Numbers Don’t Lie

Over the past twelve-to-fifteen months, an unsettling trend has taken hold at the 9th Street Senior Center, as it has increasingly become a haven for homeless seniors. This demographic shift has not only posed challenges but has also contributed to the existing concerns faced by the senior citizens who were once the primary users of the facility. The very individuals who have instilled fear seem to be the homeless seniors who have seemingly taken control of the center. Understanding the reasons behind this shift calls for a dialogue with County Manager Eric Brown who seems to just keep passing the buck.

Picon has been writing about the 9th Street Senior Center, Washoe County Government manages, and we have interviewed dozens of people. Over the last months, we have received a number of complaints from senior citizens who use the center; they are being panhandled, their belongings have been stolen, their food has been taken, they are afraid, they are uncomfortable, the bathrooms are a mess, toilet paper is being stolen, and these are the taxpaying seniors complaining.

Recently, a senior Citizen, Janice Jones, found herself entangled in an altercation with county staff at the 9th Street Senior Center. This incident shed light on a much bigger issue brewing within the center. Ms. Jones, not holding back, voiced a multitude of complaints regarding the center’s overall operations. Her grievances were so numerous that they could be likened to a tsunami of discontent. On crucial question arises from this situation. The line dancing class Ms. Jones participates in at the senior center is being relocated. Why? The seniors who frequent the center are taxpayers and have every right to utilize its amenities. They should be able to expect a certain level of service and functionality from Washoe County. The 9th Street Senior Center needs to meet their needs along with those of the homeless. Allowing the line dancing class to move simply removes a burden from Washoe County to do their job.

Washoe County has been doing their usual public relations shuffle with the ‘everyone gets to use the senior center’ and our question is why? Where is it written that bad behavior needs to be rewarded. When did bad behavior get a pass?

We wondered what the history at the center for terminations and suspensions was over the years. To be fair Picon wanted to have all the numbers, we asked Washoe County for the number of individuals who have been suspended or expelled from the 9th Street Senior Center in previous years, remember Washoe County provided us with the spreadsheet showing year to date for 2023 and numbers for 2022. We asked for:

2019 – 4 total; 2 terminations (one overturned), 2 suspensions

2020 – 0 (Closed the majority of the year due to COVID)

2021 – 4 Suspensions (Closed until May 2021 due to COVID)

2022 – 6 total; 5 Suspensions, 1 termination

2023 – 19 total; 14 Suspensions, 5 terminations (remember this was ‘to date’ so end of September 2023)

We always enjoy it when we get a terse response from Washoe 311, almost as if they want to spank us for asking what they feel is a repetitive question. Picon wanted to verify our numbers because it doesn’t take Einstein look at Washoe County’s numbers to draw the conclusion the problem at the senior center is the systemic change of the seniors using the center, and those are unsheltered homeless seniors.

Again, to be fair to the county we thought what if this uptick in suspensions and terminations is happening at Washoe County Senior Centers. We again asked the county, for those numbers and got the terse response that they were responding to us as a courtesy, “Since 2019, there have been no suspensions or expulsions, as previously defined in response to your last request, at any of the other sites listed.” That would be the Sparks Senior Center, Lazy 5 Regional Park, Cold Springs Community Center, Sun Valley Senior Center, and Westbrook Community Center. All are without suspensions or expulsions since 2019.

Picon goes back to the ‘bad actors’ scenario who seem to be using the 9th Street Senior Center. We urge the community to not allow Washoe County to simply move all the classes to other locations and turn the center into a ‘daytime’ Cares Campus for homeless seniors.