Addressing Homelessness in the Age of COVID-19
The Horizon Transitional Village, one of the newest shelters in Berkeley, opened this summer.
The last official count of Berkeley’s unhoused population took place in January 2019, which counted a total of 1,108 individuals. The biannual count, undertaken by EveryOne Home, did not take place in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are hopeful the next count will happen early next year. But it doesn’t take a census to know that this issue remains prevalent and highly visible. The pandemic has created a new set of obstacles to an already complex and emotionally charged situation. Despite these challenges, Berkeley has been leading the way in addressing homelessness.
Summarizing Actions Before the Pandemic
Upon my election as Mayor, I placed homelessness on the top of my priorities. In 2018, we placed Measure P on the ballot, which was overwhelmingly approved by the Berkeley voters. This measure placed a modest increase in the property transfer tax for the most expensive properties in Berkeley, generating $6-8 million a year for homeless services. As a result of this, Berkeley has created 95 new shelter beds at the STAIR Center and the new Horizon Transitional Village Program; has expanded its permanent housing capacity by 209 units, including new competitive funding from HUD; and has increased mobile outreach services. All in all, our services have successfully rehoused 485 people since 2018.
What has Happened Since the Pandemic?
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020 much of the momentum to shelter homeless people and clean public areas was paused as the City scrambled to protect everyone, including our most vulnerable residents from serious illness and death. To comply with health orders, we reduced our shelter capacity to enable greater physical distancing. This had the unfortunate effect of reducing the number of year-round shelter beds from a precovid 256 shelter beds to 129 beds. In response to the pandemic, the City shifted its winter shelter model from an inclement weather only shelter to an every night shelter between November 30, 2020 and April 15, 2021, increasing the number of shelter beds available by 19. In July 2021 the City opened a 50-bed shelter, the Horizon shelter, on Grayson St. To comply with guidance from the CDC, which advised communities nationwide to not clear homeless encampments without first making offers of individual rooms to every resident, we paused our efforts to close even the most dangerous and entrenched encampments. The pandemic also created serious challenges to the City’s enforcement capacities, as many staff were forced to work from home and some of our outreach staff contracted Covid and were unable to work.
Our committed staff rose to the challenge admirably, utilizing new State and Federal resources to create 18 new non-congregate shelter beds. Additionally, staff supported Alameda County and Berkeley shelters to move people who met the CDC’s criteria for high risk if COVID-19 positive into Project Roomkey hotels and partnered with Alameda County to establish 69 non-congregate units at two Safer Ground hotels in Berkeley. Shelter operations continue at one hotel where 40 new households will be supported in finding permanent housing. Additionally, staff collected debris from encampments at least once each week, with a crew of two public works staff, a police officer and a staff person from the City Manager’s Office. Over the last 12 months nearly 250 tons of debris have been removed from encampments in Berkeley. Clearly however, the resources at our disposal were not enough to bring every unsheltered Berkeleyan indoors or to keep the city clean. Unfortunately, many of our tent and vehicular encampments became entrenched with significant detrimental community impacts resulting.
Horizon Transitional Village and Safe RV Parking Program
This summer, the City of Berkeley, in partnership with Dorothy Day House, opened the Horizon Transitional Village, a new shelter in Southwest Berkeley that can accommodate 50 people at a time. In addition to a place to live, this facility will provide meals, workshops, services and more to Berkeley’s most vulnerable neighbors. Dorothy Day House is no stranger to operating shelters, having operated the Berkeley Emergency Storm Shelter for over 15 years, an operation that has significantly expanded in recent years. Dorothy Day House understands the needs of the unhoused population as well as the resources and systems that are available to build and foster connections that will ultimately work towards providing positive long-term solutions.
Recently, we opened up the Safe RV Parking Program by Horizon Village, which provides spots and supportive services for 40 RVs. Under Council direction, the first group of people to be given referrals will come from the area north of Gilman Ave and west of San Pablo Ave, which has the highest concentration of RVs in the city. These residents have been aware for over a year that the City is developing this program, and were formally noticed in September. While four-hour enforcement will be reimplemented as a result of this, let me be clear, we are not evicting anyone. The city is not saying that it is illegal to live in your vehicle or you cannot be here. All we are asking is for those who are living in vehicles to comply with the same rules as any other motorist who parks on our street.
The Challenges of the Caltrans Encampments
While the encampments at University/I-80 have been cleared and those residents given opportunities to access shelter and services, this was a gargantuan process that took over a year to complete. If the City had the authority to enter the site ourselves, it would have never gotten to the condition it did. But in reality, the area is owned by Caltrans, and the City cannot get involved with that property without their permission. This was a cause of much frustration for both the City government and our residents.
Under the Boise Decision, people without a home are allowed to camp on public property if there is no other location to go to. However, a court case last month added an additional barrier in our ability to provide shelter to the unhoused. Under Where Do We Go Berkeley v Caltrans, the judge effectively ruled that if an unhoused person refuses services, they must be left alone even if shelter is available. This is why the encampments at Ashby/I-80 have not been able to be resolved.
Future Projects and the Path Ahead
Berkeley Way, the largest affordable housing project in Berkeley’s history, is now in the final phases of its construction. Upon completion in Spring 2022, it will provide 53 units of permanent supportive housing, 89 affordable units for very low-income individuals, and 44 shelter beds. This is one of several affordable housing projects that has been made possible as a result of the passage of Measure O, a $135 million bond for affordable housing approved by Berkeley voters in 2018.
Housing is the key to ending homelessness. Over the next ten years, almost 4,000 units of affordable housing for very low-income and low-income individuals are expected to be constructed in Berkeley, as mandated by the Regional Housing Needs Allocation quota. Several projects are under construction, with many more in the pipeline. Housing equity and affordability is a central part of future development at the Ashby and North Berkeley BART stations.
There is a long road ahead, and ending homelessness is not a solution that can happen overnight by one city. Through additional regional, state, and federal support and coordination, we can make a difference.