Volunteer Outreach person Mike Powell, talks to Francisco Cambray, left, Andrew Guarrio, right, and Indalacio Mada at COTS' Mary Isaak Center as they come into the center to seek beds on what will be a cold night on Monday January 6, 2014.

Even with increase in county services, homeless resources scarce

Three weeks ago, 52-year-old Mike Powell was homeless in Petaluma. After 17 years of living on the streets, he grew tired of "the life" -#8212; the searing hunger, the biting cold and the endless struggle to survive without a roof over his head.

"I was finally ready for something else," he said.

As the bone-chilling cold froze Petaluma throughout much of December, Powell turned to the Committee on the Shelterless (COTS) for help.

"They got me into the shelter and into the work program," Powell said happily. "I'm volunteering with them now, doing community outreach. I've been out cleaning up homeless encampments and recruiting other people to come get help. It's been really great."

And while COTS has offered Powell significant assistance, he has also helped the organization. His recent street experience makes him a trusted person among the notoriously insular homeless community.

"Since the weather turned cold, Mike (Powell) has gotten about 30 people off the street," said COTS CEO Mike Johnson. "It's a benchmark for us and he has been a big reason why people are coming in. He likely saved many people's lives, people who would not have lasted through the freeze."

But not everyone can access services in time. Johnson said that in 2013, at least 16 homeless people died in Petaluma.

"That is way over the top in my view," Johnson said. "In the 15 years I've been working with COTS, I've never heard of that many people dying in that short of a time frame. It's really tragic that it's happening so frequently."

During the final four months of 2013, Petaluma police discovered the bodies of three shelterless transients in town. Two were identified as former COTS clients. In September, a dog walker found the body of 60-year-old Petaluma transient James Wood near Willow Brook Creek. Wood -#8212; a longtime alcoholic -#8212; was recently placed in permanent housing through COTS before he relapsed and returned to life on the street.

The second transient body found in Petaluma was that of 58-year-old Anatolio Barocio, an occasional COTS patron. The third body was an adult female who authorities have yet to identify. Officials have not determined cause of death for any of these cases.

Johnson partly attributes the spike in homeless deaths to the continued lack of services in the county.

"At some point, homeless people may have a moment of clarity and decide to make a change, like Mike (Powell) did," said Johnson. "But if they seek out help and can't get it immediately -#8212; which is often the case because waiting lists for services are so long -#8212; most of them will give up and say, 'Screw it, I'm not going to bother.'"

Powell was fortunate he asked for help in December, since COTS accommodates anyone seeking refuge from the cold during winter months.

This year Johnson even offered to put beds in his office to accommodate extra people. He also welcomed recent news of expanded homeless services at the Catholic Charities of the Santa Rosa Diocese, which will receive a majority of the $180,000 the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors released in emergency funds to help the homeless through the coldest months of the year.

"Anything that expands homeless services in the county is great for us," said Johnson. "It takes a lot of the pressure off -#8212; especially when we are already maxed out."

But the short-term fix is far from a long-term solution, Johnson said. During the warmer months, the homeless across Sonoma County often find a two- to three-week waiting list for beds and services.

In the meantime, Powell and other members of COTS continue to walk the streets everyday, searching for those who want help escaping homelessness.

In an effort to free up beds in COTS' temporary shelter, Johnson continues to work on his permanent housing project, Integrity Homes, in which several adults rent a place together and share living costs. He hopes to increase the number of such housing facilities from 11 to 50 over the next five years.

"It all adds up to a shift in community attitudes," said Johnson. "And with cuts to unemployment benefit and food stamp programs nationwide, things could get worse before they get better. These are our neighbors who are suffering and it would make our community a much better place if we could support them -#8212; rather than allow them to continue in homelessness or to fall into homelessness."

(Contact Janelle Wetzstein at janelle.wetzstein@arguscourier.com)

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