Littlepage: We need to clear downtown of hobos

[JeffreyS]

Don't relocate the things that are in downtown for all people (benches, bathrooms and shade). Relocate things that are just there to attract the homeless (sulzbacher center, City Rescue mission, and locations for church food drop offs).  I am not saying a new center needs to be near trail ridge though with the massive amounts of space out there nowhere near the actual dump it is not the apocalyptic scene you may imagine. We do need to find a dedicated area that can function as a labor pool, internet (job hunting/ education) site, good bus service, showers and sleep.

[Seraphs]

You know folks we have a real problem.  Honestly, I don't know the solution.  Hobo or homeless, dems out give rep, churches give more, whoever/whatever.  This past Saturday I passed through downtown going by Hemming plaza this place was filled to the brim with homeless people.  I am compassionate and I know these are extreme times, however, this is a double negative for downtown-these people do little or nothing to contribute to the econmic effect of downtown and on the other hand they keep people away that could contribute.  I definitely am not a snob, honestly I would feel uneasy walking in the middle of that crowd and having a seat.  Maybe I'm wrong for feeling this way, I always poll my friends to see if I'm way off.  Everyone I spoke with expressed my feelings.  My point is this, if I feel this way, most people in this town feels even stronger about this than I.  When the Homeless out number the regular citizens 30 to 1 there will be few store fronts open for business, empty sidewalk cafes, no children running and flying kites in the park on a Saturday mornings.

We can be contentious all we want, but we need to find a way to take our urban core back and provide for those in need. Some of you bright minded people need to come up with something.  We've had this discussion before.  Maybe put the help shelters on the out skirts of downtown.  Let's do something NOW!

[Timkin]

I would concur, Seraphs...  So where, specifically  would you suggest?    NOBODY wants to have these people in THEIR neighborhood and the effect on downtown is bad,  but the point is, these people have to go somewhere.   The last time I made a post on this topic , it was followed  a few later  by a smart-ass member of this discussion who continually takes stabs at me about building (s)  I happen to think SHOULD be spared.  The member NEVER contributes anything useful to the discussion on ANY topic , not just this one. It kind of makes me wonder why it continues to be allowed here.. Just the same negativity every time, and yet, I bet anything would NEVER contribute toward an answer to this problem.    I would love to help solve this situation. I will say again, I believe there are homeless that are so because they did not want to work , pay their way through life as most of us do , and there are MANY others that are in that situation , despite their best efforts, and still others because of mental and physical disability.  They are not all dead-beats and panhandlers by choice.  Unfortunately, I think the homeless issue is going to become MUCH MORE of a problem...

I agree.. it does affect our core, but we cannot haul all of them out of town and just dump them off somewhere.   So where do we establish these shelters , that SOMEONE would not object to , and would be reasonable? 

[north miami]

The presence of homeless camps revealed during recent explorations of McCoys creek was only briefly disturbing.
The camps simply a piece of a larger puzzle, or better yet,a larger system.

Is there a certain built in feature?
Area resident Don Lohman grew up near McCoys creek in the late 40's,early 50's.
Don says Hobo types would show up on the front porch,neighborhood from time to time-thanks to the railways.

[Tacachale]

I just don't see a problem with removing downtown from the equation in how we deal with panhandlers and other troublemakers. Currently, we not only catch downtown offenders and release them downtown, we catch offenders from all over the county and then release them downtown. Whatever else we do to address this problem, downtown is not a necessary part of it.

[duvaldude08]

The homeless and what to do with them is a problem in every major city, not just Jacksonville. There are some city who have it much worse. The only thing that makes out situation different is that our DT is not heavily populated, therefore the homeless are more visable and feel more comfortable to congregate. its just funny how Jacksonville residents are afraid of the homeless, when residents of more progressive cities just simply ignore them.

[Dog Walker]

The Brits have a good, descriptive term for a certain segment of society.  They call them "layabouts".  I think that description fits most of those in Hemming Park, many of whom are not "homeless".

"Homeless" implies that a person is a passive victim of circumstance, such as losing a job and that they would be just fine if we could get them shelter.  It is a term designed to keep us from making a moral judgement about the circumstance in which many of these people have chosen to live.

"Bum" is a nice, short Anglo-Saxon word that describes someone who doesn't want to work and has found a way live without working by panhandling or by getting some other person to support them such as a husband, wife, parent, church, charity.  Some of them are even "middle class" if their partner earns enough.

[acme54321]

The first step should be to get the jail out of downtown.  Put it out on Pecan Park at the end of the runway.

[Seraphs]

Personally, I'm not afraid of homeless people or layabouts, however, it's perfectly understandable why people can be afraid.  This lifestyle makes people hard.  Many of these folks become aggressive at the drop of a hat.  Lots of times these folks are bold and they don't care what they do.  I've spent time in cities all over this country including New York so I'm familiar with the homelessness issues.  For about four years I rode JTA in this town and I cannot count the times I almost sat in human excrement, not my idea of a good day.  People build townhomes on the river to look out at a vista, and in the middle of the view is someone parked on a bench with a buggy full of crap.

We should all cohabitate, nevertheless, downtown shouldn't be handed to homeless people as a consolation prize because they are homeless.  We've talked about this a thosand times, Timkin maybe the shelters could be in the church St. and Myrtle Ave. area, or Dennis St., also 8Th St. near industrial sites.  Many of my statements may sound harsh especially to the cry babies, but I do empathize with people in this situation.  I try to help when and where I can.

