I have been told that I am a pretty laid back, even tempered person. I like that about myself. However, I do get upset. And some things that make me upset are things that I deem "stupid" for a lack of better words.
At night, the Pierce Elevated becomes home to many people who do not have any other place to turn to. Many business are complaining about this issue, and the city has decided to spend a half million ($500,000) on lights. Yes, on lights! They plan on putting lights under the Pierce Elevated to deter homeless from sleeping there at night. Here is a little news clip, http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou080818_mp_pierce_elevated.e2aecfe.html.
All I'm saying is, doesn't that sound like something people do to make roaches scatter, turn on the lights? Have they decided to treat human beings like roaches?
I fully understand that people sleeping under a bridge can bring down property value and deter customers from visiting a business, but if you have $500,000, a half a million dollars to spend on lights, why not spend it on a shelter?
Let's look at a few things.
First, as someone who served as a Program Manager for a homeless shelter in the Greater Houston Area, there are not enough shelters in Houston to accommodate people who are homeless. There are substantially more homeless shelters for women than there are for men, and most of the time they are full. I just ask you to pick up the phone one day, and call a Houston area shelter and see if they have room available. Most the time they have waiting lists.
Second, and most importantly, what if it was you? Working at the homeless shelter, you see so many people and so many stories. It is so much easier to distance yourself from homeless people and blame it on drugs, or their unwillingness to work. The truth of the matter is, that isn't always the case. Think about what might have happened to you if you didn't have loved ones to go to in a time of need. What would have happened to you? What would happen to you if you lost your job, your car broke down, and you have no family or friends. What would happen to you? How would you want others to treat you?
My point in all of this is, if we have $500,000, a half a million dollars to spend on lights, why don't we have $500,000, a half a million dollars to spend on more shelters or grants to existing shelters to provide more services.
People are not roaches. You can't just turn the lights on and think the problem is solved. All that's going to happen is, they are going to find somewhere else to sleep, and then the city is going to want to spend another $500,000 on lights.
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Thanks for posting this and getting the word out. Homelessness most likely could be solved, or improved upon, in the Houston area with the appropriate spending in homeless prevention, making camp grounds available to the indigent, or even making parking lots available since there are so many homeless people/families forced to living in their cars. And $500,000, if available, could go a long way in alleviating much suffering for the homeless in todays economy. There would also be fewer complaints about the homeless living under the over-pass freeways. Most people just don't seem to realize they may only be one paycheck away from homelessness themselves. More compassion is needed in this area.
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