csmonitor--2020-04-23--Jobless benefits are a lifeline – if the unemployed can get access

“ There has been a lack of attention nationwide to this program , ” says Julia Simon-Mishel , a specialist on unemployment compensation at Philadelphia Legal Assistance .
Similar challenges are playing out for legions of newly unemployed Americans , after efforts to contain the coronavirus brought major parts of the economy to a halt. Millions of jobless claims are being paid .
But state agencies that administer the benefits are scrambling to staff jammed phone banks and patch outmoded software .
The race to help the unemployed is teaching hard lessons in readiness for a program widely viewed as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to gear up during economic hard times .
“ It ’ s really scary , especially now that money is dwindling , ” Ms. Bailey says , describing how she ’ s stretching to make a food budget last for herself and her 8-year-old daughter .
When the Pittsburgh restaurants where Ciara Bailey worked had to close in March , she quickly filed a claim for unemployment benefits .
But now , weeks later , she ’ s still not sure if her claim will be accepted , let alone when her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ciara Bailey wakes up at 7:45 a.m. , calls the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry when it opens at 8:00 a.m. , and waits on hold – only to get disconnected .
Ms. Bailey filed for unemployment in March after both of the Pittsburgh restaurants where she worked closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak .
She says many of her co-workers have started to receive unemployment benefits , but a check has yet to arrive in her mailbox .
“ It ’ s scary , it ’ s really scary , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Having my daughter , do I go [ work ] somewhere that ’ s essential , like a grocery store and work and come home ?
” says Ms. Bailey , whose 8-year-old daughter has only one lung and has gone to a hospital for flu-like symptoms in the past .
“ I would be coming home … and putting everybody else at risk too.
” Like so many Americans , the single mother now needs unemployment benefits to survive an economic downturn that is pushing unemployment to rates not seen since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million Americans having filed jobless claims in the last five weeks , the very urgency of the problem has made it hard for Americans to tap into vital and promised assistance .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
Millions of unemployment claims are being processed successfully , yet experiences with jammed phone lines , website glitches , and weekslong delays have been nearly as common .
The problems partly reflect flawed or outdated software , and partly they reveal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major economic shock could hit so many workers so quickly .
The race to help the unemployed is teaching hard lessons in readiness for a benefit widely viewed as an “ automatic stabilizer ” in economic hard times .
“ Right now , for a majority of [ jobless ] people , unemployment compensation benefits are the only form of income they ’ re going to have access to , ” says Julia Simon-Mishel , the supervising attorney for the unemployment compensation unit at Philadelphia Legal Assistance .
“ There has been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so of course states are struggling to process this incredible number of claims.
” Atop it all , efforts by Congress to prevent a wider economic collapse have added extra pressure on states , which administer the nation ’ s unemployment insurance system .
Recent legislation pledges an extra $ 600 per week in unemployment benefits and widened eligibility so that self-employed or gig workers can qualify .
Many states are still struggling to deliver these new benefits .
“ For years , state unemployment systems have been underfunded from an administrative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some good news : The additional $ 600 per week is starting to flow in most states , says Andrew Stettner , an unemployment expert at The Century Foundation .
The processing of claims seems to be improving , he adds , with 71 % of claims submitted since the start of the crisis now registering as insured unemployment .
Ms. Bailey believes her application is on hold because the office denied an earlier unemployment claim she filed after quitting a previous job in February .
Repeated attempts to communicate the situation with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two emails she received from the office were contradictory and confusing on whether her claim was accepted .
“ It was like they read my message and wrote whatever they wanted to .
They didn ’ t answer my questions or anything , ” she says .
Currently , Ms. Bailey and her daughter are living off $ 355 worth of federal nutrition assistance she received on April 13 .
She ’ s responsible for a $ 70 phone bill – her lifeline to the unemployment office – but thanks to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid rent since February .
To pass the time in quarantine , Ms. Bailey and her daughter , Brooklyn , walk up and down Pittsburgh ’ s rolling hills , baby dolls in tow .
She says she has enjoyed spending more time with her , but that it ’ s also heartbreaking when Brooklyn asks her for food she can ’ t afford or why she can ’ t go outside and play with her friends .
“ She ’ s just sick of eating the same things already and can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eat all day right now , ” says Ms. Bailey .
“ I ’ ve got less than a hundred dollars to my name yesterday , and she ’ s used to things that she wants me to buy her , and I don ’ t have the money to .
It breaks my heart , you know .
What do I do when I can ’ t give her what she needs ?
” Ms. Bailey ’ s experience notwithstanding , Pennsylvania ’ s unemployment system appears to have worked about as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania began to overhaul its system in 2017 and was on track to roll out the new product this fall , but the economic fallout from the coronavirus has upended this plan .
Analysts say America ’ s spike in joblessness is undercounted , so far , because so many self-employed or gig workers haven ’ t been able to file claims .
The federal government ’ s $ 2.2 trillion economic relief package created pandemic unemployment assistance to expand benefits and cover these people , but states are still in the early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no state system has gone unstrained , some are dealing with the new demands better than others .
Washington state , for example , has been quicker than many to widen the pool of claimants and roll out enlarged payments .
Along with hiring hundreds of new workers in recent weeks ( like some other states ) , Washington overhauled its system after the 2008 financial collapse and recession – a decision that Employment System Policy Director Dan Zeitlin says helped them avoid a claims-processing disaster .
By contrast , jobless workers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of last week , the state ’ s unemployment system has processed only 4 % of 850,000 applications since the crisis began in March , according to the Orlando Sentinel .
Systems are crumbling due to their rigidity and age .
Many of them are decades old and were written in COBOL , a programming language designed in 1959 that fell out of college curriculums in the 1980s .
States like New Jersey are scrambling to find coders .
And even newer systems aren ’ t necessarily flexible enough to handle a historically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states are experiencing the equivalent of a [ cyber ] attack on their website , ” says Mr. Stettner , of The Century Foundation .
“ And even the best ones … are not modernized , they ’ re not in the cloud .
That limits [ their ] ability for expandability and remote work.
” A report released Thursday by the U.S. Labor Department Inspector General ’ s office expounded on this theme , citing longstanding concerns including that ” states have been slow to modernize unemployment systems.
” Challenges have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent years that reduced benefits or made them harder to access , according to the National Employment Law Project in New York .
Ms. Simon-Mishel in Philadelphia adds that systems are often optimized for state officials , rather than workers .
“ I wanted to share a list of best practices to share with the legislature , but I could only find examples of where these projects had gone wrong and what had gone wrong , ” she says .
“ If you ’ re going to spend millions of dollars upgrading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easier for workers.
” On Easter Sunday , Ms. Bailey got a two-line email response from the unemployment insurance office indicating she was financially eligible for unemployment benefits .
She was thrilled .
In a text to the Monitor , she said , “ So , that ’ s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel , hopefully.
” Many days later , though , she still hasn ’ t been able to submit a claim , much less received money .
She worries about her ability to stretch her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s nutrition assistance arrives .
So Ms. Bailey ’ s morning routine remains the same : wake up , call the office , wait .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

“There has been a lack of attention nationwide to this program,” says Julia Simon-Mishel, a specialist on unemployment compensation at Philadelphia Legal Assistance.
Similar challenges are playing out for legions of newly unemployed Americans, after efforts to contain the coronavirus brought major parts of the economy to a halt. Millions of jobless claims are being paid. But state agencies that administer the benefits are scrambling to staff jammed phone banks and patch outmoded software. The race to help the unemployed is teaching hard lessons in readiness for a program widely viewed as an automatic stabilizer that people can count on to gear up during economic hard times.
In economic hard times, unemployment assistance brings rapid, and needed, relief. This time, states are scrambling, and learning lessons in readiness amid a historically fast spike in unemployment.
“It’s really scary, especially now that money is dwindling,” Ms. Bailey says, describing how she’s stretching to make a food budget last for herself and her 8-year-old daughter.
When the Pittsburgh restaurants where Ciara Bailey worked had to close in March, she quickly filed a claim for unemployment benefits. But now, weeks later, she’s still not sure if her claim will be accepted, let alone when her first check will arrive.
Every morning, Ciara Bailey wakes up at 7:45 a.m., calls the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry when it opens at 8:00 a.m., and waits on hold – only to get disconnected.
Ms. Bailey filed for unemployment in March after both of the Pittsburgh restaurants where she worked closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. She says many of her co-workers have started to receive unemployment benefits, but a check has yet to arrive in her mailbox.
“It’s scary, it’s really scary, especially now that money is dwindling. Having my daughter, do I go [work] somewhere that’s essential, like a grocery store and work and come home?” says Ms. Bailey, whose 8-year-old daughter has only one lung and has gone to a hospital for flu-like symptoms in the past. “I would be coming home … and putting everybody else at risk too.”
