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Yahoo!Though Bill Boyce has been homeless in Santa Barbara since 2007, downtown shoppers and business people wouldn’t recognize him. He doesn’t hang out on State Street, sleep off benders in De la Guerra Plaza, or panhandle at a freeway off-ramp. Even at Casa Esperanza homeless shelter, where he occupies one of the 50 Transitional Living program beds available annually between April and November, he spends most of his time in the laundry room, helping wash the cascade of sheets, towels, and blankets shelter residents use every day.
Things are looking up for Boyce lately. Having lost 214 pounds in two years, he is now within 25 pounds of the weight he needs to be for surgeons to safely repair the massive umbilical hernia he acquired four years ago. What would have been a simple surgery at first will now be complex and challenging because Boyce had neither the health insurance nor the cash to pay for treatment.
If all goes as planned, Boyce, who is enrolled in Medi-Cal now, will soon have his hernia repaired and receive a Section Eight Housing Voucher from the Housing Authority, too. Then he’ll be able to look for a place of his own and begin seeking employment.
If his voucher doesn’t come through by April, it’s also possible that Boyce will find himself sleeping on the floor of the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission or, failing that, behind a building somewhere. Because Casa Esperanza is facing its most challenging fundraising climate in years, its board is contemplating cuts that seemed unthinkable back when the economy was steady. According to shelter Executive Director Mike Foley and veteran Boardmember Robert Pearson, if donations don’t pick up soon, the shelter’s 50-bed Transitional Living program will simply have to go.
“To me, if something’s going to have to go, it’s the transitional housing beds,” said Pearson, who, as executive director of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara, guided the Casa Esperanza project through the city’s planning maze 10 years ago. “I would love to be everything to all people, but we have to raise
$1 million a year and it’s tough.” Pearson worries that Casa Esperanza’s 30 medical respite beds might have to go, too.
Private donations are, of course, down everywhere, not just in Santa Barbara. But as causes go, the homeless don’t generally arouse enormous amounts of sympathy, making matters that much harder. As a group, they include addicts and the mentally ill. As Pearson put it, “It’s not mothers and children.”
In the last fiscal year, Casa Esperanza’s operating budget was $2.1 million, $850,000 of which came from government coffers, including the city and county of Santa Barbara. The remainder was raised from private foundations and individuals. David Peri, Casa Esperanza’s board treasurer, said it’s these donations that fell short, to the tune of $400,000. But rather than cut programs mid-year, the shelter opted to take out a loan. This year, it’s having to face the reality of reduced funding head-on. On the positive side, a $250,000 challenge grant with a deadline of July 31 was secured. If it makes the challenge — and it’s more than halfway — the Transitional Living program will be safe through November 1, according to Foley. However, to keep those 50 beds up and running beyond the winter shelter and into the spring and summer of 2011, another $250,000 will be needed.
The numbers of beds at the shelter has always been a piping-hot topic. Milpas Street businesses and homeless advocates have squared off repeatedly on the subject of bed quantity at 816 Cacique Street. Even small increases get business owners up out of their office chairs and into the mayor’s office. When the shelter first opened, there was meant to be a 200-bed emergency shelter in the winter months. Two years later, 30 year-round beds for medical respite were added for very sick homeless people and patients just released from Cottage Hospital. But in 2004, the shelter approached the city and asked if it could use 70 of the beds left unoccupied between April 1 and December 1 for people willing and able to get into housing and willing to work a prescribed plan with a social-service provider, to stay sober, and, if employed, to pay one-third of their income into savings and another third to the shelter as a way of mimicking rent.
It took eight months to get the area business owners to agree to let it happen. Now, the 70 non-medical, off-season beds break down into categories: 15 mental health beds paid for by Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services (ADMHS), and five urgent beds paid for by the Department of Social Services and reserved for outreach worker Ken Williams to give away at his discretion. The remainder are the 50 Transitional Living beds. Having one is considered a privilege that can be revoked if the occupant starts using a substance again, stops working his or her “plan,” or otherwise behaves badly enough to disturb the collective peace. But if you don’t cause trouble and work your plan, you get to stay and, hopefully, find your way into housing.
By Paul Wellman
Ray Trower
Previous Month
Comments
Discussion Guidelines
"REDEMTION!! for Casa Esperanza, or, was it me?
