Press Room: Fontana Herald News
Fontana's homeless people try to find refuge any place they can
By ALEJANDRO CANO
As night falls in Fontana and as most residents prepare to enjoy a good night's rest after a warm bath and meal, empty lots located near Valley Boulevard and Cherry Avenue become a refuge center for dozens of local homeless people, most of whom during the day wander the streets collecting cans, plastic, metal and any other valuable materials to survive.
As the sun sets, brushes become walls, chunks of dirt convert into bed frames, pieces of cardboard turn into mattresses, and old newspapers act as blankets. Dreams are rare, and the possibility of losing a life increases for these people, some of whom are drug and alcohol users.
“It is hell, but no one cares. It's every man for himself; down here no one protects you, no one gives a (expletive),” said Ubaldo Patiño, 51, who has been living in the streets since July of last year. “Most of us are good people when sober, but alcohol and drugs make you do stupid things. I guess it could be better to be dead.”
This is the life and dangers homeless people face every day in the region. Although official statistics indicate that the numbers of homeless people have declined in recent years, anecdotal evidence suggests that the problem could now be getting worse as the economy continues to slide.
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, from January 2005 to January 2007, the number of displaced people in the U.S. declined from 744,000 people to about 672,000.
In San Bernardino County, the number of homeless went down from 7,000 in 2005 to 4,500 in 2007, according to a report. However, in the eyes of Arthur Adams, who oversees a meal distribution program in Fontana, the number has increased exponentially.
“I don't know where they get their numbers, but we have seen an increase; we are delivering 60 percent more meals than last year. The exact numbers are unknown because most people don't openly accept their reality,” said Adams, an assistant pastor at the Foursquare Church in Fontana.
The city does not have a specific number of homeless on record, said Jeff Decker, spokesperson for the Fontana Police Department. However, the City of Fontana 2006-2010 Five Year Consolidated Plan indicated that in 2003, there were 102 homeless people living on the streets.
The official numbers will be revealed once the biennial census has been tallied, said Pauline Straka from the San Bernardino County Office of Homeless Services.
Last week, hundreds of volunteers canvassed the region in an attempt to count homeless people.
Armed with specific information about special resources, volunteers walked the streets, finding signs of homeless camps beneath brushes, bridges, railroads and next to trash bins. If a homeless person was found, not only would he or she be counted but would also be given a bag containing toothpaste, lip balm, bandages, socks and other first aid items.
Gary Madden, director of 2-1-1 with the Inland Empire United Way, said that the number of people who looked for help in Fontana from July to December of 2008 increased by 18 percent.
Out of the 1,985 calls 2-1-1 received during the six-month period, 362 were asking for food, 230 asked for help to pay utility bills, and 146 requested help paying for mortgage or rent, Madden said.
In comparison, reports indicated that in Rialto, out of the 1,286 calls received during the same period of time, 220 asked for food, 193 requested help for utility bills, and 130 needed help for mortgage or rent.
“In Fontana, people have more trouble accessing food than in other cities; we don't know why,” said Madden. “The (homeless) problem is there and is increasing.”
To try to reduce the problem, County Supervisor Josie Gonzales has pushed for a 10-year program which includes summits and making more resources available. Under the plan, the county will assess information to find gaps in service and factors that can make a family homeless.
“It's much easier to fight homelessness and win if you don't let it start in the first place,” said Gonzales in a press release.
In the meantime, local vagabonds would have to keep sleeping on the ground, eating out of trash cans, surviving because of recycling plants, and being humiliated by society.
“We are alive, and that's a blessing,” said Patiño.