Complaints of the Mentally Ill at Reno's Homeless Shelter, as City Council Balks on New Land Purchase

While City Council Wednesday decided not to go ahead with a purchase of new land to help the chronically homeless, life at Reno's main downtown shelter was typical, with homeless, with mental illness and without, complaining of services, and struggling with addiction. 

Norma who says she sometimes takes medication for PTSD and anxiety says she was kicked out of the shelter Wednesday after being drunk and falling asleep on the floor there.  "So I was off my meds for about four weeks, and with all the stress going on over here, I had a meltdown and I drank, which that is a symptom of my PTSD -- drugs or alcohol." Photo by Jose Olivares

Shelter Challenges Involving Mental Disorders

Norma said she was going to try another shelter in Reno Wednesday after the incident she partly blames on her own drinking and not taking her usual medication.  

"I'm trying to get my medication now. I'm seeing a therapist and I'm seeing a case manager now. Everything is starting to fall back into place," Norma said. "But the stress of it all, going off my meds, was just no good. I'm here for a stepping stone to get onto the next level. Two months [being homeless] is way too much." Photo by Jose Olivares

Other homeless women at the shelter said they have concerns about how people with mental illness are treated there, and whether or not conditions are adequate for those suffering from mental illness.  They said some of the people who are mentally ill scream or talk to themselves at night in their bed or in the shelter bathrooms, making the experience disruptive and uncomfortable for all. 

According to recent numbers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, up to a quarter of the homeless population in the United States suffers from some form of severe mental illness, which is much more than the overall population where latest figures are in the 6% range of Americans who are severely mentally ill.

The scene from Wednesday's meeting where council members spoke against buying new property for a homeless related project.

While this was taking place at the shelter, at the Reno City Council and Redevelopment Agency Board Meeting, council members said they didn’t want to spend $350,000 of the city’s Community Development Block Grants to purchase new land. The idea being discussed was to develop a 30-unit housing project with aid services specifically for the chronically homeless.

Council members instead said the city should look at what it can do with properties and land it already owns.

The scene outside the downtown homeless shelter Wednesday as discussions were taking place at City Council.  Staff say this shelter and a secret overflow shelter are always full. Photo by Jose Olivares

A Land Purchase Proposal Initially Talked About with Praise

Earlier in the week, the proposal put forward by Reno’s community development director Aric Jensen to buy an 1.6-acre parcel near Hug High gathered lots of media attention and high praise from people working with the homeless. 

But at Wednesday’s meeting, there were concerns the parcel was too expensive and too far from downtown services and hospitals.

Mayor Hillary Schieve said she thought it was more of a project for the Reno Housing Authority to take on. But she said she didn’t want the public to think the Council was not being supportive of new ideas to help the homeless.  Neoma Jardon said some of the money could be used to improve the city’s secret overflow shelter, which as Our Town Reno has documented previously, has less than pristine conditions. 

The discussions also come amid concerns proposed cuts in President Donald Trump’s budget could substantially reduce the $1.9 million Reno receives annually in Community Development Block Grants, money which has been used to help the homeless in northern Nevada.  

Harrowing Stories from Reno's Hidden Youths on Our Streets

“Cocaine gets people warm, crystal gets people sleepy and weed mellows their whole body down in the cold,” a part-time drug dealer, part-time user, early twentysomething explains on a cold evening recently in downtown Reno.

Youth currently living in unstable situations without permanent housing anonymously shared some of their realities from the streets of Reno with Our Town Reno.

'Streets Are Not Good For You'

“There’s teenagers out there, looking like 40-year-olds,” he says. “You can’t change the world, but you can change yourself,” he goes on as he says he is trying to figure out how to get a job, stable housing and put a life on the streets behind him. “Streets are not good for you,” he says.

“What happens on Fourth street, stays on Fourth street,” another young man says, his eyes shifting around. “Go to 4th and Lake. There are bums, drug dealers, gangsters and pimps. There are lots of fights all the time. People beating each up over petty drama.”

The bus station on Fourth Street is a regular hang out spot for youths without housing.

Fears of Police, Pimps, Shelters and Relatives

He says he fears the police even more though.  He says they once accused him of something he wasn’t involved with, forced him to sit down, and when he went to reach for his ID, pulled guns into his face.

A young woman says pimps will sometimes ask her if she wants to work for them. “I see you on the streets a lot,” they tell her.  “Stay safe,” they say, when she says she isn’t interested. 

A young man, who has been sneaking onto a couch at a retirement home, says he got kicked out of his own home when he was a teenager, but even when he turned 18, he still avoided shelters.  He says he checked it out but didn’t feel safe: “Too many sketchy people, people with knives, I didn’t feel comfortable staying there,” he says.  Relatives he was trying to avoid also stayed at the shelter, making it even worse for him.

Using drugs to deal with the bitter cold of dangerous nights, solicited by pimps, humiliated by cops, scared away from homeless shelters, and avoiding troublesome relatives are some of the recurring realities faced by youths living on the streets of Reno.

Youths say they often feel uncomfortable around older homeless populations and try to avoid them.

A Need for a Youth Shelter

In a series of anonymous interviews conducted by the Our Town Reno team, youths living in uncertain, precarious situations on the streets of Reno and Sparks agreed unanimously the area needs more services for their population, including a shelter just for them, more places like the Salvation Army and 24/7 emergency services. 

One young woman said she had to run away from her home because her mother was stealing from her. She said she had no one left to trust and became suicidal.

