We Force Poverty?

Being a resident of the great outdoors I was struck by the types of residency programs availible to indigent individuals. In the city I'm in they convert the old west side jail into a shelter for the winter months, come spring the winter shelters residents can kind of be shit out of luck. They close the shelter which could feasibly provide residence to several hundred homeless individuals year round.

There was a dilligent effort to get the city to extend use of the shelter but sure enough they gave the high hard one to the dilligent parties. They said no! What is this facility used for God knows. It could provide year round beds and showers to several hundred individuals.

So, where does that leave the residents of the winter shelter.

Some can seek residency in one of three or four shelters. Though most can't because the bed space at these shelters suddenly becomes a hot commodity. In addition at least one of the shelters requires breathalizer enterance. They're grown adults and some could maybe, possibly see this as another step towards the criminalization of homelessness.

Long term residency is another matter. The only availible long term situations tends to be religious based. Meaning, religious prison. You can only earn a minimal amount of money and in some instances you are on lockdown at the facility upon your intake.

Lockdown means you aren't allowed to leave the grounds or you lose your bed. Some of these said religious programs censor reading and media. In some instances you work for the program itself. So basically you become an indentured servant to the facility. Unless you want to enter a pseudo prison-seminary what are your options?

This is mainly a matter in reguards to single men (the largest homeless population). Women and children have obvious favoritism in reguards to availible help. There is a month long program which is non religious based. If your have a mental handicap or are a veteran you also have some advantages.

What we need is a comprehensive 18 and up (kids have help) year round mens facility. With a minimum bedspace for 500 individuals. Which is non denominationally based and there are no stringent or draconian requirements for residency. Except banning

on site drug, alcohol use, gang activity and violence. No on site breathalizers. Why because it's hardly humane to expect someone to freeze to death because they were drinking. Security is an obvious necessity when dealing with this many individuals. There are to be no official police officers (if they're there ; they are not to make there presence known except in emergency situations.) Why, homeless individuals have an inherent distrust of law enforcement. This is justified in many cases due to officer profiling and treatment.