By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
OLEAN — Olean Common Council members got an update Tuesday on the Olean Homelessness Task Force appointed by Mayor Bill Aiello.
The update from the mayor and Alderman Sonya McCall, D-Ward 4, was largely anecdotal, although McCall said the homeless revolve around poverty, mental health issues, substance abuse and a lack of safe, affordable housing.
“There’s a lot of housing available that you would not let your dog sleep in,” McCall said. “Community Action and Genesis House can help, but we don’t have enough safe, affordable housing.”
McCall said the question is often asked: “What does it take to end homelessness? There isn’t one answer.”
Aiello said the task force “has held numerous meetings looking for a solution to the (homelessness) problem.” The most recent number of homeless residents in the county in January was 68, three of whom were unsheltered. He did not offer a number of homeless that may live in the city
The Homelessness Task Force has another meeting scheduled for today (Wednesday), Aiello said. Police Chief Ronald Richardson is scheduled to report on what police have been doing with regard to homeless individuals.
The meetings are not open to the public and only three of the seven aldermen may attend to avoid triggering the Open Meetings Law.
In starting off the discussion Council President Vernon Robinson Jr., I-Ward 6, said he came close to becoming homeless when he was a senior in high school in Washington,. D.C. While he was lucky, “a lot of people are not as fortunate,” he added. “The city of Olean is experiencing large city problems, but this isn’t isolated.”
Robinson said he’s received complaints of trespassers on the dikes and in woodlines where people have been camping. “There’s people coming on private property. We’ve had garbage issues, loitering, the theft of shopping carts.”
Robinson added, “So with all that, sometimes we hear people decline assistance, and if that’s the case, what’s our next step? Surely we can’t leave these people on the street corners because that’s inhumane.”
Aiello said the Homeless Task Force has discussed working with the county to have a mental health team work with police when they are confronted with mental health issues among the homeless.
Olean General Hospital has received a state grant to provide additional mental health beds to homeless individuals with mental health problems.
“Ultimately, what is needed to save affordable and permanent housing in their regard,” the mayor said. “The city does not have the resources for the programs that are available.” Recently, as a last resort late on a Friday afternoon, Genesis House gave a homeless person a tent to shelter in overnight because they had no other options, he said.
McCall, a task force member, said, “I think it is about educating so people understand what resources we have. I would love to see a social worker or counselor and find resources.”
Ward 5 Democrat John Crawford said that in the more than a year since the committee was formed, he would have liked “to see something that goes beyond the conversation and strategy — something that actually has some sort of quantitative (proposal) to get one person off the street.”
Regarding today’s task force meeting, Crawford said he would like “to see something that we can actually start to track, giving us some data and some numbers.”
Robinson said he looked forward to more frequent updates from the Homelessness Task Force and would like to hear a report about Tuesday’s meeting by next month.
During the regular meeting, aldermen voted 5-2 to remove the decorative lights along North Union Street which have never worked.
Public Works Director James Sprague said he met with a company that may be able to save and repair the decorative lighting system. The controllers for the lights are apparently not watertight. He said they may also be able to improve the North Union Street street lights.
The council also voted to contract with the Cattaraugus County Land Bank for reimbursement of $74,400 for the demolition of three properties – 330 N.10th St., 316 L:aurel Ave., and 311 S. Third St.
On another resolution, aldermen voted to transfer $137,917 remaining from the Washington Street capital project to complete two other projects: $125,748 for the Laurens Street project and $12,169 for the Wayne Street project.
The Cattaraugus Office of County Emergency Services Office Emergency Medical Services Mutual Aid Plan was adopted 7-0.
A request from the Salvation Army for two directional signs was denied 7-0.
