Meeting on Proposed Respite Center for the Homeless in Redway Got Hot

The proposed ‘Respite Center’ in Redway, the former St Andrew’s Episcopal Church. [Photo by Kelley Lincoln]

On Thursday, a heated debate broke out during a community meeting at the site of the proposed Respite Center in Redway. Paul Encimer, a homeless advocate, and other concerned residents propose to use a former church on Whitmore Avenue to provide food and clothing to those with low-incomes and the unhoused. And, to judge from those who showed up at the meeting, this isn’t a popular proposal.

Thursday’s protest

At approximately 6 p.m. on Thursday, about 20 business owners, neighbors, and community members gathered at the former St Andrews Presbyterian Episcopalian Church to protest using the site for services to the homeless. Paul Encimer and a small group of citizens in support of the Respite Center were met with angry objections. 

Business owner and nearby neighbor Patti Butler spoke out against the idea. She said, “Because people choose to live on the street, I have to pick up garbage. I have to pick up their human waste. I have a security system on my building. Now I have an electric entry door on my building because people choose to come harass me at my place of business.”

She pointed out that anit-Respite Center feeling was widespread in the community, “I am not different than anybody else on the block,” she said, “and…I am adamantly opposed to this, and I’ll make sure you do not open this.”

Recent tenants before Encimer left a wake of traumatic feelings in the area surrounding the former church. Neighbors report coping with loud fighting at all hours of the night, barking, menacing dogs and a general feeling of a “tweeker” vibe. At the meeting, some talked about having to install cameras and sensors and feeling frightened. 

One neighbor worried, “The people who were squatting here are gone, and now you are going to invite them back, the very same people.”

Encimer reminded the group of the national nature of the issue, that southern Humboldt is not alone in dealing with a growing number of homeless people. He said, “This country is going down the tubes because we cannot deal with poor people.”

Butler said, “No, we are talking about right here, right now, in Redway.”

Encimer continued, “This very thing is happening everyplace. Go to any city. Go to Iowa. There’s people there having this problem.” Encimer said it was because of systemic problems. He urged the people gathered to understand. “That’s why it’s happening,” he said. “[It’s] not because I’m a bad guy trying to bring bad people to your community. It’s because the system is broken.”

He pointed out that, “It’s not a question of getting some poor bum…a place to stay; you can’t give people who work in the school district a place to stay; you can’t give people who work in the hospital a place to stay. There are no homes here, so people who work here have to live in Fortuna.”

A neighbor who had expressed a lot of safety concerns during the protest said, “You know what it is, is there’s good homeless that are unfortunate, and there’s the other ones that are drug addicted and a little crazy and quite scary. So who’s gonna make sure you’re helping the good homeless and not the bad ones who come here and they start fights with other people and they just do wrong. Who’s gonna make that decision?”

Encimer responded, “We have to give them some kind of embrace, and say ‘I wish something could happen for you.’”

Another neighbor countered, “No. The embrace comes from the County. [The homeless] can go to Garberville. They can get cash aid. They can get food stamps. They can get help with their electric bill.”

The neighbor continued, “They don’t need this place where you welcome them in during the day and lock them out at night for us to deal with. It’s not right.”

The group of protesters sought a second community meeting next Thursday, February 22 at 6 p.m. Encimer agreed. 

Supervisor Fennell’s Response

Supervisor Estelle Fennell, in an interview Friday morning, said that homelessness is a bigger issue than the county can solve at this time. She said, however, that the County does have a lot of resources, and the problem of housing the homeless is being addressed though it is not solved at this time.

Fennel says she is on an ad hoc committee that may form a commission for homelessness solutions. It is possible, she said, that a trust fund can be set up from the sale of a piece of County property unsuitable for use by the homeless, but the sales revenue will support solutions as they emerge. And the proposed Commission will hear proposed solutions from community members and help to develop and guide the most promising through the system.

