Safe Embrace Should LOVE Their Neighbors
Flyer from KOLO 8 News Now.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Picon has been watching a whole lot of Safe Embrace employees who have been on a media blitz - promoting the “Love Shouldn’t Hurt” event, and touting their “Love Should Be Sweet” fundraising event that was held at the Reno Public Market last night, September 30, 2024.
All of this LOVE and SWEETNESS simply makes us ponder why Safe Embrace doesn’t reach out and work with their neighbors on the street where their safe home is located. The home is on a street that was in the City of Sparks, but oddly the street was reassessed and moved to unincorporated Washoe County and hence all the lawsuits started between Safe Embrace and the residents on the street. Most of these residents are elderly.
Over the years a whole lot of bickering was taking place, the residents of Safe Embrace’s home might not have been as aware as they should have regarding the residents/neighbors/homeowners on the street and their feeling of protection of the property they own, and perhaps the residents on the street didn’t realize the emotional and physical trauma the women and children at the Safe Embrace Shelter were escaping.
In all honesty, the problems between the homeowners and the Safe Embrace Shelter can be laid at the feet of the Safe Embrace staff and board members. Over the years the concerns and complaints the homeowners had made simply fell on deaf ears from management at Safe Embrace. Had they forged a better relationship with these homeowners all the difficulties starting in 2019 could have easily been avoided.
Sadly, this divide continues on the street today. After Washoe County Commissioners were called upon to support the nonprofits special use permit so the shelter can expand to house up to 18 people, but could house up to 21 if it can be connected to the City of Sparks sewer system and bring its attached garage up to code for livable space. Basically the commissioners sided with the nonprofit against the taxpayer-voter residents on the street against the increase in November 2023.
Yet, little changes, even thought the Executive Director of Safe Embrace made it appear everything would be sunshine and roses on the street and the nonprofit would give much more information to the homeowners and meet with them once a month. Not so much according to the homeowners.
The last thing we heard in 2024, there was Washoe County Sheriff’s Deputies called to the Safe Embrace Safe House and the homeowners didn’t know why. Nothing from Safe Embrace to ease the residents minds, so they reached out to Commissioner Mike Clark who commented on the dais when he voted for the special use permit that he welcomed hearing from the homeowners.
This street is in Washoe County Commission Distrcit 3 but instead of reaching out to their commissioner they contact Clark with their concerns. Their District 3 Commissioner Mariluz Garcia in November 2023 refereeing to the situation on the street said, “it’s a messy situation.” Perhaps why the homeowners contact Clark.
Clark reached out to Sheriff Darin Balaam to learn what occurred, and Sheriff Balaam provided the Board of County Commissioners with a three year “glimpse” of calls on the street. When we called Clark for comment he forwarded us the Sheriff’s spreadsheet.
"Glimpse" of calls to the Safe Embrace Shelter on the Sparks street.
Why do these homeowners have to go through this?
As Safe Embrace is raising money this month for their nonprofit, you know, spreading the LOVE we urge residents to ask their Executive Director, Board Members, and employees why there seems to be no LOVE spread by Safe Embrace to the homeowners on this quiet little Sparks street.