Most said adults in their families were being abusive, leaving them no option than living outside, sometimes teaming up to pay for motel rooms, or going from a friend’s couch to another person’s carpet floor, abandoned property to vacant shop, empty warehouse to secret, hidden spot by the river. Some are escaping bad situations in Las Vegas or California, and feel a little safer in Reno than in bigger cities.

After dinner outside, many homeless youths say they avoid sleeping at night, and that many take drugs to stay awake.

Nights Without Sleep and a Cocktail of Drugs

Many said they just stay up at night and sleep during the day. Crystal meth also called 'clear', acid, heroin, known as H, or sometimes combined with crack and PCP, also known as black, marijuana, and all sorts of pills are all prevalent, and easy to access, to use or sell.

Those interviewed say those who sell typically do so to older people, to make more of a profit. Marijuana is the biggest seller to youths, going at about 30 dollars for an eighth of an ounce.  But usually quantities sold are much smaller.  Heroin is much more devastating in terms of its effects, they agreed.

Drugs, pimps, solicitation .... “What happens on Fourth street, stays on Fourth street,” one youth said.

Beneficial Programs

For those who are able to get back to school, they say free food programs are extremely beneficial.  Some not in school say they can go several days without eating from time to time, and dull their hunger with small quantities of drugs they share.

They also all agreed there aren’t enough places or accessible programs to guide them, to nudge them back to a better path, to help them feel secure in a world which has dealt them a difficult hand, especially in the middle of the night, when they are often lonely and afraid.  

Exclusive Photos and Interviews by Our Town Reno

Taylor Zimney, Crisis Manager at the Eddy House

Helping Vulnerable and Victimized Youths Among Us

Zimney's job is not easy. Powerful and life altering drugs are rampant and easy to access, sell and buy on the streets of Reno. There’s also sex trafficking, victims of abuse, parents spiraling out of control, cops who profile kids living on the streets, and adults who take advantage of youths by offering them free motel rooms.

Zimney doesn’t let all these difficult realities weigh her down. She prefers to focus on the good she’s helping with, on reorienting often victimized youths full of potential back on a better path.

“It doesn’t feel like work. It feels like Im coming home to a family and a community,” she said during a recent interview. “We’re a family here at the Eddy House. The kids are amazing. I love working with them. I love getting to know every individual. Working with them is very fulfilling.”

Zimney at her front office desk. As crisis manager, Zimney uses all her expertise, patience and abilities to try and help youths in difficult situations. Photo by Jose Olivares

Turnaround Success Stories

“We’ve intervened in multiple crises with multiple clients,” Zimney said during the interview at the Eddy House in downtown Reno. “We’ve helped those who are in a domestic violence relationship, to help them end those relationships, to help them find a new place to live, sometimes it’s been a place which helps abused women. They are now in safe housing, going back to school, looking for a job. That’s an example of a success.”

Zimney is especially proud when a youth she has been helping finds the courage and strength to go back to school. “We’ve helped clients get their GED, or follow through with college and other higher education.”

The Eddy House connects the youths who come through with other available services such as signing up for food stamps, Medicaid, and getting back on track for schooling.

A Pitch to Donors for Expansion and a Residence

Zimney says donors shouldn’t hesitate to help if they can, as the Eddy House hopes to grow, and even offer full-time safe shelter living options for this age group.

“These kids are a part of our community,” she said. “These kids are our kids. They are everyone’s kids. We need this help to help these individuals to become successful and become contributing members of society.”

She said the Eddy House also needs help for expansion plans and better services, to expand from drop-in resource and assistance center to even more.

With its current resources, the Eddy House has limited Monday to Friday daytime hours.  “We need to expand our hours to be 24-7," Zimney said. "We need to be accessible to all in this age group who need the help. We’re also hoping to be able to do residential.”

For more reporting on homelessness in Reno, as well as other topics, check out our photography on the Our Town Reno Instagram.

Philipp, Helped and Now Helping Others

Paying It Forward

With the help of the Eddy House, Philipp was able to re-enroll at Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC), get a certificate as a community health worker and last month landed a job.

“I would like to help the kids in the community just fresh out of high school to know they have abilities and all these people who actually do care, who want to help them with Medicaid, food stamps, getting their ID and all that, just so they know the resources are there for them,” he said at the time of our interview.

The Eddy House on 6th street offers many services, but one gap is overnight sleeping options for youths and young adults not allowed or not wanting to stay at regular shelters.

Sleep Deprived

As teenagers under 18 who are on their own have no legal shelter options, while young adults shun homeless shelters because of safety concerns, Philipp says sleeping is a big problem for youths in Reno without a stable home to go to.

“There’s a lot of kids sleeping in the park. There’s kids sleeping in the streets. There are some kids that don’t even sleep. They are just at the bus station all night,” he said.

The Eddy House does offer many services during the day, which Philipp has benefited from.

Finding Peace and Growth at The Eddy House

Philipp says the Eddy House gives kids and young adults a place to shower, to get a fresh change of clothes, food stamps if they need them, snacks, and even a quiet place to sleep during the day.  Philipp likes to bring his Xbox 360 to play with other in the Eddy House’s chill out room, to get away he says from harsh realities and family complications from time to time.

“This is one of the greatest places in Reno,” he said of the Eddy House.  “We never know what tomorrow is going to be like, so we might as well make ourselves better through this type of program.”

Devante, Fleeing Death in West Oakland

There is a lot of news about immigrants crossing borders for better economic opportunities or refugees fleeing wars and looking for new safe places to live in, raise a family and work. In Reno, there are also youths, like Devante, who end up in the Biggest Little City running away from extremely difficult conditions not far away, just across state lines.

