Supes Discussion On No Camping Law Morphs Into ‘Compassionate Assistance’
‘We lead with compassion,’ said Humboldt County Sheriff Billy Honsal.
Torn between wanting to help homeless people and addressing the problems they cause when they camp on county properties, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors has given direction to staff to pursue “compassionate assistance.”
The seemingly intractable issues related to homelessness were discussed at length at the Nov. 4 supervisors meeting. The Supervisors considered drafting an ordinance to ban overnight camping on county properties.
The discussion was sponsored by Southern Humboldt Supervisor Michelle Bushnell, who said the idea “is not about removing houseless folks, it’s about what can be accomplished if there was an ordinance that says that we could work with them.”
Sheriff Billy Honsal said laws against trespassing and other offenses are being used to get people to leave the areas they’re camping in.
He also talked about helping them, saying “we lead with compassion” when dealing with illegal encampments and “we are enforcing those laws in order to help people get to an area where they can become housed.”
But he described the camping as widespread and causing public health issues.
“They are polluting the environment by urinating, defecating, disposing of garbage throughout those camps,” he said.
Public Works Director Tom Mattson said the county spends up to $150,000 a year on waste disposal related to illegal camping.
He said laws like no parking ordinances help but “an overall public ordinance would probably be very helpful in shortening the timeline when these issues come up.”
But Supervisor Natalie Arroyo said a similar public area no camping law was enacted when she was on the Eureka City Council and it wasn’t effective.
“It proved, in my opinion, to not be very utilized or helpful but it did create a lot of strife,” she continued. “And I have, frankly, very little appetite to go down that road again because almost always there was another law or rule in place already on the books that could be utilized.”
The idea of a new law was discouraged during a public comment period, with one speaker saying “criminalizing homelessness does not work every single time” and another saying “if you want people to throw stuff away then you should provide places for them to do that” and she added the same applies to bathroom facilities.
The nexus between law enforcement and social work was discussed at length by supervisors and Honsal.
He said homeless people are living under “deplorable conditions” and “for the person that is stuck in these conditions, I want to see better for them.”
Bushnell said the enforcement angle could act as a lever for accepting help in some cases. She related her personal experience with a close family member – her mother.
“I had places for her many times and she refused to go because she didn’t have to leave,” said Bushnell. “She could have came and stayed with me – she didn’t want to. She chose under the bridge and nobody told her she had to leave there.”
Bushnell added, “If she had been told even one time that she had to leave, then maybe she would have taken another option that was handed to her or given to her, but she didn’t.”
She said although some homeless people will not accept offers of help, others will and “it is our responsibility to help them get those options that are going to make their living conditions better.”
Michele Stephens of the county’s Department of Health and Human Services said the department is preparing an annual report on housing and homelessness and “it might be good for you all if you’re interested in pursuing an ordinance to hear more about what the changes have been in the landscape what might be coming.”
With the discussion immersed in the myriad issues surrounding homelessness, Supervisor Steve Madrone made a motion to form a committee comprised of staff and two supervisors to look into making a “compassionate assistance ordinance.”
There wasn’t much direction beyond that but the motion was approved in a 4-1 vote. Arroyo voted against it, as she has doubts whether it will be a good use of staff time.
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Why do we keep dancing around the “homeless problem”… There is NO help. We need mental health facilities with enforced confinement and counseling. It is cruel to allow feral humans to live in the canyons and under the bridges.
On several occasions I have personally tried to help homeless people. Another person and I helped what we thought was a very deserving person. We got him a used trailer and a place to put it. He stayed there and was very appreciative. He ended up with four dogs that he couldn’t take care. of.
He was paranoid and thought that other people were to to get him. He left his dogs in the trailer and went to Oregon. We didn’t see him for months. When he came back he couldn’t understand why his stuff was gone. They “made him leave Oregon.”… (paranoia)
He would take any kind of drug that he thought that he could get high on. He took a bunch of Tylenol because somebody told him that it would make him feel good. He almost died. I could go on… and on.
Please believe me when I tell you that most homeless can not be helped without forced help in a facility designed for helping them. Yeah, mental hospitals are a nightmare. So is dying under a bridge in the dirt.
I’m old enough to have seen mental hospitals work. One case in particular was a man that was a drunk. The cops took him to the mental hospital where “They dried him out”. When they released him and told to go home and clean up his life, or he could have his own place to live in the Mental Hospital. He decided that staying sober and having a job was a better option.
Have fun, I had my naive turn at it.
I think Michelle understands. My sympathies Michell.
