists/ethnographers to solicit, observe, document and analyze behavioral and communicated responses to the built space. Questions in regards to the built spaced were asked, such as “What do you think about this space?” “Can you imagine yourself living in a space like this?” and “Do you know someone who this space would be perfect for?” The answers were analyzed and conclusions were drawn. The research conducted was used to drive the re-design of the space. I may have more on how the data drove re-design at a later time.
This has been my experience working with the issue of homelessness so far, I am motivated to help in anyway I can and I am privileged that Anthropology has given me this experience. What the local architects are doing is only one step to ending homelessness in Fresno, Ca and I encourage everyone to help in anyway they can. Thanks.
TheAnthroGeek
anthroguy
Felicia Salcido
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April 23, 2009 at 8:18 am
“Fresno’s “Nouveaux Pauvre”” part 2 « TheAnthroGuys
[...] Felicia Salcido’s recent posting on this subject illustrates one response that practicing or applied anthropologists can do to begin to answer these questions. [...]
November 4, 2009 at 10:40 am
Ashley Tom
It is great and I am happy to hear that our community is being proactive about the homeless problem here in the Valley. I find it amazing how anthropology is used in so many different areas, like finding out what space should be alloted for someone to live in. A ten year plan for eliminating the homeless issue does seem very long, but problems are not resolved over night. It is going to take many more people like Fellicia and the architects to eliminate homelessness. I also think that not only does reasonable housing need to be accessible, but jobs are just as important for this issue. You can give someone housing, but what next? Unemployment is the reason that many of these people do not have a home. Yes, some may be choosing not to work, while others may of been laid off, and others are not able to work because of disabilities, but I believe finding them work is just as important to finding them a home.
April 23, 2009 at 9:41 am
Tami F
What an excellent description of what you, anthropologists, architects, city, and county employees are doing to end the chronic homelessness in Fresno. It is unfortunate that we only “see” what is not happening but by posting your message we can actually feel that something is being done. Although it will not happen overnight, just knowing that the collaboration of many different people are working on a solution is a comfort. I am uncomfortable around homeless people – I’m not sure if it’s because I think they are going to ask for money or if their portrayal of drug/alcohol users is intimidating. Kudos for you for getting “your feet wet” and jumping in to help.
May 13, 2009 at 1:32 am
BrookeM
The point you make, Tami is very valid. It is sad to think that most of our community is unaware of the homeless population around us. It is very good to hear that there are individuals around us that can make a difference. The fact that a student is able to be selected and used for research for this project is absolutely wonderful. I give kudos to local architects for thinking to use students. We can bring new and fresh ideas to several situations. We can also gain experience that will help us later in our careers. Felicia can apply this opportunity to her current studies and future research. As far as the research goes, it makes me at ease that architects are concerned with the general well-being of the homeless. The homeless are the focus of this project and it is very important to take into consideration, the feelings, safety, and comfort of this population. The project would not be a success without it. Again, it is very amazing to see outreach by our community to the betterment of our community.
April 23, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Sylvia V
There are many that judge and label this population without even knowing one bit about their background. Yes it’s true there are a few that are there because of drug addictions. However, some have lost their employment, others have aged out of foster care system, and others have mental illnesses. Most of the time these individuals do not want to hurt anyone.
I think it is great that many people of different expertise are collaborating to help end chronic homelessness. Especially since this population cotinues to grow due to the circumstance of our economy. They seem to be aiming the right way, by the way this article describes their methods of analyzing and researching not only their own, but others opinions. It also shows that you are really passionate about what your are contributing to this cause. This shows because you see this as a privilege and not a task. Keep up the great work.
April 23, 2009 at 11:15 pm
kiat
I fully agree with that Sylvia V says above. Homelessness has become a chronic problem. Don’t get me wrong, there are passionate people out there seeking ways to help the cause, however I think that as a nation practicing capitalism we tend to blame the individuals for their living conditions. Some see them as lazy but that is not entirely the case. With today’s economic downturn we see people in the upper middle class lose everything they own and have to resort to homelessness as well. As mentioned above, we need to tackle this problem by evaluating and studying these individuals to get a better understanding of their situation so that we can find a solution. It’s sad to know that close to a third of the homeless population are also war veterans–they once protected our country and now when they are ill no one was there to protect them.
April 23, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Tami F
Please accept my apologies if I indicated in some way that I was personally judging the homeless population. I was just pointing out how they have been portrayed in the past – which makes me uncomfortable. I appreciate and commend those dedicated folks that do help these individuals find a home or a meal or any other services that are available and perhaps not known. Again, I will reiterate, unless the media “picks up” this piece on what IS being done, it is likely to go un-noticed by the general public and that would be a shame.
April 24, 2009 at 10:42 am
ElsaG
I really do appreciate your article, I am an interior design student and next calendar year I hope to continue my education by pursuing masters in architecture, My beginning college carrier started in that field of study. I was involved in many activities that involved architecture and design. One of those activities was to help Habitat for Humanity, they build homes for disadvantaged families, this program that I participated in was in Bakersfield; the program in Fresno that I am familiar with is called University Hope. They also build homes for families with low income and or families who are in need of a house. I also do not have much experience in working with homeless people, except for tomorrow which I will be handing out food for the needy (something I am looking forward to). I really do find it interesting in making dwellings for homeless individuals. I hope with my exposure in anthropology and my design skills to some day participate in the design process for affordable housing. Maybe even make these home sustainable (green).
