‘We can’t keep playing Whack-A-Mole’: First-of-its-kind resource fair for Fresno County

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – City, county, and state officials hosted a joint resource fair for people experiencing homelessness.

As part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s SAFE Task Force, elected leaders offered a one-stop shop for those in need. 

Fresno County Supervisors Nathan Magsig and Luis Chavez believe the event marks a first-of-its-kind collaborative effort.

“Something like this has not been done in the past. But as we consolidate resources in one spot, it really saves people time who are experiencing homelessness,” Magsig explained. “As resources are diminishing right now from the federal and state level, we have to find ways to operate more efficiently. And so, it’s been great working with the City of Fresno and, of course, working with the state and then making sure at the county level, that us, kind of being the hub of all of this, coordinating all these services.”

“I think for the first time, you saw all true partners come together and really symbolize what it’s going to take to solve the homeless crisis. We all have, you know, personal stories. We have family members that have gone through this. Homelessness has many phases. It doesn’t discriminate against, you know, gender, race, ethnicity,” Chavez noted.

The fair kicked off at Hope Pointe Emergency Shelter and featured mental health resources, representatives with the DMV, and more.

CEO of Poverello House Zack Darrah says one of the main goals is to reduce the time it takes to help people without a home.

“We had people get their birth certificates. These are things that our team is working on every day. But to have them all here where people are already staying, that streamlines that process to ending homelessness for our guests,” he said. 

On Friday, Newsom’s office announced the removal of two Fresno encampments under the direction of the SAFE task force.

On Monday, officials said no arrests were made, adding that a few individuals accepted service.

Supervisor Chavez welcomes the new directive.

“It’s unrealistic to think that you’re going to clean up a freeway and they’re just going to disappear. They come into our neighborhoods. So, this was really a response to that and making sure that we have services and programs, ” he said. “The SAFE Task Force that the governor implemented is going to be, I think, critical and important going forward because we can’t keep playing Whack-A-Mole. You can’t keep moving folks on the freeway into the neighboring neighborhoods and then back and forth. We have to actually address the root of the problem, and that’s substance abuse, mental health, and consistent access to medication.”

The fair concludes on Oct. 28 at 2 p.m.