City continues its war on the impoverished

Recently, over 20 names of unhoused residents that died in the past 18 months were read during public speaking at a council meeting. This brought tears to many of us listening. As the speaker walked away from the podium the mayor, without an ounce of recognition or awareness, said, “Alright.. Moving on to item 4.1!”

This same disconnected response remains consistent from council majority as emotional citizens beg for water access to unhoused folks, for livable and accessible spaces, for shelter resolutions, and for basic compassion from the city.

All are met without acknowledgment and later often in mockery on social media. The mayor stated that we are “asking for the moon” when asking for the most basic of services and needs being met. Councilman Morgan claims we want a “ferris wheel,” the majority referring to our asks as “unreasonable.” They place blame on the judge for protecting federal rights, refusing to own the wrongs of the city.

They irresponsibly resist working with known local service providers and advocates due to personal and political preference, fostering constant mistrust of their experiences and advocacy. They hypocritically discount partnerships and funding to established local nonprofits that provide critical and diverse services, like Caring Choices, in favor of Hope St. or Point of Contact who have consistently raised concerns over unethical practices and lack of proven experience. This done so seemingly out of spite as the city continues to wage war against those impoverished and to those who step up to help them.

— Jesica Giannola, Chico