With regard to this proposed solution, at this proposed location, Fennel points out that she looked at the zoning map. The A-frame is zoned multi-family residential. Every surrounding property is commercial, but in an R3 zone, a day use respite center would not be a principally permitted nor a special use permit activity under its current designation.

A Look at Housing Issues in the United States:

For background, the problem of homelessness in the United States is so significant that the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights has sent two envoys to the United States in the last few months to explore the issue.

The UN website cites housing as a human right under Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The website reads:

Increasingly viewed as a commodity, housing is most importantly a human right. Under international law, to be adequately housed means having secure tenure—not having to worry about being evicted or having your home or lands taken away. … The key to ensuring adequate housing is the implementation of this human right through appropriate government policy and programs, including national housing strategies.”

The most recent visit from the United Nations was by Leilani Farha, a UN special rapporteur on adequate housing, who concentrated specifically on housing issues in California. The Guardian America reported that in San Francisco, Ca there are about 7,500 homeless people. The Guardian asked Farha why she didn’t see homelessness as “a product of individual human frailty.”

According to the article, Farha responded,

If I turned to San Francisco and there were 100 people who were homeless, I might say, ‘hmm, this is probably about psychological disability, drug dependence, a history of sexual abuse in their childhood’ or something like that. I might be able to say that is is very individualized. But when you’re seeing the numbers of people who are homeless here and in every other city, you just know it’s structural.

The Conflict

Meanwhile, as the numbers of those who are homeless continue to climb nationwide, the challenges are difficult to grapple with at the neighborhood level where it impacts businesses and families daily. Southern Humboldt has been meeting and disagreeing about how to respond to its ever-increasing homeless population for at least a decade now.

As in other communities, some people want to provide aid and comfort to their homeless “neighbors” but many others feel that doing so encourages poorly behaving people to congregate and cause problems in an area where such help is provided.

The nation’s inability to address structural problems leading to homelessness has led to clashes of homeless advocates and neighbors concerned about the quality of their life around their homes and businesses across the Emerald counties these last few years.

Next Thursday in Redway, once again, community members from all sides of this debate will have a chance to gather and come to solutions that work for all of them.

 

 

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74 Comments
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Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago

Good lord. If everything is a right, who’s going to exert themselves to work at all? This is a totally unhealthy way to look at a problem.

superd
Guest
superd
6 years ago
Reply to  Guest

hear hear

GOD !
Guest
GOD !
6 years ago
Reply to  superd

Because it’s fun it’s not about the pain and suffering it’s more about the dream and the dreamer some people will not understand they didn’t like my son Jesus Christ Martin Luther King Jr are Mahatma Gandhi they were a bit stubborn willing to give their lives for the chores they were given cleaning up my house is a big job I once knew a white buffalo who came to heal the Earth he got caught up in some barbed wire it was a horrible death Give Peace a chance the time is two seconds before midnight judgment is something I wouldn’t want to eat warm clothes good food we can work together and be a community it starts from the bottom up Unity
I & I if not here then where if not now then when the time is tight if not me then who well climb the mountain they will spit in your face they might even take a holy old man’s life can’t you see when you could not walk we have been trying to carry you to the Promised Land just a few more bridges to cross

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
6 years ago
Reply to  Guest

How could anybody work if they cannot feed, clothe and house themselves?

superd
Guest
superd
6 years ago

let paul encimer house the homeless on his property

GOD !
Guest
GOD !
6 years ago
Reply to  superd

Resanctify my house of worship He is just trying to feed some hungry people a few meal’s here and there and he did rent this place I don’t see why he can’t feed his friends in a place that he rents commercial are not I do not believe he’s in it for the money although a few donations here and there will probably help

Joe dirt
Guest
Joe dirt
6 years ago
Reply to  GOD !

