The Shelter, on W. Tennessee Street may be shut down, within the next year or so. The Shelter, like its name should suggest, is a shelter for the homeless of Tallahassee. Like many homeless shelters, they aim to provide humble housing, solid meals, and job opportunities for those who need a hand up. Beyond the basics, The Shelter provides rehabilitation for its residents, of which there are an abundance. However, the city of Tallahassee claims that those goals are no longer being met. Without successfully rehabilitating afflicted residents from their addictions, the City does not consider The Shelter to be moving forward. I don't beleive the city aims to shut down the local shelter, but indirectly the possiblity is very real. A major part of The Shelter's funding comes from the city, and the basis of the funding is from reaching results, including rehabilitation and short-term residencey needs. Without these being achieved, the funding may very soon be pulled, and speculation of the workers suggests that the loss is too great for the shelter to afford continuing on its own.
Does this seem like a fair basis for the city to pull funding from the homeless shelter?
The location of The Shelter is also up for concern. Being located on W. Tennessee street, it's considered prime real estate. Yet, it draws no profits considering the business housed there. Though it is a prime location, it also deters from the sucess of neighboring businesses.
If it is not shut down, should the center be relocated?
If it is not shut down, should the center be relocated?
- R.Mitrosky
2 comments:
Matthew, keep in mind that a significant portion of those "lazy bums" are people with mental illness, drug addiction or other problems that make it difficult for them to adjust to normal life. The way that Florida law works is that you cannot force someone to get help if they are over 18 unless you can convince a judge that the individual is a likely harm to themselves or others. I know all this because my brother is schizophrenic and lived at the shelter for nearly a decade. Recently, his disease went into spontaneous remission and he got a job and moved out of the shelter. Before that, though, he couldn't hold a job and wouldn't live anywhere else, even when we offered it to him for free. His mental illness prevented him from making the choices you and I think are normal.
Furthermore, keep in mind that the majority of people who are homeless at some point during a particular year are not permanently so, most people are only homeless temporary, then they find a new job or get help from family or something else. The number of truly "lazy" people who are homeless is quite small. Besides, it isn't like living in the shelter is really a positive thing.
Yes, people who need help need some where to go. Taking away a safe haven for money is wrong and cruel to those people.
Post a Comment