Homeless shelters

[floral]

Hey :fishys
I just saw an article in the NY Times this morning about homeless shelters. Apparently, they're turning a three star, business class Best Western and Suites (equivalent to the Radisson or something) into a homeless shelter. It's right next to Kennedy Airport on a row of hotels (three star and up). The business has gone down drastically since September eleventh so they're turning this hotel into a homeless shelter. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but I don't really think it's right. I'm all for helping the homeless, but I don't think there's such thing as a free ride, which seems to be what these people are getting...

:flower Flora :flower

[felicity]

I haven`t seen the article yet.

I can`t think of any reason why those structures shouldn`t be made into a place for the homeless. There have been henious reports of abuse against the homeless as of late. There was a story in a newspaper recently about how some people are going around assualting homless people and selling tapes of the abuse on videos. :sad

And the homeless won`t be living in three star luxury anyway. They might be safer and warmer in the new shelters, but personally I think they deserve that just for being human.

[ajia]

i'm going to agree with :hugonfelicity:hugoff, on this one. i'd rather see the building get turned into a shelter (safer,warmer, etc. than the streets), versus seeing it get torn down for parking spaces or something. homeless people are still people.

:peace :love

[PrettyKittie]

Okay this isnt the easiest thing for me to admit.
For about three weeks I *WAS* homeless. Now this is not including the *MANY* weeks I spent living with friends ect.
I was twenty-two years old (so this isnt that long ago now) and I was in a bad place both mentally and physically (not abusive though) and I found myself with no where to live and it was going to be a few weeks till I started getting assistance from the government.
I was sick over the idea because I was raised in an upper middle class home, money was never a problem. (im telling you all this so you can realize that it can happen to *ANYONE*).
I was the only woman there (except for one night where a woman was put in the shelter before she went to drug rehab). I was shocked to hear that the people that were also staying at the shelter were normal people who just had a run of bad luck.
One man was working in a logging camp and came home to find out that while in camp he and his roomate had been evicted.
Now I know where I live now there is no shelter and that idea scares me. The idea that hotel has decided to do something that great. There should be more things like this done to help the homeless cause there sure isnt enough being done up to date.
Sorry if I ranted and raved but this is a topic I take to heart now.

PrettyKittie

[Jik]

Okay,

I think it is a great idea. It is so easy to just think that being homeless is a choice but as a former single parent who had low-paying jobs for the majority of the first ten years, I know how close it can get.

A lay-off, a long illness, a fire or almost anything can push someone who is walking that fine line over the edge of the cliff.

And getting back up is not as easy as you may think. Despair and no hope can destroy a person.

Joy

[Millificent]

As I understand it, most shelters only allow people to stay for a limited number of days. So it's not a "free ride" in which a person is just going to move in and live rent-free for the rest of their lives.

:dragon Millie

[PeanutDuck]

I think Joy said something important: homelessness isn't a choice. There's nothing good about it. A person has NO HOME. Nothing that's his or hers.

And there's so many other things along with that. Without a home (or address) it's difficult to get a job b/c few places will hire you if they can't classify you for taxes. Nothing's yours except maybe all you can carry. And a person's identity is taken away. Just another one of the homeless, faceless numbers.

To make a leap, we with ED's are homeless in that we are not happy/comfortable/ we do not own ourselves. And we try to get up and we fall. and we get up and we fall. and we're trying to make our way but how to get there? We need help. And need to learn how to help ourselves.

Yes, there are people who will abuse what little of the shelter system there is to abuse. Don't forget how many of the mentally ill are the homeless. "Released" onto the streets.

There's a lot of work that needs to be done in the welfare/shelter system. But space is scarce, especially in NYC where spacious doorways are rarely empty and scaffolding serves as cover for a cardboard house.

So it isn't a free ride. and I do understand your quandry but like an ed, it's a tangled mess.

squishy fishy hugs,
peanut

[Manic]

For five years in a row I worke dthe whole of my christmas holidays as a volunteer at a homeless shelter - we had no funding, and relied entirely on the donations of the local people.
I think it is a great idea that they are turning this hotel into a shelter. Having had all this experience with the homeless, It is not an easy ride, and like an ED it is a viscious circle.
In :uk a lot of places open over mas or hte homeless, but there shouls be more the whole year round. Everytime I go back and go to London, I make a whole bag of sandwiches to distribute to the homeless - i think that every little bit helps.

[Anonymous_Member003]

I dont think anyone would willingly choose to be homeless.

As a result, there should be safe and comfortable lodgings to help people.

We are a society that has a responsibility to take care of every member. That includes homeless people, mentally ill, sick, etc.

Definitely make the hotel into a homeless shelter.

For many people it crushes their pride to have to accept handouts. It is a terrible place to be and we should make it a little less scary for them.

[Anonymous_Member005]

I've been homeless and at the time I had a job...RENT is to expensive for some people....and the subdized housing lists are way to long..i know at every shelter i looked at they helped u find a job and it was basically required...they helped u get on ur feet...and start a life....luckly i had friends I could crash with unfortunaltly that isnt the case for everyone.....and most jobs dont pay enough to live on...

:love amanda :stars