###

The City of Eureka is among a group of plaintiffs that prevailed over the Trump administration in federal court Tuesday.

The plaintiffs, a group of local organizations and governments that receive millions of dollars of federal grant money, accused the Trump administration of imposing “unauthorized and vague conditions” on their grant funding. Yesterday, a federal judge agreed, issuing a preliminary injunction that bars the administration from making grants conditional upon fulfilling Trump’s policy goals.

The president’s administration was trying to force grantees to comply with a series of recent executive orders that prohibit recipients from promoting “woke” beliefs and practices, such as DEI, “gender ideology” and elective abortion, while requiring them to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts. The City of Eureka is among many jurisdictions to have passed a sanctuary ordinance prohibiting the sharing of immigration-related information with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The plaintiffs in this suit, led by the City of Fresno, challenged the actions on constitutional grounds, arguing that they violate the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the Fifth Amendment, Separation of Powers, the Spending Clause and the Tenth Amendment.

The City of Eureka joined the lawsuit last month. City Manager Miles Slattery told the Outpost via phone that while the city has not yet received any grants that would have been contingent on those new conditions, it regularly received Community Development Block Grants and federal transportation grants.

“We’re looking at a $5 million grant for transportation [currently],” he said.

With yesterday’s ruling, which follows a temporary restraining order granted last month, Judge Richard Seeborg found that plaintiffs were likely to succeed on the merits of their case. Only Congress has the authority to impose conditions on federal grant funding, he noted. And he found that the administration’s grant conditions likely violate the Separation of Powers; they’re unrelated to the expertise of the granting agencies; and the vagueness of the conditions would encourage “arbitrary and discriminatory” enforcement, among other issues.

The order applies to these federal agencies:

• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
• U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
• Federal Highway Administration (FHA)

It’s unknown whether defendants’ attorneys will now seek a permanent injunction. The Trump administration could also appeal the ruling. You can read the decision full at this link.

Press release from the Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities:

Next week, September 29 through October 5, 2025, the Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities (CRTP), Tri-County Independent Living, the Humboldt Transit Authority, and the Humboldt County Association of Governments are organizing the annual Week Without Driving on the North Coast. The Week Without Driving is an invitation for anyone who wants to participate – but particularly for elected and appointed officials, transportation planners and engineers, and other decision-makers – to get some first-hand experience of what it is like to live without the option of driving, here in our local communities.

In July of this year, Week Without Driving founder Anna Zivarts gave a well-attended public talk in Arcata about the nondrivers in every community, the importance of meeting the transportation needs of nondrivers, how communities can work better for nondrivers (and everyone else), and valuing the expertise of nondrivers. Nondrivers include people with disabilities, kids, older people, immigrants, people with suspended licenses, and people who can’t afford to own or operate a vehicle. Humboldt County’s nondrivers include at least 36,000 people without a driver’s license, as well as an unknown number of people who have a license but can’t drive for financial or other reasons.

For participants in the Week Without Driving, the challenge is to not drive themselves in any car. If participants do end up driving during the week, they are encouraged to reflect on why they ended up driving, and what they would have done if they didn’t have that option. Local decision-makers who sign up to participate in the Week Without Driving are also invited to ride along with a local transit rider on one of their regular routes to gain additional first-hand insights into using the local transit system.

This is the third national Week Without Driving. Hundreds of organizations across the country are hosting local Week Without Driving activities and events.

Local Leaders Sign Up to Participate

As of this release, 46 local residents in Humboldt County have signed up to participate in the Week Without Driving, including elected officials and other local leaders. The Humboldt Transit Authority also issued a formal proclamation recognizing the Week Without Driving at their September 3rd Board of Directors meeting.

