Pacific Grove takes steps to deal with homeless problem

The Pacific Grove city council will hear the second reading of an ordinance that would test out one solution to solve area homelessness.

“We have an 80 year old lady living in a van,” Council member Rudy Fischer said. “We have to take care of people like that.”

That’s just one story that has prompted city leaders to take action against homelessness. While there is still an ordinance banning people from camping out in their cars in neighborhoods, this pilot program, with the help of local organization One Starfish, would allow a certain number of pre-approved people to camp out in designated sites. One of which is the First United Methodist Church.

“It’s not just people coming in and throwing their bags down in Pacific Grove,” Fischer said.

If passed, some things still have to be decided on. First of all, the number of available spots per location. There are also the hours of operation that need to be worked out. What is the earliest people can park and what is the latest time they would have to leave.
Gabe Payan was born and raised in Pacific Grove. He actually does work with homeless people and believes the experiment could work.

“Usually they don’t know where they’re going to sleep,” Payan said. “If they know they’ve got a safe place to go and they don’t bother anyone, I think this plan could work.”

It’s one step to help folks down on their luck, get back on their feet. As one church member told KION, ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Show him how to catch fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’

Council member Fischer says after the pilot program ends in a year, the council will evaluate the results. If it’s successful, it could be expanded. If not, they’ll go back to the drawing board.