April 25, 2009 at 12:05 am
ChristinaB
It is good to hear that there are small steps being taken to improve the living conditions of the homeless. I truly admire and appreciate those who are working and striving towards creating a better place for those who are less fortunate. The worst part of poverty is that although there are steps being taken to produce better living situations our current economic status is not improving which does not help the situation. However, I don’t think it should be something that should be placed on hold until conditions get better, because these are actual human beings that need help from those who will stand up and fight for them. It takes a lot of community action and involvement to reach desired goals. I truly admire those who put so much time and effort into the community. I have always wanted to help the community in some way or another by volunteering my time to do some kind of service for the homeless. Its something I have always wanted to do but have not done it yet, I know there are probably several organizations and ways I can help such as the one stated above. It is just a matter of disciplining myself to take a step forward and begin much like any other task.
April 25, 2009 at 1:04 pm
RKroytz
This was an interesting blog on one persons contribution too the state of homelessness in Fresno. It is neat to see that architects anthropologist politicians and volunteers all working together to help a subgroup in our society. I also thought it was neat how an architect immediately called and anthropologist to make sure they were getting there figures on dwelling size right. Another thing that struck me about this article is how easily anthropologist can become involved in a new seemingly unrelated project to anything they have done before so easily. This is a testament to the diversity and usefulness that anthropology supplies to the community in general.
From a local perspective, I am glad too see that Fresno is dealing with this diverse issue in a proactive way. This is one of those problems that in all reality will be an ongoing issue in one form or another for quite some time. Fresno having a ten-year plan to address the issues just shows that Fresno is serious about trying to solve some of the issues involved.
April 28, 2009 at 9:26 pm
JamieO
I read what you had to say and I think that it is great that the city is stepping up to help the homeless. I believe that this should have been done several years ago when the numbers of homeless was lower and Fresno was not getting the attention about the tent city. When I was reading about the housing that they were going to provide for the homeless I thought to myself that is enough for them. In the state prisons there are inmates in a 10′X10′ cells for 23 hours a day and they are fine. That is what we pay for them. Granted those are criminals and are doing time, but they get a roof over their head and food. Some colleges have dorm rooms that are for two people with only two beds and one table. The space their is limited but on a budget that is what they have. I think the space is liveable. Hopefully, the homeless are using resources to get a job and get housing. There are many organizations out there to help those people, but they have to put forth the effort. I have talked to a mixture of homeless people that have had hard times with life and those that have addiction uses that they are not ready to face. For those homeless, that space is alot better than a tent. It is going to protect them for the harsh weather. Are they doing a bathroom in a different area for these people? How long can a person stay in one? Daily? Weekly? Do they have to do anything in order to stay in one? What about if they have children? There are so many questions that someone like you can answer and make a difference. Like I said before we need more Anthropologists working locally to help make Fresno a better place for those living in it and those traveling through it. Thanks for all the information. Keep it coming.
May 18, 2009 at 11:32 am
BillyJeaneC
I think the architects of fresno and all of the anthropologists and citizens of Fresno is doing a positive thing in building dwellings that would hopefully lessen the number of displaced persons in the streets. I agree with JamieO, in stating that although this project is a wonderful thing, it should have been done years ago when the numbers of people involved were a lot less. Such a big project is not easy to follow through, we are bound to run into problems including financial support and cooperations of the community and displaced persons. In agreement with JamieO I also believe that the planned space allocation for each dwelling is enough for a small family to live in. She brought up the point that college dorm rooms and prison cells are much small but still liveable depending on the need of the people occupying it. I think a lot of the displace people will find the place liveable because in many cases a solid roof over one’s head is better than a tent or none at all. I am curious as how and where they would get the funds for these projects and how many they can built, would there be bathrooms, kitchens? This projects will not just displaced people but the overall situation of Fresno.
April 29, 2009 at 10:33 am
ForsytheV
I think this is an incredible idea that is long overdue, but exciting that it is finally happening! Like you said, homelessness is a chronic problem in our society and something must be done to alleviate its stress on our community. I foresee this problem to only become greater due to the current instability of the economy. To try to get so many different professionals input is such an essential piece to making this project as efficient as it can be. It is great to read about something so positive is being done in our community on a subject that normally receives such negative attention. I commend all of your guys’ attempts in trying to lend a helping hand in this dire situation! I would love to know if there was anything people, like myself, in the community could get involved!!
May 2, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Jessica Huntbach
I also agree that it is nice to hear that there are steps that are being taken to help alleviate the problem of homeless people, but I still do not feel like enough is being done. I understand that it takes a lot to fix a huge problem like this, but I wish we had more and more resources to get these people the help that they need. Housing is just one part of the problem. They also need mental help, help finding work, drug/alcohol abuse and addiction help, and child care. I remember back a few months ago when ABC 30 featured a story on the man that was outside on Blackstone and Shaw having his young daughter beg for money so they could pay rent while he slept in front of her, drunk as can be. I could not believe how the city reacted to this. They did not take her away, they just arrested him and eventually him go. This is not how I would like our city officials to react towards these kinds of things. Yes, he is not technically homeless, but if he cannot afford his rent, I consider that to be just as close to homeless as you can get. Mostly, I would like to see the city take control over the homeless children. I do not think it is acceptable to have children living on the streets. That is child endangerment. I hope that the local, state, and federal government can figure out a solution to this problem before it becomes even worse than it is now.
