Transient Deaths Increase in Winter 2023 as Eureka Looks for Emergency Shelter Site

In January of this year, women hold signs with photos of Jestine Green, a former Southern Humboldt woman, who died after taking shelter in a Eureka dumpster. [Photo by Ryan Hutson]

Extreme weather complicates life for those on the fringes of the housing crisis, not only exacerbating negative physical conditions for those with health concerns experiencing homelessness, but also adding to their level of hardship overall. When suicide rates increase and depression sets in during the winter months and around holidays, challenging weather can sometimes be the tipping point for a person in desperate need of security. 

As Humboldt County continues to wade through an extra cold, extended winter with some areas around the Humboldt Bay region dropping into unusually frigid low temperatures close to sea level, and seeing unrelenting snowfall at higher elevations, the locally unhoused population is particularly vulnerable as immediate shelter and temporary housing is hard to come by. Harsh winter weather can have deadly effects on the human heart, so much so that doctors advise that people with heart conditions such as high blood pressure or heart disease avoid exposure to it.

CAN A CHILL REALLY KILL?

Doctors have known for years about the risk that cold weather puts added stress on the heart, and studies of heart health continue to show a link between cold weather and adverse heart health developments like blood clotting and in some cases, full cardiac arrest. Because cold temperatures cause blood vessels to constrict, and become more narrow in order to conserve body heat by minimizing heat loss from the blood and help regulate the body’s normal internal temperature, one’s blood pressure increases. 

The National Institutes of Health, as well as the American Heart Association, UC Health, and Banner Health among others, all assert that the connection between cold temperatures and mortality rates from heart attacks are found to affect most people, but are particularly concerning for at-risk heart patients. For example, if a person with pre-existing heart disease becomes hypothermic, and the body temperature has fallen below 35 degrees Celsius or about 95 degrees Fahrenheit, the body can’t produce enough energy to keep the internal body temperature warm enough, and this can exacerbate the strain on one’s heart and entire cardiovascular system. Doctors also acknowledge that adding into the big picture the stress and anxiety which shadows every homeless community member compounds negative health impacts during the harshest of outdoor conditions. 

As explained by Dr. Will Baker, a cardiologist with UCHealth Heart and Vascular Clinics, symptoms of hypothermia include a lack of coordination, mental confusion, slowed reactions, shivering and sleepiness – all of which can compound heart-related health concerns in cold weather, and can lead to death in extreme cases.

In addition to the unusually cold temperatures plaguing the North Coast recently, high winds, snow and rain also can steal body heat. The American Heart Association (AHA) explains that wind combined with cold is especially dangerous, because it removes the layer of heated air from around your body. “At 30 degrees Fahrenheit in a 30-mile per hour wind, the cooling effect is equal to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Similarly, dampness causes the body to lose heat faster than it would at the same temperature in drier conditions,” according to the AHA. 

A graphic from the 2022 Point In Time Count reflects a total of 756 “Chronically Homeless” people, defined by the department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as “an individual with a disabling condition or a family with a head of household with a disabling condition who has been continuously homeless on the streets and in shelters for 1 year or more, or has experienced 4 or more episodes of homelessness totaling at least 12 months on the streets and in shelters in the past 3 years.”

Humboldt’s winter weather has been particularly troubling for the homeless community, which is spread across the county between rural enclaves and more urban areas.  Roughly 80% of those people are considered “chronically unsheltered” and making do outdoors this winter. The city of Eureka alone claims 500 unsheltered homeless people on any given night, within city boundaries. 

While the county Coroner’s office often does routine autopsies of individuals who pass away by unknown or suspicious circumstances, an autopsy report does not reflect the “manner” or reason for a death – which would generally be determined by a deputy coroner as either homicide, suicide, natural or accidental – as opposed to the medical “cause of death” which is established by an autopsy performed by coroner with an MD. Essentially, determining the “how” of a person’s death came about is noted on a death certificate, but not on an autopsy report. 

INCREASED MORTALITY RATE 

The county has experienced a general uptick in deaths across the board in the past year or more, according to feedback from the county coroner’s office, and that includes homeless, or deaths of transient individuals without a discernible address or residence. Since January, at least 10 people have died in various circumstances, while being homeless and unsheltered, or perhaps in their vehicle (collision or not), compared to three in the same two month time period last year.  An increase in fentanyl use has been noted as a possible factor in this increased mortality rate, however, has not been found as a factor in the three cases reviewed and discussed below. 

Several of this year’s transient deaths were of people who passed away on a night where wind, rain, and bone-chilling cold had conspired with Humboldt’s lack of emergency shelter facilities in a tragic and perhaps preventable turn of circumstances.  Within this at-risk population, the first to die this winter was in December, and so is not included in the list of 10 homeless deaths this year.  The woman passed away with her small dog by her side at a makeshift tarp-tent combo out in the elements was a familiar face to Arcata’s police officers and City Hall staff, because the woman slept on their stoop nearly every night for the past year or more. 

