Score: +1 (4/9/3)

Humboldt County Grand Jury • 2018-2019

Les Misérables: The Criminalization of the Homeless in the City of Eureka

Published: December 04, 2018 19 pages

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⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings and Recommendations 11 findings

Citations and arrests of homeless have not resulted in reducing the overall number of unhoused people in the City of Eureka.

Related Recommendations (2)

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends representatives from the Eureka City Council, Eureka Police Department, homeless advocacy groups, and the homeless community form a committee to review the following ordinances (EMC 131.30, EMC 130.30, EMC 130.14, EMC 130.13, EMC 130.12, EMC 130.10, EMC 130.06, EMC 130.01, EMC 93.03, EMC 93.02) by October 1, 2019. (F1, F5, F6, F8) 15

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends Eureka City Council consider suspending enforcement of the ordinances identified in R2 until the review in R3 is completed. This action should be completed by March 16, 2020. (F1, F5, F6, F8)

Citations and arrests complicate the problem by making it more difficult for people to find work and qualify for housing.

Related Recommendations (3)

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the committee in R1 evaluate the above ordinances and identify those for which the homeless have no options to avoid violating them. This action should be completed by December 16, 2019. (F2, F4, F5, F6)

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends Humboldt County and the City of Eureka collaborate to provide storage sites for the homeless to use at strategic locations. This action should be completed by December 2, 2019. (F2, F5)

R10

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the City of Eureka develop plans to enable homeless individuals the opportunities to reduce and waive fees from citations through volunteer community service. This action should be completed by January 15, 2020. (F2, F6)

The financial cost of criminalizing the homeless far exceeds the cost of providing services that transition people into housing and a stable living situation.

Related Recommendations (2)

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends for those ordinances identified in

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the City of Eureka work with Humboldt County for support to increase affordable housing development and rentals by December 2, 2019. (F3, F4, F8)

The City of Eureka and Humboldt County governments are not effectively working together in coordination to solve the problem of homelessness.

Related Recommendations (3)

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the City of Eureka work with Humboldt County for support to increase affordable housing development and rentals by December 2, 2019. (F3, F4, F8)

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the City of Eureka and Humboldt County collaborate to conduct leadership group meetings at least monthly to address homelessness and other shared issues. This should be completed by October 1, 2019. (F4)

Criminalizing behavior that is largely part of being human, increases the misery of those being targeted.

Related Recommendations (5)

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends Humboldt County and the City of Eureka collaborate to provide additional public restrooms/porta potties throughout the community and to extend the hours for existing facilities. This action should be completed September 30, 2019. (F5, F8)

The pressure to enact and enforce selective laws creates a moral quagmire for all involved.

Related Recommendations (4)

R10

Dispersing homeless encampments creates roadblocks to providing services by making it more difficult to reach the people in need of them.

Related Recommendations (1)

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the city of Eureka and Humboldt County collaborate to develop a plan to create and fund short term shelter and transitional housing solutions. This action should be completed by October 15, 2019. (F7)

Continuing to cite and arrest homeless individuals participating in the activities of daily living will not improve the available housing inventory.

Related Recommendations (4)

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the City of Eureka work with Humboldt County for support to increase affordable housing development and rentals by December 2, 2019. (F3, F4, F8)

Data gathering about the homeless community is inadequate, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Related Recommendations (1)

R12

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the City of Eureka, Eureka Police Department, Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, and the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services develop a comprehensive process of gathering demographic data about the entire homeless population. This data gathering and analysis 16 could more accurately assist in the development of laws and policies and help educate the public about the homeless community. (F9)

F10

The Mobile Intervention Services Team could be more effective with additional law enforcement team members.

Related Recommendations (1)

R11

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Eureka City Council allocate funding for additional law enforcement members for the Mobile Intervention Service Team. This action is to be completed by January 30, 2020. (F10)

F11

We commend those committed to solving the issue of homelessness who are working hard, yet struggling to find viable solutions.

No recommendations for this finding

Commendations 1

CM1 Page 15

We commend those committed to solving the issue of homelessness who are working hard, yet struggling to find viable solutions.

Agency Responses 3

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

Eureka City Council

October 15, 2019 • 18 responses • Score: 0 (+3, 2, -3) View Details ▾

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18 responses to findings and recommendations

Citations and arrests of homeless have not resulted in reducing the overall number of unhoused people in the City of Eureka.

Response: Agree Score: +1

The Council agrees with this finding. A multitude of factors determine the "overall number" of homeless in any community. Citation and arrest has never been a strategy of the City ofE ureka to reduce homelessness.

Citations and arrests complicate the problem by making it more difficult for people to find work and qualify for housing.

Response: Agree Score: +1

We agree that this may be a side effect oflaw enforcement, in any context.

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

R2 until the review in R3 is completed.

The financial cost of criminalizing the homeless far exceeds the cost of providing services that transition people into housing and a stable living situation.

Response: Disagree Score: -1

We disagree with the implication that the City ofE ureka has sought to criminalize homelessness. As explained in more detail below, the City does seek to provide access and referral ofh omeless people to services that help transition people into housing and a stable living situation.

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends for those ordinances identified in

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

R3 is completed.

