Council hears residents’ complaints about park safety and homelessness; staff outlines shelter and housing projects
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Summary
Multiple residents told the council that Mitchell and Emerson parks are increasingly unsafe for families because of camping, public intoxication and aggressive behavior. Staff described current and upcoming homelessness projects — shelter at 40 Prado, Welcome Home Village, Beacon Studios conversion (~70 units) — and said declining opioid settlement funds will affect contracted licensed psychiatric technician support for response teams.
Several residents told the council they feel unsafe using downtown parks because of camping, public intoxication, drug use and aggressive behavior near play structures. Chris Boyd and Matt Panetti, speaking during public comment, described repeated incidents that have made them avoid Mitchell and Emerson parks with young children and urged more effective responses and services for people experiencing homelessness.
"On a typical day, there are at least five to ten transients loitering immediately outside of the play structure," a statement read by Chris Boyd said; Matt Panetti described a recent incident where a person with a dog threatened him and his newborn and dispatch gave him long hold times when he attempted to call for help.
City staff responded that residents should call 911 for threatening behavior and may use the Ask SLO app or the non‑emergency line for quality‑of‑life reports. City Manager McDonald described several homelessness initiatives underway or coming online: a shelter at 40 Prado, a Welcome Home Village project the county is leading, partnership with People’s Self Help Housing to convert a Motel 6 property into roughly 70 units (Beacon Studios), and targeted outreach to move encampments off the Bob Jones bike trail.
Staff also said the city has been using opioid settlement funds to support licensed psychiatric technicians who work with the Community Action Team and Mobile Crisis Unit to provide field reunifications and links to services; that funding is declining and the city is considering whether the general fund should pick up some of that cost to preserve the service.
Council members urged residents to continue reporting incidents so staff can track patterns and respond effectively. Staff said they will continue to work with county partners and nonprofit providers to expand housing and services, while balancing budget constraints identified in the supplemental budget preview.