Why We Wrote This In economic hard times, unemployment assistance brings rapid, and needed, relief. This time, states are scrambling, and learning lessons in readiness amid a historically fast spike in unemployment.
Like so many Americans, the single mother now needs unemployment benefits to survive an economic downturn that is pushing unemployment to rates not seen since the Great Depression. With more than 26.5 million Americans having filed jobless claims in the last five weeks, the very urgency of the problem has made it hard for Americans to tap into vital and promised assistance.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
Millions of unemployment claims are being processed successfully, yet experiences with jammed phone lines, website glitches, and weekslong delays have been nearly as common. The problems partly reflect flawed or outdated software, and partly they reveal a failure of imagination: that a major economic shock could hit so many workers so quickly. The race to help the unemployed is teaching hard lessons in readiness for a benefit widely viewed as an “automatic stabilizer” in economic hard times.
“Right now, for a majority of [jobless] people, unemployment compensation benefits are the only form of income they’re going to have access to,” says Julia Simon-Mishel, the supervising attorney for the unemployment compensation unit at Philadelphia Legal Assistance. “There has been a lack of attention nationwide to this program, so of course states are struggling to process this incredible number of claims.”
Atop it all, efforts by Congress to prevent a wider economic collapse have added extra pressure on states, which administer the nation’s unemployment insurance system. Recent legislation pledges an extra $600 per week in unemployment benefits and widened eligibility so that self-employed or gig workers can qualify. Many states are still struggling to deliver these new benefits.
“For years, state unemployment systems have been underfunded from an administrative perspective,” says Ms. Simon-Mishel.
Some good news: The additional $600 per week is starting to flow in most states, says Andrew Stettner, an unemployment expert at The Century Foundation. The processing of claims seems to be improving, he adds, with 71% of claims submitted since the start of the crisis now registering as insured unemployment.
Ms. Bailey believes her application is on hold because the office denied an earlier unemployment claim she filed after quitting a previous job in February. Repeated attempts to communicate the situation with the office have proved fruitless, and the two emails she received from the office were contradictory and confusing on whether her claim was accepted.
Courtesy of Ciara Bailey View caption Hide caption Ciara Bailey (right) lost her restaurant employment in March and has struggled for weeks to enroll for unemployment benefits. She is shown here at a birthday party for her daughter, Brooklyn (left) in Koppel, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 1, 2020.
“It was like they read my message and wrote whatever they wanted to. They didn’t answer my questions or anything,” she says.
Stretching a food budget
Currently, Ms. Bailey and her daughter are living off $355 worth of federal nutrition assistance she received on April 13. She’s responsible for a $70 phone bill – her lifeline to the unemployment office – but thanks to a generous landlord, she hasn’t paid rent since February.
To pass the time in quarantine, Ms. Bailey and her daughter, Brooklyn, walk up and down Pittsburgh’s rolling hills, baby dolls in tow. She says she has enjoyed spending more time with her, but that it’s also heartbreaking when Brooklyn asks her for food she can’t afford or why she can’t go outside and play with her friends.
“She’s just sick of eating the same things already and can’t understand that we can’t eat all day right now,” says Ms. Bailey. “I’ve got less than a hundred dollars to my name yesterday, and she’s used to things that she wants me to buy her, and I don’t have the money to. It breaks my heart, you know. What do I do when I can’t give her what she needs?”
Ms. Bailey’s experience notwithstanding, Pennsylvania’s unemployment system appears to have worked about as well as most in this crisis. Pennsylvania began to overhaul its system in 2017 and was on track to roll out the new product this fall, but the economic fallout from the coronavirus has upended this plan.
Analysts say America’s spike in joblessness is undercounted, so far, because so many self-employed or gig workers haven’t been able to file claims. The federal government’s $2.2 trillion economic relief package created pandemic unemployment assistance to expand benefits and cover these people, but states are still in the early stages of enabling their applications.
While no state system has gone unstrained, some are dealing with the new demands better than others. Washington state, for example, has been quicker than many to widen the pool of claimants and roll out enlarged payments.
Along with hiring hundreds of new workers in recent weeks (like some other states), Washington overhauled its system after the 2008 financial collapse and recession – a decision that Employment System Policy Director Dan Zeitlin says helped them avoid a claims-processing disaster.
By contrast, jobless workers in Florida have faced grueling delays. As of last week, the state’s unemployment system has processed only 4% of 850,000 applications since the crisis began in March, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Why state systems falter
Systems are crumbling due to their rigidity and age. Many of them are decades old and were written in COBOL, a programming language designed in 1959 that fell out of college curriculums in the 1980s. States like New Jersey are scrambling to find coders. And even newer systems aren’t necessarily flexible enough to handle a historically rapid surge in demand.
“Most states are experiencing the equivalent of a [cyber] attack on their website,” says Mr. Stettner, of The Century Foundation. “And even the best ones … are not modernized, they’re not in the cloud. That limits [their] ability for expandability and remote work.”
SOURCE: The Information Technology Support Center (a group supporting state unemployment-system upgrades) | Jacob Turcotte/Staff
A report released Thursday by the U.S. Labor Department Inspector General’s office expounded on this theme, citing longstanding concerns including that ”states have been slow to modernize unemployment systems.”
Challenges have been amplified in some states by policy shifts in recent years that reduced benefits or made them harder to access, according to the National Employment Law Project in New York.
Ms. Simon-Mishel in Philadelphia adds that systems are often optimized for state officials, rather than workers.
“I wanted to share a list of best practices to share with the legislature, but I could only find examples of where these projects had gone wrong and what had gone wrong,” she says. “If you’re going to spend millions of dollars upgrading your technology, it should make it easier for workers.”
On Easter Sunday, Ms. Bailey got a two-line email response from the unemployment insurance office indicating she was financially eligible for unemployment benefits. She was thrilled. In a text to the Monitor, she said, “So, that’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel, hopefully.”
Many days later, though, she still hasn’t been able to submit a claim, much less received money. She worries about her ability to stretch her food and money till next month’s nutrition assistance arrives.
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So Ms. Bailey’s morning routine remains the same: wake up, call the office, wait.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-04-23--From threats to solidarity, virus reconciles US-Mexico leaders

The COVID-19 pandemic could have been a fraught moment for United States-Mexico relations – two leaders from opposite ends of the political spectrum facing the largest crisis ever confronted by either administration .
Instead , presidents Donald Trump and Andrés Manuel López Obrador are carrying on like old pals .
The men appear so chummy that the Mexican president , who has not traveled outside his country since taking office nearly 18 months ago , is talking about visiting his U.S. counterpart .
It 's almost enough to forget that less than a year ago Mr. Trump threatened to put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a candidate , Mr. Trump said Mexicans crossing the border brought drugs , crime , and `` tremendous infectious disease '' to the U.S. After taking office , he continued to promise to build a border wall and make Mexico pay for it .
But this month Mr. Trump called Mr. López Obrador `` a very good friend '' and praised his `` tremendous intelligence . ''
His Mexican counterpart described their relationship as a `` friendship '' and said Mr. Trump had spoken to him with a lot of `` fondness .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ any fireworks , and their common ground in the virus crisis appears to be an eagerness to reactivate their economies , which is sometimes at odds with warnings from health advisers .
The warmth between them recently yielded some benefit to Mexico .
To complete an agreement among oil-producing nations to reduce production , Mr. Trump offered to make a deeper cut to U.S. production , because Mr. López Obrador said Mexico could not afford to .
Then on Friday , Mr. Trump appeared to grant a favor to Mr. López Obrador .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ him and said that Mexico would get 1,000 ventilators by the end of the month with the option to buy more .
`` It 's a new gesture of solidarity with Mexico , '' Mr. López Obrador wrote on Twitter .
`` I proposed the possibility of meeting in June or July to personally express our appreciation . ''
Earlier that day , Mr. López Obrador had said at his daily news conference that Mr. Trump `` has been respectful of the people and government of Mexico . ''
`` There is n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been before , there is n't with the same intensity , '' he added .
On Monday , the Department of Homeland Security reached agreement with Mexico and Canada to continue restricting nonessential travel at U.S. borders for another month .
Later , in a tweet , Mr. Trump said he was temporarily suspending immigration to the U.S. to curb the virus , though with all the other immigration restrictions , it was not immediately clear who would be affected .
`` It 's very clear that there 's a high degree of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , between Mr. Trump and Mr. López Obrador , '' who is willing `` to cater to Trump in order to not only prevent Trump from dumping on Mexico , but also because López Obrador recognizes that he can get help and support where he needs it , '' said David Shirk , a political science professor at the University of San Diego .
Last year , Mexico signed a new regional free-trade agreement with the U.S. and Canada , which had been a Trump priority .
