Too Cold in the Karma Box Tents
While complaints are growing about conditions on cold nights at the Washoe County run, Karma Box Project operated safe camp, where personal heat sources are not allowed, county officials say they will be moving away from tents to small individual shelters at that location by the end of November. But a new petition warns people could die before then, if it gets too cold under current conditions.
Bryce, who we met recently at the site of the old Wells Ave. tent city, says not being allowed to have your own source of heat at the pilot safe camp, as is currently the case, makes it colder than being on your own at night. Many unhoused living in tents will have their own propane tent heaters when sleeping along the Truckee River or hidden in parks. “They’re just overwhelmed,” Bryce said of operations at the camp, even though he’s grateful for the program.
He says he also understands why people still avoid the compound.
On its website, the County says it will be transitioning away from tents at the safe camp. “Currently, Safe Camp participants are provided with a tent, sleeping bag and a cot to sleep on in a specific location within the Safe Camp. As the team has been assessing this pilot program, the decision to order individual shelters has been made. These shelters will replace the tents moving forward. These are individual units that will be heated/ cooled as needed and also provide an electrical outlet for charging small personal electronics. As the camp is still in the development phase, these shelters will be set up in the current temporary site, above the bowl (Governor’s Bowl), while construction efforts continue in the permanent site,” a statement says.
An occupant at the safe camp confirmed to us they’ve heard these plans are being talked about by staff. He said he’s heard the new small structures might be made of plastic and carbon fiber compound, strong, but lightweight, movable and with their own electricity and heat.
One occupant has suggested the County buy sleeping bags like the one above for the Safe Camp and run them off a power bank.
A Petition Makes the Rounds and Other Complaints
A Change.Org recent petition is making the rounds which demands, “that Washoe County hold themselves true to their word and provide the residents of the Safe Camp, an extension of the CARES Campus, with adequate, sustainable shelter.”
It goes on to say: “When temperatures of 50 degrees or lower persist, residents of this camp will likely suffer from frostbite, hypothermia and could possibly die when not fortified with a source of heat or way to stay adequately warm through both the day and night. Efforts to shield residents from these conditions by providing tarps, heaters and other structures have been largely denied by officials. Residents are not allowed to heat their own tents with propane units or fire and there is no access to electricity on site. The Safe Camp does not provide any additional heating sources. These conditions cannot be allowed to continue. “
In its own winter plan statement, Washoe County says that on cold nights tent occupants would be moved to the Cares Campus: “In the interim, prior to individual shelters being installed and, in the event, it is anticipated to be below 50º F, with wind chill factored in, or if any precipitation is anticipated, the Washoe County Homeless Services Program Specialist will arrange transportation to the Cares Campus sprung structure for participants, where overflow of cots are accessible for emergency use. This will be provided beginning 12 hours prior to the anticipated cold weather. If a large number of participants decide to access shelter, Karma Box Project staff (KBP), the current operator of the Safe Camp, may be requested to go to the Cares Campus site to assist with staffing. The Homeless Services Program Specialist and the KBP Executive Director will provide staff with direction on when this will be needed.” The occupant says he hasn’t seen this happen yet, but that he has a zero degree sleeping bag so he says he feels ok, but that it is cold at night.
A follow up email from Bethany Drysdale, a communications manager with Washoe County indicated: “The winter plan is currently in effect. The projected date for delivery of the individual shelters is late November.”
The site of the old tent city near Wells Ave which has been swept several times since the Cares Campus opened.
Sweeps are Ongoing
Even though hundreds of people are being currently emergency sheltered at the Cares Campus, with several dozen at the safe camp, Bryce says there are hundreds and hundreds more of our neighbors still living in tents, still being swept. He says he tries to keep tabs on people both inside and outside the compound.
“Don't put down on the homeless because they have so much garbage and everything, helping them with dumpsters, help them with bathrooms,” Bryce told us during our recent interview as far as his own suggestions. “You want them to go away, give him something to use so that they have a momentum to gain some kind of force to get back into the employment world. That's really hard to do when they're being told to move every day.”
Bryce has had four children, some who’ve left the state and one who has been adopted. He has deep roots in the area but he says he got sick, stopped working and lost his apartment, putting his own life in a tailspin.
“Then it just been one day after another, because I can't get enough momentum going to get my feet back up underneath me,” he said. When we interviewed him, he had just gone for a long bike ride to get food stamps.
He said surviving in Reno has been difficult for him and others. “It's hard to watch. I mean, I remember watching this place 10, 15 years ago,” he said. “It wasn't this bad, but it's just progressively getting worse because of the pandemic and the unemployment and people getting sick. . . . . Everyone doesn't seem to realize they're one step away from this. Yeah. I had money . . .”
After the repeated sweeps, Bryce lost a number of his belongings and a sense of where he belongs. “Watching everything you own get bulldozed because they don't really give a shit and they think they're higher and mightier than everybody out here. And they're just one step away from being here. That's the whole thing, right? I mean, I didn't expect to be out here. None of us did, but once you get out here, it's hard to get back up into housing.”