I’ve always called what you’re saying “institutionalization”. I think it’s the only way the problem will ever be resolved but I don’t think the resources or desire is there to do it. Maybe eventually the zeitgeists will change after we keep throwing money at the problem and it keeps getting worse. That is what I see happening now. More money = problem keeps growing.
That was recommended to the board over twenty years ago and they still kick the can down the road. In the meantime they have blocked traditional access to rivers, the bay and other places as a preventative, to the exclusion of the rest of us. They are absolutely incapable of solving problems. Next they will want to tax us more.
“Why do we keep dancing around the “homeless problem”… There is NO help. We need mental health facilities with enforced confinement and counseling. It is cruel to allow feral humans to live in the canyons and under the bridges.”
Agree 100% but unless the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act (adopted in 1967) is amended it’s very difficult to involuntarily confine people who are mentally ill.
The best that can be done locally is to
adopt no camping laws and enforce them.
Bushnell is correct that many homeless have other options but without an ordinance that prohibits camping there’s no incentive for the homeless to use those options.
Dead on. We could accommodate 1500 people on 20 acres. Punch a road on county property and put tents down both sides. Quick and easy infrastructure install.
Way too many lobbying for too many NGOs is how we spend too much money on failed philosophies.
Really always has been my question, why not a county camp? Like they have shut down state and county camp grounds. Why not open them back up provide supplies and a shuttle van schedule and I bet it could cost less than they claim to spend cleaning up camps. Cheaper than any other ‘institutional’ solution, could make one like a county farm and sentence folks there for camping illegally, for the ones that end up in the legal system.
Bushnell is NOT correct no matter she her claims about her mother with no further details or others confirming claims though it gives people and easy out to go with her story. We’ve already had and still have forced confinement and medication EVEN when people have not been a threat to themselves and others. The Lanterman Act protected folks with Developmental Disabilities much better than those with mental health issues; there are some 24/7 resources for DD whereas people with mental health/injury struggles have an hour a week or two if they are lucky and meds and that is it. EPD and Sempervirons can do horrendous things to people that never make it to the news. You are both privileged and also lucky to not know better.
What makes it worse is that we allow hard drugs to be easily accessible to these mentally confused folk. It doesn’t help!! But we allow it to go on and we allow predator dealers to take advantage and then we despise the homeless for being on drugs…Most of them have mental or emotional issues and they self- medicate trying to feel better. Why do we allow this sick cycle to continue?? Oh yeah- “compassion” from the “progressives” who love the nanny state. Well…compassion is not what the current situation is. Compassion is not throwing these folk to the wolves and the elements. Time to wake tfu
🧨 Taxes are cut. Services are cut.
Then we act shocked when the safety net snaps and people fall through.
You want to know why folks self-medicate? Because despair is cheaper than therapy. Because trauma doesn’t come with a co-pay waiver. Because hopelessness is easier to distribute than housing.
So yeah—TTMFR (Tax the Morbidly F****** Rich) and CTFMB (Cut the F****** Military Budget) because maybe if we stop funding endless war and start funding actual healing, we’ll find out why people reach for drugs in the first place.
And maybe—just maybe—we’ll stop mistaking neglect for compassion.
Here is a drug anyone can get:
Huffing is a form of substance abuse involving the inhalation of fumes from common household products such as spray paint, glue, cleaning agents, or gasoline to achieve a euphoric high. The practice, also known as sniffing or inhalant abuse, typically involves soaking a cloth or rag in the substance and holding it over the nose and mouth to inhale the vapors. The primary chemical responsible for the high in paint-based huffing is toluene, which rapidly enters the bloodstream and stimulates the brain’s pleasure centers, releasing dopamine and contributing to its addictive potential. This method is particularly dangerous due to the risk of sudden sniffing death syndrome (SSDS), asphyxiation, and long-term damage to the brain, liver, kidneys, and heart.
Short-term effects of huffing include dizziness, confusion, slurred speech, loss of coordination, and a state resembling alcohol intoxication. Long-term abuse can lead to severe cognitive impairment, memory loss, lowered IQ, and permanent neurological damage, including damage to the myelin sheath that protects nerve fibers, which can mimic symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Additionally, huffing during pregnancy can cause fetal malformations or death. The use of inhalants is most prevalent among youth, with reports indicating a rise in usage among middle school students, although adults also engage in this behavior. Treatment for chronic huffing addiction typically involves cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, peer support groups, and relapse prevention strategies.
I doubt many of our homeless adults are huffing paint (or what have you). Kids huff, then move on to other drugs. That’s my observation/experience with dual diagnosis patients.