Mr. López Obrador , who rails @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – privatizing state-owned businesses , weakening unions – almost daily , went along with it .
When the number of asylum seekers showing up at the U.S.-Mexico border began last year to overwhelm the U.S. capacity to process them , Mexico averted Mr. Trump 's tariff threat by deploying its newly minted National Guard , which stopped mostly Central American immigrants headed north .
The Mexican government also let the U.S. expand a controversial program to make asylum seekers wait in Mexico while their cases were processed in the U.S .
The result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executor of U.S. immigration policy in the region .
Mr. López Obrador `` has shown an incredible penchant for appeasement '' of Mr. Trump , said Tony Payan , director of the Center for the United States and Mexico at Rice University 's Baker Institute for Public Policy .
`` He 's up against a wall .
He has no choice .
Picking a fight with Washington today would absolutely and completely poison the waters more than they 're already poisoned .
He 's got no other choice but to cooperate with Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knows it . ''
Under the health emergency , the U.S. government has completely closed its southern border to asylum seekers and in many cases is quickly returning Mexicans and Central Americans back to Mexico .
Mr. López Obrador has effectively chosen an economic benefit over the welfare of migrants and Mexican border towns , Mr. Shirk said .
`` It says to me that this is a president who is absolutely focused on one thing and that is trying to stimulate a moribund Mexican economy . ''
In Mexico , Mr. López @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not appeared to hurt him with his base , said Ivonne Acuña Murillo , a political science professor at Mexico City 's Iberoamerican University .
She sees the real threat to his administration in the pandemic and what she says is an organized opposition campaign against his handling of the situation .
`` I believe that if we are not in a political crisis , we could enter one , '' Ms. Acuña said .
`` There is clearly an orchestrated strategy to hit the president 's popularity . ''
Mr. López Obrador @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' a group that by his definition includes opposition politicians , the country 's largest media outlets , and most anyone who criticizes his policies .
He accuses them of trying to take advantage of the pandemic to damage him .
As for Mr. López Obrador 's recent coziness with Mr. Trump , Ms. Acuña also thinks he has little choice .
`` During the campaign , ( López Obrador ) said if he tweets , I 'm also going to tweet , '' Ms. Acuña said .
`` That 's campaign talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being a candidate as being president ... because the United States is still the empire .
And politically speaking , Trump is still the most powerful politician in the world . ''
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writer María Verza in Mexico City contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

The COVID-19 pandemic could have been a fraught moment for United States-Mexico relations – two leaders from opposite ends of the political spectrum facing the largest crisis ever confronted by either administration.
Instead, presidents Donald Trump and Andrés Manuel López Obrador are carrying on like old pals.
The men appear so chummy that the Mexican president, who has not traveled outside his country since taking office nearly 18 months ago, is talking about visiting his U.S. counterpart. It's almost enough to forget that less than a year ago Mr. Trump threatened to put crippling tariffs on Mexican exports.
As a candidate, Mr. Trump said Mexicans crossing the border brought drugs, crime, and "tremendous infectious disease" to the U.S. After taking office, he continued to promise to build a border wall and make Mexico pay for it.
But this month Mr. Trump called Mr. López Obrador "a very good friend" and praised his "tremendous intelligence." His Mexican counterpart described their relationship as a "friendship" and said Mr. Trump had spoken to him with a lot of "fondness."
The two have consistently denied observers any fireworks, and their common ground in the virus crisis appears to be an eagerness to reactivate their economies, which is sometimes at odds with warnings from health advisers.
The warmth between them recently yielded some benefit to Mexico. To complete an agreement among oil-producing nations to reduce production, Mr. Trump offered to make a deeper cut to U.S. production, because Mr. López Obrador said Mexico could not afford to.
Then on Friday, Mr. Trump appeared to grant a favor to Mr. López Obrador. The Mexican president said Mr. Trump called him and said that Mexico would get 1,000 ventilators by the end of the month with the option to buy more.
"It's a new gesture of solidarity with Mexico," Mr. López Obrador wrote on Twitter. "I proposed the possibility of meeting in June or July to personally express our appreciation."
Earlier that day, Mr. López Obrador had said at his daily news conference that Mr. Trump "has been respectful of the people and government of Mexico."
"There isn't the belittling of Mexicans like there had been before, there isn't with the same intensity," he added.
On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security reached agreement with Mexico and Canada to continue restricting nonessential travel at U.S. borders for another month. Later, in a tweet, Mr. Trump said he was temporarily suspending immigration to the U.S. to curb the virus, though with all the other immigration restrictions, it was not immediately clear who would be affected.
"It's very clear that there's a high degree of affinity, a surprising degree of affinity, between Mr. Trump and Mr. López Obrador," who is willing "to cater to Trump in order to not only prevent Trump from dumping on Mexico, but also because López Obrador recognizes that he can get help and support where he needs it," said David Shirk, a political science professor at the University of San Diego.
Last year, Mexico signed a new regional free-trade agreement with the U.S. and Canada, which had been a Trump priority. Mr. López Obrador, who rails against the neoliberal legacy of his predecessors – privatizing state-owned businesses, weakening unions – almost daily, went along with it.
When the number of asylum seekers showing up at the U.S.-Mexico border began last year to overwhelm the U.S. capacity to process them, Mexico averted Mr. Trump's tariff threat by deploying its newly minted National Guard, which stopped mostly Central American immigrants headed north. The Mexican government also let the U.S. expand a controversial program to make asylum seekers wait in Mexico while their cases were processed in the U.S.
The result was that Mexico became the de facto executor of U.S. immigration policy in the region.
Mr. López Obrador "has shown an incredible penchant for appeasement" of Mr. Trump, said Tony Payan, director of the Center for the United States and Mexico at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. "He's up against a wall. He has no choice. Picking a fight with Washington today would absolutely and completely poison the waters more than they're already poisoned. He's got no other choice but to cooperate with Mr. Trump. And I think Mr. Trump knows it."
Under the health emergency, the U.S. government has completely closed its southern border to asylum seekers and in many cases is quickly returning Mexicans and Central Americans back to Mexico.
Mr. López Obrador has effectively chosen an economic benefit over the welfare of migrants and Mexican border towns, Mr. Shirk said. "It says to me that this is a president who is absolutely focused on one thing and that is trying to stimulate a moribund Mexican economy."
In Mexico, Mr. López Obrador's hardened position on immigration has not appeared to hurt him with his base, said Ivonne Acuña Murillo, a political science professor at Mexico City's Iberoamerican University. She sees the real threat to his administration in the pandemic and what she says is an organized opposition campaign against his handling of the situation.
"I believe that if we are not in a political crisis, we could enter one," Ms. Acuña said. "There is clearly an orchestrated strategy to hit the president's popularity." Mr. López Obrador frequently refers to his "adversaries," a group that by his definition includes opposition politicians, the country's largest media outlets, and most anyone who criticizes his policies. He accuses them of trying to take advantage of the pandemic to damage him.
As for Mr. López Obrador's recent coziness with Mr. Trump, Ms. Acuña also thinks he has little choice.
"During the campaign, (López Obrador) said if he tweets, I'm also going to tweet," Ms. Acuña said. "That's campaign talk. But it's not the same being a candidate as being president ... because the United States is still the empire. And politically speaking, Trump is still the most powerful politician in the world."
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writer María Verza in Mexico City contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-05-11--Grocery store chronicles: One worker’s experience on the front lines

Thus far , we have not been asked to enforce social distancing .
And I don ’ t have the heart to break up a conversation between two friends who haven ’ t seen each other in weeks , even if they ’ re in the middle of where we ’ re working .
Those little pieces of social cohesion are more important than whether or not I finish filling the green bean display .
Such is life right now at one Midwestern grocery store .
My colleagues and I continue to adjust as the elements of what was once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like layers of an onion .
Hours have been reduced .
Sanitary wipes were removed from the entryways , in exchange for every cart being wiped down .
Bottle returns were eliminated , followed by all returns .
One such man , wearing his mask , brandished a bulbous vegetable , lavender in color with white stripes .
“ What kind of squash is this ?
” he asked .
“ That ’ s an eggplant , ” I replied , with all the compassion I could muster .
As a produce clerk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve noticed conflicted souls , armed with shopping lists , who are clearly attempting to navigate in uncharted waters .
There ’ s nothing like a pandemic to upset the apple cart .
In October , my employer eliminated my position as an editorial director .
I was declared superfluous .
Extraneous .
Expendable .
A few short months later , as a grocery store produce clerk , I am now labeled “ essential , ” a soldier in the middle of the fight against a deadly virus .
My colleagues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elements of what was once considered “ normal ” are peeled away like layers of an onion .
Hours have been reduced .
Sanitary wipes were removed from the entryways , in exchange for every cart being wiped down .
Bottle returns were eliminated , followed by all returns .