On December 5th, Nancy Ann Barnes was found by city staff in the morning, and pronounced dead at the scene. Barnes’ small furry companion would have barred her from entry at Eureka’s Rescue Mission and at Betty Chinn’s facilities. Her death was not considered suspicious according to Arcata Police Chief Ahearn, and at that time prior to any autopsy, was widely thought to have been negatively affected by the drastically cold weather that rolled in that week.

As explained by a staff member at the county coroner’s office, generally speaking, a death is not likely to be attributed to “exposure” when there other identifiable sources to blame, such as a heart attack, or an overdose – so, while exposure to the elements may have been at play, it is not necessarily listed as the cause of death, or even as a contributing factor. 

File folder containing confidential autopsy reports. [Photo by Ryan Hutson]

As noted in our earlier article on Barnes’ death at Arcata City Hall, an Emergency Shelter Alert was issued for the Humboldt Bay region regarding December 5th and 6th, stating “an outdoor low temperature is expected to be as low as 30 degrees” and that “the National Weather Service reported a low of 43, and a lot of rain, over 1.25 inches in the Arcata Area,” on the evening of Sunday the 4th.  

For people with a relatively healthy cardiovascular system, this cold-weather constriction shouldn’t cause any real problems. However, for those people who already suffer from coronary artery disease, the cold “may lead to a blockage in the artery, which could cause a heart attack,” explained doctor Richard N. Fogoros, MD, who is a retired professor of medicine, and is board-certified in internal medicine, clinical cardiology, and clinical electrophysiology. 

Dr. Fogoros details how cold temperatures can cause a heart attack, particularly for a person already diagnosed with heart disease, and in the case of Nancy Barnes, perfectly articulates her condition as reflected in the autopsy report done by the Humboldt County Coroner.  “For those with coronary artery disease,” wrote Dr. Fogoros, “cold temperatures can trigger episodes of cardiac ischemia (when the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen). This can cause episodes of angina, when the heart doesn’t receive enough blood flow, or even heart attacks.” 

A small ring of rose petals was laid around tiny flowers placed to form a heart in remembrance of Nancy Ann Barnes the morning after her death at Arcata City Hall in December. [Photo by Ryan Hutson]

Since Nancy Barnes died on the steps of Arcata City Hall in December, an additional 10 deaths have been reported in the county between January and the end of February. These are generally characterized as transient deaths, people without a registered address, or identifiable residence. The following unhoused community members are 3 of the 10 counted in the first two months of the year:

• Jestine Green, a local homeless woman whose death was likely the result of a desperate attempt to seek shelter in an unsafe location, occurred on January 5, 2023 according to an autopsy report completed thereafter. 

• Emmerson Johnson was found dead in Redway on February 16, 2023 as a result of hanging. According to a friend of the unsheltered homeless man, as reported by KMUD News, his death by suicide was attributed to the intolerable freezing temperatures that week. 

• 

  A social media post by HHEAL announced a memorial for Peter Roelse, March 7th. Roelse’s death at a bus stop shocked local family member Dottie Russell, who questioned the county’s ability to provide support to those in need during public comment at the city’s meeting regarding how to create a sanctioned encampment in Eureka.

  Peter Roelse was found dead in Eureka on a bus stop bench, on the morning of February 28, 2023. He was another local homeless community member unable to find adequate shelter the night he died. Pending a review of his autopsy report, the cause of Roelse’s death remains to be determined. This autopsy report was not complete at the time of publishing this article. 

In an interview January 14th with Tiffany Laffoon from HHEAL (Humboldt Housing Expertise And Leadership) during a rally for policy reform in Eureka, and protesting the death of Jestine Green, Laffoon said, “she was sheltering in a recycling bin, and got picked up and died in there…” A review of Green’s autopsy report confirms her death was caused by “mechanical-traumatic asphyxia, due to external pressure-compression of the trunk,” and noted the presence of a small amount of methamphetamine and THC with a toxicology screening. No other substances were found.

Reflecting on Green’s death later in the conversation at the time, Laffoon added, “nobody wants to crawl inside of a trash can, that’s not fun for anyone. But this weather has been so gnarly – people have to go wherever they can, and they’re still being harassed and swept away from building overhangs and things, even while the weather is awful.” 

In regard to Emerson Johnson’s death by suicide, Nezzie Wade of Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives (AHHA) described him as “a very well loved member of the community,” and a said outreach workers knew him as a person who “was a special creature, set wholly apart by his whimsical nature and an endless desire to help others..he was so gentle and caring… but he would give it all away, saving nothing for himself….”

On March 15 at Dean Creek  R V Park there will be a Community Shower Day for currently unhoused campers in southern Humboldt. Wade said, “at the event there will be a time to honor Emerson from 12-1pm. There will be food and all sponsored by Redwoods Rural Health Center and Dean Creek RV Park.”

