Nonprofits like BOSS are struggling with significant debt and delayed reimbursements from the city of Oakland for homeless services, resulting in subpar living conditions for residents. The leaders of these organizations express frustration over communication issues with city officials. John Janosko, a former resident, highlights the uncertainty they face while waiting for financial support. City spokesperson Sean Maher indicates efforts to address the situation, yet concerns remain over the management of nonprofit funding. The ongoing crisis emphasizes the need for clarity and action to assist vulnerable community members.
A year without pay. Millions in debt. Months without a contract. Nonprofits say BOSS' experience is only the latest example of an ongoing struggle that has them operating under the weight of massive debt as they wait on the city to reimburse them for housing and feeding its most vulnerable residents. "No one really knows exactly what's going on," John Janosko, a former resident of the Wood Street Cabins... "We'll see," he said.
Sean Maher, a spokesperson for the city of Oakland, said in a statement to KQED that staff is working on solutions to "bring the city's outstanding payments to BOSS up to current, as well as identifying solutions to support the programs' operations to the end of June." Maher did not respond to the allegations from other nonprofits, referring instead to his statement regarding BOSS.
"But we really do need clarity," she said, echoing the frustration over poor communication with the city that the other CEOs expressed. "Every week we're not knowing what's going to happen next or what we're going to be told, or what we are going to find, so it does create kind of an instability."
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