Cindy, A Former Casino Employee in a Tent Displaced by Police Sweeps and Cleanups

Living in a Tent while Working in a Casino

“When [the police] come, they'll shake, rattle and pick up the whole tent and just trash it if nobody's there and if somebody’s there and they don't get a response, they will come in,” Cindy says of repeated police actions against those living in tents along the Truckee River.

“I've had an officer invade my privacy or invade my home, if you will, (who) just came right in and grabbed my leg and start throwing my covers around and getting mad because I'm upset because he's in my space. Well, this is my home. Whether or not it's a physical home or not, it's still my home, regardless (if) it's a tent. So what makes it any different from him walking through my tent door as opposed to walking through my home door. It's not okay in my home. In a house, it's not okay for anybody to enter your residence without permission so I don't see why it should be any different for a tent.”

Cindy stays in her tent with her boyfriend and their dog, so for them, it’s not an option to stay in the shelter which doesn’t allow pets. Cindy used to have a job at Cal Neva as a keno runner but lost it last year because she says it was difficult to maintain while living on the streets.

She says she was excited be working at a casino, but on her wages she still couldn’t afford a place to stay, or dress properly for the job. “They wanted me to dress up and I love to dress up, but I didn't have the attire to do that. So I was stuck. Like, now what do I do? I don't have the clothes. They wanted a nice solid color pants, like dark colored pants and then a dress shirt. I didn't have the attire at the time. I had no dress clothing. So with the lack of clothing and the lack of being able to shower on a daily basis, which is big to me, it really made it hard to keep the job.”

Cindy says she wishes there were more services available for people living on the streets like accessible housing, and showers.

An Underpass in Limbo with a Controversial Cleanup

Parcels near the underpass area of Wells Ave. have been linked to a possible expansion of the Generator art maker space. The parcels, currently still owned by the city of Reno and its Redevelopment Agency were envisioned as possible spaces for art performances and markets.

According to its About section, the Redevelopment Agency serves as the economic development arm of the City of Reno, with the power to buy private property for resale; reallocate property and sales tax increment in order to finance the redevelopment program of the community; and use other incentives to foster redevelopment of blighted properties. Its piece of land reported for a possible Generator purchase is about 3.2 acres next to a smaller .6 acres, also linked to the maker space, which is owned by the city itself.

This Spring, several activists and community volunteers say they were approached by the Generator to do a cleanup of the area, which they refused saying the space was being used by people living in tents. Sought out for comment, Jerry Snyder, a board member of the Generator, wrote back on Messenger: “We respectfully decline this request for an interview.”

Members from Food Not Bombs, who host weekly potlucks at nearby Fisherman's Park, usually also bring food to people living along the river when there are leftovers. They said at any given time, there were about 50 people scattered in tents under the overpass. One day, around the time of the suggested cleanup, when they went to bring the food, they said all of the people were gone.  They suspected communications between the Generator and police, which we weren’t able to confirm.

Cindy says the unpredictability of the current situation and always having to move is getting to her. “We get continually pushed and pushed and pushed by the cops. They keep harassing us, keep moving us and they keep telling us we got to relocate, we can't be here, go toward Sparks. I mean they specifically gave us a location, behind GSR on the Sparks side. So we went over there and then all the Sparks police and the reservation police got all pissed off. They're like, ‘Wait, why are you guys over here?’ [...] I mean it's a ridiculous, brutal circle, from trying to find a place where we won't get harassed. If we don't move it, then the next time they come through with the cleaning crew, they will literally throw everything away and I've had them do that to me before,” she said.

Reporting and Photos by Lucia Starbuck for Our Town Reno

Teme, Around the World to Reno with a Pot of Treasure Scraps

Difficult to Verify

As with many street stories, it’s not always easy to verify details. What we like to focus on is the present and how people are surviving, how they help each other, and what ideas they might have to make our community a better, more caring place.

Teme says he’s a veteran, who has been around the world, studied at various universities, met important figures and was present for important historical moments. This might all be true, we just couldn’t verify it. What is true is that when we met him he had set up his possessions, including his scrap treasures, on a picnic table along the Truckee river.

“I learned the craft from my Dad who also taught me how to make a gold watch. I mostly make men's but I do make women's. I have mostly rings, necklaces and bracelets. I've made anklets and some jewelry in the Egyptian style,” he said of turning scrap to jewelry.

Reno’s Changing Identity

What he did share with us is that he wants to leave Reno, because he says, in his estimation, the Biggest Little City is more about money than it has ever been.

“They're trying to remodel,” he said of recent changes. “Gambling's being downsized. I was here before they built all these new places. You never really saw anybody and nobody really had any money. They built all these (new) places to get money.”

But he says they are still trying to get people’s money the way they’ve always tried.

“My last message to the people in Reno is if you don't gamble, you don't smoke, you don't drink then you don't really belong here. That's just what it is. They don't want you up there. “

We left Teme without understanding his many secrets and hidden worlds but took a few pictures and thanked him for his time and insights.

Reporting by Prince Nesta and Jordan Blevins for Our Town Reno

Elizabeth Lenz, Among Music Therapists Helping Heal at Note-Able

A Powerful Therapy

Music is a reminder, a safe place, and an insight into how one can feel. It’s also an understanding, a collection of the most beautiful sounds, and is a powerful form of therapy.

Note-Able Music Therapy Services which has two locations in Reno invites people of all ages to walk through their doors, attend a class and be transformed by the rhythm, beat, and aura of music.

Patients ranging in age from young children to the elderly attend classes weekly due to anything from neurological traumas to mental health issues and even physical disabilities.

“This is a fun environment where serious things happen,” said Sarah Toney, the Note-Able Director of Development.

“People who attend sessions at Note-Able are brought into a community where they are celebrated and appreciated,” Toney said. “It isn’t about getting fixed it’s about the journey in healing.”

At its Riverside Dr. location, at the McKinley Arts & Culture Center, Note-Able’s board certified music therapists lead weekly sessions.

A Varied and Inclusive Community

At the McKinley Arts & Culture Center, there are two, very generous in size, rooms where patients are able to explore a number of instruments, sounds, lights and art which personalizes the room and makes it feel like an inclusive community.

Note-ables also host two dance classes weekly, where people with developmental disabilities are able to gain their fair share of specialized attention in a physical dance class.

Note-ables is involved in the community with projects at the youth drop in center the Eddy House, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Renown, Northern Nevada Mental Health Services, The Life Change Center, and Quest Counseling and Consulting.

“A young girl from Eddy House sang in front of an audience at one of our performances,” Toney said. “She wasn’t the best, but she sang with intention and it brought her and the crowd to tears.”

Music therapists from Note-Able also go to the Renown Pediatric unit to help relieve some of the most stressful experiences the children there and their parents go through. Their services aren’t insurance based so their help comes both as paid services or in some instances free volunteerism, and their focus is on accompanying those suffering, rather than focusing on final results.

“Note-Able is here to create a sense of stability, at this time this is what we are doing, this is where we are present” Toney said.

In class, the experience provided is extremely personalized to each attendee. There is a wall of guitars, multiple drum sets and microphones to get everyone involved in the day’s activities.

Photos and Reporting by Josie Steehler shared with Our Town Reno

Jefferson George, A Struggling Artist Fighting for America's "Lower Class"

Dealing with Homeless Task Forces and Police

While previously on the streets as a struggling tattoo artist in California, Jefferson George says he was constantly hassled by so-called homeless task forces, and cited for infractions of just trying to survive without shelter. He says authorities often sweep through encampments with bulldozers, and crush everything in sight including pets who might be sleeping.

“We're definitely second class citizens,” he said. “You try to grab whatever you can and just move along. You know, it's a PG rated genocide of the lower class. So generally speaking, if you are, if you get to a certain level when you're down, they kick you down, they keep you down. I've literally been starving in the gutter and have people walk over me. When you get to that point, you realize that, you know, it's more than just closed. Mouths don't get fed. People just generally don't care. They don't give a crap. You know, you are a blight on society. They don't want to see your homelessness anymore. They want to just sweep you away.”

He says he also went to jail for taking metals from unused buildings. “It's not exactly the most honorable trade, he said, “but you know, I'm sorry, but you know, I had to eat.”

The last time he was arrested, he says, police went through his bag throwing his stuff out, and just left his bicycle next to a dumpster unlocked. “So that's gone,” he said. “It’s just one step forward, three steps back constantly. You know, you try and be a functioning member of society and you get reminded that you are at a certain level …”

“I'll just go through unwanted refuse, you know, that people throw away. I collect and I will fix it and I will clean it and I will, you know, try to do a resale. I mean, for instance, this Google nextbook. I unlocked it. I erased everything that the previous user had, all their information. I don't care about that. I need to go online and try and order a new glass for it, which only costs a few dollars which I can buy with a prepaid card and have it sent to, you know, any address I can find,” he explained of one of his current projects.

