Hi, Chuck.
Don’t you find it just a little ironic that we’re talking about “sit – lie” type ordinances in city after city across the country yet no one seems to be talking about any possible connection to or responsibilities of our Federal government?
Nor have any of your columns mentioned the very recent 54 million dollars our Governor cut from mental health treatment specifically for homeless people. I heard recently that the Sheriff has more mental health clients then the Department of Public Health does; I haven’t yet been able to confirm it but the staff person who said it would know, and unfortunately it is no longer surprising considering the trends we seen in the last 10 years.
If the past 25 years has thought me anything, it is that local communities will continue to try different Matrix-type programs only to see the frustration of all segments of our society build until we finally look at cause and effect.
What existed prior to the winter of 1982 when we opened our current shelter system, and what do we need to do to recreate those systems?
We had State-funded residential lodges and group homes and we had 52 billion dollars that we don’t have today in Federal funding for affordable housing. We also had our parks open 24/7, and one could walk down a sidewalk without having to bear witness to so much despair and misery.
Matrix was very popular for the first couple of years; it only lost a lot of its popularity when people (especially in the neighborhoods) realized all the cops can do is lock people up for a little while and move them around. The criminal justice system is not going to end homelessness, as it isn’t a lack of laws and jail cells that created homelessness. Like it or not,it is going to take housing and healthcare. Think New Deal: It worked the last time and it can work again. Lord knows demonizing people (like the Okies before) doesn’t help get us where we need to go.
A word of warning: It is much easier to fan the flames of hate then it is to put out the fire. A homeless man was lit on fire while he slept in East Harlem last Friday and that has happened here in the past. Please remember the people your writing about are human beings.
Thanks.
PaulBoden