Devante says if he had the money he would try to open a club and marijuana dispensary. Photo by Jose Olivares for Our Town Reno

Devante says he came to Reno from west Oakland over a year ago because in his words he was about "to get killed."

"In Oakland, it's terrible," he said during a recent interview at the Eddy House. "People are out there selling too many drugs. I was getting shot at too many times. I was about to die in my own backyard just like my friend."

He says his grandmother told him to go to Reno, where he's looking to further his studies, open a business and also takes care of a kid. The Eddy House, he says, has been a lifesaver as well.

Devante enjoying the company on a recent Friday before an Eddy House communal dinner. 

"They've been great to me from the start and that's never changed," he said. "They help me go to school, with food, clothes, shoes, anything I need. They help the young like me who are going through a lot. They help homeless teenagers. Whether you need help or want to help, come to the Eddy House."

Interview as part of a multimedia Our Town Reno series on youths getting help at the Eddy House. Their website is here.

Joshua, From Skid Row to the Eddy House

Joshua came to Reno from Los Angeles, nearly two years ago, to live with his sister.  He says he's been through ups and downs in the Biggest Little City, but that it hasn't been as turbulent as his life in California.

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"I've seen Skid Row," Joshua said. "I've seen people who are down and dirty." Photo by Jose Olivares / Our Town Reno

Staying Calm Despite Challenges

He says he's learned to calm down here, and stay away from violence. He also finds refuge and help at the Eddy House, a drop-in center with resources for young adults.

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"It's just a good environment. You can feel the positivity of the people around you," Joshua said of the Eddy House, as he recently attended what's called a family dinner.  "It brings the type of hope that you can still succeed in life."

One Day at a Time

But Joshua doesn't want to pinpoint his own dreams just yet, at least not publicly.

"There's a lot that I strive for.  There's a lot that I wish for and there's a lot that I dream for," he said. "But for right now I just take it one day at a time."  

Thinking of society at large he said it's important for people to choose better leaders, but that he believes ultimately change for the better lies in the people's own hands.

Reporting by Jose Olivares for Our Town Reno

Susy Ramirez, A Warrior Who Battles Every Day

When asked by the Truckee River who she was recently, Susy Ramirez leaned forward and proudly proclaimed: “I am a warrior. Every day is a battle to me.”

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Ramirez said she didn’t mean "warrior" in a negative sense but that she recognizes her strength. Photo by Alexandra Mosher / Our Town Reno

The Strength of a Woman ...

The strength of a woman who slept in her car after nights spent studying for her dual bachelor's degree.

The strength of a woman who had the courage to leave an abusive relationship, even if it did mean sleeping in her car. The strength of a woman who didn't know where her next meal was going to come from but still received As and Bs at the end of the semester.

“It was an escape for me because that was that one thing in my life I could control,” Ramirez said of her studies. “I was surprised and I would cry when I would look at my grades and say how did I do this?”

She is scheduled to graduate with a bachelor's in sociology and women’s studies in May.

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Made by the Huichol people of western Mexico, Ramirez received this necklace from her aunt. She said the red, yellow and orange were her great grandmother’s colors, symbolizing the monarch butterfly. Photo by Alexandra Mosher / Our Town Reno

A Survivor

“I need to be able to survive, just like my ancestors have been doing for 500 years. I’m a survivor of genocide, of abuse. So I take that survivorship and warrior-ship really serious. It’s real,” she said.

Ramirez, who prefers her reclaimed name, Xochitl Papalotl, migrated from Mexico City when she was eight. Although her ancestral land is far she says keeping her heritage alive is one of her priorities.

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Ramirez said that agate is used to enhance mental clarity and that she wore an agate when she once went to the Nevada Senate to discuss replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day. Photo by Alexandra Mosher / Our Town Reno

Decolonization

“I think decolonization has been one of the most transformative parts of my life, realizing where exactly I come from,” she said.

She ultimately hopes to completely reclaim her tribe’s language and to one day return to her tribe’s original land in Mexico to live a traditional life.

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“These are stones I’ve gathered throughout my life and they all have energy,” Ramirez said. Photo by Alexandra Mosher / Our Town Reno

Ramirez acknowledges the Reno area as North Shishone and Washoe territory, the tribes that originally called the Reno area home. She said the Great Basin will always have a place in her heart for making her the woman she is today.

“Growing up among the sagebrush and the mountains and the Truckee River are a part of me,” Ramirez said. “I‘m a desert girl. I identify a lot with desert plants because they don’t really need a lot of water. They can live for a long time and they’re really beautiful.”

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Ramirez, dressed in her traditional garb, burned sage near the Truckee River in Reno. “Sage is important because it’s a very sacred medicine here in this territory and for me the way I like to honor this territory and the people of this territory is to smudge with sage.”  Photo by Alexandra Mosher / Our Town Reno

Photos and Story by Alexandra Mosher for Our Town Reno

"El Presidente" and The River Rats Association

Along the Truckee River, on the Sparks side, behind a building where dogs are trained for security purposes is the informal River Rats Association.

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Kenny, who says he's from New Mexico, braved this harsh winter by the Truckee river in his tent. Photo by Jacob Jacoby for Our Town Reno

Kenny, who introduced himself as El Presidente of the River Rats Association, lives in a camouflage tent and uses a smart phone to stay up to date with the weather. He says he also likes to use his phone to keep track of bird migration patterns.