Passing Food Around, Doing Odd Jobs, Trying to Sell Art and Refurbishing Found Objects

Jefferson says he likes going to restaurants, and finding food and passing it around to others on the streets.

“I go to like Little Caesar's and Domino's and at the end of the night, all the pizza and all the food that they're throwing away, I gather it up and I pass it around to everybody else on the streets,” he explained.

He looks for clothes around laundry mats which he says people sometimes leave behind. He had bolt cutters he had found he was trying to sell. He tries to find buyers for his art.

Jefferson says he’s also always ready to work odd jobs. “If I see someone painting a house or mowing, I always see if they need an extra set of hands, you know,” he said. “I can make 10, five bucks here and there, doing what I can.”

But he says with so little money, he feels like a nothing in today’s American society.

“It's all about that all-mighty dollar,” he said. “Without income, no one really has the time for you. You're not a functioning member of society, you know, and as far as Section 8, government housing assistance, that all requires identification, which I am unable to obtain.”

Jefferson says he refuses to panhandle or beg for money. “I try to barter stuff,” he said. “I can’t beg. That’s how my grandparents raised me. You know I go out and try and get an honest dollar.”

“There is no bad art,” Jefferson told us. “I don't care if it's stick figures or if it's paintings, whatever form of expression and artwork that you want to put out into the world. It gives somebody else looking at it a different perspective, a different idea, you know, they see that and then they can take that and then, you know, pass it along somewhere else. So no matter what you draw, as long as you put something creative and original out there, that no one has ever done before. You can have a trickle effect that can inspire something great.”

“Most of the time when I'm talking to people, I draw and I say it's not a sign of disrespect. I just always have to have my hands going. Drawing helps me keep track of time.”

Photos and Reporting by Jordan Blevins and Prince Nesta for Our Town Reno

Hector, Undocumented and without a Job or Shelter

My name is Hector. I'm from El Salvador. I'm 52. I came to the United States in 1991.

I'm here by the river because I lost my job and then, I lost my family.

I've been staying here for only like a couple of days. I'll try to get back to the motel I was living in when I find a job. It's quite expensive. I pay $1300 a month and that's for a single room.

I lost my restaurant job ... as a supervisor at a Red Robin and now I'm waiting to get my job back. I also worked as a supervisor in a carwash .

I had my own property for 20 years but now my wife and my son live there.

In the streets it just depends on who you surround yourself with. If you decide to be with bad people that's it, if you stay away from bad people, you'll be safe.

To be honest with you, Central American people, we don't like that, to get food stamps or Medicare … We don't like using the government to get something, you know, we El Salvadorans and Guatemalans we don't do that.

My son is just getting out of TMCC and then he's supposed to go to UNR … He doesn't know that I'm out here but he knows that I’ve been in the motel.

As told to Prince Nesta and Jordan Blevins for Our Town Reno

Audrie Thomas, From Homeless and Trafficked to Now Helping Others

A Harrowing Journey Now Getting Better

When we caught up with Audrie, a Reno native, she was helping out with the Saint Vincent’s lunch for those in need. It’s been a long journey for Audrie who used to be homeless herself and who was also trafficked.

“Every day I feel like I'm accomplishing something,” she told us. “And the people that notice me that I've been there before, they say that, they really appreciate me and how I've changed and it's changed the way I look at Reno and our community and the people here that don't have a lot.”

She says she now has a home but five years ago she hit rock bottom in Denver, where lured by people she knew, she became a victim of sexual trafficking, no longer free of her own movements, trapped by a violent pimp. Audrie is now back with her children in Reno, including a son who is a multi sport athlete at Spanish Springs.

When we left her, she told us she wanted to share her story to show that turning your life around when you don’t think it’s possible can always happen, even if it’s very difficult.

When we met her, Thomas was looking for permanent work, hoping that by volunteering, she could make new contacts.

Reporting by Prince Nesta and Jordan Blevins for Our Town Reno

Josh, Waiting for Jobs at Galletti Way while Battling Alcoholism

“People come to the park, and offer jobs so i'm getting ready to be picked up right now,” Josh, 33, said when we met him. “It's picking up slowly, but it's picking up, you know. It's gonna be busy later but now it's slow and we are just here hanging out. Payment depends on a person. Sometimes I make a hundred, maybe under 100... it depends on the person and the job itself.”

The Wait for Odd Jobs

Josh says the problem is when he doesn’t get picked up for work, he turns to drinking or weed to pass the time.

“That's a bad thing,” he said. “But hey, I still work and still get my job done and I still get paid. I do anything like construction, moving. I can do yard work and, all that stuff.”

The San Jose native has been in Reno about 15 years, but he says when he can, he prefers to find work in the Biggest Little City, but then sleep outside city limits to avoid trouble.

“Right now, I'm drinking energy drinks but I have … a little bit of an alcohol addiction. I don't know when that's gonna stop. I get in trouble when I have a little bit too much liquor. I get pissed off and … they could take me to jail. I mean it ruins me,” he said.

Avoiding Police and Most Other People

Josh says he tries to keep a low profile and avoid police. He says he’s lived in the woods and growing up he was mostly home schooled. He says he often doesn’t have a phone but that it doesn’t matter as he doesn’t keep in contact with many people, mostly just his grandparents and a cousin.

“I haven't been around people that much,” he said. “And then when I first came out here, I started learning how to, slowly but surely. I found myself in the streets as a result of smoking weed, breaking the law, not giving a damn. Pretty much, it's all good. Just living this day by day.”

He stays alert to avoid problems. “It's not safe out here or anywhere,” he said. “It's like you see in the movies, you know, the people.”

“What's next for me? I wan't to go down there. Under the dirt. I want to rest in peace. Yeah, I've given up, I lost my parents and that’s it … That's how I want to be helped,” he told us.

Feelings of Giving Up

He says he’s tried regular jobs, but doesn’t do well with the money he earns, or ends up finding trouble one way or another.

“The thing with being offered a job is when I get to that, that job, where they get me to the payroll thing and I get paid and then I'm doing good for a minute… then one of those days you mess up and then you just lose everything,” he said.

“And then, when you come back, come out of jail, losing everything, you try to get another job and that takes time. And you don't know if they're going to call you. Technology is also challenging when doing applications online. I hate phones. I hate filling out the applications. I have resumes, but I just don't feel like doing all that. It's a headache,” he said.

He dreams of leaving Reno for good, and going back to California, but says he doesn’t have the money to make that happen yet.

Reporting by Jordan Blevins and Prince Nesta for Our Town Reno

Evolving Drag Culture in Reno, from Rodeos to Social Media and a Library Near You

More and More Acceptance Despite Lingering Opposition

While the Sparks Library is set to host Drag Queen Story Time on July 20th, with two drag queens, Ginger Devine and Aspen Meadows, reading to kids LGBTQ related stories, and mainstream media jumped on the story due to opposition from a Nevada advocacy group called Nevada Family Alliance ( NFA ), it’s just one more chapter in a long and illustrious history.

The first Gay Rodeo was in Reno in 1976, and the LGBTQ+ non-profit charity organization known as the “Silver Dollar Court” began that same year. The evolution of drag has grown recently with the prominence of social media, and growing acceptance of the LGTBQ+ community as a whole, despite some lingering opposition.

Someone who has seen this evolution is Tony Pratt, a drag queen by the name of Felicia Jewel Halston. After moving to Reno from Alabama, Felicia saw her first drag show in 1993. Originally a backup dancer, she eventually moved her way into the drag scene because of the encouragement from her mentor Adrian Klein. After she started, Felicia was hooked.

“Once you start doing it, if you enjoy it, it’s in your blood. Once you’ve done it, you start going into the store and looking at girl things… you’re drawn to them, because it’s another side of you.” Felicia Jewel Halston aka Tony Pratt.

The Importance of the Silver Dollar Court

Felicia eventually progressed into the role of Empress of the Silver Dollar Court in Reno from 2005-2006 and 2012-2013. Performing as a part of the Silver Dollar Court was really the only way to get into the scene in Reno initially. 

The Silver Dollar Court hosts fundraising balls for charities and has 71 chapters all across the country. They are nonprofit partners with numerous organizations helping in causes ranging from AIDS to children’s cancer and animal cruelty.