The mechanical horse that kids could ride for a penny was taken away to its stall .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
As essential workers , we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the store and a paper placard to be shown to the authorities in case they pull us over .
We ’ re sanitizing touch points every two hours .
Masks became mandatory in late April , but many of us were already wearing them .
We come into work every day thinking , “ What ’ s next ?
” So far , the most remarkable trend of customer behavior is how unremarkable it has been .
This general sense of equanimity may be because our store is in the epicenter of Midwestern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are adjusting to the shifting reality .
Some have even gone out of their way to thank us .
There are a few indications that this fabric of good feelings is beginning to fray .
Our store has placed taped arrows on the floor to control foot traffic .
I saw one man pushing his cart against the grain over the protests of his wife .
“ Don ’ t you see the arrows ?
You ’ re going against the arrows !
” she pleaded .
The man kept on pushing his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defiant angle .
Did you say kumquats or gumdrops ?
The use of masks increases a sense of safety , but at the expense of clear communication .
It can be hard to understand customers whose speech is muffled by a layer of fabric .
Did that person ask for kumquats or gumdrops ?
Zucchini or rotini ?
Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp apples ?
For shoppers , there are two particular areas of struggle .
I feel sympathy for the conflicted souls , almost always men , armed with shopping lists .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ navigate in uncharted waters .
One such gentleman , wearing his mask , brandished a bulbous vegetable , lavender in color with white stripes .
“ What kind of squash is this ?
” he asked .
“ That ’ s an eggplant , ” I replied , with all the compassion I could muster .
The portion of his face that I could see quickly turned crimson , which was a good color match with that eggplant .
Other customers in similar situations make use of technology to help them acquire the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to send photos of the bananas to those back home , conferring about the preferred coloration , whether deep green or yellow with black spots .
The other area of struggle : the thin plastic bags that customers can tear off from a roll and use for bulk items like potatoes .
Under the circumstances , no one dares to use the tried-and-true method for opening them , which involves licking an index finger and thumb .
Now they rub and rub the top of the bag until either it opens or they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pro tip : The way around this problem is to head for the “ wet rack ” where the leafy greens are displayed , and wait for the mister to turn on .
When it does , wet your fingers and then open the plastic bag . )
There have been a few tense moments .
One Saturday , my job was to be one of the workers at a front entrance counting the number of shoppers entering the store to stay within the legal limit of customers .
One man , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , exploded into anger .
Thus far , we have not been asked to enforce social distancing .
If two people are talking in the middle of our work area , we have the right to ask them to move .
But I don ’ t have the heart to break up a conversation between two friends who haven ’ t seen each other in weeks .
Those little pieces of social cohesion are more important than whether or not I finish filling the green bean display .
But some things about shopping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the store from a break , I saw one man who had just left the store , stopped in his tracks .
He said , quite loudly and to no one in particular , “ I forgot where I parked my car !
” I treasure that nugget of normalcy and hang onto it as a harbinger of better days .
This pandemic has been harrowing and aggravating .
It has also given us unique opportunities to display the better angels of our nature – and we have done exactly that , judging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grocery store produce department .
“ The vast majority of Americans are good ; the mothers and fathers , the working people , the children , the vast overwhelming majority – millions and millions and millions , ” wrote legendary basketball and life coach John Wooden .
“ A small , small percentage are otherwise .
They get the attention .
But we mustn ’ t forget the tremendous good we have within us as a people.
” That goodness , more than any other factor , is what will carry us through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone , the mechanical horse returns , and couples can fuss over something other than taped directional arrows on a grocery store floor .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

Thus far, we have not been asked to enforce social distancing. And I don’t have the heart to break up a conversation between two friends who haven’t seen each other in weeks, even if they’re in the middle of where we’re working. Those little pieces of social cohesion are more important than whether or not I finish filling the green bean display.
Such is life right now at one Midwestern grocery store. My colleagues and I continue to adjust as the elements of what was once considered “normal” are peeled away like layers of an onion. Hours have been reduced. Sanitary wipes were removed from the entryways, in exchange for every cart being wiped down. Bottle returns were eliminated, followed by all returns.
Gratitude has abounded for those designated as essential workers, braving the front lines of the pandemic. Here’s the perspective from an editorial director turned grocery store produce clerk.
One such man, wearing his mask, brandished a bulbous vegetable, lavender in color with white stripes. “What kind of squash is this?” he asked. “That’s an eggplant,” I replied, with all the compassion I could muster.
As a produce clerk at the grocery store these days, I’ve noticed conflicted souls, armed with shopping lists, who are clearly attempting to navigate in uncharted waters.
There’s nothing like a pandemic to upset the apple cart.
In October, my employer eliminated my position as an editorial director. I was declared superfluous. Extraneous. Expendable. A few short months later, as a grocery store produce clerk, I am now labeled “essential,” a soldier in the middle of the fight against a deadly virus.
My colleagues and I continue to adjust as the elements of what was once considered “normal” are peeled away like layers of an onion. Hours have been reduced. Sanitary wipes were removed from the entryways, in exchange for every cart being wiped down. Bottle returns were eliminated, followed by all returns. The mechanical horse that kids could ride for a penny was taken away to its stall.
Why We Wrote This Gratitude has abounded for those designated as essential workers, braving the front lines of the pandemic. Here’s the perspective from an editorial director turned grocery store produce clerk.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
As essential workers, we were each handed a letter authorizing entry to the store and a paper placard to be shown to the authorities in case they pull us over. We’re sanitizing touch points every two hours. Masks became mandatory in late April, but many of us were already wearing them. We come into work every day thinking, “What’s next?”
So far, the most remarkable trend of customer behavior is how unremarkable it has been. This general sense of equanimity may be because our store is in the epicenter of Midwestern nice. The shoppers, too, are adjusting to the shifting reality. Some have even gone out of their way to thank us.
There are a few indications that this fabric of good feelings is beginning to fray. Our store has placed taped arrows on the floor to control foot traffic. I saw one man pushing his cart against the grain over the protests of his wife. “Don’t you see the arrows? You’re going against the arrows!” she pleaded. The man kept on pushing his contrarian cart, head tilted at a defiant angle.
Did you say kumquats or gumdrops?
The use of masks increases a sense of safety, but at the expense of clear communication. It can be hard to understand customers whose speech is muffled by a layer of fabric. Did that person ask for kumquats or gumdrops? Zucchini or rotini? Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp apples?
For shoppers, there are two particular areas of struggle. I feel sympathy for the conflicted souls, almost always men, armed with shopping lists. You can tell they’re attempting to navigate in uncharted waters.
One such gentleman, wearing his mask, brandished a bulbous vegetable, lavender in color with white stripes.
“What kind of squash is this?” he asked.
“That’s an eggplant,” I replied, with all the compassion I could muster. The portion of his face that I could see quickly turned crimson, which was a good color match with that eggplant.
Other customers in similar situations make use of technology to help them acquire the desired items. They use their smartphones to send photos of the bananas to those back home, conferring about the preferred coloration, whether deep green or yellow with black spots.
The other area of struggle: the thin plastic bags that customers can tear off from a roll and use for bulk items like potatoes. Under the circumstances, no one dares to use the tried-and-true method for opening them, which involves licking an index finger and thumb. Now they rub and rub the top of the bag until either it opens or they toss it aside in disgust. (Pro tip: The way around this problem is to head for the “wet rack” where the leafy greens are displayed, and wait for the mister to turn on. When it does, wet your fingers and then open the plastic bag.)
Anger over missing sanitary wipes
There have been a few tense moments. One Saturday, my job was to be one of the workers at a front entrance counting the number of shoppers entering the store to stay within the legal limit of customers. One man, on discovering we had removed the sanitary wipes, exploded into anger.
Thus far, we have not been asked to enforce social distancing. If two people are talking in the middle of our work area, we have the right to ask them to move. But I don’t have the heart to break up a conversation between two friends who haven’t seen each other in weeks. Those little pieces of social cohesion are more important than whether or not I finish filling the green bean display.
But some things about shopping never change. While walking back into the store from a break, I saw one man who had just left the store, stopped in his tracks. He said, quite loudly and to no one in particular, “I forgot where I parked my car!” I treasure that nugget of normalcy and hang onto it as a harbinger of better days.
This pandemic has been harrowing and aggravating. It has also given us unique opportunities to display the better angels of our nature – and we have done exactly that, judging by what we see in one Midwestern grocery store produce department.
“The vast majority of Americans are good; the mothers and fathers, the working people, the children, the vast overwhelming majority – millions and millions and millions,” wrote legendary basketball and life coach John Wooden. “A small, small percentage are otherwise. They get the attention. But we mustn’t forget the tremendous good we have within us as a people.”