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Kenny's hands show some of the physical hardships of living outside.  He had just finished coffee offered to him by activists who regularly help the houseless along the river and elsewhere.  His friend, Kevin, was previously called "El Presidente", but he was recently hospitalized because of exposure to extreme cold. Photo by Jacob Jacoby for Our Town Reno

Jimbo, another member of the River Rats, says he has been homeless off and on for 12 years. He explained that there are three rules he lives by: don’t steal, pick up garbage, and stay out of sight.

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Jimbo sometimes stays in Deb's truck.  He shows one of the illustrated manifestos he's been working on. Photo by Jacob Jacoby for Our Town Reno

Staying out of sight and picking up garbage are pivotal to living outside, Jimbo explained, because any sight of settlement he says is a red flag to police officers and other security.

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Jimbo has several notebooks with hundreds of pages filled with text and illustrations reflecting on inconsistencies in contemporary America. Photo by Jacob Jacoby for Our Town Reno

Jimbo says people from California recently came to live along the river as well, leaving trash and also stealing from others.

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Deb lives in her truck with Filo.  She says she used to work in real estate, but fell on hard times when she had to take care of her ailing mother. She wouldn't be allowed to keep Filo with her at Reno's main shelter. Photo by Jacob Jacoby for Our Town Reno

Deb says it's difficult to find affordable housing, especially with more and more down payments and paperwork being required. She often parks near the River Rats encampment area.

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Melting snow, heavy rain, rising waters and new campers who came through have created more trash than usual. This is right by the current sleeping spot for the River Rats. Photo by Jacob Jacoby for Our Town Reno

Jimbo said he made sure he picked up his own trash, not to be seen as nuisance or to give police any reason to bother or evict the group. They all seemed to prefer living on their own, whether in a truck or in a tent, rather than going to the shelters.  

Photos and Story by Jacob Jacoby for Our Town Reno

Leroy aka Hobo, "One Love" in Reno

Photos and Story by Danielle DeRosa

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After taking a picture of him previously while he was panhandling in the sun, Our Town Reno met up again with Hobo, who says his real name is Leroy. Photo by Danielle DeRosa

Hanging out by the river all day where tourists and Reno residents these days want to see how high the river is and how fast it's going makes you visible. We recently caught up with Leroy, who then said he went by Hobo, while he panhandled holding up a "Please Help" sign with a wide grin.

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Leroy says "One Love" is another greeting of choice he likes to use.  "This is all the stuff I got left in life," he said of his belongings in his shopping cart. Photo by Danielle DeRosa

He told us he's from Michigan City, Indiana, where winters can also be very cold and windy. His possessions are in a red shopping cart, as he's without stable housing and living on the streets of Reno, but not without romance in his heart.  

The night before he says he got smitten by a woman he met in a parking lot.

Photos and Story by Danielle DeRosa for Our Town Reno

Humans of Reno: Dora, Hobo and Their Friend by the River

Downtown during the day by the river is where many of Reno's residents without stable housing congregate in between services, meals, the main bus station and the library. A sunny day is a respite from the usually cold, wet and biting conditions of recent months.

A nice camera elicited smiles and conversations.  Dora wanted to have a picture taken of her for a new Facebook profile. She said somewhere along the line her life dreams and prosperity didn't materialize.  At one point, she went to school for design, she said.  At another, she said, she worked in real estate.

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Hobo had an even wider smile as the Truckee River flowed behind him. Photo by Janay Hagans.

Hobo, who was pandhandling nearby, repeated several times how much he loves Dora, and how beautiful she is. He said he provides for her as best he can, despite the hardships they go through.

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A friend of Dora and Hobo wanted to show some of his boxing moves.  Photo by Janay Hagans.

A friend of Dora and Hobo said he had dreams of becoming a boxer.  He said he had a daughter he hadn't seen in three years going to school in Washington.  He said he was super proud of her, and hoped to see her soon.

Photos and Interviews by Janay Hagans for Our Town Reno

Candace, A Mother Who Keeps Believing

Story and Photo by Hannah Fogg shared with Our Town Reno

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Candace on a patch of grass in front of City Hall in Reno and across from the Believe statue. photo by Hannah Fogg

After being homeless for a few years, Candace says she hopes to go back to college to receive a degree in criminal justice. Because of financial difficulties, though, she had to step away from her scholarly ambitions for a while. She has two kids and she says she loves their personalities so much she turns to them for inspiration. 

"I have a lot of belief in my hopes and dreams and in my kids," she said. On balancing motherhood and ambitions amid difficulties? "Just don't give up hope," she answered. "It's going to be possible. You just have to keep believing in it."

Photo and Story by Hannah Fogg shared with Our Town Reno

EJ, Dreams of Becoming a Veterinarian

One of the oldest and gentlest young adults getting help at the You in downtown Reno, a walk-in safe space and resource center for homeless, runaway, aged out of the foster care system and other at-risk youths is 23-year-old Texas native EJ.

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EJ got help from the You, getting a new I.D. and birth certificate, after having his wallet stolen. Photo by Jose Olivares

EJ walks around with his lowrider Skullcandy headset greeting friends living precariously in the Biggest Little City but happy to gather at the YOU on a Friday afternoon for what's called a family dinner.

"Lot of kids these days get in trouble, in jail, doing drugs or running away," he said when Our Town Reno met him.

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EJ outside the YOU which according to the wording on its website has weekday, daytime “care and comfort services” including showers, laundry vouchers, snacks, clothing, free wi-fi, cell phone charging, a tech lab and the Chill Zone - a safe space to spend time off the streets. Screengrab from a video by Jose Olivares

Dreaming Big

EJ says life can be very difficult in Reno, but that he still dreams big.