May 9, 2009 at 10:47 pm
PeterV.
Like the other people posting I am also glad something is being done for the homeless population. I find the work that Poverrello House is doing is very interesting it will definitely help some of the homeless. Also, I found it interesting how anthropologist and architectures were working together. I hope Felicia will keep us informed about the work of Archop. Have they done any research into how successful homeless communities are structured ? By that I mean what would be the optimal number of houses in a community before it would be too overwhelming ? Would communities with less homes be more secure ? Or would communities with lots of homes be more secure? What would be the largest number of homes you could put into an area before it became too congested?( 10 houses per acre or 15) Would it be better to have separate communities for men and women ?( often times homeless women are at a high risk for rape and physical abuse. I know Fish and Loaves. another fine organization that helps the homeless have separate places for men and women.) What about families are there any studies showing what would be the best way to arrange built space for them? Anyway, I think this is a fertile area for applied anthropological research.
Take care,
Peter
May 11, 2009 at 12:36 pm
CarlinW
This Ten Year Plan represents a ray of hope for chronic homelessness. If this plan is successful, then obviously chronic homelessness will be eliminated or at least significantly reduced. However the success of this plan will not end homelessness all together. There is some opposition that claims the homeless population percentage estimates used for deriving the Ten Year Plan are too low. None-the-less estimates are only estimates and thus variable population numbers are inevitable. Ultimately for there to be a zero population percentage representing homelessness, then there has to be a zero tolerance level for the occurrence of the issue. It is stereotypical to say that there should have been something like “this” implemented years ago when the economy was better, but unfortunately (in any case) situations like this do not become apparent until we are all at a more equivalent level; in other words it is easier to notice those that are suffering significantly when we are all suffering to some extent due to our poor economy. With this said, we should all be able to post comments that not only show social support but also represent our own efforts to help the homeless.
May 13, 2009 at 4:17 pm
CarlinW
Ok so no one called me on this, but I forgot to put in my own experiences of helping the homeless. To put what I said (previously) into perspective, I have participated in several programs. My most recent one was with the University Hope project. I participated in this project a few semesters back, in which I helped build a house over the course of 4 months. The house construction was started a few months prior to my involvement, and the house was finished shortly after I left. We had a team of about thirty volunteers and a couple of builders (construction contractors) to build the house. I helped out a couple of times each week, for several or more hours a day, doing various jobs. In short all of the work I performed was simple and required no expertise and/or prior training. Thus in approximately 6 months (give or take some) the University Hope Project had built a brand new home for a very needy family. I have also helped out at the Majaree Mason Center and assisted in canned-food collection programs. Basically I am sharing this notion not to promote my self-image or to boost my ego, but to simply present various possibilities for helping the homeless. It seemed difficult and time consuming at first (for me), but it is easy to get involved and make a difference, even if you feel you have very little time to give and thus will not make a difference. I’m not an expert, but every little bit counts.
May 13, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Sylvia V
Kudos to you for giving your time to help a great cause. I bet even though it was time consuming, at the end of the day it felt very rewarding. I have not volunteered much before, but have raised money for great causes. You bring much information for those that are unfamiliar that have never volunteered before. It’s good to know that in most cases no expertise is needed. Also, most organizations are willing to train a person that is willing to volunteer. I agree with you, every little bit counts towards making a difference. Thank you for helping a cause.
May 11, 2009 at 10:42 pm
AmandaLo
I am very proud of the local architects for making the effort to help the homeless population of Fresno. Since the houses are being built for the homeless maybe it might be a good idea to invite the homeless people to build the houses with the architects. This might unite everyone and build a friendship. If this happens an anthropologist might want to observe both parties working together and inform the resist of the city of such interaction. Maybe, this news will loosen their belt and motivate them to provide a helping hand for the homeless.
May 13, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Sylvia V
LIke your idea of involving the homeless population with the architects in building their future housing. It might encourage others to do the same, maybe.
May 27, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Ryan M
I also agree with your idea of involving the homeless when building the new home for them. Although i do think that it is a great idea i have much doubt in believing that they will actually want to help build them. I think that there is a select few that would enjoy building the homes and also feel as if they were needed for something once in their lives. Although, as i mentioned before, the majority of them will not feel as if it is their responsibility to build the homes.
May 13, 2009 at 12:00 am
SeanC
That is great to see that you jumped on an opportunity to help the homeless situation in Fresno. It is good to see that the County is trying to help the problem. I am from Santa Cruz and the cost of living is a lot more expensive and there is a problem with homeless but it does not seem as huge of a situation as Fresno. I know that Fresno is a lot bigger then Santa Cruz but I would think that people would become homeless if they could not afford their rent. I am able to pay for my rent (I work and go to school and highly involved around campus) because of the low prices of rent. I am glad to see that architects are working on a solution to help the homeless. I am also glad to see places like the Poverello house here to help the homeless in Fresno. I would like to get more involved in the community to help better it. I have worked with organizations like American Red Cross, and American Cancer Society to help the health in the community.
