California Can’t Account for 24 Billion Spent on the Homeless
by Bonnie Donovan
The Santa Barbara City Council convened on Tuesday to discuss homelessness and potential strategies for assisting individuals living on the streets and in vehicles.
A reduction in state funding due to a decline in statewide real estate transactions, has been attributed to rising interest rates. Consequently, the city must identify long-term solutions to compensate for this financial shortfall. Andersen emphasized the critical nature of these investments, warning that the city could face significant challenges without them.
There is a recurring emphasis on the necessity to explore alternative methods for boosting revenue, or else face substantial changes. This time it was raised by Assistant City Administrator Barbara Andersen.
A potential solution could be to halt the influx of homeless individuals into Santa Barbara, or, to implement charges on the cities, counties, and states responsible for sending them here.
The pressing issue of housing prioritization is complex, encompassing various vulnerable groups such as the homeless, victims of sex trafficking, asylum seekers, transient workers living in RVs during the week, and undocumented individuals. Each of these populations faces unique challenges that require attention and support. However, the question remains: who should receive housing assistance first?
“Seniors who have lost their partners,” Andersen points out, “don’t have dual incomes anymore.”
It makes sense then that those seniors should be first on the list, (Seniors, Veterans and Disabled), not people coming to Santa Barbara because they were told Santa Barbara has an abundance of help for those in need.
During the City Council meeting, we received an update regarding homelessness. A representative from a local shelter shared a case involving a woman and her child who were fleeing from a sex trafficker. The representative provided details about their relocation, which raises significant safety concerns.
It is crucial to consider the implications of this information, as the trafficker may now be aware of their whereabouts. Individuals in such vulnerable situations require immediate protection and support to ensure their safety and well-being.
As we talk about Sex Trafficking, here is a reason NOT to vote for Salud.
35 California House Democrats Voted Against Deporting Illegal Immigrants Convicted of Sex Crimes. Salud was one of them. He voted NO!!!
Where is “Home” Anyway?
To effectively address homelessness, we must ensure that those most in need are not overlooked. It is crucial to create a system that prioritizes the most vulnerable, rather than allowing others to overshadow their plight.
If the City of Santa Barbara gives tax dollars to Housing Trust Fund, Housing Authority, Homeless Outreach, etc., it must be to house and help our most vulnerable. Not because someone wants to retire in Santa Barbara.
The Housing Authority's policy of permitting out-of-towners to register for housing has resulted in locals being pushed further down the waiting list. This situation raises concerns about fairness and accessibility for residents who have long called the area home.
Previously, I wrote about two individuals from Los Angeles who traveled to Santa Barbara, stayed in a hotel, and registered with the Housing Authority. They returned home while awaiting their turn for housing. Additionally, a woman from Italy also received housing assistance. These instances raise concerns about the number of similar cases, as both individuals lived in the same Housing Authority complex, suggesting a pattern that may disadvantage local residents seeking housing.
They also informed us there are workers from outside the area residing in their recreational vehicles (on our streets) during the week, returning to “their homes” on weekends.
Maybe we should let them know where the campgrounds and RV Parks are located.
Additionally, there are undocumented individuals and asylum seekers present. This situation necessitates enforcement actions. As a sanctuary state, Sacramento should be contacted to address this issue effectively.
This underscores the importance of elected officials delivering on their commitments and responsibilities. Since California is in a major deficit, maybe the Federal Government can help. We will never be able to help our homeless and those in need if they continue to fill up the housing we continually finance.
We have a housing crisis
We have a homeless crisis
We have a budget crisis
We have a border crisis
Which bring us to this (paraphrased from a letter):
All politicians lie to the public: before they are in office, while they are in office, and after they have left office. Most of them are career politicians; just look at Salud Carbajal. I doubt he could hold down a job in the commercial world.
The whole point of political party loyalties is the willingness to believe those lies year after year. And the willingness to re-elect the same liars when they fail to deliver on the promises they made at election times.
Underpinning this pathetic loyalty is the belief – fostered by the parties – that "We may be liars and thieves, but they are worse liars and thieves."
This desperate, needy, yearning for a sense of belonging among the public, now that religion has faded, drives the populace to always having to vote for the least-worse option, based on the tenets of false political loyalties.
How far we have fallen.
How much further will we fall as a bitterly divided nation based on false promises?
We have a chance to change things November 5, 2024.
VOTE!
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Excellent article. If you build it they will come!!
As for Salud, I will always remember his true feelings about people who do not fit his elite ideals, 'Lompoc, the ARMPIT of Santa Barbara County!!!
Salud fits the mold of the iconic LIBERAL DEMOCRAT NARCISSISTIC ELITIST.
It used to be famlies and the church who took care if the less fortunate. Families are less cohesive today with many born out of wedlock into fractured situations leading to failed lives. 90% of the youth in the United States who decide to run away from home, or become homeless for any reason, originally come from a fatherless home. (U.S. Department of Justice). With both the nuclear family and the church under attack by the progressives, we are expected to turn to government for solutions. For just a little more of your money these problems can be solved by government. But all that is ever accomplished is that the government is bigger and the citizen is poorer. Private opportunities for those in need diminish as more and more resources are channeled to government. It is a slippery slope into socialism when we believe government can solve our problems and vote for politicians who propose grandiose government solutions. Big visions of government managed utopia come with huge price tags and universally lead to equality in poverty.