Freedom to give food and clothing to your friends so they aren’t hungry and can stay warm should be against the law oh it is just send them to the FEMA camps that well take care of them

GOD!
Guest
GOD!
6 years ago
Reply to  Joe dirt

Hey Joe Dirt this comment section is actually sounding pretty good you have some really great ideas and where’d you get that haircut

guest45
Guest
guest45
6 years ago
Reply to  GOD !

Paul’s certainly not doing it for the money.

Honeydew Bridge C.H.U.M.P.
Guest
Honeydew Bridge C.H.U.M.P.
6 years ago

People that stacked coin from the drug trade have now become aware of their actions and are angry?

Chickens have come to roost, live in your inflated sense of well being…

Neo Hippie Trash.

Drugs you made money off created this.

Things get right when the last grower moves away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvl7240TZTc

Someone
Guest
Someone
6 years ago

Theres alot of meth leading to these problems. If the powers that be focused even a fraction of the energy they put towards marijuana towards busting meth labs and tweekers it might not be so bad. Definitely a drug fueled issue. But when only one drug is focused on for monetary purposes dont expect to see much change…

Kelley
Guest
Kelley
6 years ago

It seems important to point out: Los Angeles has a tremendous number of people in a tent City in their streets and along the freeway system. California is reported to be short hundreds of thousands of housing units. The california legislature recognizes the problem and is working on a bill to allow construction of small affordable units by homeowners willing to host them in their property.
It’s not the magic cure, but it’s a step toward policy that can make a real difference.

Diesel Dually
Guest
Diesel Dually
6 years ago
Reply to  Kelley

Wallace Neff had a vision of housing people in his domes, study this on youtube or google Wallace Neff Domes.

I still don’t think this is a problem of house vs no house, it’s a problem of will, as in will I participate or will I suck off society…

Cinamon
Guest
Cinamon
6 years ago

What?! I do not think so!!

Chuck U
Guest
Chuck U
6 years ago

Peak credit.

Ben Round
Guest
Ben Round
6 years ago

While a controversial person, Paul Encimer (and his late wife, Kathy Epling) has been working for the homeless for decades. He does not see them the way other people and the larger society thinks of them. I believe that he has empathy. He sees them as (fallible) human beings. He judges them less, or not.
The neighbors, while they sound to have some valid concerns, also seem to be coming from fear.
If these 2 groups can use this opportunity to work together, we can rise above old trappings and dogma. In order for this to succeed, it may help avoid the more radical ‘neighbors’ and let more level headed voices prevail.
I encourage calm, respected, leaders to step up and help forge an understanding.

Reality check
Guest
Reality check
6 years ago
Reply to  Ben Round

“The neighbors, while they sound to have some valid concerns, also seem to be coming from fear.”

Uh…..ok….but fear from what? Oh yeah, please let’s mention ALL of the reasons ….fear because of increased violence and harassment such as the two SHOOTINGS,
vehicles being broken into at night and fear that it’s continuing, increase in strewn used hyperdermic needles that our kids pick up on their way home from school.
Fear of even WALKING BY there because of Fights at all hours of the day and night between the “respite users”, abandoned jalopies outside of the “respite center”, the smell of urine and feces ,
AND that huge funky ass black plastic fence extension…..that CANNOT be legal. I’ll stop right there , but let that sink in
Take a hike with your “PC analysis “ we are dealing with REALITY ON THE GROUND.

Concerned
Guest
Concerned
6 years ago
Reply to  Reality check

The plastic is down

Resident
Guest
Resident
6 years ago
Reply to  Concerned

Because they are not growing right at the moment

guest45
Guest
guest45
6 years ago
Reply to  Resident

Different people.

Ben Round
Guest
Ben Round
6 years ago
Reply to  Reality check

Ok Reality. So. Other than denying people who genuinely need some help, as the site of a former church, what ideas do you have for SOLUTIONS? Seems like a cooperative (resident neighbors and Pauls’ CHILL group, maybe?) ‘Neighborhood Watch’ program would be a start.
Get creative. Not just reactive, please.

