02/11/04  Proposed Homeless Shelter Location

The proposal to provide some location to deal with the homeless in the city of Dallas is a worthy goal if it is properly located, funded and works to reduce this problem.

Such a location should be near transportation, health care services, employment and affordable housing.   The only location proposed by the city that comes close to meeting those requirements is the location on Industrial Blvd.

In addition to having a central location for providing service, I would suggest that the city of Dallas try the following measures:

#1 Limit the feeding of the homeless to a designated area.

Editor's comments:  Make it illegal and a jail-time offense (like they do in Ft. Worth) to hand out food in Downtown Dallas.

#2 Require registration of the homeless to help identify and resolve the problems facing the homeless.

Editor's comments:  That will never happen because these are not law-abiding or rules-following people.

#3 Fight for legislation to allow mentally ill persons to be committed to a hospital for treatment for their illness until they are cured.

Editor's comments:  Many mentally ill cannot be "cured", and can only function with medication, which they often do not have the discipline or the mental faculties to maintain.

#4 Use funds seized from drug dealers to pay for drug and alcohol treatment.

Editor's comments:  Rather those funds be used for police equipment and salaries and programs.

#5 Lobby for tighter immigration controls to reduce the supply of poor persons entering this country which increases the population of homeless persons in Dallas.

Editor's comments:  Most of our homeless are "home grown".  I have never seen an Hispanic or Asian panhandler or street person.  They may be out there, but sure keep a low profile.  Our immigrant vagrants are coming to Dallas from around the metroplex and out of state because the word is out that we tolerate their disruptive behavior.

#6 Lobby Dallas County to pay a share of the cost for dealing with this problem.

Editor's comments:  Caring for the indigent is the County's responsibility by state law.  The City has no business in the health care or social service business, when we neglect the needs of our senior citizens who paid taxes when they were younger.

#7 Lobby local churches, synagogues and mosques to do their religious duty to help the helpless.

Editor's comments:  Most religious organizations have charity programs, regardless of the size of the congregation, but their main "duty" is to provide a spiritual sanctuary for their membership and others who want to be part of their organization, and share the load. First Presbyterian sponsors the Stew Pot, which is one of the more successful feeding homeless assistance agencies.  It is not the "duty" of religious organizations to provide for street bums who chose wrong roads in their lives.  If our local governments would enforce our laws regarding public intoxication, loitering, vagrancy, vandalism, religious groups could more effectively aid the truly deserving poor and homeless.