Following is a partial list of local leaders who have pledged to participate:

• Robin Baker, McKinleyville Family Resource Center co-executive director
• Philip Beaudry, Eureka Transportation Safety Commission member
• Alysia Bixler, Redwood Community Action Agency projects coordinator
• Mary Burke, McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee member
• Caitlin Castellano, Eureka senior planner
• Katie Collender, Humboldt Transit Authority Deputy general manager
• Mario Fernandez, Eureka City Council member
• Caroline Griffith, Eureka Transportation Safety Commission chair
• Ashton Hamm, uxo architects worker-owner
• Frank Herrera, Cal Poly Humboldt Social Justice Equity & Inclusion Center coordinator
• Morgan King, Cal Poly Humboldt climate action analyst
• Maggie Kraft, Area 1 Agency on Aging executive director
• Meredith Matthews, Arcata City Council member
• Mark Mueller, Eureka Transportation Safety Commission member
• Nanette Nickerson, Caltrans District 1 senior transportation engineer
• Bonnie Oliver, McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee member
• Joben Penuliar, Caltrans District 1 complete streets coordinator
• Greg Pratt, Humboldt Transit Authority general manager
• Saskia Rymer-Burnett, Caltrans District 1 transit planner
• Sarah Schaefer, Arcata City Council member
• Matt Simmons, Arcata Planning Commission chair
• Emily Sinkhorn, City of Arcata director of environmental services
• Oona Smith, Humboldt County Association of Governments senior regional planner
• Jessica Welch, Cal Poly Humboldt Library organizational development & engagement coordinator

There is still time for anyone interested to learn more and sign up to participate at https://transportationpriorities.org/weekwithoutdriving.

###

Press release from CalFire Humboldt-Del Norte Unit:

What: Professionally controlled prescribed burn planned for the consumption of invasive beach grass involving approximately 9 -10 acres each.

When: The prescribed burn is planned for Wednesday, September 24th, 2025.

Where: Ocean Ranch southwest of Table Bluff. Four miles northwest of Loleta. Lake Earl Wildlife Area. Five miles north of Crescent City.

Why: These burns are part of a multi-year prescribed fire study for invasive plant management and hazardous fuels reduction. The treatment will help to enhance the health of the native plant communities, aid in the control of non-native plant species, protect and enhance habitat for multiple dune species, and aid in the reduction of hazardous fire fuels.

Who: California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), CAL FIRE.

During these prescribed fire operations, residents may see an increase in fire suppression resource traffic, smoke will be visible and traffic control may be in place. Please be cautious for your safety as well as those working on prescribed burns.

Learn more how you can prepare for wildfire by visiting: www.ReadyForWildfire.org.

For more information, please contact the CAL FIRE Humboldt – Del Norte Unit Public Information Officer line at: (707) 726-1285.

###

From the Eureka Police Department:

###

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

###

California counties are reporting decreases in homelessness, suggesting the state is finally making progress in solving one of its most difficult and persistent problems.

But even as Gov. Gavin Newsom and local officials are celebrating, the money that made those wins possible is at risk of evaporating.

President Donald Trump’s administration this month tried to block organizations that don’t support its social agenda from accessing federal homeless housing funds — causing experts in the field to worry that politically liberal California could find itself blacklisted from crucial dollars.

Cuts to state homelessness funding are also on the horizon, and some local jurisdictions are pulling back funds as they struggle with their own budget deficits. That has counties, nonprofits and industry experts worried California’s homeless counts will soon go right back up.

“I do think that we’re doing something right,” Sharon Rapport, director of California state policy for the Corporation for Supportive Housing, said of the recent decreases. “That all may come to a crashing end with a lot of concerns with what’s happening at the federal level, federal policy changing and funding cuts happening.”

Of the 29 places in California that reported an official homeless census this year, more than half saw a decrease compared to 2024, according to an analysis of point-in-time counts by the Hub for Urban Initiatives. That includes drops of about a quarter in Contra Costa and Sonoma counties, 20% in Santa Cruz County, 16% in Ventura County and 14% in Merced County.

San Diego and Los Angeles counties each saw a decrease of less than 10%. For LA County, this marks the second year in a row that homelessness is down.

