The city of Santa Barbara has placed eight portable bathrooms near homeless encampments to help reduce the possible spread of COVID-19.

In light of the viral threat, the city is not allowed to clear homeless encampments unless there are individual housing units available for them, which there aren't.

"Clearing these encampments can cause people to disperse throughout the community and break connections with service providers," said Laura Dubbels, housing and human services manager. "This increases the potential for infectious disease spread."

Dubbels told the City Council on Tuesday that officials are supposed to encourage the homeless in encampments to set up their tents with at least 12 x 12 feet of space per individual. Since there are no public restrooms available with a functioning water tap or hand sanitizer, the city must provide portable bathrooms near encampments of more than 10 people, according to the national Centers for Disease Control.

Councilman Eric Friedman asked if the bathroom by the Cacique Street bridge could be removed because many homeless people congregate under the bridge.

"It would be very difficult, if not impossible, for the residents of the Eastside to actually walk on either sidewalk on each side," he said. "I don't think that is an appropriate location considering the constraints of the sidewalk and the need for the community to be able to access some of the parks on the other side, maybe even the beaches, by walking."

Dubbels said she would talk to service providers about possibly moving the bathroom.

In addition, Dubbels said Santa Barbara County plans to open a hotel for the homeless in Santa Barbara.

The 68-room hotel would be for homeless people who do not have the COVID-19 virus.

"Right now the county is in the final stages of a deal with a motel or hotel in Santa Barbara," she said.

The first priority is housing people who are 65 or over with serious health conditions; then people with a serious health condition under 65; and then all individuals age 65 or over.

"Those should be coming online shortly," Dubbels said.

She said Santa Barbara is about three weeks behind Ventura County in finding hotels to open to the homeless.

The individuals will need to shelter-in-place at the site. Support services and security would also be provided.

"There's not going to be a lot of movement in and out of these units," Dubbels said. "They are going to make it so there is basically one way in and one way out and there will be sign-ins."

The City Council also addressed the rise in crime activity during the shelter-in-place government order.

"We're seeing a little uptick in crime in a wave that we definitely don't enjoy seeing," Police Chief Lori Luhnow said.

She said the department is putting together a report that clarifies the changes. Crimes are reported now online and over the phone.

"A lot of the petty crime or lower level vandalism is associated with maybe some children or youth that are not engaged and are out in the streets, and some if it is a criminal element that is looking for a means to survive," Luhnow said.

She said the release of people from jails and prisons is also a factor.

"Another area that concerns us is the uptick in violence," she said. "We have a lot of people on the streets who were in custody the last couple of months. Our law-abiding citizens need to understand they need to be inside and they are continuing to be law-abiding citizens for the most part. "

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