Los Banos and Merced County responding to 100-day homeless challenge

Homelessness seems to be an unsolvable problem, with no end in sight. But a coalition of Los Banos individuals and agencies is trying new and more successful approaches to helping the homeless.

The coalition is responding to an appeal by Gov. Gavin Newsom for California cities and counties to respond to what he has called a “100-Day Challenge” to try innovative approaches to reducing homelessness in their area, with financial help from the state. The challenge runs from Jan. 4 to April 14.

The City of Los Banos and Merced County accepted the challenge in January. They are two-thirds of the way in responding to that challenge.

The city and county coalition includes Los Banos Police Chief Gary Brizzee, Merced County Family Services Supervisor Helene Mitchell and Elizabeth King.

King is the Merced County 100-Day Challenge Team Lead alongside Aaron Lequia, Merced County family representative.

King is also the housing program manager of the Merced County Community Action Agency, overseeing Los Banos’ first non-congregate adult shelter, Project Roomkey.

The three spoke at a Los Banos Rotary Club meeting earlier this month to give an update on how the coalition is progressing to meet the 100-day challenge and they had a positive report.

The coalition believes that helping the homeless involves more than chasing them away from certain places in the city. “That may work for a while,” Brizzee said, “but it’s just like kicking the can down the road.

“Our goal is to find housing for as many homeless persons in Los Banos as possible,” Brizzee said, “and we are making progress.”

“Last year our ‘unsheltered homeless’ count was just over 100,” Brizzee said. “This year, early indications are, based on a recent census, the unsheltered homeless number is down to the 50s.”

The coalition has been helped by Project Roomkey, which opened Nov. 1 and was filled in the first three hours after it opened.

Project Roomkey offers 25 rooms in a motel on east Pacheco Boulevard to persons who were once on the city streets and or encampments. This adds to the pre-existing space of 33 beds made available by Merced County Rescue Mission.

“Some individuals do not prefer our accommodations,” Brizzee said. “But many homeless persons are eager to find shelter.”

Brizzee saw a change of disposition in the persons who were provided a room after their first night in the motel. “It’s amazing the difference a hot meal and warm bed can make in a person’s outlook,” he said.

Even more heartening is that the coalition has found permanent housing for eight persons, including three individuals who reunited with their families. In addition, the coalition found employment for 13 persons who were previously homeless.

“These are individuals who don’t want to live on the streets,” Brizzee said, “but have been forced by circumstances to live there.”

The coalition believes that helping the homeless involves more than just getting them shelter. “It calls for a collaborative effort to help persons re-obtain belief in themselves,” King said.

“Community encouragement is required to tackle factors that originally led a person to be homeless,” King added.

“Then a foundation for the homeless person needs to be built, improving basic skills and time management and redeveloping social contracts that may have been lost over time. Some of these persons may also need mental help and addiction counseling.

“We are following up with them after they are permanently sheltered,” King said, “a process that makes our approach to homelessness different from many other cities.”

Another innovative approach by the coalition is allowing pets. “A homeless person with a dog or cat doesn’t want to go into a shelter and leave their pet on the streets,” King said; “allowing pets removes this barrier.”

The coalition realizes it’s often not easy to convince a homeless person to leave living on the streets.

“The average number of contacts it takes for a homeless person to finally respond to our suggestions is 16,” Brizzee said. “Our coalition is so determined to make a change during these 100 days that we’re willing to do this.”

The coalition, which also involves the help of church pastors like Steve Hammond, believes that all this starts with realizing each homeless individual is a person, with a unique history and unique need.

Brizzee gave this example. The nephew of a homeless man moved to town and heard his uncle was homeless somewhere in Los Banos. When the nephew asked around, he was connected to members of the coalition, who were able to identify the homeless man and reconnect him with his family.

This ultimately led to the individual moving to Arizona with the family. “After roughly 10 years on the streets,” Brizzee said, “we found success in reconnecting the man to his family.”

The coalition’s goal by the end of the 100 days is to find permanent shelter for 20 homeless individuals, as well as transitional shelter for another 25. The transitional shelter, however, is only temporary. Eventually these persons need permanent housing, which is the biggest challenge the coalition faces.

“Most people know that rentals in Los Banos these days are hard to come by, and many are expensive,” Brizzee said. “We are asking persons who have rental property or apartments to help us. In return we can offer them financial incentives, so they don’t lose rental income in the process.”

“And the coalition will provide follow-up on these renters,” King said, “to make sure they have the help and counseling they need to be good renters.”

Brizzee encourages apartment or rental property owners to contact him by calling the Los Banos Police Department at (209) 827-2501.

The coalition has been so successful in meeting the 100-day challenge that other cities and counties have been asking for its advice.

“We made a lot of progress in the first half of our 100 days,” King said, “but we still have a lot of work to go, even more work when the 100 days ends.

“We are hoping,” she added, “that we will continue to get the support and cooperation from the community to make a difference in homelessness.”

John Spevak wrote this for the Los Banos Enterprise. His email is john.spevak@gmail.com.

This story was originally published March 18, 2022 at 5:00 AM.