The Silver Dollar Court was the best- and only way to network, promote your drag, and get your name out there back in the day, Felicia said. But, with the rise of social media, and the prominence of drag culture, this is no longer the case.  Felicia has seen these changes over time, from MySpace to the social media apps of today, from being more unique to getting into the mainstream.

“At that point there wasn’t a lot of drag shows where you got paid, and it was just about charity, and I really like giving back. So instead of writing a check this was my way of giving back, enjoying myself and exploring another side of myself, and giving back to people who need it; which at the end of the day is my main focus.”

A Widening Range of Drag

“Another advantage that young people have now is that you can see different types of drag. Back then, there wasn’t as many types, but now there’s such a wide span of drag,” Felicia said. 

Someone who has taken advantage of the power of social media with promoting their drag is Jorgie Silva, also known as Ariana Dulce. Dulce was born and raised in Reno. She is now based in Buffalo, New York, where she is going to nursing school, but she still comes back to Reno to perform. 

Ariana first started performing because her roommate at the time was a club promoter trying to get different queens to come perform at his club. She also heard about a drag show being hosted by the Queer Student Union at UNR, and made her debut performance there. 

Photo of Ariana Dulce at Splash Bar and Nightclub in Reno for a drag event named “Queens of the World: A Night of Representation,” in which she performed later in the evening.

Building and Growing a Brand on Social Media

Once she got into it, Ariana says she became hooked. She started performing at her roommate’s club on the nights that the events allowed 18-year-olds to come. She began networking with other queens to find where she could perform without being ID’ed at the door. 

Eventually, she found her way into competing for Miss Gay Reno Latina for 2017, and that’s when her use of social media changed from just posting for fun, to specifically targeting audiences and trying to build a brand for her drag. 

“…That was when after I got second place I thought of social media as more of a way to brand myself, once I saw that I had a lot of the Hispanic community exposed more because of who I am, I wanted to merge that with the American part of drag so that I can connect it both and bring more exposure,” she said.

Ariana said that Instagram is the best platform to use for drag queens for a lot of reasons. Specifically, having the capability to personally post photos of your version of drag and interact with others through hashtags and comments makes networking so much easier, she said.

With this social media capability, Dulce has received numerous opportunities to perform in other cities, and even other countries. The first time she performed in Mexico was because she had #DragMexico in one of her posts, and a club promoter found her profile and asked her to perform for Mexican Independence Day. 

Once Dulce moved to Buffalo, she says social media really helped spread her drag through the New York scene as well. 

Instagram post by Ariana Dulce, showing her use of hashtags to reach a larger audience in the hopes of getting more exposure. Photo courtesy of Jorgie Silva, taken form Ariana Dulce’s Instagram @thearianadulce.

Reno, Still a Good Scene to Get Started

Dulce said she’s also made new friends and met a lot of people just through Instagram. 

“I’m really good friends with several queens that are starting / well-known in their drag community. I’ve never met them in person, but we’re always messaging each other through social media to network about wigs or ‘you made this mix, can you make me a mix too?’” she said.

With all of this in mind, Dulce thinks Reno’s drag scene is still up and coming, despite its long history. Compared to the Buffalo scene, she said, her experience of the two communities is vastly different. 

“[Reno] is rich in talent and it’s great, it’s coming up and it’s creating more and more outlets for a lot more queens, that really haven’t gone out into the scene, to develop yourself to be a starting queen. And in Buffalo, there’s not really that, you don’t really see the scene as starting, you see it’s established, it’s very professional like… They’ve been doing this for years,” she said. 

Reporting by Savannah Chappell shared with Our Town Reno

No Days Off, Ildiko Erdesz a 70-year-old House Cleaner Saves Her Family

From Eastern Europe to New York to the West Coast

Ildiko Erdesz, 70, is all too familiar with today’s America, of growing wealth disparity, jobs which pay too little, not being able to pay skyrocketing rent on time, and health costs which can derail an entire family. Her long and varied life story all point to these unfortunate all too common realities.

She grew up in Hungary studying music and art. She initially made a living as a singer alongside her sister. She met her husband while on tour in Finland, and the two of them married and moved to New York City in 1971. In the Big Apple, Erdesz worked in textile design while her husband made his career as a freelance artist; designing catalogs and book covers. They had a daughter, Julianna, in 1984, and moved upstate.

The family stayed on the east coast until the early 90s, when relatives in Quincy, California, asked if they were willing to help run the hotel that they owned.

Unfortunately, after moving to California, Erdesz’ husband fell seriously ill. As his sickness worsened, the family was forced to move once again.  

“We had to move to Sacramento for the UC Davis hospital. I started cleaning over there, because that was the only thing I could do to take care of him and go to the appointments,” Ildiko said of when her husband became gravely ill and her life situation changed. “He was not able to work, so I was doing some side jobs to try and make some extra money. I homeschooled my daughter so she could take care of her dad while I was working. That’s how I really started the cleaning business.”

Turning to Cleaning to Pay Medical Bills and Her Daughter’s College

Ildiko then started working for a cleaning company, but she saw little money herself. Unable to pay the growing number of medical bills, she decided to start working independently. Throughout all of these challenges, she still had her family, and had hope.

“My daughter was amazing, and always helped take care of [her dad]. It was a hard time, and we didn’t qualify for any state help because I was working and able to continue working. It was a difficult time, but we managed it and we were okay.”

The Erdesz family loved visiting the Reno area, and eventually moved for more work opportunities. Juliana graduated from a performing arts high school in Reno in 2003, but her father, Ildiko’s husband, ended up passing away at the end of that same year. After his passing, Ildiko continued cleaning to help support her daughter through college and pay off remaining medical bills.

“I had so many doctor bills and everything, so I had to clear those out, and try to clear the credit cards out. It was a very very hard time. And I couldn’t pay my rent, it was very stressful. I was not the type of person to ask for help, but I did ask my very best friend to help me with rent one time. And I of course paid them back later, but that was a savior at that time.”

Erdesz had some life insurance money from her husband, but it was nowhere near enough to pay all of the existing and upcoming expenses.

“I had $25,000 in life insurance on him that we got when my daughter was born. So I tried not to touch that money because it was emergency money. We got the life insurance around 1985, which was enough money back then, but not anymore,” she said.

Working Seven Days a Week and Facing Her Own Health Battles

These days, Ildiko cleans seven days a week, for four regular clients. She often also works odd jobs such as house sitting, nannying, or dog walking to supplement her income.

“I could take a day off myself, but if something comes up I always take it because I never know. This job is not very secure… In 2008 and 2014-15 the first thing that people cut back was housekeeping. The recession hurt me, I wasn’t working too much,” she said when asked why she works so often, and regularly late into the night.

Three years ago, she slipped on ice and broke her leg, and was out of work for five weeks before she was back vacuuming with a cast. She was also diagnosed with cancer, which she says was cured by living in an intensive all-natural rehabilitation facility in Florida for several weeks. Since then she has been eating healthier.

“I need to do this as long as I can, and as long as my health will let me because I’m not ready to live on my Social Security yet. I plan on working until at least 77 or 78. At least… But of course maybe later on I can just cut back and only clean a couple offices a week. It’s hard to cut back now because I don’t really have a lot of luxury in my life. My most enjoyable (time) is taking a walk or going to the gym.”

Throughout it all, Ildiko maintains an incredibly positive attitude. She cleans for hours on end, and does it again the next day. Her artistic talent and attention to detail show through in her work.

“It’s a rewarding job. Every time when I finish cleaning a house, and walk through and make sure I didn’t miss anything, I stand back and enjoy what I did,” she said.

Photos and Reporting by Savannah Chappell shared with Our Town Reno

Richard, Living In a Van Along the Truckee River

Without Tools and Losing Contact with Family

Richard, 54, an Oklahoma native, who moved to the Reno/Sparks area as a child, has been living in his van for the past two years, picking hidden spots, mostly along the Truckee River.

“My plan was just stay in it until I could get a place, but at $10 an hour, for work I can find, you can't get a place,” he said.

He says he’s worked on building maintenance projects, but since he lost all his tools, it’s been harder for him to get the odd jobs he used to get.

He has two daughters, in their 20s, but difficulties with their mother, has cut him off. He says he misses not seeing them. He says he lost a lot in the divorce, but that at least his daughters are doing well.

”One's actually in college, so they're doing better than me,” he said.

“If you look, there are still places that's $500 a month. but right at this minute I don't have that $500 a month,” Richard said of not being able to afford an apartment.

Not Blaming Anyone, But Hoping for Higher Wages

“I'm not going to blame Tesla or anything like that for the rising costs, there's rising costs of living but you know, people got to make money, but also they're going to raise rent. They should raise pay,” Richard said, when asked about the affordable housing crisis sweeping the region. He says the problem has been getting worse and worse, but that he’s seen tent cities since the 1970s.

