DBP
You’re welcome, Jan. Good karma to you!
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Now I want to say something about my general attitude to NV and the people living there. This is a complex issue, I know, and it’s easy for people to lose track of where I’m coming from.
1) I’m for EVERYONE having a warm, safe place to sleep, decent food, and medical care.
Druggies, winos, criminals . . . I couldn’t give a rip about where you’re coming from. Every human being deserves a place to sleep, food, and health care.
2) I do NOT agree with the idea of requiring every homeless person to be in a shelter. I’ve visited shelters, I’ve lived in them, and I fully understand why some people do not do well there.
3) I believe that the City SHOULD support large encampments. However . . .
a) There has to be a process. Neighborhoods should have input into where those encampments are located, and
b) City should have MUCH MORE oversight over the encampments. They should not be the squalid, free-for-all deals that NV has become. There should be service providers on-site (or in close touch) and any non-profits involved in running the camps should be on a very short leash, unlike SHARE/WHEEL.
4) Encampments should be only for those folks who have a good reason for not wanting to be in a shelter. Example: Active drug addiction or treatment-resistant mental illness. The camps should not be places where you can have children or other vulnerable people. That’s why the City has to be involved with running them.
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Chances are good that the City will not agree with my vision on this. At least not yet. Failing that, though, I’m still trying to work out something where we can just get the major players to sit down at the table and start negotiating in good faith.
I’m tired of all the politics and brinkmanship and I don’t want to see a mass eviction at NV. I want to see a smooth transition that is supported by ALL the parties affected, including:
► The City
► Highland Parkers
► SHARE/WHEEL
► Nickelodeons
I hope this clarifies where I stand.