Someone should do a story on the homeless camp downtown

[tpot]

Karl, ur right.  As I said in my post every large city has an issue with homeless.  In my opinion Jacksonville's problem is way out of control.  I am in downtown Lauderdale all the time and I have never seen it even remotely as bad as it is in Jacksonville.

Thanks for posting the article though...............a good read.

[tufsu1]

the Mayor was on the radio a few weeks ago and this issue was discussed...he pointed out that the social service agencies located downtown in the first place because there were few people (i.e., residents) to say no...moving these agencies from downtown now would take 2 things:

1. Money to relocate them
2. An area of town for the agencies to go....anybody want them in their neighborhood?

But the reality is that most cities have a very similar problem....the difference is that we don't have enough street activity...think about it, how prevalent is the homeless problem during ArtWalk or JazzFest?

[sheclown]

I certainly don't have answers, but compassion goes a long way.  I think we've made great strides as a city when we quit blaming the homeless for being homeless.  

It now costs $25 (maybe more) to get a replacement ID.  So if you've lost yours, you can't get work to earn your ID, you can't get an ID to get any work.  No money, no food, no shelter.  Is the city so desperate for a few dollars that it would hit the most vulnerable this way?  If you want your people to work, give them free or very low cost IDs.  Just a start.

Rather than building more shelters or programs, if we just stream-lined the steps that we know they must go through, many of them could try to help themselves first which would benefit everyone.  

GET RID OF THE HIGH ID CHARGE.  Help hungry people find work by getting out of their way.

[mtraininjax]

think about it, how prevalent is the homeless problem during ArtWalk or JazzFest?

Exactly my point, you don't see them when there are lots of people on the street, when doors are open and activity is abound around downtown. I never see them as well when there are events, far and few between, downtown on the streets. They tend to get away from crowds.

HIGH ID costs? Are these people citizens of the state of Florida? As of 2010, it now takes proof of residence and a social security card for onsite IDs from the State. So most homeless have none of this, and identity is important, period, so getting an ID card for someone who lives as a nomad deserves a higher price, there is more cost associated with getting the right identification for the person.

Giving someone the wrong identification could land that agency in hot water with authorities.

[heights unknown]

The problem is a lot of the homeless population don't want to go to a shelter. When hit up for money, I will normally offer to take them to the Trinity Rescue Mission, in which they refuse most of the time. I've found that the majority don't want to change their situation. You can build all the shelters you want but you can't force them to go in and change there situation.

In all due respect stephenc, all that the present shelters will do is feed, clothe, and give them a cot for a night and then send them on their way.  Believe it or not, the majority of the homeless want out, but you can't get out if you're beset with social problems and ills that keep you within that vicious neverending circle.  As I stated in my last post, we need shelters or transient centers that can attack those social problems as well as provide shelter, food, etc. and help to permanently end homelessness and not provide only temporary solutions.

"HU"

Oh I believe that most want out and if they look they have options. I can't speak with other centers but the Trinity Rescue Mission has programs for the homeless. You can go through a 3-6 month program downtown and then go to a rehab center in St. Johns County for 6 months. They then put you into transitional housing in town and help find you employee. With all that assistance, people still quit and go back to where they started. I know some people unfortunately have issues with the Christian environment (which I think is the only true way to fix their situation), but I'm sure there are other centers that have programs without the spiritual impact.

Most don't have the spiritual impact, and don't have the resources to attack the root causes of homelessness.  Trinity seems to be one out of a million if this is true.  Nothing like that in my neck of the woods.

"HU"

[buckethead]

wow...so you mean that the shelters have enough capacity to handle all the homeless on the coldest night of te year...and that all these people choose to stay outside?

"HURRY UP EPHRAIM, GET RID OF HER, SHE JUST AIN'T NORMAL"


The shelters don't even get close to holding all of the homeless. In many cases, alcoholics, druggies, hookers, mentally challenged and in some cases gross physically challenged people are NOT WELCOME.

We need three things in our city...

1. A new outlook on our homeless based on STREET PSYCHOLOGY, getting to them WHERE THEY ARE, without putting a bunch of strings and demands on them. They are homeless for a reason, and most are there because they can't cope with simple rules and regulations.

2. Rather then remain a city that either ignores them, or warehouses them, why not the first city to reach out with a plethora of programs for a hand up.  Start with basics, clean accessible bathrooms, showers, beds. Don't RULE THEM "BACK TO NORMAL," RATHER, "LOVE THEM BACK," for many of them it will be the first love they have ever had.

