
By Reta Moser
Note there is a previous story regarding this site and the garbage. See https://veniceupdate.com/2019/02/04/encampment-turns-to-trash-use-myla311/
When dealing with the homeless, some days are harder than other days. Today was not the best. Today I saw the ruble move and talk.
A small, elderly lady sat on a chair totally camouflaged by being wrapped in part of a blue tarp and other plastic bags. Had she not moved, one would think she was a bag of trash. She was rocking back and forth while talking with members of St. Joseph’s outreach team.
I asked one of the members if they had housing for her. The St. Joseph representative said “The lady doesn’t want help.” I asked if she did want housing, could you help her and the answer was “No.”
The lady under the plastic told me that she was going to clean up her site. She was going to bag the stuff and someone would pick it up, she said.
Brian Ulf, of SHARE collaborative housing and who is on the board of directors of SHARE, was called and a message was left on his phone. An email was sent to SLO (senior lead officer) Jennifer Munther with a suggestion that the Homeless Task Force be asked for help.
Update has been listing this site as an encampment. As of Monday it was listed as an abandoned site and Sanitation was requested via MYLA311 app. Am sure the elderly lady would appreciate Sanitation coming and helping her with the garbage.