What is your actual plan for reducing homelessness in Eureka, rather than simply moving unhoused people from one location to another, and what measurable results should voters expect to see by the end of your first term?

— Forkintheroad

Response

Jason McCutcheon

I believe what the current City Council is doing when it comes to homelessness and mental illness is absolutely inhumane.

Let me be clear: no one deserves to be homeless. But we also have to be honest about the different situations people are facing and stop pretending that one solution will work for everyone.

For those struggling with addiction, we need to provide a real path to recovery. For those who graduate from rehab, we need to help them transition into stable housing and give them the opportunity to rebuild their lives.

For people who are homeless through circumstances such as eviction or financial hardship and who are not struggling with addiction, I believe they should be prioritized for available housing. With the amount of new housing being developed, we need to make sure we are actually helping the people who need it most.

For those who are dealing with serious mental illness, we need to have a legitimate conversation about treatment. These people deserve real care and treatment—not to be left on the streets to deteriorate.

And when someone is committing a crime or dealing drugs, the answer cannot simply be to ignore it because they are homeless. Jail should never be punishment for being homeless. It should be a consequence for breaking the law.

There are people who have spent their entire lives on the streets and don’t know any other way of living. We cannot simply continue the cycle and expect different results.

I believe we need three things: rehabilitation for those battling addiction, housing for those who can successfully live independently, and appropriate treatment and accountability for those who need it.

My goal by the end of my first term would be to see significantly fewer people living on our streets—and, more importantly, to see the people who remain struggling actually receiving the help they need.

These are human beings. They deserve better.

Eureka deserves real solutions—not just continuing the same policies and hoping things change.

 

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