"My goal is to become a veterinarian. I love animals. Animals love me. There's nothing impossible. If you put your mind to it, you can go for it and reach your goals."

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The banner photo from EJ's Facebook page is an inspirational poem by Langston Hughes.

Deysi, Grateful for the 'Angels from Heaven' Who Have Helped Her

Deysi, 65, had been living along the Truckee river for months now, until the flood threats came, and police came by threatening to arrest those who remained in their tents on the banks.

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Deysi is relieved to have moved from the river.  “I had a pathetic little tent. The rain went right in. The rain and snow were all over the place. I was all soaked. I was wet and cold.” 

Brief Special Treatment

Initially, Deysi and others displaced from the river banks got special treatment at Wooster High, with elevated beds, healthy food, crates for their pets, but then before they got too cozy it was over. 

“We got lots of food, and I got four blankets. I was so happy and warm,” she remembers. 

Her two dogs, a Chihuahua and a Rat Terrier mix, were not far from her.  “They are my babies, that’s why if it’s somewhere that doesn’t take dogs, I can’t go. But they just got rid of us too quick.”

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Deysi says she used to work as a PBX operator.  She had her own trailer and a retirement savings plan. “But then,” she says, “I started getting anxiety attacks and panic attacks. I got depressed. I went to the hospital and they gave me this medicine which ruined my teeth, my memory, and caused other problems.”

Constant Threats

Life on the river was not easy, with constant threats of being arrested and stares from pedestrians, joggers and cyclists.  

“Police and lots of people just see us as annoying. They don’t want us around. Rich people don’t want us around. Give us a break though. We don’t steal. We don’t do any bad things. We are just living.  That’s all we ask for, to keep living. I wish I could have my own place to live. Heck yeah. But what can you do?”

Previously, some of the less fortunate in the area had been living together under a bridge or in covered areas near freeways, but kept getting pushed further and further down the river.

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“We can’t live in the streets. They want us to move but where? Downtown? In a corner? It doesn’t make sense. We are usually in a place where people can’t usually see us, but they still want us to move. We were on the Reno side and they pushed us further down into Sparks. They cut all the bushes and trees so nobody can hide anymore. How cruel.”

A Safe Camping Space?

Local activists, with groups such as RISE and ACTIONN, have been pushing for a safe space for the houseless, where camping would be allowed.  Deysi thinks it’s a great idea.

“A camping area where we would be allowed to live would be nice, maybe with a bathroom and a garbage.  That’s why we are so dirty, because we don’t have anywhere to go take a shower. “

But she says she isn’t sure the political will would be there from local authorities. 

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Local activists have helped Deysi and others as they try to figure out how to help them survive this harsh winter. Deysi developed bronchitis recently, but community activists helped her pay for her medication, and then found her a motel room, for now.  It’s pricey though, sometimes as much as $70 a night, and cheaper weeklies are fully booked. They say she remains in good spirits. 

'We Are Human Beings'

“We’re not bums, we are really human beings. We do have feelings,”  she told Our Town Reno when we met her at a park recently, while activists were figuring out how to help her find a warmer place. 

She is extremely grateful for the activists and volunteers who have been helping her.

“They’ve been angels from heaven. They’ve been really helpful. God bless them.  I can’t believe how kind they are.” 

Fox, Staying Away From Shelters

Even when conditions get very harsh, the Truckee River rages, and falling wet snow makes living outside very difficult, some of the less fortunate among us like Fox, who can't afford their own housing, say they prefer avoiding any type of group shelter situation.

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Fox got his tattoo and his nickname from his BMX racing passion. 

“There’s bad people at the shelter, and too many fights. I don’t want to go to prison over something stupid. I’ve also lost lots of stuff when I stay at the shelter. That’s why I don’t go in there anymore.”

Losing Belongings, But Not Friends

He started living in a tent by the river last year, but during the recent threat of flooding, he says he moved away to help friends, who were feeling stressed.  Many lost some of their belongings as they moved around, but Fox preferred to look on the more positive side.

"Stuff is replaceable, my friends aren't," he said.

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Fox said he'd been able to save his racing bike, axes, hatchets, saws and sleeping bags. "That's pretty much my whole life there," he said.

Thankful for Help

When we met him, he was staying overnight in a Sparks park, with activists helping keep an eye out for police, who had threatened to arrest the river displaced group.  The volunteers also helped with moving their belongings, and figuring how to relocate some into temporary housing, such as motels.

“Thank God for those who help us. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have anything,” he said.

Conditions Under Scrutiny at Reno's Homeless Shelter

Why would people who can’t afford homes, apartments or motel rooms in the Reno-Sparks area prefer sleeping in tents along the river, on abandoned properties, or near freeways under bridges rather than going to the homeless shelter on Record street even when conditions are harsh? As January is "Poverty in America Awareness Month", Our Town Reno wanted to look into why so many in our area are "aid-resistant", a term sometimes used in the media, by looking closer at the area's government paid-for shelter.

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These pictures were provided anonymously to show conditions at the main shelter's day room, as well as uneaten food being left out for hours (second row) and how belongings are handled (third row). 

 The pictures above, provided anonymously, offer a glimpse into the realities of life at the main shelter.  We previously published photos from harsh conditions at the overflow shelter in this article:  http://www.ourtownreno.com/our-citizens-forum/2017/1/3/harsh-nights-inside-renos-overflow-homeless-shelter

Access to the main shelter require sign-ups and check-ins early in the day to secure a bed and meal.  When the main shelter on Record street is full, people have to wait hours to be bused to a "secret", nearby location, with dirty sheets and mattresses on gravel-filled ground, only to be woken up before five a.m., deposited back on freezing streets. 