May 13, 2009 at 5:28 pm
SarahC
I think that it is very important to research and be informed on something before you act. This is the case with the Ten Year Plan. Instead of just putting up shelters and assuming it will fit the needs of the homeless, anthropologists took their living styles and needs into consideration and incorporated it into the building scheme. Sometimes all it takes is the comforts of a home to motivate the homeless to work hard and try to gain more. The biggest problem I foresee with this community is the threat of crime. It is important to keep the community a safe place to live by ensuring that the homeless people that are given the opportunity to live their are going to seek help for any drug problems and stay out of trouble with the law.
May 13, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Consuelo T.
I think anthropologists can be useful when it comes to trying to help find solutions to many aspects of the homeless problem in the United States. First of all I believe it speaks very ill of us when we are one of the richest nations on Earth, but cannot be bothered to take care of the poorest of our own. I also think it’s a poor reflection that one of the biggest tennants of Christianity (love and caring for the worst off) is almost completely ignored in a society that professes to be a Christian society.
I think many anthropologists can be helpful by studying the various reasons why people are homeless and helping cities and other government agencies (and non-profit organizations) understand the problem and seek to find solutions. I’ve talked a good bit about this with my father-in-law, who is the head of a non-profit that helps homeless and low-income people down in a community in Southern California that is very affluent. One of the things that he talks about constantly is how people often 1) misunderstand many of the homeless people on the streets and why they are there, and 2) organizations such as cities and other places most of the time have no idea how to actually go about solving the homeless problem. Oftentimes they will simply provide band-aid solutions (like temporary cold shelters, soup-kitchens, etc) or they will follow a policy of kicking out the homeless (making it illegal to sleep in parks, illegal to feed large groups of people without a permit, etc). Anthropologists could be of the most help by working with cities and other agencies/non-profits to help them understand the root cause of the homeless problem is and determine what the most effective solutions are.
May 14, 2009 at 1:02 am
Viet T
Without knowing very many details of the ten year plan, I still would like to point out that this is an ideal way for anthropologists to help the homeless community. I view the homeless community as an unorganized group, thrown into chaotic circumstances, and struggling to find a direction that will improve their situation. On the other hand, anthropologists are an organized group (by comparison). Networking communities like the one found right here and between universities have the capability to assess real-time data and experiences from the field. Because of this, they have a unique position to petition the government on behalf of the homeless people, and to further their knowledge and networks to include more people. When these networks reach the government, I believe more can be done as we go forward.
May 16, 2009 at 2:27 pm
HaliC
I think this is a great idea to help the homeless community. Providing affordable housing is one of the biggest needs I would assume for the homeless community. I thought it was very useful for the anthropologist to ask their questions of how someone would and could live in the dwellings. Trying them out before building them was a great move and I think this will be a great start in helping this community. I feel that if more people heard about this, there would be many people that would like to help. If different groups heard about this many would like to take on projects to help build homes for the homeless. My church group and other leadership groups love doing these kinds of things.
Anthropologists have the right idea for asking the questions needed to supply effective homes for the homeless. This is a great start. We just need to make this bigger and get the awareness out that this is an issue that we are looking to be resolved.
May 18, 2009 at 3:37 pm
BillyJeaneC
To help fund the project of building dwellings for displaced people, maybe our community can do something like Habitat for Humanity effort to get the fresno community involved in the building of these dwellings. It would save alot of money because it could bring in a lot of volunteers. I think church groups helping like Hali C. mentioned is a great idea, Fresno state students are also a great target for these volunteers because we are always looking for volunteer work to improve the community and our resumes
.
August 30, 2009 at 8:54 pm
CelinaG
I’m pleased that Fresno is taking the initiative to combat homelessness. If the anthropologist merely asked questions about personal space and how much each person thought they needed for a residence…was a persons economic status considered? Wouldn’t some people require or demand more space based on what they are used to? A young adult raised in a 3,500 sq. ft. home might find the space inadequate, but is that persons idea of comfortable living space truly representative of the population being considered. If the goal of sheltering the homeless population is to house as many people as safely possible then how are the opinions of people who are already provided with adequate shelter going to reflect the needs of the homeless population? A person whose primary residence is a park bench might be less particular about the size of their FREE shelter. I agree that it is important to be aware of cultural norms including personal space but I think human basic needs such as shelter are a little more important.
September 1, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Paloma D
This idea of providing homes for the homeless seems to be an amazing plan. I have volunteered on saturday mornings giving feed to the homeless and I have notices that their is about 100 people that come by everytime. This only takes place in one little section of fresno so I imagine that their has to be a lot of homeless people in this city. At this point in time it does seems a bit impossible to promise for the plan to come through since our economy is so bad but it will never hurt to help these people out. The houses that are planned to be provided should not be questioned because they will be better than living on a bench or sidewalk. I really hope and pray that this action takes place because its really sad to see families of many to live on the streets.
