The People Movers. A Man, A Plan, But don't look too close for huge gaps and holes.

by Joe B.

As I read the S.F.Guardian, you know the one with the clean 'shavin, homeless 'looking guy with the bright blue eyes carrying a poster.

He reminds me of someone but I degress. It seems Sup.Gavin Newsom is looking at former Mayor Giuliani's New York Model of helping homeless folks lead better lives but as I read further SF"G" informs me of flaws in the model.

Minor flaws such as working poor and homeless people sent or outside of Manhattan in centralized areas for Doe Fund (after a unknown nameless homeless woman) Mr. George McDonald, founder, former business exective.

He said "That people have to except personal responsibility and require regular drug testing."

Also known the Ready, Willing, and Able program where men, women trade welfare benefits for shelter beds and a street-sweeping job. Sound good but look below there is a kink or two in this yarn.

Dow Fund workers are paid $5.50 to $6.50 an hour, it also charges them $65 a week for room and board.

I don't doubt Mr. Mcdonald's heart is in the right place but don't know about this $65 weekly thing which seems like a locked-in, closed-in deal.

Another thing is Centralization.

In New York with its grid upon grid streets though most of it is flat it is still spread wide.

It reminds me of Malls,Supermarkets, Warehouse Stores, and neighborhood grocery store debate - in that Malls and giant supermarkets have nearly everything you'd need or want which is fine and good execept when it does not have an item such as food, medicines, or desserts
you are fond of; they tend to say "If its not here, you won't find it anywhere."

That's a false statement because the odd little one-person grocery or family run store may have that item.

Centralizisation in New York is only works if it way out of the way of businesses, neighborhoods, the only problem is people in need of help come from all over.

Unlike San Francisco it could help but here too people being people are not all able bodied mentally alert or willing to walk, take, busses, or cars to place way out of the way when multi service centers can be even scattered to where people are.

I distrust all-in-one-places it reminds me of killing fields or grounds (pick your own metaphor's) where everyone is gathered in one place to... Die.

Melodramatic?

Think Sup.G. Newsom is looking at New York as a model supposedly to help homeless folks off the streets but in The Old Apple homelessness has increased they not seen on Time's Square but hidden away from public view.

Could that be the game plan:

1. One centrilized location peope have to go to.

2. Banned from where they cannot be seen (did I say they?)

3. High fines working poor and homeless folk cannot be paid so
jail time is impossed plus working free for the city to pay off their dept.

4. Finally out of sight, out of mind and problems LOOK Like its solved meanwhile homelessness increases but John and Jane Public doesn't see people urinating, doing number-2, or aggressive panhandling which they did in the first place
BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO GO BUT THE PUBLIC STREET. How come there are more homeless folk on the streets.

Try asking City Mayor's all over the country about developers, landlords and real estate co.,[should I mention the honest folk of Enron or is it End-Run?] speculators and other business cronies in both Oakland, San Franciso, New York and anywhere else the homeless population is rising.

I was thinking of an old thought picture.
Four or five men, women, or young folks are artistic they draw or can render pictures of animals, objects or humans perfectly in wood, glass, plastic, metal, clay, or using light and in ice.

They all have work spaces to concentrate, and create, then cell their works. They are hard working bonafide artisans.

Now Imagine those same persons without homes...
finding nitches to do their works but always told to move on.

The told exact same artwork mind you is worthless junk.

Are the homeless people with the exact same talents when done on the street worthless?

Decentralization seems a better model that will help more people than one huge bureaucracy getting people hung up in more rules, regulation, red tape instead of higher education, technicals skills journalism, or higher income so people become more productive.

This New York "Magic Model" isn't working and I don't think 23-28 or a hundred "Get them out of sight and mind will help unless both noprofits, business, schools, and the jail system come together to prevent a problem and create more by keeping it out of sight.

That's all I can think of maybe other folks have better ideas.

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