We need significantly more resources to handle our mental health crisis and our drug crisis, especially meth, heroin and fentanyl. People are spiraling into personal Hell in front of our eyes, and mental health, rehab and recovery resources are way too scarce. (3/13)
Conversation
People suffering from addiction or mental health issues shouldn’t be arrested and jailed, but leaving them to suffer and die on the streets is unacceptable. We need dramatically more NON-carceral programs to help people. Part of the solution, for the unhoused, is housing. (4/13)
9
14
103
There is a popular myth that housing advocates are proposing housing *instead* of services. On the contrary, supportive housing is housing *with* those services. (5/13)
4
5
104
By providing housing, we help people move off the streets. By providing services, we help people overcome issues that led them to the streets, or emerged as a consequence of being on the streets. (6/13)
2
8
67
When advocates say the solution is “Housing First,” they are not saying “Housing Only.” They are saying “house someone and then help them deal with addiction, mental health or other issues.” It is actually “Housing Plus.” (7/13)
8
13
98
With rehab or mental services without housing, we are not going to solve the homelessness crisis. If a homeless addict gets clean and sober, they are still homeless. If someone on the streets gets a handle on their mental health issues, they are still homeless. (8/13)
7
6
70
High barrier housing -- requiring an unhoused person to get clean and address any mental health issues before they are housed -- leaves people on the streets. They remain homeless, and in an environment where it is harder to get sober and more challenging to get well. (9/13)
7
12
81
As someone who has struggled with addiction and with mental health issues, I can tell you it is a helluva lot easier to get healthy and well with a roof over your head than it is living on the streets. (10/13)
16
6
99
The trauma of homelessness leads people to bad places, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Substance abuse and mental health issues are often the *consequence* of homelessness, not the cause of homelessness. (11/13)
22
14
100
Faced with the harsh realities of life on the streets, many people self-medicate -- and that often pushes people into the torments of addiction. If someone with a latent mental health issue becomes homeless, the trauma of living homeless will exacerbate the issue. (12/13)
4
5
68
No matter what led someone to the streets, what traumas they experiences on the streets, or what keeps them on the streets, without housing, they remain unhoused. We need many things to solve homelessness - but we can't solve homelessness without housing. (13/13)
Replying to
If anyone ever wants to hear Mike Bonin's office refusing the offer of 20 available beds in supportive housing before hanging up on a public community zoom meeting, please reach out to me. I have the recording.
5
11
31
Replying to
Well said. While all true and your efforts are appreciated, protecting your constituents from crime and the threat of violence needs to be addressed as well. It's unfortunate that homelessness/mental health issues lead to crime but it's a reality.
1
1
Replying to
Come to our community. Let’s walk & talk about the reality of the emergency here. Folks on the street can tell you first hand why they came and why they stay. If you want to help, come here. Too many promises broken in Venice and far, far too much neglect. It’s time to meet us.
3
5
16
Replying to
leaving them on the streets is exactly what you have been doing since 2014. Venice Bridge Housing has been a failure. Your say 44 rooms ready at a hotel and another 33 on the way. Venice has gone from less than 200 homeless to over 2000 on your watch. FAIL
7
Replying to
What about when your non profit partner evicts them from ABH Venice and you have no plan to provide alternatives? That led them to the streets. That keeps them on the streets. We need you GONE to solve homelessness. We can't solve it with you in office. #stepdownmikebonin
1
4
Replying to
Dear council member Bonin:
You cannot give any unhoused person a key to a home and expect them to be "normal" or stabilize!
ANY and ALL PSH needs wrap around services! Therapy, medications, rehab and a PCP.
Whatever their needs are.
Only that will keep a person housed permanently
1
4
Replying to
CD-11 representatives have been the biggest foot draggers.
“The City seems to want to stall and CD-11 specifically has their own political idea that they have to offer housing to every single person on the Boardwalk before any enforcement is done,” said Stowell. “
1
1
Replying to
One resident personally went tent to tent getting to know her unhoused neighbors and asking if anyone would like assistance finding housing. After many friendly conversations no one took her up on her offer. They don’t want to live inside because they have to follow rules.”
2
5
Replying to
Really enjoyed Venice Beach when it wasn’t overrun with drug addicts and homeless. I am glad I am no longer a beachfront property owner in California. Personal property rights in CA are NOT respected.
1
2
Show more replies