Made my mind wander back to the OG cops episode in Arizona with the gold krylon faced gentleman, And yes the metallic just hits different.
However, right in Garberville you had the SoHum Housing Opportunities (SHO) receive a $3.5 Million Dollar Grant. This local 501c3 is “dedicated to offering homes for the homeless”:
https://kymkemp.com/2024/04/25/southern-humboldt-nonprofit-receives-3-5-million-state-grant-to-aid-homeless/
Here is the answer they are offering:
https://www.sohumhousing.org/rapid-rehousing-program
In the big scheme of things and what you and Supervisor Bushnell spoke to, how is what SHO proposing going to work in Southern Humboldt, in an even scarce and sketchy housing market?
Doesn’t Bushnell own private property just north of Redway where homeless camp? She certainly knows how to contact the Sheriff. Why do they remain? As long as they are allowed to stay, they will. Eventually one of the bum fires will destroy the home or homes of hard working residents.
Bushnell should STFU and do something real…
Arroyo is the “useless one “ and was the same on the City Council…
People are without homes today for many other reasons than get spoken about on here , mainly because it is a lot easier to view humans as less than if they can be looked down upon , and frankly the uber wealthy are the greatest at achieving this they are threatened by the homeless , they do not wish to ever have to look at them or learn their names because seeing someone suffer when you have excess and knowing you have never done a thing for anyone other than yourself brings emotions that they do not like . At the point in time count for 2024 it was determined that one in every five hundred adult Americans are homeless 5 percent of those are veterans there are many reasons affordable housing shortages wages not keeping up with inflation excess labor do to illegal immigration so forth and so on , personally i hope to see a white collar worker that is replaced with AI try living on the streets oh nm there was already a movie that sort of duplicated such .
some people do not like to be around structured living situations ,when you are indoors you do not know what is happening around you what threats are approaching you have to look out windows or walk out doors to hear the sounds some people require in order tk get to a relaxed enough state where sleep is even possible And we need to look at why if property taxes are fixed at the same price through ownership as what was paid at tine of sale , that rents magically seem to increase equal the cost of living increases .why is that? You are told that it’s is because owners costs are up well if a owner has 2 rentals or 500 the cost increases in several other markets that would be called gouging why is it not in the housing market . We should look at why building permits are note a set fee nee home permit x number improvement x number repair or replacing something that would be a risk for neighbors x . Instead we get permits that cost by percentage of materials and labor a percentage of all things bnsskoen
DO NOT NEED FORCED CONFINEMENT, we have that already. There is either an hour a week with talk in the box therapy and meds or forced confinement with forced meds then tossed back out into the hour a week talk in the box therapy (valuable and over used as is CBT, DBT, eye movement etc. Insurance companies dictated quick treatments and therapists have little or no oversight especially in Humboldt County where they work alone or for Non-profits that have little or no oversight other than going to the board of Directors and/or for therapists licensing -neither helps patients, “Participants” or whatever the word spin is these days is).
Nothing worse than when a person with one example in their family is granted credibility for speaking for the general or majority of homeless.
With the liberal bos, they will kick the can down the road forever. The Supreme court has already held that camping on public property can be banned. Time to enact the ban and enforce it.
It is very amusing (and tragic) that what you continue to call the “lib BOS” , the libs call “nazis”. I wonder when you will step up and run for this obviously thankless job that tries to solve these unsolable problems
They are solvable.
The supes will have the last say. Run for supe.
Dream on. Its too late for California and Humboldt to be saved.
Three districts are ultra left. One almost.There is no chance.
The double X standard is gathering banners in Oregon and Idaho. Maybe it’s time? Water Wars 2.0? If they could get the various tribal watershed organizations on board they could crush socals control of the watersheds up here.
I had a coworker come visit for work and we drove my territory from Crescent City to Garberville and beyond. He visited from a 12 hr drive- lives in a red state. His two cents was that housing is a human right and said, as we drove by Bayshore Mall, “That place is mostly empty. It could be converted into housing.” I responded that a lot of ppl would say, “Why should “they” live for free when I have to pay?” “Because some folks didn’t grow up with what we had: a loving and supportive family, fair opportunities.” True that, right?
Last Wednesday our company worked with the County to move the illegal campers out. We brought in landscapers to level the greeenzone and repair the fence behind one of our locations. The EPD was very helpful organizing outreach groups. The sergeant gave his cell number; when we call they’re here within minutes to “move people along.”
