Homeless in Farragut...
Well, I read the comments from my previous post and have decided to create a new post about it--Homelessness in Farragut.
Well, I do know that there are panhandlers here in Farragut. Just look off of any of our interstate exits (watt/campbell station/lovell), and you'll see them. Now whether or not they're really homeless is debatable, but they say that they're "hard on their luck". I'm not going to judge here, o.k. Regardless, someone commented that we should have a homeless shelter in Farragut and there were comments both for and against it.
Well, I think that we should be open to giving folks a "hand-up." Notice, I didn't say a hand-out. People that are truly wanting to be helped will accept terms that help them up, while people that want to be lazy will just ask for money and nothing more. I wouldn't object to an organization that helps get people on their feet again here in Farragut. What I object to is just having homeless shelters that do nothing more than house and feed people before putting them back out on the street again. I also object to panhandlers who are out there because they know they can make more money from generous people while taking that money away from other people who can really make use of it.
That's my opinion and I'd like to hear what y'all think!
Getting off the soapbox...
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Anonymous comments are allowed, just keep them clean, o.k.
Well, I do know that there are panhandlers here in Farragut. Just look off of any of our interstate exits (watt/campbell station/lovell), and you'll see them. Now whether or not they're really homeless is debatable, but they say that they're "hard on their luck". I'm not going to judge here, o.k. Regardless, someone commented that we should have a homeless shelter in Farragut and there were comments both for and against it.
Well, I think that we should be open to giving folks a "hand-up." Notice, I didn't say a hand-out. People that are truly wanting to be helped will accept terms that help them up, while people that want to be lazy will just ask for money and nothing more. I wouldn't object to an organization that helps get people on their feet again here in Farragut. What I object to is just having homeless shelters that do nothing more than house and feed people before putting them back out on the street again. I also object to panhandlers who are out there because they know they can make more money from generous people while taking that money away from other people who can really make use of it.
That's my opinion and I'd like to hear what y'all think!
Getting off the soapbox...
--
Anonymous comments are allowed, just keep them clean, o.k.
posted by Mike at 8:20 AM
13 Comments:
For some reason all the panhandlers at the Kroger in Farragut single me out. And perhaps it is the bleeding heart liberal side of me that can't say no to them. "You need money? well, this is the money I have for my baby's diapers... but you take it instead"
If the majority of the people are out by the interstate, then wouldn't these be more of a transient homeless and not the local variety such as "Old guy that lives in the library park?"
I don't disagree that a place could/should be made available... is the closest shelter in Downtown Knoxville?
This is one problem that Farragut is too small to tackle. Let the police take the homeless downtown where the shelters are.
GLOBE EDITORIAL
Homeless solutions
December 20, 2004
WHAT'S CHEAPER: housing the homeless or letting them cycle through shelters, hospital emergency rooms, jails, and the street?
ADVERTISEMENT
Too often the question is overlooked. Governments pay for triage. Nonprofit organizations hand out food and services. Passersby offer loose change.
Increasingly, research points to better strategies. Massachusetts legislators should heed these three points:
Patchwork solutions are expensive. Grants from the federal Interagency Council on Homelessness have helped 470 people in 11 cities. They have typically been homeless for three to 10 years, a troubling total of 2,900 years and tens of millions of dollars in hospital, jail, substance abuse help, and other costs, according to Philip Mangano, head of the council.
Housing is cost-effective. Last month the Lewin Group, a Virginia consulting firm, compared the daily costs of services for the homeless in nine cities. In Boston, supportive housing -- units linked with social services -- costs an estimated $33.45 per day. That's less than the daily $40.28 cost for shelters and much less than the daily costs of a hospital stay ($1,770), a mental hospital stay ($541), or prison ($117).
There are good solutions. In 1998, the medical center at the University of California in San Diego studied 15 chronically homeless alcoholics. In one year they took 299 ambulance trips to the hospital's emergency room at a cost of $967,000. Adding in the cost of police response brought the total to $3 million, according to local officials. San Diego responded with the Serial Inebriate Program, uniting the law enforcement and human services communities to break the cycle of substance abuse programs, jails, and emergency rooms. The program steers the homeless away from jail, helps them use services effectively, and helps move them into housing.
In 2003, researchers looked at the Serial Inebriate Program's impact on 18 people. The findings: an 80 percent drop in the use of emergency medical services and a 92 percent drop in emergency room visits. In addition, the hospital's free care costs fell from $468,000 to $82,000. And police arrests of so-called chronic inebriates dropped by almost a third.
The moral: housing the homeless won't end the need for costly care, but it can reduce the demand.
Sadly, Massachusetts has ended its own Individual Self-Sufficiency Initiative. The program started in 2000, created 120 units of housing, and helped 1,300 people leave shelters. Funding was $2.3 million in 2002 but fell to zero in 2004 and 2005. Governor Romney and the Legislature should reinvest in this program. Evidence points to the power of prevention and intervention -- and also to the cost savings.