Fisherman’s Park is a place where day laborers are often picked up, so Richard says it’s a good place for him to hang out during the day, in case someone needs someone with his skill set. “It’s always been a place to get hired,” he said.

He says if you stay parked for a long time though, it’s important though, not to appear as if you are dealing drugs, or having people go in and out of your van.

“Being here, you would have to be here for like a week to see. I mean, they'll drive through,” Richard said of police. “If they see something, they'll stop. If they don't, they don't stop. They don't really bother us until they know there's  illegal activities going on like drugs. Because I mean like somebody parked and there's a lot of people going to that vehicle and you know what I'm saying? They're not stupid. …”

“I smoke weed. I'll admit it. Yeah. I enjoy my weed, but I don't see a problem in it because I don't smoke it when I go to work. I mean it's like, you don't want to be altered when you go to work,” Richard said.

Insecurities Along the River and Dreams of an Apartment

He says at night, conditions along the Truckee River are much different than during the day. He says there’s gamblers who have access to money who live along the river, but he says some lose everything to gambling.

“Sometimes bodies have turned up in the river,” he said. “If that happens then that person has to be passing through here. But you don't know who it is. So I mean, yeah, you're always at risk at here. You would have to be here at night to see some of the different things that go on. “

His message to those with shelter who don’t understand the hardships of living in a van?

“I would like to tell people out there that we're basically the same as them,” he said. “It's just we're having rougher times. We made different decisions.  When I was young, I was told that experience will take me where I wanted , to be or needed to be and that wasn't true. So anytime I work with younger people, I tell them to stay in school.  Something in that education can take you further than anything I'm ever going to get, because I'm 54 now.

He’s thought of going back to Oklahoma where his mother lives, but he feels Reno is home.

“I love Reno,” he said.  “It pisses me off when people talk bad about Reno. If you don't like Reno, it isn't the city. It's the people and the environment that you're putting yourself in. You know, Reno is, I think it's a great place myself. If you hate something that much, then you should leave. “

What he wants more than anything is to have his own place here.

“I was married 27 years. I'm not going to be married again because it wasn't for me. My life isn't going to be any different than this. What I want is my own apartment, a place to live, you know, a door to close, and somewhere to be. If I'm lucky I want to buy a trailer,” he said.

Reporting by Prince Nesta and Jordan Blevins for Our Town Reno

Lisa, A Local Business Owner Working Against the Clock of Rising Rents

A Homey Feel Getting Displaced by Uncertainties

The Mandala Massage Supply & Apothecary, among the best smelling shops in Reno, has a sign thanking patrons for keeping it local, asking for Facebook, Google and Yelp reviews. For owner Lisa, an expert in herbal science, it’s a battle full of uncertainties and rising rents. When we met her, she told us her lease would be up in July.

“This building I am in right now was sold twice while I was renting it, without me even knowing it, without the previous owner even asking if I wanted to purchase it. So, so far this place has had three owners and so I recently called the current owner, which I've only met once. I’ve never see him…. I doubt he knows what I actually do here. I don't even think he knows of the improvements I've done here. We fixed this place up. It was just a white dirty box and we've put thousands of dollars into it. And when I signed a lease from the first owners, I signed a lease that had two more three year options to renew my lease and it would not go over a 5% increase. And so I thought I was safe,” she said.

She says she thinks the current owner will instead do a total do over on her lease.

“It bewilders me, because I've been a good tenant. I've improved this place and there are many things wrong with the building that have not been fixed and he does not seem to be interested in fixing them. And, so I'm just a little scared right now because I don't know what's going to happen because he wants to renew the whole lease and not follow the lease that I actually signed,” Lisa said.

“We are an aroma apothecary, which means we make therapeutic remedies with oils. We sell all kinds of aroma therapy, products and tools. And we also sell massage supplies. I was inspired to do this when I found herbalism when I was about 20, and herbs changed my life,” Lisa said when introducing her store. “We can customize blends. We're very green. People can come in and refill their bottles and just anyone who's interested in aroma therapy, massage, alternative healing, making their own natural remedies… We are a supply store for all of that.. And that's what we like to do here. We're safe. We're professional. We know what we're doing here.”

Advocating Some Rent Control

Lisa said it’s very sad to see so many small, locally owned, unique businesses like her own having to shut down because of high rent.

“There should definitely be some kind of rent increase control,” she said. “I was in Midtown, and they raised my rent 70% there all at once and there was no way I was going to pay for that with no improvements on their part. And I left Midtown and came to Wells Avenue. Reno needs those small little mom and pop shops for it to be fun for people to walk the streets. And for some reason Reno fails in that department and has for a while in my opinion,” she said.

Her base monthly payment which is for rent, sewage and water is a little over $800. “If you add energy which costs $75 to $120 and of course phone and internet another $110, I pay roughly $1130 a month,” she said. “The building is also falling apart and the last two owners have done no improvements.” Her husband has been her handyman.

”It seems to be about money and the people that have the money don't seem to care about the actual people putting in hours, putting in money and doing the improvements,” Lisa said of the lack of support for local businesses.

Tired of Being Bullied by Property Owners

Lisa says she hopes her new property owner will have a change of heart but if not she says she may have to close down her business.

“He’s left me hanging, so I have no idea what's going to happen here. If the rent is increased too much, I will be very frustrated and angry and will think about closing down because I am tired of … being bullied by property owners,” she said.

Lisa is thinking of going more and more online now at her existing website templeoflifeoils.com. “If rent is raised too much we will just focus on online,” she said.

Affecting Her Housing As Well

Lisa says she doesn’t like current trends in Reno, including the demolition of motels, which she says she believes is causing more homelessness. She says her own house rent was recently raised a staggering 75%.

“Luckily my husband and I were able to move, but this property owner of the house I was renting for 12 years, doesn't even live in the country. And he saw Zillow's estimates and thought his house was worth 75% more.”

If her business can no longer be a storefront, she said it would also be Reno’s loss.

“They will be losing something that was created by a Reno native, someone that grew up here. They will be losing out on, definitely a different kind of business because there's no other shop like this… All these people buying their essential oils and aroma therapy needs here are going to be shopping online and that's going to take them away and the money from Reno of course, and just something homegrown. They're going to be taking that away. Something that you know was made by hand from the very last drop from our neon sign to our wooden signs to our products. They're going to be taking all that away …”

She wishes property owners would listen to their renters.

“I really hope that you are a part of the community… Get involved with the smaller business owners that you're renting to. You are a part of it. You're the very umbrella of it and you need to see what's going on. You need to see what people are building in your places of rent and hear them out and be nice to them. “

Reporting by Jordan Blevins for Our Town Reno

Oli, On the Streets in Reno but Saved by the Eddy House

“If you have the opportunity to take a shower, you’re going to take a shower. You’re going to take a two hour long shower if you can.” ⎯Oli

“It’s wild when I hear people talk about mental illness like it’s some kind of cute, romanticized thing. You don’t understand. You don’t understand how hard disabilities actually are.” ⎯Oli

“Most of our kids have severe trauma… They’re in a constant state of fight or flight … It actually causes brain damage, long term significant trauma.”⎯ Michele Gehr, Eddy House Executive Director

“[Eddy House] has helped me out a lot. I’ll have no food, I’ll be fresh out of food and they’ll be like, “Hey. Come eat some food …” - Oli

“I hate asking people for help. I’m like, ‘Look, you don’t understand… I’ve been thinking about this for two weeks and now I’m asking because I’m about to die.”” ⎯Oli

“People who are homeless⎯I don’t look homeless⎯you wouldn’t think I was homeless if you saw me walking down the street. I keep myself up; I find ways to shower; I have nice pieces of clothes, people donate. You go to Eddy House, you see those kids; they’re in Adidas, they’re in Nikes. The people who work there often look less privileged than a lot of the kids do.”⎯Oli

“In 2015, when we opened, we had fewer than 100 kids. Last year, in 2018, we had 682. Nevada has the fastest growing homeless youth population in the country.” ⎯Gehr

Reporting and Photos by Elliejean Nestaval shared with Our Town Reno

The Downtown Library, a Refuge for Those without Shelter

From Winter Mornings to Wifi Access to a Community Courtroom

As cities around the country grapple with diminishing public spaces, budgets and services, many libraries are becoming an essential place to help those without permanent shelter. Our Town Reno wanted to find out if this was the case in Reno. We interviewed Jeff Scott, the Director of the Washoe County Library System and Brenda Owens, the downtown Reno branch manager. The answer is a resounding yes.