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Here are more photos above from conditions at the overflow shelter, where people sleeping there have also complained of bed bugs. 

Dumped Belongings, No Couples, No Pets , Black Markets and Stale Food

At the main shelter, belongings are dumped unceremoniously.  Retrieving them means trampling over everyone else’s belongings. Sometimes, belongings go missing. Left behind property is in a pin outside, snowed in. Couples are separated.  Pets are not allowed.  The food is cold and stale, usually spaghetti plates, which end up mostly uneaten. Some who eat complain of being sick to their stomachs. Meanwhile, a black market goes on with people selling each other’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards they receive for so-called SNAP benefits, an acronym for the current name of food stamps, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. 

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Food is left out for hours at the main shelter, barely eaten.

TV crews come for special events when special guests do feedings, and then the food is better, everything is cleaned up, but on a day to day basis, the complaints pile up. It’s too militaristic inside the shelter, people who sleep there sometimes say.  There are cliques which make them feel uncomfortable. Younger people feel threatened by the older population. Those in tents, under bridges, in condemned properties, say they prefer to stay with their pets, friends, significant others, whatever the elements and the threats of arrest.  To deal with these realities, amid a trend of criminalizing homelessness on the West Coast, amid rising inequalities and housing costs, local activists are trying to get a so-called SafeGround instituted, with this petition.    

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Text from the petition below:

ACTIONN and The Reno Initiative for Shelter and Equality (RISE) call on our local leaders in Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County to dedicate land to the development of a SafeGround, where houseless residents within our community can live without fear of criminalization, harassment, or eviction and where they could benefit from the protection of our local law enforcement agencies and local services. Ideally, there should be several locations throughout the area that are dedicated SafeGrounds.

This would allow local non-profits and caseworkers easy access to people in need and would serve as a first step towards solving houselessness in Northern Nevada. The less restrictive nature of a SafeGround allows our community to immediately respond to people newly on the street and decrease the resources required by the community. The faster someone is served, the less time they spend without housing. Individuals can be more quickly served if they can be easily found. The current situation makes that difficult because houseless people often hide to avoid eviction and harassment.

Catherine Clark, Moving Back to the Banks of the Raging River

As the Truckee River threatened to overflow in recent days, many who usually live along its banks inside tents decided to take advantage of improved relief sleeping options being offered by the city of Reno at Wooster High. But when these options were no longer offered, the homeless made their way back to their old encampment sites, only to find some of their belongings ruined or under water.  This is a photo series by our newest Our Town Reno contributor Holly Hutchings.

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For those who make their home here, coming back to their belongings has been disheartening. If their camp sites are still somewhat intact, everything is soaked. "It was all wet," Catherine Clark said. "Everything that I had there that was dry, even the tent, is wet. Inside and out."

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The Truckee River rages across from the Grand Sierra Resort earlier this week. Many tents can be found nestled in this area. Most of the residents of this small tent city left their belongings and found shelter elsewhere as the river rose earlier this month. 

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This tent which once stood as a shelter is now in shambles with its previous inhabitants nowhere in sight.

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Some of those returning to live along the river found a wet, muddy mess, when they returned to their camps.

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Clark takes a break from cleaning out her tent. She has spent the morning removing all she owns and airing it out to dry. "I've been here nonstop, up until the other night, for a year. I've got nowhere to go," she said. 

Photo Series and Reporting by Holly Hutchings

A People's Potluck for the Displaced from the River

Julie Rhoades, a waitress by occupation and a spirited activist by soul, decides to take the midnight to 2 a.m. shift.

"We are bearing witness and making sure police don't come and arrest people here as they've been threatening on and off," she explains under a cold nighttime drizzle.

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Julie Rhoades (in the pink polka dot hat) and other activists gather around at a park where homeless who were displaced from the river because of possible floods are now being helped.

From the River to a High School to a Park

Here at a park in Sparks, NV, Rhoades and other activists are helping homeless previously living in tents along the Truckee river who were told to move because of the possible floods. 

After some spent one night for relief at Wooster High, which included healthy food, clean beds and even crates for their pets, they were told that was a one-night deal only. So some have reassembled here, some under pagodas, some in tents in different parts of the park. Some want to go back to their river encampments, while others are still nervous about raging waters.

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Warm drinks were offered to people who have been under threat of the rising Truckee river from their encampments, and then continuously moved around in recent days.

Remade Homeless

"Homeless people have been re-made homeless," Rhoades said.  "It's super traumatizing. The more you're involved, the more you have to have empathy. I don't want to have dinner with fancy people. I'm interested in this."

Volunteers brought healthy food and warm drinks. Even a casino chipped in with sandwiches. Rhoades coordinated the potluck event, called People's Potluck, which then stretched into Tuesday. 

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Those being helped were very grateful, as they fought for survival while living outside amid unpredictable, wet, cold weather.

Not Them, Us

"I am a waitress," Rhoades said.  "I serve people. That's what I do. I was thinking of that while cooking soup. I've been moving people to and from the river for the last couple of days."

She explains the people she is helping shouldn't be referred to as "them", but as "us."

"There's one woman who is living here with her son and they have family problems too."

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A stuffed tiger also stood guard, among the belongings those being helped were able to keep with them.

Solidarity, Not Charity

"We're building a community," Rhoades explained, as more and more people arrived bringing food, and being updated on plans to stay the night and organize in shifts.

"This is solidarity, not charity. It's us helping us."

If someone has a feeling they should help, Rhoades encourages them to do so.  "It can change you in a good way," she said. "Every friend I've had I have met through the helping community."

