#683 | OCTOBER 29, 2024

Homelessness in Napa County

by Kelly Renda, Wendi Moore and Karen Garcia

For this special edition of Inspiring Inclusion, CanDo is bringing awareness to an often overlooked–sometimes, purposefully overlooked–population in Napa: The homeless.

It’s not a joyous topic. This population has no holiday, traditions or cultures to embrace and celebrate as normally featured in this column. In fact, there are many who would prefer to keep this population hidden and unknown. They are too often pitied from a distance and stigmatized to their faces.

Psychology Today notes that the homeless are considered “dirty,” “deviant,” or “immoral.” They are seen as “less than,” and as such, they become easy targets for verbal and physical abuse, yet anti-homeless laws too often make the homeless out to be the criminals, for just trying to satisfy their basic need for shelter.

An article put out by New York University, cites 12 myths associated with being homeless. Here’s a condensed partial summary -- have you ever thought any of these?

1. Most are mentally ill or substance abusers. Research shows only about 1/3 have a mental illness, and substance abuse is more often a developed response of being homeless than it is the initial cause. Still, only 20-40% are estimated to struggle with addiction.
2. They are dangerous or criminals. Studies show homeless are far more likely to be on the receiving end of violence, and actually more likely to need criminal intervention.
3. They’ve made bad decisions and spend their money on drugs and alcohol. While this can be the case, more often circumstances beyond one’s control such as illness, loss of job/housing, and increasing expenses are the main attributing factors of homelessness, with the majority of their money being spent on basic survival needs.
4. They just need to work. A significant amount of this population does have jobs, but they just don’t make enough to cover housing costs, and the lack of affordable housing doesn’t help. If unemployed, the absence of an address, clean clothes, transportation, etc. only exaggerates the prejudice against the homeless as they are seen as unemployable.
5. They just don’t care about their living conditions. They do care, deeply. They do their best to make do without bathrooms, showers, and clean clothes, but often feel deep humiliation over their current living conditions.
6. They prefer life on the street. While it has been found that crowded shelters where safety is a concern may be rejected, immediate access to independent housing has been overwhelmingly accepted and welcomed by the homeless.

As we enter into the holiday season, in the true spirit of inclusion, we ask that you open your hearts with compassion to this population. We’ve all been down on our luck. We’ve all felt hopeless at times. And some of us have a hard time asking for help.

Remember these moments when you come across this population. And if you feel comfortable and safe, ask how you might be able to help. Can you see them as your friend, neighbor, brother, or mother? At the very least, look them in the eyes and offer a smile. Being seen, being acknowledged, is often the reminder needed to feel valued as a human being, a basic right we can so easily take for granted.



Included in this article, we are so pleased to share with our community the inspiring work and progress of the Abode Services organization and their commitment to ending homelessness here in Napa as told by Abode’s own, Wendi Moore.

Support for shelters and transitional living and housing programs is necessary if we are going to change the landscape for homeless boys and girls in America.

~ Jewel, American singer-songwriter

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Highlights from CanDo’s Community Calendar

Oct. 17-Nov. 16: EVENTS CALENDAR for all Napa County Libraries (except St. Helena)

Nov. 2: Suscol Intertribal Council - Open House and 29th Annual Art Auction, 1:00 - 4:00PM

Nov. 2: Dia de los Muertos Celebration in downtown Napa, Vet’s Park, 3:00-8:00PM

Nov. 5: Election Day, 7:00AM - 8:00PM

• VOTE NOW! Don’t wait. Only 6 days until Election Day. 
• Voting by Mail in Napa County
• Vote Center Locations in Napa County
• 2024 California State Ballot Propositions Pro and Con (League of Women Voters)
• Napa County Local Ballot Measures 
• County of Napa General Election Results
• The first unofficial election results will be posted on this page at 8:01 p.m. on Election Night, Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

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