The New Life Evangelistic Center has provided homeless people in St. Louis a safe place to sleep since opening in 1976. The article stated that there are around 1,300 homeless people in St. Louis. While the shelter has 125 beds, it takes in about 300 people per night. The shelter also provides 30 day and two year programs in which recipients can be selected to help find employment and more permanent housing.
The shelter is now at risk for being closed down. The Board of Public Service ordered that the shelter limit its occupancy to 32 starting in May. This order came after area stakeholders petitioned the Board due to their concern with drugs, fights, and public urination. The area in which the shelter is located is ”transforming into a hub for urban renewal.” The affluent residents moving into the area do not want the shelter operating. Mr. Larry Rice, the advocate who runs the shelter stated that “Rich folks moved into the neighborhood and they considered the homeless a nuisance because they don’t want them around.”
The city reports spending $11 million a year supporting the homeless with the goal of getting them into permanent housing. The approach is called “housing- first.” Mayor Slay has a plan that will cost $1 million a year. This plan is to connect the homeless with contractors that will help them find permanent housing. Slay thinks that emergency shelter should be temporary.
Brad Waldrop, a local investor in the area, believes that the shelter fosters the cycle of homelessness. He reports that this is why he led the efforts to close the shelter. He calls the shelter an “archaic” model and states that he would like to see a new model of “rapid rehousing.”
The people who stay in the shelter believe that the shelter provides them with emergency beds, resources, and a sense of community. One resident stated that if they close the shelter he will freeze to death.
What do you think? This “housing first” sounds a little bit like Pruitt – Igoe to me. Is the Mayors plan of providing homes to the homeless and “beautifying” the city just a band aid for the real issues the city has? There
I have spent the past hour attempting to find a homeless ex-offender emergency housing to no avail. Privileged city residents are quick to quip that there are plenty of resources but as this article states, THERE ARE NOT. I think the mayor may sound well intentioned but is likely responding to the pressures of financial stakeholders in the area. I'm amazed that despite our awareness, I still feel powerless to the agendas of the political white & wealthy like Mayor Slay & Brad Waldrop.
ReplyDeleteNici, I think you're right. As an example, let's take the weather. Whenever I hear about weather advisories on TV, they always talk about the cold shelter at 12 and Park, advising residents with inadequate or no heat to go there. But that's the only place they mention, no other. I always wonder, in the entire city, is that the only place? 12th and Park is near Soulard, right outside of the downtown area. What of people on the western edges of the city? What of those far north or south? Can those people (many with no transportation) get to the shelter? And exactly how many persons can it hold? This is but one example of the inadequacies in the social safety net. One of the problems in housing is the current trend of "flipping" houses. Some self-styled investor buys a property and then decides it's worth more because it's passed through their hands. Buying low and selling high makes affordable housing much less available.And persons who buy houses at these inflated prices with the intent on renting them, charge high rents in order to pay down the loans faster.
ReplyDeleteThanks for finding this article, Michelle. I have heard that downtown business investors were pushing to limit the number of beds available at New Life and it was helpful to read this article that gave some specific numbers and arguments.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Michelle, that the "housing first" quote made me think of Pruitt- Igoe. It is easy for those with wealth to think they have a right to tell people where to go or where to live. For many years, businesses and the affluent class abandoned downtown St. Louis and when they decided to redevelop, they often see those who have called that area home as a hindrance or burden to their plans.
There needs to be a holistic approach to assisting those who find themselves homeless. We can simply assist with housing, without addressing employment, education, and food.
I am so disgusted with the way St. Louis treats its homeless population. 12th & Park isn't the answer to everything...even though the City likes to pretend that it is. This winter the City made the move to only open emergency shelters when temps dip below 20 degrees. I don't know how to describe that other than inhumane. I've volunteered with Homeless Winter and it has really made me aware of how little the City cares about the homeless. City officials trust that Homeless Winter Outreach will provide transportation to shelters, food, blankets, gloves, scarves, and other emergency items to the homeless...and we do, but a small group of volunteers can only do so much.
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong NLEC is absolutely NOT the answer, but when it comes to having less beds available if it shuts down...I think having beds is better than shutting it down.
I've attended meetings in the Downtown West neighborhood and the way some residents speak about the homeless population was disgusting. Many would also like to see The Bridge shut down. They're much more concerned about their dog park than providing very basic human needs to our City's homeless. I certainly don't know what the answer is, but I do think that The Bridge is doing great work. They are working to partner with downtown businesses to hire their clients and then working to get their clients into long-term housing. I think the only way St. Louis can ever hope to address homelessness is with some sort of holistic approach and Housing First doesn't seem to fit the bill.
Correction to my post: In the last paragraph, I meant to say "We can not simply assist with housing...". (rather than "we can simply...")
ReplyDeleteThere are other private development projects that were done with the intent to help low-income and homeless people. The 3010 Apartments as well as the Railton, and Garrison Residences developed by The Salvation Army can provide some relief to the overflow of homeless in need at the New Life Center. The 3010 Apartments provide residential drug and alcohol treatment, residential housing rehabilitation, community recreation programs, counseling services, health services, food and nutrition services, etc. In addition to the onsite services provided, these facilities also provide referral services to the community using resource geomapping. At one of the employee meetings when Chef James was awarded the honor of employee of the month, the joke was made that his food was so good that people were leaving the New Life Center to come stay at the Veteran’s Residence. The government does not do a very good job at meeting the community’s needs in a people first manner, especially in the case of Pruitt-Igoe.
ReplyDeleteI was able to take a tour of the 3010 Apartments, which are walking distance from the Veterans Residence and treatment facility. The developers of the apartments have learned lessons from past failures. In contrast to Pruitt-Igoe, I actually took notice that there are trash and recycling depositories on every floor. The elevator stops on every floor as well. Much of the lighting to the apartments is from natural skylights and windows. Additionally, installed over the all of the stoves is fire extinguishing powders in addition to the sprinkler system, because a grease fire that set off the sprinkler system in another building, which caused more damage when the sprinklers went off, therefore this alternative was developed to put out possible small fires from stoves without flooding the entire building.
Here is a link with some pictures of the 3010 Apartments if you are interested: http://stlsalvationarmy.org/how-we-help/homeless/3010-apartments/
I complete agree with what Trish said and she said it very well. More often, the people affected have no other options and no other support. So when they find it they don't want to let it go. It sickens my stomach to read the comments made by slay and walbdrop who have no idea what it is like to not be able to provide basic things for yourself or family. Then from a SW perspective, to have to assist the client in finding resources that are not available is even worse, because there is nothing that you can do to change the situation without additional resources.
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