Expectation: Arresting ~1500 unhoused residents resolves the larger issues of why homelessness exists in the Coachella Valley
Reality: the Housing Department spent three years gaining the trust of unhoused individuals, case working them, getting them income, health care (& some to rehab!). The City’s Rental Assistance program put around 200 previously unhoused households into permanent housing and worked with them to ensure sustainable housing choices (including ensuring they got low income discounts on utilities).
Expectation: the IMPACT team assisted previously unhoused residents in getting housing
Reality: in addition to rental assistance, HOUSING DOLLARS were spent to create three affordable housing developments (the first of their kind in 13 years). This led to 196 Residents having permanent Affordable (30% of their income or less!) housing, including 85 previously unhoused residents.
Expectation: the Police Department only goes after unhoused residents “causing trouble”
Reality: Andrew quietly instituted many draconian ordinances around the City making being unhoused illegal. Including publicly charging devices, being mentally ill, “camping” (having your items with you), “loitering”, and EVEN limiting the ability for the unhoused to go into public buildings (LIKE CITY HALL!!!!!) in fact, multiple staff have put theirselves on the line in front of these fuckers many a time to protect an unhoused persons right to be in a public building)
Expectations: Catharine feels more safe now that the unhoused aren’t downtown anymore
Reality: who cares, let’s discuss the millions of dollars the City has had to pay out because of the negligence from PSPD harming and maiming residents
I’m not saying they’ve never done a single good thing, but I am saying his work doesn’t exist in a vacuum