HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-05-21 Public Comment - E. Talago - Houselessness & WinterFrom:Emily Talago
To:Agenda
Cc:Dani Hess; David Fine
Subject:General Public Comment: Emergency facilities needed NOW
Date:Tuesday, October 5, 2021 11:47:01 AM
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Manager, Mayor, and Commissioners, I have come before you multiple times and advocated at length for the vulnerable residents of
our community. As you are aware, I am a candidate in November's election for the 4 year seat.A commission should be composed of diverse backgrounds and strengths. Madgic- you have
strengths in planning I do not, Mihelich, you have strengths in organizational management Ido not etc.
My strength is my connection to, authentic caring for, and resolve to amplify the voices ofvulnerable citizens that our local government consistently ignores and abandons. As noted in
many state and local guiding documents, "Poverty is a social liability". POVERTY notPOOR PEOPLE.
I have attached screenshots from a recent post on one of our local facebook groups. I imploreyou to read this person's well articulated lived experience, give the voice a seat at tonight's
table, and ACT NOW. There's not enough time for you to be voted out in November and replaced or fired in January.
Winter is coming and we're going to have bodies on our hands if emergency relief isn't set up.I'm talking about getting people through the winter. Those in RVs need access to power,
restrooms, and shower facilities. This is not difficult. A quick google search yielded this.People in tents need hotel rooms.
As reflected in Chronicle letters to the editor and other local discourse, we have manycommunity members prepared to mobilize to support refugees from Afghanistan. Could we
not tap into these community values to house our own refugees? I don't care where you get themoney from, but get serious about prioritizing it. Take the 25k from the downtown flowers
baskets this summer. Delay some projects. Use the covid relief funds. Just do it. Or people willfreeze to death. I have a few detailed financing ideas I may share at tonight's public comments
since I'm writing this while racing to make the 12pm cut-off for written comment. Act now.
Emily Talago