[Timkin]

Personally, I'm not afraid of homeless people or layabouts, however, it's perfectly understandable why people can be afraid.  This lifestyle makes people hard.  Many of these folks become aggressive at the drop of a hat.  Lots of times these folks are bold and they don't care what they do.  I've spent time in cities all over this country including New York so I'm familiar with the homelessness issues.  For about four years I rode JTA in this town and I cannot count the times I almost sat in human excrement, not my idea of a good day.  People build townhomes on the river to look out at a vista, and in the middle of the view is someone parked on a bench with a buggy full of crap.

We should all cohabitate, nevertheless, downtown shouldn't be handed to homeless people as a consolation prize because they are homeless.  We've talked about this a thosand times, Timkin maybe the shelters could be in the church St. and Myrtle Ave. area, or Dennis St., also 8Th St. near industrial sites.  Many of my statements may sound harsh especially to the cry babies, but I do empathize with people in this situation.  I try to help when and where I can.

None of your statements are taken by me, personally as harsh. I understand where you are coming from .

[Ocklawaha]

Another prospective...

"Let me tell you, good Gotama, that Brahmins offer sacrifice and get others to do so. All these are following a course of merit, due to sacrifice, that benefits many people. But whoever from this or that family has gone forth from home into homelessness, he tames but one self, calms but one self, makes but one self attain final Nirvana. Thus due to his going forth, he is following a course of merit that benefits only one person."

From The Compassionate Buddha, Part III, Chapter 10, Is Adopting The Way of A Monk A Selfish Act, pp 122.

OCK

[north miami]

Another prospective...

"Let me tell you, good Gotama, that Brahmins offer sacrifice and get others to do so. All these are following a course of merit, due to sacrifice, that benefits many people. But whoever from this or that family has gone forth from home into homelessness, he tames but one self, calms but one self, makes but one self attain final Nirvana. Thus due to his going forth, he is following a course of merit that benefits only one person."

From The Compassionate Buddha, Part III, Chapter 10, Is Adopting The Way of A Monk A Selfish Act, pp 122.

OCK

The Home-Less camps strewn along downtown waterways are a stark contrast to the endless parade of waterfront home sites more in line with Social Construction,many owners just a few missed mortgage payments removed from homeless-ness.

[Lunican]

Here is a video of the meeting with Sheriff Rutherford.

http://www.youtube.com/v/R6fd5j_7zcY?version=3&hl=en_US

[duvaldude08]

Federal program for Downtown’s homeless

Purchase this photo
The population of homeless people Downtown will be surveyed Nov. 14-18 as part of a federal program to place homeless people in homes with access to services.
A plan to move some of Downtown’s homeless population off the streets was announced Wednesday.
Shawn Liu, the Jacksonville case worker for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program, made the presentation to the board of directors of Downtown Vision Inc., the 501c3 funded by Downtown property owners and the City to provide services and advocate for the improvement of the neighborhood.

The initiative is an extension of a federal program that places medically at-risk veterans in apartments and rental homes.

The $75 million HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program combines Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance for homeless veterans with case management and clinical services provided by the Veterans Administration at VA medical centers and community-based outreach clinics.

Liu said a team of volunteers will survey the homeless population Nov. 14-16 beginning at 4 a.m. during what he called “Registry Week.”

“If you’re not in a shelter and you’re on the street or under a bridge, that’s your home. We’re going to comb Downtown and administer a two-page survey to assess medical needs,” said Liu.

He said experience has proven that homeless people more than 62 years old, those who have HIV or AIDS and those who have been homeless for more than six months are most at risk to die because they are homeless.

He said the local program has been designated “100 Homes for Jacksonville” and will provide at least 50 residences for homeless veterans through the VA and the remainder for non-veterans with the assistance of the community.

Sixty-two housing units have been secured already for the local initiative.

“We’re looking for sponsors for 38 homes,” Liu said.

He said the program is based on a national model, the “Community Solutions 100,000 Homes Campaign.” In addition to subsidized housing, it provides medical care, counseling and job training to provide a sustainable solution for a homeless person.

The data from the survey will be evaluated to create a registry of candidates and a priority list. Liu said a community briefing and news conference is scheduled Nov. 18 in the auditorium at AT&T Tower 301.

“Our goal is to house one to five people before Christmas. We’ll get them in a home and then help them learn to be fiscally responsible. Sustainability is the key,” said Liu.

“This is a Downtown initiative. The survey will unveil a pretty concrete number of homeless people Downtown. We can make Downtown a brighter place while addressing the needs of homeless people,” he said.

The program needs volunteers to help conduct the survey and sponsor T-shirts, breakfast and coffee for volunteers. Liu said sponsors also are needed to provide services or help defray costs of moving, furniture and security and utility deposits for the rental residences.

“Our intent is not to concentrate the people in the program and create a slum, but to distribute the participants across the community,” similar to HUD’s Section 8 housing program, he said.

For information, visit www.100homesjax.org.


mmarbut@baileypub.com

[sheclown]

Sheriff Rutherford spoke tonight at the UC CPAC meeting about his "hobo camp". I love the fact that he is seeking a solution, I hate his idea about the misdemeanor relocation facility.

I was in a minority.