By Michael T.
A sign is posted on Highway 101 northbound for Downtown Santa Barbara that reads “SEE THE HOMELESS.”
Finally a new sign for SB’s most popular tourist attraction!
New Highway Sign for Downtown Santa Barbara?
Anonymous
April 22, 2023, 12:17 pm
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GT
There are people don’t want to be homeless, but they also don’t want to behave in a way that is conducive to staying housed. There are others that do not want to be homeless but due to double diagnoses issues with mental illness and addictions are incapable of behaving in a way that is conducive to staying housed. Then there are those who are down on their luck and housing is a godsend, they get permanently housed and turn their life around.
Hotels in San Francisco are winning lawsuits against the City of SF for millions in room damages.
Housing Activist Steve Good acknowledges that the damages are real
Question: I understand one of the problems we’re having with the hotels is that the rooms get trashed. Is that true?
Steve Good: Unfortunately, that’s a reality. I mean, you take somebody that potentially has a pet suffering from a dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance abuse, who has been living on the streets for years and has not taken care of themselves. Put them in a room and it can be quite challenging.
GT your team has a super majority, has been in power for decades in CA and CA Democrats blame “rethuglican” bogeystrawmen that evidently have super powers over SF, LA CA, Jerry Brown, Gavin Newsom and every day CA Democrats Nobody can stop Democrats here in CA, they’ve got a super majority, but they always blame other people for their failures.
The other day Governor Newsom went to the Tenderloin and ran into JJ Smith
“J Smith, an activist who documents the horror he sees on the streets of San Francisco, said when the governor walked by him, he asked: ‘What are you going to do about this fentanyl epidemic?’
The Governor answered the question with a question of his own: ‘What should I do JJ? … I need you to tell me what we need to do.’ Then Newsom walked away. Newsom has been in office long enough to have built a plan and to be well into the implementation of his plan by now. Nobody in the CA Senate or CA Assembly can hold him back, slow him down “rethuglicans” have no power over him at all
Edney, per usual – you are posting a low information words salad and are trying to assert yourself as the feelings police. Someone state 80% or more of homeless would rather be homeless. That’s odd when you can read from any person specialized in the homeless crisis that is not the case. I have never seen the white Rethuglican theocracy do ANYTHING for homeless, at the state, Federal, or local level, not to mention that red states are on the dole and suck up that federal money – so there’s that.
In fact – the repugs want to take away medicaid, reduce social security and increase the age for getting benefits – that would put hundreds of thousands more people on the streets. Like Reagan cared….
Thank you.
Lol “ I have never seen the white Rethuglican theocracy do ANYTHING for homeless”
Why do you blame the people who are not in power? Seriously?
Point the finger at the Democrats in office, the people who keep voting for those that choose to not help the people.
Here’s an idea, vote Republicans in, give them a chance. If they do worse than the Dem regime then they can say something.
Till then the responsibility is in t in power, Democrats. The “party of the people”. Another fake media gimmick
I always know which issue Fox News is pushing each week by the obsession of the day from the Repugs. This week it’s “the homeless!”. Prior weeks it was CRT, drag queens, “they’re taking our guns!”, BLM, “masses” crossing the border, masks, etc. Propoganda to keep the conservative masses in a constant state of fear. Easier to control them and keep them voting for the GOP. Sheep.
NoLetaGirl: No doubt that the homeless issue is a very big problem across our entire nation. Making light of it, as demonstrated in the real?/fake? photo of a street sign, doesn’t do anything to help these people who are mentally ill for the most part. During a recent (two months ago) West-coast road trip I had a chance to visit San Francisco, Oakland, Portland, and Seattle. If you think making fun of the homeless “for sport” is a good thing, I suggest you visit these places. NOTHING on any cable news program created this huge/Huge/HUGE problem, so no need to “go there” as the local governments in the cities I visited completely are ignoring the mental and drug problems, and say the people on the other side of the aisle created the problem. The issue with that is that in SF/Portland/Seattle/Oakland, there are NO other people on the other side of the aisle. Amazing that they can blame ghosts for not attacking the problem head-on. My nephew lived on the streets in SB (actually, in the bushes near Shoreline Park), but was run out of town by his counterparts who didn’t like him stealing their beer, weed, and/or meth. Streets finally put him to rest about a year ago….sad, but the family was relieved.