But funding worries loom like a black cloud over those promising results. As purse strings tighten, service providers will have to cut staff, programs and bed capacity, meaning they can help fewer homeless people. For years, California cities, counties and nonprofits have been pushing the Newsom administration to provide an ongoing source of homeless funding, so service providers can plan ahead without worrying each year about how much money they’ll get.

Some organizations already are feeling the squeeze.

From December through July, Union Station Homeless Services in Los Angeles County turned away 700 families who needed housing, said CEO Katie Hill.

“We just don’t have anything available for them,” Hill said.

The county cut housing vouchers as the city and county struggled with financial fallout from recent wildfires, falling property tax revenues and increasing legal payouts.

Other organizations are closing their doors for good. Downtown Streets Team, which helps unhoused residents in 16 California cities find housing while earning money cleaning up local streets, plans to close next month after two decades of service.

“The financial and political environment we operate in has shifted dramatically in recent months,” CEO Julie Gardner said in an emailed statement. “During this time, (Downtown Streets Team) lost several significant contracts and grants, creating a multi-million-dollar loss in overall funding. When combined with other factors, including rapidly rising operational costs, these losses made it impossible to continue running the organization in a financially sustainable way.”

‘I just don’t think we’re going to see that funding’

Congress in 2023 appropriated $75 million for something called the Continuum of Care Builds grant, which was supposed to help support the construction of new homeless housing. Former President Joe Biden’s administration started the application process for those grants in 2024. When Trump took the helm in 2025, his administration re-started the process with new criteria, making applicants apply again.

Then, at the start of September, the Trump administration made everyone apply a third time — with a very different set of criteria seeming to disqualify organizations that support trans clients, use “harm reduction” strategies to prevent drug overdose deaths or operate in a “sanctuary city.”

Applicants had to attest that they don’t deny the “sex binary in humans or promote the notion that sex is a chosen or mutable characteristic.” They had to promise not to distribute drug paraphernalia or allow the use of drugs on their property.

“I do think that we’re doing something right. That all may come to a crashing end.”
— Sharon Rapport, director, California state policy for the Corporation for Supportive Housing

Applicants also had to attest that they operate in a city, county or state that cooperates with federal immigration enforcement. Newsom has resisted Trump’s immigration crackdown at a state level, and recently signed a set of bills intended to further check ICE.

And applicants were required to operate in a city, county or state that prohibits public camping and enforces that rule. That one could be an easier lift: Arrests and citations for camping-related activities have soared in some California cities over the past year, after the U.S. Supreme Court gave cities more leeway to crack down, and Newsom encouraged cities to ban camping. But two recent statewide attempts to ban homeless camps from near schools and other areas fell flat.

The new funding rules were a major blow to Contra Costa County-based Hope Solutions, which was initially selected to receive $5.5 million to build 15 tiny homes for homeless 18-24-year-olds in Pittsburg. After staff spent at least 100 hours completing the project proposal, they learned this month that they’d no longer qualify because of the new criteria. The Pittsburg Police Department says it does not participate in immigration enforcement. In addition, the new program rules specify the money must go to buildings that serve elderly residents — an about-face that takes Hope Solutions’ youth project out of the running.

“It felt like a gut punch,” said CEO Deanne Pearn, “and really disheartening to know that we had spent so much time and asked so much of our county partners and others, and that that time could have been spent elsewhere.”

The camp where a person experiencing homelessness lives on a hillside above U.S. Route 50 in Sacramento, on Oct. 25, 2024. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters

Hope Solutions is still moving forward with the project, which Pearn hopes the organization can fund with its own financial reserves. But that means the nonprofit won’t have that money for its next project.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness recently sued the Trump administration over the new grant conditions, claiming that all projects in California and three dozen other states would be ineligible for funds. Earlier this month, a federal judge sided with the Alliance, and temporarily barred the federal government from distributing those funds.

Now, that $75 million is frozen as the case moves forward.