Mr. Foley, I wanted, no, I needed to write on our conversation today, and, me being back at the shelter. I came to realize you truly do understand what it feels like on this end.. To feel like you've fallen into a black hole and you can't see your way out, you begin to feel like a hamster in a wheel exerting all this energy and going nowwhere, you begin to think of yourself as a human failure, wondering what happenened? How did this happen to me? How did I let this forbidden thing, this plague, this scarlet letter attach itself to me? You ask yourself "how could I be so stupid?" "Careless?" not see it coming to this, and then the worse of all,...one day you look in the mirror and you don't recognize the person looking back, the eyes are empty, frightened, dare I say.. h.o.p.e.l.e.s.s...but, how, did I get here? You search your mind and your soul and you can't find the answer, not you! This couldn't happen to you, but, it did, and you are here in this lonely place and no one knows why I'm a useless case. "HOMELESS" that dirty word you never want to utter,...now what? Shame overtakes you. I think about all the people and watch them walking down State Street, and I know it's getting close to six and it's time to get home for dinner. As, I watch I become increasingly aware of my empty spot and the pain because I haven't a home to belong to where my family awaits and is expecting me for dinner, to ask me how my day was. So, where did I go wrong? Mr. Foley you told me a story about a problem having a gift in it's hands for me and I felt touched by you for giving me some hope to hang onto after I was left only with bitterness at my circumstances, you told me there were people here who were going to help me, even after I had pushed their help away out of pride, and, I began to cry. You sat down in your busy schedule today and took the time to tell me in a kindly manner about how I would find enlightenment through all this with a gentle smile on your face never doubting it to be true. You told me to enjoy myself, as the tears ran down my face, you said, "go to the free museum, or, the pier" at this time while I recover, something I didn't think I deserved. I realized after our talk that I could be part of the problem or part of the solution, and that I could make it with your help, and it's hard to admit that I need help, but, I do. So, I guess what I'm trying to say Mr. Foley is, I am sorry for what I said before and I am truly grateful that Casa Esperenza is here for people like me because without it, I would be left hopeless and alone. Also, I would like to give a special shout out to day shift manager, Jerimiah Taylor for he went above and beyond the call of duty to help someone feel they belong somewhere,...Thanks. J.K. & Bubba Cha-Cha
juliakessler (anonymous profile)
July 21, 2010 at 9:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Health care (transformation) is one of the best issues this current administration has done thus far. With this change individuals will have the opportunity to seek professional and quality health care services. Who would want to return to the days of the horse and buggy, b/w tv sets, manual typewriters, pac man, you get the point? That's about how old the health care system was in the USA. Each day the news is filled with social tragedies in which lives are taken at the hands of known acquaintences and/or family members. Our society is stricken with the institutions of white collar crime permeating throughout this great nation and greed which tends to strike at the very fabric of our country. I hope everyone will soon recognize and use the resources made by this transformation to seek professional medical attention as the need arises rather than turning to illegal and criminal activities to resolve their issues.
briansusan (anonymous profile)
July 22, 2010 at 12:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is quite similar to "the schools" which always seem to have their grasping hands out wanting more money. People literally have to hold bake sales, backpack drives and car wash fundraisers to "support the schools", while arts and music are slashed and teachers are paid a pittance.
And the answer is the same: Scrape the fat off the top.
Foley makes six figures for his continuous panhandling of the public for more and more donations. I don't want to pick on him alone, either, because this behavior is de rigeur in the nonprofit and public sectors alike. Executives prattle on about their "dedication to the cause" while laughing all the way to the bank.
There is big money in exploiting children, homeless, disabled, elderly and poor folks, and animals. If you can manage to find a job running one of these charities and can keep the public from learning how much is going in your pocket, you've got it made. You don't have to break your back out in the weather, stand on your feet, get yelled at by a mentally unbalanced boss, or try to eke out an existence on $10.00 or less per hour BEFORE taxes. No indeed...
You get to peddle your hero status to the public AND make six figures. And in this case, get homeless people to work at your business and even do your laundry for free..
Yes, "volunteers" and many many donations are always welcome, for without them, the folks running these charities and organizations might have to (gasp!) take a pay cut.
All people need to do to learn the truth is to check the Form 990 (a tax form) and see where the money goes. Also, Charity Navigator and Guidestar are good sources of information.
