Fecal Bacteria In California's Waterways Increases With Homeless Crisis

[ansible]

President Donald Trump, a self-described germophobe, has made no secret of his disgust with California’s growing homeless problem, which he has called a “disgrace” and “inappropriate” and equated to “living in hell.”

“We should all work together to clean up these hazardous waste and homeless sites before the whole city rots away,” Trump tweeted about San Francisco on Oct. 26. “Very bad and dangerous conditions, also severely impacting the Pacific Ocean and water supply.”

San Francisco officials were quick to dispute Trump’s claims. But some of California’s most prized rivers, beaches and streams are indeed contaminated with levels of fecal bacteria that exceed state limits, threatening kayakers, swimmers — and the state’s reputation as a bastion of environmental protection.

The presence of fecal bacteria in water is usually the result of problems with sewer systems and septic tanks. But water quality officials agree that the source of at least some of the fecal bacteria is California’s growing homeless population, most of whom don’t have reliable access to toilets.

“I’ve carried 5-gallon buckets that were unambiguously being used as toilets,” said David Gibson, executive officer of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, describing his experience cleaning up homeless encampments. “They were taking it to the San Diego River, dumping it there, and rinsing it out there.”

Fecal contamination of waterways is a widespread problem and becoming more urgent in states with large homeless populations. In Seattle, homeless people living in RVs are accused of dumping raw sewage straight into storm drains, which flows directly to local waterways. In Oregon, workers cleaning up homeless camps along the Willamette River in Eugene routinely find feces and needles.

California has the largest homeless population in the nation, estimated at more than 151,000 people in 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. About 72% of the state’s homeless slept outside or in cars rather than in shelters or temporary housing.

The Trump administration has fixated on California’s homeless population in particular as a potent source of pollution.

In addition to Trump’s tweets, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sent a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 26 alleging that the state’s lack of urgency on homelessness threatens public health by polluting nearby water with untreated human waste. It then issued a notice to San Francisco accusing it of violating the federal Clean Water Act.

Jared Blumenfeld, secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency, responded by accusing the federal EPA of retreating on clean water protection, and called the administration’s focus on the environmental impact of homelessness “sensationalized” and “misguided.”

But concerns extend beyond the Trump administration. A record number of Californians — about 1 in 4 — believe homelessness and housing is the top issue facing the state today, up from 1% in 1999, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

https://californiahealthline.org/news/fecal-bacteria-in-californias-waterways-increases-with-homeless-crisis/

[Aristus]

1. "No Public Restroom - For Customers Only".

And that's the reason why.

I can't blame small business owners for wanting to restrict access to their sanitary facilities.

So we need to get better about constructing public bathrooms, with attendants and dedicated cleaning staff, the way they do over in Europe.

Of course, no one is going to propose legislation that can ameliorate the problem without hurting homeless people. They're just going to get the 'move along...' like they always do.

[Coventina]

4. I haven't been all over Europe, but most of the places I have, the public toilets are not free.

You have to pay to use them.

One notable exception: Amsterdam. Not sure if toilets are free throughout the Netherlands, but in Amsterdam they are.

[Aristus]

5. They're free in Germany.

But a tip for the attendant is expected.

[LuckyCharms]

7. +1 n/t

[Initech]

2. Want to reduce the homeless population? Put a cap on ridiculous rent prices.

You'd have to be making $100K a year just to afford rent. Any decent apartment is going to run $2500 a month and that doesn't include utilities.

Not only is rent expensive, it's having a ripple effect that is affecting the whole economy. Want to end the homeless crisis? Do something about the damn rent!

[ansible]

8. It's not going to help if there are hardly any apartments to rent out to begin with

[Aristus]

10. A living wage will help, too.

A lot of my homeless patients work. Day labor, fast food, whatever. They're working. That should shut up the 'why don't they just get a job?' crowd.

But if there's not enough to pay first/last, damage deposit, credit check, criminal background check, what's the point?

[Kaleva]

13. You can rent apartments for $400+, includes water and heat, where I live.

[Initech]

15. In California?

[Kaleva]

16. No, in Upper Michgan

Here's a decent apartment for rent in the LA area for $695 a month

https://www.apartments.com/208-horizon-ave-los-angeles-ca-unit-d/zv7v5cy/

Here is one for $550 a month in the LA area:

https://www.apartments.com/2351-warwick-ave-los-angeles-ca/pr18qrv/

When you are talking about $2500 a month for an apt. in California, you are probably talking about the median cost which mean half the apts. cost more then $2500, some much more, and the other half costs less then $2500, some much less.

