The City of Paso Robles is asking for the public’s input on how to address homelessness.
The city is developing a strategic plan to address homelessness which was the topic of a public discussion at the city council chambers Friday evening.
Homelessness is an issue that has become more visible across Paso Robles in recent years--from the Salinas Riverbed to city hall.
“I feel like it’s been very much on the front and foremost of what you’re seeing, even walking around downtown,” said Heather Landsverk, who lives in Paso.
Last year’s point-in-time survey found more than 230 homeless people in and around the city.
“It’s really concerning. Just from the heart, it’s hard to see people struggling,” adds Landsverk.
The City of Paso Robles is looking to tackle the growing problem by taking a localized approach to a statewide issue.
“I think homelessness really touches all of us,” said Community Services Director Angelica Fortin.
A 35-member task force is developing a five-year plan that will be presented to the city council this fall.
“It’s a very complex group of people that are working on helping us develop this plan. We’re going to take this feedback back to them so they can continue so that they can continue to develop goals and create objectives,” explained Fortin.
People who live in Paso Robles are being asked to share their thoughts on how the city should approach the issue.
“I know we’ve tried some things in the past and it hasn’t worked and so hopefully, we can get some good ideas rolling,” said Landsverk.
“I think there’s a couple of different ways to look at this. I think there are different reasons why people are homeless.”
The city hosted a discussion with members of the public to gather input on Friday evening.
Some say they are concerned about the high cost of rent and the lack of affordable housing in the city.
Another man who spoke hopes the city will look at the impact on businesses when choosing a location for a homeless facility.
The city’s task force will spend the rest of the summer drafting an initial plan.
“We have a couple more working group meetings through the end of August. So, we’re looking at probably September, October,” explained Fortin.
The goal is to improve public safety while helping out people who are in urgent need of support.
“Sometimes, I see that they’re not seen as humans. They’re people too,” said Landsverk.
The city will host a second public discussion on homelessness at the city council chamber on Saturday at 10 a.m.