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"It's just food," Rhoades said of the potluck. "It's just a band-aid. But if every day is a series of present moments, then at least you can make someone's present moment happy with a warm belly. I really believe that."

Speaking Out and Seeking Change for Homeless Out in the Cold

Photos and Story by Jose Olivares

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A recent vigil was organized by local activist and University of Nevada, Reno student Alese McMurtry (in foreground), activists from Acting in Community Together in Organizing Northern Nevada (ACTIONN), the Reno Initiative of Shelter and Equality (RISE) and the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN).

A Poem for the Homeless

One of the participants, Shayden Ward, recited a  poem titled “Meet Mr. Everyman”. The poem was recently recited at a Reno City Council meeting and it captures the struggles of various characters inspired by interactions Ward has had.

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The climax of Ward's poem is when the homeless character in the poem dies “under the Keystone Bridge.”

Artificial Candles and a New Petition

Numerous people at the vigil spoke up and shared their stories, proposed solutions and offered insight to the homeless situation. At the end, faith leaders led a prayer and attendees held artificial candles during a moment of silence.

A new initiative now being put forward by activists in Reno is a petition to create a so-called SafeGround in Washoe County. Read about it and sign it if you agree here.

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According to the petition .... "A SafeGround provides an alternate and temporary location to increase our service capacity for houseless community residents to live in a safe area where they have access to services and training that will provide them entry into community-building, outreach, employment, and permanent housing."

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The community's willingness to help the homeless community seems to be growing, as evidenced by the well attended vigil at the Potentialist Workshop.

Photos and Story by Jose Olivares for Our Town Reno

Ricky, a 'Street Soldier' in Reno

Photos and Reporting by Jose Olivares

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Ricky Perez, who calls himself the 'Street Soldier', has been through a lot in his 41 years, from gang life to prison life to life on the streets.

“The streets” is a loaded term, with its many meanings always circling back to urban life. The term is anything but bourgeois.

“Growing up on the streets” can imply involvement in gang activity. A “street” is a slang term for a hallway in prison. “Living on the streets” can mean being homeless. And taking to “the streets” refers to raising hell against systemic injustice.

41-year-old Ricky Perez, a self-proclaimed 'Street Soldier', embodies all of the above. To Perez, the streets represent his home. He first grew up on the streets, spent years in prison, is currently homeless and has been an ardent fighter against systemic injustice.

What Perez has seen during his time on the streets has been humanity at its rawest.

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Our Town Reno first met Perez in early November. We wrote a story on people’s outlook for the U.S. election. We met him on Fourth Street in downtown Reno. He was wearing a hospital gown and was slowly shuffling down the sidewalk with assistance from a walker.

Making Contact

When we spoke, he told us of his injuries, some sustained when he was allegedly jumped a few days prior.

Ever since, he’s been in contact with Our Town Reno, wanting to share his story.

We had been communicating through random, sporadic phone calls. As a homeless man, access to a consistent phone is difficult, so Our Town Reno was unable to speak with Perez unless he called. A couple of times he called from a cellphone he borrowed. A few times from a pay phone. And once from a phone on the fifth floor of a local hospital as he waited to hear results of a blood test.

We finally were able to schedule a meeting this past weekend. Our Town Reno spent approximately five hours with Perez, listening to his stories, jokes and philosophical thoughts.

There is no way to know if the stories he told Our Town Reno were exaggerated for theatrical effect, so we advise the reader to take them for what they are.

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After weeks of contacting him, Our Town Reno was able to meet with Perez again and found out about his lifelong ordeals.

Happy and Painful Memories

Our Town Reno picked Perez up next to the RTC bus station. Because of his injuries, he uses a walker, which we stowed in the back of the car as we drove to find food. The walker has a black bag attached to it with a gaping hole. Every time we would take the walker out of the car for him to walk, he would check, ask and clarify that none of his possessions had fallen out of the hole.

Perez is from the Silver State. “I’m from Las Vegas. Born and raised,” he said. Growing up, his mother would take him and his brother to Mexico to visit family. He fondly remembers the food and culture. “Cow tongue is a delicacy in Mexico,” he said with a slight grin.

Perez dropped out of high school in the 11th grade and went on to receive his GED some time later. According to Perez, he and his younger brother were worlds apart. “The only thing we had in common was our mother,” he said. “My brother was full-blown homosexual.”

Perez told us how his younger brother died of AIDS in 2012. However, this was not the only family tragedy in his life. He remembers how his younger cousin died of a meth overdose. He still thinks her death was suspicious because of the astronomically high amount of meth, he says, which was found in her system.

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Perez was a member of a gang in Las Vegas. His activities, as a member of the gang, he says, were intense. Perez requested we not publish the name of the gang nor his actions within it. Perez has left the gang life he led during his early adulthood and does not like to speak much about it.

Gang Life leads to Prison Life

The only thing he allowed to publish about his gang life is that his actions as a young man – at approximately 19 or 20 years old – landed him behind bars. Perez says he spent approximately 20 years in a Nevada prison. He was recently released.

His experiences in prison were expectedly unpleasant. He remembers a time when he and his cellmate were jumped. Perez was stabbed seven times but as he says, he was able to put up a good fight.

In prison, he was able to read books spanning a variety of topics. One of his favorite books was a biography of Argentine revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara.

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“I really identify with Che,” he said. “He’s a fighter. He’s headstrong. He never gave up. That’s how I am.”

Life is a River

We sat together at a local Mexican restaurant. I sipped on a soda and Perez devoured a carne asada torta and rice tacos. As we chatted about each other’s lives, he would drop golden nuggets of philosophical and life advice.

