Editorial Board

Turlock Journal

Physically, the We Care men’s homeless shelter is about 100 paces from Turlock City Hall. But when it comes to dealing with Turlock’s unhoused population, they seem a galaxy apart.

Last month, the city council — led by Mayor Amy Bublak, with councilmembers Rebecka Monez and Erika Phillips as accomplices — made the most shortsighted and capricious decision in recent memory. 

Over the objections of Kevin Bixel and Casandra Abram, the majority voted not to show even token support to secure $267,100 in state grant funds to be used for shelter operations. 

A contribution of $1 — 10 thin dimes — and a letter of support were all that was needed. Instead, the city squeezed We Care in an attempt to gain around-the-clock restroom access.

Now, the state deadline has passed, and We Care is all but certain to lose a sum that represents half its yearly operating budget. The homegrown non-profit can offer no guarantee that it can continue operations beyond June 30. 

This could become a life-or-death situation for dozens of homeless men in our city.

If the shelter is forced to shut its doors, what’s the plan for dealing with some 50 homeless men living on the streets every night?

Let’s be clear: It’s not We Care’s responsibility to sort that out. 

When a doctor diagnoses a disease, it’s not the doctor’s responsibility to find a cure. That’s the job of the research scientist. The doctor is there to care for the patient and help manage the suffering.

We Care helps homeless men manage their plight. It’s the city’s responsibility to find solutions. 

In talking to Sacramento’s KCRA 3 on Tuesday, Bublak came off as both unfeeling and unprepared. 

She started by saying Turlock has to “start changing the way we do homelessness.” 

What does that mean? Would she like a pied piper to lead them out of the city?

Bublak went on to talk about requesting 24/7 bathroom access. “It wasn’t a significant ask on us,” she said. “It was just like, listen, if we’re going to have a partnership, you’ve got to lean in a little bit, right?”

Wrong. 

We Care has “leaned in a little bit” by housing and feeding up to 49 homeless men every single night for the better part of two decades.

Then Bublak said, “… we’re getting too much grief from everybody and we want to let the public know we’re hearing them.”

Mayor Bublak hears you, citizens — as long as you have an address.

Finally, Bublak said, “Somebody has to make a stand and say, ‘Let’s change it.’ And we weren’t asking for (We Care) to, like, create a new world. We were just saying, ‘Help us clean.’ Because we do know you’re feeding them, and other people in the community are feeding them. And we need help with that. We can’t have burdened our residents around here, and our downtown.”

Seriously? Stop feeding the homeless and … problem solved?

Gov. Gavin Newsom chimed in, calling the council’s decision “a ridiculous lack of local leadership” and “an absolute moral failure.”

Modesto City Councilmember Chris Ricci told Turlock that if it thinks it can send its problems to Modesto, it should think again.

It would be wonderful if the council’s only responsibilities were to cut ribbons, pave over potholes, and lure a Trader Joe’s to town. But that’s not the reality, or the real challenge, of our time.

The city and We Care should have a common goal: to make the homeless shelter unnecessary. But forcing them out of business this way isn’t good for anybody.

Bublak, Monez, and Phillips listened to their most vocal constituents and took the path of least resistance. Sometimes, leadership requires standing up to your constituents and doing the unpopular thing … when it’s the right thing.

Sixty-five years ago, then future president John F. Kennedy wrote a book on that subject. It’s called “Profiles in Courage.” 

We checked. The library has three copies available.