“True that, right?” Unfortunately no, it’s not true. That assumes that a “loving family” first prevents drug addiction or mental illness in the first place or fixes it if sort of happens later. Or on the other hand, it’s absence creates it in the first place. It doesn’t. And to assume that is the fault of the family unfairly those families.
A family can instill ethics that drive a person to try to live a good life but, if that isn’t enough motivation, than other sources of motivation need to be found. And always is needed in the family did not train the child up to that standard.
The crux of the problem is, if the homeless person can not muster the motivation sufficient to overcome the negative impulses against self care, what can be done? Bushnell says the law should force a choice. Arroyo says that is useless. What is likely is that both are right sometimes but not all the time. Nothing will work in all people all the time but both can work in some people some of the time. What is sure though is that acting like controlling the negative impulses are not the responsibility of the individual never works. Whether or not they ever can.
We’re both commenting from the comfort of our respective shelters. Or at least I am. Low hanging fruit in this intractable problem is the fact that people like Elon Musk make a trillion dollar paycheck. why would anyone need that much money? I know there’s quite a few billionaires who say that they feel they should be taxed more because of the opportunities. this country has granted.Do you think the disparity between the rich and poor…
https://www.forbes.com/sites/cartercoudriet/2019/10/15/billionaires-more-taxes-gates-buffett-bloomberg/
Winston Churchill argued that estate taxes are “a certain corrective against the development of a race of idle rich.” Wikipedia
For the betterment of society, we should turn under those big bags of money like compost in my opinion (and garden)
How to visualize $1 trillion:
Suddenly inserting a tax-the-rich trope intona discussion of homelessness is a diversion. One to which I will respond with dragging the conversation back to homelessness. The issue of taxing the ultrawealthy is not directly related.
Unfortunately, billionaires having all their money taxed away- and good luck with that- does not fix the problems with homelessness. It likely makes a few organizations better off and paid salaries for many more- some themselves becoming rich, but it fixes neither the individual with drug addiction nor mental illness. The government has spent big on the problem- apparently California spent 26 billion- and the problem has only grown because spending on institutionalization is a political anathema and spending on people who wish to change their situation don’t need a lot of help to achieve it. They just need opportunity.
I, because of my work, have known more than one homeless person with hundreds of thousands of dollars in bank accounts. One with a monthly income of over $10,000. One with a condominium maintained by his family, utilities paid, that he would not use. And unfortunately more than one who, having a windfall of many thousands, blew through it in a few weeks.
This story is about choices government can make. And none of them are a fix. What government can do is first offer opportunity. Likely repeated forever. Then, if a person will not cooperate, make limits on the damage they do. It will be like housework, partly a goal but mostly never ending maintenance. No one will be happy but they will be less happy without attempt.
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/california-homelessness-spending-audit-24b-five-years-didnt-consistently-track-outcomes/
Writing about the billionaires amongst us is indeed part of the conversation about homelessness. How are you gonna pay for your mental health and addiction abatement programs?
Taxing billionaires more could raise significant revenue, which could help fund housing programs, shelters, and services for homeless populations. However, solving homelessness also requires policy changes, affordable housing development, mental health and addiction support, and long-term planning. Money.
Increased taxation alone would not automatically end homelessness without coordinated use of the funds.
I agree that just giving homeless people money is not gonna solve anything. It’s a matter of ethics and morals, which goes back to your my families which I assume were loving and supportive. Some folks didn’t get that chance.
By not blithely dispensing money without accounting and requiring results? Which unfortunately is not the politician’s way of life. Do any of the bills they pass include a formal accounting? Do politicians hold themselves responsible? No. Their goal is to be free with other people money, take credit, and not look like bean counters when they do it. There is no shortage of tax revenue. Unfortunately there is far less of a shortage of personal projects that fritter it away.
Maybe it would be different this time but my experience has always been taxation falls on the middle class because, while the very rich are very rich, their numbers are very few. The vast middle ground can be tapped for a middle sized increase with little blowback. And no lobbyists. And most politicians seem to find ways to avoid their own burdensome rules.
BTW I think giving the money directly to the homeless, even if 50% is taken by fraud, would do more than filtering it through a thousand hands taking a share along the way.
You are right. The government takes in plenty of tax money. Then a huge portion of it is spent irresponsibly.
I’m guessing you’re probably right. In one of my prior jobs I gathered produce and dairy donations for Food for People, The food bank. The driver said for one thing, it’s really sad because folks without houses feel like they’re outside of society. And it makes them very sad. Another thing he said was it’s not so bad to give them sugary treats if you get some calories into their belly.
You claim to know how Elon spends his fortune.
Is he a philanthropist?
Does he have a foundation?