“You never want to go backward,” he told me. “You always want to go forward. Life is a river. We must live it while we can.”

During his time in prison, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) represented many prisoners in Ely State Prison in Riker v. Gibbons (https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/riker-v-gibbons-order).  Prisoners sued Nevada regarding their medical conditions in Ely State Prison. For this, Perez now holds the ACLU in high regard and sees it as one of the best organizations in the country that “really fights for the people.”

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Perez was released from prison and decided to move to Reno earlier this year.

Moving to 'Weird' Reno

“I came up to Reno on a Greyhound on August 12,” Perez said. “Reno’s kind of weird. People are weird. They’ll openly stare at you.”

His time in Reno has been anything but uneventful. Perez is currently homeless and is struggling with a busted knee after allegedly being jumped one day. Throughout our time together, he would frequently grasp his knee, clench his teeth and double over in pain. Although he would try to dismiss the pain and pass it off as if it truly did not phase him, it was obvious the pain was truly affecting his concentration as we spoke.

The story of his injuries and of his struggles on Reno’s streets is to be continued...

In Part 2 of this series, we’ll learn more of Ricky Perez’s experience of getting injured as a homeless man in Reno as well as get more of his insights gathered from his turbulent life.

Series Reporting and Photos by Jose Olivares for Our Town Reno

Lisa Lee: Starting a Writing Workshop for the Homeless

Story and Photos by Jose Olivares for Our Town Reno

Lisa Lee previously spent eight years living on the streets in various cities across the United States. She now works at Northern Nevada HOPES as a community-based case manager. She is also a graduate student at the University of Nevada, Reno. Photo by Jose Olivares for Our Town Reno.

Negative Reactions on the Streets

“You’re really invisible when you’re on the streets,” Lee said during a recent interview with Our Town Reno. “You’re either really visible to everyone and people have pity or are repulsed by you – they have some sort of really negative reaction to you. Or you’re completely invisible and they’ll walk right past you. You could be bleeding on the street and they would walk right past you.”

Lee tells me this as we sit at her desk at Northern Nevada HOPES, a nonprofit community health center where she works.

“So being this identity of a repellant and being invisible at the same time, at least I had paper that was completely unbiased and nonjudgmental. I could pour my little heart out. It was very therapeutic for me.”

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Lisa Lee looks through the notebooks she created when she was homeless. Photo by Jose Olivares for Our Town Reno.

Writing and Collecting Memories to Keep Sane

Lee is referring to a series of notebooks on her desk. Worn out and beat up, the notebooks contain memories spanning the years from when Lee was living on the streets. As she flips through the pages and looks at the poetry, prose and drawings, a sense of nostalgia overwhelms her. Her facial expressions change as she remembers specific instances when she placed pen on paper.

“I was homeless from 18 to 26,” she explained. “Writing is my passion, it’s what’s kept me sane over the years so I wanted to share that with others.”

A screengrab of a promotion for the upcoming V.O.I.C.E. writing group.

The Voice Project

Lee is starting a project called V.O.I.C.E., an acronym that stands for Voices of Inspiration, Courage and Empowerment. V.O.I.C.E is a writing group for people who are currently experiencing – or who have experienced – homelessness.

The first meeting of V.O.I.C.E. will be this Saturday, December 3 at noon. Previously and currently homeless individuals interested in taking part can go the first Saturday of each month on the third floor of HOPES. Although the V.O.I.C.E. project is for people who have been or are currently homeless, Lee says future open mic nights will be open to the public. She is funding the project entirely on her own.

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The VOICE project originally started as a writing workshop for women who have experienced violence. But Lee then decided to expand it for people who live without a home. These are more of her notebooks. Photo by Jose Olivares for Our Town Reno.

Personal and Political Dynamics

“It’s a way for individuals who are experiencing homelessness or have experienced homelessness to bring their voices to the table,” Lee said of her VOICE initiative. “Creating a space for people who are having these experiences is super powerful on a personal level but also on a political level.”

“Most of the time it’s people in suits who are making really important decisions about [homelessness] with no knowledge or comprehension of what it’s like to actually live without a home.”

Lee remembers the therapeutic comfort she felt when writing in her journals. A lot of her possessions were taken from her while she was living on the streets, including jackets, sleeping bags and hygiene products, but she eventually made sure that didn't happen to her journals.

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“The thing that hurt most was when a piece of my soul was taken in my notebooks,” Lee said. “So I learned to strategically carry my belongings. I always kept my journal on my person, I never ever left it anywhere because I could always sit down and write. It was always just an avenue I had that let me get my thoughts out.” Photo by Jose Olivares for Our Town Reno

Publication Possibilities

Lee is hoping to publish work that is produced with VOICE. She said there is value in having homeless individuals tell their own story.

“In a way, writing or art provides immortality. It lets you tell your story long after you’re gone,” Lee said. “Get to work, people. Get to writing – do whatever you can to make things right for people”

If you would like to donate writing materials (pencils, notebooks, pencil sharpeners, paper, pen) or food to the V.O.I.C.E. project, you can email Lisa Lee at LLee@nnhopes.org or call her on 775-737-3175.

WHAT: V.O.I.C.E. writing group

WHO: Anyone who has experienced or is currently experiencing homelessness

WHEN: The first Saturday every month, starting with this Saturday, December 3 at noon. Will eventually become a twice-per-month meeting.

WHERE: Third floor of Northern Nevada HOPES

Reporting and Photos by Jose Olivares for Our Town Reno