Rent Control, Stop Sprawl Candidate Turns to Believe Movement

Late Surge of Notoriety and Channeling a New Movement

After Joe Moskowitz took part in Black Lives Matter rallies in Reno in late May and early June, including speaking to large crowds, his name and progressive positions started appearing on local Facebook posts and Reddit threads. But with the mostly mail-in process due to COVID-19, it was very late in the game for both himself and another outsider candidate Michael Walker. Both were trying to get past the two favorites, incumbent Devon Reese and previous mayoral candidate Eddie Lorton, for a top two spot in the decisive November election.

“The first early mailing for both Mr. Walker and I, I think those were largely dart throwers. This guy, I don't know,” Moskowitz said of those who might have voted for him by mail early. “He's not one of those two guys.”

After the rallies, he says he started getting emails, and hundreds of hits on his campaign website. What hurt him, he says, was how media ignored his candidacy. Due to the pandemic, he relied mostly on Facebook advertisements.

“I couldn't get out of my own door,” he said in an interview with Our Town Reno last week. “It seemed I couldn't get any publicity. I don't have any money. The TV stations, that was the strangest thing, that when I had a problem with signs being stolen and I emailed KOLO a couple of times, because I thought they might be the most receptive of news stations … no response at all.”

He said the campaign team for Reese and Lorton himself tried to get him to back out of the race, to ensure they would make it to the run-off in November. “Nobody wanted this X factor, this unknown in the race,” he said.

Moskowitz says he’s been newly re-energized by the young activists of the Black Lives Matter movement in Reno.

A Belief in Controlling Rents and Ending Urban Sprawl

Moskowitz says he believes in rent control, and that’s what he’ll continue pushing for.

 “This is absolutely required,” he said in our interview. “Here's my basic argument. If you get water and you get electricity, when either provider wants to raise your bill, they have to go through a series of hearings. They have to justify it, such as with cost of living adjustments…. So why shouldn't the home be protected?”

Ending urban sprawl is another of his important priorities. “You rebuild what you have. You repurpose it,” he said of the approach Reno should take.

He said on the flip side, relying on gambling or on hi-tech companies based 30 miles away in another county might not be the best of approaches.

“I've lived all over America in some pretty desirable places. And you have so much here, it's jaw dropping the things that you have here. It's just you don't even notice it because it's so common place. This is an amazing part of the world, amazing historically, geologically. It's just so damn beautiful,” he said, of why he remains confident in Reno’s future, while at the same time seeking to channel current activism into fairer social and economic progress he says he is calling the Believe Movement.

Our Town Reno Reporting, June 2020

James Henderson, a "Black Panther Progeny" Now Houseless in Reno

New Protests Reminiscent of His Childhood Experiences

Henderson has been keeping a close eye on protests in downtown Reno from his usual daytime spot at the Believe Plaza, watching protesters come and go. Having just had knee surgery, he says he prefers to just watch for now, but that recent events do bring back childhood memories.

“My mom and dad were some of the founders of the Black Panther party in the 1960s in Oakland, California, so I am a Black Panther progeny. I remember going to marches as a kid,” he said.

He says he likes the mix of colors he’s seen in Reno, which is reminiscent to his own childhood experiences. Like now, he says, it was also about a mix of issues.

“It was black, white, Chinese, Mexican, Korean, every nationality you could think of. And it was about equal housing, equal living standards. It was about equal schooling, and equal health benefits. It was based upon equal way of living as a citizen.”

He does see some progress, such as when police officers have taken a knee with others, something he says he never saw several decades ago.

“That is like so much improvement in itself. You know, you would never hear that, hear about that, a cop ever doing that,” he said with tears in his eyes.

Henderson, who has called Reno home for the past six years, says he uses his phones to work on his future projects, including trying to set up an organization for others to avoid his fate and “wasted time”.

A Knee Replacement for New Beginnings

“It has showed me happiness. It’s allowed me to grow spiritually and to become a person that is wanting to pay it forward to everyone in my neighborhood that needs it,” he says of his new approach to better reasoning in life.

“Addiction starts with the decisions that you make before you even start using drugs,” he explained. “So, you know, I'm choosing a new direction on how to make decisions, not subjectively, but objectively, not based upon emotions, but actual facts. And, that has taken my recovery to a whole new level.”

He recently had a total knee replacement, and he says he’s staying off pain medicine not to start a new addiction.

“My addiction was so bad that I've been walking on a knee that wasn't connected for about 10 years,” he said. “And so I finally, as I came out of my addiction, I went and finally got the knee surgery done.”

As a survivor, he now has advice for others. “Everyone has a different tolerance for pain to get a better understanding of what's going on in their life,” he said. “Take the time to, before you do something and act upon an emotion, give yourself 10 seconds to think about what's making you mad or whatever it is. Try not to self medicate, process your thinking and figure it out before it's too late. There's a lot of people out here right now that aren't here because they didn't take the time to really adjust to the situation at hand. I'm very fortunate at my age. I've been through so much.”

Henderson is taking his time in rehab to think of a future non-profit he would like to set up as soon as possible. He calls his idea The Core Project. “The idea is people would go into institutions such as drug rehabs, we go into some of the darkest places in America and we find out what went wrong. We want to find out what led to the decisions that people made that led them to a certain point. And I want to call it The Cote because it starts with core values. A lot of these value systems that we pride ourselves on aren't even our own. So if we can learn to adjust to them and change them or identify them because they're character defects, and if we can identify them and correct them, then hey man, we could change the world.”

Working Toward Work and Housing while Staying Sober

Besides his idea for a non-profit, Henderson has several other plans for himself.

“I'm getting a new lease on life,” he said. “I'm getting my CDL (Commercial Driving License), I'm going to school to get my heavy equipment operators license. Oh my God, there's no stopping me,” he said.

He said he is supposed to get housing end of June after graduating from the Crossroads program with another local program called “My Journey Home” but that now he is sleeping at the Reno Events Center, despite the risk of COVID-19 at a shelter. “I am eating humble pie right now,” he said, “but the most important thing is that I stay sober.”

“I can't even afford to even think about drugs right now. I can't even let that thought even enter my process of my thinking,” he said.

Reporting by Our Town Reno in June 2020

Moriah, Displaced Yet Again in New Major Sweep in Reno

Not Feeling the Compassion from Police or City

It was the last night time before the June third sweep. There was a breeze, cool but warm weather, and a sense of community. Wade who lived with Moriah in a small plywood installation was busy at his makeshift bike shop repairing bikes in exchange for parts, cans of food or cash.

“I will definitely miss this spot,” Moriah said of being forced out. “It's one of the coolest spots down in downtown Reno. I can watch the cars go by [on the Wells Ave. bridge]. I haven't ridden in a car in over like two years for more than maybe 15 minutes. So it's definitely nice to watch, you know, the normal people as they live their lives. And it's one of the clearest spots because there's less city pollution out here. You can actually see stars so you can sit out here and watch the stars. That's what a lot of us do. It's a connection to nature in a lot of ways, as well as a way to break away from all the mental problems,” she said of why people prefer living in encampments, rather than shelters, where she says she feels unsafe and at a higher risk of being robbed. You can’t stay as a couple in a shelter either, she said, have very many belongings, and there’s the new risk of the spread of COVID-19 in a cramped indoor space.

We interviewed Moriah before, when she was displaced in March, and she was 19 at the time. In her two decades now, she’s been through a lot: an abusive foster family, being a runaway, having a child at 16, being forced to give up her daughter to adoption, the list of hardships just seems infinite.

She was going to stay until she was kicked out, she told us, even if it meant dealing with aggressive police.

“I am bipolar,” she said. “I also have PTSD, so it's definitely hard when cops are coming at us belligerently. We're not trying to make the city look bad. We're actually just trying to live our lives like anybody else,” she said.

Wade was busy at his makeshift bike shop on the last night before the sweep took place, uprooting the entire tent community.

In Favor of Safe Camps

Several groups in Washoe County have been advocating for the creation of safe camps, which Moriah says she wholeheartedly supports.

“I would love to have a safe camp for all of us, you know? The police could monitor it. We could have the resources that we would need, but ultimately when someone wants to live like this, they just want a safe place to go,” she said. “That's all we're looking for is a safe place to go. We're tired of being bumped out of place to place. We want somewhere to ultimately go. “

She says sometimes people don’t understand what it’s like to be chronically without stable shelter.

“I'm honestly working on trying to get into housing, but 90% of us out here that have been out here for so long, it's hard to be integrated back into regular civilization,” she said. “Considering the fact that when a prisoner is in prison for say 20 to 30 years of their life, it becomes a totally different world from when they first went in. That's how it is for us. You know, we've lived like this for so long that when we get integrated back into regular society, it becomes the hardest thing ever. And we end up collapsing and coming back down here.”

Moriah says she thinks the area of the encampment is in a sinkhole. There has been talk of burner artist projects involving the Generator maker space for the lots in this area, but no recent updates on those plans.

Tense Times

The recent unrest in Reno following the peaceful George Floyd protest march caused tension in the camp, which was already high due to the police reported May 22nd deadly shooting of 34-year-old Michael Roach at the encampment.

“In a lot of ways it makes the police more aggressive and scary to us,” Moriah said.

She said on the night of the unrest one of the dumpsters along E. Commercial Row, on the long cul-de-sac of this encampment, was set ablaze.

