“How many of you hold picnics in the park every day or on special occasions? Why can’t the homeless have picnics at the park with the church? We are coming up with all of these laws and sanctions…to make life harder on each and every member that is out there, life is already hard enough,” Roy Trout told the Tucson City Council on the evening of Dec. 8.
Shortly after 10 p.m. on that Tuesday, a new set of rules targeting the city’s houseless population made it onto the books with a vote of 5-2.
By the second week of January, people won’t be allowed to sit or lie on public sidewalks between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.; when people are allowed on sidewalks, their belongings cannot be bigger than 4-cubic feet; and those interested in feeding (an amendment was added that night to OK distribution of bottled water without a permit) 10 or more people at a park will need a permit—free of charge, good for 10 days, but with the possibility of renewing it for another 50 days—from the city—as long as it’s pre-packaged food. Parks will be open until 10 p.m., though, with the idea that houseless people should have a place to be at all times—parks throughout the day, and sidewalks late at night.
The ordinance left many to wonder: Are more prohibitions the best way to deal with homelessness?
For a few months now, Ward 3 Council Aide Brianda Torres has been crafting a proposal for the city that she feels will better address the well-being of the homeless community.
Torres wants to place full-time social workers at public libraries to help people navigate through resources—such as housing options, shelter availability, behavioral health programs, and how to get an ID. The idea is that a social worker will readily be available to sit with them one-on-one. And it’d skip a lot of the bureaucratic red tape that seems to haunt many local homeless outreach organizations.
The social worker idea traveled down to the Old Pueblo from San Francisco’s public libraries. Torres was intrigued by the program’s success in the Bay Area, and she’s determined to do the same in Tucson. It would begin at the public library downtown, and eventually spread out from there.
“It would be a constructive alternative to something like passing more ordinances that frankly don’t result in the increase of public safety or security, and further marginalizes our homeless community,” Torres says. “This seemed like a more practical approach.”
Although the Pima County Public Library can’t put a number on it, according to Deputy Director of Public Services Karyn Prechtel a big chunk of a local library’s demographic is made up of homeless individuals. Oftentimes, the library serves as the one and only shelter for them.
Prechtel says the library is very interested in collaborating with Torres. At this point, there have been meetings with “super high level brainstorming” to make it happen.
“We try to serve all of our customers in the ways they need help…providing public health for example, which we have in the library right now, is one way to reach other parts of our community, we see [the social workers program] as a natural fit,” Prechtel says, referring to the Library Nurse Program that launched three years ago. With that program, Pima County nurses make their rounds at libraries around town, sit down with people of a variety of backgrounds, including those who are homeless or have low-income, one-on-one and address everything from nutrition concerns to blood pressure screenings.
Torres hopes to use existing resources— social workers who already are in the field, but strategically place them at areas that make “geographical sense” like the downtown library, where many of Tucson’s houseless people congregate. It’s about becoming a trusted and familiar face to that community.
“With some of the outreach places, [homeless individuals] call numbers that are not being picked up…are we missing out on someone who is ready for that support to actually get it?” Torres says. “Having someone at the library would have the resources right there, and the help right there.”
Trying to Get Rid of Old Habits
At the City Council meeting on Dec. 8, Ward 3 Councilwoman Karin Uhlich told her colleagues that she would no longer support anything that doesn’t add value to the community. Uhlich and Councilman Steve Kozachik, Ward 6, were the “no” votes.
“What we are aiming for with this ordinance route is to get [homeless people] out of sight and out of mind,” Uhlich says. It’s also walking a fine line that could easily cross into the criminalization of homelessness, she worries.
But Councilman Richard Fimbres, Ward 5, thinks this is a good starting point, especially to continue discussing a balance between public health and safety vs. humane responses to homelessness.
“We are trying to be as reasonable as possible. This is something that I think we found a medium between the businesses downtown, the [social service] providers and the homeless folks themselves,” he says.