The best thing that we can do for Knoxville, Farragut and all of East Tennessee is to stop supporting the existing homeless industry. Industry...you ask. Yes. Monroe Free, formerly of Knox Area Rescue Ministries, ran heart wrenching ads during the holidays that many, many gave to. Of course, what would surprise most is that good ole Mon-Roe was making $150K with a free car and free house!
Several posters seem to think that downtown Knoxville is at odds with Farragut; this is unfortunate as a synergy should be realized as opposed to a dichotomy. A healthy center city helps our area as does healthy suburbs.
With regard to the homeless situation and in spite of the aforementioned example, there are many good people trying to help those down on their luck so to speak but when does it become too much of a good thing? The answer is when you 90% of Knox County's homeless are not from east Tennessee! How can you assist in reversing this...simple...stop giving money and ask your church or organization to do the same. A city the size of Knoxville doesn't need THREE disparate missions; what it needs is to take care of its own but not the extent that it becomes Homeless Destination, USA.
Tom
I just posted about the local Interfaith Hospitality Network that's going on in Knoxville at this time - it's possible some churches in Farragut may be involved down the line..
http://lasthome.blogspot.com/2005/07/kindness-of-strangers.html
A city the size of Knoxville doesn't need THREE disparate missions; what it needs is to take care of its own but not the extent that it becomes Homeless Destination, USA.
Well, I'll say this, we're not homeless destination, USA. Homelessness is a problem across the entire country, not just Knoxville. Believe it or not, there are up to 600,000 people that are homeless at any given time in the US (which is more than 1.5x the population of Knox County). We need to help those who deserve it, nothing more.
Mike,
On a per capita basis, Knoxville's homeless population is extraordinarily high. I agree with you that it is a nationwide problem; however, even the leaders of the aforementioned missions publicly state that we are attracting the homeless.
These folks have issues and putting them in one central location where they are easily targeted by those wanting to prey upon them and where their weaknesses are challenged by peers with the same weaknesses is completely illogical. We don't need a mission district in Farragut, Halls or downtown.
Tom
Check these out:
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/crimreport/index.html
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/jul2005/atla-j04.shtml
Other cities have rethought this. Knoxville should also. It is not smart to recruit homeless people from other states. We should take care of our own but not encourage Knoxville to be a homeless destination. There is both a crime and health component that needs to be considered. Pan handling is a serious issue downtown and affects both safety and property values. Knoxville needs a panhandling law.
As far as Farragut having a homeless center that is impossible. Not only would the town government not allow it few people in the town would support it. It is a red herring.
If you believe strongly in helping homeless people make a donation to a homeless center somewhere other than Knoxville. Each town should deal with their own homeless problem and not export their homeless to other cities. It is a local issue and should remain that way.
Bob
If you believe strongly in helping homeless people make a donation to a homeless center somewhere other than Knoxville.
So you basically support doing the same thing to our homeless folks--ship them off to somewhere else. Well, why not have our Gov't locate all of the homeless and ship them off to some island (or continent, like Austrailia) to fend for themselves? How about putting them in jail (oh wait, we are already over-crowded there, too)?
I'm tired of hearing people say "it's not my problem". If you're a Christian, remember (or read) Matthew 25:31-46. We are called to take care of those less fortunate than us and we'll be held accountable if we don't!
So you basically support doing the same thing to our homeless folks--ship them off to somewhere else.
He did not write that. He wrote to take care of your own but not import others from far away. That is different. Read Bob's post.
6 of 1, 1/2 dozen of another. I have re-read Bob's post and I still think that although he may not directly be supporting the export of our homeless, by saying that we should be sending our funds elsewhere, he is nonetheless saying that they should be somewhere else or NIMBY as the phrase is often told.
It is a local issue and should remain that way.
I prefer to give to groups and charities that address a longer-term solution. You can contact National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence at 212-269-7797 to learn more. They are top rate by the American Institute of Philanthropy.
We should take care of the Knox County homeless and not encourage out of state homeless to come here. That is the worst thing we can do. It is not a NIMBY response. This is a huge issue in San Francisco. With open borders you have no idea how serious this can become. It can bankrupt a city.
The big component here is alcohol and drug addiction. You have to get them clean and train them for some kind of work. You do not recruit them from out of state. That is foolish and shortsighted. Teach them to fish. You must. Unless you want to see Knoxville have the problems of San Francisco.
Bob
http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=3643160
Bob
Just think of the accomplishments you all could have made if you had spend as much time advocating to the right people as you spent arguing with each other. Whether or not you like it, homelessness IS a big problem here and it needs to be dealt with. It's not like there are advertisements in other shelters promoting Knoxville. The reputation we have as a caring, giving city provides some homeless people with a little sense of hope- something I would think that is hard to come by if you are in that situation. The city is doing its best by having the agencies and organizations that we do. We all need to get on the same page and support the cause- not fight about who's at fault for the issue. Get over it and lend a hand, or your voice- speak up for the homeless who often can't be heard. If you really want an eye opener, I dare you to go the KARM and spend the night. Talk to a few people and see them for what they are: REAL people who need a hand.
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