“I actually watched the riot that went across the Wells bridge with the pink smoke cannons. And I'm like, what is going on? I have a phone that can connect to internet. And so I do look up what happens in our city of Reno,” she said of trying to keep track of COVID-19, the current national unrest and what’s happening locally.

“When it comes to the homeless, we try to stay out of sight out of mind,” she said, even if it doesn’t always work. When encampments get bigger, they tend to get uprooted, and the whole process of moving, finding a new camp, a new sense of community begins again.

A man who had been closely listening to the interview, while waiting to get his bike fixed and holding a tiny Bible, thanked us and left us with these parting words.

“Even if we don’t fit in the civilization as she said, shouldn’t there be a place for us?”

Reporting by Our Town Reno in June 2020

Tex, Looking for a Way Back Up While Fighting Cancer, Accidents and Trespassing Charges

A Texas Native Finds Himself in Reno with Long Odds

Tex says he’s struggling to get a job because he keeps getting injured, which isn’t an easy situation to deal with while living on the streets. With the coronavirus breakdown of the economy, that hill just got much steeper, but tough climbs are par for the course for this Texas native.

Tex and a friend decided to move to Las Vegas over a decade ago but then ended up in Reno to be in a less crowded place. However, Tex’s friend left him in Reno and he’s been homeless off and on since. 

“[Reno’s] alright,” Tex explained, “I mean the way they treat homeless and everything. I mean it's even worse in Texas. It's against the law to be homeless in Texas. They'll put you in jail.”

Tex said he sleeps where he can in Reno, but avoids crowded shelters for health, sanity and sanitary reasons. When we met him, he was staying near the downtown courthouse, which isn’t an option anymore after it was cleared out following anti police brutality protests and unrest.

Tex said that he had more stuff but it was gone after he got out of jail recently.

A Cancer Diagnosis and Getting Hit by a Car

“We have nice people that come and help us, you know. They bring us clothes, gloves, stuff like that … I mean a lot of people help out the homeless,” Tex said of when he stayed by the courthouse. He is among those who prefer to sleep in tents outside, forming their own small communities, protecting each other and their belongings, until their preferred spot gets swept up in cleanups coordinated by the city.

Tex says over the years he’s worked different jobs in restaurants, in oil and gas fields and in a sawmill. When we met him, he was looking for work but said that he kept getting injured. He said he recently got hit by a car and a recent diagnosis could signal a sooner rather than later finish line.

“I'm fighting pancreatic cancer and I just found out while I was [visiting] in Texas. They started giving me a timeline, I walked out and said, 'I don't care,' I'm going to roll until the wheels fall off,” Tex said.

Reporting by Lucia Starbuck for Our Town Reno

Transition from Record Street and the Reno Events Center to Our Place Begins

A Staggered Opening with COVID-19 Delays

Aside from construction and renovation delays, the opening of Our Place, the new Washoe County shelter for women, families and seniors, has been complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The campus transitioned to RISE staff on May 1st, but initially they told us they were only able to accept five residents.

“[The launch date] has been somewhat of a moving target,” Castro said. “But we hope to start accepting new residents soon. We do have a quarantine room for them to where they'll have to stay for the first couple of weeks before they're kind of released into their own shared space.”

By May 15th, however, the process of transitioning women and families staying at the Reno Event Center and Community Assistance Center campus on Record street to the Our Place campus started. Only single men will remain at the CAC.

“There's a push to basically move the residents from the Reno Events Center back to the CAC relatively soon, and a lot of that does hinge on Our Place opening up,” Castro said at the time of our interview. “So once we can relocate the families and the women from the Reno Event Center, that should give the Volunteers of America (who operate the CAC) … enough room for social distancing to move back over to the CAC.”

Quarantine measures are being taken for new residents to keep everyone safe.

A Still Unfinished Unit for Women and Extra Precautions

One specific challenge brought on by the COVID-19 outbreak, however, is the fact that the building designated for women won’t be completed until August. Washoe County says it is purchasing modulars in the interim, to help facilitate the transition of women from the Reno Events Center to the Our Place campus in a way that still enables social distancing practices.

“[The outbreak] has been really challenging for us but thankfully, the buildings on the campus are laid out where each individual gets their own rooms and bathrooms that do complement the social distancing guidelines,” Amber Howell, the Washoe County Human Services Agency Director said. “But we thought this still would be a good time, even though the building won't be ready at Our Place, that we would offer to provide the women that are at the Reno Events Center shelter and housing at the Our Place campus. So everybody sort of relocates to the campus around the same time.”

Given that the COVID-19 outbreak is still ongoing, precautions will still be in place to ensure the safety of the residents being admitted to the Our Place campus.

“We have a couple of different housing options if someone is presumptive or tests positive,” Howell said. “We have a contract with Well Care where we can house individuals with their own rooms so that they can be provided a safe place to heal and get better if they are exposed to [COVID-19].”

An Ongoing Partnership with Well Care to Help the COVID affected

The partnership with Well Care, which provides local health care for those without shelter, including those affected by COVID-19, will be a continuation of what’s been instituted at the CAC.

“When the Health District becomes aware of an individual who is presumptive, positive, or is having symptoms, there's a referral that is sent to the housing branch,” Howell said. “They get all of their medical records and medical needs and then they have to consult with Well Care to just go over any unique needs or criteria for that individual. Then they are placed there for 14 days or longer until they have a solid after-care plan.”

Castro is second from left with other RISE members at a recent community meal.

New Services such as Transportation, Gardens

As the official launch of the Our Place campus approaches, Castro is excited for the new opportunities the RISE staff will be able to provide the residents.

“For RISE staff, we're there to basically support our residents and our guests to make them feel welcome,” Castro said. “There is going to be food service on the property and a transportation service that we're providing so that people can get to appointments and things of that nature. In addition to the daycare on-site, I’m really excited about that.”

Castro recently had the opportunity to tour the campus for himself. Although a majority of the campus is still a construction site, he sees great potential for the campus once they officially open.

“[The campus] is really beautiful, frankly,” Castro said. “For me, I just pictured a lot of laughter and joy in it, and it made me really happy.”

RISE, however, is still searching for community groups and organizations to partner with to create even more opportunities for residents on the campus. It’s all part of maximizing the potential the Our Place campus can have for a client-centered approach in serving the houseless community in Reno.

“There's a lot of land [on the campus],” Castro said. “So we hope to have gardens and have areas where people can do art therapy, music therapy, and garden therapy. There's also an area for service animals so people don't have to abandon their companion animals, so we're really excited about that as well. It's just going to be much more flexible than we've seen in the past.”

Our Place, A Name with History that Strives for Better

Even the name, Our Place, signifies an approach to do better by acknowledging the past. The NNAHMS campus is now named in honor of William Place, the first resident that passed away in the early 1900s when it was a state mental health campus. 

“[William Place’s] story is really interesting and sad about how we used to address individuals that were experiencing mental health,” Howell explained. “They would go to this campus where they would finish out their life and eventually pass away. There was, at the time, archaic treatment methods that were used to try and cure individuals from mental health issues. So William Place was the first individual that passed away on the campus. What's important about that is that it's named in his honor and a promise that we can do better when people are experiencing mental health issues.”

Our Place, Howell said, will strive to be much different than what Place had to experience.

“We want to have this campus be a place of support and safety,” Howell said. “We want to revitalize the campus to do better for individuals so that they can heal. So we just thought it was important to have something symbolic [about the name] as we’re reopening the campus and giving it a new path forward and a new way of helping individuals who need help.”

RISE used to hold regular community meals at the downtown shelter, such as above until they were moved to a new location, on 4th street, which is not too far from Our Place.

Ongoing Advocacy for Safe Camps

Despite its work with Our Place, RISE says it will also continue to host community dinners at the 1905 East Fourth Street rest stop and advocating for a safe camp initiative.

“We're really excited that the opening of Our Place will essentially double the capacity of services here in town as far as emergency shelter goes,” Castro said. “But given the pandemic and with unemployment on the rise, we're still going to see camps popping up all over town. There's still gonna be a lot of new people that are new to being outside. So the initiative for a safe camp is still very necessary and the community dinners will still be occurring because there are still people out there that need to eat.”

Reporting by Scott King as part of an Our Town Reno series on Our Place.

Part 1 of our series can be read here:

http://www.ourtownreno.com/our-stories-1/2020/5/18/rise-creating-a-new-place-for-women-families-and-seniors-without-shelter

Jeff Bogue, Making a Case for Safe Parking and Cheap Showers in Reno

Experiences of Living in His Vehicle

For Jeff Bogue, Reno has been home ever since he grew up in a Lemmon Valley trailer park in the 1970s. Before becoming a born-again Christian at the age of 26, Bogue used to work in downtown casinos. 

Just before the coronavirus shutdown, we met him at the Reno Downtown Public Library, where he was preparing paperwork and applications, looking for full-time work.

“I have been homeless, but only in a vehicle,” Bogue said. “I've never been out on the street [camping]. But I've stayed in a vehicle at times, sometimes just to save money so I know how to do it.”

Although most people may not see a vehicle as a feasible place to live in, Bogue asserts that it can be done in even the most inclement weather.

“I've stayed out when it was really freezing cold outside and high winds, and that’s some dangerous weather,” Bogue said. “But even when my truck window was broken, being in a vehicle underneath heavy blankets with a sleeping bag and a beanie cap, I was still warm.”

