Friday, July 20, 2007
Cuts hurt the homeless
In this editorial, the LA Times asks some very pertinent questions:
“How smart is it to bring a person in for treatment, then send him back to the street until his next appointment?
In a rare fit of common sense, Sacramento launched a pilot program in 1999 to make tax dollars smarter by allowing them to be used for real people grappling with more than one problem at a time.”
This article points up with poignant accuracy the fallacy of “boutique" or single-purpose social services that result from special interest taxation and budgeting. Many homeless persons have multiple presenting issues, not the least of which is lack of shelter. While many of us have the flexibility to come and go to appointments and events we are able to do so from a home base. Home base for homelessness is the streets or someone else’s couch.
Integrated services provide a much needed interaction of care, shelter and services. If we cannot find a way to use specifically designated dollars for a broad approach to assistance then maybe we can a least strengthen, may I suggest mandate, the interaction of government funded agencies currently funded for boutique problems to provide an integrated safety net for homeless services.
--Herb Smith, President
“How smart is it to bring a person in for treatment, then send him back to the street until his next appointment?
In a rare fit of common sense, Sacramento launched a pilot program in 1999 to make tax dollars smarter by allowing them to be used for real people grappling with more than one problem at a time.”
This article points up with poignant accuracy the fallacy of “boutique" or single-purpose social services that result from special interest taxation and budgeting. Many homeless persons have multiple presenting issues, not the least of which is lack of shelter. While many of us have the flexibility to come and go to appointments and events we are able to do so from a home base. Home base for homelessness is the streets or someone else’s couch.
Integrated services provide a much needed interaction of care, shelter and services. If we cannot find a way to use specifically designated dollars for a broad approach to assistance then maybe we can a least strengthen, may I suggest mandate, the interaction of government funded agencies currently funded for boutique problems to provide an integrated safety net for homeless services.
--Herb Smith, President
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Playground Bullying Takes to the Streets
There has been a recent nationwide increase in attacks on homeless persons by teenage youth. Los Angeles, Orlando, Statesville they all have seen recent incidents.
As summer heat increases and tensions flare, we see this increase of frustrations being taken out on others. What is not new is bullying. The roots of all bullying are much the same, lack of personal validation, the need for conquest and power where the bully feels powerless. What is frightening is that this type of behavior has moved out of the playgrounds and on to the streets of our cities. Gang violence, targeted attacks on homeless men, women and children are all becoming frequent parts of society enhanced by cell phones with cameras and U-tube postings to prove their supposed superiority. Homeless persons are viewed as non-persons -- just something to kick around like an old can or a rock in the street.
What is ironic about this situation is that many of these same juvenile offenders will become repeat offenders and thus the parolees of future decades. And they will be statistically more prone to homelessness. I wonder if these attacks, which seem to be currently focused on gaining control over ones current powerless or disenfranchised life, might actually be premonitions of their prospects. Attempting to gain power over the likelihood of finding themselves homeless in the future.
The Los Angeles Mission continues to provide answers of hope to all in need. We believe that the cycle of violence can be broken but only with the help of God and the support of positive relationships throughout a person’s lifetime. In the mean time, we support the efforts of our police department to protect all our citizens housed and homeless alike.
--Herb Smith, President
As summer heat increases and tensions flare, we see this increase of frustrations being taken out on others. What is not new is bullying. The roots of all bullying are much the same, lack of personal validation, the need for conquest and power where the bully feels powerless. What is frightening is that this type of behavior has moved out of the playgrounds and on to the streets of our cities. Gang violence, targeted attacks on homeless men, women and children are all becoming frequent parts of society enhanced by cell phones with cameras and U-tube postings to prove their supposed superiority. Homeless persons are viewed as non-persons -- just something to kick around like an old can or a rock in the street.
What is ironic about this situation is that many of these same juvenile offenders will become repeat offenders and thus the parolees of future decades. And they will be statistically more prone to homelessness. I wonder if these attacks, which seem to be currently focused on gaining control over ones current powerless or disenfranchised life, might actually be premonitions of their prospects. Attempting to gain power over the likelihood of finding themselves homeless in the future.
The Los Angeles Mission continues to provide answers of hope to all in need. We believe that the cycle of violence can be broken but only with the help of God and the support of positive relationships throughout a person’s lifetime. In the mean time, we support the efforts of our police department to protect all our citizens housed and homeless alike.
--Herb Smith, President
Monday, July 16, 2007
Volunteering in Los Angeles
The recent article by Susan Abram in the Daily News makes us grateful for the wonderful volunteers we are privileged to work with on a daily basis.
We at the Los Angeles Mission are grateful to the over 4,200 volunteers who provided over 14,000 hours of service to the community through the mission’s work. We know first hand the desire of many Angelinos who want to help but who can do so only on a limited basis due to economic issues. But, what is more amazing to us is that even those living in skid row with little or no income still volunteer! Our Anne Douglas Center has several ladies who come in and help out on a regular basis, these ladies occasionally need our help but they want to give back by serving others. The spirit of helping others is not dead in LA.
