These are the official responses to the letter I submitted on behalf of members of the San Luis Obispo (SLO), California community regarding safety concerns along the Bob Jones Trail in SLO. I am very appreciative of their thoughtful, clear, and timely responses. The original letter can be found in an earlier post.
Second Response from the Assistant City Manager Stanwyck
Friday, October 16, 2020
Good morning,
As a follow-up to the previous email below, we wanted to send you additional information to ensure that residents are aware of what is occurring in their neighborhood. This week, the City coordinated an effort to provide a services forum with local government agencies and non-profit service organizations to provide information and direction to the homeless populations on available service resource programs. The flyer attached outlines the different services that are available.
Starting Monday, October 19th, the City of San Luis Obispo will begin cleaning up the area along the Bob Jones Trail, Open Space, and the adjacent San Luis Creek and wetlands. More information regarding the outreach and the cleanup can be found in the City’s Press Release that was sent out yesterday: Outreach by Homeless Service Providers and the City of San Luis Obispo to Connect the Unsheltered with Services.
Thank you for your patience and for supporting the City’s efforts to address these challenging and significant health and safety concerns.
Shelly Stanwyck
Assistant City Manager Community Services
City Administration
919 palm street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3934
E sstanwyck@slocity.org
T 805.781.7294
slocity.org
- City of SLO to begin clearing out homeless encampments along Bob Jones Trail, KSBY piece on the City’s efforts, October 15, 2020
- SLO is cleaning up dozens of homeless camps near popular bike trail. Here’s how, Tribune piece on the City’s effort, October 15, 2020
Response from City Council Member Erica Stewart
Thursday, October 8, 2020
Dear Thomas,
Thank you for your kind words and your clear message regarding the Bob Jones Trail, the encampments and behavior on the trail.
I have been in constant communication with city staff trying to learn what we can do to help those who are unhoused get to services and housing that they need, cleaning the encampment areas for public health and safety, fire concerns and managing the whole city’s COVID-19 spread. The staff have been working closely with the County, who manages many of the services necessary for the unhoused, as well as with CAPSLO and other services. I know that we will see some action very soon.
Best wishes,
Erica
estewart@slocity.org
Response from SLO Fire Chief Aggson
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Mr. Gutierrez,
We appreciate the opportunity to let you know the Police and Fire Departments hear your concerns over the fires at the homeless camps throughout the community. We are and have been actively working, with the other City Departments, towards a solution. We want to avoid any event in our city like the tragic events affecting so many communities throughout our state.
From the Police Department’s perspective, they have had their Community Action Team out patrolling the creek beds to contact and advise the homeless population of the dangers of open fires and the consequences for having them. For the past several weeks, their leadership have directed night watch patrol officers to make frequent passes through the area of the Bob Jones Trail south of Prado to LOVR and take appropriate enforcement action. We also made our Special Enforcement Team aware of the issue and they have plans to help the CAT team and Park Rangers address this issue.
The Fire Department has also actively been working towards a solution. Recently there have been several calls for service behind the Silver City Mobile Home Park on South Higuera where either SLO Fire Engine companies or the working Battalion Chief has responded. Most are reported as smoke checks, which dispatches an engine company to investigate. We have been successful in gaining cooperation in putting out any campfires and educating those responsible, however it remains an ongoing challenge.
I have attached the letter you provided me for Chief Smith and SLOPD Leadership to review.
As indicated in my previous reply, if you see or suspect there is an active fire or see smoke in any area of the creek bed you can report it us either by calling our non-emergency line at (805) 781-7312 or in the case of an emergency 911. You can also reach out to the neighborhood officer for the affected area through our department’s website https://www.slocity.org/government/department-directory/police-department and clicking on the Neighborhood Officer Program link.
Respectfully,
Keith Aggson
Fire Chief
Fire Department Administration
E kaggson@slocity.org
T 805.781.7377
slocity.org
Response from Assistant City Manager Stanwyck
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Good evening,
Thank you for your recent email alerting the City to your concerns about your observations and concerns about the fires, trash, illegal encampments, and health and safety issues near or on the Bob Jones Trail.
We as a City share your concerns and all City Departments are coordinating a response to this challenging and unfortunate situation. We are balancing multiple challenges to coordinate this effort. During these COVID times the parameters in which the City can respond are very prescribed and we have many service providers we need to coordinate with to address this issue. Unfortunately, cities do not receive funding for social services (which includes mental health and homelessness related services) counties do. Our City spends over one million dollars a year of general fund monies to support homeless related services ranging from the Prado Day Center to the cleanup of illegal encampments. Longer term, we are working actively with other cities and the County in our region to develop a more regional approach as the State and CDC have further limited what can be done during these COVID times.
As soon as we know our schedule for addressing this issue we will let you know so that residents are aware of what is occurring in their neighborhood.
Thank you for your patience and for supporting the City’s efforts to address these challenging and significant health and safety concerns.
Shelly Stanwyck
Assistant City Manager Community Services
City Administration
919 palm street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3934
E sstanwyck@slocity.org
T 805.781.7294
slocity.org