Bogue jokes that it could get so warm inside the vehicle that at times he would have to take his shirt off underneath all of the blankets. But that’s not to say he wasn’t reluctant to get out from underneath his warm, winter oasis.

“I did have times where the problem was that I didn't want to get up to start the vehicle because it was so cold outside,” Bogue said.

Bogue is confident in his ability to live out of his vehicle if he has to, knowing the right places to park so as not to be bothered by anyone. To him, having a vehicle when you don’t have a place to stay means everything.

“[A vehicle means] you got your safety and you've got your dryness,” Bogue said. “And [dryness] is key.”

When it comes to being safe, having a vehicle afforded him the luxury of not worrying about anyone coming up on him unexpectedly.

“They would have to break into your vehicle to even get to you,” Bogue explained. “The only thing I was worried about was cops knocking on my door.”

Safe Parking in Reno?

Bogue would like to see a safe parking program in Reno, such as has been implemented in cities in California, including Los Angeles.

“The cops shouldn't always go after the homeless that are not causing problems and just because they’re sleeping,” Bogue said. “[Sleeping] should not be a crime, in my opinion. For somebody who's extremely tired and doesn’t have a place to go, they should have a little compassion.”

Although now he’s no longer living out of his car, Bogue understands why some people prefer that lifestyle. 

“There are some [homeless] who want to go and stay off the grid, which I understand,” Bogue said. “They just want to get off the grid except for a check for their disability if they even get that, but otherwise they just want to do their own thing and camp out.” 

In the meantime, Bogue said he was focused on getting back his Social Security card and then a full-time job.

“I lost my social security card, so I need to get one and then I can get back to getting a regular job somewhere,” Bogue explained. “I've been offered here and there by people that I knew from the past but I haven't put my applications out yet because I got to get that social security [first]. That's one of the things I have to do.”

Until then, Bogue has been getting by on various part-time jobs and tasks.

“I look for side jobs, moving people, anything like that,” Bogue said. “I have a few regular customers I call and they hook me up with a few hours cleaning the yard, picking up dog stuff, whatever I gotta do for 15, 20, or 30 bucks.”

He uses most of the income he does acquire to help out his parents, who have been hosting him until he gets back on his feet. He no longer has the vehicle that he used to live in, but now has a van that needs work before he’s able to use it and maybe sleep in it, to regain some of his independence. 

“[Staying in a vehicle] is a rich man's way [of being homeless] because when you're camping and laying down on the ground, that's dangerous,” Bogue explained.

 “I’ve seen teenagers that pick on homeless guys,” Bogue said. “I had a buddy who was a very tough guy and he actually got attacked by five of them. He doesn't even smoke or drink, he just likes being out.”

In another instance when teenagers were messing with another of Bogue’s friends, who was living on the streets with his wife, they were able to get the cops involved and things turned out okay for them. But Bogue understands that that’s not always the case.

More Cheap Showers Needed, Especially During Pandemic

In addition to the locations that serve meals for the homeless, Bogue used to rely on cheap showers, but some of those places are now shut down.

“Evelyn Mount [Community Center] on Valley Rd. is a good place that gives showers out,” Bogue explained. “It's only a dollar for anybody age 50 and older. It'd be good for the homeless because the couple of showers they have at The Mission (on Record St.) from what I heard is for hundreds of people and that just doesn't work.”

Bogue wishes people understood the difficulty of getting a job when you don’t have regular access to a shower and clean clothes. 

“There's some homeless that really do need help and they do want a job,” Bogue said. “But if you got dirty clothes on and you've been homeless for a while and you smell, it's hard to find a job even if you want one. So there needs to be places to help them.”

Looking ahead, Bogue hopes to be able to give back to the homeless community. “Eventually I'd like to have a place where I could help them get on their feet,” he said.

Bogue believes that one day he’ll be in a position where he can do more. It’s just a matter of time and God’s answer to his prayers, he says. He understands that not all prayers will always be answered, but he says his faith is strong because he’s seen how the power of prayer has worked before.

“I was here last week at the library and I prayed to God and said, ‘God, I need a job. I need somebody to call me,’” Bogue explained. “About an hour later, I got a call from a lady who found my paper and she hired me for picking up leaves. It was a blessing.”

“Most people have faith when they get in their vehicle and start that motor up that it's going to start,” Bogue said. “But if you don't have faith, then none of this works,” he said.

Reporting by Scott King as part of Share Your Story with Our Town Reno

RISE, Creating Our Place for Women, Families and Seniors Without Shelter

Giving Rise to Our Place

Since stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines were issued across the country in mid-March to mitigate the novel coronavirus pandemic, the city of Reno had to change its ways in helping those without housing.

The Reno Events Center, closed due to the pandemic, became a temporary shelter where social distancing could be observed and alleviate the congestion of people staying at the Community Assistance Center (CAC) on Record Street. Individuals became subject to temperature checks and health screenings, and even testing, so that those exhibiting symptoms could be safely and appropriately quarantined.

Another opportunity was explored to use the Stead ex-military barracks, near the Reno-Tahoe airport, as a temporary shelter. But assessments of the barracks found that they were not structurally suitable, and so that idea was abandoned. 

Now, as much of the country begins to open back up and the Reno Events Center is seeing a decline in individuals staying there, a new shelter called Our Place is preparing to open on what is still known locally as the Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services (NNAHMS) campus.

“The need for the overflow shelter [on Washington street] and the tent [on Record street during cold months] wasn't going away and there just wasn't enough space for everybody at the Record Street campus,” Amber Howell, the Director of Human Services Agency for Washoe County, said. “You have a mix of men, women, children, and daycare on a relatively small campus. So we started exploring alternatives and found a bunch of empty buildings at the NNAMHS campus. So because those buildings were vacant, we had the idea of remodeling those buildings and trying to create additional space for all of the friends and neighbors that are located at Record Street.”

Washoe County asked the state of Nevada to lease the NNAHMS campus and the county commissioners were awarded $15 million to rehabilitate the buildings on the campus. The Washoe County Commissioners then awarded a nearly $2 million 14-month contract to RISE to operate the new 100+ bed shelter.

A New Contract for an Advocacy Group

In late March, RISE, an area nonprofit that originally began as a volunteer-based potluck dinner service for the houseless, was approved to take on the project with a unanimous decision to run the new shelter to be called Our Place.

“We have been working with RISE over the past year, much more intensely [this year] than we had in previous years,” Howell said. “They are such a great partner of ours and we've learned a tremendous amount from them as they truly are experts in this field. They're extremely invested in this community and they have great relationships with individuals that are experiencing homelessness.”

“RISE started about nine years ago,” Benjamin Castro, Executive Director of RISE, said. “Throughout the years we went from food insecurity to food as a human right, from affordable housing to housing as a human right, and to just general houseless advocacy. More recently we had the great opportunity to partner with Washoe County to operate Our Place, which is going to be a women's and family respite over at the old NNAMHS campus.”

The Our Place campus will consist of five buildings. Three of them will be family-style apartment units with their own bathrooms but a shared kitchen. The next two buildings will be designated for seniors and women, respectively. In total: 28 families, 18 seniors, and 118 women will be provided emergency shelter on the campus.

By moving women and families to Our Place, Washoe County is looking to alleviate the congestion at Record Street while providing greater support and resources throughout its shelter system. Volunteers of America’s is continuing to operate the CAC shelter on Record Street, which will now primarily house the homeless male population in the area.

Striving for a More Resident-Centered, Family and Pet Friendly Approach

“What's great about us relocating the populations that we are, is that it allows us to get rid of the overflow shelter and the tent so that all men can have stable and safe housing within the shelter,” Howell said. “It allows them to increase their caseworkers to provide more intensive case management and more programming that's unique to what that population requires, so that's really exciting as well.” 

The ability to reallocate resources to better serve the homeless population is just one element that the county’s partnership with RISE brings. Howell says it was RISE’s understanding of and relationship with the homeless community that made the 700+ volunteer network the unanimous choice to take on the Our Place project. 

“One of the things that has been so helpful about working with RISE is understanding why individuals do not welcome shelter or housing,” Howell said. “We've learned that there are three areas that become barriers for individuals: they can't have their pets, they're worried about their personal property, and being separated as families.”

At Our Place, some of these barriers will be lifted.

“We are going to allow pets [at Our Place] because we understand the companionship and the relationship between individuals and their pets,” Howell said. “So we've been working with organizations to provide kennels in the rooms and outdoor areas and we're really excited to be able to offer that. That's something we haven't been able to do historically.”

Another barrier Our Place hopes to remove is the separation of families living on the streets. With three buildings on the campus designated for families, the eligibility of who and what constitutes a family is broadened to create more opportunities for families to stay together.

“The only eligibility is that there are children,” Howell said. “So it could be a single mom and her children. It could be a pregnant individual who's about to deliver. It can be a single father and his children. It can be a married couple or two individuals that have children together. It's less about the eligibility criteria of the parent and more about if they have children, they go into one of those three buildings.”

There will also be a daycare facility and classroom space in a stand-alone building on the campus for the children staying on the Our Place campus. There children can work on developmental milestones and curriculum in an environment where they can play and just be kids. Overseeing this aspect of the project is The Boys and Girls Club, continuing the same partnership currently in place at the daycare at the Record Street shelter.

In addition to a daycare, there will be a medical clinic on-site where eight caseworkers will be assigned to support residents. A domestic violence advocate will be available, as well as a food service for all the nutritional needs of residents. An additional partnership with the Department of Employment and Training Rehabilitation will be created to generate opportunities for residents to get on the path to employment.

