Before stepping into a Tuesday meeting, I received two calls from Santa Clara County. A parole officer involved in writing a pre-sentencing report had my name as a contact concerning the fire set at St. Paul’s UMC in June of 2022. I volunteered with Lifted Spirits, serving unhoused women at the time. I called 911 when I smelled smoke, then encountered the man who had just set fire to the church sanctuary. If you’re interested in the whole story, you can read more here, here, and here.
The parole officer asked if I had any comments before the hearing and asked if I would attend. We’re traveling in the weeks leading up to the hearing so I left my comments with her. I said that if our community had a better handle on the unhoused situation and the lack of meaningful mental health care, things like this would be less likely to happen.
I’m not a mental health expert, but it was clear that the man who greeted me in the hallway that day, holding lighters in each hand, was not of sound mind.
I’m somewhat relieved that they charged him with “unlawfully causing a fire” or “reckless burning” instead of arson. He’ll receive a sentence of one year in the county jail plus a referral to the mental health court where he should have been all along. Arson carries a nine-year sentence.
Meanwhile, the church structure sits idle, the Lifted Spirits program is searching again for a new home, and the building will eventually be torn down and hopefully converted into low-income and student housing. St. Paul’s UMC is next to San Jose State University, where affordable housing is scarce, so something good can hopefully come of this.
Tomorrow is another day.
Gardening Nirvana 
Gee, hopefully he’ll get some help. But I’ve not heard anything good about health care in prisons. Especially if they’re for profit. Well, now you can put it behind you!
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Mental health care seems to be lacking all over Alys. In the UK it is practically non-existent, with waiting times for consultations of several months. And in Germany the help lines are mostly unavailable due to too many calls…. Anyway, as you say, perhaps something good will come of the fire at least.
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I love that you took the opportunity to mention the larger picture to the courts.
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Thank you, Dawn. That means a lot.
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Hugs.
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Hopefully the man will get the help he needs and, as you say, if the restored building is put to good use then not a completely bad outcome.
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I hope so, Lynn.
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What a sad, sad situation. Nobody anywhere seems to have good, workable solutions for the complex issues of homelessness. 🥲
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Agreed, though some countries and communities do a better job.
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🙏🏼
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It doesn’t seem as though you can put this behind you. There is rarely a fire starter that gets rehabilitated because they have mental health issues and no one wants to pick up the cost of the rehabilitation. We have a globe filled with people that are on the cusp of breaking down. If someone has a solution to this, I’m ready to hear it.
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We’re in the midst of a mental health crisis. When I volunteered downtown I saw it every day.
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So sad, sorry this happened.
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Thank you.
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It seems this may be a rare case where a bit of compassion has prevailed. Your experience was horribly scary, but you’ve been generous with your response and I hope this was a factor in the Judge’s decision.
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I think everyone involved must be aware of the significant challenges this man faces. I’m grateful to know that the charges were for the lesser sentence. Putting a man with mental health issues in prison for nine years would have been cruel and unproductive. Welcome back from your trip, Kate.
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so sad
but hopefully the man will get the proper care and support
as for you, it will bring so many sad memories back, take care of you too
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