Dec 15, 2008

Shelters did not take the place of permanent housing

It is December 15th and below zero temperatures,"why is it people wait to decide to put those in tents out in the middle of winter ?".More homeless are being asked to leave where they set up their home months or longer.We need a Scrooge List : starting with the city hall and those at the railroad property.Where are these people supposed to go ? Des Moines Iowa has a growing population of homelessness and near homeless.All of the evicting started about two weeks ago and in the dead middle of winter.It is not just the alcoholics and drug users in this situation, we have kids and teens and families and disabled and elderly out in the cold.Shelters put the ones staying there out on the streets during the day.We have businesses who have them trespassed from their property and the skywalks.These people are out in the cold again.There are some people at city hall who have no morals or ethics,I could name names but this isn't hard to figure out is it ? Shelters are not the answer as they did not take the place of permanent housing.Diseases and the recent bed bug problem that was shared between the shelters go to show you shelters are a problem.City Hall uses the "It isn't safe " statement to put the homeless out of their camp.Well,shelters aren't safe either.
Please,remember I am an A.C.L.U. member since 2002.I'm now a card holder from the NAACP, thank you.I can be reached at p.o.box 7214,Des Moines Iowa 50309. Larissa