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Resident urges addiction treatment and criticizes proposed shelter funding during public comment
Summary
A resident who described himself as formerly homeless urged city leaders not to fund a proposed low-barrier shelter and instead spend $750,000 on addiction treatment, arguing shelters enable relapse; he also alleged an official is paid to sustain homelessness, an allegation not addressed in the meeting.
During public comment a resident who said he had been homeless and is now in recovery urged council not to invest in a proposed low-barrier homeless shelter. The speaker argued treatment, halfway houses and early-intervention programs would be more effective uses of public funds and said, "$750,000 spent on an addiction and recovery, early intervention, or even low income housing are worth 10 times that amount spent on a center."
The speaker also made a pointed allegation about a city official: "James Barber... is paid 160 k a year to make sure that homelessness stays a big problem." The transcript records no response from the named official during the meeting. Council took no immediate action on the claim; city staff and council did not debate the specifics during this session.