While the new conditions at issue in the lawsuit apply only to one specific federal homelessness grant, experts worry it’s an ominous sign for California. Service providers expect applications to open this fall for the main source of federal homelessness funding — the Continuum of Care Program — which funneled about $600 million to California counties in 2023.

If that application poses similar requirements, California could be in trouble.

“Personally, I just don’t think we’re going to see that funding,” said Hill, of Union Station Homeless Services in Los Angeles County.

In a separate lawsuit, San Francisco and Santa Clara Counties sued the Trump administration over contracts that prevented recipients of federal homeless funds from using the money to promote “gender ideology,” “elective abortions” and “illegal immigration.” The counties won an early victory last month, when a judge temporarily blocked the administration from imposing those conditions.

Other federal cuts are looming, too. The Emergency Housing Vouchers program, which launched during the COVID-19 pandemic and now helps more than 15,000 Californians pay their rent, is expected to run out of money next year.

That’s not even counting the cuts to housing vouchers and other federal housing and homelessness programs Trump proposed in May, which are still being negotiated in Congress.

California turning a corner on homelessness

California appears to be decreasing its homeless population, according to the Hub for Urban Initiatives, a California organization that helps local communities shape their homelessness policy, apply for grants and survey their homeless populations.

The 29 California communities that counted and reported their homeless populations this year tallied a total of 131,209 people — a 4% decrease from what those same communities reported last year. That’s a significant step for a state where the homeless population has been stubbornly rising for years.

That data comes from the federally mandated homeless point-in-time count, where teams of volunteers count the unhoused people they see on the street on one night in January. The counts are imperfect, as volunteers can overlook people sleeping in out-of-the-way places, and different counties use different methods — while some places count every year, others count every other. Of the 44 “continuums of care” required to count in California (some small, rural communities combine multiple counties into one continuum of care), 14 didn’t count this year.

The federal housing department will release an official total for the state later this year.

Newsom trumpeted the initial decreases, taking credit for pouring money into homeless housing and other services. He’s not wrong.

Contra Costa County, which saw the state’s biggest drop in homelessness this year, attributes its success largely to the recent boost in state funding, said Christy Saxton, director of Health, Housing and Homeless Services for Contra Costa County. Over the past two years, the county increased its homeless shelter and housing capacity by more than a third.

A big piece of that was the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program, which Newsom launched in the 2019-20 budget year to fill what until then had been a void of state homelessness funds. For the past few years, that program gave cities and counties $1 billion each year.

Those funds support programs such as Contra Costa County’s Delta Landing temporary housing site in Pittsburg, which opened 172 units in 2021. Until then, that part of the county had about 20 beds for its unhoused residents, Saxton said.

But instead of making that state funding ongoing, Newsom’s administration opted to dole it out in one-time grants each year, leaving cities and counties continually guessing what next year’s budget will bring.

This year, that state program will get no new funding (because of the glacial pace at which the state distributes these funds, cities and counties have yet to receive money from the last round). Next year, the amount is set to shrink to $500 million.

“We are significantly concerned about the cuts that are coming,” Saxton said, “because it has taken an influx of money in order to see those decreases, and we need that to continue on now more than ever.”

In Loving Memory
Gary Lee Gower
March 27, 1946 – September 18, 2025

Gary Lee Gower, 79, of Willow Creek, passed away peacefully at home on September 18, 2025, surrounded by those who loved him most, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Gary was born on March 27, 1946, in the now-lost town of White Bird, Oklahoma, to Fern and Tom Gower. He was the youngest of three brothers — joining William “Billy” and Doyle. When Gary was still a toddler, the Gower family moved west to Willow Creek, California, where they put down roots and welcomed the youngest sibling, Sandra (“Sandy”).

Gary grew up surrounded by extended family and the rugged beauty of the Trinity River region. He followed in the footsteps of many local men and began a lifelong career in the logging industry, working in local mills and as a faller and loader operator for several logging companies.

