Chill Sets In For Homeless People
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Press Type: Press Release Associated Program: Civil Rights |
| Released: 12/2003 |
It's not only the air thats cold this time of year. There is a deep chill in the climate for homeless people in America's cities. Today, as the United States Conference of Mayors reports unmet need for services, many cities are making it harder for groups to provide these services, cracking down on homeless people for being in public spaces and arresting people for having no place to call home. The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty is calling on all cities to stop these harsh measures and adopt constructive and cost effective solutions. Four cities stand out as being particularly harsh: A court order ensures the legal right of homeless people to sleep on church stairs but they are still ordered to move on by police officers.A church that was housing homeless people was fined over $27,000 for alleged zoning violations even after the Church agreed to stop housing people in exchange for elimination of the fine.Local advocates report an ongoing campaign against homeless people, citing police arrests and beating of a group of homeless teenagers standing in a parking lot in the morning while waiting for a program for homeless teens to open. In addition, advocates report that police confiscate homeless persons property routinely, even if no arrest is made or citation is given.The City has passed laws prohibiting sitting or lying on sidewalks in the downtown core district- but the law provides an affirmative defense to virtually anyone except homeless people. City attempts to criminalize homelessness raise serious policy concerns. Criminalization laws worsen homeless peoples circumstances, making exiting homelessness harder; they also waste resources and make little fiscal sense. The cost of expending police time and resources and detaining individuals in jail is likely to be significantly higher then the cost of providing shelter combined with necessary services. Arresting homeless people only exacerbates the problem and in the end creates a greater burden on cities, said Maria Foscarinis, Executive Director of the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty. "It is possible to end homelessness, but the only way to do it is to ensure decent, affordable housing, jobs and necessary services." Some localities have adopted constructive and cost effective approaches: The city and county have built Homelessness Assistance Centers that provide comprehensive services as well as shelter to occupants. In addition, the local government and community came together to implement a ½ penny meal tax on high-end restaurants that funds ongoing services for homeless individuals around the Miami-Dade metro area.The downtown business community funds a day center that offers homeless persons indoor seating, meals, laundry facilities, showers, employment services and medical care through partnerships with local nonprofits.A collaboration between advocates, government officials, and community leaders led to six million dollars being allocated towards social services and the creation of an outreach hotline, additional shelter beds, the establishment of an integrated computerized tracking system, and a written police protocol that governs police interactions with homeless persons.Police and homeless advocates work together to conduct long-term outreach to unsheltered homeless persons, and Homeless Assistance Centers provide comprehensive services and shelter for county residents.
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