Build Minvilla and Flenniken as agencies that will operate as transitional supportive housing for the chronically and transitionally homeless that want to work and are willing to work through and stick with a comprehensive, 9-month program explicitly geared toward truly reintegrating them back into “mainstream” (if you can call it that) society.

WHY: You cannot reward a drug addict or many individuals classified as mentally ill because, simply put, they won’t change. They’re used to scamming the system, getting what they want, and moving on if they can’t get it. That’s how the bulk of them operate.

If an addict wants to work and follow a program that includes a strict zero-tolerance policy for drugs/alcohol – combined with supportive therapies commonly employed and clinically proven to help combat withdrawls – that’s another story. That’s a person that wants to change. By not enforcing structure, we would end up enabling too many addicts and drunks to make it a conscionable decision.

HOW: A joint effort between the city and county’s homeless eradication advocates and willing local businesses (preferably of a sizable variety) can create a certain number of jobs that can be utilized for this program. Agencies like Goodwill Industries have made it their mission to accomplish this, and may be able to offer solid, tangible, fact-based input on the subject. Can’t hurt to ask, anyway.

As for the chronically homeless addicts and drunks who seek only to sponge off of our good will without contributing – bring back enforced community service and make the jails so spartan it makes Gloria Allred’s head explode! If they want to get loaded and commit crimes around here with the intent of going to jail, they won’t do it very often.

And even if they do, we get some work out of ‘em so it’s not a complete loss. I can’t imagine many would hang around for very long, though.

As for the TRULY medically unfit to work – I mean, completely unable to be productive in ANY capacity at ANY time – get a solid count on their number so the community can best decide how to handle such a delicate matter. Permanent supportive housing in THAT instance seems highly appropriate, but we’d probably be talking about an institution simply because of the high concentration of what one would reasonably assume would be a wide variety of conditions.

If a small number, something nice and cushy and new seems appropriate. If a larger number, say, in the hundreds or so, we’ll need to consider something more like a hospital. (Hate to say it, but Baptist is just sitting there empty and is perfectly suited for the task – I just hope there’s nowhere near that many truly disabled homeless in our city.)

Why not this or something like this? Why free stuff for addicts and drunks and not the people who want to work and are willing to prove it?

Many people contributed to the creation of the TYP, which was adopted by the Mayors of the City and the County in October 2005.. They included the TYP Task Force, members of which were appointed by the Mayors, I understand. There were many others associated with the creation of the plan through their involvement with the Homeless Coalition. Added to this long list were the Community Concerns Working Groups, which included interested members of the community. So the TYP was created with a very broad base of community input made by a lot of people from all over the place. Had any of them ever experienced homelessness? I don’t know, but one or two of them certainly might have.

But yeah, housing-first is going to take care of that… by taking them out of the camps, anyway.

It’s almost like the entire plan was concocted by individuals who never honestly spent a day in their lives as the homeless.

I’m not aware that any emergency shelter in our area charges clients to stay overnight. Have you seen something on this website or anywhere else that indicates something different? We’d really like to know about it if you have.

Thanks,
Robert