Today we sat down with Joe Gardner, a retired police officer and resident of West Covina, to talk about homelessness.  He provides his first hand experiences combined with keen thoughts and insights into the homeless situation, which today is impacting us all more than ever.

Joe’s work with the homeless spans decades and stretches back to his work as a beat officer and subsequently to his assignment on the Homeless Outreach Program of the Santa Monica Police Department.  In our conversation Joe covers both the causes of homelessness as well as current and proposed solutions from elected officials and civic leaders.

We also cover the history of government run mental health treatment and the legislation and court cases that substantially impact how we deal with mental health and homelessness today.

Joe shares his time, knowledge and expertise widely, including with the Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles.  He focus in on creating and sustaining solutions that help the homeless successfully transition to stable living conditions.  Joe discusses options such as tiny homes, treatment centers, temporary living centers, and much more.

This conversation was enlightening for me as the host and I think it will be equally so for any listener.  You’ll find few people better versed in the matter of homelessness – its history, the present, what works, and what doesn’t – than Joe Gardener.

Talk to Us West Covina:
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