This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_6cc0e4f_7986fd34$14615c8e Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; I was speaking to a friend of mine who hails from DC. She was there the week before the National Coalition for the Homeless conference. Her sister works at a prison hospital right outside DC an was unable to get time off because they were so busy at work. It seems that this was NATO week in DC and so the homeless must be swept from the sidewalks and brought to the prison hospital - I guess you can't have those foreign dignitaries seeing the third world nation the government tries so hard to pretend is not there. I just thought on this is so similar to the LA thinking and I am sorry to say that that even the kindest of souls is either buying the hype or just keeping quiet. >From: Tom Boland <wgcp@earthlink.net> >To: HOMELESS PEOPLE'S NETWORK list <HPN@aspin.asu.edu> >Subject: ALERT: LA officials to move homeless encampment from >Sunland-Tujunga FWD >Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 08:34:33 -0700 (PDT) > >FWD [California, USA] Los Angeles Times - Wed May 12, 1999 > > THEY CALL IT HOME > > Officials seek to move Sunland-Tujunga homeless > out of hillside encampments. > > Claudia Peschiutta > >SUNLAND-TUJUNGA -- After a day of collecting recyclable goods and >performing odd jobs, Benny Colon used to walk up a narrow dirt path to his >home -- a small group of wooden shacks hidden away in the hills above the >Foothill (210) Freeway. > >He would often spend his evenings sitting under the stars in one of the >dilapidated old chairs in the "living room," a beer in hand and his three >beloved dogs at his feet. > >But Colon and the other people who have made a home of "Jurassic Park" left >their wooded haven, a Sunland homeless encampment believed to be on private >property, last week. > >After being notified that police had received authorization to arrest them >for trespassing, Colon, recognized by his companions as the camp's >unofficial leader, and fellow park residents began searching for a new >place to call home. > >However, this group of homeless people and others like them are no longer >as likely to find seclusion and refuge in Sunland-Tujunga. > >An increase in complaints earlier this year from residents noticing camp >fires along the foothills, a high fire hazard area, began to raise concern >among local officials. This, along with police reports of an increase in >transient crime, led to the formation of an informal committee of police, >fire and city officials and members of social service organizations. > >The effort is being coordinated by Pat Davenport, a local field deputy for >Los Angeles City Councilman Joel Wachs, whose district includes >Sunland-Tujunga. > >In March, the group began an unofficial homeless relocation campaign, with >local police informing the homeless of services and shelters available to >them and outreach efforts being made by several agencies, including the Los >Angeles Family Housing Corp., which provides medical attention and other >services in a mobile unit at Sunland Park two times a month. > >Davenport said a homeless resources fair will be held at Finn Park in >Tujunga on May 27. > >A tentative date of July 1 has been set for the removal of the encampments >in the mountain fire district, but officials have no plans for any >additional action on or after the deadline. > >Two major camps, Jurassic Park and another near Tujunga Canyon Boulevard, >and several smaller ones have been identified in Sunland-Tujunga. > >Brush inspector Ken Brondell of the Los Angeles City Fire Department said >although no major fires in recent history have been attributed to any of >the encampments, they offer a potential threat of brush fires to nearby >homes. > >But some officials say the local homeless population poses other dangers to >the community. > >A summary of a Los Angeles Police Department Foothill Division project >dealing with transients loitering around Foothill Boulevard businesses >reported an increase in the local transient population over the past two >years and a jump in incident calls attributed to its members. > >"These transients are responsible for trash on the properties, urination >and defecation, blocking of the sidewalk and business entrances, removal of >shopping carts, makeshift dwellings and probable misdemeanor and felony >crimes," said the report. > >Sgt. Bob Kirk said since officers were asked in March to step up >enforcement and arrests in Sunland-Tujunga, there has been a significant >drop in the visibility of the homeless population and a decrease in >complaints from community members. > >"Everything we had wished would happen is happening. The homeless >population is moving out. They are not sleeping in doorways, drinking in >public or loitering," Kirk said. > >But Benny Colon said although some people in the area panhandle and >intimidate customers, he and the rest of the Jurassic Park family recycle >and take odd jobs for their money. > >"We don't steal. We don't panhandle," Colon said. "We keep it clean." > >Aside from not wanting to "burn bridges," Colon said he recognizes that >business owners also need to make a living. > >"That's why I mandate up here, `No panhandling,"' he said. "Kicking us out >isn't going to help," he said. "Work with us." > >Officials respond that they are working to assist the homeless in receiving >medical treatment and finding jobs and housing, but say many aren't >interested. > >Officer Glenn McNeil, who has been patrolling the area for more than two >years, said he is often refused when he offers the homeless referral >numbers and, in certain situations, rides to shelters and treatment >facilities. > >"There are a lot of them that don't want the help," he said. > >But some homeless people are saying the help they are getting isn't very >helpful at all. > >Charles Bolin, who once lived in a relatively cozy shack in Jurassic Park, >said he doesn't feel safe in homeless shelters. > >"Shelters don't work," he said. "There are so many problems with the >fighting, the alcoholics and people stealing your stuff." > >Patricia Colvin, another former park resident, and Colon both said a friend >of theirs, who is an alcoholic and is in need of a detoxification program, >was passed around from one facility to another until he recently found his >way back to the area with a case of pneumonia. > >"Here are people saying they are out there to help you and they're not," >Colvin said. > >Dennis O'Rourke, a service aide for the L.A. Housing Corp., said he >personally took the man to a facility instead of simply providing him with >bus tokens and was told he would be referred to a detoxification program. > >"We are here trying to provide services so the homeless do have a place to >go," O'Rourke said. > >Colon said he has become suspicious of officials because he and others at >Jurassic Park were told they had only until May 7 to leave. > >"They've been lying to us because they've been telling us that we had until >July 1," said Colon, who lost "Sweets," one of his three dogs, in the rapid >departure from the camp. > >"I've seen the way they care for us -- they move us. They don't really >care." > >Terry Stone, a field deputy for Councilman Wachs, said officials are >concerned about the homeless and are trying to figure out the best way to >handle the situation. > >"It's tragic and we want to help," she said. "We're torn between the people >who say they want a clean neighborhood and those who need the help." > >And she conceded that there will be no simple answers. > >"It's not going to be an easy fix," she said. "We'll see what we can learn >from this and keep trying." > >END FORWARD > >**In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is >distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior >interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and >educational purposes only.** > > > > >HOMELESS PEOPLE'S NETWORK <http://aspin.asu.edu/hpn> >5,000+ POSTS by or via homeless & ex-homeless people >Nothing About Us Without Us - Democratize Public Policy > > _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ------=_NextPart_000_6cc0e4f_7986fd34$14615c8e Content-type: text/html
I was speaking to a friend of mine who hails from DC. She was there the week before the National Coalition for the Homeless conference. Her sister works at a prison hospital right outside DC an was unable to get time off because they were so busy at work.
It seems that this was NATO week in DC and so the homeless must be swept from the sidewalks and brought to the prison hospital - I guess you can't have those foreign dignitaries seeing the third world nation the government tries so hard to pretend is not there. I just thought on this is so similar to the LA thinking and I am sorry to say that that even the kindest of souls is either buying the hype or just keeping quiet.
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