Deputies in TOPD’s Vulnerable Populations unit know each of the city’s ~230 homeless residents on a first-name basis. In my ride-along with them today, I witnessed not only the deputies’ compassion and skill in learning residents’ needs but also the way they coordinate with various other agencies to address those needs.
The city’s response to homelessness will get a big boost tomorrow with the ribbon cutting at the Thrive Grove Navigation Center, which will use tiny homes to provide temporary shelter. Large-scale encampments are now a thing of the past, but the work continues on finding shelter and services for everyone, including those still living in arroyos and cars.