News
This Veterans Day, Hope for Homeless Vets
Published November 11, 2009 @ 09:00PM PT
This year, Veterans Day is more hopeful than last year. Even though some atrocities have not changed - veterans are still twice as likely to be homeless than non-vets and over 130,000 veterans are homeless tonight - this year is different. This year, the Obama Administration has made it a priority to fulfill the promise of "supporting our troops" by ending veteran homelessness in five years.
There's no denying the enormous sacrifices made by those who put on the uniform. And there's no denying that we should support these individuals even - especially - when their time in uniform is over. But somehow, somewhere along the way, we as a nation forgot to do this. We allowed the issues affecting veterans spiral out of control.
Today, veterans experience higher rates of suicide, homelessness, and substance abuse than non-vets. The disability claims backlog numbers over 400,000, leaving many vulnerable vets waiting for months - sometimes years - for the federal assistance they need. Today, one in three homeless adult men is a veteran, many of whom fought in Vietnam. But perhaps most disturbing is the newest trend: veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are slowly beginning to wind up on the streets. In other words, history is starting to repeat itself.
The only way to definitely end such a systemically-embedded atrocity is with bold, decisive action. And this is precisely what VA Secretary Shinseki delivered on November 3rd at the national summit on veterans homelessness. The VA's plan includes efforts to increase the housing stock for those vets who are already on the streets as well as a strong focus on homelessness prevention. Several bills currently in Congress aim to support the VA's goal, and Obama recently signed an executive order that will encourage federal hiring of former service members.
Ending veteran homelessness in five years is no small task, but it is critically important. There is no better way to properly honor our service men and women than with the promise that their sacrifices will not be forgotten when their time in uniform is over.
Image: Leo Reynolds
Does Panhandling Make Homelessness Worse?
Published November 02, 2009 @ 09:12PM PT
Everyone and their mother associates panhandling with homelessness and homelessness with panhandling. But one Atlanta advocate argues it's time we treat these as separate issues, since some panhandlers are not homeless and the majority of those without a home do not panhandle. What's more, could giving money to panhandlers exacerbate a person's homelessness and provide a dis-incentive for getting off the streets?
What does treating panhandling separate from homelessness look like in practice? An op-ed piece in the Atlanta Constitution does a nice job laying this out. Simply put: homeless service providers should focus on what they do best: meeting the housing needs of homeless individuals. Referring to services. Providing job training. Case management. They should not dabble in activities related to regulating panhandlers, but rather focus on getting everyone off the streets for good.
But here's the kicker...
For regular folks like you and me, the author argues that we should refrain from giving money to panhandlers. This, he says, is not helping the homeless, but making it more difficult for homeless service providers to do their job. In other words, giving money to a panhandler exacerbates their homelessness, according to the Atlanta Constitution.
So who does the author believe should deal be the one to deal with panhandlers? Law enforcement.
This argument - though curt - does make good sense. Certainly, there are few who would argue against the goal of moving everyone off the streets and into housing. But there's no question that the means to achieving this end are a bit over-simplified in his argument.
Our country has a shortage of housing that is affordable. In addition, many of those who end up on the streets face complicated issues that require time to address. Other individuals lack access to the social service safety net for a variety of reasons, whether it be their geographic location or the inability of providers to meet demand. For these individuals, panhandling is a means for survival until our system catches up. It is wrong to suggest that giving money to panhandlers exacerbates their homelessness, especially when our safety net cannot accommodate all who are in need.
Maybe someday, when we are finally meeting the demand for affordable housing and services for those who need them, we'll all be able to stand behind this argument. But sadly, I don't think we're there yet.
Image: Martin Ujlaki
Golden Girl Includes Homeless GLBT Youth in her Will
Published October 28, 2009 @ 11:55AM PT
She's the Golden Girl with the golden heart. Bea Aurther, the late actress of Golden Girl fame, left a $300,000 gift in her will to a New York City organization that serves gay and lesbian youth.
The Ali Fornay Center is one of just a handful of organizations that exclusively shelters GLBT youth in New York City, serving roughly 1,000 youth annually. "We are overwhelmed with gratitude that Bea saw that LGBT youth deserve as much love and support as any other young person," said Executive Director Carl Sicilliano. The organization said today that they plan to name a building for Bea in light of her posthumous generosity.
Prior to her death several months ago, Bea was a lifelong advocate of GLBT rights. Her generous legacy gift illustrates that she made the connection between intolerance and the rising prevalence of GLBT homeless youth.
As I've written in the past, GLBT youth are disproportionately represented among homeless youth. Roughly 20 percent of homeless youth self-identify as LGBTQ, and that's a conservative estimate. This population is much more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse than their heterosexual peers. To make matters worse, the social service safety net to catch these troubled teens is, in many communities, nonexistent.