A true outdoorsman, Gary was most at home under the open sky. He loved hunting, gardening, horseback riding, and camping. He had a deep connection to the land and the traditions of rural life. Always in his cowboy boots and hat, Gary lived the life of a cowboy not just in appearance, but in heart and spirit.

He was also a fierce competitor and a natural at horseshoes. Every Bigfoot Days celebration, you could find him at Veterans Park, competing in the horseshoe tournament — usually with a good chance of winning.

But above all, Gary’s proudest role was being a father and “Papa.” He loved his family with a deep, unwavering devotion, and he never missed a chance to say so. Whether it was building stilts for the neighborhood kids, showing up to every family reunion and poker night, or just saying “I love you” before parting ways, Gary made sure his loved ones felt seen and cherished.

A man of many talents, Gary was also a songwriter and poet. He recorded a 45 with his original songs Gone Fishing and Push Aside My Pride, both of which could once be heard spinning on the jukebox at Buzz’s Bar. His gravelly voice, kind heart, and larger-than-life presence will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Fern and Tom Gower; his brother Billy; and his sister Sandy.

He is survived by his longtime partner, Kathy Woods; his brother Doyle Gower; his children Jodee Gower and Deanna O’Connell (Shawn); grandchildren Brittainy Gower (Emerson), Linzee Gower, Joseph O’Connell (Aliciana), Callie O’Connell (Colten), and Nathaniel O’Connell; and great-granddaughter Aasha Srimanoharan.

A celebration of Gary’s life will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Salyer Wayside Church in Salyer. All who knew and loved Gary are welcome to attend.

###

###

After 25 years of failed enforcement efforts and tens of thousands in unpaid fines, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors today unanimously voted to proceed with abatement action at Yee Haw, a controversial “intentional community” of unpermitted dwellings nestled in the forest near Trinidad. 

Since May of 2001, the county has issued numerous abatement notices and civil penalties to the property’s owner, Charles Garth, who has repeatedly failed to address a long-standing list of public health and safety hazards at the 10-acre site, including unpermitted makeshift homes, accumulated solid waste, junk vehicles and unsanitary sewage disposal. An inspection of the site in October 2024 revealed conditions that pose “urgent risks to the residents, to public health and to the environment.”

In response to concerns about Yee Haw’s 20-plus low-income residents facing homelessness, the Board of Supervisors agreed to give Garth another chance, approving a nine-month timeline to bring the property up to snuff or face code enforcement action. At the beginning of this year, Garth applied to rezone the property as an Alternative Lodge Park, which would allow for a wider range of dwelling types at the site, including mobile homes, tiny houses, RVs, travel trailers and temporary camping facilities.

But at today’s meeting, Humboldt County Planning and Building Director John Ford said Garth had, once again, ran afoul of the board-approved timeline and failed to complete the studies required and paperwork necessary to move ahead with the Alternative Lodge Park.

Ford | Screenshot

“It is my understanding that there has been wet weather testing done for the septic, which was a critical component in the path forward … but it was unfortunately carried out in an area that is either on the neighboring property or within the setback to the neighboring property,” Ford explained. “There’s no valid wet weather testing that’s been completed yet. There have been no actions taken toward completing the application today.”

Another complicating factor: The property is no longer in Garth’s name.

“The property seems to have been transferred by quit claim deed to a non-profit organization,” Ford said. “So it’s unclear who the property owner currently really is.” 

A copy of the deed attached to Tuesday’s agenda names “Evergreen Non-Profits” as the owner of the properties at 450 and 473 Quarry Road. A search of the California Secretary of State’s website indicates that the non-profit was formed in October 2022 by Garth’s son, James A. Garth. 

During public comment, Allen Ng, a “board supervisor” for Evergreen Non-Profits, acknowledged the property’s “difficult history and serious water quality concerns,” but said he was committed to finding a “lasting solution for [the] property and our community.”

