The homeless problem in downtown was the hot topic before Atascadero City Council at their virtual meeting last night.
Atascadero Police Chief Jerel Haley told the council the numbers of transients in the downtown area has increased in recent weeks. He said part of the increase relates to Paso Robles clearing transients out of the Salinas riverbed. The other factor is the increased number of inmates released by state prisons because of COVID-19.
Chief Haley said one individual who was released from jail by the governor’s COVID-19 Release Program has repeatedly broken the law. Atascadero police cite him, but because of the Zero-Bail policy imposed by the governor, he is immediately released and back on the streets. Then, he breaks the law again. Haley said part of the problem is the fact that the shutdown has backed up the courts. A citation is not heard by a local court for 120 days.
The Atascadero City Council asked the Atascadero Police Chief about Paso Robles’ new facility on North River road built to accommodate homeless removed from the riverbed. The chief said he’s received a mixed message from Paso Robles officials, but he will reach out to them again. The chief said he will discuss with Paso Robles officials the availability of space at their facility for some of those former riverbed squatters who are now camping in downtown Atascadero in the creek and around the Rotunda.
