New Program Takes Rare Approach of Treating Homeless People Like Human Beings—And It Works
Last edited Sun Sep 6, 2015, 03:23 PM - Edit history (1)
At the Navigation Center, people can claim their own space and come and go as they please; the center is also dog friendly. Photo courtesy of KALW Crosscurrents - See more at: http://sfpublicpress.org/news-notes/2015-04/the-navigation-center-a-look-at-san-franciscos-radical-attempt-to-end-homelessnes#sthash.WioQWGGr.dpuf
New Program Takes Rare Approach of Treating Homeless People Like Human Beings—And It Works
A new program moves homeless encampments into a safe, clean space with food, laundry, showers and case workers who care.
By Emily Wilson / AlterNet September 2, 2015
Alan Nethe, who spent 15 years on the street, answers succinctly when asked what he likes about the new Navigation Center in San Francisco’s Mission District.
“Everything,” he says. “What’s not great about it? You’ve got food, laundry, showers, and everybody in here cares about the program and how it runs.”
It’s not just the kitchen, community room, laundry, and showers that make the center unique. Here, in the site of a former high school, city officials are trying something that hasn’t been done anywhere else: moving in whole homeless encampments. That means couples or communities that have formed can stay together. By providing a place to store their belongings, an area for their pets and no curfew so people can come and go, they are removing barriers that keep people out of shelters, says Bevan Dufty, the head of Mayor Ed Lee’s Housing Opportunity, Partnerships and Engagement or HOPE team.
It seems to be working. The controller’s office works with the center to keep track of what happens with the clients and where they go, and the majority of those who leave go on to housing. Jennifer Friedenbach, director of the Coalition on Homelessness in San Francisco, says she was concerned that law enforcement would use the center as a reason to harass homeless people remaining on the street, but that hasn’t happened. (Although San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee has recently gotten flack for a crackdown on the homeless ahead of the Super Bowl.)
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/new-program-takes-rare-approach-treating-homeless-people-human-beings-and-it-works
= new reply since forum marked as read
Particularly in removing the patronizing curfew.
I wish my city were as progressive - but we currently have a mayor who is the wife of a former, very well known mayor (who once had the city buy one-way tickets out of town for a bus load of homeless people - his idea of "improving" the situation). She doesn't really speak to the issue, but I doubt she feels much differently; combined with a city council full of conservatives, faux liberals, and law-and-order types it means the efforts are mostly from the volunteer sector with limited government funding.
And of course it doesn't help that we've got Tony Hsieh busily trying to create his own little downtown nirvana, which doesn't include those icky folks living in pay by the hour/day/week/month, just on the edge of condemnation former motels. Sours his vibe, so he bought up most of the properties, said "oh, well" to the tenants, and fenced them off. But not before he slapped a coat of paint on the outsides and painted the plywood covering the doors and windows to look like door and windows. Because it would hurt the hipsters' feelings if they had to walk by a fenced off empty building that had old paint and plain ol' plywood over the doors and windows . . .
[URL=
.html][IMG]
[/IMG][/URL]
Kick in to the DU tip jar?
This week we're running a special pop-up mini fund drive. From Monday through Friday we're going ad-free for all registered members, and we're asking you to kick in to the DU tip jar to support the site and keep us financially healthy.
As a bonus, making a contribution will allow you to leave kudos for another DU member, and at the end of the week we'll recognize the DUers who you think make this community great.