From long lines in the morning to recently adding a community court, from providing a warm space or cool space depending on the weather, from reference services to the Internet, from access to books to clean rest rooms, the downtown Reno library is essential in helping our neighbors without shelter. Often times, we set up interviews ourselves at the library because it’s a welcoming non judgmental space which seems to also make people calm and reasoned.

A new service being offered is a weekly community court session held Wednesdays in the library’s auditorium so that those cited for minor infractions can be oriented toward available city services rather than jail time and fines. Started this March, a recent Wednesday had over 50 people scheduled for docket.

Here below is a Q and A with Scott and Owens on the new court, the importance of libraries in today’s society and challenges.

Scott (right) previously worked in Library Services in California, where he also helped the homeless. He has been the Washoe County Library Director for over three years. Owens (left), the downtown branch manager, has been at her location for about a dozen years. She previously worked in other local libraries. “Just being able to help folks,” she asked when asked what inspires her. “Making sure everybody is treated equally. Everybody’s treated fairly.”

Q: Do you think public libraries play an important role in today's society?

Scott: I mean, that's the only free public space… The problem with the shelter is that overnight, you have that shelter, but some people may not feel safe in the shelter. So where do they go? And (when) the shelter kicks them out at six o'clock in the morning, so then where do they go?

We've tried to change the hours to help accommodate that, to open at 10 o'clock here. It gives them a few hours before they can actually get inside. And that's always a concern, during the winter, when it's snowing and that sort of thing. And sometimes even when we've had power outages or services we can't provide, you know, there's still a desire to stay open just because you have a lot of people coming in, just sheltering here or just hanging out here, so they're not in the cold all day.

That’s a community benefit that gets under reported about just having that kind of space, just for everybody to have that space. If you're not homeless, maybe your HVAC is broken at home. You need to have a place to cool off. We’re working on a project too with emergency management with the county about people who are evacuated. So if they are evacuated from their homes, fire or flooding, you know, what kind of services can you provide beyond the basics?

At opening time, there are often dozens of people without work or shelter waiting in line to get in. The downtown library, which was built in 1966, now opens on the weekends as well. “I invite you to come from quarter to 10,” Scott said. “Every day, every single day, they'll start lining up, very orderly… The folks out here, they get in the line. They know the rules, they know the drill.” Owens said on a slow morning it could be 20 people waiting, but on an extreme weather day it could be 50 to 60 people waiting to come in when the library opens.

Q: What does this tell us about our society and our community that public libraries are becoming safe havens for our neighbors without permanent shelter?

Scott: I think that (there’s this) general trend where (people) want to move the problem around and they don't want to help solve it. I know one of the things I worked on when I was in Berkeley previously, it was we had a homeless commission that we worked with and we developed that with a number of nonprofits in the area.

And one of the things when you have these homeless commissions that you have in many communities, they don't actually include homeless people on those commissions.

Q: Can you tell about this new community courtroom?

Scott: So the City of Reno used to have a court where you would get a minor citation, and you'd have to show up to court. And a lot of times because that's an intimidating process, (people) wouldn’t show up. Then they get a warrant for a no show and then it escalates, their jail time, it escalates the punishment.

So, now we have the community court coming (here) on Wednesday mornings instead.... So if you have citation, you come to the library and instead of going to jail, they get referred to services.

So there's a whole host of services that we provide that the city provides and partnerships and then they can get assistance and get help as opposed to going to jail. Sometimes you may have, you know, an off mental health day or just having an issue. And all of a sudden it can escalate into something where it's jail time and instead of that, getting them help is always a thing that's preferred.

“So we have a process for disruptions and we basically monitor the behavior,” Scott said of their own security system. “If something escalates to something that's physical, it ends up with having a ban from all libraries for certain duration of time … most extreme is banned for a year. Most of the time it's either (for a ) day, week or a month.”

Q: What are some of the challenges you face when doing so much in helping those without shelter?

Owens: Sometimes …. hygiene issues. That's usually a pretty uncomfortable situation. Asking somebody to not be in the building until they get cleaned up, get their possessions cleaned up… The other thing is mental illness, just being able to handle (it), knowing what to say, what not to say, what to do, and how to treat people fairly and with respect… knowing that they are going through something that I have no experience with.

Q: It must be difficult to turn someone away because of their hygiene, no?

Owens: It is. I think that's my least favorite conversation. Usually before you try to tell them, you try to make sure that nobody else is in the area. I certainly don't want to embarrass anybody… and just say, you know, we've noticed and we've had some complaints that we've got some odors and then at least give resources that we can send folks to, to do laundry, take a shower... I know the Record street campus offers all of those services, so we try to send folks over there to take care of that.

“We do have people that come in here intoxicated and certainly there’s a point where we ask them to leave if they have trouble staying awake, if they're having trouble walking,” Owens (right) said. “We're not as punitive as some of the other branches just because we know this environment. If somebody can still handle themselves, we're okay with them being somewhat intoxicated, but there's a certain point that we ask them to leave.”

Q: Any security or drug issues which you face?

Owens: Every once in a while, we do…. I mean there are certain security issues where we do call law enforcement . And then there's other times where somebody in a uniform is going to escalate the situation. … Usually it revolves around either mental illness or somebody being in somebody else's space. I know homeless people, they have space issues. I don't blame them.

In terms of drugs, we do have sharp containers in our bathrooms. We used to have to pick up, (and also) paraphernalia outside of the building, on a fairly regular basis. That seems to have gotten better. We installed lighting outside the building, which has helped deter certain activities outside, but it is something that happens.

We've got people in the building that may have medical conditions that we don't know about. And we don't know how to respond. If they're sleeping, even if their head's down, we just say, you know, we need to see your eyes open. You need to be awake. It's just in case something happens.

Q: Some libraries like the Seattle Public Library have units devoted to mental health counseling, job training, legal assistance, domestic violence support, medical health, food aid and securing housing. Are there any plans like that in Nevada?

Scott: I think the closest we get is just having the community court and having those resources available. But of course that's always after an incident has occurred. Right now, we don't have the funding to get a social welfare officer here. There's not really enough tax support in Nevada to deal with a lot of those kinds of services or provide that kind of service. So we try to work with different agencies to come in to provide that support.

Q: Any final thoughts for this interview?

Owens: It just comes down to helping, just helping people, making sure that, you know nobody feels left out. That to me is a really rewarding thing. I know some people that walk in this building, I've said it a couple of times… they don't have anybody in their life that's nice to them.

Sometimes they don't have a verbal communication with anybody in any one day. So knowing that we can be that for someone… that's a pretty rewarding feeling, but sometimes it can be exhausting. It kind of makes you sad sometimes, but knowing that you can provide that to somebody, that's a pretty rewarding feeling.

Scott: One of the things we did recently was to open seven days. And the theory behind that, beyond providing good service, was that, you know, the homeless need services every day…

I think that people underestimate the power of a library services. you get free reading materials. If you want to educate yourself, you can do it for free at the library and you can kind of learn about anything that you need to…. So it's an amazing kind of service that you can provide to people. It was kind of joke that the library is there for when your curiosity exceeds your budget. So if you're interested in something and you don’t want to pay for it, we have the resources. You have small kids, they want to read books and we have free books that they can read… We’re here for every aspect in every phase of life for people.

Reporting by Jordan Blevins for Our Town Reno

Brooke Noble: Becoming a Much Needed Spokesperson for the Fight Against Rising Rents

Forced to Move After Latest Rent Price Spike

Brooke Noble lived in her neighborly quadplex near Wells Avenue for four years. When she first moved in she says her rent was $525 per month on a one year lease. Since then, rent was increased about $100 every year and hit an all time high this year. Noble recently received an email indicating her rent was going from $725 to $1,050 per month. She is not alone facing this kind of a predicament.

“I feel like it's pushing a lot of people, including myself, out further and further away from like the heart of Reno and out of Nevada as a whole. I think that's changing our community. [...] It's pushing out people who have been here for a long time,” Noble said. Her LinkedIn profile indicates her main job is as a System Support Analyst at Barnes and Noble. She also describes herself as “a computer programmer, entrepreneur, writer, political organizer, and Internet hacktivist.”

Noble thought Reno used to be affordable, accessible, friendly and she enjoyed the 24 hour vibe which convinced her to move here 10 years ago. She loves the Midtown area and tried negotiating with her landlord to pay $900 a month but she says her offer was rejected. The new rent offer was then pulled away and she was asked to vacate.

At the end of May she said she is planning to move to a studio near Verdi which is less expensive but smaller. The new place also doesn’t have high speed internet which Noble needs for her work. She also expects she will have to pay to keep her belongings in storage.

