4.30.2008
"We’re not the only ones who are confused"
From our friends at the National Health Care For The Homeless Council....
Health Care for the Homeless Mobilizer
Vol. XIII No. 3 4/23/08
Proposed Federal Regulations Raise Concern for Health Centers
Proposed regulations “to revise and consolidate the criteria and processes for designating medically underserved populations (MUPs) and health professional shortage areas (HPSAs)” released in late- February by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are raising concern among health centers. Some analysts fear the new criteria and methods could shorten the list of localities considered in need of resources, thus potentially narrowing opportunities for new Federal funding and the placement of National Health Service Corps (NHSC) personnel. Proponents assure that the regulations will align the HPSA and MUP designation processes and better establish national priorities while having a nominal impact upon current health centers and their future growth. Numerous Federal and state programs – including health centers – currently depend on MUP and HPSA designations to qualify for Federal grants and physician subsidies to improve access to care in their communities.
The National Council calls upon Mobilizer readers to seek additional clarification through the formal comment process to ensure the ability of health centers, including HCH projects, to meet the needs of those they serve – now and in the future.
Proposed Designation System
The current HPSA and MUP designations, which date back to the 1970’s, were developed as
mathematical means of determining unmet medical need, to meet the requirements of different
statutes. The major use of HPSA designations is for the placement of National Health Service Corps personnel. MUP designations are used primarily to establish eligibility for grant funding of health centers. Under current policy, all Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health centers (RHCs) that meet requirements to provide services without regard to ability-to-pay are automatically designated as meeting MUP and HPSA criteria for at least 6 years as a condition of their initial grant.
New regulations: The proposed regulations as published in the Federal Register -
http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/shortage/hpsafrn022908.htm - are opaque enough to preclude full understanding, ambiguous in their impact on health centers, and at times seem contradictory. They apparently create a three-part designation system to replace the current system:
1) Geographic (HPSA) designation - based on service areas and a certain population-to-
primary care provider ratio 2) Population (MUP) designation - based on service to specific underserved populations and a certain population-to-primary care provider ratio
3) Safety-Net Facility (primary care HPSA) designation - (based on FQHC or RHC status,
provision of services regardless of ability to pay, and service to a certain minimum percentage
of Medicaid-eligible and/or low-income uninsured patients).
The first two categories – geographic (HPSA) and population (MUP) designations – both include “Tier 1” and “Tier 2” designations based upon how population-to-primary care provider ratios are calculated. These “tier” designations also seem related to a project’s ability to apply for additional Federal funding, though recent clarification from HRSA suggests this is not the case.
The third designation – “safety-net facility primary care HPSA” – includes health centers that don’t fall into the first two categories and serve at least a certain percentage of all their patients “either under Medicaid, under a posted sliding fee schedule, or for no charge” (40% for metropolitan areas, 30% for rural non-frontier areas, 20% for frontier areas). It would seem that Health Care for the Homeless projects would automatically be considered “safety-net facility primary care HPSAs” – but the regulations are silent about whether such providers could compete equally with those entities designated under the first two categories with respect to eligibility for continued or enhanced federal funding.
We’re not the only ones who are confused
A recent study released by the George Washington University Medical Center’s School of Public
Health and Health Services evaluated the impact of the new regulations on health centers and safety net providers. Making the plausible assumption that the “safety-net facility” designation is considered of lower priority, the authors found that under the proposed regulations, as many as one-third (30%) of health centers—1,129 sites—may receive such a designation and run the risk of losing Federal funding. The proposed regulation does not explain what this designation would mean for health centers; however, it does state that to maintain HPSA/MUP designation after six years of automatic designation, FQHC or RHC clinical sites will be required to demonstrate that they meet the new criteria for area and/or population or safety net facility designation. Failure to demonstrate this would result in loss of grant funding for primary care services, or loss of eligibility for NHSC clinicians, or loss of eligibility for a more favorable level of Medicaid and/or Medicare reimbursement.
The National Association of Community Health Centers surmises that the regulations would appear to have a greater negative impact on metropolitan areas than on rural and frontier areas. When calculating the number of areas that will retain their HPSA/MUP status through both the geographic area and population group, they estimate that 82% of metropolitan areas and 81% of metropolitan populations will retain their HPSA/MUP status; whereas almost all rural and frontier areas will maintain their designation status.
Much remains unknown. It is unclear how these regulations are to be implemented and to what
degree they could impact funding for health centers and National Health Service Corps personnel.
One thing, however, is certain: as the number of uninsured Americans steadily rises (from 41.2 million in 2001 to 47 million today), an increasing number of our most vulnerable neighbors turn to health centers for care – more than 16 million people annually. At a time when health care is more unaffordable and unavailable for low-income families, would we want to do anything to disrupt the existing health care safety net? We think not.
ACTION:
* Submit comments about these Federal regulations to HRSA by May 29, 2008. Go to
http://www.regulations.gov. Click on the link ``Submit electronic comments on HRSA regulations with an open comment period.'' (Attachments should be in Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, or Excel; however, Microsoft Word is preferred.)
o Suggested recommendation: Given the complexity and ambiguity of the Proposed Rule on
Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas
(73 Fed. Reg. 11232, et seq (February 29, 2008), we request further, understandable
clarification of how this designation process would work and of its likely impact upon health
centers.
* Consult the following resources for information about how these regulations could impact your
community:
The Federal Register http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/shortage/hpsafrn022908.htm
HRSA site on the proposed rule http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/shortage/healthcenters.htm
George Washington University School of Public Health comments
http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/departments/healthpolicy/chsrp/downloads/MUAReport41108.pdf
National Association of Community Health Centers preliminary comments
http://www.nachc.com/client/documents/summary_of_shortage_designation_proposed_rule_-
_03_10_08.pdf
Formal comments from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council will be posted.
* For more information contact the National Council’s Health Policy Organizer, Adrienne
Breidenstine, at abreidenstine@hchmd.org or 443-703-1337.
"Go outside and see if it's ghettoized now.....What we're trying to do is correct it and cure that problem."
The comments came yesterday after Mandel unveiled a grand vision to redevelop a section of downtown not far from where tent city was last year.Edmonton begins gearing up for the coming gentrification .... (Edmonton, Canada) Homeless campers keep out: mayor By FRANK LANDRY, CITY HALL BUREAU
Mayor Stephen Mandel vows swift action to shut down homeless camps this summer - or at least big ones like last year's infamous tent city.
"It's not safe, it's not secure. What it does is create a very dangerous environment," Mandel told Sun Media.
"We'll make every effort, if it starts, to shut it down."
Despite the strong words, Mandel acknowledged there's only so much that can be done, and getting rid of all the homeless camps that tend to dot the river valley would be nearly impossible.
"There are going to be tents somewhere in the city," he said.
The comments came yesterday after Mandel unveiled a grand vision to redevelop a section of downtown not far from where tent city was last year.
Called Boyle Renaissance, the inner-city project, still years from being constructed, would include housing and services for the down-and- out.
Mandel said it's still not known when construction on the Renaissance will begin, but he hopes it will happen "in the next very short period of time."
The city is still assembling land for the various agencies that will move into the development, located between 96 Street and 95 Street, and north of 103A Avenue, not far from police headquarters.
Tens of millions of dollars must still be raised for Mandel's dream to become a reality.
A new inner city high school, YMCA transitional housing development and city recreation centre will be among the first projects.
Franco Savoia, president and CEO of the Edmonton YMCA, said his agency's portion will include 150 transitional housing units, including 75 for families.
"Until we put some of these other things in place, we will have another tent city," he predicted.
