City of Palm Springs struggles with growing homeless issues

The city of Palm Springs hosts a world-class film festival, and it’s spent millions on a first-class animal shelter.

You can even buzz around town thanks to more than $800,000 the city shelled out to shuttle visitors around town for free.

But at just about every turn in Palm Springs, residents are noticing something else.

More homeless people are becoming a part of the city’s ambiance, a challenge to residents and city hall.

Many residents say it’s only getting worse.

“I think it’s kind of ridiculous,” said Dawn Alfrey, of Palm Springs, “because you can’t even take your kids to hang out here at the park.”

Claudio D’Agostino’s mother says she doesn’t feel safe walking alone.

“I’m sure tourists go by here and go through the park now that they’re visiting,” said D’Agostino. “They’re going to look at us like, they’re not taking care of the situation,” D’Agostino added.

Palm Springs Police Officer Barron Lane is trying to take care of the situation and its reflection on the city.

He and his Community Services partner, Juan Vasquez, know the city’s estimated 200 daily homeless residents well.

Lane and Vasquez respond to daily calls from residents and businesses who don’t want the homeless on their property.

“This whole position I’m in is kind of humiliating to begin with,” said Greg, a transient camped out behind the Ramon Walmart store.

Greg says he wants to go home. But it’s not in the cards, yet.

“Most people don’t know why or what put us in this position,” said Greg. He added, “I don’t like to point fingers.”

Barron said Greg is, “a smart man, he’s well educated well spoken. It’s a waste of talent to see him back there all the time. I tell him that.”

There used to be a lot of homeless people in downtown Palm Springs, but you didn’t see them because they were living in the old Fashion Plaza Mall’s underground parking structure out of sight.

Those homeless people haven’t left the city, but have simply left the downtown area and have scattered throughout the city.

Lane says the city’s many vacant lots give the homeless a convenient and attractive place to camp. And that’s not all.

“We have ‘Well in the Desert.’ We have ‘Roy’s Resource Center.’ We have the ‘path,'” said Lane. “We have a number of non governmental organizations and churches that help the homeless. Because of that, it’s made our city very popular with the homeless,” he added.

Lane’s primary assignment is to make contact with the homeless.

Many are bussed daily into town from Roy’s, the closest shelter, before sunrise.

One bus stop is at Farrell Drive, just south of Vista Chino. It’s one of three daily stops.

Once they get off those busses early in the morning they scatter around town. But so many end up at the Palm Springs Public Library, also Sunrise Park where they can legally hang out all day.

Another homeless resident, Carlene said, “I’m trying to find a job, but I have my little guy there. And he doesn’t like people.”

Carleen says the tenants here let her stay because she watches their businesses at night.

Her plight is not uncommon.

The old MacGruder dealership also has a steady stream of homeless who use it for shelter.

Lane makes regular contacts here.

But solutions are not easy to find when the closest emergency shelter, Roy’s, is miles away from the city’s center. And it doesn’t take pets.

Lane said, “I think if it were a little closer and open during the day with a daytime program, you might see more people staying up there.”

Now, all Officer Lane and and Vasquez can do is try to keep the homeless moving, clean up their camps after a 72-hour notice knowing they will likely be called back to see them again very soon.

Brooke Beare continues this report with a look at some new solutions the City of Palm Springs is hoping will help with the area’s homeless issues.

See here report here: http://www.kesq.com/news/palm-springs-steps-up-to-find-solutions-to-growing-homeless-issue/36623044.