Critter
Guest
Critter
6 years ago
Reply to  Ben Round

Thank you for this Ben. Good comment.

Omg keep a look out
Guest
Omg keep a look out
6 years ago
Reply to  Ben Round

Wow …..is all a can say you don’t know the people that live by this ….. .wth

Someone
Guest
Someone
6 years ago

I was homeless for years as a child. It was all because of drug addiction. My family stayed in a shelter. Everyone in there was a drug addict. Giving them a place to eat and sleep at night didnt help them get jobs or homes. It made it easier for them to get drugs during the day. This is not the answer for drug addicted homeless people. Its enablement. And that spot on whitmore has been a crime hotspot. There was a shooting there last year, and crazy tweekers trying to break into peoples cars who work at the feed store, there was a man there reported for child abuse so many times it was appalling, locking his kids outside while he got high, he ended up breaking his daughters arm. That spot doesnt need anymore of this type of people or behavior. Tired of seeing all the drug drama from the homeless everytime i step outside.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
6 years ago
Reply to  Someone

As a former child who has been in this awful situation, do you have any ideas on what we can do for the kids? It’s the plight of the innocents that break my heart, yet I can come up with no ideas on how to help them without enabling the adults who have so thoughtlessly gone forth and multiplied.

Jane doe
Guest
Jane doe
6 years ago
Reply to  Someone

You hit it right on the nose. I was never homeless. But the people that I knew who were homeless were just like you stated. Addicts. Addicts with kids. I wonder how those kids turned out. But you are right ‘giving’ is NOT helping it’s enabling.

GOD !
Guest
GOD !
6 years ago

Times are tough and getting tougher all the time be nice to one another and those of you who can share the food I appreciate it the garden is not lost please respect my planet and each other share the blessings of food

Diesel Dually
Guest
Diesel Dually
6 years ago
Reply to  GOD !

THAT is some of that good Hippie shit right there. Times are improving. Improve yourself. Start a commune, maybe.

Do something. Then do more. Stop whining.

GOD !
Guest
GOD !
6 years ago
Reply to  Diesel Dually

I thought you didn’t want to eat the sandwich some people will eat anything

GOD !
Guest
GOD !
6 years ago
Reply to  Diesel Dually

Communes might be a good idea but that’s something for you to experiment with we are moving on thanks for my bus ticket to Phoenix I’ll keep my sandwich too

Georganne Ross
Guest
Georganne Ross
6 years ago

I moved to Southern Humboldt a year and a half ago, after being interviewed for a job in Garberville. I made plans to live in my vehicle temporarily, as I had heard that there was very little rental housing in the area. (Previously, I lived in San Francisco from ’97-’05, then went back east for a number of years to assist with family caregiving.)

That was 1 1/2 years ago now. Southern Humboldt is my first experience of what it must be like to live in a “banana republic”. I have seen both locals and relative newcomers acting strangely in Southern Humboldt at times. In particular, it seems to me that many of the people living in Southern Humboldt have anger management issues.

I have heard the stories and admonishments about the psychological trauma which has affected Southern Humboldt because of the US Federal drug war since the 1980’s. I have sympathy for those people who have become so paranoid that they hardly trust anyone anymore. I can relate.

However, my conscience and shared humanity brings me to this moment where I must say that the way that “trimmigrants,” hobos and panhandlers are treated in Humboldt County amounts to a human rights violation and should be reported to the United Nations. No one is above the law.

Baby boomers and others who enjoy imparting “lessons”, start thinking less about your bank accounts and more about what kind of environment you want to leave behind. People don’t respect money, they respect kindness and honesty. My two cents as a Humboldt County resident.