September 2, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Nadine S
I found this particular post to be most enlightening because I for one have been like several others and have turned a blind eye on the issues going on in Fresno. Being a resident myself I didn’t even know about this proposed plan and actually am rather glad I was able to read this post and I intend on reading up on it some more. With the economic crisis everyone seems to be struggling and it is amazing that people have actually stood up and are in the process of actually ending poverty in Fresno. I realize that this is easier said than done, but the fact that action is actually being taken should definitely be recognized and applauded. On many proposed plans the individuals who the said plan is meant to help are usually overlooked. I love how in this particular case they went above and beyond and actuallly got feedback and then changed the plan to make it better and more functional. I hope that everything works out in this case and even though it may take longer than expected it does not necessarily matter because an impact will be made regardless!
September 7, 2009 at 11:09 am
Krisa N
Issues with homeless has been going on for quite a while now. From my volunteering experiences serving food at the Poverello House each year, there seem to be an increase in homeless population. The idea of the 10 Year Plans is a great thing to have if what it said is promising. Homeless will be offer an affordable housing, combat personal issues such as drinking, job training program, aid the disability, and promote a happier and productive lives. The problem I see here is the money issues. I would have to agree with Al Williams that “where did the money go?” 25 million dollars are issue to improve housing, medical, and safety for the homeless, yet the problem is not improve. To argue back about the issue not being improve, one has to understand that people fall out and into homeless all the time. Some family may benefit from the aid that they are not homeless any more. Another family on the other side maybe experience financial hardship that force them into poverty leading to homeless. Situation changes, and we have our own coping mechanism to cope with it. Some cope better than others. Homeless in our country is not an individual issues, I see it more of a public issues where everybody is involve. Yes some of us overlooked and may not think that poverty existed but it does. Being proactive in the community such as volunteering our time to help serve food to homeless, mentoring homeless children with school assignments and taking that time to educate them of the many opportunities that education offers, donating foods and clothing, introducing homeless family of help shelter so they can feel safe, or taking a role of anthropologist or nurse and help serve the under develop population will alleviate the homeless issues. My theory about homeless is to not be ethnocentric or judgmental because no one wants to be homeless, and to some people the situation that they are in is inevitable. Ethnocentrism and judging creates barriers that will prevent us from reaching out to help. When working as a public health nurse I run into a lot of homeless patients. Many of them are disable veterans. One point in their life, they fought for our freedom. If all of us can make this one point in our life to fight back for their freedom, homeless in our country, state, city and county will surrender.
September 14, 2009 at 5:09 pm
David P.
The 10 year homeless plan that was presented by city council and former mayor Alan Autry raises the several issues with the homeless population. I applaud the desire of the city council to try to bring about an end to the homeless problem here in Fresno. Their ideas of starting housing projects by local architects can help reduce the homeless population for now, but it can’t put an end to homelessness. Salcido is right in raising the question, “how does the county end homelessness in ten years?”
One problem to ending the homeless issue is the current jobless rate as well as the current foreclosure rate. This year alone there is one in one hundred thirty one chance that a house is foreclosed in Fresno. The Fresno Bee stated that the jobless rate was up to fifteen percent in July. The population of people that have lost their jobs and their homes has resulted in a continuing increase in the homeless population. With the increase in the jobless and foreclosure rates, it could be impossible for the homeless rate to be reduced based on the increase of homeless shelter.
Another problem for the plan to end homelessness in Fresno is the lack of cooperation from the homeless community. I have been able to speak with several homeless people of the last couple of years, and many of them have no desire to live by society’s standards. Some believe that their lives are made simpler because they live without bills, taxes, and the pressures that are prevalent to the people that live in society. These homeless people enjoy their lives the way they are, and this could make it impossible to put an end to homelessness here in Fresno.
September 20, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Russell W.
With the economy being how it is and the cutbacks on jobs and the laying off of workers; to be homeless might be a common scenario for lots of people if things don’t shape up. The objectives of the Ten Year Plan have set a good foundation and a great path to follow, but huge issues such as poverty and homelessness, don’t seem to be 100% fixable. If something that hasn’t been completely solved or fixed since the Great Depression, then how is it going to be solved in 10 years. Yes, it might work for a single county like us and these efforts aren’t doing anything except helping the homeless, but in the long run I see two end results. One is that this plan and these house dwellings for the homeless will give them an opportunity to get back on their feet and start over and making the best of what they got. And the second is that the plan fails because of the goodness and great deal it provides within itself. If people had an opportunity to have a descent place to live for free and have little worries, then the luxury of that lifestyle might persuade them to do so. This, in my opinion, would be very persuasive for people living on the edge of poverty. Even though I have mixed beliefs about the plan working, I feel that is up to society as a whole to have it become successful. We can’t just give homeless people a home and expect them to change, we need to except them back into society and give them chances and even teach them how they can become successful. There is always going to be poverty and homelessness, so if we can help those in need turn their lives around, then at times like these there will only be a select few under this category.
September 25, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Ricardo N.
