The plan will combine 500 units from the Philadelphia Housing Authority with 125 units of the city’s housing stock, continue operation of two homeless cafes for those unwilling to enter treatment shelters, and make 75 additional “safe haven” beds available for the chronically homeless.It is frustrating to so many that Nashville absolutely has the capability and the desire to accomplish a similar effort, yet very little action has been taken to do anything at all. I'm not bashing our homeless commission here as I know that for the most part, they've been diligent in working towards solutions, but their effort has produced very little to cheer about to date. The wheels of government turn slowly, no doubt about it, but they do turn, most of the time. Unfortunately, I think we're witnessing the slowest spin of the wheel in Nashville's history with this particular effort. Meanwhile, those without homes are ticked because they're continually persecuted for being homeless but have few resources available to leave the streets. Business and city residents are ticked because they feel those without homes are responsible for decreasing quality of life and increasing crime in the area, and can't figure out why it is that Metro hasn't done more to help end the problem. Non profits are ticked because they hit barrier after barrier when trying to move someone from the street into housing. Faith based groups are ticked because they are stopped from caring for the less fortuante in our society by well meaning but woefully ignorant approaches to ending chronic homelessness in the downtown area. The whole damned city is ticked and still, we're no closer to anything at all than when I started this job a year ago. And lets be clear here; the solutions are out there and they do work. We just need to implement a few instead of talking about them and studying them into the next decade.... About the only good news is the Campus's expansion, and that's not going to do a whole lot to end chronic homelessness in a time frame set forth in the 10-year plan.... What is it going to take to push past the obstacles and see some progress?
Nutter takes first shot at solving homelessness
Ready to get off streets
by solomon d. leach / metro philadelphia
MAY 29, 2008
CENTER CITY. Mayor Michael Nutter took launched first a shot at tackling the city’s homelessness problem yesterday, announcing several new initiatives to provide 700 housing units for indigent Philadelphians.
The plan will combine 500 units from the Philadelphia Housing Authority with 125 units of the city’s housing stock, continue operation of two homeless cafes for those unwilling to enter treatment shelters, and make 75 additional “safe haven” beds available for the chronically homeless.
Standing in Dilworth Plaza outside of City Hall, which has become something of a campground for the homeless, Nutter called the announcement as “very proud moment,” but also acknowledged it as a first step towards address a long-standing issue.
Homeless advocates hailed the news as an important commitment.
“We think it’s excellent,” said Jacqui Blatt, director of Susquehanna Park, a facility near 33rd Street and Susquehanna Avenue that began treating homeless men with drug and alcohol problems in January. “They need more housing options.”
Blatt said that many residents in shelters are likely to end up back on the street without the chance for permanent housing.
Nutter said the city’s homeless count was 389 last week and that the number is expected to rise this summer. He also added that the city had 6,200 foreclosure filings in 2007, which could lead to more residents without a place to live.
Nutter did not give the city’s price tag, but said it would use the $4 million in next year’s budget set aside for a housing trust fund and the Office of Supportive Housing.
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The homeless population in Philadelphia is 389, down 22 percent from a year ago, according to city officials. That does not include the 2,600 residents currently in emergency housing and 4,000 in transitional housing.
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Ready to get off streets
PHILADELPHIA. Tony Moses, who lived on the city’s streets for six-plus years until entering the Susquehanna Park shelter this year, said he gladly welcomes the 200 homes for individuals.
“By all means yes,” said Moses, 51. “I didn’t believe that nobody would give a damn, but now I do.”
Steve, 41, who has been living on the streets for 12 years, says the initiative sounds like a good idea, but he's very worried about the location of these subsidized residences.
"My only concern is that wherever these places open up, it's not a bad neighborhood," he said yesterday while sitting on the sidewalk at Broad and Sansom streets. "We’re not troublemakers, I don’t want to live in a bad area.”
Previous efforts at building housing for homeless Philadelphians have been met with anger from residents in the neighborhoods where the projects would be built.