Om mani padme hum for the astonishing level of human confusion illustrated in online commentary. 💛💐

Mogtx
Guest
6 years ago

I’m so sick of the tweeker bums that have Ruin ed redway, and garberville I was born in garb hospital in 1960 been her all my life .so I can sadly day I’m sick of it . The powers that need be need to keep busting ,and a heroin and the crank forget about marijuana. If there’s no speed & no heroin they’ll go somewhere else. Sheriff honsel is a good guy, and not doing this just to get reelected the recent 5lb bust which is just great news.

Central HumCo
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Mogtx

Billy Honsal is not up for re-elect – WE DIDN’T ELECT HIM- not sworn into office, no oath, no bond = no chain of command in place. He’s a private male wearing a costume w/a badge, and armed. And, Coroner status of course.

Just wait til we go up in flames this Aug/Sept via Firestorm meters attached to most all of our homes and businesses. Billy won’t have a clue. Who’s on first? FEMA, Army Corp. of Engineers, and HHS (my fave) are ready and trained – the phucking U.S. INC. infil-traitors that the local criminals and thieves (elected and appointed) greet w/open arms of years of GRANTS.

Ben Round has the right idea, the most important issue facing us is – DRAIN ‘THE COUNTY’ SWAMP, of double-digit IQ Order Followers. It will go a long way solving the problems.

Someone
Guest
Someone
6 years ago

Id like to see southern humboldt set up schools for all the young special needs children who live here and have access to minimal services because theres nothing available for them here instead of giving all the aid and tax money to street bums and the police departments. Got people on here talking about the environment you wanna leave your kids and future generations? Give that assistance to the future generations instead of the failed generations that supply our streets with violence, drugs, and buy alcohol and tobacco for your kids in exchange for the wee bit of change from the purchase. And quite frankly people in humboldt, lake and mendocino counties are sick of the waves of trimmigrants coming here from out of state with no plan, no gauranteed work, just a dream of marijuana land, and then end up stuck here, murdered, missing or drug addicted and homeless. We dont need to worry so much how the trimmigrants and pan handlers are treated, they themselves need to make better and more well rounded decisions for themselves. Its not our fault this happens to the trimmers and panhandlers. They made their own decision to come here and do what they did. Spend that money making your schools better.

Recall Estelle
Guest
Recall Estelle
6 years ago

Do you think that one of the highest paid supervisors in the the state cares about her district’s problems that she neglected to head off at the pass years ago when she first got into office? No. She would rather help botch cannabis legalization in the county while the rest of the state passes us by and we lose our industry.

JD
Guest
JD
6 years ago

I thought it was an Episcopal church???

Sam
Guest
Sam
6 years ago
Reply to  JD

Long time ago…

Kelley
Guest
Kelley
6 years ago
Reply to  JD

You are correct.

Shak
Guest
Shak
6 years ago

I’d like to see this problem fixed, not enabled and not ignored. But that would take a huge step in uniting as one and exposing the root of the problem itself instead of just the symptoms. It’s going to get worse, a LOT worse, if we don’t unite together against the sum of all evils.
Behold a Pale Horse is an excellent read. The senate hearings about mk ultra performed unwittingly in safe houses, mental institutions, prisons, churches, randomly on the streets of yourtownusa, entire towns through the water system, and especially in Universities.
Grants with strings attached, provided by shell companies. Studies finished, now activated fully.

It’s not just a fight between yesway and noway. It’s a fight for our lives.
Dig. Research. Unite. FIGHT.

Diesel Dually
Guest
Diesel Dually
6 years ago

Estelle Fennel is the most dysfunctional and corrupt person in SoHum, an area inhabited mostly by dysfunctional and corrupt people.

Since you all love NPO’s so much, why don’t you start another one, to support the bleeding heart causes you love to make special! Hell, feed the bums, give them a nice foot massage, buy them a carton of smokes, an Airstream Trailer, all the booze they can drink, 5 pounds of weed a month each and give them all a big goodnight kiss every night! Drive them up to Garberville so they can get free medical care at JPH, and write their mothers for them!

It is very misguided to give to the people who flip you off and laugh at you for working, supporting your families, respecting your neighbors and being decent citizens!