Future plans for the area include an aboriginal centre, more transitional and supportive housing, as well as medical services and facilities.
The estimated capital cost of the development is estimated to be $186 million. The city is contributing $20 million for land and infrastructure improvements.
Yvonne Fritz, minister of housing and urban affairs, said the province would be willing to pony up some funding as well.
Critics, like MLA Hugh MacDonald and MP Peter Goldring, have argued the project will overload the downtown core with poor people.
But Mandel, noting there will be extensive community consultation before construction begins, said the intention isn't to "ghettoize" the area.
"Go outside and see if it's ghettoized now," he said. "What we're trying to do is correct it and cure that problem.
"If your tire is flat on a car, you have to fix it. And we believe we have a flat tire here."
"....dehumanization is contributing to a rise in violent crimes against the homeless"
Any first term sociology student can tell you the ease with which a group can be dehumanized - its occurred all through history and has been widely utilized here in the good ol U.S. of A on a variety of folks, with stunning and vicious success, I might add.
This dehumanization also occurs much more frequently when times are tough for folks, and there's no doubt many people are finding today's current economic situation damned hard to cope with. Blind rage at the helplessness and lack of control over one's destiny drives some people so crazy that they lash out by scapegoating others for their own failings.
Younger folks seem particularly susceptible to the ugliest behaviors associated with the dehumanization of another human being and it may be because they haven't yet developed the critical thinking skills that assist them in the "rehumanization" process - being able to see behind the veil of the dehumanizing terminology to the person at its center - and also haven't had time yet to develop empathy for another's plight.
Whatever the case, I doubt this persecution will diminish anyime soon and one thing is certain: we're going to have to protect this very vulnerable population of human beings better then we have been...
Attacks against homeless increasing, groups say
Illinois tied with two other states for the 6th-highest total recorded in nation
By Ted Gregory | Tribune reporter
April 30, 2008
Long before his bludgeoned body was found in a DuPage County Forest Preserve, John Conrad had become almost anonymous. Since he was homeless, nearly everyone had forgotten that he had flown remote-controlled planes as a child in that same preserve and entertained dreams of becoming a pilot.
That dehumanization is contributing to a rise in violent crimes against the homeless, two national homeless-preven
Fla. Leads Nation In Attacks On Homeless
POSTED: 4:55 pm EDT April 29, 2008
UPDATED: 5:22 pm EDT April 29, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The state of Florida had the highest number of attacks on the homeless in the nation, according a new report by a National Coalition for the Homeless and another advocacy group.
RELATED: 'Wanted' Fliers | 8,000 Living In Fla. Woods The report, "Hate, Violence, and Death on Main Street USA," found that 29 attacks in Florida beat California’s 21 attacks in 2007.Nationally, attacks against the homeless increased 13 percent in 2007, the report said. The report, released Tuesday, documents an increase in crimes against the homeless nationwide, including a 40 percent increase in fatal attacks. The attackers, claim advocates, are increasingly young people and teenagers.Advocates said videos of beatings and attacks that juveniles post on the Internet desensitize people."If these brutal attacks were committed against any other religious or minority group to the same degree, there would be a national outcry and call for governmental action," said Michael Stoops, acting executive director of NCH. "We must respond to this dehumanization and protect homeless persons against hate crimes."While the motive for an attack is often unclear, some of the attackers said they committed the crime out of "boredom," or for a "thrill" or "fun," the report said.The report also detailed ways cities and the federal government can act to solve the crisis of anti-homeless violence. Read more of the "Hate, Violence, And Death On Main Street USA report.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Previous Stories:
- April 10, 2008: Bounty Put On Heads Of Fla. Homeless
- March 27, 2008: Homeless Man Banned From Stores
- February 21, 2008: Homeless Must Leave Camp Or Face Arrest
- February 20, 2008: Homeless May Be Issued Trespass Warnings
- January 25, 2008: Proposals Aim To Help Homeless Crisis
- January 25, 2008: 'Family' Is Fastest-Growing
Homeless Category In Florida - January 24, 2008: 20,000 War Vets Living On Florida Streets; 1,400 In Central Florida
- January 23, 2008: 1,700 Homeless Children In Central Fla.
- January 22, 2008: 8,000 Homeless Living In Woods, Cars Throughout Central Florida
- January 21, 2008: Homeless In Central Florida
Higher Penalties For Attacks On Homeless Persons Proposed In Several States
April 29, 2008 1:13 p.m. EST
Vittorio Hernandez - AHN News Writer
Washington, DC (AHN) - More states are considering passing heavier penalties for attacks on a homeless person as amid reports of growing incidents of that nature.
According to a report released Tuesday by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, attacks on homeless people went up to 160 incidents in 2007 from 142 in 2006. Of the 160 incidents that took place last year, 28 ended in murder.
Among the states where such a measure are pending were Ohio, Massachusetts and Alaska. The Alaska bill has been approved by the state's Senate and House, with the signature of Gov. Sarah Palin as the last one needed to make it into a law.
Maine already has one which permits judges to cite a victim's status as homeless to justify harsher penalties on the attacker. California required its police officers to undergo training on dealing with crimes against homeless people.
Majority of the attackers are young men below 25. Michael Stoops, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, told USA Today attacking the homeless "has become a new sport, almost a right of passage."
The legislations are considered timely considering that as foreclosure rates double, more Americans are at the risk of becoming homeless. Before the subprime mortgage crisis hit the nation, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated there were about 750,000 homeless roaming America's streets on any given night.
4.29.2008
"A backlash against street people is under way in this renowned liberal college town after an uncharacteristically violent turn of events"
"I think people have noticed disturbing trends in the past couple of years: aggressive panhandling, public urination, men harassing people on the street—and the whole thing just kind of exploded with the two murders," said David Keller, a Realtor in Madison. "I think it's probably an easy default ... but these feelings have been simmering under the radar, and now they're out in the open."I was down at Riverfront yesterday, photo-interviewing a 50 year old woman who arrived from Birmingham, AL 18 days ago with her husband. She'd been in town a total of 12 days when they were arrested and taken to jail for sleeping down at Riverfront while waiting for their Social Security Disability checks to come in. They told me that ordinarily they wouldn't have had to do that but they'd been robbed near the Greyhound bus station in Birmingham before they got on the bus and so arrived in Nashville "broker than a Bush economic policy." During the videoing of that conversation, I noticed two gentlemen watching me with more than passing interest. When I finished, one of them -Buddy - asked me if I was "from the Scene?" I told him "no," and then told him I worked for a mental health agency and was also a co-founder of the Contributor, Nashville's Homeless Newspaper. Buddy was obviously bothered and a little agitated, but kept it under control while asking me why it was that "we" didn't do something about "all the bums" in the park. "We sit in our offices eating lunch and we gotta look at all this crap and these people scattered all over the place. Look at that junk there," he said, pointing to the couple's belongings I had just interviewed. I don't think my first response - that public parks are open to everyone during operating hours- sat too well with him, but I quickly began scoring decent "awareness" points when I told him what had actually occurred to this couple, that although Metro's Homelessness Commission was definitely working on solutions we hadn't been able to keep our promise in 2007 of even one of the 200 affordable housing units we promised we'd bring to the city each year, and that the reason folks congregate at the parks is because; A. there's no place else to go and B. the parks have bathroom access - the only place left in the city that would allow "these people" a place to use a toilet. I then asked him as a store owner if he had a policy that banned people with backpacks from using his restrooms. He hesitated a moment and I knew he did. He stated that he banned "those people" because all "they" do is steal from his store. We then talked a while about the "one bad apple" phenomenon and he began softening his stance. We continued talking about the scattering of services in the Nashville area and how it forces folks to spend their days crisscrossing town to get services, and finished our discussion by addressing the lack of money and resources needed to really make a difference. By the end of our conversation, I had an invite from Buddy to come talk more and I'm going to ask him for an interview for the Contributor because I think it's critically important we get the views of the business owners like Buddy while also helping to enlighten Buddy and those who share similar views as to why it is we have people hanging out at Riverfront when we should be able to help them find a place to hang their hats. We need people like Buddy to help us end homelessness. Buddy himself may not bring every resource to the table that will accomplish this, but thousands of Buddys, armed with a true understanding of the complexity and problems of homelessness, may bring ideas and resources we hadn't even thought of. Furthermore, if we can clue all the Buddys into the difficulty and frustration we service delivery professionals have concerning our lack of resources and frankly pathetic levels of funding we receive to address the scourge of homelessness, perhaps - just maybe - they will add their voice to the growing chorus of those who are demanding society do the right thing in helping our sick and marginalized and ostracized brothers and sisters get off the streets, permanently.
