A look at what homeless individuals suffered during the record-level intense rains of early February demonstrated for a second consecutive year the utter inadequacy of programs to help California’s approximately 180,000 unhoused.
It also exposed the crying need for original thinking, going beyond today’s paltry shelters, most of them open only parts of the day.
At countless charity facilities that distribute clothing to the very needy, lines formed during and between downpours as thousands around the state sought shoes, plastic ponchos, blankets, water-resistant jackets and whatever else might offer a little relief from the seemingly relentless cold and damp that lasted almost a week.
It was a carbon copy of what happened in January 2023, when harsh rains that began the wettest winter in decades demonstrated starkly the inadequacy of this state’s many programs to help the homeless. Yes, there were some shelter beds available, but many required clients to leave before 8 a.m. and did not allow many back in until after 6 p.m.