Southeast Bakersfield bringing in a third homeless shelter, upsetting neighbors
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) - In a 4-3 vote, Bakersfield City Council narrowly approved the highly controversial plan to build a 150 bed low barrier homeless shelter in Southeast Bakersfield.
"They took action, it was, obviously it was very much needed. It's a crisis um you know in California, even in our city regarding homelessness," Carlos Baldovinos, executive director of the Mission at Kern County, said.
Arleana Waller helped collect over 1,000 signatures against the plan, petitioning for a location in another part of town.
"This area, Councilman Rivera, is on life support. These residents are one paycheck away from homelessness," Waller said in public comment at Wednesday night's city council meeting.
Emprezz Nontzikelelo lives within walking distance of the newly approved shelter at 1900 East Brundage lane, as well as the other two shelters nearby.
The "not in my backyard" attitude toward a homeless shelter she says, is easy to make. But for her, she's surrounded on three sides.
"It's in my back yard, it's in my front yard, it's on the side. I'm living right in the middle of it," Nontzikelelo said.
Welcoming a third shelter nearby frustrates her, and the promise by City Council to invest more in the community's infrastructure shes says is too little, too late.
"I have a compassion, I just don't feel that it all should be just congregated in one area," Nontzikelelo said. "We need to share equally in this issue."