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
That goodness, more than any other factor, is what will carry us through to the day when the masks are gone, the mechanical horse returns, and couples can fuss over something other than taped directional arrows on a grocery store floor.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-04-02--Daily for April 2, 2020

Daily for April 2, 2020

Propelled by the novel coronavirus , California is rushing to shelter thousands of its most vulnerable residents – homeless people who live outdoors and can ’ t “ stay at home ” to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 .
Day One of that unprecedented effort in Los Angeles revealed the daunting struggle that lies ahead across the state .
By dinnertime on a recent Friday , a shuttle bus had dropped off only four homeless people at a community center that was being turned into a shelter in the Echo Park neighborhood .
The four clients sat on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the nurse had yet to arrive .
Cots had not been delivered .
One of the four , a distraught older woman in gray sweatpants , kept repeating “ food , food.
” When a helper tried to escort her to a restroom across the street to wash up before eating , she would not follow .
Eventually , she wandered off and could not be coaxed back .
“ It ’ s tough , ” admits Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti .
“ We ’ ve never moved this many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
In a matter of weeks , the city is trying to voluntarily move 6,000 unsheltered people into 42 community and recreation centers that are being converted into shelters .
Those who are especially vulnerable , though not showing symptoms of COVID-19 , as well as those who need to be quarantined will be sent to hotels , motels , or care centers .
But the mayor and others deeply involved in this issue are also looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that comes .
And how California responds to the needs of homeless people during a pandemic – particularly the unsheltered – may well shape thinking about what is still needed to address a vexing , complex problem that was a crisis long before the coronavirus hit .
“ It ’ s certainly something we ’ re thinking about now , ” Mayor Garcetti told a press briefing .
“ What can we do … to get the homeless , not just out of this crisis , but off the streets ?
” California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homelessness crisis .
About 150,000 people are homeless here , living in shelters , on sidewalks , in tent encampments , canyon washes , and under bridges in the Golden State , often in highly unsanitary conditions .
Many are older and in poor health , which heightens the risk of an explosion in severe virus cases that could further strain medical and city services .
Before the coronavirus hit , Democratic Gov .
Gavin Newsom had made homelessness his first priority , devoting his entire State of the State speech to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue among voters as well .
Now COVID-19 has added even more urgency to the issue , underscoring what people who work with the homeless population have known all along – that the challenge is not only in tackling a housing crisis but also a health one .
To slow the growth of the virus , the governor , in a March 18 executive order , directed $ 150 million to localities to help with shelters and hotel and motel rooms .
The state also purchased more than 1,300 camper trailers for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So far , the effort has been intense but spotty , accompanied by a debate about whether to move people into shared shelters or individual motel rooms .
As of April 1 , Los Angeles had converted 13 community centers to shelters with 565 beds .
The shelters are 95 % full .
More shelters as well as hotels , motels , and 1,000 quarantine beds are expected to come online in the next few days ; 900 are already available .
So far , five cases of COVID-19 have been identified in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are skeptical about the safety of shelters in a pandemic .
“ We ’ re safer out here than in a shelter , ” says Ayman Ahmed , who sleeps in a tent at Echo Park Lake , voicing a common sentiment .
Still , the crisis is clearing away barriers that would normally hinder progress .
Resources are being freed up , regulations eased , and eviction moratoriums declared in an all-hands-on-deck response that people who work with the homeless population hope can be extended after the pandemic ends .
As those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even gathering data about them could be helpful in the long term , because so little is known about this population .
“ We don ’ t know how many people are disconnected from homeless and health services .
We don ’ t know the length of time the unsheltered have been on the streets .
Both are predictive factors that show how hard or easy it may be to stably house someone , ” says Gary Painter , an expert on homelessness at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ – instead of resistance – has been “ pretty fantastic , ” says Heidi Marston , interim executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority .
“ As bad and unfortunate and uncertain as this pandemic is , it ’ s renewing a sense of crisis response and urgency that we have been looking for across the whole system.
” Bay Area Community Services , based in Oakland , runs programs that provide short-term and permanent housing for homeless residents , with an emphasis on seniors and those with physical or mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out across the San Francisco Bay Area to educate those living on the streets and in vehicles about the coronavirus .
“ What we ’ ve seen is that a lot of people don ’ t know the severity of the crisis , ” says Jamie Almanza , the group ’ s executive director .
As workers attempt to shepherd people into shelters and other temporary housing , she adds , “ The question is how to capture this moment and this sense of urgency we ’ re seeing.
” Governor Newsom ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tape that can slow down efforts to house those who lack permanent shelter .
A pair of hotels in Oakland will provide housing for almost 400 people living in encampments , and in San Francisco , officials have identified some 8,500 vacant rooms in 30 hotels where they will seek to place homeless individuals and families in the days and weeks ahead .
As cities and counties work with state and federal agencies , Ms. Almanza says public officials are releasing emergency funds and relaxing rules on existing spending on homelessness .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on local nonprofits .
Ms. Almanza hopes the increased cooperation and trust will last beyond the pandemic given that , with or without the threat of COVID-19 , those living on the streets and in shelters face a daily life-or-death struggle .
“ It ’ s becoming crystal clear during this crisis that the nonprofit organizations are the front-line first responders , ” she says .
“ And what this could mean for the long term is a better understanding by government funders of what can happen when we all really come together.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a rise in California ’ s homeless population as banks foreclosed on homeowners and large encampments sprouted in cities across the state .
In 2008 , officials in Fresno embarked on a 10-year plan to reduce homelessness , funneling more funding and resources into rapid re-housing , permanent housing , and supportive services .
By 2017 , the city ’ s homeless population had fallen almost 60 % , according to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness , a much steeper decline than seen elsewhere in California .
The numbers have climbed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fresno – like the state as a whole – contends with an acute shortage of affordable housing .
But city officials assert that , in the same way they learned lessons from the housing crash , the pandemic response can inform policies for aiding the homeless population now and in the future .
“ This is a crisis within a crisis , ” says H. Spees , director of strategic initiatives for Fresno Mayor Lee Brand .
“ You have the homelessness crisis being enveloped by the COVID-19 crisis , and with that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ short-term responses into long-term solutions.
” Last week , in the span of 72 hours , the city opened up 300 new shelter beds in a vacant hotel and two other buildings and began housing homeless residents .
The swift action could serve as a template for the city long after the pandemic passes .
“ We don ’ t have all the answers , ” Mr. Spees says .
“ But we are seeing waves of public and private resources come together to speed up the street-to-home transition , and it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets can happen quickly when we have collective effort.
” In East Palo Alto , south of San Francisco , the Rev .
Paul Bains laments that it has taken a pandemic to bring greater urgency to the cause of ending homelessness .
At the same time , as the president of WeHOPE , a homeless shelter and supportive services provider , he recognizes that the coronavirus response presents an opportunity .
“ There is so much attention right now on getting people off the streets and out of the elements and giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he says .
“ Barriers are being removed because people are realizing what the risks are for someone who doesn ’ t have a place to live.
” In the past week , Mr. Bains has secured $ 230,000 in funding to expand WeHOPE ’ s fleet of mobile shower trailers and purchase 15,000 face masks to distribute to homeless individuals , outreach workers , and emergency responders .
He credits local officials and Governor Newsom for creating momentum to prioritize initiatives on homelessness .
“ What we ’ re seeing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership , we have the wherewithal to address these systemic issues , ” Mr. Bains says .
But it ’ s not just a spirit of collaboration that will be needed , says Margot Kushel , director of the Center for Vulnerable Populations at the University of California , San Francisco .
It also takes a serious , sustained , financial commitment .
“ Homelessness is a catastrophe , ” she says .
“ It requires a level of response that is not going to be free and is going to cost money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health.
” That money could be harder to find as the U.S. goes into a recession that will sap state budgets .
California has a substantial rainy day fund , but it is likely to be drawn down rapidly in a deep economic downturn .
Dr. Kushel believes that hotels could perhaps play a larger role in a long-term solution to homelessness in California .
When the crisis is over , some of the high-end hotels will go back to being hotels , she says .
“ There might be others who believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their properties .
”

Housing crisis or health crisis? On the streets of California it's both. Collapse
Francine Kiefer/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Ayman Ahmed, pictured with his dog, lives in a tent encampment at Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles. The city has converted a nearby community center into a shelter for homeless individuals who might be especially vulnerable to the coronavirus. But Mr. Ahmed and his friends are not interested. “We’re safer out here than in a shelter,” he says on March 20, 2020.
Propelled by the novel coronavirus, California is rushing to shelter thousands of its most vulnerable residents – homeless people who live outdoors and can’t “stay at home” to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.
Day One of that unprecedented effort in Los Angeles revealed the daunting struggle that lies ahead across the state. By dinnertime on a recent Friday, a shuttle bus had dropped off only four homeless people at a community center that was being turned into a shelter in the Echo Park neighborhood.