In an almost monthly basis, Fimbres has been a leading force in hosting meetings at City Hall with other city representatives, Pima County leaders, downtown business owners, social workers, homeless rights advocates and houseless residents—all with the goal to improve resources that are already in place, and create new tools that will help, what Fimbres calls one of the most vulnerable groups of people in our community.
Prior to the meetings, Fimbres says all of these different entities were “doing their own thing.” This is the first time everyone involved has come together to discuss the issue and collaborate in possible solutions.
At the November meeting, Torres spoke about her social worker at libraries idea. The response was positive.
Others have discussed homeless camps that could serve as alternatives to shelters, housing options that focus on getting people under a roof prior to demanding sobriety (the Old Pueblo Community Services already have this model), as well as establishing portable bathrooms on the streets, since human waste has been a major concern for the Pima County Health Department and the city.
At the gathering in mid-December, John Jacobs, chairman of the Leadership Committee with Downtown Tucson Merchants, brought up setting up meters throughout downtown (they would be obviously different from parking meters), where people could donate change. The money collected from these meters would then be donated.
Jacobs suggested the funds could go to different organizations, but homeless outreach worker Michele Ream feels using the money to buy bus passes, or distributing it to actual people, might be better. Either way, this is still a pilot. At the meeting, Jacobs said he was getting ready to finish the first meter prototype, and joked about what color it should be. The City of Tucson and the Downtown Tucson Partnership are also behind the so-called Tucson Change Movement, which was influenced by similar programs in Los Angeles and San Diego.
“Homelessness is not a crime, we gotta find balance,” Fimbres says. “If everybody comes together, I think we are getting there. We have a lot of great people doing great things. We don’t want to hurt the most disadvantaged citizens of our community. We want to work with them.”
This article appears in Dec 31, 2015 – Jan 6, 2016.
All these homeless Americans.
Why do we need more “refugees” and immigrants?
Why more unskilled labor visas and HB1 Visas?
Is this as far as a socialist can see? That if you don’t fight for American interests in the world, you end up fighting for homeless Americans’ rights to eat free handouts in a park.
Can someone explain to me how unchecked mass immigration helps homeless Americans and veterans?
Immigration in this country is not unchecked, your rhetoric be damned.
Are the homeless capable of working? Are they capable of holding down a job? What is preventing this from happening?
Typical that you would obfuscate the problem with a straw man argument. Keep up your talking points, we see your lack of solutions loud and clear.
“life is already hard enough” I’m sorry, but what an absolutely ridiculous statement. How dare Roy Trout make such a comment. Please explain to me what terrible struggle your speaking of? Last I checked Mr. Trout’s is free from all responsibility. No bills, car payments, rent, food bills etc. The City of Tucson takes care of everything for Mr. Trout. Food trucks, shelters and other organizations feeds and supplies Mr. Trout with beds, blankets, clothes, etc. All of Mr. Trout money earned from panhandling is not taxed meaning he make more money then a part time job most days. How often does someone call 911 because Mr. Trout is laying on the sidewalk drunk and then taken to the hospital for treatment? Can I see those hospital bills? Doubtful because all that is taken care of with tax payer money.
Life is difficult for the people with jobs and the families they have to provide for. Some of those people have more then one job so their children don’t have to see the ugly side the world has to offer. We have jobs, but we still struggle to make our payments on time while Mr. Trout only struggle would be waiting for a food truck that’s running late. However, his major concern is having a picnic in the park with a church. O my…..
All these laws laws laws!
These laws aren’t to protect you as much as their there to protecting everyone else. It’s difficult enough walking to work in the cold, but to tiptoe through the sleeping homeless scattered all over downtown is unacceptable. I’m pretty sure the city doesn’t have the money for babysitters and came up with laws instead. Honestly, its not like your forced to be downtown. It’s common sense that if an area becomes insufficient with resources you relocate. Humans and animals do this all the time. Maybe it’s a weird idea, but wouldn’t it make sense to find a good spot next to one of the billion Circle Ks in town and I’m sure if you don’t steal or trash the bathrooms their happy to let you come in. I highly doubt the city will bend to the idea of putting transportable toilets all over downtown. I’m sure the businesses will appreciate a porta potty outside their doors smelling of butt. We’ll just tell customers that butt odor is the new hot fad and that all the other cities are doing it.