Without getting into the whole 'give someone a fish" versus "teach someone to fish" philosophy and the vested interests who have everything focused on funneling homeless folk into "programs" and shelters and keeping them there under observation forever, we need to start getting educated and following the $.
Demand the information. How much money is going in, where does it come from, what is the entire financial history and cost breakdowns, where is the money going out, and get itemized reports of that.
I find it revolting that people make six figures running and working for charities. And now good ole SB is now pumping its all into a TV and print media ad campaign to con the public into feeding fundraising jars in businesses (all proceeds directed straight to the Casa Esperanza, by the way) instead of giving the money to a homeless person directly. How petty and cheesy is THAT?
Holly (anonymous profile)
July 23, 2010 at 9:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The approved "sweep 'em off our streets" concessionaire is so afraid that a dollar might go to some guy on the street instead of its well-paid execs that it can put all those resources into...you guessed it...PANHANDLING on TV and in the papers.
"Oh but...that guy might use that dollar to drink with..."
And the answer is simple: don't give him the dollar...and don't give it to the concessionaire, either. Or offer to buy him something to eat. Or offer him a job. But don't tell me that I have to give a bloated charity my dollar, cuz that ain't gonna happen.
Why do we now have so many people with no homes...and we didn't back in the early 80's. What's up with that? Has anyone ever thought to ask? What are we doing now that we weren't doing then? What are we not doing now that we were doing then?
This is what is at the root of all these lucrative charities and why they exist:
"But inevitably, some will land in places the community doesn’t want them to be; across the street from Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort, under the eaves of Saks Fifth Avenue. And business owners will call city hall and complain, and the cycle of debate over the homeless in Santa Barbara will catch fire all over again."
Sweep 'em up, get 'em out of sight, and pay whatever it takes to the folks running the place to KEEP those people out of our sight..but be sure to look compassionate while you're doing it...
The paychecks are out there, folks. Go do some digging and find what I did. It's pretty disgusting. Begin by asking why people like this, or the Humane Society of the US, or any other charity is able to afford all that advertising and public panhandling via the media and junk mail, when they are supposedly so broke?
Then go look at the paydays the execs are having.
If you don't get angry about that, then you aren't paying attention.
Holly (anonymous profile)
July 23, 2010 at 9:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
4WS (anonymous profile)
July 23, 2010 at 3:07 p.m.
Considering that Casa Esperanza secured permanent housing for over 300 people in the transitional shelter - nearly 400 this year in total - it would appear that more like 600, rather than 50 people will no longer have a place to stay. Casa Esperanza is an amazing success story and the people who seek help there need our help. I hope everyone contributes. If we end up with 600 more people on our streets, million and millions of dollars will be lost in uncecessary emergency room visits, court and jail costs and tourist dollars. Charities are run by volunteers, Executive Director's are employees - employees do not make policy, volunteer leaders do. Casa Esperanza saves not only lives, but millions of dollars in costs to our social service system. Every dollar donated to Casa saves so much more everywhere else. Helping centers do not succeed on a wing and a prayer, they succeed because professionals and volunteers dedicate their entire lives to helping when no one else can or will. Easy to criticize on an anonyomous blog posting. From what I have seen, Casa Esperanza has earned every penny and they when we dig deep, we save lives and make our community a much better place.
java805 (anonymous profile)
July 23, 2010 at 6:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
two things worse than being a game piece in someone else's game is:
a)not knowing that you are, and b) not caring if you are
compassionate community members need to stop enabling self-serving nonprofits from profiting from the misery of the poor
volunteers--not vultures
stipends--not salaries
food--not fiscal crises
housing--not warehousing
detox--not dysfunction perpetuation
healing--not hurting
helpfulness--not hand-wringing
4WS (anonymous profile)
July 23, 2010 at 6:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Volunteers? Casa Esperanza receives help from over 400 volunteers each year and growing. Stipends? The homeless deserve the best professional care available. Food? Casa Espernza will serve nearly 150,000 meals to the homeless this year. Warehousing? Casa Esperanza placed nealry 400 people in permanent housing in the last twelve months. Hundreds and hundreds find refuge and support. Detox? The region's only detox center is in the Casa Esperanza building. And where do the homeless go after completing two weeks of detox with little or no affordable housing when they graduate? Healing? The Casa Esperanza medical clinic is open seven days a week - hundreds and hundreds find free medical care. The one and only homeless medical respite program - 30 beds - is located inside Casa Esperanza. Helpfulness? Free medical care, free hot meals, showers and hygeine, job development, benefits assistance, drug and alcohol counseling, special services for seniors in the disabled, targeted women's counseling program, rapid re-housing program and housing assistance. A charity doing everything possible to help the homeless with limited resources amidst a disintegrating mental health and social service system. Casa Esperanza is one of the most important pieces of a puzzle that will one day solve this problem. Until we have the housing we need, failure to support our shelter system in nothing short of tragic. And Casa Esperanza is one of the only agency's advocating every day for Housing First.
