In the News
“Research consistently shows supportive housing — like the kind [ECS resident] Bukenya is receiving — leads not only to positive changes in residents’ lives, but to cost savings for taxpayers, too.”
Read the full KQED story here.
“Folks can just come to the front door, because they need to be in a safe place, out of the inclement weather. They just want to be able to walk in, have a bed for the night and leave in the morning,” said Beth Stokes, executive director of Episcopal Community Services.
“…he spoke to a small gathering of his neighbors at 1064 Mission St., the city’s largest site of permanent supportive housing, which the government makes available to formerly homeless tenants. Episcopal Community Services, which operates the site, and the Department of Elections had arranged a voter education workshop for residents.
“[permanent supportive housing] is so much more affordable in comparison to incarceration or long-term hospitalization or literally the cost of one emergency room visit,” said Travis Hamilton, associate director of housing services for Episcopal Community Services, which owns and operates Bukenya’s building.
“Earlier this year, All Home and NPH had conversations with community partners in the housing justice field to learn more about their needs around storytelling — a powerful strategy that can be hard to do well. All Home and NPH designed their initiative to help meet those needs, and put out a call to organizations interested in participating in the storytelling initiative.”
“Residents of a supportive housing complex in Larkspur attended an inaugural health fair this week. The permanent housing facility at 1251 S. Eliseo Drive is a 43-room complex built for formerly homeless people. It was funded by the state’s Homekey Program and is operated by Episcopal Community Services.”
“It took three years for Garcia to receive government support. During this time, he relied on San Francisco’s general assistance and avoided sleeping on streets by staying in parks or shelters. Eventually, he found help through Episcopal Community Services (ECS).”
“Caseworkers with the agency from Episcopal Community Services, along with other supportive services workers, would paddle out to his boat and bring him things like candy bars and supplies, and it eventually won him over. Romanowsky said the whole process took about a month, and the caseworkers helped him with every step, even getting emotional support credentials for his dog, Toby.”
Today the Supreme Court issued a ruling that will have lasting impacts on our country’s homelessness crisis. The decision in the case of Johnson v. Grants Pass has effectively legitimized the criminalization of homelessness, thus punishing people for experiencing the most extreme levels of poverty. Episcopal Community Services (ECS) has advocated against this approach from the start; signing on to an amicus brief in opposition to this unjust and cruel policy. As both the Executive Director of ECS, and a human being, I am appalled and deeply disheartened by this decision.
Let me be clear, homelessness is not a choice. The causes of homelessness are complex and often rooted in insurmountable hardship due to systemic racism, exorbitant cost of housing, and economic inequality. Homelessness is the most extreme manifestation of poverty in American society; the experience of being unhoused is traumatic enough without being punished and criminalized with fines or incarceration for simply having nowhere safe to sleep. Furthermore, people experiencing homelessness endure significant negative impacts on their health and wellbeing. Despite knowing this, our society continues to demonize and stigmatize those we should be treating with compassionate care.
This is unacceptable.
Our fundamental approach to service is centered around proven strategies that address homelessness holistically by providing long-term affordable housing options, paired with the wraparound supportive services which empower our participants with the resources and tools they need to end their homelessness, meet their goals, and transform their lives.
Today’s decision undoubtedly marks a dark moment in our nation’s history, but we cannot let adversity set us back. ECS will continue to staunchly advocate for our unhoused neighbors and prioritize approaches which center humanity, dignity, and empathy.
In solidarity,
Beth Stokes
“Across the nation, older adults are slipping into homelessness at a rate only previously witnessed during the Great Depression. In California, seniors are the fastest-growing age group within the unhoused population.”
Read the full op-ed by ECS and The Curry Senior Center here.