VOP: Homeless Center

SAN BERNARDINO>> At the last San Bernardino city council meeting, I saw concerned citizens show up to have their voices heard on an important issue in our community. The council chambers were filled. Approximately 30 people spoke and only three spoke against returning to the agenda amendment to the Development Code and General Plan to allow Mary’s Mercy Center to build a home for 85 homeless men to live, eat at, recover from addictions, attend classes and build better lives for themselves. It would provide wrap-around services to our homeless at no cost to the city, through a non-profit company that already owns the land for the proposed complex. Mary’s Mercy Center does great work for homeless women in San Bernardino at Veronica’s Home of Mercy. I was proud to hear the citizens of our community speak in their support. Even one citizen who spoke against this project recited the maxim “charity starts at home” several times in her speech. This is our home. We should start here. This center won’t cost the city a dime and, in fact, will save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars because it is less costly to house a homeless man than to provide him with services on an emergency basis. Three council members, John Valdivia, Benito Barrios and Bessine Richard, failed to attend the meeting. Had they been present, they would have been very impressed by the number of people from different religions, races and income levels who spoke in favor of Mary’s Village. I was most surprised by Councilman Henry Nickel. Apparently he didn’t think we should amend the general plan until we had decided whether or not to amend the general plan. Amendments to general plans are common and the citizens are not asking to throw out the whole plan; they are asking to adjust it for one particular center on one particular parcel. Councilman Nickel also insisted that any project serve only San Bernardino residents so that our city does not become a “magnet” for the homeless. As one person pointed out, any city is a magnet for the homeless. Neither state not deferral law requires a person to reside in or be present in a place for a specific period of time in order to be a ‘resident” of that place. Legally, residence is defined as any place of abode of some permanence, more than a temporary sojourn. Persons staying in public campgrounds are residents for purposes of voting, receiving benefits and being able to sue and be sued. College students living in dormitories are residents. Thus, any homeless person who takes up residence under a bridge or near a creek bed in San Bernardino is a resident of San Bernardino. Councilman also wanted to hold a workshop on this amendment. Personally, I agree with Councilman Fred Shorett that Monday night was as good as any workshop you will have in this city. Councilman Shorett proposed a compromise, in which we return the amendment to the agenda for December and hold the workshop before then. He even had resources ready to help. Councilman Nickel still voted no, and the amendment will not return to the agenda. San Bernardino is a city where people are often accused of apathy. People want to complain about homelessness, crime and lack of resources, but there is no plan for what to do about it. At the meeting, I witnessed a crowd come together in support of a plan and I saw their representatives either not show up or present flimsy excuses for not following the will of the voters.