COVID-19 causes shortage of homeless resources

By Julia Limburg,

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff-

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a decrease in the availability of housing, food and other resources for the homeless community. 

Last year, 68 foster and homeless families worked with the Davis Joint Unified School District. Homeless liaison Camica Edwards has been reaching out to the families to assess their situations for the 2021-2022 school year. 

“My job is to remove barriers for foster kids and homeless kids. Barriers like not having a house, transportation, lack of money, [etc.],” Edwards said. 

Ryan Finnigan, an associate professor of economics at UC Davis, has studied the housing and labor market extensively. He says the pandemic contributed to the growth of the homeless population as jobs and income were lost.

At the same time, less resources have been available for unhoused people; COVID-19 forced shelter closures and decreased access to other resources. 

“Students dealing with homelessness often spend most of their time and energy just figuring out where they’ll sleep for the [night],” Finnigan said. 

Allie O’Brien, co-founder of student-run shelter Aggie House, said that there is very low vacancy rates for affordable housing in Davis. 

“Both the university and the city don’t really want to take responsibility for building more student housing because […] it is expensive, and they are both kind of trying to guilt the other into doing it,” O’Brien said. “I would really encourage anybody on either side to see it as their responsibility to some degree.”

The homeless community is also more likely to come into contact with COVID-19 due to the lack of resources. 

“With certain resources being shut down, at capacity, or with long wait times, homeless individuals are at high risk for contracting the virus and getting sick,” said Janelly Navarrete, Program Coordinator at Short Term Emergency Aid Committee.

However, funding to assist homeless DJUSD students has increased due to the pandemic.

“I know that there’s increased funding. I’m getting emails everyday about what nonprofits are doing and what the county is doing,” Edwards said.