The Musk Foundation is a United States-based charitable foundation primarily funded and directed by Elon Musk, established in December 2001 by Elon and his brother Kimbal Musk. It is a non-operating private foundation with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and is headquartered in Austin, Texas. The foundation is dedicated to promoting renewable energy, crewed space exploration, pediatrics, science and engineering education, and the development of safe artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity. Its website states it aims to advance humanity through groundbreaking scientific research and technological innovation.
The foundation was initially endowed with $2 million and has received substantial donations of Tesla stock from Elon Musk, including $254 million in 2016, $5.7 billion in 2021, and $1.95 billion in 2022. By the end of 2021, the foundation held $9.4 billion in assets. However, by 2023, its endowment was reported at $536 million, with revenue of $20.5 million. This discrepancy may reflect changes in asset valuation or reporting periods.
The Musk Foundation has no employees and is managed by an unpaid board consisting of Elon Musk, Jared Birchall, and Matilda Simon. It has granted around 350 donations totaling an estimated $100 million by 2020, supporting organizations such as the Wikimedia Foundation, the Future of Life Institute, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the X Prize Foundation. In 2021, it donated $55 million to St. Jude and $100 million for carbon dioxide removal technologies. In 2022, it awarded $160 million in donations, including $10 million to a new foundation set up by Musk to establish a school in Austin, which received an additional $100 million in 2023.
Critics have noted that the foundation awards less than 5% of its assets annually, falling short of the 5% payout requirement for private foundations to maintain tax-exempt status. The New York Times reported this occurred again in 2024. Approximately half of its grants through 2022 went to organizations tied to Musk, his companies, or family members, leading to criticism that his philanthropy is largely self-serving. For example, significant donations went to OpenAI and Ad Astra School (later Astra Nova), institutions Musk founded or controlled. Despite signing the Giving Pledge in 2012, Musk’s approach to philanthropy has been questioned, with biographer Walter Isaacson stating Musk believes he can do more for humanity by investing in his companies than through traditional charitable giving.
Where did I claim to know where that trillionaire spends his fortune?
Is that quote off of musk‘s AI bot?
We do not all get the same start. Without human compassion, are we still human?
No but bad starts do not even mostly results in bad outcomes while good starts do not automatically result in good outcomes. Tabloids fill their pages with people of wealth and their offspring gone wrong.
Compassion is good but misplaced, it is destructive.
The only compassionate thing to do with the homeless problem is to end the public’s onus of dealing with them. Move them off public property and if they move to private property, assist the private property owners in removing them.
The only viable place for a homeless enclave is on the grounds of the state capitol which has created and exacerbated the problem. The politicians created the problem, now they can deal with it.
Minimally Funded Permanent Campsites.
Give them trash removal, water and facilities, commodity foods, tools, lumber, roofing etc, and cots. Sleeping Bags…
Give a bus ride to the Camp. A truckload of Cheap-Ass Beer.
Mental health services, AA, and Voluntary Rehab Assistance. Employment Placement, Clothing…
Mrs Bushnell is giving an example of how her Mother was treated… I presume a more complicated story is associated…
My own Mother had to be taken to assisted living, then SNF…
It was heartbreaking.
Give them a place to live, and let them live…
Gosh, this is easy…
I think that with your experience you would know that they are not acting normal. Most all homeless have drug, alcohol, or mental problems and they are not going to change without direct intervention.
Anything that is done for them is similar to the thinking of people that collect cats.
Enabling is NOT helping.
enabling is not helping, then must true;
Disabling = helping
Depends on how long they have been homeless. The lifestyle is any thing but glorious, and once visually appearing homeless you are ostracized by the rest of society. Pleasure in any form is rare and very hard to come by. Alcohol and other drugs are an easy way to achieve pleasure when other avenues are not available. Alcohol and drugs are addictive and lead to mental illness.
I remember a bunch of “homeless” showed up in town after given bus tickets from a city in a neighboring State. The city council voted and gave them vouchers for “camping equipment” at the local Value Giant (remember when it existed). They came out of the store with the stuff and immediately started selling the equipment at half price to any takers in the parking lot. They were very honest! I asked what they were going to use the money for? Bus tickets back home? No, they were headed to the liquor store and wanted to know if I had any kind of drugs they could buy.
Yes but tell us did u trade a zip of smalls for 4oo bucks worth of kit? These are the details of value in this larp.
Ah yes, the classic American policy cocktail: 🧾 Tax cuts for the wealthy, beer trucks for the unhoused, and a prayer that someone else pays for it.
