Public speakers and council trade sharp words over homelessness after councilmember remarks

A string of public commenters at the Feb. 11 Bakersfield City Council meeting sharply criticized recent remarks by a councilmember that some attendees said dehumanized people experiencing homelessness.

Noe Garcia (vice president, Kern County Young Democrats) told the council it is "not enough to just lock them up" and urged elected officials to focus on solutions, collaboration with city staff and community organizations, and long-lasting housing strategies. "That's why you're elected. That's why voters trusted in you to make sure that you can represent your community and come up with long lasting sustainable solutions," Garcia said.

Several speakers echoed that theme. Carter Beardsley (Secretary, Kern County Young Democrats) criticized the use of the word "degenerates" to describe unhoused residents and said the underlying problem is a housing and jobs crisis. Jacqueline Aguilar (President, Kern County Young Democrats) described family history to argue homelessness is frequently the product of loss and instability and urged investing in shelter, services and long-term support rather than criminalization.

Service providers also spoke. Jim Wheeler (Executive Director, Flood Ministries) summarized Flood Ministries’ 2025 outcomes — housing over 300 individuals, case-managing more than 400 people in permanent supportive housing, responding to thousands of referrals and placing many into shelters — and asked the council to acknowledge on-the-ground efforts. Janessa Fisher (chair, Youth Action Board) described her own experience as formerly unhoused and urged empathy and direct engagement with people living outside.

Councilmember Bashir Tosh addressed the public comments and defended his record of working with people in crisis, saying his goal is "not to lock homeless people away and throw away the key" but to move people toward care. He said his public statements had been taken out of context on social media and that his experience working with homeless populations informed his perspective.

Other councilmembers urged a data-driven approach and emphasized investments in navigation centers, shelters and supportive services. Councilmember Gonzales pointed to the Brundage Lane Navigation Center and other local programs as examples of work that has helped people transition from the street to shelter and permanent housing, and several councilmembers encouraged the public to tour service providers’ operations to better understand the work being done.

The public-comment exchanges prompted referrals and follow-up from council, but there were no formal policy votes tied directly to the statements during this meeting.