Noletagirl – here’s a tip, quit watching that crap.
CA has 12% of the countries population.
And has 30% of the countries homeless population.
CA is the 5th largest economy in the world.
Yet CA can’t help the down & trodden.
Most media & politicians ignore the issues and people choose to not open their eyes to see the numerous encampments & people wandering the streets.
Pull your head out of the hole it’s in.
It’s our government who is lying to the people. It’s the “party of the people” leaders who don’t care about the people.
Vote differently.
Should just say “follow the smell”
We’d expect nothing less coming from a rethugliKKKan.
Progress! Step One admit there is a Problem…
I hesitated at the “validity” of the photo, so heading out on the bike I first stopped off at 220 W Gutierrez and could see there was a second sign below the “Downtown” part, but alas weeds/flowers were too tall/voluminous. So off to ride upstream on the Bath St. off-ramp to snap selfies!!!
It ‘s TRUE!
BICYCLIST – Please post the selfies. It wasn’t there at 4:30.
It’s an old pic that’s been photoshopped. The weeds & trees on the shoulder were cleaned up long ago.
Years ago I missed my exit for the convention center and came across skid row. Scary then, gotta be even worse now
Vandalism.
Take it down.
Dust it for fingerprints.
Prosecute.
Sifting through the GT bitter greens salad:
Not interested in the job of feeling police, particularly so at a site that allows you to call people you disagree with “rethugliKKKan”
I did not say I agree with any statement that says 80% of the homeless population would rather be homeless. Its proven that there are people would rather stay on the street than abide by sober living rules, but I don’t know the percentages and doubt its even close to 80%.
Low information? It is a fact that a SF Hotel won a lawsuit in the amount of $3M for damages caused by housing the homeless AND homeless advocate I quoted verified that damages do occur.
But you have zero problem saying this sweeping statement with no verification at all :
“I have never seen the white Rethuglican theocracy do ANYTHING for homeless, at the state, Federal, or local level” Then you are willfully blind. The Rescue Missions and the Salvation Army feed people, they house people and many of their donors are church attending Republicans and Democrats. Churches around SB that are attended by people of both parties have provided safe parking with bathrooms and showers for female homeless who live in their vehicles. The Salvation Army and Rescue Missions were helping the homeless decades ago.
Then the bitter word salad somehow transitions to “not to mention that red states are on the dole and suck up that federal money ” Great talking point, but lets dive a little deeper than the Democratic Underground narrative, which doesn’t provide the entire picture.
Out of the top 3 federally funded states two are Red, one is Blue. All 50 states get more Federal dollars back than they contribute in Federal taxes
California and NY have a huge wealth gap which shows up in this statistic. #1 Welfare recipient California has nearly 2X more welfare recipients than the #2 State of NY.
California sends $464B to Washington DC but gets back $726.5B which works out to for every $1 sent, CA gets $1.51 back
Quick Stats and the link below
Virginia receives the highest funding per resident of $19,406.
Connecticut has the lowest federal funding per resident of $4,152.
California tops the list of states that receive the most federal aid with funding of $726.51 billion.
Wyoming gets the least in total funding — $12.46 billion.
For each US dollar paid in taxes, residents of Kentucky get 3.78 dollars in federal assistance.
Connecticut receives 1.29 dollars in federal aid for every dollar paid in taxes.
https://balancingeverything.com/most-federally-dependent-states/
GT from your comments, it seems you want to punish Americans who don’t vote for your team. Explain?
“It’s all a machine, brother. Live free, don’t join.”
You’re welcome.
Why would we be thankful for nonsense?
Ah, so you prefer sourcing your philosophy from movies. That explains a lot.
Nonsense? Bear with me.
I’m talking about one of the biggest problems our society is dealing with – people who sit and watch TV (MSN, Fox) and just live by what they’re hearing. Then they come out and call others names based on the same crap they apparently have embedded in their minds. Suddenly it’s one side or the other, no grey area or thought, just us vs. them. That’s what happens when you don’t think for yourself and just believe everything you see on TV.
The quote is from Star Wars, The Last Jedi 2017.
You’re welcome.
Did you even read or think about my last post, or do you just knee jerk insult without thought?
@ 9:05
As a fantasy cinematographic mentor might say, “Deeply thinking not you are.”
It certainly reeks of a sociopathic speaker who doesn’t understand civilization.