The City of Eureka and Humboldt County governments are not effectively working together in coordination to solve the problem of homelessness.

Response: Disagree Score: -1

We disagree with the blanket nature of this statement. The City of Eureka and Humboldt County do work together effectively. Nevertheless, much more can be done and needs to be done.

Criminalizing behavior that is largely part of being human, increases the misery of those being targeted.

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

Due to the implication that the EPD is "targeting" anyone or any group, the Council disagrees with this finding as it is phrased. Eureka's ordinances apply to everyone. However, we understand the Grand Jury's larger point here and agree that law enforcement is not the solution to homelessness, nor would we want or expect it to be.

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

The pressure to enact and enforce selective laws creates a moral quagmire for all involved.

Response: Disagree Score: -1

The Council does not see this statement as a "finding" within the meaning of the Grand Jury law. Our understanding of "selective enforcement" would involve discriminating among different violators of the same law. We do not believe the EPD does that.

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

Dispersing homeless encampments creates roadblocks to providing services by making it more difficult to reach the people in need of them.

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

The Council agrees in part and disagrees in part with this finding. To provide the substance of our disagreement, Chief Watson has communicated the following: While encampments can provide a more centralized and concentrated location in which to locate and outreach to the homeless, they also invariably become major hotbeds for more serious crime and disorder problems coupled with immense environmental damage.

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the City of Eureka work with Humboldt County for support to increase affordable housing development and rentals by December 2, 2019. (F3, F4, F8)

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

Continuing to cite and arrest homeless individuals participating in the activities of daily living will not improve the available housing inventory.

Response: Agree Score: +1

The Council agrees that citations and arrests "will not improve the available housing inventory," nor are citations or arrests intended or purported to do so.

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

Data gathering about the homeless community is inadequate, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Response: Unknown Score: 0

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

R10

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

R11

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

Sheriff

September 30, 2019 • 4 pages • 22 responses • Score: +1 (+1, 5, 0) View Details ▾

PDF

22 responses to findings and recommendations

Citations and arrests of homeless have not resulted in reducing the overall number of unhoused people in the City of Eureka.

Response: Unknown Score: 0

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

Citations and arrests complicate the problem by making it more difficult for people to find work and qualify for housing.

Response: Unknown Score: 0

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

The financial cost of criminalizing the homeless far exceeds the cost of providing services that transition people into housing and a stable living situation.

Response: Unknown Score: 0

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends for those ordinances identified in

Response: Will Implement

Scheduled: will be constructed in the next year Score: +1

The recommendation has not yet been implemented. The Sheriff's office will be opening a new re-entry facility, due to $20 million in funding that was secured in 2015, from SB 863.

The City of Eureka and Humboldt County governments are not effectively working together in coordination to solve the problem of homelessness.

Response: Unknown Score: 0

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

Criminalizing behavior that is largely part of being human, increases the misery of those being targeted.

Response: Unknown Score: 0

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

The pressure to enact and enforce selective laws creates a moral quagmire for all involved.

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

Partially agree with the finding. If fully staffed with the allocated positions for Mental Health clinicians including the 1.0 FTE Psych Family Nurse Practitioner, It is my belief that the county would be able to provide adequate counseling.

Response: Requires Analysis

Score: 0

The recommendation requires further analysis. This would require a program to be created by DHHS which the Sheriff's Office has no controrover.

Dispersing homeless encampments creates roadblocks to providing services by making it more difficult to reach the people in need of them.

Response: Unknown Score: 0

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the City of Eureka work with Humboldt County for support to increase affordable housing development and rentals by December 2, 2019. (F3, F4, F8)

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

Continuing to cite and arrest homeless individuals participating in the activities of daily living will not improve the available housing inventory.

Response: Unknown Score: 0

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

Data gathering about the homeless community is inadequate, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

Partially agree with the finding. The Sheriff's office staff receive mandatory medical Issues training annually that covers the difference between drug induced behavioral issues and mental health issues.

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

F10

The Mobile Intervention Services Team could be more effective with additional law enforcement team members.

Response: Unknown Score: 0

R10

Response: Requires Analysis

Score: 0

The recommendation requires further analysis. This recommendation is broad as all law enforcement should be familiar with the legalities of the 5150 protocols.

R11

Response: Requires Analysis

Score: 0

The recommendation requires further analysis. The Sheriffs Office would be open to attending or facilitating training provided by DHHS to local law enforcement on the implementation of the 5150 process.

R12

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

Sheriff

July 30, 2019 • 3 pages • 2 responses • Score: 0 (+0, 2, 0) View Details ▾

PDF

2 responses to findings and recommendations

Response: Requires Analysis

Score: 0

The recommendation requires further analysis. Response -The Sheriff's Office currently participates in a monthly Law Enforcement Chiefs Association, Humboldt (LECAH) meetings which is comprised of the chief and commanders of all local law enforcement where shared issues are discussed. We have invited the Human Rights Commission, community advocates, NAACP, and Social groups to provide information to the Chiefs meeting group to assist with policy decisions. Concerns over criminal activity at homeless camps has been an ongoing topic of discussion at the meetings. Setting up another meeting for t...

Response: Requires Analysis

Score: 0

No Responses Found 2

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

County of Humboldt Agency

Humboldt County Board of Supervisors Elected County Office