When I was in high school I had a real problem with religion. Why? As a teenager I couldn't get a grip in my spirit why "churches" had to spend so much money on buildings when there was so much need in the lives of people. It seemed like every time my girlfriend took me to church all they were seeking was money for their new building projects. Maybe those building projects of yesteryear are to help people today for such a time as this. Let me explain. It wasn't  until I was 23 years old that I came to the truth that in the word and eyes of God the church is not a building but rather the church is the people who believe in Him. But believing in God also means believing that Jesus Christ i

Homeless World Sacramento is much much different than what most people in our metropolis believe it to be. I have been rendered homeless and have been in this circumstance for over 20 months, now. I could never have imagined how very splendid most of the people mired, as I am, in this world are, nor how very different the challenges are "out here" than what I would have supposed. Local media and several homeless-help agencies mischaracterize things, or present matters in a wholly superficial way. They are much to blame for people's misapprehensions. Plus, the rallies and protests promulgated by Loaves & Fishes and its allied nonprofits are causal for the public to suppose that all homele

I never really understood it before, but to live in Sacramento is to be surrounded by water.  That may sound ludicrous, but I have lived here most of my life, spent a lot of time by the water, but not until I saw more of the world did I understand how much water is a part of where I grew up.  The water around here either collects or seeps or flows into our space, and can be seen all around town and really anywhere in the region.  So I like water, I like spending time by it.  Even when I am out in a high desert, I will find water to be near.  Here in town, I will spend a lot of time by the water on a bicycle, fishing, or just standing. Lately, as I have been bicycle commuting, I have notic

Collection day morning in Midtown. Heralded once again by the clatter of shopping cart wheels, arguments over territory rights, and cans and bottles strewn about makeshift recycling centers upon the front yards of residents. The Police are powerless. Worse, the City of Sacramento’s utility code unwittingly encourages marginalization of the Homeless. By providing residents no choice in how their recyclables are reclaimed, and no alternative to a monthly fee for recycling pick up, Sacramento residents automatically subsidize the burgeoning activity of scavenging. Leaving many recycling bins nearly empty well before pick-up time, and many residents with increasing—and misplaced—animosity tow

Midtowners walking by the corner of 21st and J on the last two Sundays of the month will see as many as 200 of our hungry neighbors lined up, eager to share in a warm, hearty breakfast offered to any of our community members in need of a meal. Sacramentans of all ages, from small children to senior citizens, many of whom spent the previous night without a roof or a bed are greeted with a hot cup of coffee and a warm smile from members of the First United Methodist Church of Sacramento’s congregation. “I think many of our guests on Sunday morning feel cared for and honored by the way they are treated here," Pastor Kathi McShane said. "We try to make them feel like they're in a restaurant r

The Mayor's Winter Shelter Task Force announced on October 23 that they had $500,000 to spend on shelter beds and had succeeded in finding a magnificent 269 slots for the 4 1/2-month chilly period. In the midst of our Grand Recession, with money tight and the need at its greatest ever for chilly-season safety from the elements, a committee had come through for homeless folk, finding means and ways to stave off misery. So it was thought. It's nearly a month later, and its now known that the task force, instead of doing grade A+ work did grade F work. There never were 269 slots; only a paltry few. And that is all we have now as a major storm descends. Mr. Mayor, please show some grit. Mak

It seemed like things were splendid, with a bounty of beds [as compared to prior years] secured for the chilly season for homeless people to sleep in, but now, in the words of Loaves & Fishes CEO and Mayor's Winter Shelter Task Force member Libby Fernandez, "It seems to be falling apart." An article in the Bee on Veterans' Day "Hotel chain quits talks on winter housing for Sacramento homeless," reports that room for 100 homeless people at Extended Stay America were not secured, as expected, and the Mayor's Winter Shelter Task Force is now, quickly, moving to "Plan B," seeking space at other hotels. Beliefs and rumours in Homeless World Sacramento run the gamut. In rules-and-information

Thursday morning, journalist Lisa Ling, members of the City Council and the homeless and formerly-homeless community joined Mayor Kevin Johnson in launching the "Sacramento Steps Forward" initiative. A crowd of several hundred waved blue initiative flags and cheered as Johnson announced his goal "to end homelessness and focus on permanent housing." He applauded permanent housing shelters such as Mercy Housing, Turning Point and Martin Luther King Jr. Village, 3900 47th Avenue, where the launch was held. Johnson said the goal of Sacramento Steps Forward is to provide 2,400 "decent and affordable" permanent housing units over the next three years. That would nearly quadruple the amount of

As a Sacramento resident keenly interested in the history of K Street from the gold rush to the present, I have read many opinions regarding the best ways to fix the ongoing problems of K Street. Some have been proposed recently, ideas that I view with a mixture of amusement and horror. Most involve returning to the mistakes of the past while clearly avoiding its successes. In order to take the best from the past while avoiding some of its mistakes, I have selected some favorites. I can take credit for none of them, as they are all ideas that have been suggested at other times and places, but they seem like the best of the lot to me. This ten-point plan varies in scope from the very simple

Thursday afternoon, about 50 seniors, homeless and other community members participated in the Sacramento Housing Alliance Affordable Housing Bus Tour. The tour surveyed 10 different housing options and stopped to provide in-depth tours of three housing complexes. Guided by Shamus Roller, director of the SHA, Ken Cross, CEO of Sacramento Habitat for Humanity and Paul Ainger, Mercy Housing project developer, the four-hour tour began and ended at the SHA office in Midtown. "It's important to know what affordable housing means," Ainger said. According to the federal government, housing is considered "affordable" when a person renting or buying it spends no more than 30 percent of his or her