It is good to know that there are still kind people in this world. There are many people out there, for example, the homeless, who are less fortunate that need our help. We, the more fortunate, sometimes ignore those issues due to the fact that those issues do not pertain to us individually. Our community cannot rely on the anthropologist, architects, nor the city and county employees alone, to put an end to the problem we face with all the homeless population here in Fresno. Felicia Salcido took a step forward and is now trying to make a difference. Felicia, and her colleagues, began a project consisting of building a dwelling that will house many homeless due to the increasing amount of homeless people in the Fresno area. This project will try and minimize homeless individuals from walking the streets and will give them a place of retrieval where they will be safe. Creating this Fresno dwelling, which will house many homeless, will make a big difference in our community by reducing the homeless population. Fresno may be the epicenter, an example, for other cities that may want to implement such programs in their communities. Yet, this project will not put an end to poverty nor will the 10 year homeless plan, the city council and former mayor Alan Autry has implimited. With the crisis our economy is facing like David and Russell mentioned above, it will now be more difficult to eliminate the homeless problem. With people around the county losing their jobs and homes due to economy problems and cut backs, it will continuing to increase the homeless population. Now, like David mentioned there are homeless out there who indeed appreciate the style in which they live in because they do not have bills to pay such as rent, pg&e, electricity etc… Now if these kind of homeless rather live the way they are living now instead of living in a healthy and save dwelling, then how are we ever going to put an end to homeless situation? For there to be change, the homeless must want that change. We must have the cooperation of the homeless to make a difference!
September 28, 2009 at 8:18 am
Lisa C
I like the fact that Sylvia V is taking steps to help get the homeless situation started, even if it is a census count and looking at services. There seems to be two sections of homeless populations, the chronic, that have been around for years, and the new homeless brought on by the economic times. Both have different sets of problems. The chronic are struggling to get over addictions, failures, and a way of life to them. The new do not know the “ropes” per say and have not learned of all the services provided to them. The lack of finances to help either of these groups is glaring and needs to be addressed. We as a community need to help with housing, food, services, and jobs. The homeless need to be a part of a contributing society, not just receiving goods and supplies because they are homeless. They need to feel needed. I find it interesting that the city of Fresno needs 10 years to solve this problem. New people in office, new administrators and new homeless will be evident in 10 years. We need a healthy on going program to help everyday, not just a decade away.
September 30, 2009 at 5:19 pm
C. Rojas
It is good to hear that there are steps that are being taken to help alleviate the problem for homeless people. However I do have mixed feelings regarding the success of this project. First off we have been aware that the number of homeless people has been increasing over the past ten years. My biggest question is why now? With our economy facing downward spiral with many people losing jobs and others having to foreclose homes, we as a whole are heading towards homelessness ourselves. I understand the continuous problem we face today is a scarce one that needs to be recon. In my opinion homelessness is just one of the set backs these individuals carry. I am all for help those who need assistance in getting themselves back on the right track. But some homeless would admit that the chosen lifestyle is within there norms of society. Some do not want to accept change, while others need the guidance to want to change. Other issues that involve assisting the homeless are the additional care one may need. For example there may be those who suffer from mental illnesses, drug and alcohol problems and anti-social issues. That of course would be a whole new issue to deal with. It is nice to know that many are doing their part by giving back and making effort to get this done. We somehow as a community need to continue to strive in the direction in helping those in need to get the homeless off the streets. Once again I believe this will only cause more issues further down the road though. If the plan was successful I fear that some may try to take advantage of the system while the others are trying to make a better style of living. The homeless also need housing that is affordable. I would surely hope that the Ten Year Plan to end Chronic Homelessness would come to an end. But when the bi annual increase rate of the homeless continues to escalade it makes it seem unrealistic that a project of this magnitude would be successful.
October 31, 2009 at 6:46 pm
lawrence l.
i think its good for anyone to volunteer themselves in different area and see get a lot of different experiences this way. as for felicia she was working with the homeless trying to get sheltering. the ten year plan is good trying to lower the rate of homeless people in fresno county. the living space of these dwellings im guessing are not that very big, but if we see and look at other culters some live in small huts, tents, a family in house the size of a room, i even seen once a family living in a small little house made out of cardboard. i just hope that everything goes through money wise and the houses are built. it is a little sad to see the homeless on the streets looking for money or something to eat. just the other day i was putting gas when i had seen this lady pushing her backet near taco bell at 11p and inside the basket she had a little friend to keep her company. it was a black little doggy wearing a dog sweater to keep warm. i had some leftover food for our pot luck at work. i gave her a plate and hooked up the little dog as well with his little plate of food. going back to sylvia i know she has seen and hearing lots of different stories going to the poverello house. there are many types of homeless people i think the type that just lose everything they have and ones that just sit back and do not want to do anything with there lives. this is a argument that can keep on going on and on. i think that homeless wil not decline but incline because how many people will take advantage of this. you get free housing in a small space dwelling, food. its like when they give out free food and we see longs lines of families in need. i tend to pay attention to the people in line and focus on there clothing and any type of jewelery they might be wearing. if i spot someone in nikes or ecos with a gold necklace, come on i know this person is not in need of supplies they just might be taking advantage of things that are given out free. felicia will i hoping keep on going on with this and put up an update on the progress of the homeless.