We’ve entered the era of Compassionate Infrastructure, where every tent comes with a cot, a counselor, and a commemorative voucher for “Not My Problem.” Meanwhile, the budget committee is busy duct-taping the general fund to a stack of IOUs and calling it “innovation.”
Let’s be honest:
If we want minimally funded campsites, we’ll need maximally creative accounting.
If we believe mental health services are essential, we might need to fund mental health services.
And if we think enabling is not helping, then perhaps we should stop enabling the idea that mass suffering can be solved with pocket change and platitudes.
But sure, let’s cut taxes. Let’s cut them so deep we hit bedrock, then ask the Department of Public Works to build compassion condos on the rubble.
Because nothing says “we care” like a zero-dollar line item labeled ‘Hope.’
Life is hard, so do the work.
There’s no housing because the homeless won’t work for it…
If you’re face-down in a gutter don’t repeat your lame excuses…
Billions are wasted on the same old scam, to “help the poor homeless “…
They don’t want an internment camp, but it’s what they need…
Do the work — then undo the giveaways that made the rich laugh all the way to the bank.
End the last four presidential tax handouts; roll them back, balance the books, stop rewarding wealth for being wealthy.
Abolish the court-made money-spout that lets dark cash buy our laws; restore voice to voters, not to wallets.
Then watch the already-made-it crowd gasp, clutch their pearls, and maybe—just maybe—cry a little less loudly.
Wow.
You’re a dreamer…
Wow.
You’re a realist.
The kind who thinks empathy is a gateway drug and poverty is just poor time management. Who sees a sleeping bag and immediately drafts a zoning ordinance.
Let’s be honest—your plan sounds less like “compassionate assistance” and more like a reboot of the WPA, but with fewer jobs and more barbed wire. Bootstraps for everyone, as long as they’re pre-approved by the Department of Moral Hygiene.
But hey, if we’re handing out internment camps, maybe toss in a commemorative shovel and a pamphlet titled “How to Earn Dignity in 30 Days or Less.”
Because nothing says “do the work” like blaming the powerless while the powerful write off their yachts.
Why does everyone call it mental health issues?. Call it what it is, 95% of them have fried their brains on dope, self inflicted death. No matter what you throw at them, no matter how much money is spent, no matter how many bleeding heart tears are shed they will keep doing the dope. The responses to this will be ” My cousin Fred quit doing dope and is now a brain surgeon”. Well lets just say that cousin Fred is 1/10th%, the reality is their is no fix and these people will die of their own choices. The fix is that people shouldn’t take dope. It seems that people glorify the whole dope industry and get pissed when we try to stop the dope trade, as in now we’re blowing cartel guy out of the water and everyone is having a stroke over it.
Very true.
The majority of deaths in Humboldt County come from fentanyl and methamphetamine. The drugs reportedly in the boats that we’ve been shooting at? Cocaine- though it’s being done without congressional oversight, so there’s no transparency as to whether or not those boats are actually doing what is said they’re doing. Fentanyl and methamphetamine comes from Mexico. Not Venezuela, Columbia or Ecuador, where those boats are reportedly traveling from.
Yes, It’s a big circle. They run the cocaine to whomever is buying it at the time make some dollars , take said dollars buy meth, fentanyl and whatever and sell to the people that want that ( The USA) and make more dollars. Those dollars go on to fund terrorist and other trafficker’s. No different than the weed growers around here, They sell a couple hundred pounds to their homie in Oakland and they like to think grandma is in her apartment rolling little joints for the kids out of it. No, the drug dealers are using it for a stepping stone. no different than the cocaine guys. Every pound of pot sold from here eventually came back and killed a kid on meth/ fentanyl / coke/ ecstasy etc. under the bridge here in town, not to mention all the robbery’s, break in’s,thieving/ shoplifting that they used to support the dope use before they die.
How do they get to Mexico? BTW there is always the daily bookings thread for diversions. Homelessness is an issue that could use some focused attention.
Cigarette boats are not used for fishing. This has been known since the 1980$ so the oh worries me garbage is simply political pandering. Venezuala is 40 years behind the times. No sympathy. No oversight necessary. If the dumbbells down in Venezuela had a lick of intelligence, they would use an actual fishing boat which putts along at 10 mph with a crew of actual destitute fisherman to ship their drugs. And they wouldn’t get blown to smithereens. They would just be boarded:if there is a question, checked out, and either let go if no drugs, or arrested if drugs. But they are too stupid. So Natural Selection is allowed to run its course and Democrat Boomers in America whine about how unfair it all is because the President is a King. Right…..Kings don’t care if their subjects all overdose on drugs cuz it’s more money for himself. It’s all so logical. Open borders equals more drugs equals more death equals more $$$$$ for the real Kings – Bite Me and the Hunter G, true American Gangstas.
