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SLO County Grand Jury reveals nonprofit’s failures

June 26, 2023

Residents protesting of SLO County safe parking site

By KAREN VELIE

A San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury report calls out a local government agency and a nonprofit for failing to accomplish tasks they were paid to perform at the county’s safe parking site on Oklahoma Avenue and for refusing to hand over records.

In the summer of 2021, the county opened a safe parking site near the sheriff’s department to address the increasing number of homeless sleeping in their vehicles. A portion of the $45,000 a month the county allotted for the site was paid to Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo (CAPSLO) for case management, while the SLO County Department of Social Services was paid for oversight.

During its investigation, the grand jury requested copies of all quarterly reports CAPSLO and social services personnel were contracted to create, but both agencies refused to comply. Even so, the grand jury determined CAPSLO and social services did not meet the goals outlined in their contracts.

Multiple members of the safe parking community contend CAPSLO’s failures have hampered their ability to move into housing. For example, CAPSLO was paid to help residents register their vehicles, a contracted service CAPSLO allegedly failed to perform.

The grand jury found that those managing the site were unsuccessful at helping the majority of its participant households successfully transition to permanent housing. With a transition rate of 14%, the county safe parking site falls well below the median rehousing rate of 40% found in a 2021 nationwide study of 43 safe parking programs, according to the grand jury report.

In Nov. 2022, more than 40 of the approximately 70 people living at the safe parking site joined the California Homeless Union because they thought that the county and CAPSLO were not abiding by their contractual agreements.

Several members of the homeless community accuse CAPSLO of charging them for case management while failing to help them secure housing.

In Jan. 2023, the county did not formally renew CAPSLO’s contract. Even so, the nonprofit continues to be involved with case management at the site.

In Feb. 2023, the county announced plans to close the site before the end of the year and to no longer allow new people to stay at the site. The goal is to move people into long-term housing with the help of local homeless services providers, including CAPSLO.

During the approximately two years the safe parking site was operational, emergency personnel responded to calls for assistance 493 times, according to the grand jury report. Those calls include three deaths, 43 medical, 42 disturbing the peace, seven spousal abuse or battery, five threats, 13 burglary or theft and 50 for mental health issues.

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Until the laws for non-profits change I will proudly not donate. The dollar amount that is required to directly fund the benefit is embarrassingly so low that there is no question that most non-profits are a lucrative self employment. Philanthropy should never be a industry or a tax write-off. Give a hand up anonymously and require that there is NO free ride and for those who are capable to work require work for their subsistence.


30

$45,000.00 divided by 70 equals $642,00 per resident, enough to rent each individual a space in a RV Park, with water sewer and electricity!!!

Of course CapSlo wouldn’t get a cut if they did it that way.


43

The ghost of Adam Hill and the SLO Progressives, still ripping off taxpayers, even from the grave.


51

It appears CAPSLO may have breached its contract with the County to perform these services. It’s time for County Counsel to take a look at the contract and determine if funds should be returned for the incomplete work. These are our tax dollars that were earmarked with expectations.


John, Debbie, Bruce, Dawn and Jimmy, are you willing to ask for an audit of those contracts?


63

CAPSLO is as much of a fraud as Michael Blank was with CRLA, except on a much larger scale.


It isn’t even that much of a secret. It started with Biz Steinberg who is now retired comfortably, but the fraudulent culture at CAPSLO lives on.


73

I have a concern as this isn’t the first time CAPSLO has been accused of financially abusing their homeless clients. Let’s not forget them charging for personal hygiene products (which had been donated for them to give to the their clients). I think CAPSLO needs to be thoroughly investigated as they are abusing a vulnerable population whose voices aren’t always heard.


86

The Ghost of Dee Torres lives!


71

I am shocked. Shocked! That CAPSLO makes sure its own pockets are well lined, before they ignore the pleas of others. Shocked I say!


70

This is why the government shouldn’t do things like this… it only encourages more homelessness…. and the problem gets bigger just like anything you feed it grows…


40

Ohh so the cause of homelessness is the government and cutting the homeless budget will fix things? Lets cut the tax breaks for yacht’s, teslas and all the other shit the gop wants to give away like it’s free money.


Then there is the failed libertarian movement, what’s their fix for the homeless?


Better to try to help, then no help at all.


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