In Coalinga we do have a homeless problem. Sometimes people do not see it because much of the time they are out of sight and out of mind. Many of them live in the creek beds and only come into town in order to get supplies. We have a few different types of folks that are homeless.
Coalinga like all cities in California rely on the monies given by the Federal Government and State that is given directly to the counties to address the problems. Unfortunately Coalinga has a very small homeless population compared to other cities in the valley with larger populations. For that reason Fresno County has stated that the services for the homeless are mostly located in Fresno. However we do have the the Neighborhood Resource Center / Westside Family Services that has a few resources for them and also provides monthly food services. We also have the social services office downtown that can direct them as well.
Coalinga is a great town that have residents that give back to the community and many of them such as the Bella Ruthy Water program provide water and blankets for the homeless.
Unfortunate Circumstances – We have a few people in Coalinga that are truly down on their luck and need help to get back on their feet.
Mental Illness -We have some people living in Coalinga that are mentally ill but are not on drugs. Unfortunately many of these folks due to their illness cannot hold down a job and many of them refuse treatments.
Drug Addicts and Mental Illness – Most of the people in Coaling that are homeless have an addiction to drugs, mostly meth and heroin. Many of these folks steal for their next fix. One of the main issues associated with the crimes and the addiction is that many of these folks also become mentally ill due to the amount of illicit drug use.
What could the city do to help?
Mental Health Facilities – the state is focused on getting help for those in need. More folks trained to help out the homeless and those with mental illness would be a step in the right direction
Shelters – small homes , cottage housing
Aid against the Mitigating factors – Bathrooms, showers, trash cans. These could be used no only for the homeless but for the entire community.