SAN LUIS OBISPO: "In Camp" Humanitarian Services

INTRODUCTION: After years of talking to elected officials, committees, and regular old citizens like me, many still do not get it. We talk about "low income housing", "workforce housing", "affordable housing" — even "low low low income housing" (yes, that's a "thing"!) - what we don't talk about is what to do about the 100's (or even 1,000's) of homeless people living in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County encampments, where they (unfortunately) live like animals. 

Since homelessness in California is getting worse, and we have proven that we cannot or will not get them into housing, it is time to provide services where they are in their homeless camps. These are located primarily in creek beds and under concrete overpasses throughout SLO county. 

This movement has already begun, started by Ann Gillepsie (agillespie@co.slo.ca.us - office 805 781-5259) of the SLO County Stormwater Program Coordinator. In mid to late 2019, Ms. Gillepsie spearheaded the so-called "Blue Bag Partnership", a homeless camp trash pick up "Pilot Program" that was tested for 4 weeks in September 2019. Read the Ms. Gillepsie's Final Report here: https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Public-Works/Forms-Documents/Press-Releases/Blue-Bag-Partnership-Pilot-Final-Report.aspx

Initial Humanitarian Services can be implemented one at a time in the following order. This is based on a combination of the most needed services and the least expensive. 

STEP 1. Homeless Encampment weekly trash pick up. 
- The "Blue Bag Partnership" proved the effectiveness of this step.
- Benefits both the environment and the health of the homeless campers.
- Trash pick up at my home in SLO is $15 per month - this should be an inexpensive service, when partnered with nonprofit homeless advocacy organizations.

STEP 2. Porta-potti and hand sanitizing station.
- Prevents feces, urine, and toilet paper from entering the environment and the creek.
- Provide health benefits through modern sanitation.
- Homeless people would be tasked with providing security at these sites to prevent vandalism.

STEP 3. Mobile Shower Trailer and Clean Clothing.
- Regular bathing reduces illness and disease caused by dirty bodies and clothing.
- There are already 2 nonprofit shower trailer services in SLO County, with more expected.
- The shower trailers can operate completely "Off Grid" and provide 20 to 30 showers at a time.

STEP 4. Permanent lockable secure strorage stations.
- Homeless people live in unsecured camps where their vital supplies are frequently stolen.
- They care HUGE HEAVY backpacks around town with their needed personal belongings, preventing their theft.
- Yet, theft still occurs. I am often called upon to replace these stolen items.

OPTIONAL but highly desired services.

O1. Coping services, such as counseling, mental health services, job training, etc. Often referred to as "Case Management". Note that in this space, I have recommended 2 level of Case Management, that I have dubbed Case Management I (CMI) and Case Management II (CMII). CMI would be the "traditional" case management that we have now, while CMII would be a milder but still impactful version for those with a greater range of living, coping, and management skills.

O2. Community work space, such as communal work activities, communal gardens for raising food items, etc.

O3. Battery powered transportation, such as eBikes and eScooters. Could include onsite solar and wind farms to make the site as energy independant as possible. These ePower facilities could be the source of employment for those living there with engineering type skills.

CONCLUSION: I kept this as simple as possible. Maybe more people will "get it". We have to ask ourselves - "are we our brothers keeper?" - I think we are. Peace.

NOTE: This shortened article is a rewrite of a much longer article that once occupied this space. Like this shorter article, the longer article was also ignored in its entirety by those who have the power to make these things come about (i.e. our elected government officials).

CALIFORNIA: A Life Lived "Under the Bell"

La Purisima Mission Bells - 200 Year Anniversary

By Tim Waag

This article was written for Mission La Purisima Concepcion de Maria Santisima, in celebrating of the 200th year of their "Manuel Vargas" mission bell, cast in Peru in 1818. There is a special display in the Mission's visitors center commemorating this anniversary.

Many things about California’s mission life are taken for granted - like the timeless sounding of the mission bells. Digging deeper, there is always a greater depth of knowledge and understanding to be had. La Purisima Mission State Park is proudly celebrating the 200th anniversary of it’s 1818 Manuel Vargas-cast bell from Peru. Let’s probe a little further into the historic mission bells.

The bell-maker’s name and date were often cast into the bell, and sometimes even the mission’s name. The La Purisima bronze bell is inscribed with “Manuel Vargas Me Fecit, Año 1818, Misíon de la Purísima de la Nueva California” (translation of inscription: “Manuel Vargas made me, year 1818, Mission La Purisima of New California”). The Vargas bell was found at Mission Santa Inés in the 1930s, and returned to Mission La Purísima. Interestingly, at neighboring mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, their “Joy Bell” and “Gloria Bell” have the same inscription (including the same year 1818) — just swap “Misíon San Luis Obispo” for “Misíon de la Purísima”.

Above: Mission La Purisima Concepcion, where I am a volunteer docent, and play a Franciscan Priest during "Mission Life Days".  http://www.lapurisimamission.org

We know that the first mission bells in California were transfers from Spanish missions in Baja California, beginning in 1769. They were brought here by Fr. Junipero Serra O. F. M. (religious founder of the first California missions) and Gaspar de Portola, recently appointed Governor of the Californias. We also know that conversion of the indigenous peoples of California to Catholic belief and lifestyle was enhanced by the mythic powers of seemingly magical items unfamiliar to them. Playing a primary role were the metal mission bells with their glorious clanging that could be heard from miles away.

Resources were scarce at the new “Alta California” missions, and often, wooden bells were hung in the belfries (or companarios) until a metal bell could be procurred. Often, the wooden “placeholder” bell was all there ever was in a given slot in the bell tower. The padres at the various missions had limited budgets to procur religious objects, and had to make judicious trade-offs between acquiring religious art, vestments, beads, tools, livestock and other items.

Mission San Luis Obispo - bell tower (companario)

Each California mission had two Franciscans assigned to them, and with the advice and counsel of the Alta California Mission Presidente, decisions were made about how many bells and other items (religious and otherwise) were to be acquired. Large mission bells were heavy and expensive, and prone to cracking and damage over time, so the trade-offs in deciding where to spend their mission budget was a difficult one.

Much information has survived from the mission era, but the internal discussions and trade-offs by the padres related to their mission and their bells seldom survived to the present day. We do know how important the missions bells were to the lives of the Franciscans, as they often described their life as “living completely under the bells”. Today, we are left with speculation and intuition as to the story of each of California’s mission’s bells.