The Ukiah Planning Commission Wednesday approved plans for a community center that will serve homeless residents during the day and provide a permanent site for the emergency winter shelter, though one commissioner described his vote as “a reserved yes.”
“I know it’s a needed service, but I have reservations about the location,” said Chairman Mike Whetzel, describing the plan for 1045 S. State St. as helping make the city’s southern gateway a center of homeless services. “For years we’ve tried to revitalize the south end of town and bring in more businesses, and I see this as taking away from that.”
“With all due respect, I see this as helping to support that goal,” said Camille Schrader of Redwood Community Services, the applicant seeking to renovate the majority of the 7,000-square-foot building where the last emergency winter shelter in Ukiah was hosted.
The renovations include adding covered entryways, a sitting area and fencing, as well as a parking lot and community garden. The motorcycle shop within the building will remain.
“We are going to significantly improve the building, and I think RCS has earned a reputation as a good community partner,” said Schrader, explaining that she saw the location’s proximity to Plowshares as a benefit.
When Whetzel went on to describe Ukiah as “the homeless capital of the nation,” adding, “they are here because we give them everything,” Schrader agreed that while the city certainly has a large per-capita homeless population, there are myriad reasons why they are here and myriad services are required to help them improve their lives.
“What is the eventual goal?” asked Commissioner Mark Hilliker. “We have these people that come to the area with their possessions and their dog, and they get services and the outcome is what? Do they become a productive member of society, or do they just move on?”
“These people are here, and they are in need for a variety of reasons,” Schrader said. “We hope that little by little, person by person, we are able to lessen the impact on the businesses and the neighbors, and, more importantly, lessen the suffering of those who need help.”
Sage Wolfm, who works for RCS and helped manage the homeless shelter last winter, said her research into how other cities have successfully transitioned people out of homelessness pointed to a day center providing both temporary help like food and a place to think as well as long-term help like housing and career services, as “key to ending homelessness.”
When the commission asked to hear from the Ukiah Police Department, Capt. Justin Wyatt said he knows “the community is concerned about the project and it should be concerned,” but he feels optimistic about the plan’s success based on how RCS has responded to his requests so far.
“I want to see this project reduce calls to the UPD, not increase them, and it is apparent to me that they share that vision,” Wyatt said. “The homeless are here, it is an issue, and I think the community expects the police department to deal with them.
“But I think it’s clear that enforcement is not the answer,” he continued. “And if we as a police department are able to divert people to a center that can actually help them, I’m glad to do that. And the people who don’t want to take advantage of the services, I’m happy to arrest them if required. The problem I see is that those services are not as available now as they could be with this center, and I’m glad someone else is stepping up to help with the homeless issue.”
“The thing we can’t change is that everyone is going to be somewhere,” said Mendocino County 2nd District Supervisor John McCowen, who said he was speaking as a Ukiah resident in favor of the project. “We as a community have an opportunity to decide we can provide them the best possible place to be, instead of a doorway, a creek bed or somewhere else, though this is only one part of the solution to the greater problem.”
“It is a huge need, and it will take time until we see results, but I think we will,” said Commissioner Linda Sanders, who urged her fellow commissioners at the beginning of the discussion to support the project.
When it came time to vote, all commissioners present did vote to grant the project the requested permits, with Commissioner Christopher Watt abstaining.