Tuesday morning, Mayor Kevin Johnson was joined by a handful of Safe Ground supporters for a weekly press conference inside City Hall. After reiterating his goal to end homelessness in Sacramento, he invited Sister Libby Fernandez and Greg Bunker, the respective executive directors of Loaves and Fishes and Francis house, as well as a homeless man named Thomas Jackson Ashmore III, to speak. Johnson spoke about his meeting over the weekend with campers at the recently vacated 1220 C St. campground owned by Mark Merin. At the camp site, Merin had also been involved in a property dispute over the land with the neighboring Pedro and Gracilla Hernandez residence. Johnson mentioned that a compr

Though homelessness is not a new problem, the number of homeless people in Sacramento has increased over the last few years because of the state's budget crisis and cuts to federal programs. On June 30, hundreds of county shelter beds became unavailable, forcing more homeless onto Sacramento streets. In answer to the shortfall, Safe Ground Sacramento was inaugurated on July 1. Organized by community members, nonprofits and businesses, Safe Ground seeks to provide the homeless with a safe place to be. Hundreds gathered that day for a rally and march to kick off the movement. Among them was Jacoby Shaddix, the formerly homeless lead singer of local band Papa Roach. The city of Sacramento e

In a previous story in The Sacramento Press about a "Safe Ground" encampment behind the Pedro and Gracilla Hernandez residence, Mark Merin, civil rights attorney and Safe Ground partner was not contacted. He is the owner of the property and responded to the article Thursday. Merin explained the land dispute differently. He said "it's unfortunate" the story made it seem as if he were trying to harm the Hernandez family financially or use the homeless to bully them. Merin explained that when he bought his property, he had been planning to use the corner lot at 13th and C streets as a law office, and the strip behind the Hernandez residence as a parking lot. It turned out that, in a rare in

For about 30 years, the Hernandez family has owned the only house on the block of 13th Street between B and C Streets. Until Aug. 21, the rest of the block surrounding their home was filled with vacant lots. "Safe Ground" came to the block when Sacramento lawyer and homeless advocate Mark Merin, who has owned several of the adjacent lots since 2007, teamed up with non-profits, businesses and other individuals. Tightly fit rows of matching tents complete with a "Safe Ground" logo (click here for photograph) began filling the one vacant lot directly behind the Hernandez's house, and for nearly a month, tents have housed about 40 homeless people on the property. Monday, the Hernandez family

SafeGround advocates rallied at Sacramento City Hall this morning. Over 150 people congregated in support of SafeGround and to rally around the push for a moratorium on the city’s anti-camping ordinance. The rally started at 10am, but was preceded by SafeGround music written and performed by Glen Bailey. The Rev. David Moss started the rally out with a prayer asking city officials for a favor, to have “compassion, justice, and mercy “ and “for something that is a basic human right for most people, but not the homeless – the right to sleep in safety.” Joan Burke, a homeless advocate, read a declaration from the Sacramento Democratic Party announcing it’s support for the SafeGround movemen

The Democratic Party of Sacramento County (DPSC) voted to unanimously endorse a resolution in support of Safe Ground for Sacramento’s homeless community, urging an amendment to the city's anti-camping ordinance to create city-sanctioned campgrounds to provide safe, sanitary and regulated facilities. DPSC supports this measure to avoid forcing Sacramento’s 1,200 homeless men, women and children to fend for themselves on the streets.   "Homelessness in Sacramento is a crisis affecting working families hit hard by the recession," said DPSC Parliamentarian Alan LoFaso, "The community needs to rally in support of our most vulnerable residents and back innovative ways to help these families re

Photographers are being rallied all over the Sacramento region to help end the growing chronic homelessness problem. From Sept. 13 until Sept. 19 photographers will be snapping pictures of inspiring moments across Sacramento. According to the official rules, the themes for the photographs are: home and family life, work, play, faith, and Sacramento. "Homelessness is personal to me -- my son is homeless," said Don Nahhas, president of Snapshot Sacramento. "There is only so much you can do to help, and with the proceeds from this, those who want help have a way and an avenue to get help." The weeklong event is modeled after America 24/7, a nationwide photography contest that creates a boo

Sacramento City Police once again have raided the small SafeGround camp site in downtown. This time they weren’t just looking for illegal tents and sleeping bags, instead they came looking for people. They arrived around 7:30 am, with a warrant, and quickly proceeded to handcuff and line up most all the campers still on site. With over half a dozen squad cars, seventeen officers, the police van, and the CSI unit, they were able to arrest and move downtown seventeen campers including retired Methodist Minister Rev. David Moss. As of this writing, the campers are being processed and released with a citation and court date for October. Six of the campers along with Sister Libby of Loaves

Early this morning Sacramento City Police descended upon the small SafeGround campsite in downtown Sacramento. They came with half a dozen squad cars, a dozen officers, the paddy wagon, and a search warrant. They announced the site was a crime scene forced everyone to leave and taped off the site while they searched the premises for evidence of illegal camping. They then proceeded to take down and bag all the tents and sleeping bags as evidence of the crime, dumping peoples personal belongings in the dirt. After 3 hours of bagging and even the CSI unit taking pictures they hauled off the “evidence” and let the residents back in to gather their stuff out of the dirt. The SafeGround residen

Fox 40's Natalie Bomke, and Mayor Kevin Johnson camped out with Sacramento’s homeless community, August 11, 2009. This is a huge step in making homelessness a priority and bringing forth change. Safe Ground’s mission is to help the homeless community to have a safe and legal place to stay until the housing issues are resolved. Mayor Johnson and Bomke showed up at Safe Ground’s recent camp-out spot to learn first hand what it is like to be homeless. Johnson and Bomke signed Safe Ground’s participant agreement; which is required in order to camp: no drugs, no alcohol, no violence. This agreement is set to keep the homeless community safe. John Kraintz, a homeless leader and a member of Sa