Noble shows the location of the studio she’s moving into as her current lease ends on May 30th. Her house hunt hasn’t stopped there though as Noble is searching for a new place to live with a friend. Living with a roommate is common for renters in Reno to lessen costs. Photo by Lucia Starbuck for Our Town Reno.

Saying Goodbye to Close Neighbors and Getting Media Attention

After hearing of her rent increase, Noble began talking with her neighbors about it. After initial feelings that City Council was ignoring her issue, Noble hosted a “Rent Protest and BBQ” with others in her complex, friends and other renters facing increased rent prices.

The goal was to raise awareness and give other renters a chance to share their stories. Noble said at the same time she’s also enjoying some of her last days spent with her neighbors.

“I’m going to miss my neighbors,” she said. “Everybody in this building, we're (a) pretty tight knit. You know, we hang out on Saturdays, we spend time together, we go out to eat together and now we're not going to get to see each other as much anymore.”

Noble isn’t the only being forced to leave. All other tenants were given a 30 day notice to vacate the property. This was especially shocking to Noble’s upstairs neighbor Craig who was previously offered a year long lease renewal for $950 a month. Shortly after Noble shared her story with KTVN, their landlord took back the lease offer from Craig.

“Don't go from $800 to $1,100 just because you can, when the person that you're renting to may not have the means to cover that and then what are they going to do? You know? They're doing good just to keep a roof over their head. They're paying their bills and then they still get kicked out,” Craig said in disbelief.

The battle may not be over though as an inquiry by Noble with Reno Direct indicated the landlord didn’t have a business license which is a requirement for landlords who own a property with three or more units per parcel. They also wrote back indicating an application is being processed.

A neighborhood BBQ event against increased rent also garnered media attention. Photo by Lucia Starbuck for Our Town Reno.

Bringing Ideas to City Council and Reddit

Noble recently attended a County Commissioners meeting at City Hall but said she didn’t get a word in and must submit an agenda item to be heard. Noble says she is now waiting to submit until after Senate Bill 398 is passed, feeling this would be more impactful. The bill would reinforce the right of cities and counties to address the affordable housing crisis, including instituting some forms of rent control.

Noble has been in contact with Sparks Democrat Julia Ratti, the bill’s writer, as well, but it’s no guarantee it will become law, with opposition from lawmakers who fear it would stifle development. More about SB 398 can be found here. Noble hopes the bill will pass but she knows City Council might still be resistant to change.

“I think they need to implement some temporary rent controls and [...] our City Council can, you know, adjust those rent controls or turn them off completely as needed. So maybe we turn them on right now cause we're going through a bit of a period where there's very short supply. You got people moving here, but you got people who live here being pushed on the streets. So maybe we turn it on to protect people now and as supply comes up, we turn those down or, you know, as supply is built, you know, perhaps new supply doesn't have rent control supplied to it. Maybe it only applies to existing things. And that can be adjusted because it's going to be managed at the city level, you know, where they know exactly what Reno needs. They have the access to the data to what Reno needs and they, most importantly, they're accessible to the people of Reno for us to be able to provide our feedback on it.”

Noble also took her concerns to the subreddit r/Reno on Reddit. She shared how much her rent is increasing and wrote about possible solutions like rent stabilization which limits what percentage rent can rise per year. Another idea she suggested on Reddit were tax incentives for landlords to keep prices low.

“Rent stabilization says you're not going to be able to raise the rent on this property more than this percentage per year,” Noble said. “ And what that does is that allows rents to go up closer in conjunction with property taxes along with wages [...] so trying to create a balance there that allows the people who have been living here and making Reno wages to stay in Reno.”

Noble has had debates with realtors, landlords and other renters in Reno on the subreddit r/Reno on Reddit. She said she likes to discuss and understand opposing arguments.

Media Attention and Advocacy

Since opening up about her rent increase, local media have been covering Noble’s journey, which has possibly complicated her situation. She was featured on KTVN and soon after received a cease and desist letter from her landlord’s attorney. Although Noble considers this an intimidation tactic she has been talking to a lawyer about her rights. It hasn’t stopped her from talking to other media though, and becoming one of the most public figureheads in the local fight against rising rents.

“I can't really give [Reno renters] advice. I could tell you I sympathize with you and I'm sorry you're going through that and if you want to get involved: go to your city council meetings, vote, talk to your elected officials, be part of the democratic process,” she said.

Noble says time is the biggest roadblock right now as she waits for City Council to enact change. She says in the meantime she hopes others will rally behind her and let it be known how rent spikes are affecting their lives and hurting local businesses in the area.

The outside of Noble’s quadplex is getting a newly renovated fence which separates the units. The fence now takes up space where the Rent Protest and BBQ took place. “Sometimes gentrification can have positive impacts on communities,” Noble said. “Sometimes there's rundown areas where a developer comes in and improves the area and it brings life back. But in the case of Reno, I think you're not coming into a dilapidated area and bringing life back to it. You're pushing the life that was living in it out.”

Photos and Reporting by Lucia Starbuck for Our Town Reno

Randon, a Street Musician in Transit

An Itinerant Street Musician

Randon, 22, had recently been dropped off at the Reno arch on a hitchhiking ride from Winnemucca on his eventual way to California. He says he always travels with his Ukulele and harmonica, as well as his sleeping bag and dog.

He specializes in blues and street rock, and creates impromptu street bands with others. “Kids got banjos, kids carry around guitars,” he said. “And so when you meet up with your friends, everybody's got something different and it's a lot of fun.”

“Harmonica is an interesting instrument because nobody can really teach you, but I've always been a good whistler and that really helps. So it comes to you as you go, you know, but, playing with other people helps. I enjoy the way music makes other people feel. So as I'm playing music, I'm representing my community and people that walk by can appreciate that I'm not just out here asking for help. You know, they appreciate that I'm out here trying to make them smile, trying to make them feel good and representing my community as a traveler. So that's what I enjoy about playing music. And it's a lot of fun, especially when you had a couple of beers, you get together with your friends and play some music.”

“The only thing I have to worry about is where I'm going to lay my sleeping bag and how I'm going to get food and dog food comes first in that order. Dog food, food, water, tobacco, you know, but I'm not looking to get a room is the thing, a lot of people out here in the streets are really in need. Personally, I don't go to homeless shelters. I don't go to feeds. I'm just a traveler. You know, there's a lot of people who really need community support and things like that. I personally am just passing through,” he said.

Police Troubles and Finding Places to Sleep

Randon says it’s his first time in Reno, and he says it seems very intense for those living on the streets.

“My first impression is that there's a lot going on,” he said. “There's a whole lot of drugs on the street and the cop pressure is immense. It's very, very intense actually. You're not allowed to sit. You're not allowed to sit on the sidewalk as a homeless person … It's becoming more and more difficult to exist without a credit card, if that makes sense.”

He says in his short time in Reno, he really feels police to be extremely invasive here.

“Police hassling is the biggest one because you really are not allowed to legally sleep anywhere, which is a violation of your second amendment rights to travel. You know, getting hassled for whatever, sleeping on the sidewalk or sleeping somewhere I shouldn't. Or sitting somewhere I shouldn't. Or having a sign out, you know, trying to make a couple bucks playing music. Other than that, I really don't have a lot of issues with people just because I'm charismatic. But the police really are on your case all the time.”

His first night locally, he says, he slept by the river. He’s also slept by the train tracks, after trying to catch a freight train. He also ended up having a sleepover with new friends inside.

“We met some really awesome folks from the college and these really cool girls really took a liking to us and actually brought us back to their house and we stayed there and it was really nice to sleep inside. They were really, really awesome. And they trusted us, which was, that's what I'd like to tell people is like, you know, travelers are trustworthy and cool and we trusted them because they gave us a ride to their house. You know, that human interaction is what I live for. “

“We've had a lot of people be really friendly and really kind and pretty generous. I've definitely been to places where people are way more generous of course, but that's usually in small towns. In small towns, as a traveler, you're more of an oddity. You're more of a site. So they're more willing to help. In a big city, you know, they see travelers all the time. They see homeless people everywhere, so people are a little less willing to help.”

A Roadie Panhandler Sharing Stories with Locals

When he’s on the road as a musician, he panhandles for money, by making people notice him or playing music. He says he makes $20 to $100 a day.

“Then, I'll go try to get, if there's a farmer's market, I always go to the farmer's market first, get fresh fruits and vegetables,” he said. “I make my money from just playing music, and making people laugh, you know, just having a good time. We had a little piece of cardboard out in the street or out on the sidewalk and it just said that. So as people would walk by, we go, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, don't step on that. Don't step on that. You know, and you make them laugh and they sympathize. After LA, we're headed to Phoenix and then we're headed over probably to New Orleans and then up to Chicago… North in the summer, south in the winter.”

