Ukiah approves homeless shelter plan

UKIAH, CA., 7/28/2017 — The Ukiah Planning Commission approved site development permits for a homeless resource center and a winter shelter during a public hearing July 26. Both facilities are planned for 1045 S. State St., the site of last winter’s shelter. The resource center would operate year-round, while overnight services would be offered only during the winter. If completed, the site would serve as the city’s annual winter shelter location.

About two dozen residents spoke during public comment Wednesday night. Twenty-three supported the project; only one, local veterinarian Ed Haynes, opposed it. Commission Chair Michael Whetzel also said he did not support the location, telling attendees that commissioners had “spent a whole lot of time on what we want as the gateway to the city.”

A timeline for the project was not discussed. City staff — including the fire marshal and the Public Works Department — must approve the plans before renovations begin.

Redwood Community Services, a nonprofit that contracts with the county to provide mental health care, plans to purchase the property from Robert Gitlin and operate both the resource center and shelter. The resource center would include bathrooms, laundry, internet access, and counseling. Ukiah Valley Medical Center’s Street Medicine Program, the Mendocino County AIDS and Viral Hepatitis Network, and the Ford Street Project plan to offer services on site.

RCS requested a permit for up to 60 winter shelter beds, an increase from the 44 beds offered last year. Ukiah Fire Marshal Kevin Jennings told commissioners he would “look at the plans very closely,” adding that the final number of beds could be lower.

The proposal calls for renovation of 4,600 square feet of the 7,000-square-foot building, installation of a façade and fencing on the north and east sides, landscaping, and creation of a community garden. Commissioners also asked RCS to hold public meetings twice a month to address neighborhood concerns.

Maya Stuart, a Health and Human Services Agency staffer who began working on the shelter last year, said she contacted more than 50 landlords before RCS opted to buy the South State Street property. “Nobody would rent to us,” she said.

Commissioner Mark Hilliker asked whether there was “a silver lining” to the project, wondering if people receiving mental health care would become “productive members of society.”

Several formerly homeless residents responded. Jesse Duggar, who said he came to Ukiah from Laytonville and once used the Buddy Eller shelter and rehabilitation services, told the commission he now works in mental health care. “I was a throwaway,” he said. “The only argument I hear against this plan is some really derogatory negative stuff. You know, we’re going to throw away the south end of town. We’re not throwing away the south end of town. We’re talking about throwing humans away… the south end of town is not that great. It’s a bunch of cheap housing.” He added that he now “gives a lot back to the community,” and told Hilliker, “You were asking for a silver lining… I’ve done pretty well for myself.”

Commissioner Laura Christensen asked Ukiah Police Capt. Justin Wyatt for the department’s perspective. Wyatt said he did not have exact numbers for homelessness-related calls tied to last year’s shelter, but recalled the “impact was pretty minimal,” noting, “There were 44 people we weren’t policing out of doorways.” He added that enforcement is “the least effective way to deal with it,” and said he agreed with RCS that the project could reduce homelessness-related calls.

Second District Supervisor John McCowen urged commissioners to restrict shelter access to county residents. Commissioners declined, and Ford Street Project Executive Director Jacquie Williams said such a policy would disqualify the shelter from some federal funding.

Near 10 p.m., the commission voted 4–0, with one recusal, to approve a major use permit and a major site development permit for the shelter and resource center. Commissioner Mari Rodin Sanders made both motions, with Christensen seconding. Whetzel voted in favor “with reservations” due to concerns about the site. Commissioner Christopher Watt recused himself because of a conflict of interest.