My Plan For Homelessness
A Problem That Affects Us All
Homelessness is an issue that affects every one of us, whether we personally know someone who is unhoused or not. Every single person deserves to have a safe place to live, and I will do my best to see that Solano County secures common sense, realistic solutions that make an actual impact, and get us on the road to ending the homeless epidemic.
What It Will Take
Attacking the problem of homelessness requires a sophisticated, nuanced, and multifaceted approach that will need the combined and coordinated efforts from Solano County, our cities, and the State and Federal governments. Any candidate or politician who tells you that we can do it alone, or that they can fix it, isn't being honest or is underestimating the extent of the problem, and I will not play politics with people's lives like that.
But, just because it's too entrenched a problem for us to handle on our own doesn't mean that we should do nothing.
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The County can provide services to help the unhoused help themselves, and receive assistance to overcome obstacles that keep them from permanent housing. There are concrete ways to help that can have an immediate impact, alleviating everyday challenges and leading to a more stable situation.
What We Can Do
Three things that can be immediately helpful in getting the unhoused community back on their feet are:
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Expand access to mental health care services
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Provide transportation to work and school
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Supply quality daycare opportunities for young children
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Partner with local nonprofit and religious organizations to allow them County resources to expand already existing programs
Current County Resources
Solano County's Community Integration Services Homeless Outreach and Support is doing all they can to help alleviate the root causes of homelessness and comfort the unhoused. As they partner with the HOPE Team (Homeless Outreach Partnership and Engagement) as well as National, State and Local Housing First Homelessness initiatives, the local Housing First Solano Continuum of Care committee, CAP Solano JPA, and other State and Federal programs, they are bringing all the resources Solano County has available to bear to help the unhoused community. But we can do more.
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As a Fairfield City Councilmember I was proud to help bring the incoming new mental health treatment facility, set to be completed in October. I was also happy to help bring a new affordable housing structure to Fairfield, where 44 of the 72 units are permanent supportive housing for those who are homeless and have mental health needs.
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These organization and individuals are doing the Lord's work, and we must afford them every opportunity to expand their scope.
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For help with all things regarding being unhoused, please visit www.resourceconnectsolano.org.