Resiliency Village

To the Editor:

In order for Tuolumne County to evict the homeless from Camp Hope, alternative shelter had to be offered to the residents. Enter “Resiliency Village.”

A contract was set up between the County and “RV” in February 2021 to provide shelter in motel rooms or alternative housing, provide three meals a day, and be paid $60 an hour for consulting fees. To date the county has funded them around $160,000. The contract can be extended into 2023.

In an update given to the Supervisors Homeless Committee by a representative of “RV,” it was stated that they must vacate the motel rooms by Aug. 31, 2021, and plan to house the residents in travel trailers at the “RV” site on Jenny Lind Road. What is the big rush to vacate the motel rooms?

According to reports by CBS, the trailer arrangement has already been tried in the City of San Jose and failed within three weeks at a cost to the city of $1.3 million. In addition, CBS reports that Los Angeles has abandoned the trailer solution, leaving 100 units in a parking lot unoccupied, and now finds housing in motel rooms is more cost effective. Both epic fails.

If county officials continue to fund the existing contract with “RV” and implement code exemptions that would allow an unknown number of trailers to be set up for habitation at the “RV” site, it would be unethical and irresponsible. A remote, poorly planned trailer camp is no solution to homelessness. Karen Kress

Columbia