Humanizing the Homeless
In a typical week we get multiple emails from people at both ends of the homeless issue spectrum. Some want us to remove a homeless encampment. They just don’t like the visual. Others, out of compassion wonder why we’re not doing ‘anything about homelessness.’ The issue of homelessness is complex, and there is no single ‘solution.’ What is important, and a piece that’s too often missing from any consideration of the topic is that every person you see in a tent, on a streetcorner or in an alley who’s unsheltered has a story. Last weekend I spent time getting to know a homeless guy you might see out on one of our medians with his sign. Below I’m going to introduce him to you – as a person, not as a random guy who has no value. And in coming weeks I’m going to follow up on this and introduce you to the story behind others in our community who ‘but for the grace of God’ are in their situation – and you and I are not.
First, let’s dispel the notion that the city isn’t doing anything about or for homeless people. This year we’re investing over $12M in the issue. We’ve purchased a hotel, making 3 the city owns and uses to house people on a transitional basis. Those hotels make up about half of this year’s annual homeless investment. The rest is a combination of various federal and local funding sources that goes to services we provide to meet the array of needs unhoused people bring with them. For example, our newest hotel has 5.5 full time equivalent employees assigned, plus 4 different service providers make daily rounds doing interventions with the guests. The hope is the tenants get into a more permanent housing setting within about 90 days so rooms can continue to rotate and new people can take advantage of the services. But capacity is the challenge. Here’s what we have to offer at this time:
That leaves well over 1,000 people we know of for whom there’s no room at the Inn. And we know that number is an undercount. There are also non-city shelters scattered throughout the area, but capacity is nowhere near sufficient to offer everyone a bed. Is a roof over your head the ideal? Of course. Is it our current reality? Not close. And it’s also a reality that TPD is finding more weapons and drugs in some of the unmonitored homeless encampments. That’s yet another good reason to establish some that are monitored by TPD to ensure the safety of residents both within and outside of the encampment.
Now, meet Kyle. I spent time getting to know him out in the median at Speedway and Country Club over the weekend.
Kyle is a 28-year old guy who was born in Minnesota. At 8 months of age his parents abandoned him. He was raised by his grandparents. He graduated high school and began college, studying to become a nurse. Throughout his youth Kyle had problems with alcohol, escalating to cocaine and heroin. He got into trouble with the law, had to leave school and hopped a freight train which landed him in Oregon.
That began his time on the street. Between Oregon and Tucson, Kyle has been homeless for 5 years. He survives through the donations handed to him as he panhandles on the median and elsewhere.
What brings Kyle joy is bringing happiness to others. What makes him sad is seeing homeless people ‘trash’ the city, and seeing other homeless people steal from one another. He has had several backpacks stolen by other homeless people. That means he has to start over, gathering provisions to live on. He admits to having to steal food when necessary.
Kyle has some underlying medical issues. He was diagnosed with Chron’s disease – inside inflammation. He also has some form of cancer that’s causing lesions (he showed me some.) Living on the street and being unable to follow a prescribed diet only makes both conditions worse. Kyle simply wants people to understand that the people you see living unhoused each have a story. They're individuals who are wrestling with their own issues. Just like you and I do. He appreciated being able to share about himself and to spread an awareness that homelessness isn’t a disease or a crime. It's a condition.
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Ballroom Dancing
Last week was our first time since COVID hit that we could allow indoors ballroom dancing. It was great to see some seniors out with their honeys taking part. We at the Ward 6 office are grateful to our parks staff for managing through this reopening with caution, and with a sincere interest in getting people back together, safely.
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Afghan Refugees
We are still taking donations for Afghan refugees. If you’re bringing donations, you should know that any clothing and bedding is no longer going to Afghan refugees. Those donations will be going to support some of our homeless shelters. Given the slow pace at which the refugees can to find housing, clothes and bedding have just been piling up at the ward office. We want it to be put to good and immediate use.
What we need for the refugee families is household goods (whatever you’d need when moving into an unfurnished apartment,) kid’s toys, sunscreen and other personal hygiene items, non-perishable food and rugs.
