Rural Communities Also Facing The Increase In Homelessness

I was the keynote speaker at a homeless conference in Kings Tulare County yesterday. It is about 3-1/2 hours north of Los Angeles along Highway 99.

I shared with them some of the commonalities between urban and rural communities regarding homelessness.

1 - The number of homeless is GROWING in both urban and rural areas. Homelessness is a result of a broken anti-poverty system. With no safety net, people end up homeless in both urban and rural areas.

2 - The HOUSED community is losing PATIENCE.

In our urban areas, those who used to be very supportive of homeless services, are just plain tired of seeing the problem not being resolved—and in fact, seeing it increase. That is why NIMBYism is so strong.

Here’s an entry from a blogger who lives in Porterville (in Kings/Tulare County) written on 12/28/05. “Porterville is still helpless in managing the outbreak of homeless people. I say outbreak like it’s some sort of disease. It’s not but it really does seem to happen all of a sudden. It’s almost as though other towns are sending these folks over here… There is literally a campsite two streets down from Main Street, next to the fairgrounds along the railroad tracks. The other popular site is on the banks of the Tule River, where many homeless folks can be found…”

3 - POLICE become the “first responders” and ORDINANCES/Laws are becoming the common response to homelessness.

Tulare City Council is proposing an ordinance that cracks down on panhandling—people can’t beg for money, food or shelter. The ordinance is aimed at what Vice Mayor Phil Vandegrift calls “manipulators” who refuse programs that could help them out of their homeless situation. Two other ordinances are being proposed: prohibit “squatter camps” and the removal of shopping carts from shopping centers.

Last month, in Porterville, dozens of homeless people were forced to leave a makeshift tent city on land off East Olive Avenue by city officials and the police.

In Los Angeles County and cities—in urban and suburban areas—they are doing the same thing… people are tired of the problem, and are desperately trying anything to solve it. Many local LA cities have ordinances… they now struggle how to enforce them.

4 – There is a lack of RESOURCES in both rural and urban areas.

The rural communities complain that the urban areas get all of the money and attention regarding homelessness.

The urban areas are so overwhelmed with homelessness, that current resources are just a drop in the bucket.