He says there are distinctions between the chronically homeless and travelers like him who choose the lifestyle, but that intermingling happens on many levels. “Traveling showed me that humans are all the same and then we all need love and that we all need help. So for somebody to look at me and think, well you're just a bum. I think that's kind of a compliment because I'm having fun. I don’t know if that makes sense.”

He says the long term homeless often gravitate to travelers like him coming through town. “For one, they would love us to stay because we're usually cool. And two, we have good stories, you know, and they've been here for so long. .. All the time, they always want to talk.”

“I do travel with my dog. The dog is something to take care of. The dog gives me something to take care of, which keeps my mind off of my own needs and keeps me from, you know, getting lonely, getting depressed. He's a great foot warmer. He's about the heaviest foot warmer you could carry, but he's really good at it and you know, he's good company and everybody enjoys him. And of course there's the added benefit of the fact that people like to give you more money when you're playing music because you have a dog and what not. But really man, it's just about, I mean, look at him.He's perfect. How could you not want that in your life?”

I want people to know that travellers are not all bad, there's bad apples in every community, right? So you get kids out here that make a bad name for the rest of us. Most of us aren't like that. Most of us that travel are really down to earth and awesome people. And you should talk to us because we have a lot of cool stories, but like I said, bad apples in every community ruin it for everybody.

Reporting by Jordan Blevins and Prince Nesta for Our Town Reno

Roland, Living Out of a Truck and Trying to Outlast Cancer

Sick and Cold, Disliking the Shelter and Motels

William, who lives off disability payments, spends a few nights here and there in motel rooms to shower, and then goes back to living in his truck, as he battles cancer. He says over long periods he prefers his truck to places with bedbugs and cockroaches.

He tried sleeping at the main shelter for a while, but said he didn’t like it at all, as close quarters with so many others in dire predicaments wasn’t his style either. “I had to literally fight people who wanted to take my stuff. My shelter experience was very bad. A lot of the homeless people are mentally ill and they are doing some very weird stuff and they're right there next to you, you can smell their breath. I'm already sick. I've already got cancer and I don't need to get more sick. I'd rather be in the streets,” he said.

The Arizona native says he helps others out who are living on the streets, such as taking someone to the hospital once after they got stabbed. He says police have gotten to know him, which works in his favor. “They know that I'm not a bad guy. They see me and they know that I'm homeless,” he said. “I do the right things.”

Dangers of Lack of Housing

During the winter, he says staying warn is a major challenge, especially since you can’t legally light your own fires. Even though he’s not a fan of most motels, he says it’s unfortunate, especially during the winter, when you see more and more of them being bought up and then demolished.

“Bottom line is you gotta have places for people to stay. If you don't have some housing … with that comes crime and all the other dirty stuff,” he warned.

Reporting by Prince Nesta and Jordan Blevins for Our Town Reno

Bubbles, Kazoos and Clown Noses to Bring Homelessness Awareness

A Merry Introduction to Serious Problems

As pedestrians approached the Believe sign in downtown Reno on May Day, they came across a tight knit group of people offering small noise makers like kazoos, toy guns shooting bubbles, masquerade masks, bright red clown noses and even a slice of bread.

During their afternoon action, activists from The Reno Initiative for Shelter and Equality, homeless folk and concerned community members aimed to inform people and each other about urgent changes needed for those without shelter.

“I hope to see more affordable housing,” Zoe said. “And I hope to see city council start listening to the needs of the people who live here as opposed to the needs of the corporations that are moving in here and starting to pop up all over Nevada.”

One woman, LeaRae, who is sleeping in a tent, wrote a message on her dog, stating: “I deserve a safe place to rest.” Many people who stay away from the shelter receive citations for trying to camp, even when they’re in hidden spots.

A Small Crowd but a Lasting Impact

The turnout wasn’t as high as one of the organizers, Wendy Wiglesworth, had hoped. Though, this didn’t discourage her, she said, because if at least one person stopped by to learn more, in her estimation, that was enough.

“In a perfect world, like tomorrow, we would have inner city camping where you can go and lease a spot with a tent and keep on living your life,” she said.

Wiglesworth lived along the river herself before being able to afford a room in one of the few downtown motels which hasn’t been demolished yet. She said if people haven’t experienced homelessness themselves they might not be aware of how not having a safe space to sleep makes everything else in life so much more difficult.

Reporting and Photography by Lucia Starbuck for Our Town Reno

Alan, a Disabled Former Long Term Motel Resident Now Alone On the Streets

Diverging Paths

Alan, 59, who is disabled says it’s been difficult for him to find enough money to make rent, now that Tesla is in town, and rents have been booming.

“Everything went up again,” he said of the last few years. “I'll blame Tesla. I'm happy we have industry coming, to give gaming competition … but, you know, I can't afford the rent. Nobody thought about me. I'm also handicapped, you know.”

He used to work in maintenance, washing dishes in casinos and as a truck driver, but along the way he says he broke his back and didn’t get it fixed right away, and now also suffers from congestive heart failure, depression, and more recently spider bites from sleeping outside as well as pneumonia.

Alan says being in his condition makes him a prey to others, while making it difficult to access services.

“They take your food stamps when you're out here … and it's hard for me to get to the only one resource they have. And that's Hopes (the community health center). You gotta be there at 8:00 in the morning or you don't get anything … I can't get there at 8:00 in the morning…”

“I think the city and the community need to come together and address the drug and the alcohol addiction. I'm not addicted to anything. You know, you need to address people like me who don't come out here and we're sober and we're just out here because there's nowhere else to go. And then we're being told we can't be here because … you've criminalized homelessness, that's what you've done …You know, I'm not a criminal. So how do you want me to react to you? You might think my attitude sucks or I'm angry because I'm reacting to you criminalizing me,” Alan said.

$200 More a Month Needed, But Is there Really a Will to Help or Hurt?

Alan says if there was really a will to help, more money could be found to help those living on the streets. “The citizens needs to take responsibility for the citizenry,” he said. He says some strategies like speaking bad of motels and being glad when they are torn down, might not be such a good idea. “A lot of low income people were living there,” he said.

“Our issue here is low income housing. Say I only get x amount of dollars a month. I do not have enough Social Security to pay rent anywhere in Reno period. And my beautiful loving government says we can't help you. I only get what I got. I can't get any more. I need $300 more right now. At $200 I can get a place to live. Who's going to give me that 200 bucks?”

He says instead of that he’s facing fines, and wouldn’t let us know where he sleeps.

“I can't tell you where I sleep for safety reasons … we're really not allowed to sleep here. We're not allowed to sleep on the river anymore. That would result in a $500 fine. Yeah, you've created me. You've criminalized me. You've created the homelessness. It is a community in a city problem…”

“Maybe 98 percent of the people think we suck. So then we have two percent that might like us if we run that at high numbers. We don't have very many people that like us, even at two percent. You know, people looking from the towers, they see us down here. Did anybody think how embarrassed we are? Are you thinking how I feel out here?” he asked.

Avoiding the Shelter and Missing His Family

Like many we interview, Alan says he avoids the shelter.

“I might have a people problem … When you get a bunch of drunks together, puking, pooping, peeing… the hygiene situation in the shelter makes it hard to live there. That would be the correct way to say that. The hygiene there is terrible and nasty and I can't do it. I do take showers. I go to Evelyn Mount community center, take a shower. Sometimes the hospital will let you have a shower.”

“They're all gone,” Alan said of losing contact with his family. “If they're here, they're not interested in me. I don't know where they are. It's been over 10 years since I last saw them. I don't really care because no one cares that I'm out here. I only have one child. (If I saw him) I would tell him to let me have a place. I'm his old man. That's what I would tell him. You need to take care of your elder.”

Photos and Reporting by Jordan Blevins and Prince Nesta for Our Town Reno

Local Authorities Say They Will Push Back Date on Moving Feedings Away from Shelter

A Delay to Continue Feedings at Shelter, But Uncertainties about the Future

On the evening of April 24, Reno Deputy Police Chief Mac Venzon, Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam and Amber Howell, the Washoe County Human Services Agency Director, led a community meeting to discuss why changes are being made to volunteer feedings for the homeless population, most importantly moving them away from the downtown shelter compound, due to security concerns and overcrowding.

Sheriff Balaam assured those attending that the May 1st date initially mentioned to begin with these changes is now flexible and that feedings can continue for the time being at the shelter until a new plan and locations are agreed upon.

