Disability rights advocates call for more support for homeless invidivuals

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Disability rights advocate George Zavala says for the past three years, he has been working with the City of El Paso to find a solution to support homeless individuals with disabilities.

"There should be a process streamlined within the City or even in the Homeless Coalition to address this, and there isn't," Zavala said.

"I don't want to take away from the Opportunity Center and the rescue mission and what they do to the community," he added. "They do help a lot, but our discussion has always been-- they must be inclusive."

John Martin, Deputy Director for the Opportunity Center for the Homeless, said his organization doesn't have the staff to help people with certain conditions.

"Little things, such as being able to dress themselves, to be able to feed themselves," Martin explained. "We don't have the staff because we're not a medical provider."

ABC-7 reached out to El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson for comment. His office provided the following statement:

"Our Community and Human Development team, along with our community partners, is working with the City’s Innovation Team and various other City departments to explore a more coordinated approach for individuals transitioning out of medical care. These situations are incredibly complex, and each case is very unique—there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

We’re committed to helping build a more responsive system that provides compassionate, case-specific support. I’m grateful for the dedication of the many organizations and individuals working to meet these needs, and we’ll continue looking at how the City can strengthen its role in that effort."