Part 1 of a Series on Our Place by Scott King for Our Town Reno



Chris, Comparing City Services after Relocating to Reno from Portland

Homeless in a New State

Discovering himself has been the silver lining in what has otherwise been a challenging transition between cities for Chris who was homeless in Portland, and is now in the same predicament since moving to Reno.

“It sucks [being homeless in Reno],” he said.  “I don’t know the town and it seems like they don’t have a whole lot of help for the homeless people down here like they do back home.”

Chris was homeless back in Oregon, as well, which is the state he calls home, despite now trying to survive in Nevada.

“[How homeless were treated in Oregon] depended on what part of the city you are in,” he said. “If you go to Eugene, they’re the number one small-city in the US for homeless people with over 5,000 people that are homeless [there]. I think you’re treated up there with more respect, courtesy, and are more likely to get help and not shut down like you are down here.”

The city of Reno, according to Chris, just doesn’t seem to know what they’re doing when it comes to helping the homeless population. He explained a recent experience he had when trying to get a phone. “They say ‘I don’t know, go try this place,’” Chris said. “Then you go there and they just give you the run-around.”

More Support Wanted and Dreams Deferred

Chris thinks the city of Reno could do more to support the homeless. Particularly, he would like to see the city support the shelter so it can serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner for everybody on the streets. With more support for the homeless population, Chris thinks the situation would be better for everybody.

Volunteer-run community meals were recently relocated away from the downtown shelter, and during the coronavirus outbreak, St. Vincent’s Catholic Charities instituted a lunch pickup system.

“[The city] should just have more resources,” Chris said. “People should be able to take showers. They should have more bus passes to get [the homeless] around and then you’ll have less problems and less people on the streets.”

Ultimately, however, Chris isn’t optimistic that the city will reach out to help them more. “You know how governments are,” Chris said. “They don’t care.”

Yet, when we met him, Chris was still hopeful, lured by what he saw as a growing economy, which is now experiencing one of its busts, due to coronavirus.

“I’m just trying to find a job, get a place, and get off the streets,” Chris said. “I’ll do any job, [but my background] is mostly cooking and baking. One of these days, I’ll even have my own restaurant.” With restaurants slowly reopening, and only now starting to rehire staff, sadly, it might be a long road now for Chris and others who are currently living on the streets in the Biggest Little City.

Photography and Reporting by Scott King and Lucia Starbuck for Our Town Reno

Ian, Seeking More Help for Those with Mental Health Challenges

Insufficient Medicare

Ian has lived in Reno for the past 14 years. He’s proud to have grown up and lived in Reno, but there are a few concerns he’d like to see fixed, including having his Medicare cover all, and not just some of his healthcare costs . 

“I qualify for Medicare and I'm on disability,” Ian explained. “I'm fortunate to receive enough disability to live on. However, the health insurance doesn't cover psychiatry because it's Part B Medicare. But that's all I need.”

He says he’s also experienced a deterioration of services at Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services and in general health care in the area, despite there being excellent doctors in Reno. He says unfortunately they seem to be out of reach financially for him and for others barely getting by.

 “[Access to mental health resources] has been in constant decline,” Ian said. “Some of the best surgeons are in Vegas, but some of the best psychiatric, neurological, and pediatric doctors live in Reno and they're amazing people, but it costs so much money.” 

Despite politicians talking about challenges of mental health in our community, Ian says he would like to see much for funding to support programs, as well as effectiveness.

“Mental health is not a serious thing in our country,” Ian said. “I actually called the suicide hotline in January to see how it would turn out. They wanted me to hang up the phone. I'm not even kidding, I have witnesses.” 

He says he believes an overall lack of empathy is something that is reflected in how those without stable shelter are treated in the city. 

“It sucks not having anything or being homeless, wandering just like everybody else,” Ian said. “But at the same time looking at yourself the way other people look at you, it can't be pretty. And unless you actually put yourself in someone else's shoes, you'd never understand what they've actually been through. Empathy is kind of pathetic to some people.”

Who is Helping Who?

Instead of actually supporting the homeless community and providing affordable housing, Ian says it seems people are more interested only in charitable acts they can profit off of. 

“The rest of these people with all their money, if they cared they would do something about it,” Ian said. “Instead [they’d rather] buy a new car that's like $30,000. I could've thrown up a building with plywood and four by four on property that I purchased [with that money] and turn that into affordable housing and it wouldn't be hemorrhaging money. But there's no point in them doing that because they don't make money off of it.”

He would also like to see more help to fight drug addictions for those without shelter.

“The biggest resource I would like to see available for the homeless is information and drug help,” Ian said. “The battle of drugs is a hard and tough one that I, myself personally had to go through multiple times. It's tough, I've had family members that have had addiction problems and I think that within itself can be a mental health problem.”

He understands how difficult it is for the portion of the homeless community that’s fighting their addiction battles on their own. Ian recently encountered a man in Reno who was looking for a few bucks to find heroin.

“He just looked so defeated, like he was being controlled by another force,” Ian said. “And I honestly thought to myself, ‘If I had $5, I would've given him $5 because maybe that admission of truth would be something to set them free.”

For Ian, it comes down to trying to understand the reality of the position many of these people are in.

“‘Well, am I gonna die on the streets tonight? I don't know how cold it's going to be.’ Those are things that actually go through people's heads [on the streets],” Ian said. “It's the reality of the situation that they're in and if the only way to feel better about that [is to do drugs], then why not do it?”

But with better mental health resources and more affordable housing, through better-allocated funds by the city council, Ian believes that decision may never have to be made. But unless something is done now, the people that need help the most will be stuck in a never-ending cycle.

“Mental health is one of the most important issues because how are you ever going to get out of your funk if you don't know why you're there in the first place?” Ian asked. “And if you don't have a place to stay, you're not going to be able to get out of your funk because it's a reinforced cycle.”

Share Your Story Reporting by Scott King for Our Town Reno

Hannah, Losing a Paycheck, but Surviving with Unemployment Benefits for Now

ULTA Beauty is doing all it can right now to drum up sales for Mother’s Day 2020, from gift sets, to eyeshadow and moisturizer. It’s using a hashtag called #SeeBeautifulToday and updating its FAQ pages on why shipping might be much slower than usual right now. The company’s CEO Mary Dillon posts new messages to keep customers informed.

While its web designers and social media team may be busy, former store employees from its flagship Reno store at the Summit, such as UNR student Hannah Abbott, wait to get rehired.

Initially, when Nevada’s shutdown first began in mid-March, employees at ULTA’s Reno stores were told by management that they would be paid part of their wages, but then when the CARES Act came through, they were told to file for unemployment and other available emergency benefits instead.

Abbott was confused at first on how to apply, but she says even though she wasn’t getting paid anymore, management helped her figure out how to apply for government money.

“My managers send me lots of updates and well wishes. I’m lucky to have a work family that cares about each other on more than just a professional level,” she said. “They have been nothing but supportive and have offered us help with applying for unemployment and figuring out where to go from there.”

Hannah Abbott lives with three other roommates in Reno, at the YOUnion student living, while still going to school. Each individual pays a certain amount based on their room and other amenities. She says she pays on average $770 every month.

 “Paying for rent has been tough, but as of right now I am able to keep paying for my bills from the income I’m getting through unemployment by saving as much as I can and making sure I meet my due dates,” she said.  

Abbott is trying to finish her semester with new challenges of online teaching and testing, and is just taking it day by day, uncertain of what the future holds, but trying to survive, and hoping that her job with ULTA will be there for her when Nevada reopens for business, whenever that might be.

Reporting by Natalie Adame for Our Town Reno

Inside Amazon, Getting Paid during a Pandemic Despite the Risks

Over $18 an Hour With Lots of Risks

For one Reno local, getting a job at the Amazon Fulfillment Center as it’s called north of Reno was exactly what he needed to get through these difficult times as many other companies were instead letting go of their workers.

The employee wishes to remain anonymous in order to keep his job, but expressed how, “there weren’t that many job options due to coronavirus... Amazon was one of the few companies hiring,” he said. He said Amazon is paying $18.75 an hour to its workers during COVID-19 due to the high-risk factor of working alongside hundreds of others.

In mid-April, fears were confirmed as the center announced it was dealing with its first known case of COVID-19 and implementing strict guidelines to be able to stay open.

“I feel safe there,” our anonymous source said. “They always make us wear gloves and masks and provide us with materials to clean our stations at the start and end of every shift.”

Fewer Cars in Parking Lot

“I noticed a lot less cars in the parking lot. It just made me question if I should continue working there,” said our source, when the case was initially announced.

He said he would continue to work there to pay more bills and other expenses, but will not stick around too long. The company is notoriously tight-lipped with media and giving access to journalists, but in books and articles workers have complained of having to stay on their feet for long stretches and simultaneously very physical and tedious requirements for warehouse work.

Inside the break room, signs give thanks to staff who are putting their lives at risk as more and more local residents turn to the giant retailer.

New Measures and Huge Profits

New measures include more signage, preventing stand-up meetings, spreading out tables in break rooms, staggered shifts, extra precautions for any employee feeling unwell, including paying them for up to five hours even if they go home early, video-based interviews for most new applicants, and more availability of wipes and masks.