www.chicagotrib
chicagotribune.com
Public casts colder eye at homeless
In Madison, rising suspicions in wake of unsolved slayings fuel backlash
By Tim Jones
Tribune correspondent
April 27, 2008
MADISON, Wis. — The late-afternoon regulars on State Street — Lonnie, Ron, Bruce and dozens more, nearly all of them men with outstretched hands or jiggling styrofoam cups—know all too well that they're not the most admired members of the community. They may be drug addicts, alcoholics, ex-cons, mentally ill or homeless, but they can sense when public sentiment has shifted against them—like now. A backlash against street people is under way in this renowned liberal college town after an uncharacteristiSpreading resentment
Across the nation, resentment toward the homeless—especially single men who aggressively panhandle — has prompted some cities to take sterner measures to keep order and manage the denizens of Skid Rows. The circumstances vary, but a combination of factors is at play, including the depressed economy, deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill and the burgeoning numbers of homeless people.
Cities are restricting the activities of people who live on the street. Tacoma, Wash., prohibited panhandling before dawn and after dusk (Ed Note: so too did Nashville recently). Seattle, in addition to new panhandling curbs, is about to close free public toilets that had become a haven for drug deals and other crime. Resistance in other cities to new or expanded homeless shelters has mounted.
"There's a backlash," said Michael Stoops, acting executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. "People are frustrated because the homeless population is growing."
Upsetting the balance
While Madison is by no means a newcomer to the movement regulating transients, this city of about 224,000 people has a reputation for creative and compassionate solutions to help the homeless. The April 2 daylight slaying of Brittany Zimmermann, a 21-year-old University of Wisconsin student, has upset the social balance and changed the conversation about Madison's estimated 3,400 homeless, just under half of them who walk the streets, day and night. "I think people have noticed disturbing trends in the past couple of years: aggressive panhandling, public urination, men harassing people on the street—and the whole thing just kind of exploded with the two murders," said David Keller, a Realtor in Madison. "I think it's probably an easy default ... but these feelings have been simmering under the radar, and now they're out in the open." Among the problems were the homeless taking over a city park and camping in cars parked in residential areas. Is the suspicion of transient involvement in the Zimmermann slaying justified? That almost doesn't matter. In the hours after the killing, the public soon became aware of a large police sweep, rounding up about two dozen transients after officers received a tip that panhandlers had been going house-to-house that day. The tip was credible because people had been complaining for months about increasingly aggressive panhandlers. About a dozen transients remain in police custody on unrelated warrants. Murders are an aberration in Madison, which since 2000 has averaged five annually, a number that would be a normal weekend of killing in Chicago. Since last summer, though, three slayings have gone unsolved: Kelly Nolan, whose body was found last July; Joel Marino, found in his driveway in late January; and Zimmermann. In the absence of suspects and the desire to solve the Zimmermann case, the impression of transients being rounded up lingers, along with an implication of guilt. "Round 'em up, give 'em a ticket or jail time," said one anonymous blog posting. Even those who believe there is no connection between transients and the killing say the homeless need to be brought into line.Difficult situation
Madison is a reminder of the difficulties in dealing with the homeless, estimated at 760,000 nationwide, according to a recent Department of Housing and Urban Development survey. Madison has already cracked down on panhandling, restricting it to two sites on State Street, the vibrant mile-long pedestrian strip of restaurants and shops connecting the State Capitol and the University of Wisconsin's main campus. State Street is the most lucrative place for panhandlers, and where police keep a close watch. Patrol Officer Meredith York walks the strip six days a week from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., keeping track of street people, most of whom she knows by name, by their troubles and the kinds of trouble they get into. They call her Meredith, and sometimes slur it as "Meriter," the name of a nearby hospital. On a recent afternoon, York upbraided Chauncey for littering; ignored Lonnie, who insisted she give him a dollar because it was his birthday; and told Bernard to stay out of the liquor store's parking lot. A short time later York ran into George, whose distinction is wearing the same clothes every day: torn pants, a long leather overcoat and a dark blue stocking cap, into which his thick dreadlocks are stuffed. George was drunk and carrying an open bottle of beer. York wrote him a citation for $298 and warned him to stay away from alcohol. After trying to engage two women on the street, George shuffled away and, out of York's sight, slid into a nearby bar. "They know I'm looking out for them," York said. On most days York walks about 8 miles before her shift is done. A pair of walking shoes lasts three months. She spends a good bit of time at Peace Park, the concrete speck where transients congregate every day and, one by one, can legally panhandle under a light post with a banner that reads, "Celebrate Madison." York and other Madison officers who patrol the thoroughfare carry with them a sheet of small color photos identifying the 85 street people who are banned from State Street because of one violation or another. "This is a big punishment for them because this is where the action is," she said.'Did you catch the guy?'
Zimmermann was killed about four blocks from State Street, and the police have acknowledged that moving troublemakers off the main drag may have simply created problems elsewhere. Since 2000, Madison has maintained a handle on violent crime, but burglaries have soared, up 26 percent last year. The Zimmermann case is on the minds of the transients. "Did you catch the guy who killed that girl?" asked Ron, a man in his early 40s who suffers from mental problems. Then, noticing a stranger next to York, Ron shook his head and said, "I don't know anything about that, sir; I don't know anything." Then Ron took his spot beneath the streetlight and began jiggling his styrofoam cup.
"Horizon Crest....is an unusual blend of 66 low-rent apartments for the poor and 12 apartments for the chronically homeless"
Vegas figures out that Housing First works, and works well....
Nashville has a Housing First program I've talked about before - Fisk Court. Unfortunately, there's a rather large waiting list to get into a unit and one must be referred by one of the service agencies working to assist those without homes. Contrary to rumors out there, one cannot simply knock on the manager's door and get an apartment or walk into an agency and ask for one of these units. Fisk Court is for the chronically homeless, those with difficulties maintaining housing or who are in need of wrap around services offered to the members of Fisk Court. There is discussion afoot to expand the program but of course, limited dollars makes any expansion difficult.
This is one housing program with "statistically significant" success rates that has repeatedly proven it both works for those experiencing homelessness and saves society tons of money in the process. It should be a no-brainer for those holding the purse strings for various assistance disbursements.
The scary part of knowing this is knowing too that we've had similar knowledge for decades that drug treatment programs are more effective than incarceration and yet, we continue to invest our largest portions of money into corrections....
Doesn't bode well for rapid change in any government approach, even with Mangano cheerleading the correct way....
First things first: For homeless, a home
Program offers shelter with no conditions and lots of help to those long on streets
Tue, Apr 22, 2008 (2 a.m.)