October 31, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Kip Macarthur
I think that homelessness in Fresno is one of the most important and biggest problems that our city is facing. The 10 year plan to end chronic homelessness is a great plan if it is possible for it to accomplish what is intended by it. With the economy at an almost all-time low, homelessness has come into the forefront as a major problem that needs to be fixed. This plan needs to offer job training programs, drinking and drug rehabilitation, and aid for those that are disabled because many times these are the reason that a person becomes homeless. I think that it would be amazing for those that are homeless if the city of Fresno is able to build the dwellings that they are talking about in downtown Fresno. This would help out so much because it would give them a place to sleep instead of having to find somewhere in the streets or a bench in the park to sleep on. With a place to sleep, I feel that many homeless people would be able to clean up and have a better chance to find a job and improve their lives by getting a place of their own. I think that this plan should be on top of Fresno’s priorities and I think that it will help out many homeless people and make our community a better place.
October 31, 2009 at 11:16 pm
KaelynC
I previously had experience volunteering at a local church that had a food bank and would also give clothes to those in need. I had this idea about what a typical “homeless” person was like. What I very quickly learned was that my ideas about homeless people were very wrong. I think homeless people are deserving of a place to stay, something that they could call their own. We live in America, it should be our duty to provide to those in need. The economy is in terrible shape, and the rates of people becoming homeless are rising. I think these people often times just simply need a break, and Fresno should do its part to help. I also think that their needs to be programs set in to place to help these people find a job. At the food bank I volunteered at, a lot of homeless people would come in and ask for nicer clothes so they could something to wear to a job interview. A majority of these people are not lazy, they want to get a job and get their life on track. I think they just need a break, a string of good luck for once, a chance to make their life better. I also think the architect’s were correct in hiring people to ask whether or not these homes were suitable and to the liking of the homeless people themselves. It would be a complete waste of money, resources and time to build these structures and have the buildings not be used because they are not built to the liking of the homeless people or the buildings were built without practicality for the people who are going to utilize them. I also think that some homeless people are mentally ill and their should also be programs to implement them and help them as well.
November 4, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Brad V
I would like to know about those of us who are losing our houses because we cannot afford to pay our mortgage anymore. Do we deserve to get help from our city, county, or our government? Those of us work and pay taxes but still are losing our homes. In fact, we pay some of the highest taxes around. When we ask for help, we are told fill out this paper and wait or you are not behind enough for assistance. I guess if you are not having financial difficulties and are struggling not to lose your home it is easy to think about curing homelessness. I do not think the homeless are owed anything.
I work at a place that offers health care to the homeless and a majority of them just gets intoxicated or high and do not care about anything else. They come back repeatedly for the same issues because they do not listen to advice to help themselves. The money they make collecting recyclables goes right into alcohol and drugs. How can someone who does not work and put into the system deserve to have anything given to them. I have known people who have lost everything and made it back up with a lot of struggle and fight. Take for instance the move The Pursuit of Happiness that was based on a true story. That guy had motivation he did not spend every day looking for a fix. Sorry I think that those of us who are working and trying to survive should be offered help.
November 30, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Jose V
Not all of homeless population is an alcoholic or drug addict, but the ones that are might have a mental disorder or trauma that has drove them to their downfall. If that is the case do you think that we should help out homeless medically, and give them some sort of support until they can stand on there two feet. What about the homeless war veterans that were mentally affected, and find substance abuse as a way out. I do not believe that we are all equal when it comes to having family, friends, education and a finical means to support oneself, and that is why I think we should help the less fortunate.
November 30, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Jose V
Not all of homeless population is an alcoholic or drug addict, but the ones that are might have a mental disorder or trauma that has drove them to their downfall. If that is the case do you think that we should help out the homeless medically, and give them some sort of support until they can stand on there two feet. What about the homeless war veterans that were mentally affected, and find substance abuse as a way out. I do not believe that we are all equal when it comes to having family, friends, education, and a finical means to support oneself, and that is why I think we should help the less fortunate.
November 1, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Andrew S
There is no doubt that homelessness is a serious issue here in the central valley. There are certain street corners and intersections where you can bet your money on the fact that there will be a homeless person there. I like the idea of this ten year plan. I also appreciate how the local architects are going about getting this done in the correct matter. It is one thing to have a plan, and it is completely different to have a plan that is set up for success. By having these local anthropologists research the living quarters, there is a greater opportunity to help these people that are in need. It is great to see people from Fresno State out there making a difference.
November 3, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Chirag Patel
I think this is a excellent idea to help the homless community. Providing affordable housing is one of the biggest needs for homless community. At the same time with the economy being how it is and the cutbacks on jobs abd the laying off the employess might contribute in increasing in homless community. Reasons like this and other we need to know details regarding to how Ten Year Plan will work. I think it is great idea to anthropologists to ask questions regarding to how someone would and could live in house. I think they should also involve homless peoples in desiginig dwellings becuase in end they are the one who has to live there. I also think they should built few model houses and try them out for any suggestion beofre they building massive number. This is not only city, state and politician project, but its involve whole community. I feel that if more and more pepole heard about this, there would be many people that would like to help. We need to make awarness of this issues to everymemebr in are community, that might lead to resolve this problem.