Analysts are saying Amazon, which already has 800-thousand workers worldwide, has a strong business model for pandemic times, including its cloud computing services, and that it is poised to continue on its hiring spree.

In France, a country known for worker rights, complaints and strikes, Amazon has had to shut down all six of its distribution centers following an April court ruling the online retailer hasn’t done enough to protect its warehouse workers. This type of result is unlikely to be seen anywhere in the United States though, including here in Reno.

Reporting by Karina Dominguez shared with Our Town Reno

Owen Schenk, A Rocket Launch to His Career Put on Hold

A Sucker Punch for Plans

For many young adults based out of Reno, with plans to move around and find themselves, their career tracks and new horizons, such as Owen Schenk, COVID-19 has been a sucker punch.

For a third year in a row, Schenk, a mechanical engineering student at the University of Nevada, Reno, had been an intern for The National Aeronautics and Space Administration at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, but this Spring that experience came to a sudden halt.

“My housemates went back to their hometowns after the NASA center moved to a mandatory telework status,” he explained. “I was there alone for a couple of weeks and made the difficult decisions to fly to Reno to be with family, though it was not a decision I took lightly.”

He’s now working from home with his parents, with just a few weeks to go. “I am grateful I can still work full time. It has been tough adjusting to COVID, the biggest struggle has been with isolation,” he said.

Although he feels lucky to currently have his job, COVID-19 has him worried about his future and restarting again in Reno.

Out of Luck, Out of Work, Out of His Belongings

Many of the other prestigious internships Schenk was gunning for over the summer have been canceled. 

“I believe I will be unable to find a new job over the summer. I expect to be unemployed until fall,” he said.

A veteran of the Reno service industry, Schenk has also spent past summers as a valet for local casinos and businesses. Even with his past experience, he says, it is unlikely though he’ll be able to find a new position.

He’s also dealing with logistical challenges. At the time of our interview, most everything he owned was still stuck in Alabama. He initially came back to Reno for what he thought would just be a couple of weeks. Flights back to Alabama to bring his things back to Reno, including his car, keep getting canceled. 

With his internship officially over on May 8th, he’s unsure when he’ll be able to go retrieve his belongings. After two canceled flights, Shenk wouldn’t be surprised if it turns into three.

“The next soonest flight isn’t until May 2nd. Hopefully, that one doesn’t get canceled, all if my stuff is out there and I’ll have to bring it back here eventually,” he said.

No Flights, and Still Paying Rent

Schenk also still needs to pay rent.

“One of the more difficult payments to make is for the rent on the house I was living at in Alabama. I still pay the full rent since my belongings are still there and the owner of the house is unemployed due to COVID. I would like to help him out a bit.”

Schenk has always planned for the future. Interning as often as possible to gain relevant experience to help him later in his career. But internships aren’t the only thing that Schenk has lost out on.

“The stocks I had before the pandemic hit have tanked. If COVID-19 lasts for too long I could be in an even tougher spot, and I can only imagine what many others are going through.”

Reporting by Jordan Buxton shared with Our Town Reno

Maggie, Protesting in a Car Caravan to Cancel Rents during Coronavirus

Concerns About the Future After the Eviction Moratorium is Lifted

There was a small turnout for a local Cancel the Rents protest in Reno, but that didn’t stop the organizer’s passion. 22-year old Maggie Mae Rose works as a customer service representative for a large retailer in Reno. She didn’t want the name of her job to be public. Rose has been able to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic but that might come to an end. On Tuesday, April 28, her work will reevaluate whether or not to continue employing its staff. If Rose gets furloughed, she will receive her last pay check on May 8, 2020.

"Right now I feel privileged to be in the position I'm in with having money still coming even though I might not have that for much longer," Rose said, "Even if my situation is good, I think it's important to be there for others that don't have a good situation. I know people that are afraid if they can’t pay rent. I know people that are scared about, are they going to be able to buy food? I'm not even doing it for myself. I am protesting for every family with one kid to five kids that are terrified," Rose said.

As long as Nevada is under a state of emergency, Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered a moratorium on evictions. This means tenants can’t get evicted from a property but they must still pay rent. Rose wants rent to be canceled until people can get back on their feet.

"Cancel all rent, all mortgages for homeowners, we even are extending to like small landlords, small businesses, like people that are definitely going to be affected by this," Rose said, 

Rose said Sisolak’s eviction moratorium might cause a false sense of security because tenants will still continue to accrue rent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Your rent will have to paid but then you're going to be further in debt. So I think that's something to talk about because now you're just adding to your whole debt situation, which is a stress in itself,” Rose said.

Many tenants in Nevada could be facing eviction after the moratorium is lifted.

"It's a hard demand but it is an important demand and it is hard to put a time limit on it, I'd say. But I do think if we're going to do it at all, it would need to be until people's employment went back up, for people to actually go back to work to get a paycheck to pay rent," Rose said in regards to how long rent should be canceled.

Seeking to House Unsheltered Individuals in Hotels and Motels

Another demand of the Cancel the Rents protest was to house vulnerable populations in vacant hotel and motel rooms. Rose said this can be implemented in Reno especially when so many motels sit empty and wait to be torn down. 

"The CDC guidelines on social distancing and having shelter during this time is so important. When you look at the solutions for that, we shouldn't be stripping off parking lots to have homeless sleep on them. What we're talking about is, we already have all these empty houses, why aren't we using these to benefit our community and have shelter for the homeless? We hear about, specifically in Reno, shelters getting too full or there's just not enough resources. We can extend that to these motels and these hotels," Rose said.

Rose said housing for undocumented individuals and currently unsheltered individuals is crucial. 

"This demand itself extends outside of pandemic. This is just like a demand that we just want period because it's really concerning and disheartening when you see all these empty houses that are just sitting around in your town and you see homeless people on the street," Rose said.

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom launched Project Roomkey, which aims to provide 15,000 hotel or motel rooms for houseless individuals who are vulnerable to getting the virus like seniors, and to those who have been exposed or tested positive for COVID-19. A little under 900 individuals have been housed as of this reporting.

“I think [Sisolak's moratorium on evictions] is just not enough. I don't think it actually provides support to families that are waiting for their unemployment," Rose said.

Organizing Efforts Look Different Amid Pandemic

Due to social distancing guidelines and prohibited in-person contact, organizers from PSL needed to get creative in order to have a COVID-19 friendly protest.

"I think the biggest thing is definitely safety. We understand that we have freedom of speech and we have the right to do what we're going to do but we also know the reality of the situation. We know that there's a virus out there. I think that we believe that we must act right now to defend our demands and to defend our people but at the same time, we need to understand that there's a pandemic going on and that we need to be safe. We need to be smart about this and just responsible. I think that would be probably the worst thing ever if maybe we got what we wanted but then someone got sick because of the event,” Rose said.

Rose said car caravans are a great opportunity for a new form of protest under the restrictions of the pandemic but it has its limitations. Protestors who want to participate must have access to a vehicle. Additionally, Rose said organizing can be challenging when you can’t merely walk up and talk to your neighbor. She has grudgingly moved her protest preparations online, which is not her first choice.

"It's hard right now because usually we would do outreach, which is like walking around the street, talking to people in our community about it, getting their input on it [and] inviting them to the event. However, with obvious safety guidelines we can't do that," Rose said.

Reporting by Lucia Starbuck for Our Town Reno

Tabu McKnight, a Barber, Waiting for His Doors to Reopen and Government Help

“Honestly, I’m always a person [who expects] a feast and famine type situation.  Where things are going well, it’s not that I expect the worst, but when the harvest is good, [I think you should] prepare yourself at some capacity [for when it’s not].  I’m a firm believer in that.  “

Q: What got you started as a barber, and where did the passion come from for your business?

[I got started] probably at about 14...but I got into barbering out of necessity as a young man.  You know, due to financial constraints, I didn’t have the money to afford a haircut. So, I just learned to cut hair on my own. Hair has always been something that my family’s done, just at home and around the table or places like that. So it started out as a necessity, but then I turned it into a business.

I got really serious, like professionally, at maybe about 18. I was cutting hair, and then I started to transition into business and make it a career. It wasn’t my initial thought, it was just something I was good at.  But as I started to hone in on my craft, I had really great mentors to...tell me to take it to the next level and treat it like a business.  [Cutting hair] is a billion dollar industry, so that’s what I started to do.

Q: Before the coronavirus hit, nobody could have predicted that the whole world could essentially get shut down.  As a small business owner, were you prepared at all?

So when it hit, even in the beginning...I just had a little inkling [that it might become more serious].  When you look at the location [where the virus started spreading], it’s an international business spot.  For me, being an economic person, that just makes sense.  You have people traveling back and forth from Beijing and having exposure to New York and California, and even in Reno.  So I just knew that eventually it was going to happen, but I didn’t know the magnitude to be honest.

Q: When things started getting worse in the United States and we eventually got the order in Reno to shut down businesses, how did that feel?  What was your reaction when you realized the business you’ve worked so hard to build and that provides for you would have to be closed?

When it hit us, and when the mayor and the governor told us we have to shut down, the mental aspect of it was really hard.  I mean, mentally and emotionally it was the hardest for me, all the anxiety, the anger, the frustration, the depression, the worry...I can even say my blood pressure probably went up just because I have a family. I have two kids and four grandkids. 