The deadly turmoil is off the front pages, but it continues daily in Afghanistan. These photos were sent to me by a person, I’m in touch within Kabul, Afghanistan. The Russians are shooting missiles – Taliban just come into your home with AK’s.
The group in the photo entered the home of the person I communicate with, ransacked it (see the picture below) and left to continue their terror on other residents. The email sent to me describing their tactics is below the photo. I always leave them in the exact form in which I receive them so you can see the rough English, and the even rougher conditions. I do exclude names though.
Sent: Wednesday, March 9, 2022, 08:57:20 AM EST
Subject: Re: We are in danger
To inform the latest satuation of afghanistan where we live, taliban are searching the houses of people in Kabul they came to my house in 8th distrect if Kabul yesterday after I left the house . They searched every thing wildly and broke mony of my house used goods.Today on 09:30am taliban came again to our street and killed one young man of our nieghbors in front of his family just becouse he was inteligence officer of the old government. They captured a civil activist women Nadima famous by name of "Bathingara kakiy" in Kabul this week who is still in jail. Taliban tortured this week one of my friend in helmand who was working in police in old government so these are every days news around us. I hope that you send these informations to the imigration deportment. Thank you your helps.
If you follow this newsletter you know about Judge Ahmad – the guy I’m helping to reunite with his wife and 2 year old daughter. Somehow another judge caught wind of those efforts and sent me this email last week. I’ve shared the specifics (name, location, etc) with my contact in the State Department.
Sent: Saturday, March 5, 2022 7:59 AM To: Ward6 <Ward6@tucsonaz.gov>
Subject: [EXTERNAL]Help request by an Afghan Senior Judge
Respected Sir !
I am (name) , I have been a judge in the Judiciary of Afghanistan for more 20 years and I have worked in high judicial positions in during my tenure I have been the head for the most court which I worked their.
I have worked hard in 20 years which I am judge to defend human rights, to establish equality and justice, to uphold the principles of a fair trial, to create a society free of violence, and to defend the rights of those who that criminal acts has been committed against them.
For the past 25 years, the Taliban have been the largest group of Afghan human rights violators and they have always committed the gravest crimes against human rights through murder, field trial, stoning, flogging, execution, assassination, acid attack, rape, amputation and imprisonment of Afghans.
As a judge whose job is to ensure justice and protect human rights, I have always served my community and people in the most difficult circumstances, despite numerous threats against me and my family members, until the last moment to defend human rights of them.
Defending the human rights of Afghan women and girls, which has always been violated, has been one of my priorities. To punish Afghans human rights violations, especially Afghan woman and girls, I have even sentenced their perpetrators to death.
I have also settled countless terrorist cases, crimes against internal and external security, murder, kidnapping and other serious crimes. For your more information, in 2011 I was chairman of the Judiciary board in a Taliban crime in Mazar-e-Sharif in which 28 Taliban terrorists attacked the UN office in Mazar-e-Sharif, Balkh, Afghanistan on 1/4/2011 and brutally killed eight of its staff. I sentenced four of those Taliban criminals to the most severe punishment, the death penalty, and sentenced the other criminals to 16 to 20 years in prison.
In this case I had sentenced a large number of Taliban to death and imprisonment, now the Taliban are in power ane they are looking for me to kill me.
That judge is stuck in Afghanistan along with several of his family members. The State Department is now aware of him and his family. They’ve been aware of Judge Ahmad since before the first of the year and his wife and 2-year-old are still holed up in Turkey awaiting reunification. Last week the Arizona Republic ran this op/ed that I wrote. It speaks to the need for us to remember the people we left behind after our retreat from Afghanistan. People can certainly differ on the evacuation, but it’s not arguable that we’ve left people at the mercy of Taliban.
https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2022/03/07/afghan-refugees-deserve-more-us-than-get-line/6801591001/
Our Tucson Afghan refugee community is now at around 650 people. About half are in housing and about half are still in a hotel. Just to be sure the word is out, I opened with this notice – and will repeat it here. We are still taking donations for these refugees. We are no longer taking clothing or bedding for them. All clothing and bedding will be donated to support the work of our homeless shelters. What the Afghan refugees need is household goods, kid’s toys and rugs. Thanks for your support of this group. And for the support you as a community have shown to other displaced groups over the past 12 years that I’ve been in office. The heart of Tucson shines when people are here and in need.