Oh yeah certainly- Form discussion groups to discuss again and again the same thing over and over. Brilliant! Make sure to hold lots of meetings where many voices can be heard for a very long time. Maybe discuss how to stop homeless people from urinating. How dare they?!! Spend lots of money on paying people to prognosticate endlessly….
What the hell???
The SCOTUS just told trump he didn’t have to FEED Americans who have already qualified for aid. And you continue to harrass and demonize people sleeping in the rain. And I’ll bet you all call yourselves “christians” .
Yeah. Refreshing to know, Ketanji Brown Jackson knows the Constitution better than blue states Attorney Generals.
Got some shocking news for you. Jesus Christ and his disciples often slept outside. And He fed people that came to see him. Kinda like the Original Pop Star. You don’t get to disparage members of a religion because they’re not doing what you project they should be doing and most likely, you ain’t doing it either.
Evangelical Christians will be tithing to their church and probably doing a lot more for the poor than religiously bigoted Leftists.
Most people will help those who wish to help themselves, regardless of their religion. Those that help themselves to what ain’t theirs?
Not so much…
Ketanji Brown Jackson does not follow nor understand the Constitution. She is biased not very bright. She was not appointed based on merit.
Supervisors are government for the county.
City council members (councilors) are government for the city.
If you want to park your RV by the side of the road overnight and not be bothered leave the city limits. There isn’t any law against it.
Don’t try to enforce city laws or compare the two outside the city.
People who buy within the city limits are paying a tax to the city.
The Eureka city tax rate in California is 1.5%. This city tax is part of the combined sales tax rate in Eureka, which varies depending on the specific ZIP code and additional special district taxes. For example, in ZIP code 95502, the combined sales tax rate is 10.25%, which includes the 1.5% Eureka city tax along with 6% state tax, 0.25% Humboldt County tax, and a 2.5% special district tax. In other areas of Eureka, such as ZIP code 95501, the combined rate is 9.25%, consisting of the same 1.5% city tax, 6% state tax, 0.25% county tax, and a 1.5% special district tax. The city tax is used to fund local services and infrastructure within the city limits.
Some folks understand that addiction, severe mental illness, aren’t fixed by housing ppl. But to the majority of California, its like screaming in the wind.
Ive spent my life working with the most vulnerable , (and sometimes really dangerous) among us. Im a licensed professional.
Homes provided without mandatory treatment, accountability, consequences, are generally as awful as the camps. Still deplorable and dangerous, get destroyed. There have been times I’ve been so relieved to see law enforcement, bc an individual we are trying to help repeatedly is about to hurt one of us, or themselves. I’ve presented cases almost pleading for ppl to be involuntarily hospitalized and kept for awhile. Without laws that support long term, involuntary, inpatient settings( and $ to create the settings) or mandatory prison terms for reoffending criminal drug users after treatment, we’re just spinning our wheels. If I posted this on loco Id be called a Maga or worse, and helping has been my career.
That’s the truth.
You are absolutely correct. I argue my brother would be here if they threw him in detox, then treatment, instead of pussy footing around. I am only here because they threw my ass in detox, then treatment.
I’m so sorry about ur brother.💔 And I’m so glad ur still here.
Do nothing losers. Drug addicts shooting up all over town in full public view, camping in bus shelters, taking over vacant properties, etc. and these ineffective dumba#*es whine about “compassion. ” I have zero compassion for people who CHOOSE drug use. Eureka needs a real City Council and Humboldt needs a kick butt sheriff, not a mealy-mouthed empty suit.
I agree with those that point to the degree of inequity in our society. Yes, all people have to deal with the consequences of making poor choices (or any choices really). But if we look at periods in history where wealth and power is concentrated, an overwhelming number of people suffer. The level of complexity the current challenges pose to our leaders, is multitudes beyond anything we’ve ever dealt with before. It’s not just about those suffering at the lowest tiers. Critical elements of a modern society; infrastructure, education, basic access to nutrition and clean water… All of these things depend our our ability to provide funding collectively. The more weight that bears down on an increasingly displaced middle class will limit that collective funding and continue to increase the number of desperate people that lose hope and get hooked on drugs. We have to stop excusing the people that created and continue to exacerbate this problem. Purchase with intent and not convenience.
