We, those with and without shelter in Washoe County and surrounding areas, demand 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.  

Already this year, residents of the Safe Camp (a camp managed by the county on city-owned property and operated by the Karma Box Project) have been subjected to the extreme heat and cold of our desert climate. The Safe Camp offers no shade to protect residents from the extreme heat, and no structure to shield them from frost and freezing weather conditions. These tents which are not all weather rated are not raised off the ground are already failing with broken zippers leaving occupants further susceptible to wind, rain and snow. 

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.  No resident should suffer under our county’s protection. No resident should be subjected to such inhumane conditions.  

With the Nevada CARES Campus at capacity, the promise of an additional 100 cots within the tent is impossible (this is according to capacity limits determined by the fire marshal) yet this is stated in the winter plan on the County website. The question then begs, where are they to go and how many residents must suffer due to winter weather before the county will take action?

While the county has promised to provide protective structures for this winter season, we understand that they will not be accessible for weeks and possibly months to come. In response to this humanitarian crisis, we demand:

That, until adequate shelter is provided, residents of the Safe Camp be housed through the provision of motel rooms
This provision must also be extended to those without the ability to utilize the at-capacity CARES Campus
That the Record Street shelter be reopened to accommodate CARES Campus overflow for women and couples.
That a 24hr warming center be provided for those left without a shelter bed. That no one looking to come out of the cold will be turned away.                      That all sweeps end!

We ask that our elected officials of the Board of County Commissioners along with support from the City of Reno and City Sparks move to act now in this emergency humanitarian crisis. No more excuses! Equality and justice for all human life now!