Finally, many of the people writing who are stuck in Afghanistan (see emails above) ask about getting the requirement for a Visa waived. One would think that having Taliban knocking down your door – or Putin blowing up your home – would be good enough for the U.S. to waive that bureaucratic requirement. This is from the Visa Waiver page on the USCBP site:
Visa Waiver Program
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP), administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in consultation with the State Department, permits citizens of 40 countries to travel to the United States for business or tourism for stays of up to 90 days without a visa. In return, those 40 countries must permit U.S. citizens and nationals to travel to their countries for a similar length of time without a visa for business or tourism purposes.
I’ll save you the trouble of looking. Neither Afghanistan nor Ukraine is included in the list of countries that we allow waivers from. How do you think it’d go if that judge in the email I shared above went to the Taliban and asked for help getting a U.S. visa.
Support for Ukraine
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We had an excellent turnout at the rally held in Jacome Plaza a week ago Sunday. There were a variety of posters, signs and lots of blue and yellow dress and flags. The U.S. and Ukrainian anthems were sung – generally an extensive show of support for the people of that country.
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I continue to receive emails and phone calls from people concerned with getting relatives out of the war zone. Yes, it’s a war zone and not just a military exercise. If you know U.S. citizens who are in Ukraine, please have them complete this online form so, the State Department can communicate with them. Also, U.S. citizens can call 1.833.741.2777 (in the U.S.) or 1.606.260.4379 (from overseas) if you need immediate help.
Also, in order to receive the most current security updates, and to make it easier for the U.S. Embassy to contact your loved ones in case of an emergency, have them enroll in State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). And you can check this link for the most current security and border crossing news: alerts and message
The State Department issues specific information on how people can enter countries from Ukraine. These links can be used to track those.
I also hear from people who’d like to help, but aren’t sure how to plug in. One way is to support businesses that have ceased operation in Russia since the invasion. This is a list I’ve compiled – and it changes daily so you may have others to add:
Starbucks
Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan Chase
Phillip Morris
Unilever (Dove soap, for example)
Ikea
TJ Maxx and Marshals
Adidas and Nike
Shell, BP and Exxon Mobile
Western Union, Visa, Master Card, American Express
Burger King
M&M’s (I’m glad to hear) and Snickers
Little Ceasar’s
Pepsi and Coke
Heineken and Carlsberg
Netflix, Disney, Warner and Sony
Google, Apple and IBM
Hilton and Hyatt
UPS, FedEx and DHL
American Airlines, Delta and United
I’m grateful to these companies for putting people over their profits – it's tough watching the bombing continue though as ‘sanctions’ take time to have the desired effect.
I’m also grateful for our community for the creative ways they’re expressing support. This is in Blenman Elm neighborhood – a nice use of whatever’s available to send the message. The sunflower is the national flower for Ukraine.
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Palo Verde Pocket Park Plant Exchange
Speaking of flowers, this coming Saturday the folks in Palo Verde neighborhood invite you to come to the new Seneca pocket park/basin and take part in their neighborhood plant exchange. No money’s changing hands – this is an event where you can bring plants to give or trade with others or come just looking for plants, you’d like to take home to increase your own landscape. You’ll see cactus, possibly some shrubs and lots of other options. Bring your own box or container to carry your new plants home with you.
The event will take place at 3330 E. Fairmount. They’re asking you to enter from Willard. It'll run from 9am until 10:30am. And if its mulch you’re after, bring your own shovel and container. They’ll have plenty for you to take with you when you’ve chosen your new plants. And bring seeds from veggies or other plants. They’re always popular at these events.
TEP Demoss/Petrie Transmission Line
Last month TEP withdrew their transmission line project from consideration by the Arizona Corporation Commission. That doesn’t mean they’re walking away from the project. Instead, they’re continuing to negotiate towards a new public process through which they’ll ask for a variance from the city required undergrounding along scenic and gateway corridors. No decisions have been made as to the alignment they’ll present, or the final process by which those variances will be pursued. What is certain is that any variance from city code will have to go through a public outreach.