--Herb Smith, President
We at the Los Angeles Mission are grateful to the over 4,200 volunteers who provided over 14,000 hours of service to the community through the mission’s work. We know first hand the desire of many Angelinos who want to help but who can do so only on a limited basis due to economic issues. But, what is more amazing to us is that even those living in skid row with little or no income still volunteer! Our Anne Douglas Center has several ladies who come in and help out on a regular basis, these ladies occasionally need our help but they want to give back by serving others. The spirit of helping others is not dead in LA.
--Herb Smith, President
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Homeless Youth – Moreno Valley Youth
My congratulations and appreciation go out to the students and advisors who took on the challenge to experience in a small way what homeless persons sleeping outside experience on a regular basis. Let’s hope none of them experience homelessness themselves. Let’s also not forget that over 57,000 kids under eighteen and unaccompanied by parents are homeless every night in this country! Over 11,000 of them are right here in Los Angeles County.
Way to go Moreno Valley students!
Moreno Valley fifth-graders gain appreciation of challenges faced by homeless
--Herb Smith, President
Way to go Moreno Valley students!
Moreno Valley fifth-graders gain appreciation of challenges faced by homeless
--Herb Smith, President
Monday, July 02, 2007
Senate Bill No. 2
State Senator Gil Cedillo has introduced Senate Bill No. 2. The Downtown Daily News referred to the bill in it’s June 18, 2007 article State Senate Bill Could Shift Homeless Services Away From Downtown, But Opposition Awaits by Evan George.
The headline implied that the aim of the bill was to get rid of downtown service agencies. As one of those providers it made me stop in my tracks at Union Station while running for my shuttle. My first reaction was, wait just a minute. We don’t have enough housing and supportive services for those in Skid Row let alone suggest we reduce services to the homeless and poor…
So, I snagged a copy off the internet and read the bill. Now, we cannot support legislation but I can say that I support the intent of the bill. Adding proactive provisions for emergency shelters and housing for the low and very-low income population to planning and zoning procedures is the right thing to do. If it takes a mandate from Sacramento to accomplish doing the right thing, then I support the noble intent. I really wish we as local communities would recognize the need and take action like Mayor Bloomberg has done in New York City to add sufficient affordable housing stock to every community.
What really concerns me however is that this bill and most like it really don’t get to one of the core issues: “AFFORDABLE” as defined by whom? This bill defines very-low household income as the basis for determining need. Based on the 2000 census household income in Los Angeles was $36,678. Using the proposed math what you end up with is a monthly acceptable rental income of $550 per household. Not bad if you make hourly income of $17.63. But, seriously, where do persons with little or no education, diminished mental capacities or no skills find employment at $17.63 per hour on skid row?! Assuming that 40 hours a week employment was available at $7.50 per hour (the current minimum wage in California) this supposed very- low income rent would consume $3.44 per hour or about 47.5% of a person’s income. That is not affordable housing. That is housing still out of reach for most of Skid Row’s residents. General government relief payments area only $221 per month. Still not enough to pay rent at 100% of minimum wage income!
Thanks Senator, this is a start at solving a problem for some – but it will not solve the problem for a large number the persons who are homeless and near homeless in Skid Row or across Los Angeles – but it is a start.
--Herb Smith, President
The headline implied that the aim of the bill was to get rid of downtown service agencies. As one of those providers it made me stop in my tracks at Union Station while running for my shuttle. My first reaction was, wait just a minute. We don’t have enough housing and supportive services for those in Skid Row let alone suggest we reduce services to the homeless and poor…
So, I snagged a copy off the internet and read the bill. Now, we cannot support legislation but I can say that I support the intent of the bill. Adding proactive provisions for emergency shelters and housing for the low and very-low income population to planning and zoning procedures is the right thing to do. If it takes a mandate from Sacramento to accomplish doing the right thing, then I support the noble intent. I really wish we as local communities would recognize the need and take action like Mayor Bloomberg has done in New York City to add sufficient affordable housing stock to every community.
What really concerns me however is that this bill and most like it really don’t get to one of the core issues: “AFFORDABLE” as defined by whom? This bill defines very-low household income as the basis for determining need. Based on the 2000 census household income in Los Angeles was $36,678. Using the proposed math what you end up with is a monthly acceptable rental income of $550 per household. Not bad if you make hourly income of $17.63. But, seriously, where do persons with little or no education, diminished mental capacities or no skills find employment at $17.63 per hour on skid row?! Assuming that 40 hours a week employment was available at $7.50 per hour (the current minimum wage in California) this supposed very- low income rent would consume $3.44 per hour or about 47.5% of a person’s income. That is not affordable housing. That is housing still out of reach for most of Skid Row’s residents. General government relief payments area only $221 per month. Still not enough to pay rent at 100% of minimum wage income!
Thanks Senator, this is a start at solving a problem for some – but it will not solve the problem for a large number the persons who are homeless and near homeless in Skid Row or across Los Angeles – but it is a start.
| 36687 | 2000 census household income |
| 22012.2 | 36% of income |
| 6603.66 | annual 30% of 60% |
| 550.305 | Monthly |
| 3.439406 | dollars per 40 hours |
| 0.474401 | % of Min wage |
--Herb Smith, President