java805 (anonymous profile)
July 23, 2010 at 9:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh there you go, java805, getting in the way of Holly's rant and 4WS's ravings with those pesky facts!
To any and all who my be perplexed by the ignorant criticisms, rest assured the community as a whole respects and supports the efforts of Casa Esparanza. Please keep up the needed good works.
binky (anonymous profile)
July 23, 2010 at 10:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The elimination of conflicts of interest where the delivery of essential human services is concerned is a key component of true wellbeing of the entire community and that of its individual human constituents. I am one who believes that quality care can be attained and should be maintained without the financial incentives of six-figure salaries, or of any material or financial incentives that even remotely resemble the rewards and trappings typically found in for-profit sector compensation packages. Any community whose providers of essential human services to the indigent that do not have as their primary goals the development and successful implementation of solutions that effectively render their services unneeded, even obsolete, can and should rightly expect homelessness to continue and to exponentially increase.
4WS (anonymous profile)
July 24, 2010 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Confusing a hopeful goal and a real-world result is the model of wishful thinking, 4WS.
Are you saying unless Casa Esperanza can eliminate homelessness through their efforts, they are in fact perpetuating the problem? In essence, blaming the folks who are attempting to help?
Your premise also rests on the dewy-eyed view that a national problem can be cured by local effort; to do so would require a closed system, and the first hobo to show up here from out of town, the first lay-off to people on their last legs, ruins that static state.
And why do you insist the folks devoting their working life in helping the homeless must suffer some sort of 'nobility tax' toward a fair compensation? Is this the hair shirt of homeless aid advocacy? Your medieval view needs refreshing, my friend.
binky (anonymous profile)
July 24, 2010 at 11:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Come on! 6 figures is what Mike earns because he's good at his job. No point in hiring someone incompetent to run the shelter for a stipend. Now, I disagree with Mike on a lot of issues, but he certainly earns and deserves his salary. Some of the extra staff at Casa may have to go since Mike dreams big. But we need to at least maintain beds for folks to sleep in. I consider it a privilege to give money to the poor and I'm happy to donate to Casa.
speedyennui (anonymous profile)
July 25, 2010 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Money to the poor..... Iet take a "what if approach"? I win the Mega Lotto at some point when it is near it's largest point, say 300Mil. As Lotto's go, the number you see advertised is NOT the number will recieve, so 1/2 of 300 mil and 30% less in Tax places you somewhere around 100Mil. Now I want to help the Homeless shelters in Santa Barbara and have a Tax deductable also. I send them the 1mil to 2mil for the year, and Bingo! I have done my good rich persons deed for the day. The Shelter takes the money and devides it up among the managers and operators, Directors and Political party assisting in pushing congress to provide funds. The rest, some 50K, ends up going to the Shelters needs and the advertisement for funding continues, even though the Shelter recieved the funds to survive another year, they actually recieve pentice of what the operators recieve and the whole donation thing starts again.
I pose a more discriptive plan as to how the money is spent who gets what. Now I know you all are crying that that is NOT how it works but if the Rich actually take the time to manage their money in donation like they do in reaping the rewards from investments of said cash, then the Shelter will recieve it's operating maximum alotment rather what the promotes say they'll get, It's called Responsible Donating. It's a system where the donor makes the rules and draws the contract at which what gets funded but again that would have to take an active player, rather than to throw money at the needy poor people.
It's a plan that works elsewhere and even in America but again it takes a dedicated Donor and not the un-named donor or group that wants plaques and awards for doing the right thing.
Charles.
dou4now (anonymous profile)
July 25, 2010 at 7:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)