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Board hears case to keep emergency proclamation tied to ‘Connections’ shelter as county pursues permanent site
Summary
County officials said a 2018 emergency proclamation remains necessary to keep the Connections shelter open while the county continues seeking a permanent shelter location; rescinding the proclamation would immediately displace residents, staff said.
Mariposa County officials told the Board of Supervisors on Feb. 11 that an emergency proclamation enabling the Connections homeless shelter remains necessary while the county works to site a permanent shelter.
County Administrative Officer Joe Lynch said the county established an emergency shelter after the 2018 Martin v. Boise (Boise) litigation and the closure of a church-run temporary facility. "The emergency proclamation ... eases the zoning and permit laws around shelters," Lynch said, explaining that the declaration allows Connections to operate where it otherwise would not be permitted.
Lynch told supervisors the county has repeatedly pursued a permanent location and several funding opportunities, including Community Development Block Grant and No Place Like Home funds, but some state funding was later pulled. "We were very close and the state pulled funding," he said, adding that rescinding the proclamation today would force Connections to close and roughly 40 people "would go back into our communities."
Members of the public expressed concern about continued use of emergency authority. One frequent commenter said he objects to what he described as the broad use of emergency powers and questioned whether the situation still qualifies as an emergency.
Sheriff Jeremy Breeze described recent enforcement tied to adopted camping and homelessness ordinances, and said his office coordinates with Health and Human Services to offer assistance before enforcement. "We work for years with these individuals 2 to 3 times a week offering all sorts of supportive services," Breeze said, noting the department handled a volatile incident recently and that ordinances have provided tools to respond.
Board members asked for continued work toward a permanent shelter. Lynch said the county is actively looking at parcels and partners and reiterated that the emergency proclamation is required to keep Connections operating while those efforts continue.
The board took no final vote on changing the proclamation during the meeting; discussion and public comment framed the item as an ongoing operational and policy issue for future meetings.
