My husband and I ran into a friend who is currently without a home, living on friends’ couches and in his vehicle, having been told he will be arrested if found sleeping in Bidwell Park again. I was shocked at his condition, and sad when he told us he was suffering from Shigella, a bacteria that causes pretty debilitating diarrhea. This virus is passed through dirty hands, drinking water, or food – problems that are everyday for a person without their own bathroom, or a reliable source of drinking water. While it might not be deadly, it sure sounds like a week or more of total hell. Especially in this heat. Our friend had a pack of handwipes that he was using very judiciously. We gave him a bottle of water out of our cooler. He said he was starting to “see the light at the end of the tunnel”, but still staying as close as possible to a bathroom. It was hard to watch him walk away, we have no way to get in touch with him, just the occasional sighting and uncomfortable conversation.
When I did some research, I read about recent “outbreaks” around the state. In San Jose/Santa Clara it’s been directly linked to homeless camps, with officials warning residents not to use the Guadalupe River, for swimming, fishing or any type of recreation. As of March it was in Shasta County, and by May the Butte County Department of Health was putting out notices that it was becoming a problem here. In Shasta County they said the average 2 cases a year had become 16. Butte County reported 5 confirmed cases and others “under investigation”. I expect it to explode. Shigella is apparently very easy to catch, and the patient can continue to infect others even after their own symptoms have disappeared. And if you don’t remove the ill person from their contaminated environment, they can get infected again and again, and that gets dangerous.
In past we’ve taken friends in to our home when they’ve needed help, but wow, what an adventure. These days we’re living on a shoestring in a tiny space and we frankly don’t have the mental or physical resources to help people all the time. I’ve had to turn away family members, and sit awake at night wondering where they are and if they hate me. I’ll tell you what I’ve learned – we need better jails/prisons, mental hospitals, and subsidized housing for people who have been living on the street, in hospitals, or in prison for years and need continuing support to live within the law. We as a society would benefit if we helped these people to become functional members of the community again, instead of “managing” their problems for the funding attached.
“Managed” campgrounds won’t work. What management? Who? Who makes the arbitrary decision as to where they are placed, what will be provided, if and how they are serviced? Where does the funding come from? Here’s how “unmanaged” things are – in Sacramento County they recently announced they will no longer be delivering water to their designated homeless camps. Here’s the part that put my hair on end – they’ve been using American Rescue COVID funding for four years, to buy water for homeless camps, and now the money’s run out so these people are left literally high and dry.
After the Camp Fire, there was a “designated” campground at the Chico Walmart. Several hundred people were sleeping on the ground in November, right on top of each other in tents and makeshift shelters, without any toilets, only the bathrooms in the Walmart, and only during business hours. That was mighty nice of Walmart but a woman died of pneumonia laying out there and I believe the city of Chico was responsible for the conditions those people were left in. For example, the city received over $24 million in Camp Fire relief money, using it for parklets for Downtown bars, new hires, and other questionable purposes. They refused to allow FEMA to set up trailers for the refugees on city property. I know Paradise residents who will never forget how they were treated by the city of Chico.
In my heart I wish we had better services for those folks experiencing hard times. I know the money is there but it is being spent on ridiculous whims. I don’t believe the city of Chico has a rat’s ass of a clue as to how to provide services for the homeless and should stop receiving any kind of funding. The county, state and feds need to do more. Instead of giving money out with no strings, the federal government needs to oversee the spending with specific outcomes in mind. The state and county should carry it out, and the city should stick to basic services like streets, sewers, cops and fire.
Be alert when you are using Bidwell Park and other public areas here in Chico – this virus is really easy to catch.
UPDATE: Here’s a report of a “bacterial outbreak” at the “sanctioned campground” on Eaton Road. They’re calling it e coli but my research shows these conditions are very closely related.
First of all, I can’t believe the city is in denial about this situation. Yes, I can believe the water is clean up to the point of delivery, but they’ve got these people living in their own filth alongside the road with a common spigot to be used for both sanitation and drinking and they don’t take responsibility? Why isn’t this camp being shut down, these people being relocated to real shelters?
Here’s my next prediction – this is going to lead to another lawsuit, and if we’re lucky, Mark Sorensen will be on the next freight out of town. Or maybe he should spend a night at the sanctioned campground? He should take Eric Gustafson and the entire council with him.
Chico Taxpayers Association 
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