Is fear preventing us from solving homelessness?

Homelessness is not, by any stretch of the imagination, an easy issue to address. And although I personally do not believe that homelessness can be eliminated altogether, I am nonetheless convinced that we can significantly reduce the numbers of folks who are experiencing homelessness. But in order to do so, we have to look beyond the myths and stereotypes associated with homelessness.  

The homeless aren’t welcome at ‘awareness’ event

This year, "National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week" was from November 14th through the 20th.

The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) — along with the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness – co-sponsor the event annually to try and create (as the NCH website states):

". . . a nationwide effort to bring greater awareness to the problems of hunger and homelessness."

And indeed, there were numerous communities nationwide that held "sleep-outs," walks and other events to raise awareness.  

What does criminalizing homelessness accomplish?

Over the last few months it seems as though there has been an increase of news articles about communities that are placing some types of bans on homeless activities. Some of communities are even placing bans and restrictions on “regular” folks feeding the homeless in public places.

Most homeless advocates refer to these types of legislative practices as “criminalizing the homeless.” Community politicians and officials, on the other hand, are quick to counter that they are not criminalizing homelessness, but are just trying to keep the peace.

Regardless of how it’s labeled, the end result is ultimately the same: it punishes a segment of a community’s local population for not having a place to call home.  

Should the homeless use social media and blogs?

Yesterday morning, I received an e-mail from friend and fellow blogger Mark Horvath of InvisiblePeople.tv.

In short, he wrote:

"If you have a second can you write a few sentences as to why we (homeless people) should be on social media and/or blogging?"

I found the request intriguing for a number of reasons. And, as often is the case with me, it started an entire chain-reaction of thoughts racing through my mind.  

Day Center and City Council members threatened over proposed homeless housing

Prejudice toward and hatred of the homeless isn’t new. It exists in every community across the nation.

Whenever homeless support services (HSS) agencies or local governments propose, either creating new services or expanding existing services, invariably there are those within the community who voice strong opposition. That opposition takes on many forms: protests, angry discourse at city council meetings, fear-mongering, letters to the editor of local newspapers, and etcetera.