Sam Morris
Michael Sumling chats with his friend Kerry Green in Sumling’s Horizon Crest apartment Friday. Sumling says he’s learned to take his medications even when he’s feeling “better.”
Rodney Johnson, a former Marine who lost his job and family, lives at Horizon Crest, which includes 12 apartments for the chronically homeless.
It wasn’t exactly a crystal ball.
After careening through the nation’s alleys and jail cells for half his life, 47-year-old Michael Sumling saw his future one Fremont Street morning in a plastic bottle of Coke — with urine and a cigarette butt in it.
He spat out the sickly sweet liquid and almost vomited. He cursed his life. He knew it was time to stop living on the streets.
A first-of-its-ki
The formerly homeless tenants have a case manager who is on-site Monday through Friday and a cell phone call away during the weekend. The idea is to get people off the streets and into housing without first forcing them to jump through such hoops as getting a job, completing a detox program or going to church — as is common in many other programs. The hope is that the anchor of an apartment, plus on-site or nearby help for addictions, mental illness and other problems, will be enough to keep people from going back to the streets.
The program’s goals are similar to those of a model used elsewhere called “housing first.” It’s based on the simple notion that the foremost need of homeless people is a place to close the door behind them at the end of every day, no strings attached and with lots of help readily available.
Nevada HAND, a housing developer, built the apartments for $11.5 million, using federal low-income housing tax credits as well as Las Vegas and state money. The formerly homeless tenants put 30 percent of their incomes toward the rent, with the remainder covered by county or state money. The tenants receive a rule book of sorts on entering the program, including requirements of weekly meetings and plans to develop daily routines leading to long-term housing.
The stakes are high: Experts estimate the chronically homeless cost society much more than their numbers suggest. The federal government defines this group as people with a physical or mental disability who have not had permanent housing for at least a year or four times in three years. Although they make up about 10 percent of the homeless population nationwide, the chronically homeless use about half the resources available for people on the street. The Las Vegas Valley’s homeless population is estimated at 12,000.
A Clark County study found that 113 chronically homeless people used $5.8 million of $10.9 million in local money available for helping the homeless from July 2002 to May 2005.
Sumling had been on the streets or in jail most of the time since leaving his home in Charleston, Miss., at the age of 16. By his count, he has been in 40 emergency rooms and clinics in dozens of states, whenever he was overrun by depression and the voices in his head. “They treat you for a few days and then throw you right back out on the street,” he says.
He attributes the voices to the beatings he says his father gave him growing up. He has Z-shaped strips of raised skin across his chest where he tried to stab himself once.
So he was never exactly ready for a job, or able to hold onto much of anything. He gets $637 a month in Social Security disability checks for his mental illness.
A few days after that bottle with Coke and urine, he was sitting in the Salvation Army’s day shelter. An announcement on the loudspeaker spoke of an event the next day to help the homeless.
“I was tired of being chased, of having nowhere to go,” he says.
He wandered among thousands of homeless men and women in the cavernous room at Cashman Center where the event was held. As he went from table to table, he ran across programs that mostly had those hoops. “They were telling me I had to go to church, instead of giving me a choice,” he recalls of one. “I wanted to get off the streets immediately.”
He wound up at a short-term program called New Genesis, where a caseworker from HELP of Southern Nevada told him about Horizon Crest. The main requirement was the ability to prove that he had been on the streets for a long time. That he could do.
Four months later, Sumling’s tall frame extends on a couch in a living room crammed with pictures and figurines he found in the trash, and he says in a soft voice that sleeping on a bed every night is “like a dream.”
He has a tote bag filled with Prozac and other pills. He made the mistake of assuming he was “better” two weeks ago and stopped taking those pills. Soon after, the voices came back, the memories, the wondering about whether life is worth living. He shows a spot on his wrist where he says he ran a knife across his skin. He called his caseworker from HELP, who soon showed up at his door. Because Sumling was not critically injured, the caseworker simply got him to find the tote bag.
Rodney Johnson lives downstairs from Sumling and has learned the same lesson as his neighbor: “No matter how good I feel, I cannot stop taking my medication,” he says.
His road into the streets differed greatly from Sumling’s. He is white, Sumling is black. He’s from the city — South Los Angeles; Sumling, from the rural South. The 52-year-old Johnson became a Marine in the 1970s and then had a job painting houses, a wife and children; most of his adult life, Sumling has been a loner with no income.
But they both have the same enemy — their own minds.
And they both have spent a long time shuttling through jails and hospitals that either punished them or merely kept them in holding patterns without permanently getting them off the streets or treating their underlying conditions.
Johnson says he was in a helicopter accident in the Marines and lives with pain, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The depression cost him his marriage, he said.
He came to Las Vegas in 2003 to seek work at the urging of a friend. He found himself jobless in 2006 when the clutch gave out on his 2003 GMC pickup truck. He lost his $850-a-month condo. He lived in his truck. He tried to get help from the Veterans Affairs Department.
The worst part of being homeless, Johnson says, is when you “wake up in the morning and you know nothing is going to happen in your life at all.”
One 100-degree day in June, he swallowed all his pills. Someone found him covered in sweat and with foam spilling out of his mouth. He was in University Medical Center on life support for a few weeks and then out on the street again. He sought help and wound up at Montevista Hospital, where a doctor steered him to HELP. That organization led him to Horizon Crest.
Johnson said the valley needs more programs like Horizon Crest for others he saw on the streets, and that more of the people who come in contact with the homeless, such as emergency room doctors or VA staff, should know about the programs that exist.
Of course, whatever leads people to live years on the street is not always undone in a few months. Three formerly homeless people have been evicted from Horizon Crest since the program began in December, and another two left on their own, Nevada HAND officials said.
Trish Stevens, case manager at Horizon Crest, says the evicted tenants “didn’t comply with the program.” That includes having too many visitors or failing to attend sessions she holds to help them develop skills such as looking for a job or taking care of their health.
So although there may not be many hoops to jump through for getting into the program, there are requirements for staying. “We give them every opportunity to get this right and we keep working with them, but sometimes they’re not ready for it,” Stevens says.
According to Sam Tsemberis, a psychologist who developed the housing first model in a New York City program called Pathways to Housing, putting conditions on housing — if you do this or don’t do this, you’ll lose your apartment — may not work with some of the hardest of the hard-core homeless. A study of his program showed that nearly nine of 10 chronically homeless people with mental illness stayed in housing for five consecutive years with round-the-clock
He also noted that Horizon Crest makes an important contribution by placing the formerly homeless next door to people who aren’t coming off the streets. “That goes a long way toward giving people a sense of normalcy and dignity,” he says.
Horizon Crest appears to be working for Sumling and Johnson.
Sumling says resting in his apartment “is like being on a lake in a boat with a pillow and there’s nobody there to bother me. There’s no killin’, no ambulance, nobody bothers nobody. That’s what this place is like.”
4.28.2008
"Many of our current homeless do not work, do not want to work and do not seek work. Instead, they prefer to beg aggressively for handouts..."
I found this letter in Canada's Vancouver Sun paper this morning and thought I'd put it here to illustrate the ignorance that abounds in our world as it relates to those without homes. W.F. Thomas is obviously entrenched in the stereotypical belief that every person experiencing homelessness is a "skid row" bum, sotted and soiled, laying in the gutter while screaming at passerby to give him a dollar.
Until we change the perceptions of people like W. F. Thomas, we'll be fighting an uphill battle to end homelessness.
By the way, I wonder what W. F. would have to say about the "drug addict" writing this response right now?