This is the graphic TEP included in their recent newsletter. The blue N/S line is the Campbell/Kino portion of the route. It’s likely they’ll land on that route and that in some segments of it they’ll ask to be able to place the transmission lines above ground. That’ll be the public process piece.
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If you’d like to dig into that ‘public process’ piece, this link will take you to the city special exception process steps. They include a formal neighborhood meeting, a public hearing in front of the zoning examiner, and a decision by the ZE that’s sent to mayor and council. Then there’s another public hearing in front of us if there’s an appeal from the ZE decision. From start to finish that sequence of meetings usually takes in excess of 4 months.
COVID Update
Today the city mask mandate for public spaces is moving to a recommendation. We’re talking about when to come back to in-person M&C meetings – likely the last meeting in March or the first meeting in April. When we do the public will be allowed back into council chambers in numbers limited so social distancing can be assured. City staff is working on making sure an auxiliary room is available for any potential overflow. I’ll have more on those details as they’re determined.
The re-opening comes as COVID numbers continue to decrease across the country. That’s generally true of Arizona as well, although Pima County had a slight uptick last week. A couple of weeks ago I shared the Hong Kong data, and last week it was New Zealand – both of which are experiencing the highest COVID outbreaks since the start of the pandemic 2 years ago. This week its China that’s facing its largest COVID outbreak since 2020. Last weekend they had in Beijing alone over 800 new cases reported – nearly the same number as were being reported on a weekly basis the week prior. It’s mostly Omicron. Wu Junglei is the director of the Shanghai Health Commission. His comment was “Right now the epidemic situation is severe and complex.” The rapid rate of spread is being seen in 17 of their 31 provinces. That’s like it surging in over half of the United States. So, it’s not ‘done’, and if you’re in an identified vulnerable category taking the conservative and safe route is probably good advice.
Here’s the statewide COVID map. There were over 6,500 new cases and 382 COVID deaths in Arizona last week. In Pima County we lost another 40 loved ones to the virus. Please be aware that it’s still here, and people are still getting very sick from it.
Vaccinations continue to work, and they continue to be available through our partners in Pima County Health. Here are this week’s mobile clinics. They’re still free. Pre-register for your appointment here
Also note that those sites are offering flu vaccines. Right now, the only area of the country that’s experiencing a high flu infection rate is Louisiana. In Arizona our spread rate is still mild. Good work.
Environment – Capturing Methane
Last week we were briefed on what’s being done out at the Los Reales landfill – now referred to as the Los Reales Sustainability Campus. This graphic shows some of what’s in the early planning stages for the site. In the purple (upper right) are some pads that are being programmed for eventual commercial development. The green next to those will be recreation fields, and the light blue is planned for composting on a large scale. It’s the small yellow square over to the left that I’m focused on here.
The city paid for a study into the capturing, cleaning and reuse of methane. That yellow site is being programmed for that function. Methane is a normal off-gassing that comes at any landfill. Right now, in order to align with EPA allowable discharge quantities, we ‘flare off’ the methane. That is, we burn it. It’s gone into the atmosphere once that’s done and is of no use.
This is one of the comments contained in the GHD study we paid for: LFG (Landfill Gas) is an energy-rich resource and there are several options to reutilize captured LFG, such as direct use in boilers, or as fuel for electricity and heat generation. It’s the fuel option the study authors recommended that I’m interested in.
The report is well over 100 pages in length and contains material that’s clearly more technical than some people will want to absorb. But the findings are clear. This is from Page 62 of the report:
The first step - ‘endorse the findings.’ Some of the acronyms can be confusing – LFG is the landfill gas reference. GHD is the study group. COT is city of Tucson. Then, reading down to their second bullet point - “liaise with the local utility, SWG (that’s Southwest Gas) and other private sector entities to identify a partner and direction.” The next bullet continues that thought - “Liaise with the local utility, SWG, and develop a project partnership agreement.”