And I’m talking to my wife saying ‘Honey, what are we going to do?’  You know?  The bills don’t stop at the shop or in my personal life.  I still have bills I gotta take care of, and you’re telling me that I’m not essential.  So, what are we going to do?  What’s the next step?  [The city is] telling me to shut down but you haven’t given me an alternative...and [if I keep doing business] then I’m threatened with sanctions of getting my business taken away or shut down in Nevada because I’m violating a code.

I don’t want my business to close, because I do feel it’s a very important business to the community because of all the relationships built in the barbershop, all the families and generations and traditions of men and women bringing their kids in.  Outside of [kids] and marriage, the longest relationship you probably have is to your barber, so I feel like I was essential.  

So I dealt with all different emotions and feelings and anxieties that I had to get a grip on because it was really starting to affect me.

(Above a video done by another Reynolds School of Journalism student Maryan Montgomery during busier times.)

Q: Do you feel like you’ve been given enough assistance as a small business?

I’m still frustrated with how things are with the stimulus package, which I thought was just kind of a joke.  It didn’t trickle down to us, which is kind of how our economy is too in the way that it was structured.  It’s not a surprise, but you see these mega companies that make tens or millions of dollars a year and they’re able to [get assistance]. But the backbone of our communities, businesses like mine, or mom and pop shops that keep the community going, we don’t really get any assistance.  And that hurts.

I don’t get unemployment.  We requested a grant of $10,000 from the Small Business Administration online, they said we would receive an answer in one to three days, it’s been five weeks.  We tried payroll protection, but the banks are using that like they’re trying to do regular credit and it wasn’t supposed to be that way.  It’s supposed to be ‘What’s your business? What’s your expenses? Do you have your tax return?’ and two or three questions like that.  And I’ve crossed off all those boxes but come to find out, ‘Oh well we don’t have any money for you.’  And that’s really hard.

The other part of this is, we have to pay for our own insurances and everything out of our own pockets, but if we don’t have the finances to do that, then everything ellipses.  Insurance is elapsed.  Health coverage is elapsed if you have it.  The majority of us, I’d say about 80 - 85% of the barbers or people in our industry don’t even have health insurance, they’re just paying out of pocket.  So we don’t really have a stimulus plan for people like us that are independent contractors or business owners.  They don’t have a plan and we don’t have financial assistance.  We gotta beg for it. 

One of McKnight’s customers after a haircut at Tabu of Reno’s Barber Lounge. Photo courtesy of Tabu McKnight.

Q: Have you been able to find any ways to generate extra income while this is going on?  Independent appointments or anything like that?

I’ll make some house calls or do something like that, individual appointments...but I battle Crohn's Disease.  I’ve had 11 surgeries and I have [a compromised] immune system. So it came to the point where I was like, I’m not going to do anything, because I’m not 100% sure of what I’m walking into.  So it became that progression of wanting to do it and needing to do it to...am I putting my family at risk?  Because if I brought something home and gave it to my wife or my grandkids or my kids, I don’t know how I would forgive myself.  So I kind of had to shut everything down.  

And the other thing is people don’t want to pay you for what you’re worth. They look at it as just a haircut, but it’s more.  I have to pack up all my equipment, pack it in my car, leave my family, my house, and my safety to come wherever you are whether you are whether you’re in Lemon Valley or the south end of town or Truckee.  It’s not just the cost of a regular haircut.

Q: When your business is shut down and you can’t get enough financial assistance or make income on your own without risking your health or your family’s, where does that leave you?  What are you able to do?

The only thing I can do is beg and plead to go into debt, just go to my banks or credit unions and take out loans and get into debt and use that to help me stay afloat.  And it may seem crazy, but it’s well worth it.  I consider that good debt if I can still provide and do what I need to do [for my family].  Because I can make that money back, it’ll be a struggle but I can make it back.  And if this continues then I’m okay with that, I just have to figure out different avenues in order for me to have some income come in.

I don’t want to get into a situation where I just throw caution to the wind like some people are doing, or how some people saying [the virus] isn’t that serious.  This is real.  And it’s really a life and death decision for me to be around groups and crowds of people and find myself in the hospital, having my immune system try to fight a virus that we have no answer for at the present time.  So if it goes on, I just have to go into debt.  Whatever I have to do, I just have to do it in order for my family to survive...I’m not worried about my credit score. If my credit drops to zero, I can get that back up.  That’s better than letting my family starve.

Tabu’s has gotten high marks and praise in the community. Barbers from the shop have also often volunteered at community meals and gatherings for those without shelter.

Q: With how uncertain everything is, what are your thoughts about the future, how we can deal with this, and where we go from here?

I would say that trouble does not last always, and that’s a true fact. It never lasts always. So we can be assured of that. Another thing is take the time to love the people that are around you and embrace the time we have now, because [the virus has shown] that we’re not promised tomorrow even though we live like that.  Because in a matter of seconds or a matter of weeks we find out that people and things don’t always last too long.

Another thing is that, if you’re a business owner, make your business better, rebrand yourself, take the time we have [during the shutdown] to fix the holes and deficiencies that we let slip through the cracks, because as business owners we spend a lot of time working in our business but not necessarily becoming better at business. 

I’m not going to worry about frivolous things at this point in time.  I’ll take care of my house, take care of my family, and keep God first.  And we’re going to make it through because it’s not going to last always.

So I would say to take this time to be better at business and better overall as a person, take advantage that there’s time that we have to sit down and reflect, and regroup, and we energize.  And I know we’re all struggling in a sense, and some of us are doing a little better or worse than others.  But if we have the opportunity to help somebody else, then let’s help somebody else.  

Q and A by Luke Keck for Our Town Reno

Jennifer Calazada, Out of a Job and Trying to 'DoorDash' while Studying

Out of a Job and Feeling Lonely

Soma, a lingerie store in the Summit mall in south Reno, was the store she was working at until non-essential businesses were forced to shut down. She went from having to cut her hours to being completely out of her job in one day. 

“At first they cut our hours to like 12 hours, and then the day after my boss sent a group text. That we were closed, and at first we were being paid through March and then that’s when they closed all non-essential businesses, all through April. Now, I’m ‘doordashing’ but that’s not consistent--they’ll send you an order but you have like 30 seconds to accept it. But there’s days where you won’t get that many orders, and other days you will,” she said. (For those not familiar,  DoorDash is a San Francisco-based on-demand prepared food delivery service)

 With the UNR campus having to also close down due to also being deemed non-essential, Calazada struggles not only financially but also socially. She’s also had to deal with new challenges of classes going all online.

“My professors are still trying to figure out how to administer these tests because they don’t want them to be open-book,” she said.

Calazada says she has been making the best of efforts to stay positive and watch out for her mental health.

Zoom not an Ideal Replacement

While her professors have made efforts to have students still have that daily interaction with others in their classes, she says it still feels lonely as most of the students in her classes choose to turn off their cameras or microphones.

She’s grateful for having the sessions though. “I haven’t been really having contact with people like I should, I guess it’s nice even though it's just for an hour,”  she said.

As the days keep on going and people all over the world are forced to make compromises, Calazada tries to closely monitor those around her, including her family.

“They try to hide their worry so they don’t worry me,” she said. “My mom is still worried but she tries to hide it. And my dad is in denial, but even when he’s outside he still is careful and tells me to ‘be careful.’”

Calazada says it’s important to look forward to some sort of normalcy up ahead. She says she has plans for her delayed birthday party.

“I’m going to the lake, and BJ’s. I was supposed to go on my birthday so I could get my pizookie (a skillet cookie), but then social distancing happened. So yeah, I’m going to the lake, BJ’s, the arcade...and oh yeah dancing. I was supposed to go dancing on my birthday, since I haven’t gotten to dance in a while,” she said.

Reporting by Tatiana Ramirez shared with the Reynolds Sandbox

Ordeals to Get Unemployment Compensation during the Crush of Coronavirus

Still Waiting on My Own Claim

I remember the exact moment when I first heard about the coronavirus—It was a few days after New Year’s. I was at work when my coworker asked if I had heard about the developing virus in Wuhan, China. I was working as a server at a local brewery and distillery so I was slightly worried because we frequently hosted large parties but I didn’t expect what would happen in the coming months. 

I am a 28-year-old journalism student at UNR working nights and weekends to pay for my education and costs of living. On March 17, Governor Sisolak mandated all bars and restaurants in Nevada close for 30 days to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, it has been over a month and my initial unemployment claims are still pending because I am a student, who under different circumstances, cannot qualify for benefits.

The Cares Act waives the weekly work search requirement but Tamara’s UI home screen displays ‘issues delaying payment’ due to the specificities of being a student and a worker at the same time.

A Community’s Support

This is not a cry for help nor am I asking for pity—I simply want to share my experiences with others to reciprocate the same support I received from Reno/Sparks Mutual Aid Group on Facebook consisting of more than 4,000 community members. The group was originally created to share information about grocery stocks, unemployment challenges, face masks and other resources. 

One of the group’s administrators Meghan Kathleen, recently made a post stating,“don’t expect too much of yourself while we’re all surviving a collective trauma.”

The tied-up phone lines are among the biggest complaints from people trying to file for UI in response to COVID-19. The Nevada UI Office has extended its hours open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday yet many people still struggle to make contact with any available representatives. I’ve heard stories of people trying to call over 200 times per day or the phone line disconnects after being on hold for an hour. 

Tamara’s call log on the morning of April 21st showing failed attempts at reaching three different Nevada UI phone numbers. “It’s extremely frustrating if that’s the first thing you hear in the morning, day after day with no answers.”