One idea expressed by law enforcement was to move the feedings to different locations within a three to four block radius of the Record Street shelter, where a majority of available resources for those in need currently are.

Suggestions included Reno City Plaza, Brodhead Park, Barbara Bennett Park on Island Ave. and by the Wells bridge.

Volunteers said moving the location of their feedings could cause new problems, including easy access for those who depend on the healthy, nutritious meals which are regularly provided at the shelter. Rather than one location for rotating volunteer groups, it was also suggested there could two to three new locations.

One volunteer, who attended the meeting, Ron Nobles, known as Commodore Kraken, has been handing out meals for eight years with the Pirates of Reno group on Thursday evenings at the Record street shelter compound. Nobles is skeptical of the need for change saying he’s only seen five fights during his time at the volunteer feedings he’s helped with. Photo by Lucia Starbuck

Diverging Views on Safety Issues

Throughout the session, volunteers expressed concern at why the feedings need to move at all.

Reno Deputy Police Chief Venzon said it’s for safety as he said he’s seen stabbings and batteries after feedings. He says the goal is to also, in his words, “dilute concentration,” of people to make it safer for those eating and for those serving.

Volunteers, including Nobles (in photo above), who has been serving meals for 8 years with the Pirates of Reno, didn’t share this view.

“[The people receiving food] are so happy that they're getting something to eat. They're usually very, very humble. [..] They're not there to get violent. They're there to eat,” Nobles said.

Law enforcement and county officials have expressed concern that too many people not staying at the shelter go to the compound for these meals.

If the feeding location is changed, volunteers said issues like having available bathrooms and trash cans on site will also have to be addressed.

On the positive side, Nobles was impressed with how many people came to protect meal sharing. He felt that for the first time, at least, their concerns were heard.

“It's kind of nice to hear from the sheriff stating, ‘We’ll help you,’ or the city police department (saying), ‘We’ll help you,’ instead of telling the person on the street, ‘Better not get caught [...] giving sandwiches out on the street because you're going to get in trouble for it.’ We need to be able to help each other,” Nobles said.

Howell, the Washoe County Human Services Agency Director, said everything said at the meeting would be taken into account, and that possible locations would be narrowed down before another meeting to decide where, when and how volunteers will be able to feed those without shelter in our community. No date was set for the next community meeting, but until then volunteers were told they can still stick to their current schedules at the shelter compound.

Reporting by Lucia Starbuck for Our Town Reno

Sharon Marie Daniels, Feeding the Homeless Despite Uncertainty of New Restrictions

Providing Food for Over a Year

Everything was going according to plan for Daniels until recent changes with downtown shelter operations.

Helping Hands with Open Hearts was founded about a year ago and received non-profit status on March 5th. The group has been getting regular donations from Rail City Casino in Sparks, Longboards Beach Fired Pizza on E Golden Valley road, Bangkok Cuisine in Midtown as well as individual donations. Daniels made sure she always provided home cooked meals.

“First off, it's more nutritional. [...] Would you have your mom's food or would you rather have McDonald's? I would rather have my mom's food. I would rather have a home cooked meal and not only that, it's made with love. We take care preparing our food. We put vegetables in there, we put our love, we put our hearts into this, our meals. So yeah, I would rather have a home cooked meal than anything else,” Daniels said.

Daniels got her system down, cooking 50 pounds of rice per month and making teriyaki beef bowls. In her front room, she has a refrigerator and two freezers that hold meat. She also has a room in her house dedicated to holding supplies like food, pots and pans for cooking and other daily necessities.

Several Sundays every month, Helping Hands with Open Hearts set up their tables up on 4th and Record Street near the entrance to the downtown shelter. Daniels says they also provided clothing, bundles of blankets and hygiene kits. She says they fed around 300 people on average since starting and during a recent feeding they helped the most people they’ve ever seen. But they’ve now been told, the feedings at that central, popular location must soon stop.

“Some people are not choosing to be homeless. You know, there was a lady out there with a six day old baby, there’s veterans out there, there's mentally ill that have just been thrown out on the streets that are out there and they're not choosing this. So yeah, everybody deserves a little bit of love in their belly, you know? So yeah, that's what it is. It's just a little bit of love from our hearts to theirs. And every time I go out there, I tell them, we love you. That's why we're here. They say, thank you. Yeah, no, God bless you. God blessed me. That's why I'm blessing you. You know? And once we're done feeding, we go out, we pray with them. You know, if you want some prayer, if you want some love, I hug them. You know, that's what it is. That's what it's about. Just bringing love into a dark spot.”

Photos from the feedings can be found on Facebook under the hashtag #FeedingReno, including the one above. “Love each other. Don't look down on people. When you see somebody hurting, help them. A little bit of your caring, a little bit of your love can make such a big difference in somebody else's day or in somebody else's life,” Daniels said.

Now Barred from Feeding at the Shelter

After May 1st, feedings outside the Record Street shelter must cease, Daniels says, a Volunteers of America member told her. At first, she was told they couldn’t do feedings anymore because the group isn’t a certified kitchen and the meals’ origin are unknown. She was later told it was because the large crowd which gathers to receive food becomes aggressive after the feeding and people fight. But Daniels believes the need for food for those living on the streets outweighs the issues raised.

“I'm very upset. I'm pissed off,” she said. “I really am because no matter what people need to eat. [...] If you're hungry, you're going to do whatever you have to do to get food in your belly. So yeah, it made me mad because we're doing a service for people and [...] we just want to help people and they're cutting that off so we're not able to do that anymore.”

Daniels intends on continuing to feed people, but it will have to be outside the shelter compound. She says she’ll try set up on the sidewalk near the Record Street shelter, as long as she’s able to reach people, but that might not be allowed either.

When we asked staff at the Volunteers of America about these changes, they wrote back by email: “The feedings that take place at the City of Reno's CAC (Community Assistance Center) Campus are done through the City of Reno.  I suggest you reach out to them, as I have no information on this.”

Black shelves holding food cover all of the walls in her supply room. Some of the food is paid for out of pocket or by donations from friends. Daniels has no intention to stop helping even with the new changes.

Personal Reasons for Helping Others in Need

Daniels knows what it’s like to live without shelter. Daniels lived in her car in L.A. when she was only 16. Other members from Helping Hands with Open Hearts were also homeless at one point.

“I fell down for two years. I was homeless,” Daniels said. “If you haven't [been homeless], you're lucky, but we're all one paycheck away from being homeless. If we lost a couple of paychecks, we would be out of this house. You never know. So yeah, when he [God] gave me this calling, it's just something to bring a light to where the dark is.”

Daniels said that she thinks it’s easier to be homeless in California than Reno because of the warmer weather there. However, Daniels is impressed by how the Reno community comes together to help one another. She said the places that donate are eager, willing to provide food and continue to do so. Daniels wishes there were more resources like showers available to people living on the streets or a place for people to sleep like donated rooms from casinos. Her hope is that she doesn’t see familiar faces at the feedings because she says then maybe that means a person has found somewhere to stay.

Meat donated by Bangkok Cuisine fills a freezer. Daniels encourages people to pay it forward. “Whatever we have, we try to make sure that everybody eats at least one time [...] they can eat whatever we have left. We stay there until the food is all gone,” Daniels said.

The City of Reno’s Response

Our Town Reno sought out the city of Reno’s response to get confirmation about the changes taking place at the shelter compound, since the staff member at Volunteers of America said it was their responsibility. We received an email from Reno Direct which stated the following:

The CAC meal service is provided by VOA. The process that is under way right now involves securing the campus and allowing only those that are there seeking services to come on to the campus.  Those seeking services and in shelter at the CAC will be provided meals as has been the case for a number of years.  

The change, in terms of meal services at the campus, will include the moving of those charity groups (of which there are 4 or 5) who currently serve meals in the parking and day use area of the campus. The City of Reno, City of Sparks and Washoe County are collaborating with the meal service groups to find a new location that better serves the population seeking these nightly meals.  To be clear, these are not the folks receiving meals inside the CAC, rather those that come in daily to receive a nightly meal.  

The shelter/VOA made the decision to likely have this happen beginning on May 1st.  

The two statements from VOA and the city of Reno seem confusing as to who made the decision on these changes. There are also lunchtime meals, such as the ones Daniels has been preparing, and not just nighttime ones offered by volunteers. The city of Reno email seems to indicate only the CAC organized nightly meals will now be allowed for those staying at the shelter. Many people we have interviewed recently have complained those aren’t as healthy as the volunteer ones, and they aren’t served by caring neighbors, but by overworked staff. At this point, we haven’t heard of any decision on a new location for the volunteer meals.

Reporting and Photos by Lucia Starbuck for Our Town Reno