That is all.
Utah has implemented a radical, but cost-effective solution:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspir…
The false pretense of this article is the fact that no service providers were contacted to ask why they have not had a social worker or outreach person going out into the downtown area to help those who are houseless/homeless. This is just another thing these service providers don’t do to help those in need, along with only treating the ones they want to serve. The GAPS Analysis report tells the whole story, with no false pretense.
http://www.tpch.net/uploads/1/4/0/0/14008364/pima_county_service_gaps_report-final_edits_sept_21_2015.pdf
To all the people who complain about the homeless. Trade places with a homeless person for a week and see what they go thru. I would know I use to be homeless. Remember Jesus Christ was homeless!
http://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/3933/why-jesus-wasnt-homeless-and-why-it-matters
“Luke 9:58 | View whole chapter | See verse in context
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”
@ Mr White, exactly what is it that makes you automatically assume that the gentleman quoted at the beginning of the article is homeless? Also, life is no where nearly as “easy” as you imagine for people who are homeless.
To: Donald Paul Vincent
http://raycomgroup.worldnow.com/story/30701176/tucson-city-council-approves-new-homeless-ordinance
“Life is already hard enough,” said Roy Trout, a homeless man from Tucson. “I’ve seen this personally.”
If I did get my information wrong on Mr. Trout’s living statues that is on me and I’m sorry. So, take Mr. Trouts name out of it and my comment still stands. “Homeless have it easy” I’ll explain this further below.
I’m sorry I don’t need to imagine anything. To imagine something would mean I don’t have a clue on the issue, but seeing how I work downtown for a good number of years I wish I could imagine the disgusting behavior I’ve witnessed. To be homeless in this day and age is no different then being part of an out of control frat house. Do I really need to give examples? Because if you’ve ever been downtown then you know exactly what I mean. Only on a Saturday nights can you find a kid pass out drunk and/or high, but for the homeless that’s an everyday occurrence.
I find it hilarious that you would use the bible to make your point, but I think you should be VERY ashamed for it. Luke 9:58 that’s cute, but what does it say about laziness, drug and alcohol abuse, wicked behavior, ETC? I’m sure you’ll find that the bible speaks out much harsher against those that won’t help themselves. The last time I checked you can’t force a person to seek help. They have to help themselves first.
I do think they have it easy. Everyone is just stuck on their image (dirty clothes and hygiene) to actually see. It’s their choice to be on the streets. I know plenty who chose to be homeless. As weird as that sounds people want to live on the streets because their hiding, don’t want anything to do with our way of life or whatever silly excuse. You want to feel sorry for the homeless? Feel sorry for them in other countries were their leaders don’t give them Obama phones, foodstamps, a Government check every month, ETC.
Imagine if you will a world where a person calls bankruptcy on life itself! You rather live on the streets then find a job and work your way back into life. Instead of a job you sit on a corner with a silly sign that reads “Why lie? I need a beer” People chuckle and throw in a few cents, but how many people actually do this in an hour’s time? Most of use barely make minimum wage, but that money is taxed by our Government. Say minimum wage is what the homeless man panhandles in an hour, but tax free. He just made more many then most Americans. What does he do with that money? Obama phones are free, tax payers pay for hospital bills, foodstamds free, blankets, clothing, and sanitary needs are covered by Churches & Shelters. Donald Paul Vincent please enlighten everyone reading and then tell us again why it is that homeless don’t have it easy.
That is all
Blessed are those who get off their asses and go to work every day for they shall be expected to support those who do not.