Here We Go Again - Tent City Closing Nov. 1

I attended a major policy meeting today that addressed Park Center's implementation of the Vulnerability Index as our primary method of performing outreach.  A number of heavy hitters were in attendance and Becky Kanis, who flew in from New York to discuss the efficacy of the effort, wowed them with the amazing success rates of this approach.

Suffice it to say, lots of folks are now very interested in our numbers and we'll use Tent City as our pilot, rolling out a full, citywide implementation in early November.

And speaking of Tent City.....

I spoke with Metro PD Commander Damian Huggins, Lt. Andrea Swisher and MDHA's Clfiton Harris during a break in the conference.  They were requesting hard numbers on the folks I'd been able to relocate or get something in the works for and when I asked them what they needed the specific numbers for they stated that the camp was closing November 1st and they wanted to make certain that everyone had been given an opportunity to access available services.

Let me be clear here, folks; Clifton Harris and Commander Huggins were both very clear themselves in impressing upon me the fact that the camp would close Nov. 1st.

I'm taking this warning very seriously for a couple of reasons.  First, the concerns of advocates and local citizens will most certainly need to be addressed; hence the need for my numbers; it will buttress the argument that services have been offered.  Nevermind that it takes, on average, about 90 days to get the typical homeless Joe or Jane into housing, if everything goes perfectly and the person has all their required documentation in order - a rarity among the homeless population, to be sure. 

Second, Room in the Inn opens 11/1 and now those who are displaced from the camp will theoretically have "another" place to go.  I say "theoretically" because we as yet have no guarantee that Tent City refugees will be given priority placement at Room in the Inn beds.  Anyone who has ever stood in line waiting for a spot in an area church at the Campus will tell you that there are no guarantees you'll even get a bed and almost every night, but especially when it gets cold out, many many people are turned away for lack of bed space. 

I reiterate that I understand the rationales put forth by those pressing for the closing.  What I don't understand is the urgency that we get it closed "immediately," especially at a time when tent cities across the nation are springing up like wildfire. 

Nashville it seems is about 20 years behind the times when it comes to homeless policies; now we're looking to actually regress and send folks back onto the street. 

More coming but I'm once again so busy trying to find resources that I don't have time to do much else.....