The four clients sat on the curb, waiting to be checked in. But the nurse had yet to arrive. Cots had not been delivered. One of the four, a distraught older woman in gray sweatpants, kept repeating “food, food.” When a helper tried to escort her to a restroom across the street to wash up before eating, she would not follow. Eventually, she wandered off and could not be coaxed back.
“It’s tough,” admits Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “We’ve never moved this many people, ever.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
In a matter of weeks, the city is trying to voluntarily move 6,000 unsheltered people into 42 community and recreation centers that are being converted into shelters. Those who are especially vulnerable, though not showing symptoms of COVID-19, as well as those who need to be quarantined will be sent to hotels, motels, or care centers.
But the mayor and others deeply involved in this issue are also looking ahead to after the crisis, whenever that comes. And how California responds to the needs of homeless people during a pandemic – particularly the unsheltered – may well shape thinking about what is still needed to address a vexing, complex problem that was a crisis long before the coronavirus hit.
“It’s certainly something we’re thinking about now,” Mayor Garcetti told a press briefing. “What can we do … to get the homeless, not just out of this crisis, but off the streets?”
A first-order priority
California is ground zero for America’s homelessness crisis. About 150,000 people are homeless here, living in shelters, on sidewalks, in tent encampments, canyon washes, and under bridges in the Golden State, often in highly unsanitary conditions. Many are older and in poor health, which heightens the risk of an explosion in severe virus cases that could further strain medical and city services.
Before the coronavirus hit, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom had made homelessness his first priority, devoting his entire State of the State speech to the subject. It polled as the top issue among voters as well. Now COVID-19 has added even more urgency to the issue, underscoring what people who work with the homeless population have known all along – that the challenge is not only in tackling a housing crisis but also a health one.
To slow the growth of the virus, the governor, in a March 18 executive order, directed $150 million to localities to help with shelters and hotel and motel rooms. The state also purchased more than 1,300 camper trailers for people who might need to be quarantined.
So far, the effort has been intense but spotty, accompanied by a debate about whether to move people into shared shelters or individual motel rooms.
As of April 1, Los Angeles had converted 13 community centers to shelters with 565 beds. The shelters are 95% full. More shelters as well as hotels, motels, and 1,000 quarantine beds are expected to come online in the next few days; 900 are already available. So far, five cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the homeless community.
Some homeless people are skeptical about the safety of shelters in a pandemic. “We’re safer out here than in a shelter,” says Ayman Ahmed, who sleeps in a tent at Echo Park Lake, voicing a common sentiment.
Still, the crisis is clearing away barriers that would normally hinder progress. Resources are being freed up, regulations eased, and eviction moratoriums declared in an all-hands-on-deck response that people who work with the homeless population hope can be extended after the pandemic ends. As those who are unsheltered enter temporary accommodation, even gathering data about them could be helpful in the long term, because so little is known about this population.
“We don’t know how many people are disconnected from homeless and health services. We don’t know the length of time the unsheltered have been on the streets. Both are predictive factors that show how hard or easy it may be to stably house someone,” says Gary Painter, an expert on homelessness at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, community support for emergency sheltering – instead of resistance – has been “pretty fantastic,” says Heidi Marston, interim executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. “As bad and unfortunate and uncertain as this pandemic is, it’s renewing a sense of crisis response and urgency that we have been looking for across the whole system.”
Cutting red tape
Bay Area Community Services, based in Oakland, runs programs that provide short-term and permanent housing for homeless residents, with an emphasis on seniors and those with physical or mental health conditions. Outreach workers have fanned out across the San Francisco Bay Area to educate those living on the streets and in vehicles about the coronavirus.
“What we’ve seen is that a lot of people don’t know the severity of the crisis,” says Jamie Almanza, the group’s executive director. As workers attempt to shepherd people into shelters and other temporary housing, she adds, “The question is how to capture this moment and this sense of urgency we’re seeing.”
Damian Dovarganes/AP View caption Hide caption Homeless people sleep near Los Angeles City Hall on March 27, 2020. On Friday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said the surge in COVID-19 that health officials warned about will worsen.
Governor Newsom’s emergency order has sliced through red tape that can slow down efforts to house those who lack permanent shelter. A pair of hotels in Oakland will provide housing for almost 400 people living in encampments, and in San Francisco, officials have identified some 8,500 vacant rooms in 30 hotels where they will seek to place homeless individuals and families in the days and weeks ahead.
As cities and counties work with state and federal agencies, Ms. Almanza says public officials are releasing emergency funds and relaxing rules on existing spending on homelessness. To locate available housing, officials are relying on local nonprofits. Ms. Almanza hopes the increased cooperation and trust will last beyond the pandemic given that, with or without the threat of COVID-19, those living on the streets and in shelters face a daily life-or-death struggle.
“It’s becoming crystal clear during this crisis that the nonprofit organizations are the front-line first responders,” she says. “And what this could mean for the long term is a better understanding by government funders of what can happen when we all really come together.”
Lessons learned in Fresno
The 2007-08 housing market crash contributed to a rise in California’s homeless population as banks foreclosed on homeowners and large encampments sprouted in cities across the state.
In 2008, officials in Fresno embarked on a 10-year plan to reduce homelessness, funneling more funding and resources into rapid re-housing, permanent housing, and supportive services. By 2017, the city’s homeless population had fallen almost 60%, according to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, a much steeper decline than seen elsewhere in California.
The numbers have climbed again over the past few years as Fresno – like the state as a whole – contends with an acute shortage of affordable housing. But city officials assert that, in the same way they learned lessons from the housing crash, the pandemic response can inform policies for aiding the homeless population now and in the future.
“This is a crisis within a crisis,” says H. Spees, director of strategic initiatives for Fresno Mayor Lee Brand. “You have the homelessness crisis being enveloped by the COVID-19 crisis, and with that, you have the opportunity to leverage short-term responses into long-term solutions.”
Last week, in the span of 72 hours, the city opened up 300 new shelter beds in a vacant hotel and two other buildings and began housing homeless residents. The swift action could serve as a template for the city long after the pandemic passes.
“We don’t have all the answers,” Mr. Spees says. “But we are seeing waves of public and private resources come together to speed up the street-to-home transition, and it’s demonstrating that moving people off the streets can happen quickly when we have collective effort.”
Removing barriers
In East Palo Alto, south of San Francisco, the Rev. Paul Bains laments that it has taken a pandemic to bring greater urgency to the cause of ending homelessness. At the same time, as the president of WeHOPE, a homeless shelter and supportive services provider, he recognizes that the coronavirus response presents an opportunity.
“There is so much attention right now on getting people off the streets and out of the elements and giving them a chance to get healthy,” he says. “Barriers are being removed because people are realizing what the risks are for someone who doesn’t have a place to live.”
In the past week, Mr. Bains has secured $230,000 in funding to expand WeHOPE’s fleet of mobile shower trailers and purchase 15,000 face masks to distribute to homeless individuals, outreach workers, and emergency responders. He credits local officials and Governor Newsom for creating momentum to prioritize initiatives on homelessness.
“What we’re seeing is that, with community collaboration and strong leadership, we have the wherewithal to address these systemic issues,” Mr. Bains says.
But it’s not just a spirit of collaboration that will be needed, says Margot Kushel, director of the Center for Vulnerable Populations at the University of California, San Francisco. It also takes a serious, sustained, financial commitment.
“Homelessness is a catastrophe,” she says. “It requires a level of response that is not going to be free and is going to cost money, but is absolutely essential to preserve health.”
That money could be harder to find as the U.S. goes into a recession that will sap state budgets. California has a substantial rainy day fund, but it is likely to be drawn down rapidly in a deep economic downturn.
Dr. Kushel believes that hotels could perhaps play a larger role in a long-term solution to homelessness in California. When the crisis is over, some of the high-end hotels will go back to being hotels, she says. “There might be others who believe that having full occupancy brings more value to their properties.”


csmonitor--2020-04-02--Housing crisis or health crisis? On the streets of California it’s both.

“ As bad and unfortunate and uncertain as this pandemic is , it ’ s renewing a sense of crisis response and urgency that we have been looking for across the whole system , ” says Heidi Marston of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority .
How California responds now to the needs of homeless people may shape long-term thinking about what has been missing so far in its response to its housing crisis .
People who work with the homeless population hope this spirit can be extended after the crisis abates .
Local officials are scrambling to move thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locate hotel rooms to quarantine the most vulnerable people and those who may already have COVID-19 .
It ’ s proving an immense challenge .
Still , the crisis is also clearing away barriers that would normally hinder progress : Resources are being freed up , regulations eased , and communities are pitching in .
California has the nation ’ s largest homeless population .
