There’s hardly a lack of compassion in Gilroy for the homeless.
And the news stories on the people moving into the Sobrato
Transitional Apartments were stories of hope that bucked the
stereotypical portrait. Yet, the problems that have plagued the
owners of neighboring Pinnochio’s Pizza cannot and should not be
ignored. With compassion comes responsibility.
There’s hardly a lack of compassion in Gilroy for the homeless. And the news stories on the people moving into the Sobrato Transitional Apartments were stories of hope that bucked the stereotypical portrait. Yet, the problems that have plagued the owners of neighboring Pinnochio’s Pizza cannot and should not be ignored. With compassion comes responsibility.
Those problems the Oliveri family details – from burglary to slathering feces on the family dog – coincided with the arrival of the transitional center behind the family’s business at Monterey Road near Farrell Avenue. Moreover, the calls to service for police to the exact address of the transitional center have risen dramatically. The criminal behavior prompted Salvatore Oliveri, the patriarch of an Italian immigrant family, to characterize the daily struggle going on where his family works and lives in this way: “Our paradise has turned into a hell.”
If Gilroy is going to remain a compassionate place – and it should – where restoring hope for homeless is supported by the general populace, the Oliveri family cannot be ignored. Hope is a two-way street, and accountability is absolutely necessary to maintain public support.
What’s in the works – a meeting between the family, South County Housing and the Gilroy Police – is exactly what’s needed.
What should come from that is a written agreement that can be reviewed as needed spelling out the responsibilities for oversight by South County Housing, operators of the center, the police and the Oliveri family.
That document should cover everything from lighting to private security patrols and should outline the GPD’s role in helping restore order to the neighborhood.
The rules and regulations for the residents at the apartments should be made clear, and SCH must make sure those rules are enforced – even if it means eviction. One or two bad apples can spoil it for those sincere and committed to bettering themselves.
The goal is threefold: 1. Reduce the calls for police service to the apartments; 2. Ensure that support for transitional housing remains intact in our community; and 3. Restore peace and security for a business owner and his family.
It’s likely that the transitional apartments aren’t the only reason for the troubles. The neighborhood has changed quite a bit in the last 10 years. But that’s all the more reason for the GPD to become actively involved. A concerted effort to patrol the area and be visible at key times should go a long way toward eliminating the problems now plaguing the neighborhood.
