Bill Addresses the Plight of the Mentally Ill and Homeless
By Calif. Senator Bill Monning
Recently, State Senators unveiled a multipronged measure, “No Place Like Home,” to address the plight of homeless Californians. The measure focuses on the large number of our homeless population that is mentally ill.
Unfortunately, we see the reality of California’s stratified economy on our streets every day. Our state has the nation’s largest homeless population, while our economy is the seventh largest in the world. The estimated 114,000 total homeless living across our state make up 22% of the nation’s total homeless.
While housing and mental health services are primarily a function of local governments, the Senate wants to provide assistance to better manage existing Proposition 63 resources, as well as provide local governments with incentives to create and maintain permanent housing, an essential component to reducing homelessness.
Specifically, the proposal would authorize $2 billion in bond funds to construct permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless persons with mental illness; commits $200 million, over 4 years, to provide supportive housing in shorter term, rent subsidies; and would develop two programs to reduce homelessness among families.
The Senate’s proposal would also secure an increase in Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payments (SSI/SSP) program grants, which provide income support to the aged, blind, and disabled poor who cannot work.
This “housing first” strategy to address homelessness is supported by advocates and has proven effective in other states, as it enables “wrap around” services, such as mental health treatment, to take hold. The proposal will fight modern homelessness with long term solutions, not short term band aids, and will advance a localized approach, sustained by a statewide commitment.
During the Christmas holiday, two homeless men were found dead in Downtown Monterey. It is believed that their deaths were associated with exposure to below freezing temperatures. Their deaths demonstrate that the tragedies associated with homelessness are growing and impact every community. The package the Senate has put forth seeks to help homeless Californians while also protecting the rights of business owners, residents, and visitors.
Finding housing for the chronically homeless is important and humane, as it will lift up those Californians who are the least fortunate and most vulnerable among us. I am proud to be part of this creative and timely state Senate proposal and hope you will join me in supporting this effort as it moves forward in the State Legislature.
State Senator Bill Monning was elected in 2012 to represent the 17th Senate District, which includes all of San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz counties, and portions of Monterey and Santa Clara counties. Sen. Monning previously served in the State Assembly for two terms.
Don’t Feed Bread to Birds
Dear Editor:
Today a woman came to the Cloisters, a precious park, to teach her two small children how to starve the wild ducks with over a dozen old bakery rolls.
All bird rehabilitators know that bread starves wild birds by filling them up with unnatural material, which takes the place of the nutrition they need to survive. We must teach our children to NEVER feed bread or any junk food to ANY creature in the wild.
A few days ago, senior ladies were doing the same thing. Can any of these people show me kitchens where ducks or seabirds are baking bread for each other?
Flock pellets contain 19% protein and consist of corn, rice, soybean meal, ground lima beans, vitamins A, B and E, zinc, manganese, copper and more.
Anyone can get flock pellets in Morro Bay for wild seabirds or waterfowl at Lemos Ranch, 1320 Main St.
It will be nice to see all these people feeding bread and junk food to their children instead of to wild creatures.
Respectfully,
Vivian Thompson, Cambria/Morro Bay
(rehab volunteer with PWC)
Grateful for Big Brother
Dear Editor:
I would like to bring attention to local citizen, business owner, musician and father of three grown sons, Gerard Ages. He is also a volunteer mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County and an amazing human being with a beautiful spirit.
My son was matched with Gerard in April 2012, when he was 11-years old. He’s 15 now and he continues to have an awesome relationship with his “Big Brother.”
They recently did a construction project to fix our gate and fence. It’s so great for him to have those skills.
They also surf and play music together almost every week. We are so blessed to have Gerard in our lives!
Susan Stephens, Morro Bay
