Can a photo of woman defecating in public inspire this California city to help the homeless?

Sam Blakeslee was stopped at a traffic signal in downtown San Luis Obispo in June when he spotted a woman with her pants down around her knees, obviously relieving herself in broad daylight.

Blakeslee — a former Republican state lawmaker who was Assembly minority leader in 2009 — snapped a photo.

The picture shows the unidentified woman squatting, with one arm on a planter box for support. Her head is down and her face isn’t visible, but it’s a wrenching scene nonetheless.

Blakeslee posted the picture on Facebook to shock the people of San Luis Obispo, a small city on the Central Coast, into recognizing that homeless problems more often associated with metro areas like Los Angeles, Sacramento and the Bay Area are affecting all of California.

Since then, the photo has taken on a life of its own.

Blakeslee’s post generated nearly 100 comments, including many that took public agencies to task for not offering more services for homeless people. He said he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of comments.

“It was a raw torrent of emotions that ranged from sadness and despair to frustration and anger,” he said. “What seems evident to all is that we are in a battle that, frankly, we are losing — and no one wants SLO to deteriorate into another San Francisco or Venice Beach.”

Is picture worth 1,000 words?

If a photo of a woman relieving herself in such a public way can shock the powers-that-be into ramping up services for homeless residents, then the end surely does justify the means.

But let’s be clear: This single photograph doesn’t mean SLO is at a tipping point. This is a rare occurrence for the community, which is exactly why Blakeslee posted this picture.

Still, there are plenty of other signs that smaller communities like San Luis Obispo need more services for people experiencing homelessness.

Walk downtown late at night or early in the morning and you may see people sleeping on sidewalks or benches. Check along the highway, and you might spot an encampment. What about that car parked next to you at Starbucks — the one with the sunshade on the front windshield, the towels covering the side windows and all those possessions piled up in the back? Chances are someone’s living in there.

Over the past several years, local government agencies in San Luis Obispo County — often with the help of nonprofits and private donations — have made progress in responding to homelessness issues.

40 Prado, a new homeless center, opened in San Luis Obispo. A Motel 6 in Paso Robles was converted into an emergency shelter and permanent low-income housing. Work is underway on a detox facility — the first in the county to serve homeless and low-income clients.

Yet there are still unmet needs. To complicate matters, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to homelessness. That can be overwhelming, but it’s no excuse for paralysis — or for delaying action until we embark on yet another study.

‘Sanctioned’ campgrounds

It’s time to act, and smaller communities like San Luis Obispo can and should tackle the most achievable goals first.

Here’s one: Designate a campground in every major community where people can live without fear of being rousted out by authorities — something that’s been happening often in San Luis Obispo County.

Such campgrounds — sometimes called safe grounds — already exist or are being considered in other cities, including Sacramento. They can typically accommodate tents, cars, RVs or even tiny homes on wheels. Unlike most safe parking programs, residents can stay all day.

Some sites are inappropriate for encampments, including areas where fire danger is high or where creeks can be polluted. But would it really be so hard to designate places where basic services — including clean water, toilets, showers and shade — can be provided? Agencies could offer medical aid, counseling and other supportive services. People could bring their pets.

A subcommittee of San Luis Obispo County’s Homeless Services Oversight Council has been studying the option and recommends opening “sanctioned encampments” throughout the county as a pilot project. The county Board of Supervisors, however, has not signed off on that specific program.

At a May meeting, the board did endorse a plan that includes two pilots: One for safe parking and the other a so-called “Blue Bag” program that will provide trash collection, sharps collection, basic hygiene services and outreach services to up to 10 existing encampments.

The board also approved updating the county’s 10-year plan to end homelessness and develop a “communications and engagement strategy” that would “increase awareness of local homelessness and related challenges, as well as services and resources available...”

Sounds like the same old, same old. Instead of spending money on another planning process, why not use it on actual services?

We’ve been studying and planning and forming committees and pontificating for at least 15 years, and there are still huge gaps in services. And frankly, some existing programs aren’t as successful as they could be.

We need to fill those gaps now, or as Sam Blakeslee predicted, San Luis Obispo — and other similar communities — will become miniature versions of San Francisco or Venice Beach.

It’s time for bold action. Communities like ours must stop strategizing and start doing.