Staying in shelters or in cars and parks , they are more likely than residents living in permanent housing to have underlying health problems .
That puts them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ putting additional strain on medical and city services .
Propelled by the novel coronavirus , California is rushing to shelter thousands of its most vulnerable residents – homeless people who live outdoors and can ’ t “ stay at home ” to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 .
Day One of that unprecedented effort in Los Angeles revealed the daunting struggle that lies ahead across the state .
By dinnertime on a recent Friday , a shuttle bus had dropped off only four homeless people at a community center that was being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park neighborhood .
The four clients sat on the curb , waiting to be checked in .
But the nurse had yet to arrive .
Cots had not been delivered .
One of the four , a distraught older woman in gray sweatpants , kept repeating “ food , food.
” When a helper tried to escort her to a restroom across the street to wash up before eating , she would not follow .
Eventually , she wandered off and could not be coaxed back .
“ It ’ s tough , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ ve never moved this many people , ever.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
In a matter of weeks , the city is trying to voluntarily move 6,000 unsheltered people into 42 community and recreation centers that are being converted into shelters .
Those who are especially vulnerable , though not showing symptoms of COVID-19 , as well as those who need to be quarantined will be sent to hotels , motels , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others deeply involved in this issue are also looking ahead to after the crisis , whenever that comes .
And how California responds to the needs of homeless people during a pandemic – particularly the unsheltered – may well shape thinking about what is still needed to address a vexing , complex problem that was a crisis long before the coronavirus hit .
“ It ’ s certainly something we ’ re thinking about now , ” Mayor Garcetti told a press briefing .
“ What can we do … to get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis , but off the streets ?
” California is ground zero for America ’ s homelessness crisis .
About 150,000 people are homeless here , living in shelters , on sidewalks , in tent encampments , canyon washes , and under bridges in the Golden State , often in highly unsanitary conditions .
Many are older and in poor health , which heightens the risk of an explosion in severe virus cases that could further strain medical and city services .
Before the coronavirus hit , Democratic Gov .
Gavin Newsom had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his entire State of the State speech to the subject .
It polled as the top issue among voters as well .
Now COVID-19 has added even more urgency to the issue , underscoring what people who work with the homeless population have known all along – that the challenge is not only in tackling a housing crisis but also a health one .
To slow the growth of the virus , the governor , in a March 18 executive order , directed $ 150 million to localities to help with shelters and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also purchased more than 1,300 camper trailers for people who might need to be quarantined .
So far , the effort has been intense but spotty , accompanied by a debate about whether to move people into shared shelters or individual motel rooms .
As of April 1 , Los Angeles had converted 13 community centers to shelters with 565 beds .
The shelters are 95 % full .
More shelters as well as hotels , motels , and 1,000 quarantine beds are expected to come online in the next few days ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , five cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the homeless community .
Some homeless people are skeptical about the safety of shelters in a pandemic .
“ We ’ re safer out here than in a shelter , ” says Ayman Ahmed , who sleeps in a tent at Echo Park Lake , voicing a common sentiment .
Still , the crisis is clearing away barriers that would normally hinder progress .
Resources are being freed up , regulations eased , and eviction moratoriums declared in an all-hands-on-deck response that people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be extended after the pandemic ends .
As those who are unsheltered enter temporary accommodation , even gathering data about them could be helpful in the long term , because so little is known about this population .
“ We don ’ t know how many people are disconnected from homeless and health services .
We don ’ t know the length of time the unsheltered have been on the streets .
Both are predictive factors that show how hard or easy it may be to stably house someone , ” says Gary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Southern California in Los Angeles .
Meanwhile , community support for emergency sheltering – instead of resistance – has been “ pretty fantastic , ” says Heidi Marston , interim executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority .
“ As bad and unfortunate and uncertain as this pandemic is , it ’ s renewing a sense of crisis response and urgency that we have been looking for across the whole system.
” Bay Area Community Services , based in Oakland , runs programs that provide short-term and permanent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emphasis on seniors and those with physical or mental health conditions .
Outreach workers have fanned out across the San Francisco Bay Area to educate those living on the streets and in vehicles about the coronavirus .
“ What we ’ ve seen is that a lot of people don ’ t know the severity of the crisis , ” says Jamie Almanza , the group ’ s executive director .
As workers attempt to shepherd people into shelters and other temporary housing , she adds , “ The question is how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urgency we ’ re seeing.
” Governor Newsom ’ s emergency order has sliced through red tape that can slow down efforts to house those who lack permanent shelter .
A pair of hotels in Oakland will provide housing for almost 400 people living in encampments , and in San Francisco , officials have identified some 8,500 vacant rooms in 30 hotels where they will seek to place homeless individuals and families in the days and weeks ahead .
As cities and counties work with state and federal agencies , Ms. Almanza says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relaxing rules on existing spending on homelessness .
To locate available housing , officials are relying on local nonprofits .
Ms. Almanza hopes the increased cooperation and trust will last beyond the pandemic given that , with or without the threat of COVID-19 , those living on the streets and in shelters face a daily life-or-death struggle .
“ It ’ s becoming crystal clear during this crisis that the nonprofit organizations are the front-line first responders , ” she says .
“ And what this could mean for the long term is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what can happen when we all really come together.
” The 2007-08 housing market crash contributed to a rise in California ’ s homeless population as banks foreclosed on homeowners and large encampments sprouted in cities across the state .
In 2008 , officials in Fresno embarked on a 10-year plan to reduce homelessness , funneling more funding and resources into rapid re-housing , permanent housing , and supportive services .
By 2017 , the city ’ s homeless population had fallen almost 60 % , according to the U.S. Interagency Council on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen elsewhere in California .
The numbers have climbed again over the past few years as Fresno – like the state as a whole – contends with an acute shortage of affordable housing .
But city officials assert that , in the same way they learned lessons from the housing crash , the pandemic response can inform policies for aiding the homeless population now and in the future .
“ This is a crisis within a crisis , ” says H. Spees , director of strategic initiatives for Fresno Mayor Lee Brand .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ enveloped by the COVID-19 crisis , and with that , you have the opportunity to leverage short-term responses into long-term solutions.
” Last week , in the span of 72 hours , the city opened up 300 new shelter beds in a vacant hotel and two other buildings and began housing homeless residents .
The swift action could serve as a template for the city long after the pandemic passes .
“ We don ’ t have all the answers , ” Mr. Spees says .
“ But we are seeing waves of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speed up the street-to-home transition , and it ’ s demonstrating that moving people off the streets can happen quickly when we have collective effort.
” In East Palo Alto , south of San Francisco , the Rev .
Paul Bains laments that it has taken a pandemic to bring greater urgency to the cause of ending homelessness .
At the same time , as the president of WeHOPE , a homeless shelter and supportive services provider , he recognizes that the coronavirus response presents an opportunity .
“ There is so much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the streets and out of the elements and giving them a chance to get healthy , ” he says .
“ Barriers are being removed because people are realizing what the risks are for someone who doesn ’ t have a place to live.
” In the past week , Mr. Bains has secured $ 230,000 in funding to expand WeHOPE ’ s fleet of mobile shower trailers and purchase 15,000 face masks to distribute to homeless individuals , outreach workers , and emergency responders .
He credits local officials and Governor Newsom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homelessness .
“ What we ’ re seeing is that , with community collaboration and strong leadership , we have the wherewithal to address these systemic issues , ” Mr. Bains says .
But it ’ s not just a spirit of collaboration that will be needed , says Margot Kushel , director of the Center for Vulnerable Populations at the University of California , San Francisco .
It also takes a serious , sustained , financial commitment .
“ Homelessness is a catastrophe , ” she says .
“ It requires a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be free and is going to cost money , but is absolutely essential to preserve health.
” That money could be harder to find as the U.S. goes into a recession that will sap state budgets .
California has a substantial rainy day fund , but it is likely to be drawn down rapidly in a deep economic downturn .
Dr. Kushel believes that hotels could perhaps play a larger role in a long-term solution to homelessness in California .
When the crisis is over , some of the high-end hotels will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
“ There might be others who believe that having full occupancy brings more value to their properties .
”

“As bad and unfortunate and uncertain as this pandemic is, it’s renewing a sense of crisis response and urgency that we have been looking for across the whole system,” says Heidi Marston of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
How California responds now to the needs of homeless people may shape long-term thinking about what has been missing so far in its response to its housing crisis. People who work with the homeless population hope this spirit can be extended after the crisis abates.
Housing the most vulnerable of California’s homeless people is a humane response to a public health crisis. It could also uncork solutions to a chronic housing shortage after the pandemic is over.
Local officials are scrambling to move thousands of homeless people into converted shelters and locate hotel rooms to quarantine the most vulnerable people and those who may already have COVID-19. It’s proving an immense challenge. Still, the crisis is also clearing away barriers that would normally hinder progress: Resources are being freed up, regulations eased, and communities are pitching in.
