Resources for the Homeless….

There are several short-term resources available for the homeless in Seattle.  The problem is not over exhaustion of resources, but quite the opposite.  There are plenty of shelters, missionary churches, temporary housing and other alternatives for the homeless to turn to.  However, these temporary options only treat the symptoms but do not cure the problem of homelessness in Seattle.  A new approach must be taken to keep the homeless off the streets permanently.

What are some alternative solutions?

There is a recent call for permanent housing as opposed to short-term treatments that only temporarily address the issue.  Organizations such as Real Change[1] have developed strategies like First Things First[2] which supports a Housing levy that meets the needs of very low-income residents and calls for policies that do more to preserve more existing low-income housing. The theory behind this being that although shelters are helpful for a while, people just immediately return to the streets and their homeless lifestyle without making any progress.

The housing first strategy is the new strategy for reducing homelessness.  In Denny Triangle there is a proposed apartment complex which would not force sobriety like most shelters, but allow alcoholics to consume a moderate amount of alcohol within their own quarters.  However, simultaneous[i]us counseling and treatment would also be implemented to maintain the level of drinking and make sure it does not escalate to an uncontrollable level.

·         Counselors and treatment centers need to become more of a concentration as well for the homeless.  Merely finding shelter is not the answer if they continue to abuse alcohol and drugs in the same manner because this type of perpetuating behavior will simply land them back on the streets.  Alcohol and drug rehabilitation centers and counseling and treatment centers for the mentally ill need to become much more of a primary focus.

[i]Real Change provides income opportunity to poor and homeless people through publication and street sales of a bi-weekly urban-issues newspaper. Their mission is to create opportunity and a voice for low-income people while taking action to end homelessness and poverty.” Real Change offers the opportunity to make an immediate difference in a homeless person’s life and extends an invitation to further action through three program areas.

2First things First: Our organizing project works in coalition with other advocacy groups, such as the Seattle King County Coalition for the Homeless and the Seattle Human Services Coalition, to use the reach and credibility of the newspaper to build awareness of poverty issues and build grassroots support for social change. Through the newspaper, our advocacy newsletter, and the use of a number of activist tools at our website, we are making it easier for people to be heard.