The best thing you can do for the homeless, is nothing! Give them nothing!

Being a bum in the streets should be SO hard that nobody wants to be a bum!

Give the bums a ride in a patrol car WAY out past the town limits, and take their photos while giving them a stern lecture on what will happen to them if they return! Drop them off and wave! Thanks bums! Don’t come back ya’all, hear?

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
6 years ago
Reply to  Diesel Dually

DD, what do you suggest we do with the children?

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
6 years ago
Reply to  Anon Forrest

Same thing likely in their delusional mind the kids are just mini “Tweekers”!!!!

Diesel Dually
Guest
Diesel Dually
6 years ago
Reply to  Dan Fuller

You both know I am not referring to women and children, who must always be protected and supported.

vic
Guest
vic
6 years ago
Reply to  Anon Forrest

Remove them from their parents and put them into Foster Care.. Where they can be safe..

Veteran's Friend
Guest
Veteran's Friend
6 years ago

Y’all are awesome. You complain & complain, but when someone steps up to offer actual, practical help…you disparage their efforts. How do you propose to solve the situation?
Other than shipping “those people” out of this area…which is even less than a bandaid as it simply shifts it to someone else’s back yard…what do you DO to improve the situation?

GOD !
Guest
GOD !
6 years ago

I see what you’re saying and I will let Paul know that I stand behind him both financially and spiritually it is not an easy thing caring for people having a hard time respect and God bless I&I

JD
Guest
JD
6 years ago

They should have left Paul’s book store alone. At least it was in sort of a commercial zone.

But the landlord wanted to rent it out for more money, a cross section of the Garberville Chamber wanted to gentrify the town, and the good times would never end.

Now a year or more later, businesses are closing right and left and the old book store is still empty. Even the trimmigrants didn’t show up this year in any of the numbers like in the past.

Way to go.

guest45
Guest
guest45
6 years ago
Reply to  JD

yep

msknowitall
Guest
msknowitall
6 years ago

It’s impossible to sort out the “good” homeless from the “bad” homeless. Whether or not anyone “deserves” a place to stay, or related benefits, is irrelevant. The issue is, if there’s nowhere for people to live, they where they can. On the street, in the woods, wherever. If thrown out of one place, they appear in another. Because what else can they do? All this causes problems for us lucky (or maybe deserving — but who knows, really) housed people. Bad problems. So — find people a place to live. For your own sake and the sake of your neighbors and your community.
The principle cause of homelessness is lack of housing, particularly for people of low (or no income). Estelle is correct: this is not a problem that any one community or county can solve. But I’m thinking about the fact that in California every region has an Integrated Water Management District, which works across county lines to deal with issues of water quality — since watersheds don’t respect county lines. Why not have regional Integrated Housing Solutions Districts specifically to deal with these problems on a regional basis? Every community has to take its share of responsibility, of the pain and the benefits.
I agree with Patti Butler and the neighbors that it’s unfair and unreasonable to locate homeless services in a residential area close to a school (I think that lot is zoned for commercial use, and it’s right near the feed store, but c’mon — there’s homes all around it and Redway Elementary). But I’d like to see a meeting where people focus on what the alternatives are, with a will to doing something, instead of just expressing their fear and anger, and then turning on each other.

Georganne Ross
Guest
Georganne Ross
6 years ago
Reply to  msknowitall

Hear hear. Seconded.

Diesel Dually
Guest
Diesel Dually
6 years ago

Please don’t call it “housed”, as being able to live in security and comfort is almost always the result of sustained and focused effort. This effort is what is missing in the lives of many of the men who are living in the streets and sponging off everyone else.

If they are “unhoused”, it is not a failure of the community, or society, it is a failure of personal effort. Nothing more.

