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Organizers urge tiny-house solutions, report growth of volunteer-run community dinners
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Summary
Speakers from the YEAH movement told the council their volunteer-run community dinners have grown and said they plan to form a nonprofit to expand tiny-house and meal programs; residents asked the city about services for people sleeping outdoors and staff offered behavioral-health referrals.
Several residents used the council's public-comment period to press for more action on affordable housing and services for people sleeping outdoors, and to describe grassroots efforts to feed and shelter unhoused neighbors.
Araya, who identified themself as part of the YEAH movement, said the group's community dinners attracted attendees from neighboring towns and that the effort so far is run through a personal LLC while the group pursues nonprofit status. "We saw a need in our community and we decided to step up and we've invested our personal time, energy, and even money," Araya said, describing volunteer labor and modest ticket revenue that so far covers event costs.
Henao Hanohano Afi Gergen, also representing the YEAH movement, told council the operation feeds roughly 30 people now with plans to grow to 50 by spring and 75 by summer; the group hopes to pursue a church-affiliated 501(c)(3) and is budgeting consultant and paperwork costs in the coming months.
New resident Anastasia Sprout asked directly, "What happens when people are sleeping outside in Mount Shasta? What happens when they're in their cars?" A staff member referenced Heather, the director of behavioral health for Siskiyou County, and said there is housing available in Yreka and other support, offering to gather contact details for follow-up.
Longtime resident Therese Winston urged the council to bring a downtown-beautification item forward about pallet-style outdoor seating on Main Street that was installed during COVID, saying it reduces parking for businesses and obscures store facades. Winston asked whether planned repaving of Mount Shasta Boulevard would affect the stretch in front of City Hall and requested that the beautification and downtown enhancement committees consider the pallets as a formal agenda item.
Speakers and councilors encouraged continued public engagement; staff offered to connect residents with behavioral-health and housing resources and to share meeting agendas and minutes on the city website.
