JOYFUL PIECE #21

Winning, and not only in sports...

 

The official city flag of Houston, Texas, created in 1915.  This media file is in the public domain in the United States. This applies to U.S. works where the copyright has expired, often because its first publication occurred prior to January 1, 1928, and if not then due to lack of notice or renewal. See this page for further explanation.

Well, another win for Houston. Is it the Astros? the Rockets? the Texans? Nope!

As the article below says, “…smart policy matters far more than good intentions.”

Homelessness is present in urban areas throughout the world. There are homeless camps in urban woods, under bridges and overpasses, and people in sleeping bags (or less) along sidewalks.  One major city seems to have gotten the upper hand in helping to alleviate this source of suffering for the unfortunate. That city is Houston, which has cut homelessness by more than 60% since 2011. In fact, Houston has become a model city on how to address homelessness, with public officials from around the nation calling on Houston for advice.

It is significant that Houston has not spent huge amounts of public funds in this effort. Political leaders have worked together to address homelessness. Under the umbrella of The Way Home, the efforts and resources of many charitable organizations are being coordinated for efficiency and effectiveness. For example, a homeless person has often lost all forms of identification. This makes it very challenging to sign up for available medical and other social benefits such as those available to Armed Forces Veterans. However, through the participation of the Houston Police Department, homeless persons can tap public records, such as arrest records and veteran records, and obtain certification of their identities.

Perhaps the most innovative aspect of Houston’s program is placing housing at the top of the priority list, rather than emphasizing the cleaning up of any addiction issues in a homeless person. A safe shelter appears to be very helpful in steering a homeless person into effective treatment. Addiction does not equal homelessness, as the article points out. How could we miss that the essential issue in homelessness is lack of housing?

There is no panacea, but the Houston story is cause for celebration and joy. We can positively impact a homeless person’s existence with hope, and with dignity, and provide a path for long-lasting recovery and reintegration into society. The path will be difficult and the challenges many, but there is now a proven case of significant success.

To learn more, click here.

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