Q&A with James Lewis: Lack of affordable housing contributes to homelessness

The Desert Sun - 06/10/06

James Lewis has given himself a monumental task: Convincing valley cities, agencies and service groups to work together in facing down homelessness. Sitting on a valley-wide Homeless Task Force, as a regional director County Housing and Homeless Coalition and as the former CEO/executive director of the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, Lewis possesses a deep understanding of homeless issues. We recently asked him to describe the extent of the valley's homeless problem and to explain how it might be solved.

Q: Aren't the valley's homeless "problems" over-hyped? After all, we don't really have any more homeless now than in the past, right?

A: The county's cold weather shelter in Indio has seen a 100 percent growth in average nightly clients (now 130 a night) since the Rescue Mission became its contracted manager in the 2001-2002 season. By "problems" I wonder if the concern is the increase in homelessness affecting the overall quality of life of our resort community. The numbers have indeed increased. What we have done as a community has not increased proportionally ... that is the problem that we have not over-hyped enough.

Q: What is causing this increase? Is it related to the valley's population growth?

A: Homeless women with children are increasing due to loss of the wage earner - through abandonment, arrest or drug use. This is exacerbated by the valley becoming the crystal meth and heroine capital of Riverside County. There is a growing population of those with dual-diagnosis (a combination of drug-addiction and mental illness) and very few facilities to address the issue. Local shelters are expected to pick up this slack. As with crime, there is always a correlation of homelessness to the population. Our weather is also an attraction to the chronically homeless.

Q: Do women and children make up a larger portion of the homeless than men in the valley?

A: It is clear from statistics that there are about 16 percent more single mothers and intact families on the street. Here, families have increased to almost 47 percent of the homeless with 23 percent being under the age of 18. It is difficult for service-oriented shelters, such as the Mission, to accurately track the total population. The Mission separates those who really want help from the chronic homeless who keep looking for the hand-out - the families are more apt to seek a hand-up. The public really doesn't see the true face of the homeless.

Q: So when someone says "Just tell the homeless to move on along" - meaning get out of town - they're really saying it to a lot of local families?

A: To some degree - for example, at the cold weather shelter, where only the chronic or newly found homeless tend to come, since January there were four local families: five single mothers with a total of 14 children, one intact family with a child, several couples who left their children with local relatives and several couples who came to the area for work but can't find affordable housing. This is comparable to what I saw at the Rescue Mission.

Q: How much does the lack of affordable housing in the valley play into creating or exasperating homelessness?

A: Affordable housing requires either local government redevelopment funds or tax credit funding, which is often limited due to the marginal return for the managing partner of such projects. This is exacerbated in the valley, where rents are still relatively low. The need is far surpassing the supply throughout Southern California, and it is not uncommon for waiting lists to be over a year. In the case of many homeless, evictions, credit or legal problems keep them from successfully passing the application for such housing.

Q: It seems strange to say that rents are "low" when there are waiting lists for "affordable housing." So what is the solution to getting those who want to make an honest living into housing? Is it a matter of changing the application requirements or providing alternative housing options?

A: The primary issue is a lack of available and affordable units. The secondary issue is the application process. The criteria for acceptance into affordable housing limit many marginal applicants. We need to build more affordable housing projects and open up the application process to those who have come through programs such as the Rescue Mission. The Mission's goal is to see its graduates be fully reconciled into the community as productive members of society. Some of them may even have been your neighbors.

Q: What commitment should valley cities make to ensuring there is affordable housing?

A: Several valley cities are very committed in their efforts in doing just that; their very successful programs should be used as models. As some cities approach residential and commercial build-out, more effort should be focused on providing an equitable share of affordable housing for those filling new jobs that are being created -- above that which is mandated. Lower paid service workers and college students need housing closer to places of employment and school rather than being forced to use public transportation or lengthy commutes.

Q: Let's talk a little more about the homeless themselves. What should someone do when seeing a person at a street corner holding a sign asking for money if they're approached by someone who says he's homeless and would appreciate any change we could give him?

A: "Panhandlers" can be a difficult issue for the public. The Mission has a list of suggestions: Never give cash to a homeless person; talk to the person with respect; recognize that homeless people (and their problems) are not all the same; share God's love whenever you can; take precautions for your own safety; encourage the homeless to get help through the local shelter; support your local shelter -- they are the expert. Those who refuse help at shelters are often on the street by choice.

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