I am an immigrant small business owner, single mother to 2 who has run a successful business for some time.
I have love Califonia and have lived here since I was 6 years old.
I have been personally and professionally impacted by the Governor's arbitrary emergency orders.
We do need to have affordable housing in communities where low income workers work so they don't have an hour long commute to low wage jobs.
Perhaps the tiny housing some cities are placing in their boundries or the hotels that are being used for the homeless could be used for low income earners. There could be education on how to advance in the workplace, saving, etc.
This is almost a FEMA level crisis.
Working with people who are in danger of becoming homeless is key to stoping the homeles population from growning more.
The unhoused that are unable to care for themselves would be moved to treatment facilities. We have closed hospitals and closed military bases that could be repurposed for this so they could get the help they need.
For the unhoused who want to remain outside, cities could take over or build large parking-like structures (8 to 10 stories tall). There are many underused parking structures with most offices in downtown areas working remotely now. Each homeless person could be assigned a spot to bring their things and pets. They could go there with the communities that they have formed on the streets. One of the reasons the roomkey programs doesn't work is that they are separated from their communities. They are no different than anyone else in their need for community.
The structures would protect them from sun and rain and there would be air flow going through. Toilets, showers, laundry, medical assistance and security for the residents and surrounding communities. If they need help with getting ID's, GED's and job training. Each floor could have their own "counsel" that could listen to any concerns of residents and they could try to handle it themselves or enlisting supervisors for help. Groups that help feed the homeless would have 1 central location to go to instead of spreading out over the city.
No one would be allowed to set up camping or living on or in streets, parks, beaches, underpasses etc. All would be directed or taken to the structure.
Homelessness is a harsh and dangerous lifestyle. It should not be a camp on the beach. It is a bio hazzard for the homeless and areas they live in. It is an ecological hazzard with the trash that is acumulating in encampments.
I belive this is a more cost effective idea than the $500,000 per single units that are being built now plus the structures could be repurposed quickly.
It is a way to encourage homeless to rejoin society by giving them sanitation, safety, job training and ID's.
To meet the water needs of California I would 1. End the bullet train program and move that money to building desalinisation plants along the coast to utilize the huge water source we have right beside us (the Pacific Ocean). Some communities are already doing this. It would then free up water from snow melt and river sources for the farmers in the Central Valley.
2. Build more water storage facilities so we don't loose water.
I am fiscally conservative. I believe taxes are too high and I want accountablity for funds and taxes collected and services provided with those funds.
I believe education is THE key to ending systemic poverty.
Crime is rampant and I want Law & Order restored.
My solution for the homeless issues would be to get the mentally ill, who can't take care of themselves into treatment. The ones who choose to stay unhoused could be relocated to large parking structures (either cities buy them or build them) in downtown or industrial areas. This provides protection from sun and rain and has air flow going through. Each could be given an assigned space where they could bring their pets and belongings, they could come with their community of other unhoused people (we all like to stay with our communities). Services would be provided like toilets, showers, laundry, medical care. They could access getting ID's if they don't have one, GED's, job training, getting benifits they may be entitled to. Security would be provided for residents and the neighborhood. Each floor could have a consul of their peers to handle issues or report them to supervisors. This is not meant to be a holiday camp, but a more cost effective way to protect the homeless and encourage them to lift themselves up and reenter society.
This is a brief introduction to me and my policies for restoring California.