California has the nation’s largest homeless population. Staying in shelters or in cars and parks, they are more likely than residents living in permanent housing to have underlying health problems. That puts them at heightened risk during a pandemic, putting additional strain on medical and city services.
Propelled by the novel coronavirus, California is rushing to shelter thousands of its most vulnerable residents – homeless people who live outdoors and can’t “stay at home” to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.
Day One of that unprecedented effort in Los Angeles revealed the daunting struggle that lies ahead across the state. By dinnertime on a recent Friday, a shuttle bus had dropped off only four homeless people at a community center that was being turned into a shelter in the Echo Park neighborhood.
The four clients sat on the curb, waiting to be checked in. But the nurse had yet to arrive. Cots had not been delivered. One of the four, a distraught older woman in gray sweatpants, kept repeating “food, food.” When a helper tried to escort her to a restroom across the street to wash up before eating, she would not follow. Eventually, she wandered off and could not be coaxed back.
Why We Wrote This Housing the most vulnerable of California’s homeless people is a humane response to a public health crisis. It could also uncork solutions to a chronic housing shortage after the pandemic is over.
“It’s tough,” admits Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “We’ve never moved this many people, ever.”
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In a matter of weeks, the city is trying to voluntarily move 6,000 unsheltered people into 42 community and recreation centers that are being converted into shelters. Those who are especially vulnerable, though not showing symptoms of COVID-19, as well as those who need to be quarantined will be sent to hotels, motels, or care centers.
But the mayor and others deeply involved in this issue are also looking ahead to after the crisis, whenever that comes. And how California responds to the needs of homeless people during a pandemic – particularly the unsheltered – may well shape thinking about what is still needed to address a vexing, complex problem that was a crisis long before the coronavirus hit.
“It’s certainly something we’re thinking about now,” Mayor Garcetti told a press briefing. “What can we do … to get the homeless, not just out of this crisis, but off the streets?”
A first-order priority
California is ground zero for America’s homelessness crisis. About 150,000 people are homeless here, living in shelters, on sidewalks, in tent encampments, canyon washes, and under bridges in the Golden State, often in highly unsanitary conditions. Many are older and in poor health, which heightens the risk of an explosion in severe virus cases that could further strain medical and city services.
Before the coronavirus hit, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom had made homelessness his first priority, devoting his entire State of the State speech to the subject. It polled as the top issue among voters as well. Now COVID-19 has added even more urgency to the issue, underscoring what people who work with the homeless population have known all along – that the challenge is not only in tackling a housing crisis but also a health one.
To slow the growth of the virus, the governor, in a March 18 executive order, directed $150 million to localities to help with shelters and hotel and motel rooms. The state also purchased more than 1,300 camper trailers for people who might need to be quarantined.
So far, the effort has been intense but spotty, accompanied by a debate about whether to move people into shared shelters or individual motel rooms.
As of April 1, Los Angeles had converted 13 community centers to shelters with 565 beds. The shelters are 95% full. More shelters as well as hotels, motels, and 1,000 quarantine beds are expected to come online in the next few days; 900 are already available. So far, five cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the homeless community.
Some homeless people are skeptical about the safety of shelters in a pandemic. “We’re safer out here than in a shelter,” says Ayman Ahmed, who sleeps in a tent at Echo Park Lake, voicing a common sentiment.
Still, the crisis is clearing away barriers that would normally hinder progress. Resources are being freed up, regulations eased, and eviction moratoriums declared in an all-hands-on-deck response that people who work with the homeless population hope can be extended after the pandemic ends. As those who are unsheltered enter temporary accommodation, even gathering data about them could be helpful in the long term, because so little is known about this population.
“We don’t know how many people are disconnected from homeless and health services. We don’t know the length of time the unsheltered have been on the streets. Both are predictive factors that show how hard or easy it may be to stably house someone,” says Gary Painter, an expert on homelessness at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, community support for emergency sheltering – instead of resistance – has been “pretty fantastic,” says Heidi Marston, interim executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. “As bad and unfortunate and uncertain as this pandemic is, it’s renewing a sense of crisis response and urgency that we have been looking for across the whole system.”
Cutting red tape
Bay Area Community Services, based in Oakland, runs programs that provide short-term and permanent housing for homeless residents, with an emphasis on seniors and those with physical or mental health conditions. Outreach workers have fanned out across the San Francisco Bay Area to educate those living on the streets and in vehicles about the coronavirus.
“What we’ve seen is that a lot of people don’t know the severity of the crisis,” says Jamie Almanza, the group’s executive director. As workers attempt to shepherd people into shelters and other temporary housing, she adds, “The question is how to capture this moment and this sense of urgency we’re seeing.”
Damian Dovarganes/AP View caption Hide caption Homeless people sleep near Los Angeles City Hall on March 27, 2020. On Friday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said the surge in COVID-19 that health officials warned about will worsen.
Governor Newsom’s emergency order has sliced through red tape that can slow down efforts to house those who lack permanent shelter. A pair of hotels in Oakland will provide housing for almost 400 people living in encampments, and in San Francisco, officials have identified some 8,500 vacant rooms in 30 hotels where they will seek to place homeless individuals and families in the days and weeks ahead.
As cities and counties work with state and federal agencies, Ms. Almanza says public officials are releasing emergency funds and relaxing rules on existing spending on homelessness. To locate available housing, officials are relying on local nonprofits. Ms. Almanza hopes the increased cooperation and trust will last beyond the pandemic given that, with or without the threat of COVID-19, those living on the streets and in shelters face a daily life-or-death struggle.
“It’s becoming crystal clear during this crisis that the nonprofit organizations are the front-line first responders,” she says. “And what this could mean for the long term is a better understanding by government funders of what can happen when we all really come together.”
Lessons learned in Fresno
The 2007-08 housing market crash contributed to a rise in California’s homeless population as banks foreclosed on homeowners and large encampments sprouted in cities across the state.
In 2008, officials in Fresno embarked on a 10-year plan to reduce homelessness, funneling more funding and resources into rapid re-housing, permanent housing, and supportive services. By 2017, the city’s homeless population had fallen almost 60%, according to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, a much steeper decline than seen elsewhere in California.
The numbers have climbed again over the past few years as Fresno – like the state as a whole – contends with an acute shortage of affordable housing. But city officials assert that, in the same way they learned lessons from the housing crash, the pandemic response can inform policies for aiding the homeless population now and in the future.
“This is a crisis within a crisis,” says H. Spees, director of strategic initiatives for Fresno Mayor Lee Brand. “You have the homelessness crisis being enveloped by the COVID-19 crisis, and with that, you have the opportunity to leverage short-term responses into long-term solutions.”
Last week, in the span of 72 hours, the city opened up 300 new shelter beds in a vacant hotel and two other buildings and began housing homeless residents. The swift action could serve as a template for the city long after the pandemic passes.
“We don’t have all the answers,” Mr. Spees says. “But we are seeing waves of public and private resources come together to speed up the street-to-home transition, and it’s demonstrating that moving people off the streets can happen quickly when we have collective effort.”
Removing barriers
In East Palo Alto, south of San Francisco, the Rev. Paul Bains laments that it has taken a pandemic to bring greater urgency to the cause of ending homelessness. At the same time, as the president of WeHOPE, a homeless shelter and supportive services provider, he recognizes that the coronavirus response presents an opportunity.
“There is so much attention right now on getting people off the streets and out of the elements and giving them a chance to get healthy,” he says. “Barriers are being removed because people are realizing what the risks are for someone who doesn’t have a place to live.”
In the past week, Mr. Bains has secured $230,000 in funding to expand WeHOPE’s fleet of mobile shower trailers and purchase 15,000 face masks to distribute to homeless individuals, outreach workers, and emergency responders. He credits local officials and Governor Newsom for creating momentum to prioritize initiatives on homelessness.
“What we’re seeing is that, with community collaboration and strong leadership, we have the wherewithal to address these systemic issues,” Mr. Bains says.
But it’s not just a spirit of collaboration that will be needed, says Margot Kushel, director of the Center for Vulnerable Populations at the University of California, San Francisco. It also takes a serious, sustained, financial commitment.
“Homelessness is a catastrophe,” she says. “It requires a level of response that is not going to be free and is going to cost money, but is absolutely essential to preserve health.”
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That money could be harder to find as the U.S. goes into a recession that will sap state budgets. California has a substantial rainy day fund, but it is likely to be drawn down rapidly in a deep economic downturn.
Dr. Kushel believes that hotels could perhaps play a larger role in a long-term solution to homelessness in California. When the crisis is over, some of the high-end hotels will go back to being hotels, she says. “There might be others who believe that having full occupancy brings more value to their properties.”