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Spending the evenings in several layers of clothing in a room full of other women is better than battling the elements this month, said Suzanne Alexander as she found a spot in <strong>Redwood</strong> City’s Maple Street Shelter Thursday evening. REDWOOD CITY’S MONTHLY MAGAZINE COLD DRIVES HOMELESS TO SHELTERS according to the Shelter Network and St. Vincent de Paul. At the same time, Alexander and others at Maple Street Shelter said they know plenty of homeless braving the weather rather than trying their luck at getting housing. S Many homeless will chance the inclement weather so they can continue using drugs or drinking. Safe Harbor is a clean and sober shelter, Hearne said. “You’ve got to want to change,” Hearne said. Alexander, 37, has been homeless for more than three years. She suffers from a number of physical ailments such as fibromyalgia, which causes her severe pain during cold weather. She used to spend her nights sleeping in her car and running the heater when she could afford it. She was one of the 75 men and women on a recent night who managed to get a bed at Maple Street Shelter as temperatures dipped below 40 degrees. With forecasters predicting such temperatures for several days, shelters across the county were packed, and officials implemented a motel voucher program to provide temporary housing for individuals who need to escape the elements. Meanwhile, the San Mateo County Department of Housing and the Office of Emergency Services received state approval to open the National Guard Armory in <strong>Redwood</strong> City’s Red Morton Park for emergency shelter, said Jennie Loft of the San Mateo County Human Services Agency. <strong>The</strong> armory will be open from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. and the San Mateo Medical Center will provide light meals. Alexander was impressed the armory would open. “I have friends who can’t get in here that are spending the night on the street tonight,” Alexander said. Maple Street has a policy that prohibits people who were sheltered there recently from coming back within 30 days, Alexander said. Alexander was provided with extra blankets and fed a dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes and broccoli. She was still wearing flannel pajamas under her jeans, three layers of jackets and sweaters, a scarf and a hat. She’s not the only one used to dressing for the worst. Most at Maple Street had hats, sweaters and gloves. “It’s freezing out there. To be out there on the streets with no place to go is no good. I’ve been there before,” said Charles Hearne. Hearne was homeless three times before in the last 15 years. This time he finds himself on the streets after his roommate got in trouble with the law and left Hearne unable to pay the rent. Sometimes it’s the loneliness that makes people want to change. “When you’re homeless you’re alone a lot,” said 47- year-old Thomas Farmer. “It’s a blessing to be here, to have the extra blankets. Outside, you don’t know if it’s going to rain or snow.” Without shelter, Farmer would be sleeping on a park bench or under cardboard. “Your feet are freezing and they feel like they are going to fall off,” Farmer said. Farmer is schizoaffective and does crack and marijuana and drinks a lot of beer, he said. He was willing to put his addictions aside at least for one night in return for a warm bed. “It’s a scary world we live in,” he said. “But it’s good to be alive.” Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the Daily Journal newspaper. Only a handful of people requested motel vouchers, 13 A school district’s challenge to a state law requiring it to fund a charter school it didn’t charter could set a precedent in how similar districts are on the hook financially for other charter schools. For the Sequoia Union High School District, passing the charter and the financial responsibility for High Tech High Bayshore to the state could save it $1.45 million a year — money the district needs to educate approximately 7,800 students. However, that quest is being halted temporarily. In November the board of trustees decided to challenge state law that required it fund the <strong>Redwood</strong> City school. <strong>The</strong> matter was slated to be discussed Thursday, Jan. 11, at the state Board of Education meeting but was pulled by Sequoia to consult state departments, said Superintendent Pat Gemma. <strong>The</strong> request was recommended for denial by the state Board of Education, simply because it doesn’t want to pay the bill either. If Sequoia’s quest is successful it could change the financial obligation of local districts to stateapproved charter schools. In January 2006, High Tech High Bayshore became the first charter school organization in the state to be granted the right to skip local approval. <strong>The</strong> school is chartered by the state, yet Sequoia is responsible to pay for the students attending. <strong>The</strong> setup, the board argues, is unfair. CHARTER CHALLENGE COULD NET SCHOOL SAVINGS Under state law, basic aid districts — which receive revenue from local taxes — must pay for the students attending charter schools within the district boundaries. Currently Sequoia budgets $4 million annually to go to Summit Preparatory High School and High Tech High Bayshore — $6,000 per pupil. <strong>The</strong> difference is that Summit is chartered through Sequoia. <strong>The</strong>refore, the two parties work together. High Tech High, on the other hand, has a county charter approved by the state — a unique standing. This setup does not require High Tech High Bayshore to work with Sequoia at all. <strong>The</strong> state pays for most schools it approves — including the other High Tech High schools in California. High Tech High Bayshore is special because it was approved by the state, but not to be paid for under the state umbrella. High Tech High has 262 students currently enrolled — a $1.45 million bill for Sequoia. Making the state responsible to fund High Tech High would give Sequoia about $185 more per student every year. Despite the recommendation of denial, the argument was briefly discussed in the state Board of Education’s staff report. <strong>The</strong> state would be against switching the cost to cover High Tech High Bayshore because of the financial burden. Interestingly, a school district cannot consider this option when deciding to charter a school under state law. An approval would also open up the option for similar districts — or neighboring districts with students who attend High Tech High Bayshore — to request a waiver to pay. If San Mateo Union High School District, for example, had six students from its district attending High Tech High, it could request the state to take over its financial obligation as well. <strong>The</strong> county Board of Education granted High Tech High a yearlong charter in 2005 to keep its 71 students in school. High Tech High applied and was granted a charter through the state without reapplying to the county. Sequoia argued the school didn’t have the right to appeal to the state for a charter. <strong>The</strong> district was asking that the state waive its requirement to pay the school. <strong>The</strong> district suggested High Tech High Bayshore operate under the state charter for the High Tech High organization, which would make the state responsible for footing the bill. Sequoia plans to resubmit its request for the March state Board of Education meeting. Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the Daily Journal newspaper. WWW.SPECTRUMMAGAZINE.NET
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