The homeless stir feelings from heartache to disgust
Letter
Published: Monday, April 28, 2008"Not since the Great Depression have so many Canadians been homeless," wrote Daphne Bramham. But how different were conditions and the calibre of the men so long ago? Men in the 1930s wanted to work and many of them hitchhiked across the country in search of jobs without resorting to robbery and violence. They asked for work in return for a meal and when the Great Depression was over, they joined the Canadian Armed Forces and fought bravely for their country. It is an insult to compare them to today's homeless.
Today, economic conditions are such that work is plentiful and employers are pleading for workers. Many of our current homeless do not work, do not want to work and do not seek work. Instead, they prefer to beg aggressively for handouts without offering anything in return except a string of expletives when we refuse to respond to their pleas.
So why is there such a big difference between the Dirty Thirties and now? Basically, it's because we now have too many bleeding-heart, leftist politicians and "hug-a-thug" judges whose efforts are wasted no matter how much public money is thrown at the problem. Someone once said that even if we gave each of today's homeless $1 million we would have the same problems in about two months.
As for drug addicts, don't even get me started.
W.F. Thomas
Vancouver
"You're broke?...Then have some more soup."
Lots of folks used to do similar things for those without homes here in Nashville. That is, until it suddenly became "illegal" to feed the poor in this city. Sorry, lets clarify; enforcement for outdoor food services was "stepped up." Now just about every single one of the 12 or so different folks who used to provide food in the downtown area have essentially been run off under threat of fines and/or prosecution.
Hamburger Bob is the latest casualty in this war on feeding the poor that I'm aware of. He used to come up on Saturday under the ever-popular Jefferson St Bridge and provide a hot burger with all the trimmings. Bob and his wife had been doing this for years. They received no funding from anyone, paid for everything out of their own pocket, and kept a low profile in order to keep the "buzzards" (those who have homes and food but show up anyway for freebies at the best street food services) from overwhelming his effort.
Bob was chased off a couple of weeks ago, making it damned near impossible for those without homes to find food on the weekend now.
Now I've been "on the job" here in Nashville just about one year and I've defended some of the actions by city officials and local business owners because I recognize that the town belongs to everyone and there is no doubt that a small number of those without homes have acted like asses and have essentially "made their own beds."
But I am growing increasingly concerned and disheartened by the overwhelming amount of persecution occurring to my homeless brothers and sisters here. It is as if the pendulum has shifted but has become stuck on "rights of the business owners and residents." It is becoming absurd, not to mention disgraceful that a city that prides itself on its southern hospitality would treat its poor like so much garbage to be scooped up and taken somewhere out of sight, out of mind.
Now if what I've seen here in just one year has begun to wear thin on my own patience, imagine what it must be doing to the folks who have had to deal with this treatment for years.
The poor are getting ready to push back, and this rebellion is fueled not by the old "skid row" bums that so many people mistakenly believe constitute the majority of the homeless. No, this pushback arises from the righteous indignation of men and women who've been productive, law abiding, middle class citizens their entire lives but have suddenly found themselves broke and homeless due to the rape and pillaging of America by corporate interests and a government of the rich, for the rich.
These folks have discovered that the social safety nets they'd heard so much about when they didn't need them (and were often bitching about having to pay for with their tax dollars) don't actually shower them with free money and benefits. They've endured the rude awakening that being poor means being voiceless, powerless, helpless and insignificant. They've come to understand that without money and a little "employment prestige" their opinions don't mean shit. They've discovered that the doors they used to find open have slammed shut in their poverty-stricken faces. They've realized that the poor are treated much differently by law enforcement than those with enough money to hire a competent attorney. They've found that everywhere they turn, the answer is the same: "we don't have the resources to help you."
But they see "resources" being squandered in amounts so huge its hard to comprehend, their hard earned tax dollars, yet they must go without food, shelter and assistance in finding work - work that, by the way, will now pay them less than what it takes to survive in our society.
Oh yeah, folks are pissed. They are tired. They are disgruntled. Most of all, they are used to being heard and being marginalized doesn't sit too well with them.
They're going to get our attention, believe it.
(Update: 8:08AM - watching CBS morning show and Katie Couric announced a piece to be aired tonight on the CBS national news called "Hitting Home;" a story that addresses why it is that so many middle-class Americans have suddenly found themselves poor and having to use social services, food handouts, etc., to get by...)
(Seattle)
Retired carpenter offers hot soup, warm smile to homeless on Seattle's Capitol Hill
Seattle Times staff reporter
PREV
DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Bill Pond parks his pickup twice a week on Broadway Avenue East near a boarded-up Jack in the Box. There, he offers chicken soup, egg-salad sandwiches and juice to the homeless. The retired carpenter pays for it out of his own pocket, collecting and recycling aluminum cans to help offset some of the cost.
Lining up Sunday for steaming bowls of free chicken soup, Bill Pond's customers sensed this stranger with the flowing beard was more interested in feeding them than stigmatizing them as homeless.
It showed as Pond, a retired carpenter, ladled the hot liquid from a kettle on the tailgate of his green truck parked on Capitol Hill's Broadway Avenue East.
"You're broke?" he repeated to a man who sheepishly confessed he had no money to pay. "Then have some more soup."
Squatting nearby, Eli Kington flashed an appreciative smile as he ate.
" 'If it wasn't for him, people would be hungry,' said Kington, 21, who says he's been on the street since he was about 13. "There aren't many people that nonjudgmental, who show that much kindness."
Indeed, in a county with an estimated 2,600 homeless people, Bill Pond stands out. While there are more than 40 programs to feed the homeless, Pond's is one of the few to be run — and paid for — by an individual rather than a church or social-service agency.
It's also one of the few on Capitol Hill, an area popular with street youth.
"There's always that little niche that needs to be filled," says Fe Arreola, head of emergency food programs for the Seattle Human Services Department. "I think it's wonderful he's doing that."
Ironically, Bill Pond's soup service began about 18 months ago when he rejected an overture from a street person.
Eating a hamburger at Dick's Drive-In on Broadway, Pond was approached for spare change.
He responded with a counter offer. How about a burger instead?
"I decided I'd feed him because I didn't want to give him money; I didn't know what he would do with it," he recalls.
The man gratefully accepted, gobbled down the burger, then another, and Pond's one-man feeding program began.
Only store-bought burgers were out as too expensive. Instead, Pond mulled over issues of quantity and cost and chose homemade soup.
So he made a big pot and returned to Capitol Hill. In an hour it was gone. Then Pond got really serious, buying a 16-quart pot and getting a food-handler's license, just in case anyone asked, and began buying chickens, rice and vegetables for his soup in bulk.
He expanded his menu to add egg-salad sandwiches, small juice drinks and individual bags of chips.
Always, Pond dug deep into his pocket to pay. Soon the initial dozen customers turned into the 50 to 60 who now await him.
He's at the same location, 100 Broadway East in front of a defunct Jack in the Box restaurant, every Wednesday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m.
It costs Pond about $35 per night, which he partially funds by collecting and recycling aluminum cans.
Many who feed the homeless do so out of religious obligation, but Pond says that's not him. His motivation, he says, is straightforward
"I'm just really happy inside doing this. It just makes me feel really good. It's my way of giving back. I've never been homeless, but I've been down so I know how these people feel."
Pond's son, Will, helps his dad distribute the food and says he's not surprised by his father's generosity.
"He's always been a real giving guy," the younger Pond says. "He's just generous with everything he has."
Lately Pond senior has been passing out used clothing collected by Pond junior.
Still, the father has his limits. Early on, he located his mobile kitchen in downtown Seattle, only to quickly pull up stakes when customers responded with rudeness.
