General (2)
Public Comment
From:callie rutter <
Sent:Tuesday, November 24, 2020 1:52 PM
To:Public Comment
Subject:Public Comment Anaheim City Council Meeting 11/24/20
I have grown increasingly concerned about the lack of inventory, quality subsidized
housing. No penalizing of slum lords, substandard, inhumane living conditions.
I have survived large warehouses, multitude in types of shelters in Anaheim. Consider
myself somewhat of an expert, mine is a lived experience. You out of touch, civil
servants. People die in your shelters, I have witnessed this.
2019 Key PIT count Findings Total Persons Counted reached nearly 7 thousand individuals
experiencing homelessness. You know this. All 7,000 could have been housed using the
funds spent in Anaheim Shelters.
Handing out vouchers if HUD itself, the BOS, yourselves, Anaheim City Council Members
are aware of this issue by your own studies! Shelters are not the answer to homelessness
especially given a global pandemic where congregate living could equate to a death
sentence.
Orange County may likely to suffer a severe economic crisis. So why authorize funds for a
band aide fix, when we are hemorrhaging unhoused, chronically homeless people.
Desperately insufficient quality housing inventory? Costing Anaheim tax payers more to
provide a shelter bed by $20 to $60 thousand dollars, per person annually.
The coronavirus pandemic continues to drive unemployment levels as high as predicted,
homelessness will increase 40% to 45% by the end of this year, according to
an analysis by a Columbia University Economics professor.
Shelters should offer the very best of human kind, a maximum stay of 30 days before
moving into subsidized housing.
2.5 million dollars was just dedicated by CoC towards a 27 bed shelter. These same funds
funneled into housing vouchers, which is the law, by would have housed over 100 ppl.
As influencers, civil servants we implore you to problem solve in a proven, permanent
intelligent, informed way.
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We are voters, have a voice, write op eds, protest, speak out at meetings and this will
continue until the housing first model is implemented and shelters are non-existent.
I challenge any of you to invest a week in a warehouse or automobile.
Callie Rutter
Stronger Women United
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