If I have a home, a vehicle, a job, it is a result of planning and application of education and labor. In this country, there is so much wealth, so much work, so many opportunities! For anyone at all to make excuses for themselves, to give up exhibiting the will to make a living and accepting the handouts of a fat and wealthy society, it’s disgusting far beyond mere affront.

Homeless is a lifestyle choice, not something that just happens!

Veteran's Friend
Guest
Veteran's Friend
6 years ago
Reply to  Diesel Dually

Blaming people for not working or being homeless in an area with neither jobs or homes makes you sound both meanspirited & ignorant.

jj
Guest
jj
6 years ago

Bullshit. I’ve moved around a lot, if I couldn’t find a job and a place to live somewhere, I’d move on and keep moving on until I did find a place and a job. The proposed “Respite Center” seems more like a clubhouse for tweekers, troublemakers and the enabled.

Diesel Dually
Guest
Diesel Dually
6 years ago
Reply to  jj

AND: SoHum has both homes and jobs, for those able to sustain an act of will long enough. I myself had both there for years…

Perspective
Guest
Perspective
6 years ago

People staying in a place with no jobs or housing makes them ignorant. Who the f@ck does move onto a place that has what they are looking for?

Jilly
Guest
Jilly
6 years ago
Reply to  Diesel Dually

Hunger is not just a mindset, as mean old Ben Carson puts it. Obviously they have overwhelming problems and lack of resources or support. What would Jesus say or do? Or Buddha do, or anyone who has an ounce of humanity left? or in fact, anyone who cares ?

Memy Selfandi
Guest
Memy Selfandi
6 years ago
Reply to  Diesel Dually

The arrogant and ignorant myth of self determination as being the end all and be all of success and failure. Look back if you are brave enough and humble and wise enough to dare to see all the support you received from birth to be where you are today; not matter less than ideal you had enough support and luck to be where you are. Hard work is simply not enough and many homeless, particularly those over 50 have worked their asses to the bone for nothing and/or suffered atrocities you cannot even begin to comprehend and enduring that and managing the emotional fall out, particularly in a cruel culture such as ours, is a full-time job plus.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago

Yes J D it was the Episcopalian Church

Send Them Packing ove to pauls house
Guest
Send Them Packing ove to pauls house
6 years ago

Do we really have to even discuss this? His shit hole bookstore and the disrespect to the veterans memorial in Garberville are his creations.

Ben Round
Guest
Ben Round
6 years ago

“Shit Hole”…..? Where have I heard that before, recently???

Give a Chance while you find a solution
Guest
Give a Chance while you find a solution
6 years ago

Thank you Paul Encimer for at least trying to find a solution (other then ‘send them away so someone else can deal with them’). Maybe if we are able to put a homeless person into a vagina, then the ‘republicans’ would take steps to protect them. We know how little they care about people once they are born (and I don’t think the democrats are much better). There isn’t an easy answer, but many people who are trying to help the homeless aren’t doing it because they want more homeless people to come to their community. It is because some think it is their (and our) responsibility to take take care of each other. The homeless need a long term solution. The fact that there are so few drug treatment programs available; that we ‘praise’ predatory behavior from corporations and politicians; that schools don’t teach real history (ignore how predatory businesses destroying people and the planet), all contribute to people falling off the ledge. The homeless also should have some responsibility for their well-being, but we don’t live in a fair and compassionate society. And not all will be saved no matter what society does. Let’s focus on the ones that can be helped.

Memy Selfandi
Guest
Memy Selfandi
6 years ago

So well said “Give peace a chance….”
Also, Social Democracies and perhaps parliaments are better than the Republican/Democrat either/or black and white politics of our country. Sanders is a great alternative who has worked tirelessly and consistently on community health and well being. I hope we take politics more seriously in the future and look at global examples such as the Netherlands, Denmark and other countries with systems that support proactively the vulnerable.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Memy Selfandi

Well apparently the Russian trolls picked him too.

Omg keep a look out
Guest
Omg keep a look out
6 years ago

So who will be at the meeting?????

