02/06/04  Thanks to DallasArena.com!

Just wanted to say thank you for all your hard work.  

I really appreciate what you said about the "tent city" as these were the words the Mayor used. Any type of Pavilion would be detrimental. This would end up like the Cuban refugee tent city, when Castro sent us all his Mentally Ill and Criminals. It is hard enough to help those with dual-diagnosis problems in small groups or one on one.  

Anyhow, I reviewd many e-mails from North Dallas, and I consider the Harry Hines site dead, thanks to you.   I bet you never thought you would be an advocate for the homeless. .. 

Since 1992, we have done a wonderful job at treating homelessness, but it is time for the mission to evolve into curing homelessness.  I won't  give 1? to any agency whose sole mission it is to make a homeless person comfortable for days, months or years on end.  Nor will I support any policy which puts a person in jail for a minor offense without resolution to prevent it in the future.  

I wish to see that revolving door stopped.  It makes my face burn that we have persons who have lived in shelters for 10, 12 and 15 years.  This is one of the main reasons we have had such a growth in homelessness.  We have used band-aid medicine for something which called for stitches.  

Long term treatment for individuals without alternative resources is also needed.  We certainly have approximately 200-250 individuals who qualify.  Terrell State still does not do a good job with these individuals upon release.  Too many fall through the cracks and end up on our streets - a danger to themselves and others.

I am most worried about the growth of single mothers with children, as this is the fastest growing segment in America.  

The people who stood up speaking about the issues of crime and poverty in your area must be addressed.  Many of these good people already have one foot in homelessness (one paycheck away), and it has to be prevented.  

By addressing all the issues surrounding homelessness, we also address economic growth, poverty, crime and drugs.  

Today the drug dealers sell crack for $1.00 just to keep people addicted. Criminals cruise up and down the streets looking for homeless with a driver's license to return stolen goods for a small fee, or cash wash checks, run illegal aliens (coyote) under the guise of moving relatives from Laredo to Dallas.

I was approached by such a group and luckily was forewarned.  I was shocked at the amount of crime which follows the homeless.  

James K Waghorne, President
Dallas Homeless Neighborhood Association