November 4, 2009 at 10:50 pm
Brad V
Just a thought, providing shelter for the homeless is a fantastic idea. It would help keep people off of the street and maybe clean up some of the clutter of cardboard boxes and tarps. It could also help to improve the health of our homeless and lighten the load on the homeless shelter during the cold season. But let me play devils advocate for a bit. Now that the shelters are built and our homeless are residing in them, who will do the maintenance and keep up the shelters? I’m sure that there are many of the homeless that choose to live that way. Some of them have families but like the responsibility free lifestyle that they have made for themselves. Look at the area where our homeless call home now.
This type of person is living this way because they do not want responsibility. I am thinking that this will be a place that the city or county will have to maintain. This would increase cost for our fair city because people will have to be employed to take care of this task. This place could also become a place for infections to spread or a drug house. We do not really want to add a permanent structure that would be more of an eye soar that what we have with tent city.
These folks would go out and work if they really wanted to make a change from being homeless. My thought is that they like this life style and do not want to do much to change it. A potential solution would be offering the homeless money to maintain their shelters. This could possible keep the area a little nicer. You may make it a stipulation for living there that they must maintain it but then you will still have to bring someone in to check on them. I think it would be a good idea to build these shelters for the homeless if you can find a way to prevent them from becoming run down like the section 8 apartments.
November 8, 2009 at 11:21 am
Andrew S
I agree with what you are saying Brad. You make some interesting points. I don’t see a real reason to put this in place unless they are willing to maintain the structure. I also feel that you get what you work for. I don’t see the government bailing those of us out that work hard so that we can pay for our own housing, so why do they bail these people out that continually squander their oppurtunities. I have always felt that you get what you deserve. If these people don’t want to go out and put in on honest hard effort, then they don’t deserve the help. With that said, I am all for helping those that are willing to work hard. If housing can provide them a basis to jump start there lives, and get a job and be a productive citizen who puts into the system, then I am all for it.
December 1, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Edgar Sepulveda
The idea of a dwelling for the homeless is a great idea especially during the colder seasons. There is just so much help we can offer to the homeless with the few cents we give them whenever we see them out on the streets. And giving money away becomes somewhat of a burden with the economic times we are facing today. It should be the government’s responsibility to help the homeless and a dwelling is a great start but the help should not end there. There are other things like jobs and rehab services that should be given to the homeless along with a place for them to sleep over. If we do not help the homeless in other ways, there is little a shelter can do for their self-esteem. I think that the government should create programs to find the homeless jobs in things like farming and such; something for them to start integrating themselves back into society. Also, there should be laws that protect the homeless against discrimination on the workforce because the reality is that they are looked down upon because of their social state. And so society needs to humanize itself by stopping dehumanizing the homeless.
December 13, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Brenda M
I love how this field is helping to improve the lives of the Central Valley. How dedicated you are in helping the homeless in your community. Not every person is up for the job. I realize that homelessness is a great issue through out the central valley. And it is very exciting to read that the city of Fresno is doing something about it. I live in Merced and to be honest I haven’t heard of anything like this. I hope Merced is also trying to do something about this issue. There are so many homeless in Merced that it is very sad to see. When I drive to work I see the homeless sleeping in the park under a bench. The fact that Fresno is planning to provide shelter for them is great. I hope to hear that this follows threw.
December 15, 2009 at 12:31 am
Brendyn Koerper
There is no doubt that homelessness is a huge problem in the San Joaquin Valley. The truth is it an endemic across the United States. To fix the issue of increased displaced workers and get back into the working class it is necessary to understand that there is no one answer. The fact that the city is willing to build a dwelling in which the homeless can live is one step to helping the problem but even that step requires lots of studying, analyzing, and assessing. It is necessary to know what is going to be needed by the occupants and how to make the living space feasible for all the people and their different demographics.
December 17, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Jennifer Hernandez
This year I learned how bad homelessness in Fresno really is. I found out that Fresno is one of the worst, if not the worst, in the United States. I personally have not been to downtown Fresno because I know that I would want to help every homeless person that I see on the street. But I believe that it is good for Fresno residents to know the facts about their city.
I am glad to see that the county is doing something about it and that there are people that are willing to volunteer. Every person makes a difference. My one concern is that not enough people know about this. I wouldn’t know about it if I had not read this. In order to get support from the community there needs to be more advertisement of this good thing that the county of Fresno is trying to do.
It is great that there will be affordable housing for those who can not make ends meet. Ten years does seem extensive but there is not anything else being done for homeless people. As the saying goes “better late than never” and in this case it is true. I wish I could support in more ways than one, but for now volunteering when possible will have to do.
I have volunteered in other cities, and the gratitude that these people have is tremendous. They can not believe that we would take time out of our day to help those who have not received much help before. Fresno is a large community, I understand that people are busy, but taking the time to help others makes an individual feel better about themselves. People may think that it is not right for some homeless to decide not to work, but if they do not have a job that means they have no money as well. We are all human, we know how it feels to be cold, hungry, hot, and we know that it is uncomfortable to feel any of those. How could we not have the heart to help the people that are experiencing these unfortunate rough times?