That doesn't happen on Capitol Hill, he says. The crowd, mostly younger men, "are really friendly, really appreciative. It just breaks your heart."
Nearby shopkeepers have been cordial, too, he says; some have even contributed soup ingredients.
Pond doesn't ask his customers why they're homeless, nor does he try to verify they are. He suspects about 70 percent are living on the street, but it's a respect thing, he says, not to pry.
Pond has never solicited financial donations from the homeless or the public. But concerned that "it's getting really expensive," he says he's open to donations of soup and sandwich ingredients. He can be contacted at 206-244-8521.
Or just look for the guy parked beside a boarded-up Jack in the Box dishing up soup and getting grateful smiles in return.
"Someone willing to give free grub to people in need is a good thing; I think he's a good guy," said Shade Allen yesterday, filling his stomach with warm soup as rain began to fall.
4.27.2008
"...if you’re lucky enough to leave the (tramp) trail, you’ll always be a part of it,”
Every day here in Nashville, hundreds of people are looking for simple things to make their lives a little easier, a little more comfortable. From socks to drinking water to a toilet, these folks wander the streets of Nashville, hoping that someone will be able to fulfill their most basic of needs. Many don't ask for much, many don't even want much, but what they need are things that most of us take for granted.
I often carry the simple items like aspirin, tampons, socks, shirts, tobacco and bus passes with me in my travels. These things go so quickly I'd need a semi trailer full of them in order to keep up with the daily demand. I used to bring power bars as well, but the damned things cost so much I can't afford to buy them any longer.
In the caregiver circles I am involved in, there has been much talk about putting on a "big event" that will provide those without homes a place to come for a haircut, medical/dental attention, clothing, a meal, camp supplies, and other services such as job training, rehab, and offers of transitional housing. I've heard this talk now since about August of 07 and I'm still waiting for this big event to come together.
It's not that folks aren't trying, they are. But always we're told we need to wait until someone or something else occurs first. Another meeting with the prospective landholders, another date to get a question answered, another appointment to see if so and so wants to participate.
As Jeannie Alexander, new leader at the NHPP said in a recent meeting, "people are tired of waiting."
We've really got to do something now, folks. Not tomorrow, not next week, not next month.
NOW.
And we'd probably better come to the table with more than socks and offers of a haircut, too....
Spring Break provides the downtrodden a lift
Amos Stallings, a disabled, unemployed veteran, said being homeless was called being on the tramp trail.
Even “if you’re lucky enough to leave the trail, you’ll always be a part of it,” he said. “You always want to come back to it, but just to visit.”
On Saturday, Stallings was able to come back — just to visit — in the company of old friends at the Care of Poor People’s 15th annual Spring Break event. It offers a reprieve for the city’s homeless and needy by providing food, clothes and other necessities.
Stallings was one of hundreds who showed up for the event, held at an empty downtown warehouse.
Stallings, 52, is not homeless anymore. Severe arthritis in his shoulders, knees and spine, and neuropathy in his left thigh, prevent him from working. He said his joblessness and an addiction to crack caused him to be homeless for many years.
But about a year ago he was able to buy a house using income from disability checks. He said he tries to attend the Spring Break event every year.
Care of Poor People was started by taxi driver and author Richard Tripp. He said it was a way to bring the community together and show the less fortunate that people cared about them.
Tripp was homeless himself 17 years ago. He lived under the Broadway Bridge for about a year after hurting his back.
Tripp said that the Spring Break kept getting bigger — a good thing, since he said that situations were getting worse for many people because of the economic downturn.
“Every year we do this, and I see how successful it was, and we helped so many people,” Tripp said, “but I think to myself, ‘It would be so much better if it didn’t need done.’ ”
As he was talking, people trickled out of the warehouse carrying plates loaded with baked beans, cheesy potatoes, fruit, spaghetti, hot dogs and blueberry pie.
A middle-aged woman with a walker paused to express her gratitude.
“Thank you,” she said to Tripp. “You give us hope. Thank you.”
Volunteers spent four days setting up for the event. Tripp estimated that they had about $100,000 worth of material goods to hand out.
Volunteer coordinator Kathy Ward, 52, has been helping with this event for five years. She said she most enjoyed talking to everyone who came.
“You always get back more than you give,” she said. “It’s fantastic.”
Elsewhere in the warehouse, people browsed tables filled with clothes — piled higher than people’s heads in some places — as well as shoes, toys, books, socks and other necessities.
Santisa Cheffen rifled through the piles looking for clothes for her children, ages 1, 3, 6 and 9. Her daughter Nafisah, 6, ran back and forth between her mom and the toy table, showing off treasures she found.
“Look!” she said, grinning and flashing a pair of green-rimmed sunglasses.
A minute later she returned clutching a Dora the Explorer doll.
Cheffen’s other daughter, Khazenah, was excited to find a restaurant play set.
Some people left with trash bags full of items, while others took very little.
Wearing a stained blue jacket and flannel shirt, and missing his bottom front teeth, Charles Everett Cook, 64, wanted a nice pair of slacks.
The 6-foot 6-inch Perry, 44, who has been homeless since January, hoped to find a pair of pants that would fit.
A man named Darrell just wanted to express his gratitude.
“I didn’t come and get a whole lot because it doesn’t take a lot for me,” he said. “But some people need this. I’m grateful and appreciative for what I got.”
"...Carraro looked to state and federal programs for transitional housing and got no help."
Good ol Joe Carraro (R-NM). He sure talks a good game about feeding the homeless and trying to find them housing. But Albuquerque's homeless aren't getting much help from him beyond a slice of old, cold pizza. Joe's voted against just about every effort to improve the lives of poor folk that've come down the long lonely highways leading into Albuquerque over the past thirty years.
Check it out for yourself, then ask yourself how it is that a man who claims to be offended by the lack of assistance he went looking for made it even harder for others to find similar assistance.
Sure does make ya wonder how he is going to act on everything else that's important to us, doesn't it?
Status Quo Doesn't Satisfy State Senator
Journal Staff Writer
Joe Carraro got his first taste of public service nearly 30 years ago when he opened a pizza place near the University of New Mexico and started giving odd jobs to homeless people.
As the need grew, he and other restaurant owners launched Project SHARE and served dinner to the homeless each night. But the restaurant owners couldn't find shelter for the people they fed, so Carraro looked to state and federal programs for transitional housing and got no help.
That frustrating experience formed the basis for his political outlook and shaped his nearly 20 years in the New Mexico Legislature. "That's when it started sinking in that there was something wrong with government," he said.
Carraro has since sold his restaurants, and, retired from everything but his Senate job, he is seeking the opportunity to work on a larger scale in Congress.
"We've been lulled into thinking everything is going to be all right," Carraro said, "by a president and by a Congress, which has switched back and forth, saying 'the Democrats are crooks, let's put the Republicans in there. The Republicans are crooks, let's put the Democrats in there.' ''
Carraro was raised in New York on Long Island. His father, an Italian immigrant, was a New York City police officer. After Carraro's mother died, he and his father moved to Albuquerque to be close to relatives, and Carraro got a finance degree at UNM, then returned to New York to be a stockbroker.
He missed his father and New Mexico and moved back to open a pizza restaurant with some friends, eventually expanding to a second location.
He got involved in Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign as a volunteer and after Reagan was elected, he decided to run in a newly created state Senate District in Albuquerque. The district had four Democrats for every Republican.
Carraro campaigned door to door and gave people IOUs, pledging he would resign from the Legislature if he didn't fulfill his campaign promises. He won, and he says this election has some parallels to that first race.
