Community Foundation sheds light on homeless women in Monterey County

UPDATE 5/12/2017 6 p.m.:

For the first time ever, the Community Foundation for Monterey County is taking a look at homeless women throughout Monterey County.

The organization released a report this week, after an assessment that included interviews with service providers, public agencies and homeless women. It was commissioned by the Community Foundation on behalf of the Monterey County Health Department and Department of Social Services. The goal of the study was to understand the primary causes of homelessness for women, their needs and challenges, existing services and ways to help them move forward. It was prompted by stories from women living on the street.

“There were a lot of stories, anecdotal stories and requests for services, largely from unaccompanied women and older women, so that was what we really wanted to get to the bottom of,” said Janet Shing, director of grantmaking for Community Foundation. “You know, is this a growing population or is this just one or two women and we found sure enough, there are more women, more women with children, more older women.”

The primary causes for homelessness were related to poverty and loss of income. However other factors included mental illness and/or alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence, divorce or catastrophic illness.

The report organized some of the data based on location: Monterey Peninsula, Salinas, North County and South County.

It found there were more than 2,700 homeless women who accessed healthcare from county clinics last year and local schools served more than 6,000 homeless children. It also said homelessness among women, especially older women, is on the rise in the Monterey Peninsula. On the peninsula, nearly half of the women (47-percent) were over 51 years old. In the Salinas Valley, it was 45-percent.

Homeless women are found everywhere on the county, from Carmel to Aromas, to San Lucas and Lockwood. In North and South County, service providers reported most homeless women lived with other families. On the peninsula, 60-percent of women slept in their vehicles, while in Salinas, 67-percent of women slept in tents, parks, freeways or parking structures.

While there may be access to shelters, some women have problems with them. Some feel unsafe if the shelters are shared with men, while some don’t want to use them because they could be separated from a male partner or son.

Not to mention – What shelter? The Salinas Warming Shelter is scheduled to close at the end of the month. The Women Alive Shelter, which operates out of Dorothy’s Place, is temporarily closed. When it is reopened, it can only serve a portion of the homeless woman. There are also concerns about how the program can be sustained.

Anissa Nix has been living in Chinatown off and on for the last four years. She sleeps in a tent with her partner.

“I got an old man, so thank God for that because I wouldn’t want to be out here by myself and I would be if he wasn’t out here,” Nix said. “He could go into the Victory Mission too but he’d rather stay out here because he knows I’ll be alone.”

Alone where she could be vulnerable to drugs, prostitution or violence. The report found between January 1 to September 30, 2016, the Monterey Rape Crisis Center served 14 rape survivors. However, the number could be higher because authorities say many women do not report assaults.

Of the 120 homeless women interviewed, nearly a third said their greatest obstacle for securing housing was they couldn’t afford rent (32.4), while nearly a quarter said they could not find a job (23%). That’s exactly the kind of help Nix said she needed.

The report found more services are needed, along with more affordable and low-income housing. Women reported food, shelter/housing, personal care and help in connecting to services are in demand, as well as case management, counseling and health services were also wanted.

It calls for more rehabilitation, recovery and case management services. But Nix said she is getting a lot of help in Chinatown.

“That new health center here has showers,” Nix said. “Dorothy’s Place is open during the day, thank God. There’s the kitchen and it provides us with breakfast and with lunch. And the doctors and medical staff are willing (to help). They gave me my prescriptions for antibiotics.”

Jill Allen, the executive director of Dorothy’s Place, knows the area is riddled with crime, but nonetheless, hopes to clean it up.

“This is not a safe place for people,” Allen said. “We’re committed to staying here, we’re committed to serving but we’re also committed to urging the community to clear the criminal element out of here.”

ORIGINAL POST:

For the first time ever, the Community Foundation for Monterey County is taking a look at homeless women in Monterey County.

The organization released a report this week, after an assessment which included interviews with service providers, public agencies and homeless women. The goal of the study was to understand the primary causes of homelessness for women, their needs and challenges, existing services and ways to help them improve their situation.

The report organized some of the data based on location: Monterey Peninsula, Salinas, North County and South County.

It found there were more than 2,700 homeless women who accessed healthcare from county clinics last year and local schools served more than 6,000 homeless children. It also said homelessness among women, especially older women, is on the rise in the Monterey Peninsula. On the peninsula, nearly half of the women (47-percent) were over 51 years old. In the Salinas Valley, it was 45-percent.

Homeless women are found everywhere on the county, from Carmel to Aromas, to San Lucas and Lockwood. On the peninsula, 60-percent of women slept in their vehicles, while in Salinas, 67-percent of women slept in tents, parks, freeways or parking structures. In North and South County, service providers reported most homeless women lived with other families.

While there may be access to shelters, some women have problems with them. Some feel unsafe if the shelters are shared with men, while some don’t want to use them because they could be separated from a male partner or son.

Of the 120 homeless women interviewed, nearly a third said their greatest obstacle for securing housing was they couldn’t afford rent (32.4), while nearly a quarter said they could not find a job (23%).

The report found more services are needed, along with more affordable and low-income housing, but it’s important to work smarter. It calls for more rehabilitation, recovery and case management services.