Whatever Happened to Project HOPE? And Why Only 4 People from the Bulb Have Been Housed

(Note: I have omitted the names of BFHP's staff members, as a courtesy to them.)

The other night, I wrote a scathing email to BFHP regarding their performance as a part of the effort to house Bulb residents...

BFHP1 wrote me back, saying:

"I wanted to let you know that Jo Ferlatte is no longer with BFHP and Carmen is no longer working on the Albany project. BFHP3 is the person in charge of the Albany effort. And although BFHP2 has transitioned to another BFHP project, she is assisting with our Albany efforts while we look for a new full time case manager.

Most importantly,  I want to thank you for all of your assistance to your friends on the Bulb, even going back prior to BFHP being on the scene. Andrew let us know early on that you were the one to go to if we needed any information or to find out what was going on. I am so delighted to know that you are still enthusiastically supporting people in their efforts to secure permanent housing. BFHP3 and BFHP2 will follow up with the people mentioned in your email. It may not be as quick as we would like, as we no longer have anyone specifically dedicated to Albany.

We are encouraged also at the City's support of our efforts to find people housing and can now find someone whose primary responsibility is helping folks in Albany."

At one point, BFHP1 stated to me that they "told (Jo) that he should talk to you and gather as much information as possible since you had such good relationships with so many people on the Bulb."

The letter concludes with:
"Amber, thanks again for all of your assistance and willingness to assist going forward."



So, I sent the following message to BFHP1:

"Thank you for the kind words you said in your last email.

To where should I direct the enquiries of the many Bulb residents who are eagerly seeking assistance with finding housing from anywhere, including Berkeley Food and Housing Project?

Most of these individuals do not have animals living with them and are also perfectly employable (including the woman who is now 6 months pregnant). A few of these people have been trying to make contact with Berkeley Food and Housing Project ever since the launch of Albany's Project HOPE. One of the men, works during the week and has had a home on the Bulb for over 3 years. This man has been trying to catch up to BFHP since mid-July. He has his own phone and has been leaving messages at the numbers from the Project HOPE flyers. None of his calls have been returned. Every Tuesday or Thursday that he was able to get his boss to let him take time off of, BFHP was not at the Bulb.

So, where should I be sending these people?"

Thank you,
Amber Lynn Whitson


"Amber
You are welcome. And thanks again for directing people to our housing staff.

Please direct questions and requests for services information to BFHP3. She is working on updating the flyer and is the best one to let you know who , when and where."


"Hi BFHP3,

I got referred to you by BFHP1. I told her that there was a serious backlog of Bulb residents who desperately need assistance with attaining housing (some more than others).

What phone number, or address, should I be giving homeless Albany Bulb residents? Some of the people who have been trying steadily to build a relationship with BFHP are starting to lose hope. I don't even know what to tell them.

Countless times, I have given many people every phone number I have on hand that I have been told will reach Project HOPE staff. But, I feel rather ridiculous doing so, since I have personally never received a call back when I called on anybody's behalf, either.

I look forward to being able to hopefully, finally help my neighbors achieve the housing that they desire and need."

Thank you,
Amber Lynn Whitson


BFHP3 wrote me back and gave me "the contact info for the Albany Bulb staff person" whom, she says "is available about 8-12 hours per week" although they "hope to have a new full time staff person hired by the end of February."

Thursday, I was told that Mondays and Wednesdays are the days that those 8-12 hours are spread across. Days that people who have been trying to get in touch with BFHP for 6 months would have even less reason to expect to be able to reach them during than Tuesdays and/or Thursdays.

Today, Friday, the pregnant couple was able to speak with BFHP2 on the phone.
They were told that BFHP will ONLY come to the Bulb by appointment, and that she would call them back before noon.

Just after noon, another resident used my phone to call BFHP2, and left my number as a message number.

At around 2 o'clock, another Bulb resident called me and asked for BFHP2's number, again. He still hasn't been able to actually speak to her. And he's been trying to reach BFHP for months!

And, at the end of the day, nobody ever heard anything back from BFHP.

Still and again...


- There is no reliable way for people to be able to reach BFHP (by phone or otherwise).
- BFHP has NO staff person whose main priority is to work with assisting Bulb residents with finding and getting into housing.
- There is HOPE for "a new full time staff person hired by the end of February."
- BFHP is essentially getting paid for 2 of the 12 months, to do barely anything.

Add to all of this the fact that BFHP got some random guy, who recently arrived from Florida, housing (in the place that the City of Albany signed the master lease for) and you have the answer to the question "Why is this going so slowly?"