"People get to the point where they've had enough," Carraro said. "The issues are just on a national scale now. Now it's the economy, it's the war in Iraq."
"Gang members and criminals are using the homes as stash houses for their weapons and drugs."
Another problem brought to us by our friends at the local subprime mortgage company....
Here's the thing, tho; I'm not so sure I'd stash my shit in an abandoned house, especially my dope. Too many chances that I'd lose it, whether from a ripoff, a demolition, or new owners taking possession of the property and making it impossible for me to recover my "investment."
Of course, I'm thinking logically here, something most dope fiends - present self years ago included - and gangsta thugs rarely do....
Foreclosed homes used to stash guns, drugsSunday, April 27, 2008 John Caniglia Plain Dealer Reporter The leaders of a robbery team that terrorized Tremont businesses last fall made sure they never lacked access to firepower. They simply stashed a shotgun in the foundation of an abandoned home several miles away, near East 105th Street and St. Clair Avenue. The gun was there if anyone in the crew needed it. "It was the community gun,' " said Cleveland police Lt. Thomas Stacho. "They said it was there for when someone had to hit a lick,' or commit a robbery." As workers board up abandoned properties across the county, police, neighborhood activists and advocates for the homeless are seeing another ugly trend emerge in the foreclosure crisis: Gang members and criminals are using the homes as stash houses for their weapons and drugs. For gang members and street criminals, pitching a weapon or drugs in boarded-up houses is an easy way to avoid being caught with them. For the neighborhood, it's a hazard. The danger comes when neighborhood children use the houses as playgrounds or squatters make dangerous discoveries. On April 11, a 14-year-old Cleveland boy told police he found a .22-caliber revolver and a .22-caliber rifle behind an abandoned home. He took the weapons home, only to have his 10-year-old brother find the revolver and shoot his 11-year-old sister in the head, killing her. Police are skeptical of the teen's story that he found the gun. But it underscores how well known the homes are for criminal enterprises. Authorities said it's impossible to get definitive numbers on how common the problem is, but they say the mere fact it's happening is worrisome. And it's not just in Cleveland. In February, Pittsburgh police told reporters they seized 30 guns and ammunition from abandoned homes in one gang-ridden neighborhood. In March, police in Trenton, N.J., recovered weapons during a search of boarded-up houses. "We have guys who will hide weapons that they used in crimes in abandoned homes; it happens," said John Hageman, an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Philadelphia. Other communities in Ohio see the same thing. In Summit County, drug detectives have found methamphetamine "These homes are a breeding ground for crime," said Lorain Police Chief Cel Rivera. In recent years, the department has investigated slayings and a rape at abandoned homes. Eight days before the shooting of the 11-year-old girl in Cleveland, Stacho said, a youth tried to stash a .22-caliber gun at an abandoned home in the 700 block of Lakeview Avenue. Police caught the youth and seized the gun. "These are eyesores and places that people can use to conceal items that they strip from houses, or their drugs or their guns," said Brian Davis, director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. "No one checks on the houses, and they're lost in a bureaucratic shell game of who has to take care of them." In 2004, Davis' agency surveyed 15 abandoned buildings in Cleveland. He found 10 that had some form of criminal activity in them. Judy Martin, founder of Survivors/Victi "Of course we've heard about this," she said. "People are simply taking advantage of what's there. Anyone can get into a vacant home, no matter how well it is boarded up." Bob Deskins' workers see the problem from a different angle: from a wrecking crane. Deskins runs Lightning Demolition and Excavation, one of the companies Cleveland hires to tear down abandoned homes. His crews have found crack cocaine in homes and other drug tools. They grab a 55-gallon barrel and burn what they find. "You want to make sure the druggies can't come back," Deskins said. Neighborhood activists fear the drug peddlers and the problems they bring will leave only when a solution arrives for the foreclosure problem. To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jcaniglia@plain |
"These days, even the woods are no haven for the homeless."
What to do with folks who are in situations like these? Should people be forced into housing? What about the folks like Sheryl Miller, who enjoy being out in the woods, alone, hidden and left to her self? Do we as society demand that they "come in" from the cold, or in this case, the heat, and live like "civilized" humans? I know plenty of peeps living in brier patches and shanties who don't ever want the trappings - and resultant headaches and hassles - of the typical American lifestyle.
I also notice the "L" word - liability - cropped up in the defense of actions taken against those squatting on the vacant land. This is going to become an increasingly common way to justify the forced removal of people from areas, I suspect. It makes perfect sense, of course and it is a real concern for property owners, since it'll be their ass on the line should someone get hurt and decide to sue over it. It's also a great way to absolve oneself of the moral and ethical responsibility by shifting the blame for the action onto someone else, a relatively common way to get people to do things they wouldn't ordinarily do;
"Owners of the land -- a local investment group and an Ohio-based bank -- say their hands are tied"There are enough starving attorneys out there to litigate damned near anything, and the law is never black and white, unless of course, its skin color we're talking about; then we know exactly how the law is going to go down in about 99.9 percent of the cases. Darlene and Michael Downs might sound like a lot of struggling couples. He is chronically ill; she doesn't work so she can take care of him. And now they're faced with losing their home -- a four-room place where they hang their wedding photos and snapshots of the grandkids and snuggle up before their 27-inch color TV. Except home in this case is a shanty in the woods off John Young Parkway. And the Downses, like their neighbors amid these vine-covered oaks, have just gotten notice that they're about to be evicted. "We're not bothering anybody," Michael Downs said. "And the doctors told me I can't take no more stress." These days, even the woods are no haven for the homeless. Orlando police officers, who first handed out trespass warnings in mid-April, said the crackdown stems from a nearby neighborhood group that "bombarded" police with complaints about registered sex offenders living in the woods. "There were probably two or three out there, but even one is too many," Orlando police Lt. Robert Anzueto said. "There's no way to regulate them if they're in the woods. . . . And there is trash and debris all over the place. If I were a neighbor, I would be concerned." Owners of the land -- a local investment group and an Ohio-based bank -- say their hands are tied. Orlando's code-enforcement office sent them notice about three weeks ago that they needed to clean up the property or face stiff fines.
"There's also a potential liability issue from people living on the property," said Steven Bechtel, a local attorney for Key Bank in Cleveland. There are no plans at this point to develop the property.
Darlene and Michael Downs admit they're not as neat as they were before Michael got sick. But they're not sex offenders, either. She is a 54-year-old former dog groomer who has a daughter and grandchildren in Delaware. He is a 60-year-old Vietnam veteran who lost his way after his two infant sons were killed in a car crash some 30 years ago. He met Darlene in the woods, where she has lived for nearly seven years.
He built her a home, such as it is, out of scrap wood and tarps and remnants of carpet. They have a generator, a pair of TV sets, a radio and a kitchen. Once, they had a nice front porch with wooden planters out front -- complete with geraniums that Darlene nestled in the soil -- but a bad storm knocked that down. They still have a sanctuary in the back -- a small bench before a trio of crosses. Each cross marks the grave of a dog they lost in recent years.
"We can't leave our babies," Darlene said.
The police say there are several camps and at least 60 homeless people in these woods, which flank John Young Parkway between W.D. Judge Road and West Princeton Street. Some of the people have lived here nearly 20 years, surviving on disability checks, military pensions or odd jobs. There are few rules outside of respecting others' privacy.
The Downses' place is marked by a gate to a path through the trees. But some of the campsites are well-hidden.
The Downses' closest neighbor is Sheryl Miller, a tidy 53-year-old woman who lives with her 28-year-old son. You won't find her place unless you know where to look.