Kim O'hara
Guest
Kim O'hara
6 years ago

This place is not a good spot for this! Children walk past here to go to school. There is preschool just a half a block up from here and an elementary school. The children deserve a safe walk to and from school. I live around the corner from this place. A lot of foot traffic to and from there all hours of the night!! I get it. We need a human resource spot. But why not up in the evergreen? Where it’s just business and not a residential area. We all in the neighborhood have cameras now because of all the breaking in and people stealing. There’s been multiple break in the area. It’s not ok!!! I have found junkie needles in my yard where my kid plays. So now I have to continuously check my fenced in yard for them so my child doesn’t get ahold of them. This is NOT the place for something like this!!!!

Memy Selfandi
Guest
Memy Selfandi
6 years ago
Reply to  Kim O'hara

If there was adequate mental health care, addiction treatment and proactive programs and investment then you would not be finding needles in your yard. Support for people via social workers used to be far greater and kept people from going down the drain..now we fund billionaires and corporations instead of our social infrastructure and look how well that is NOT working for US.
If community don’t care about the suffering they sure as sh!t won’t care about community and yards, etc.. Most crimes against children are committed by someone they know, someone housed. Also, a place for homeless to get help means those homeless are known to the community thereby and IF they are potentially dangerous it will be known far faster than it is when folks are behind closed doors in their own home. Better for children to see compassion than to see community treating the vulnerable worse than dogs which will teach your child to do the same no matter what you say; actions speak louder than words.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Memy Selfandi

There is no “adequate” in the lexicon of the blamers and complainers. Anything done will never be enough or be done wrong and it certainly will never be the fault of the hectoring in the name of humanity that nothing is changed. They know who to blame and their world revolves around making sure the failures are assigned.

Taurus Ballzhoff
Guest
Taurus Ballzhoff
6 years ago

Help the homeless by taking them to the Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in Redway. Meetings are starting often. Take the homeless to Mental Health services, help them by getting them counseling, occupational therapy, rehab.

Giving free housing, food, funds, we call this codependency. It makes YOU feel better, but it does not improve the situation for the person living in the street.

Help the homeless with tough love, and referrals to services. Give to the free box at SHCHD, and give to SHCHD foundation when you can.

Good luck SoHum, peace to everyone.

Memy Selfandi
Guest
Memy Selfandi
6 years ago

Those meeting have been around for nearly 100 years and if they help you or someone you know then great AND acting like it helps everyone who needs help or even the majority who do is self-centered and ineffective. Your solution is not everyone’s and you surely don’t want them telling you there is only one way or the hi way solutions for your problems, problems you have the luxury of keeping behind closed doors of your home
.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Memy Selfandi

Giving away other people’s money is not being a better person. Not respecting the wants of other people is not a democracy. And not respecting the property of those who spent their life working for it is not a solution to anything.

No one should be able to use the bad behavior of some as a weapon to beat up others who behaved more responsibly.

How about thanking those people who did not chose to abuse drugs, who planned for their future, who did not engage in illegal enterprises and who pride themselves on self sufficiency so that there is actually some resources left in the world to take care of those who are not self sufficient?

I've got it
Guest
I've got it
6 years ago

I don’t think the problem is drugs… It’s the cost of drugs. Why don’t we open a facility that hands out free drugs to the homeless? Free drugs = more money in the hands of the homeless… then they can buy there own food and probably pay rent too.

nobody
Guest
nobody
6 years ago

it seems to me that some of thees people are such assholes that nobody normal would want to live around or with them.

GOD !
Guest
GOD !
6 years ago

A big part of the problem on both sides of the fence our community center Falls into debt is that our community like a fractal in a kaleidoscope the haves and haves not all stuck in one picture as long as there is first class and second class citizens in any Nation I don’t like that word but it might be true just a Stranger On The Bus the Fix is believing that it is possible equally for all does that mean I have to share wow this could be a problem

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