The state closed all our mental health facilities due to cost in the 70s. Betty Chin has to live on donations. Porta potties get set on fire. The WILL is missing in our government due to greed and self serving politicians. Thank the Republican party for the closures.. Homeless folks hate all your rules. They’re anarchists. Need somewhere to be. Whatcha gonna do?
That’s totally incorrect. The State’s mental health facilities closed because the Lanterman–Petris–Short Act virtually ended involuntary commitment. And very few choose to stay in a mental facility when they were given a choice.
Sure — the LPS Act did what it said on the tin: it mostly ended routine, indefinite involuntary commitment and helped empty out state hospitals. But it wasn’t a magical disappearance — budget cuts, a political enthusiasm for “community care” (without the funding), and other policy choices did a lot of the heavy lifting. And while lots of people will happily choose voluntary community care when it actually exists, patchy services mean plenty still wind up on short-term holds, in ERs, or in jail — so claiming “very few choose to stay” makes the whole crisis sound suspiciously tidy.
Most of the homeless couldn’t work even if they wanted to because of their drug use and mental illness. Many don’t want the help because it would mean giving up their lifestyle. Like Ernie said, many of the homeless NEED to be placed in programs.
Sheriff Honsal,
Thank You.
This must be what Terry’s cartoon was about…
It would have been good to post these together.
The cartoon was inscrutable without having read this article.
I wonder to what extent the Board is working with the State representatives to deal with this.
It would seem obvious to do so.
Mental health facilities, one would think, are the arena of the State Health Department.
Long term mental health facilities would be instituted by the State.
This article seems to suggest two issues.
One is the lack of such facilities. Thank Ronald Reagan for that.
The other seems to be a lack of applicable laws concerning vagrantcy?
It is hard to believe that there are not already such laws on the books. Maybe I’m wrong.
The issue seems to be a difference of opinion and conscience amongst the Supervisors about…enforcing? the laws?
One part of the article and comments suggested that “people would stop camping if they were offered housing” .
That seems obvious.
It is also well known that some do not want to be housed, at least not in the structure offered. The restrictions on behavior, pets, etc, are too restrictive for some.
A blanket policy on something so complex cannot be resolved with a single ordinance.
This is a complex issue dealing with human idiosyncrasies.
A headache for the Supervisors, handicapped by the lack of governance by the State.
The Supervisors certainly have their hands full.
We have a relatively mild climate here, especially along the coast.
It makes sense that people migrate here and can manage the rain and cold of our modest winter.
No wonder homeless people congregate here.
In places with severe winters, the percentages would be drastically different.
The laissez faire attitude of the north coast is wonderful for us who live here, whether housed or not. Of course it is more attractive than living in a narrow minded “red” area. Of course people would migrate here.
This is not a quick and easy issue that can be easily resolved with an ordinance.
County leaders from all of the applicable areas, along with State representatives need to council, long and hard, to consider this quandry and come up with long term, viable and flexible structures and solutions.
Humane and effective long term State In Patient Residential Facilities need to be built and administered by the State.
The Governor should establish a panel to study this over several years and recommend viable solutions with robust and adequate funding.
Someone needs to come up with a way to get homeless folks to be part of society again. Refusing to work is not a option. Having kids to get more free assistance has to stop. Collage groups like N.E.E.T. are not helping. I will not help those who won’t help themselves. Drugs and thievery at night innocent beggar by day. This is not working. Boot camps could teach people how to succeed !!!!!!!
Yes, and, the boot camps can sell boots because with huge tariffs manufacturing jobs are going to be plentiful …
https://kimatv.com/news/nation-world/job-market-wobbles-with-higher-layoffs-and-cooler-hiring-economy-unemployment-government-shutdown-jobs-federal-reserve
Beginning in the late 60’s early ’70’s money has been craftily moved to the top tier of Americans, teasing low income and middle income Americans with lies about how “trickle down economics” “helps everyone.” Now, the song is “Democrats HATE America, HATE Capitalism, HATE the military, they want socialism, communism, blah blah blah.” And the intellectually damaged believe it. They lap it up. I know Dems that served in WWII and Vietnam. Won medals for bravery and valor. But the weak still believe the lies. We didn’t HAVE this giant homeless problem in the 60’s and ’70’s. People had jobs. Costs were reasonable. Millions of Americans have been left behind. And it’s only going to get worse until the current administration stops the giveaway to the top 1%. And no, there’s nothing great about current Democrat leadership, either, but at least it isn’t as openly corrupt as the other side – selling crypto out of the white house, claiming gifts from Qatar and spending half a billion to retrofit and THEN keeping it. While Americans go without food and healthcare assistance. Ya, it ain’t going to end well.