Ng | Screenshot

“We’ve done the water testing, we’ve removed metal [and] we’re making a plan on trying to get things in better shape,” Ng said. “Evergreen Non-Profits sees this property not as a liability, but as a project that will reflect our mission and practical skill sets. We are committed to work with transparency with the county and with those involved.”

Several residents of Yee Haw also spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, many of whom defended Garth and criticized county staff for failing to “offer any accommodations” to help him the bureaucratic process. 

“Charles is not made for bureaucracy,” said one speaker, who did not identify himself. “He’s taken everything you’ve told him to heart. More than half the [residents] are gone. There’s only, like, [ten] people there still. … He tried to do the testing, he just did it wrong because he doesn’t know what he’s doing, and there’s no accommodation for him. The man’s trying his best.”

An annoyed Garth spoke as well, calling “this whole thing a mess” and asking for “a new deal.” He accused the Board of Supervisors of failing to amend county code to accommodate his request for an Alternative Lodge Park.

“I needed … your Emergency Shelter Ordinance changed so that my [agriculture zoning designation] would fit, even though originally I was told that [it] was being passed for my property. You excluded intentionally,” Garth claimed. “I did put up a bunch of money, but I never hear about that. Where did that disappear to?”

Garth | Screenshot

“Come on, you guys, I’m doing the right thing,” he continued. “Your director has already stated numerous times that there’s no way to build affordable housing. I can build affordable housing all day long — until the cows come home! I can build it, just let me do it. … Give me a shovel, don’t take it away.”

Following public comment, Ford said staff were not aware that only ten people were living at the property. In such a case, the county may not require the property to be rezoned, but the permitting requirements still stand, he said. 

Ford also disputed several claims made by Garth and some of the other speakers, noting that the board did modify the county’s Tiny House Village and Emergency Housing Village Ordinances to accommodate the proposed Alternative Lodge Park. He added that he has consistently responded to emails from Garth and, until today, was not aware that he required additional accommodations from staff. 

“It is helpful to see Evergreen Non-Profits here and willing to engage in this discussion,” he continued. “I think you know this, but the struggle with this is that [it] has been going on for a long, long time. I’m sympathetic if Mr. Garth has a need for accommodation. I was not aware of that before today. That’s never been mentioned. We do always try to work with people, and we are always willing to go out into the field and identify areas, identify limitations and discuss what can and can’t be done.”

First District Supervisor Rex Bohn began the board’s discussion with a sarcastic comment on the decades-long effort to bring the property into compliance. “Let’s give them another year,” he said. “No, I’m kidding.”

Bohn credited Garth for removing some of the junk vehicles from his property, but accused him of dumping them “in the middle of Loleta, right on the main drive.” 

Bohn | Screenshot

“We need to cut the cord [and] clean it up,” Bohn said. “This has been [going on for] 30 years. … It’s time to do the right thing and clean up the property for our area. And this ‘qualified’ person that did the wet weather testing … it’s a 10-acre parcel. How do you go off-site to do your wet weather testing in an area that isn’t qualified? I am more confused now than ever, but in all reality, we have tried.”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a non-profit or not,” he added. “And I apologize, I know a lot of the non-profits, [but] I’ve never heard of Evergreen.”

The rest of the board seemed unfamiliar with Evergreen Non-Profits and confused by the recent property acquisition. Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson said he wasn’t sure how the board should proceed with a new owner involved.

“I don’t understand how obligated … we are to move forward with a new owner under the constructs and discussions we’ve had before, because we didn’t make those agreements with the new owner,” Wilson said. Under the new ownership, Evergreen Non-Profits would be responsible for the on-site violations and Garth would remain responsible for the fines owed to the county, which are estimated at $100,000.

Wilson asked the property owner when the Evergreen Non-Profits was formed and what its mission is. Ng said it was formed in 2002, though state records indicate it was established in 2022. 

“We created this non-profit, in lieu [sic] of the wildfires in the past, trying to come up with a solution on using land mainly to help in the nurseries for trees burned by the wildfires,” Ng said. “We’re trying to have land be used to grow saplings for planters to replant old burns.”

