Close to Home: Redwood Gospel Mission relocation is about making real change to lives

I'm a retired 30-year cop and a board member for the Redwood Gospel Mission in Santa Rosa. I just read Sunday's Close to Home column about the mission's hope to move from Railroad Square to a vacant lot on the outskirts of Roseland ('Plans to move Redwood Gospel Mission shows disrespect for Roseland').

I've spent a lot of time in Roseland, and I'm not sure the column represents the feelings of everyone there. I also grew up in a Hispanic barrio that was similar to Roseland. I learned conversational Spanish there. So when I started patrolling Roseland in the 1980s, I feel I had a bit of a leg up on understanding some of their realities.

Working there, I learned a lot about Sonoma County's busiest beat. Later as a detective, I handled my first homicide case there. As a patrol sergeant, I continued learning about Roseland, and later, as patrol captain, working with Roseland leaders, I learned even more.

Here is what I learned: the people of Roseland are hard-working, fair and community-oriented. I get why some may have their hackles up about the mission wanting to move what the authors of the Close to Home called 'Skid Row' to the outskirts of their neighborhood.

Except that is not what we are doing. One of the mission's slogans is 'Real Change.' We're actually reducing Sonoma County's homeless population. And after about five years of searching, we all think this spot is the perfect location to do that even more.

Thankfully, the city of Santa Rosa is also serious about homelessness. The city spends about $1.1 million on that reality annually. But the Redwood Gospel Mission does not accept tax dollars, so its good work for our community comes at no cost to taxpayers.

Yes, the mission does house some homeless people, but its real focus is helping them re-build healthy relationships. The $19 per-person per-day investment gives Redwood Gospel Mission clients more than just shelter: The mission feeds their bodies, their minds and their hearts, too. As relationships heal, their clients' circumstances get better, and they move on. One hundred percent of the mission's New Life program graduates go from being homeless and nearly hopeless to employed and having a home of their own.

Assuming the city does grant the permit, when the mission moves from Railroad Square, the 'homeless problem' won't be leaving with it. Homeless people are just like the rest of us — they'd rather spend their free time downtown. They won't all-of-a-sudden start seeing Roseland as a better hang-out choice.

Plus, the mission's clients only make up a small percentage of the homeless population in Santa Rosa anyway.

As the mission's Railroad Square neighbors already know, the Redwood Gospel Mission would be good neighbors in Roseland. For decades, it has been helping people from Roseland and elsewhere rebuild relationships, learn new ways of living and get housing and jobs. In a new facility at the corner of Highway 12 and Highway 101, the mission can do more of that, and it can do it better. If you have any concerns or questions about what the mission is up to or would like to tour its current operation, please email me at dave@lecf.org.

Dave Edmonds is a former captain in the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office and six-year board member for the Redwood Gospel Mission. He lives in west Santa Rosa.