This is precisely why organizations like the Ali Fornay Center are so important. They provide a safe, non-threatening haven that will accept them when their families do not.
Why can't we all just be like Bea?
Image: SheWire
Barbara Poppe Goes to Washington
Published October 20, 2009 @ 07:31PM PT
U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness has named a new Executive Director. Barbara Poppe spent the last 14 years as the Director of the Community Shelter Board in Columbus, Ohio. Now, she will head to Washington, D.C. to coordinate the federal response to homelessness at a time when the need is greater than ever.
Poppe spent the past 14 years leading a nationally recognized nonprofit organization recognized for its innovation. The organization's permanent housing program has served as a model for cities across the country.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness was quick to the react to the news. Executive Director Nan Roman said in a statement, "Barbara Poppe has been a leader in the movement to end homelessness both in Columbus and nationally. Because of her brilliant and innovative work, thousands of people who were homeless now have a place to call home."
Poppe has her work cut out for her in Washington. Cities across the country are frantically working to use stimulus funds to meet the increasing need for homelessness assistance. At the same time, homeless services are experiencing a paradigm shift from providing shelter to a focus on prevention and permanent housing.
A hearty congratulations and best wishes to Barbara Poppe in her new post. We'll be watching, commenting, and rooting for you.
97 Year Old Homeless Woman Receives Housing
Published October 20, 2009 @ 09:40AM PT
The 97 year old homeless woman from LA is no longer sleeping on the streets. Her story, published Friday in the LA Times, garnered national disbelief and prompted service providers to act quickly to move her into housing.
Bessie Mae Berger was 97 years old and living in a beat up 1973 Chevy Suburban with her two sons. The LA Times exposed their plight on Friday, detailing how the trio sleeps, moves from parking lot to parking lot, and occasionally panhandles for food. Their plight caught national attention, prompting LA and California authorities to take immediate action.
Today, the three are safely housed - together, as they wished - in the California Retirement Villa. It's a temporary situation, currently slated to last three months. But the organization says they are committed to helping this family obtain long-term benefits.
Let's breathe a collective sigh of relief now that one especially fragile woman and her two elderly sons are off the streets. What whatever you do, don't get complacent. There are thousands of other elderly homeless individuals hidden in cars, alleys, tent cities, and shelters across the U.S.
Where is the outrage that will move them into housing?
97 Years Old and Homeless
Published October 18, 2009 @ 01:14PM PT
Bessie Mae Berger is 97 years old. She lives on the streets of Los Angeles in a 1973 Chevy Suburban, homeless.
If you thought these kinds of stories couldn't happen in America, think again.
This week, the LA Times profiled Bessie and her two sons -- Larry and Charlie, ages 60 and 62. The story explains - in excruciating, heartbreaking detail - how this elderly mother and her two sons survive without a home.
Empty parking lots, public washrooms, and panhandling for money to buy food are a daily reality for Bessie and her sons. Sleeping on the front seat of a car - packed with all of their worldly possessions - wrapped in blankets. According to the LA Times, they would like to find a way to stay together in a house or apartment, which is why the trio has had difficulty finding housing.
In this country, we enjoy "rags to riches" stories that warm the heart and make us feel hopeful. But stories like Bessie's are real, and they need to find a way off the streets and into the conversation about poverty and homelessness in America.
Image: LA Times
Vancouver Planning Olympic Homeless Evictions
Published October 16, 2009 @ 05:32AM PT
Yesterday, the city of Vancouver announced that they will begin ridding the streets of homeless individuals to prepare for the 2010 Winter Olympics starting in February 2010. Despite repeated assurances that these individuals will be connected with services, something about this announcement doesn't jive. Maybe if our cities tackled the issue of homelessness with the same fervor as perparations for the Winter Olympics, there would be no homeless people on the streets in the first place.
It's an sad but common activity during high-profile events: city officials use law enforcement to remove homeless people from the streets or arrest them. Usually, they say these cruel tactics are necessary for security reasons. But with the eyes of the nation and/or the world descending on a city like Vancouver, many advocates - this one included - are suspicious of a city's ulterior motives. Could this just be an attempt to put Vancouver's best face, and streetscape, forward?
Clearly, the backlash over these types of evictions have Vancouver city officials on PR high-alert. Vancouver city manager Penny Ballum said all of the right things during yesterday's press conference. According to the Hook, she "gave repeated assurances that any dislocated people would be connected with a wide range of support services and shelter." She even mentioned Vancouver's extensive outreach network that helps people on the streets find housing. Now there's a step in the right directions. But why are they stopping there?
Vancouver is four months out from eviction date. Four months! Why not focus on rehousing these individuals during this time, removing them from the streets permanently instead of simply relocating them. Forget being a good host for the world over the course of two weeks. Try focusing on being a good home for your residents the other 50 weeks of the year.
