Chico City Councilmember Scott Huber.
After recent experiences, I’m compelled to present a counter-narrative to those who have spoken out against a “Code Blue” cold-weather shelter (and other sheltering ideas).
At the Feb. 5 Chico City Council meeting, a minority of speakers expressed their reasons for opposing a city-sponsored cold-weather shelter. Their reasons included (paraphrased) “sheltering these people is not Chico’s responsibility, it is the responsibility of Butte County or the non-profits.” Others asserted that because this form of shelter would be open to anyone it would allow for “drug addicts, criminals and sexual predators” (again paraphrased).
Cold-weather sheltering is a safety measure, potentially a life-saving measure. Since when did saving a life come with so many prerequisites? Imagine a person falling overboard, and the potential rescuer shouting out “Sorry you’ll have to wait for the county!” or “Have you ever been convicted of a felony?” This implies that some lives have more value than others, a notion that I trust most people reject. The reality is that neither the county nor the non-profits are immediately able to provide cold-weather solutions, and we are — so we must be the ones to step-up.