[Initech]

17. The second one is actually a "student housing" unit at CSULA.

And CSULA is in a pretty trashy part of LA, there's a reason that one is going for less than $600 a month, it's a very seedy area and no one would really want to live there if they didn't have to.

The first one isn't bad, but Venice Beach is a pretty seedy area too if you wander too far outside of the tourist areas.

[Kaleva]

18. I'm not familiar with LA or any part of California

But there does appear to be a number of apartments available in the $500 to $750 range in the state.

[Newest Reality]

3. Citing Trump?

Starting that article out by citing Trump really put a spin on it. I don't think that was a necessary preamble to illustrate the problem and I think it rather biased.

To me, Trump and his sycophants are always scanning for useful scapegoats du jour to bolster their authoritarian agenda and dictatorial movement, plain and simple. The Federal government is not doing much to mitigate the problem, (which now centers on low wages vs. very high rents) and HUD, (which would be the agency to address the issues and offer assistance) is virtually brain dead thanks to the seemingly lobotomized Trump minion, Ben Carson.

Unless there is a plan to attack the causes of homelessness as if not doing so is a problem that affects the commons and therefore is a priority for many important reasons, then an article like this comes across as trumpistic, to say the least.

In other words the takeaway for people who read the article could be: homeless = health hazard. I don't appreciate that and it detracts from the reality of the situation. The people being stigmatized are already having a hard enough time surviving as it is. You would have to experience it to understand just how stressful and overwhelming it can be and your imagination won't live up to the experience, I assure you.

If the health hazards are an important issue, then what would be the problem with providing more bathroom facilities with proper management as one, temporary solution as another comment mentioned? We can leave behind entire military bases as if it is nothing, but we can't provide sanitation for people in dire straights? Poppycock! Something is certainly wrong with that and Trump's lack of concern or aid is merely self-serving for his Fascist agenda, once again.

[VOX]

6. L.A. Times,1/8/2020: California Gov. Gavin Newsom calls for $1.4 billion in new help for homeless...

At least our Democratic governor is working on the problem.

Gov. Gavin Newsom calls for $1.4 billion in new help for homeless
Los Angeles Times, January 8, 2020
By John Myers, Doug Smith
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-08/gavin-newsom-california-homeless-help-budget
Citing the need to act quickly to get homeless Californians off the streets, Gov. Gavin Newsom will ask lawmakers this week to allocate more than $1.4 billion to a variety of local and state-run efforts, with much of the money earmarked as subsidies for immediate housing and community healthcare services.

The proposal, included in the new state budget Newsom will send to the Legislature on Friday, marks another major push to send state taxpayer dollars to local communities struggling with a growing crisis that has drawn national attention and has few easy solutions. How fast efforts in Los Angeles and other cities receive the money depends on how quickly legislators consider the governor’s plan, though funds allocated during the annual budget process are generally available on July 1.
Newsom also plans to embrace a permanent change to boost homelessness assistance that could include a November statewide ballot measure to rework the rules of the tax on millionaires imposed by voters in 2004, money that now is directed to programs first aimed at mental health. A fact sheet provided by his office calls for a full proposal to be crafted by this spring outlining how to revamp the existing law, Proposition 63. Critics have pointed out that provisions of the existing law have stymied spending where it’s needed most.

“Homelessness is a national crisis, one that’s spreading across the West Coast and cities across the country,” Newsom said in a statement. “The state of California is treating it as a real emergency — because it is one. Californians are demanding that all levels of government — federal, state and local — do more to get people off the streets and into services — whether that’s emergency housing, mental health services, substance abuse treatment or all of the above.”
<snip>

[Beringia]

9. I know the rural people and the legislators

in places like California and Oregon, bring up this kind of thing as a city problem. I've heard it referenced twice in listening to legislative meetings on coyotes and wolves, where the representatives of the rural say, we don't tell you what to do with people defecating in public, so don't tell us how not to kill coyotes and wolves. I never even heard about it until then.

[Blue_true]

12. People go to where there is work and jobs. Rural parts of the state aren't that.

Rural areas are decent places to go for a slower pace of life, but it is hard to make a living in rural areas.

[Blue_true]

11. I got off to a late start this morning.

Normally I don't see much, but this morning I got to see people after they had awaken and started their day. We have a lot of homeless people here in my part of Florida.

[hunter]

14. Somebody needs to explain: What's the downside of safe, secure, comfortable housing for everyone?

Having a nice clean toilet to visit a few times a day ought to be a basic human right.

We can't all pee and poop in the wilderness anymore, not with seven and a half billion of us, so that toilet should also be connected to a modern sewage treatment system as well.