FY 2010-11 — Status quo for poor (No we can’t)

Well, I just had a look at the proposed reductions in Sacramento County’s FY 2010-11 budget and man, are things ever sucky.

Homeless Services get royally screwed, as you might not be surprised to learn, though it goes against all the county’s big talk about “housing first” and “doing whatever it takes” to get people off the streets.

Proposed for the chopping block are:

1,655 permanent supportive housing beds — leaving only 160 such beds remaining;

837 transitional housing beds — leaving 168 beds remaining; and

581 emergency shelter beds (year-round) — leaving 192 such beds remaining.

Two years ago, both Sacramento County & City started on the path to a “10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness” — a bold initiative that relied heavily on permanent supportive housing and transitional housing to get folks off the streets and into quality shelter. Now, with the county facing a $166 million shortfall, the homeless get treated as they always have — discounted, discredited, and abandoned.

If it weren’t so status quo, it would be tragic. But we’re used to this treatment when it comes to this population, aren’t we?

Do you think the homeless problem is bad now?

Just wait until next year. And the millions of dollars in federal money that’s tied to local matching funds? We can pretty much kiss that goodbye. Apparently, when it comes to resolving Sacramento’s homeless situation, the county’s motto is “No we can’t!”

Until next time,

AY