There have been limited shelter options made available across the county apart from the Rescue Mission and Women and Children’s Shelter in Old Town, and Betty Chinn’s village and day center, which has limited availability. In Arcata, for people able to travel about 12 miles north of Eureka via the highway, there is The Grove, an extreme weather shelter operated by Arcata House Partnership.  Arcata’s Extreme Weather Shelter has been up and running since early January in response to this year’s unexpectedly challenging storms, in order to help support unhoused individuals.  

TO CAMP, OR NOT TO CAMP IN EUREKA

Given that Eureka’s municipal code strictly prohibits camping in a broad swath of the city, there are essentially no designated areas aside from those existing facilities where people seeking emergency shelter can find to retreat to in the face of lashing winds and strong, icy penetrating winds. Per the City’s code, it is unlawful and considered a public nuisance to camp voluntarily, occupy camp facilities or “use camp paraphernalia” in, on or under any public property, except as permitted by an exception approved expressly or by Policy adopted by the City Council.  It is also considered unlawful per Eureka’s city laws, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, to camp, occupy camp facilities or use camp paraphernalia in, on or under any public property in a prohibited place any time during daylight hours. 

A bus stop at Sunny & Myrtle Avenue flanks an unused parking lot near a greenbelt area in Eureka, where a person sits with a pile of bundled up belongings. [Photo by Ryan Hutson]

Mayor Kim Bergel and Eureka’s city council members have yet to initiate a temporary emergency homeless shelter for the Eureka area, although recent deaths of unsheltered community members have drawn some scrutiny from advocates for the homeless community. While the city of Eureka is inviting property owners to enter into a lease agreement with the city in order to develop a city sanctioned, encampment, site, or emergency triage shelter for homeless community members at the street level, stakeholders, and outreach workers would like to see a more proactive, city or county-initiated approach. 

An advocate for homeless solutions, Nezzie Wade of AHHA was worried, but hopeful when reached for comment, saying she was “extremely concerned” about recent deaths outdoors, adding, “and it is commensurate with the extreme  weather. I am always concerned for folks that don’t have a safe place to be. AHHA’s meme is Safe, Warm, Dry first! And we believe that there should be truly low barrier spaces available for people experiencing homelessness. With this weather and the deaths that have occurred this winter, we should all be clamoring for alternative places for people to get out of the weather and more. This is so hard on people and we/city and county could do more to help. It is hard on all of us. We have a declared shelter crisis. We are actively in a crisis- people are dying and suffering. We all see this daily in our communities….”  

Offering her insight on what could be done immediately in attempt to remedy the crisis, Wade wrote, “The city could rent or lease spaces or allow their parking lots (which are slated to eventually become low income housing projects) to be used for an immediate campsite for people who otherwise would be on the street or without a safe place to be. They could just say, we are committed to opening this space by tomorrow and ask for help. They could offer some general funds… All of this takes energy and effort to arrange and it is doable.” 

In spite of these logistical and social hurdles to progress on the homeless front, at least one potential location is in the process of being assessed by the city in concert with property stakeholders. When reached for comment on the matter, Slattery offered this assurance in regard to looking for a location suitable for accommodating a homeless encampment or safe parking/camping area, responding via email, “We have been looking to do so for years, and continue to do so.” 

AHHA’s Nezzie Wade attended the city’s sanctioned encampment workshop earlier this month, was dissatisfied with the approach of relying on a private property owner to offer up space for such an undertaking. Wade explained, “The City could and should open up spaces and then seek community support from all the players, including those actively experiencing homelessness.. Seriously, there are a lot of great ideas and, yes, it takes money but there are better alternatives that we keep not implementing because of the incompatibility of the money and rules about shelter and housing. We need to focus on what people need and can do/want for their lives and how and what we can do to provide immediate solutions and not have the barriers that government imposes that make them undoable. City needs to commit and take the initiative by making space available.”

Promising to keep us apprised, Mayor Bergel wasn’t at liberty to discuss any developments currently in the works until the details are hammered out, but did say that if and when an emergency shelter space is configured, it will be “so exciting” and that she looks forward to informing the public of any transitional, ground-level temporary housing or encampment accommodations.  

Earlier:

• ‘Which Bad Decision Do You Make?’ Greenbelt Sweep in Eureka Displaces Dozens, Removes Tons of Trash {Award Winning Journalism}
• Death at City Hall
• Victim in Dumpster Death Remembered by Protestors at the Courthouse Today
• ‘Where do you want me to go?’ Tents, Trash, and Trauma in Eureka
• ‘We don’t know where to go’: Caltrans and CHP Cleared the Greenbelt in North Eureka Again Yesterday
• Another Homeless Death in Humboldt Prompts Outrage at Eureka’s Authorized Encampment Workshop