A Voice of Reason Amid a Cloud of Frustration

Steve Zuelke worked over a quarter century for the Nevada ESD and actively offers advice on the Reno/Sparks Mutual Aid Group suggesting actions people may want to follow. In an interview on Monday, April 13th, Zuelke elaborated further into how the system typically functions, and how best to deal with it in these times of upheaval.

“The unemployment claim system is typically operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except when it is down for maintenance. I would recommend that they leverage off hours filing claims and records via the internet very late at night and very early in the morning. If they do so they will face less competition for available resources,” said Zuelke. 

 Zuelke did not have any advice for the phone lines and could not comment specifically about the need for more UI workers as he is now retired but mentioned the self-serve system was designed for a minimal amount of interaction. 

The Nevada UI website has repeatedly been down for maintenance due to the mass influx of claims.

A Complicated System with No Room for Mistakes

Zuelke expressed the dangers of misinformation to those filing for benefits during difficult times using an analogy to best explain why he attempts to point people in the right direction. 

“I could not simply for lack of a better term, a retired firefighter, sit around and watch my neighbor’s house burn down if there was something I could do about it,” said Zuelke. 

He said unfortunately any mistake a user makes during the filing process can be damaging as very few people have been trained on the technical language to understand how UI works exactly.

“What has happened in this event is very similar to what happened in the toilet paper aisles, everyone needed it at once,” he said, making another analogy.

Zuelke personally believes it’s too early to tell if this recession can be compared to the Great Recession differentiating COVID-19 as systematic and to be determined by what the public and businesses do once the crisis is over. 

Steve Zuelke (right) received his Certified Public Manager designation by former Governor Kenny Guinn and Director of Health and Human Services, Mike Wheldon.

A Newsletter with Some Hope

The Governor’s office is working in partnership with the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation to deliver a weekly newsletter with information on recent UI developments. It contains hope for more relief.

For example, Gov. Sisolak recently announced the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) plan amounting to $600 to be disbursed to all eligible claimants into their accounts directly. 

The newsletter additionally contained a newly established help-line (800) 603-9671 to better assist people filing new claims— but it cannot provide information on existing claims, leaving us many still at square one, and still only hoping for some of this money we are being promised, but which we just get into our accounts at this crucial time.

Reporting by Tamara Snight shared with Our Town Reno

Mary Charles, Providing Peer Recovery During A Time of Coronavirus

Trying to Help Others During the Pandemic

With many clinics and drop-in centers closed, routines being skewed, unemployment soaring, isolation and general stress increased, work to help houseless individuals in the community recover from substance use has never been more crucial.

Mary Charles, who has been a peer support specialist at the Foundation for Recovery since Nov. 2019, is now working from home and hosting online meetings everyday at noon for community members in recovery. 

"There's not a lot of other people out there doing it and this is definitely a vulnerable group of society. We can be uplifting to them and help them through their walk," Charles said.

Foundation for Recovery physically closed its doors but Charles and the staff are remaining busy to connect people with the resources they need. Charles said a majority of her day consists of phone calls now.

A Hug was a Life Changer for Her

Before landing a job as a peer support specialist, Charles was houseless for several years due to domestic violence. She was staying at different parks, but mostly returning to Paradise Park. She said she didn’t feel truly seen until someone approached her with sympathy and kindness.

"There had been other people when I was out there who said, 'Oh, we can help you,' and you go to that business and once you walk in there they look at you like they're not trying to help you anymore," Charles said of her own turnaround.

"When somebody has been there, when this person came and found me at the park, I didn't want to talk to her either. But she told me, 'Look, I've been where you are. I've been homeless. I was an addict.’" She had her own issues, I just knew she got it,” she said of what worked for her to trust someone else.

Charles said it can often lead to a more positive outcome if outreach workers have gone through similar situations.

"I remember the day that I felt human again. It was when she talked me into going into her office for services, which I did not want to do and I kept fighting it. I finally showed up and she hugged me. That was the day that I felt human again because here I was with dirty clothes on and not feeling like I deserved to be there, [but] she didn't care," Charles said.

Photo of her composition notebook from a previous Our Town Reno article. Charles wrote about her experiences while living on the streets and the day she felt seen for a therapeutic writing workshop called Voices Of Inspiration, Courage, and Empowerment (VOICE). Read her essay here: http://www.ourtownreno.com/our-stories-1/2018/10/13/stop-looking-at-me-mary-healing-from-abuse-with-her-own-voice

Housing is Crucial

Charles said on her last night on the streets it rained, soaking through a tarp above her, making her cold and wet. She said housing and a job that she loves have changed her own life for the best.

"I was in full-blown substance use disorder and living out on the streets. I've had huge changes because I'm in long term recovery now and I have this amazing career that I love. I like my life a lot," Charles said.

During coronavirus, Charles says she also supports using some hotel rooms to shelter houseless individuals, a solution other cities have pursued.

Reporting by Lucia Starbuck for Our Town Reno

Bailey, on the Frontlines of the Grocery Store during Coronavirus

Tension and New Measures

While many places have shut down, one of the busiest places is now the grocery store. People rush to the toilet paper aisle to see if today can be their lucky day. Grocery carts bump into each other. Many shoppers aren’t wearing masks. The Trader Joe’s in south Reno where Bashay works has all the potential of a contamination zone.

“There's a lot more stress and you can really feel the tension of our customers,” Bashay said. “People are really grateful that we're open and that we're working and that we're still stocked up. ”

New measures have been put in place including staggering people in. “We make sure we only have like 30 to 40 people in the store at a time so people can safely keep their distance,” Bashay said.

Along with customers, Trader Joe’s is also concerned with the safety of their employees.

“Right now we're really just going with what the CDC has been putting out...our company has sent us reusable masks that we can take home and wash and wear everyday. And we have been wearing plastic gloves pretty regularly along with being given breaks to go wash our hands and, you know, just make sure that you're trying to be extra careful.”

Going to Work to Pay Bills

Like many others, Bashay says she has no choice but to keep working. “I have rent that I have to pay and car payments,” she said. She considers herself luck and is grateful for her work despite all the current risks. “Our company has been doing a really good job of trying to keep everybody working as much as they want to,” she said. “So, my hours have remained the same.”

But she sees underlying structural problems. “A lot of people that are working right now are working because they have to pay rent and because they have to support their families somehow,” she said. “And I think it just really  points to the bigger issues of our economy and the downfalls of capitalism that people have to put their lives on the line right now to survive.” 

The fear of becoming sick has not escaped Bashay’s mind. She says she is not as scared of herself becoming sick but she is weary of infecting others.

“I'm pretty lucky. I'm young, I'm fairly healthy. I have a good immune system. I'm not necessarily scared of getting sick. I am afraid of catching it and not knowing and then spreading it to other people,” she said. “My sister is living with me right now and they're diabetic, so I have fears of  bringing it home with me.” 

People practice social distancing before being allowed into the Trader Joe’s.

Doing it for the Community

Having to work and still continue school online is yet another stressor for Bashay during the pandemic.

“For me, it's been really difficult realigning my schedule so that  I give myself enough time to do all the work in my classes that would've been done in a classroom...I don't have the free time that I know some students have right now,” she said.

Finding a new balance has proven to be difficult, but for Bashay her job has now become more than just a job. She says it has become a duty towards her community.

“A lot of people are out of work right now and I'm lucky enough to not be, I have a job that  is necessary for people,” she said. “I'm putting food on people's tables and it feels good to be able to do what I can since so much of this is out of our control. I want to be out there helping people in the way that I can help people.” 

 Reporting by Gracie Gordon for Our Town Reno

Lacy Foster, Keeping People Housed at a Motel During a Pandemic

COVID-19 Disrupts Motel Community

While horror stories are surfacing of motel tenants getting harassed if they can’t pay rent and bullied into moving out, the staff at the Desert Rose Inn said no one would be getting evicted on their watch, even deciding that before Gov. Steve Sisolak put a moratorium on evictions on March 29th.

“I'm really glad that the governor did that because that's a little bit of a weight lifted off some people's shoulders because it was already bad in this town for housing," Foster said.

The moratorium is for both residential and commercial tenants for the duration of Nevada’s state of emergency, including weeklies, which constitute long term housing for thousands in Reno. Earlier this month, a judge in Lyon County ordered the Extended Stay Suites in Fernley to pay $2,500 in damages to a tenant the business had locked out.

“We're kind of a community here,” Foster said of the Desert Rose Inn approach. “People talk, people hang out here. We walk our dogs together, we do things together here. We're not just: you live here and I live here. It's not that way. It's never been that way. There's a lot of my older tenants here that I shop for, and I go to their room and hang out with them. They don't have anybody. I've had to stop doing those things and that's really hard because now they're by themselves. That's the thing, we're supposed to isolate but sometimes that's not always the best thing either. I've been talking to a few of them on the phone a little bit more. But I think that's the worst part because we are close here," Foster said.

The Desert Rose Inn houses several families, veterans and a handful of seniors. "We have people that get a monthly check that don't work, their checks are still coming in like social security, they're still paying rent. Everybody wants to do their part and the people that can't pay rent, they're really worried and they feel bad. They're trying to see if they can help work around here, so sweet, which we don't do," Foster said.

Food Insecurity Concerns

Out of the 70 occupied rooms, Foster said about half of the tenants have been laid off from their casino jobs. She said their biggest concerns are running out of money for food.

