Palo Alto is synonymous with wealth and innovation as the home to several tech giants and a $220,408 average household income. Yet, countless people are unhoused or in unstable housing situations.
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Point-in-Time count data shows California’s overall homeless population was 187,084 in January 2024. The 2024 data increased by 3% compared to a national increase of 18%.
Governor Gavin Newsom sees the comparatively low rates as a testament to the state’s success in slowing the growth of homelessness, even as the state accounts for a third of the national homeless population.
Yet thousands remain stuck in the cycle of homelessness, unable to transition to a permanently stable position. 123,974 people in California remain unsheltered, despite efforts to bolster shelters and transitional housing. For many, securing housing still does not mark the end of their instability.
Research suggests that supportive housing is the most effective pathway out of homelessness. A recent CalMatters investigation highlighted that moving through traditional shelters leaves many people stuck in “housing purgatory”.
In Palo Alto, Downtown Streets Team (DST) is one non-profit organization working with vulnerable populations to provide services and support to facilitate the transition from homelessness to stability. Long-term programs like DST remain essential to help people obtain a permanently stable status.
DST operates in 14 communities across Northern and Central California, including Palo Alto. The organization provides case management, work experience, access to stipends and additional support services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
In recent years, DST has changed significantly, shifting from a primarily volunteer-based model to a paid workforce development model known as Streets Team Enterprises. This change was meant to promote a shift towards long-term employment outside of the team, while nurturing their professional skills and providing a short-term means of employment.
”Now we are seeing a lot of transition and people actually moving through the program the way it’s supposed to be… because it’s supposed to be more of a transitional program,” said Dale Calhoun, the Program Manager for Downtown Streets Team Palo Alto.
However, the journey of some members with the Palo Alto team continues after their transition to stable housing or employment as they look to DST for community and continued assistance.
Two long-standing members of DST Palo Alto, Dennis and Charlotte, share their personal stories of homelessness, their relationship with DST and life after they were permanently housed.
Dennis Upton continues to rely on the support of staff and gravitates towards the home he has found in the community. He is the Senior Yellow Shirt of the Palo Alto team and has witnessed the organization change over more than a decade.
For Dennis, housing did not directly translate into stability. While grateful for housing assistance, his personal journey is still impacted by his disability, his non-attachment to his place of stay and the psychological toll of past experiences. He finds his comfort in the community offered by DST and relies heavily on the structure and support the group provides.
His continued dedication to DST reflects a larger issue, that housing alone does not undo the struggles formerly unhoused people face and make continued supportive services crucial to their ongoing stability.
Charlotte Coker is a dedicated staff member who chooses to give back to the organization and help those who are in the unexpected position she once faced. She is the Head Manager and Senior Scheduling Coordinator at the Palo Alto Food Closet.
The Food Closet serves more than 1000 people annually and Charlotte is crucial to its success. After entering into a stable housing position with the help of DST, she dedicated herself to the organization and is another example of remaining active in the community even after successfully changing her situation.
Allison Freitas is another long-standing member of DST who experienced chronic homelessness. From being unhoused while having to care for her child to experiencing the pandemic without a stable home, her experiences show the permanent change that can result when organizations like DST intervene.
Even after achieving stability, Allison remains deeply connected to the family DST offers, also helping wherever she can. Her story highlights the ongoing positive impact of having a community of people with similar lived experiences that provides opportunities for meaningful engagement.
Their stories highlight the realities of life after homelessness and illustrate that stability means different things to different people after their individual experience. For some, housing is not a final solution symbolic of the end of their vulnerability. Others are empowered by the change in their situation and become a resource to others.
Their stories show there is neither one path to homelessness nor one singular image of stability after becoming housed.
