Chico City Council members are looking to find new approaches to homelessness, and they're turning to local aid organizations and the public for help. The city's recently formed ad hoc committee on homelessness met for the first time today.
The goal of the initial committee meetings is to understand what is being done to help homeless residents in Chico – and what's not being done.
"There's gaps in funding, there's gaps in services, there's gaps in providers, there's gaps in understanding of what the needs are," said Mayor Kasey Reynolds who is on the committee, alongside city council members Mike O'Brien and Bryce Goldstein.
"... Giving people keys is just not enough ... We've got to help people, we've got to give them some of these other supports."Amber Abney-Bass, CEO of the Jesus Center
The committee heard presentations from Butte County Department of Behavioral Health and the Jesus Center, the nonprofit that operates the city's Genesis micro-shelter site. Each outlined the services they offer to unhoused residents and how they intersect with the broader landscape of resources in Chico.
Service providers told the council that simply giving people a place to live isn't enough to keep them from becoming homeless again.
"We say internally all the time that giving people keys is just not enough," said Jesus Center CEO Amber Abney-Bass. "We've got to help people, we've got to give them some of these other supports."
Abney-Bass said that financial literacy training and life skills classes are important to helping someone maintain their housing after getting off the street.
"I think in a managed campground ... I think it will address the needs of some of our more vulnerable people and get them the help that they need."Lori Mason, Chico resident
Others in attendance advocated for more of smaller shelter sites that could be tailored to fit the needs of particular populations. The idea of a small, staffed campsite for unhoused residents was mentioned by multiple speakers.
"I think in a managed campground. You can be a little more discriminating about who you take," said Chico resident Lori Mason. "I think it will address the needs of some of our more vulnerable people and get them the help that they need."
The ad-hoc committee will meet again in two weeks to hear from more service providers in Chico like the Torres Shelter, Safe Space and the Chico Housing Action Team.
Once specific needs or gaps in services have been identified, it will begin researching and collaborating on potential initiatives the city could fund.
Those results will be taken back to the full city council in the summer.