"That's super sad and super scary. That is a horrible feeling for anybody, let alone if you're mother and I'm a mom. With this place, I see everybody as my family here. So, my first instinct is, 'Oh my gosh, how am I going to feed everybody?' That's where I'm at right now," Foster said.

In addition to collecting a smaller amount of rent, a decline of tourism in Reno has also hurt the Desert Rose Inn. From mid March to the end of May all of the room bookings from out of town were cancelled. 

"Tourism is down, definitely. Nobody wants to leave their own homes wherever they're at, let alone come to a city where they don't know anybody in quarantine," Foster said.

Foster isn’t bringing in any new tenants or nightlies either. She supports the hopefully soon to arrive $1,200 federal stimulus checks and deposits but she also wants to see more being done for small businesses. She worries about the expenses her landlord has to pay like utilities.

"We've got to keep these people with power and water," Foster said. “Because when people pay their rent, that's what we use to cover these things.”

Desert Rose Inn also employs two housekeepers, two maintenance workers and an additional office worker. Foster said no one has been laid off but their jobs do look a little different now.

Foster spends nights disinfecting the handrails of the stairs. During the day, she says, she talks to residents on the phone to stay in contact and check in.

New Ways to Operate in A Different World

Before the coronavirus pandemic restrictions, the motel’s staff used to go into rooms to clean and vacuum them, and provide tenants with clean linen, toilet paper and tissue paper. Foster said, as of right now, they have an adequate amount of toilet paper. But in an effort to limit physical interaction, the staff have resorted to leaving supplies in a bag on residents’ door handles. Tenants are instructed to do the same with their dirty linen, which is then cleaned immediately.

"With the tenant's laundry, we're so worried that they're going to shut down laundry facilities. So we got a system going now with them, on your service day where you get housekeeping is the day you could do laundry. We have a little sign where you turn it red or green if somebody is in there. Every hour we just wipe the whole thing down. We'll go in there and the tenants will have our bottle of water and bleach and they'll be wiping it down after they leave and everybody's really looking out for each other," Foster said.

Foster said her residents have also been following social distancing guidelines to keep everyone healthy. 

"We were going to put some tape out by the office window here, you know, six feet. As we were doing it, everybody was coming to walk up to either check their mail or whatever, and before we could even put the tape down they were doing it and telling everybody else, 'Oh hey, get back a little bit more,'" Foster said.

Reporting by Lucia Starbuck for Our Town Reno

Health Care for the Underserved, Different Perspectives on Reno's Community Health Alliance

NOTE: While coronavirus is extremely deadly, people are still suffering from other serious medical ailments. The Community Health Alliance is now working with Uber Health so the most vulnerable patients in Washoe County can be taken to their own vital medical appointments.

“A large percentage of our patients are elderly or dependent on public transportation. CHA has always been committed to providing high quality healthcare, and ensuring our patients can safely seek the care they need, with reliable transportation, is more critical than ever,” said CHA CEO Oscar Delgado in a press release today.

The release goes to explain: For medical visits that do not necessitate an in-person visit, CHA is treating patients via telemedicine for both primary and behavioral health, as well as offering drive-up visits for patients who are most vulnerable. This will allow CHA to minimize unnecessary physical contact, while still providing care to the community. Additionally, both the CHA program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), as well as the pharmacy, have designed curbside pick-up for breast pumps, formula and prescriptions, among other patient needs.

Listen to a podcast version of this story here

A New CEO Building Awareness for its Services

“There's a [saying] around town that we're the best kept secret,” Delgado said at a recent relaunch event, before the coronavirus pandemic imposed a nationwide shutdown. “My goal is to make sure that everyone knows that we exist, we have services that are available, that we have great providers, and that we're not the stale clinic that some people may imagine when you walk into a community clinic. My goal is to make sure that we are a strong backbone in providing primary care for working families across the region.”

As a federally-qualified health organization operating seven primary care health centers in Washoe County, CHA plays a crucial role in providing health care to our community’s most vulnerable citizens.

“In a way to [serve vulnerable communities] there really is a need to embed yourself within those communities,” Delgado said. “And we're at ground zero. We actually have a clinic at the Record street Community Assistance Center where we serve the homeless that walk into our clinics, at no cost.”

“It’s our mission to provide quality, accessible healthcare to everyone,” Delgado said. “No matter your background, no matter your economic background, no matter anything, no questions. Whoever walks through the door, we'll provide care for you.”

The healthcare services CHA provides its patients covers a wide breadth of care: from pediatric, dental, behavioral, optometric, to fully primary. In order to provide specialized care to their patients, CHA partners with various organizations in Reno. It also has mobile events for dental care, a pantry at its headquarters on Wells Avenue and a pharmacy.

“Our vision is to make sure that we are the trusted bridge to any other organization in town that is working with demographics that we serve,” Delgado said. “We partner heavily with the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, Hopes, The Boys and Girls Club and the Eddy House. So [the goal is for] somebody that walks into their nonprofits and has a healthcare concern, that they'll know that we're a trusted partner and we'll get them seen as soon as possible.” 

Ricardo Lucio is a long-time beneficiary of CHA who is now serving on its Board.

From Patient to Board Member

“I've been a patient of the Community Health Alliance for nine years now,” Ricardo Lucio said. “Growing up in the Wells Avenue community, you're very appreciative to have this type of practice in your community that provides excellent and affordable health services to you, whether it be medical, dental, or any other type of service. You always feel like family when they help you.”

To Lucio, CHA is more than just a community health care provider. They are an organization that is breaking the stigma of what affordable health care represents.

“A lot of people think that just because health services are expensive, that they don't have access to them,” Lucio said. “But Community Health Alliance provides affordable health services and a lot of people don't know about them, but they have them now in seven locations.”

Jenelle Stathes is a former teacher and mother of three, who says she understands the need for an organization like CHA in the community.

Local Needs

“I taught in a school where the only reason we couldn't have outdoor recess was because children didn't have coats when it was snowing,” Jenelle Stathes said. “If a child is sick, they need to be seen, Mom's snuggles and chicken soup can only go so far with a viral or bacterial infection. They need to be able to have a prescription to get better, especially with the attendance restrictions through the Washoe County School District. As a mother now, I always think of children and if my child can't be seen by a doctor, I know it's an even bigger problem for somebody who can't afford for their child to be seen by a doctor and that's heartbreaking.”

Stathes was particularly impressed by the messages shared by Delgado and Lucio.

“Hearing Oscar discuss the mission of CHA and then hearing from the patient that's now on the board discuss how CHA has impacted his life, it's just such a reminder of how vital a program like this is for our city.”

Ariel Rayo is a Community Health Services Representative at SilverSummit Healthplan.

An Insurer’s Perspective

“I believe, first of all, that preventative healthcare is a very important issue in Reno,” Ariel Rayo, who works in health insurance, said. “The more we have people taking care of their health by doing preventative healthcare activities, the less hospital visits we have, and the less ER visits we have, is less money that was spent. Then we have a lot of people who are under-insured or just not insured because their jobs do not provide insurance, they're contracted, or they just don't really qualify for any health insurance because of legal status, age, income, whatever the reason it is. So having a Community Health Alliance helps a lot because nobody gets rejected, they all get service.”

Rayo is confident that Delgado is the right man for the job in leading CHA forward. 

“[Delgado]'s a true advocate for the underserved community as a councilman,” Rayo said. “He cares about our community and Reno. So it's really nice to have that advocate person for our people.”

Rayo is also impressed by Lucio’s presence on CHA’s Board.

“[Lucio] is a true example of a person who was at one point underserved because of his legal status or level of income. That's a true story of how this agency is coming to serve a great purpose in the community.”

Frank Perez has been on the Board of CHA for the past two years.

Open Doors with Sliding Scale Fees

 “If you don't have insurance or if you do have insurance, that's not a big part with us,” Frank Perez, another board member, said. “We do a sliding scale fee to work with our patients and make sure that people don't get turned away. Regardless of people's citizenship status, they don't get turned away either. Our doors open, 100%.”

Having seen firsthand the new changes in direction for CHA, Perez is excited for what is to come under Delgado’s leadership.

“Oscar is going to bring another level of connection to the community as far as events like this,” Perez said. “This [Meet and Greet] is to me a very successful event where we're building a web with other folks in the community and building a stronger web. [Delgado] did say that CHA doesn't have to be a secret anymore.”

“It’s really imperative to me that when people walk through our doors they feel that they are getting quality care, but also a sense of trust and respect,” Delgado said. “A lot of the families that we serve, I see as my family. We actually do see some of my family members that walked through those doors. What's important to me is that they feel no different walking through our clinics than they would going to any other private hospital or anywhere else.”

Room for More Growth

Delgado says he hopes to see CHA expand to continue serving communities it hasn’t reached yet. 

“There's a lot of communities out there that's still not being served,” Delgado said. “We need to hire more providers, open more clinics, [acquire] more square footage, and [hire] more social workers. It's only right that our neighbors are healthy, that everyone is healthy.”

As a native Nevadan, Delgado is excited to be able to further strengthen Reno’s communities and share CHA’s mission with them.

“There's not one entity that can do it alone,” Delgado said. “It’s understanding the importance of building bridges and everyone working together in order to make sure we provide the best circumstances to make sure our families are successful in our community.  I know that our community cares about that, so I'm excited to share that vision.”

Reporting by Scott King for Our Town Reno