"We have an agreement that we'll take care of each other," Miller said of her son, who works at the flea market on occasion to make money. Her place is a complex of tents, a stone fire ring, a bathroom and a shower.
For six years she has lived here, at the end of a winding path amid a heavy canopy of oaks. She is bright and well-spoken and spends much of her time cleaning, organizing and fetching water. She has read all of the 1,000 books she keeps in a tent at least once.
"I could understand if they were going to develop the property," she said. "I wouldn't have a problem with that. But they're not. You can't hear me, you can't see me, and all I want to do is sit here and drink my coffee and read my books. One guy -- he's been living here 18 years."
The Downses have a friend who will help them move to another camp, though what they've built will have to stay behind. But Miller and her son have no transportation,
4.26.2008
"Just like every other area of the world's economy, the wheels of agriculture are greased with oil."
The explosion in oil price-gouging (and nake no mistake, it is gouging, no matter what they tell you. "Big oil" execs are raking in record profits - $123 billion in 2007 alone) is sending blast waves throughout our world and will - not might - create social unrest the likes of which have almost certainly never been seen in the world before. In fact, it is already occurring......
(Irony intended)
Big oil has been kicking at a chunk of flint buried in the center of this powder keg for just about long enough now. Our current crop of political choices aren't bringing any big hopes for real change to this picture, either, so you can add their feet to the flint-stomping party.....
Why are food prices rising so fast, and who are the beneficiaries?; [1ST Edition]
MICHAEL SAVAGE. The Independent. London (UK): Dec 18, 2007. pg. 30
"Soaring food costs have caused riots in some areas, including Mexico, Morocco, Yemen and Senegal."Closer to home, the poorest among us are losing patience and we will see what this translates into over the coming months. I'm warning you now, if we don't shift priorities and begin taking care of our people first, we're going to see problems and reactions to this failure that will make the riots of the 60s look like Halloween pranks. Lest you think I'm crazy, take a gander at a list of riots and their causes. Starvation leads people to do things unthinkable in "flush" times. Couple this starvation with the despair, hopelessness and increasing desperation of a disenfranchised, ostracized, marginalized and increasingly pissed off population and you've got a powder keg just waiting for the spark.
(Irony intended)
The big question
Why are we asking this now?
Because the effects of climbing food prices are being felt across the globe, with prices of several different staple foodstuffs reaching record levels. British shoppers are now feeling the pinch of pricier groceries. Food price inflation was running at more than 5 per cent in October, while new figures published today are expected to show that spiraling food prices are having an impact on overall inflation. The knock-on effects are beginning to be felt throughout the economy. A steep increase in the price of basmati rice is causing problems among the country's Indian restaurants. The price increase has been caused partly by a change in diet. Basmati rise, once only found in specialist Asian stores, now accounts for about half of the total rice sales in this country. But there are also global factors at work.
So where is affected by rising food prices?
Everywhere. Rising food prices are a worldwide reality. New benchmark prices for cereals came into effect yesterday, which could herald in a fresh wave of food-price inflation. In the US, wheat and rice prices have reached a record high, while soya beans are at their highest price since the early 1970s and corn is at its most expensive for more than a decade. Food-price inflation in America is running at just under 5 per cent. In Europe, food-price inflation of 4.3 per cent was a main cause of the Eurozone's jump to a 3.1 per cent inflation rate last month, its highest level for six years.
According to the latest report from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), high grain prices are hitting developing countries the hardest. It warned of "substantial rises in retail prices of cereal based food staples, such as bread, pasta and tortillas, as well as milk and meat, in countries across the world", adding that the prices were even "fueling social unrest". Soaring food costs have caused riots in some areas, including Mexico, Morocco, Yemen and Senegal.
Who is suffering the most?
Those on fixed incomes will suffer from increased prices the most. In Britain, this will be the poorest members of society, such as the elderly and those surviving on benefits.
Though increases in food prices may be difficult for consumers in the developed world, it is a much more acute problem in the world's poorer regions, where people already spend up to 80 per cent of their income on food. The FAO says that if prices continue to climb, the diets of the poorest people in the developing world will deteriorate, because they are the most reliant on basic cereals such as wheat and grain.
In India, the cost of basmati rice has almost doubled in the past year. The government of the United Arab Emirates tried to cap the price of rice but found that it disappeared from its stores altogether. The FAO says there are 37 countries that are currently facing a food crisis.
What is causing the price increases?
Just like every other area of the world's economy, the wheels of agriculture are greased with oil. The spiralling cost of oil, now at more than $90 a barrel, has had an impact on farming costs and the transportation of food.
Demand is the main factor behind the global food price inflation, however. Production of cereals is not really the problem. It is at record levels in the US and production in the Far East also managed to hit record highs, despite a series of natural disasters. But even record levels of grain production are being outstripped by ravenous world demand. Demand has increased greatly, particularly from China, which is sucking in vast quantities of food imports. And, with the world's population increasing, things look set to worsen.
Finally, cereals which had been used for food in the past are being diverted into the production of biofuels, such as ethanol. Biofuels were blamed for a huge rise in maize prices earlier this year, which led to unrest in Mexico after the price of tortillas more than tripled over six months.
So who's gaining from higher prices?
With grain prices in Britain more than doubling over the past three years, farmers are reaping the benefits of increased demand. World cereal production this year was at a record high, up 4.7 per cent on 2006, according to the United Nations. Demand will only keep increasing in the immediate future, giving farmers around the world a captive market.
Chinese families are also benefiting from new food supplies, which is giving them a new variety to their diets. China's population, with a growing middle class, is eating much more meat than in the past, leading to a greater demand for grain and cereals for animal feed.
Are British consumers being cheated?
Two supermarkets, Sainsbury's and Asda, recently admitted keeping the price of dairy products artificially high, leaving shoppers out of pocket to the tune of 270m. Then, an inquiry into the grocery industry by the Competition Commission found that competition was working well. Food prices are increasing in the UK for the same reasons that have caused them to rise across the world.
Can governments do anything to help?
As food prices continue to increase, governments will inevitably come under greater pressure to ease import tariffs designed to protect domestic farmers from cheap food imports. Signs of an easing of tariffs have already appeared as governments try to protect their populations from rising prices. Turkey has just slashed duties on wheat, corn and barley, while the European Union - the world's biggest importer of wheat - has said it will dispense with import duties altogether next summer. Countries which have already lowered their import duties include China, Russia, Mexico, Egypt, India, Nigeria, Ghana and Peru. But while this government action is good news for consumers in the short-term, it will not solve the fundamental problem of demand outstripping the current supply of basic foodstuffs.
Any prospects of things changing?
Experts do not expect food prices to increase on a steady upward curve. Rather, prices in the short term will go up and down, as new areas begin to farm on a larger scale because of the level of world demand. But, in the longer term, prices are expected to keep heading up. There are two main reasons for that prognosis. According to the UN, the world's population will top nine billion by 2050 - and that is a lot more mouths to feed.
The second factor fuelling long-term price inflation is climate change. Bad harvests have already had an impact on rice production, and current thinking suggests that the changing climate will damage overall food production in the years ahead.
Should we be worried about rising food prices?
Yes...
--It will be the poorest people who will be hit the hardest by expensive foods
--With the world's population predicted to reach 9 billion by 2050, food shortages are likely to become even more common in the future
--It is not just an issue of money. Spiralling prices have already caused riots throughout the world
No...
--Britain has recently been diagnosed with a competitive food market. We should be able to cope as well as anyone with rising costs
--With demand for food so high, the world's farming capacity is bound to expand in response
--Biofuel engineers are developing ways of taking fuel production out of the food chain. That should ease the pressure on food supply
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