“Cool,” Wilson responded. “What does this property have to do with your mission?”

“Our mission is to find land that has redwood trees that we can … gather their seedlings and create kind of a workforce development. We can have workers learn tree climbing to go into the trees to gather the redwood seeds. We went to CalFire, and we took a course on seed collection, and we found out there was a market in seed collection.”

Wilson acknowledged that seed collection and regrowing the forest “is a wonderful thing,” but said he was confused as to how the non-profit’s mission tied into Yee Haw’s goals of providing affordable housing for its residents. Ng envisioned the property as a “training facility” where staff working on seed collection would work and live.

Still confused, Wilson asked Ford how the proposed training facility would fit in with the current land use designation and how the board should proceed. 

“Well, it is confusing because this is all new information,” Ford said, appearing annoyed. “This is all completely new information in a completely different direction. It’s not an entirely bad direction, but it is a huge change.”

Turning back to Ng, Wilson asked if the non-profit owned any properties or assets. Ng said he had applied for a $15 million CalFire grant before the state shifted priorities away from nursery development and toward transportation development. “I’ve been finding sponsors and people in the community, and I’ve been just gathering more resources,” he said. “I come to you today to ask for your resources and your advice.”

Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone expressed frustration over the whole ordeal, noting that he wished Garth would just “pay the fines and the fees like he said he would.” He praised the new property owner for stepping in to clean up the property but asked why it couldn’t have happened sooner. 

Madrone | Screenshot

“It’s always bothersome to me that at the 12th hour, when these actions finally happen after years — if not a decade or more of work — suddenly everybody’s up in arms, saying, ‘The county’s being brutal, the county’s doing this, the county’s doing that,’ and then everybody wants to jump in and help,” Madrone said. “Well, where were they earlier in the process when that could have actually made a difference? … If everybody cares so much about all this, why not step up and deal with all that?”

Madrone noted that “many residents” at Yee Haw did step up and tried to help Garth clean up the property, but said it was still up to the owner to address the code enforcement violations. 

“Regardless of the code issues, it is still a whole lot safer place to be than out on the streets. I don’t know anybody that would disagree with that, but it doesn’t mean we can look the other way,” he continued. “When there’s complaints and there’s issues with compliance and codes, if we look the other way then we can become liable, which is a really irresponsible use of our taxpayer dollars that fund us.”

Seeking additional clarity on the organization of Evergreen Non-Profits, Madrone asked Ng what his position was on the board. Ng said he is the financial officer and Garth’s son, the person listed as the creator of the non-profit, is the CEO. 

“It’s quite a tangled web, frankly speaking,” Madrone said, to which Ng interjected, “It’s not tangled.”

After a bit of additional discussion, Bohn made a motion to give the property owner 14 days to clean up the property before sending code enforcement to abate the site. However, Ford said a detailed motion wasn’t necessary, given staff’s recommendation listed in the staff report. 

Before voting on the item, Board Chair Michelle Bushnell said, “I’m in agreement with my colleagues. I don’t think kicking this down the road is going to get us what we need.”

Bohn made a motion to receive and file the report. The action was seconded by Board Chair Michelle Bushnell and passed in a 5-0 vote.

###

PREVIOUSLY: 

• TODAY in SUPES: County Looks to Rein in Yee Haw, the Trinidad-Area Commune With a Long History of Health and Safety Code Violations
• County Supes Approve Civil Penalties on ‘Yee Haw’ Communal Living Property Near Trinidad
• (VIDEO) Humboldt County Officials Serve Inspection Warrant at Yee Haw Communal Living Property Near Trinidad
• TODAY in SUPES: Inspection Reveals ‘Urgent Safety Risks’ From Exposed Sewage at Yee Haw Communal Living Property
• TODAY in SUPES: With Some Apprehension, Board OKs Potential Path to Legitimacy for Yee Haw Communal Living Property