…Yes, because other cities don’t have homeless…
I wouldn’t be surprised. Several years ago I was driving across 246 to Lompoc and the sign where the highway divides said 65 when for years said 55. i was so perplexed i did a u turn to confirm it says 65. The following day and for the next two months there was a sack over the sign. When I called Caltrains they confirmed it was to be a 65 MPH zone but they covered it waiting for the 65 sign. WTH I saw the already posted the sign with my own two eyes and went back to confirm,
The homeless who are just down on their luck are generally invisible and not the “problem”, in fact many of not most respond well to the many services available to them and typically end up back on their feet.
The sign is referring to the highly visible problem homeless who refuse or respond poorly to the services available to help them out. Panhandling, living in trash-spewn camps on the freeway, lying in their own filth in alleys and on sidewalks. I believe the only way we as a society will help them become contributing members of society is by taking away some of their civil rights. Force them into substance abuse and mental health treatment. Force them to learn what it takes to stay housed. Force them to accept the general rules of being a part of society.
But that will never happen.
Did someone actually install this or is it photoshopped?
Absolutely Photoshoped. The shadow is too pronounced for the lack of contrast in the rest of the picture. The shadows on the underside of the branches of the trees suggests it’s closer a noon, not the AM longer shadow. No shadows on the other sign posts. Beside, the top sign should be Caltrans standard green.
People on instagram are saying they drove by and saw it though.
It is there. I about got whiplash on the double take and giggled all the way home.
We drove by and saw it.
I could be wrong, after all, if it’s on the internet it’s gotta be real
554@3:12 and ALL SIDES – Let’s here it for Caltrans. I drove by 15 minutes ago (4:30) and they had everything put back to normal, and on a Saturday! They had everything put back so you couldn’t tell anything had happened. Who would have thought. LL SIDES, H
ope you giggling isn’t aggravating you neck.
Looks real to me.
915- you may not have liked the sign, and I didn’t say it was my opinion or sentiment, but it was funny to me that someone went to all of that trouble to make a statement. Everybody has a right to there opinion. Was it vandalism? Yes. Kind of like Tagging. Someone has to clean it up at taxpayer expense. But to get aggravated about it? My neck is fine, thank you for your concern.
0559 @3:55 – I didn’t say I didn’t like the sign, or that I was aggravated. In my collective statements I said, base on the photograph, the sign isn’t real. I also said that the sign wasn’t there at 4:30 and there was no evidence that anyone had been working on or around the sign recently. It’s curious that the KEYT, the Independent, nor Nooshawk has not reported this so called vandalized sign. I stand by my opinion. This was a hoax and those that report seeing are perpetuating the hoax.
Some far right rethuglican took the time and effort to do this rather than donate that time and effort to supporting the shelter or other homeless cause.
So the “Left” is ok that homeless are left to fend for themselves in the streets foraging fir food & shelter, avoiding violent crimes & subject to drugs & alcohol?
Must be since the “Left”, who is and has been in control, has not made any significant progress in helping the homeless.
SB has a 28% increase in homeless over the last 10 years.
Is that progress & caring from the “party of the people”?
SBLet’sGetAlong, please just ignore GT’s constant hypocrisy and incessant desire to blame everything in our super blue majority Dem controlled state on Republican’s.
Who knows who did it, but I would say that it looks photoshopped.
Its also the wrong color. Should be yellow and brown.
The shadow does lend to the effect.
@12:25 there is adequate shelters in Santa Barbara, if not top of the line shelters comparable to the rest of the country. Plus millions of dollars allocated for this issue. 80% if not more of our homeless are unwilling to seek or accept help. They choose to live this lifestyle and are not from this area. If wanted to live with no rules or consequences I to would choose Santa Barbara as it has nice year round climate and almost zero restrictions on living here.
When asked what the most common misconception is about people experiencing homelessness, Mental Health Center of Denver supportive housing provider Takisha Keesee knew her answer right away: “That they want to be homeless.”
https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/dismantling-harmful-false-narrative-homelessness-choice
Where do you get your 80% number from? Or is that your guesstimate? We actually have thousands of SB Unified students whose families are homeless or have no permanent residence? Are they wanting to be homeless,? Would it be more fruitful to take the time to make and deploy this sign, or maybe that energy would be better spent doing something in the community?