What’s being described in the report is the construction of what’s called an ‘interconnect.’ It’s a pipe that will take the cleaned methane to an established distribution network. That network ties in with some of our fueling stations – TOPSC is the city operated Thomas O. Price Service Center. The idea is to partner with ‘the local utility’ to build, operate and maintain the interconnect, and the systems used to capture and clean the methane. It’s a several million-dollar investment and will need to go through the existing city procurement processes.
We talked about this idea about 2 years ago. Now we have a study that validates the idea. Now it’d be nice to see us implement it and stop flaring off the methane. The city budgeted for fuel costs at $2.15 per gallon this fiscal year. That’s clearly now not realistic. Waiting on the renewable natural gas option is only continuing to cost money, and harm the environment.
Environment – Reuse of Plastic
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And speaking of delays – this is a ‘construction drawing’ of a 3-sided trash enclosure. It took our consultant about 9 months to produce the drawing. It is drawn with the idea of using the plastic blocks I’ve been writing about for over a year. It’s a 3-sided trash enclosure. We have a similar ‘construction drawing’ for a wall. If you get the sense that the delay in getting us to this point is frustrating, you’re right. |
We’ve finally ordered the plastic block we’ll need to build the pilot project trash enclosure. It’ll be located in Reid Park. I’ve shared the concept before; the plastic is collected, shredded in a machine called a Blocker, superheated and molded into a large Lego. This is an image of a wall made from the plastic blocks. As you can see, you can either leave the plastic blocks visible, or clad them like you would any other cement block.
 Republic Services operates our material recycle facility. They recycle various kinds of plastic. On some, they make money. On the ones on which they lose money it seems there’s a deal to be made – we take your losers, turn it into block and reduce what we must to buy from quarries. I’m hopeful that we’ve finally got some momentum on both the plastic and the methane ideas. As I said during the council meeting – we study things to death and never get to acting. Maybe now finally.
Environment – Transit
The Sunshine Mile is an example of Transit Oriented Development (TOD.) We took a major transit route and identified zoning changes along the route that will be the catalyst for commercial development, while honoring the interests of surrounding neighborhoods. It’s an example we’re just beginning the planning process for on a north to south route.
This map shows the route. It goes from the transit center by Park Place mall at the Rillito out to the airport. It’s a long route, and like the Sunshine Mile, the residential environment along the route changes dramatically from one segment to the next. Planning for this will take time, and it will not end with a ‘one-size-fits-all' zoning result.
The city is hosting some public meetings in which the idea will be presented, and public input gathered. The meetings will be held in person.
Friday, March 18, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Armory Park
Saturday, March 19, 10 a.m. to Noon, Frank De La Cruz-El Pueblo Library
Saturday, March 19, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Limberlost Park
For TOD to work the investment that pours into the area cannot result in the displacement of residents. That will be a guiding principle as the Tucson Norte-Sur project goes through its planning process. If you’d like to get a more complete description of the project and upcoming events, check the online site out at www.tucsonnorte-sur.com.
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Harvard Global Health Institute
Still more national progress according to the Harvard Global data. Here’s this week’s risk level map. None of Arizona is in the red, high-risk category. Two weeks ago, that wasn’t the case.
 Two weeks ago, the Pima County figures were under 100 new cases on a 7-day average for the first time since early last summer. The 7-day average for daily cases per 100,000 was 9.4. This week both of those numbers increased. That means we moved from the yellow risk back up to orange – one level below red. These changes in direction are yet another reason to be cautious. COVID is not something for the history books quite yet. There were 40 fatalities in Pima County last week due to COVID. Please continue to take it seriously.
 One factor that might slow the pace of getting rid of COVID is the new BA.2 Omicron sub-variant. It’s highly transmissible, but because of immunities largely tied to vaccinations health experts don’t expect it to cause a new surge. But they’re keeping an eye on it. COVID hasn’t proven to be the most predictable of viruses.
Sincerely,
Steve Kozachik
Council Member, Ward 6
ward6@tucsonaz.gov
City of Tucson Resources
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