3. Decentralize our warehouses, get them out of the core and in the edge of industrial neighborhoods where day labor is common. Make the shelters spartan, but more home like, and most important of all, 24/7/365, THE DOORS ARE OPEN and the COFFEE IS ON. There is ALWAYS someone to talk to, a book to read and oh BTW, the TV is on.

OCKLAWAHA
At least 2 of the 5 MJ guys have lived on the Street, we speak from experience

This bears another look. That was very well said, and has me feeling a bit choked up.

BTW, "What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding?"

[braeburn]

I do not even pretend to be an expert in this, but the whole camp is SHOCKING, I mean I slowed down with jaw dropped. Most people just kept zooming by, but I could not even believe I was seeing this right downtown, AND across the street from the school. Not only is this unhealthy for the campers, but what about the students? I agree, shame on the city for allowing this, I mean really WTH?

I used to walk past this on Julia St. every morning on my way to class. I take Pearl St. now, as it is not pleasant to stroll through. Not only do they have that center where they can eat, but two blocks down is the plasma center where a line wrapped around the block can be seen. 

[sheclown]

think about it, how prevalent is the homeless problem during ArtWalk or JazzFest?

Exactly my point, you don't see them when there are lots of people on the street, when doors are open and activity is abound around downtown. I never see them as well when there are events, far and few between, downtown on the streets. They tend to get away from crowds.

HIGH ID costs? Are these people citizens of the state of Florida? As of 2010, it now takes proof of residence and a social security card for onsite IDs from the State. So most homeless have none of this, and identity is important, period, so getting an ID card for someone who lives as a nomad deserves a higher price, there is more cost associated with getting the right identification for the person.

Giving someone the wrong identification could land that agency in hot water with authorities.

but it is self-defeating for the city to do this...

[uptowngirl]

[/quote]

I used to walk past this on Julia St. every morning on my way to class. I take Pearl St. now, as it is not pleasant to stroll through. Not only do they have that center where they can eat, but two blocks down is the plasma center where a line wrapped around the block can be seen. 
[/quote]

Thanks, I was going to bring this up. The school is right there, the central station is right up the street, and hundreds of cars are going by every hour, so traffic is not going to help. Does anyone really beleive the police are not clearing out the place for Art Walk? Again I am no expert, but I have posted before about cities that have addressed this issue head on. Charlotte took a hardline stance and you will not see homeless camps like this anywhere downtown or in the surrounding urban neighborhoods. They will encourage you to continue your bus trip somewhere else. When did it become the responsibility of our city and tax dollars to care for an influx of peoples from other cities and states? San Luis Obispo (a much smaller town) built a day center outside the city limits and when someone gets off the bus with no where to go, they get a ride to the day center.

[tufsu1]

Wow uptowngirl...perhaps we should just do a mass relocation of a group of people we deem "lower" than us....that's worked well in history....just ask the Jews of Europe in the 1930's!

[civil42806]

Wow uptowngirl...perhaps we should just do a mass relocation of a group of people we deem "lower" than us....that's worked well in history....just ask the Jews of Europe in the 1930's!

Time to invoke Godwins law after that comment.

[fsujax]

I too have noticed this on Julia St. Not only is next door to JTA's transit station, but it sits right in the front door of FSCJ. Let's forget about relocation and just enforce keeping the street and sidewalks clear of garbage, cardboard boxes and personal belongings. State and Union are main thouroughfares through Downtown. The city should at least be enforcing keeping the area clean.

[fsu813]

until city leadership decides to decentralize social services from Downtown, the "too many homeless in DT" issue will always be relevant.

[uptowngirl]

Wow uptowngirl...perhaps we should just do a mass relocation of a group of people we deem "lower" than us....that's worked well in history....just ask the Jews of Europe in the 1930's!

Not at all. But a HUGE, dirty camp at the front doors of our school, next to our central bus station is unacceptable. It is dirty, and unhealhty for everyone period. I threw out a few versions of what a couple of other cities do, a combination of which I personally think would be a long term solution. Create a big day care center outside of an area where monies can be begged to fuel addictions, job training, showers, food, and shelter can be obtained- win/win for everyone. As to cost- limit the support by limiting the immigration into the system here. While it would be totally awesome to have the resources to support any and all who wanted to come, it just isn't feasible. We are overburdened (as a lot of cities with mostly decent weather HA!) are. There has to be a better way than allowing large groups of people to camp out and trash our downtown next to two key areas (our school and our transit center). I dunno maybe you are right, maybe it does not matter so we should just open up the arena or convention center for them where it is much warmer and has plumbing?

[tufsu1]

not that I'm bashing JTA, but maybe they collect there because its near the transit center (and the agencies).