Don’t know where you get your information but you better find another source. Your statements couldn’t be further from the truth. You should educate yourself about the situation and offer assistance.
GT – Please cite your source to verify “We actually have thousands of SB Unified students whose families are homeless or have no permanent residence?”
General, “Thousands” of SBUSD students who are homeless? Where did that number come from? At the recent homeless count they counted 787 total which doesn’t come anywhere near your claimed number.
There have always been people with no homes in SB but with covid came a lack of enforcement for camping and burning fires in areas that are supposed to be off-limits, like next to the freeway and train tracks. Overly expensive housing and a great climate are conductive to LOTS of people who aren’t into working a full-time job and paying rent being attracted to the area. Some of those people are incapable, due to mental or physical illness, but that is not the case with all. It is not a one solution fits all kind of issue and SB catering to homeless that aren’t mentally ill, but lazy millennials that don’t want to work and want to live a free lifestyle, adds to the problem for some. Not a simple issue, one with many layers, and one that SB tries to help with but they will never win, not with this climate.
Yes, this is a problem, not the sign’ but our government and city officials who continuous do nothing but make this problem bigger.
This is so ridiculous, these are humans, where’s the help for them? So unless you cross the border to here, that’s the only way you get help. Our own people who live here are forced to the streets more and more. Now THEY say make low income housing! Really’ how about stop making the prices on everything, making it hard for someone to support themselves’ some of these people are disabled’ either physical or mentally, this is so sad. So what they get under 1000 a month to live on. There needs to be places for them to be safe to be housed to be healthy and clean , oh that’s a home! But no our city won’t benefit from that ‘ so let’s just complain about them and have them in the streets and in and out of the hospital.
There’s a lot of empty buildings, they need a room a bathroom and food. And maybe give them a purpose to live a small job. But nooo thus is only given to people from other countries, I’ll never understand why our USA would rather let our people here live on the streets! Mentally ill people and disabled people don’t want to be locked up. I’m so hoping that karen bass can get this done for the people in LA, our cost of living has become out of control!
Reading the comments from the professional keyboard idiots that say it was photo shopped and why they believe it is – is so typical of baseless opinions. The sign was actually there and the area has also been cleaned-up. You would think that 915Films ChicoBerkeley would be experts in this kind of stuff by the way they “made-up” the facts about shadows and colors, the time of day and blah, blah blah. They are wrong and should not be believed.
@ 857 – Pssst, SB1LOVE, hey I understand man. Also, the earth is flat, so don’t listen to those so called facts.
The photo is real. I saw the sign around noon Saturday.
Truth in advertising?
My initial thought when viewing this sign .. see – and recognize – and help the homeless. Let’s start now.
There may be no one left who also remembers the Men’s Club that was on Carrillo & Chapala, of which the magnificent tree is the only remnant. It was huge, and offered decent cubbyhole single-room-occupancy accommodations for a large number of men who otherwise would have been, as they are now, on the skids and in the bushes. The recently trendy building on State that was Scientology for so long? Also previously a cheap lodging hotel. The Moxi next to the train tracks on State… used to be a flop house for people who came in on the train. While you around toss nicknames and blame, look at the way the losers used to have housing options no longer available to them. Sure, now they have fentanyl and meth, but they always had booze. And even the Falldown is a bit more discriminating than these other places used to be. I could go on with examples, that added together represent hundreds of nightly beds that are now upscale hotels or renovated entirely away.
“Homeless” seens to be a poor choice of words – or a lame name is part of the problem.
There are lots of vacant homes – just not here.
Most counties subsize housisng where land is cheap. And costs are lower.
ie look at LA or Kern Counies. or most people relocate. only the helpless are left now.
People used to stay in single wide motor homes in middle of nowhere to get shelter. Or
in refrigeration cars. ie Refer City.
A better term is “Helpless”. It is not based on material things.
And puts problem with a person. Just need retraining. Loose bad habits.
Ditto with the government officials that allow it.
You really shouldn’t post so soon after a six-pack.
There are actually a fair % of vacant homes here, used as second homes. In some neighborhoods, it’s 20%.
BASIC – I see you constantly going after people for “hating” bigots, racists, homophobes, etc. Why? Do you believe racism and bigotry should be tolerated and accepted? I’m really curious why you get so upset when people speak badly about those who discriminate against people for how they were born. Can you help us understand why?