I read an article today about the Brooklyn, NY Luxury condo building that was given over to be used as a homeless shelter. The story goes that the economy is really bad and the owner couldn't get people to rent out apartments in his building. So as an alternative, he teamed up with the city and nonprofit organization to turn the building into a shelter. It was a win win situation for him and definitely for the tenants. The people in the neighborhood, however, are fuming. Here are some quotes from neighbors:
1. ';At least they could have rented it out ot working people in the community. That would have been better than a shelter.';
2. ';To walk over there and see that folks in a shelter are living better than we are, it's not fair.';
How do you feel about this? A neighborhood activist is trying to get the shelter closed down. Is he justified to lead that charge?
For me, I am bias because I used to be homeless with my daughter. We went through the shelter system and roughed things out until we got back on our feet. I always had it in my mind to move up and not stay down. Now, I am off public assistance and section 8. Someone gave me a chance and I have been working in a law firm for 3 years now. I pay rent on my own now. Although times were hard and some people treat you like crap, I'm grateful for all the help that I got in the shelter system. I really appreciate that this condo turned into a shelter because not only are places overcrowded, but also it gives people a shot at being treated like the human beings they are. It's an act of kindness that also pushes you to work at getting a job and renting out something of your own that is similar or even better one day.What are your thoughts about the luxury condo that turned into a homeless shelter?
My Kindred does work with the homeless and very poor in our community. (volunteer outreach and advocacy, helping to locate resources, taking people to appointments, walking them through application processes, etc.) I was just out by the river yesterday checking on a few people and providing tarps, sack lunches, etc. (ended up in the hospital, but that's a different tale. LOL!)
Our last homeless count* in January counted just under 5,000 homeless, both sheltered and not (this doesn't count those in transitional housing programs as we consider them ';homed';), in our community. We have less than 1,000 shelter beds (we're about to lose 300 of those, too, because of the budget problems here) and only 110 in one facility that will take women and their children both. There's a waiting list over 1,000 strong just for that one facility, and that's just the names of the mothers on that list. If someone were to tell us ';Hey, those luxury lofts they just built by the capital aren't renting? Got anyone who needs a place to stay?'; I could not only fill it in one day, I'd STILL have people sleeping by the river I have to go check on three times a week.
I don't think most people realize the many problems of homelessness. For those who aren't sheltered, they have no address, some have no phone number - they *can't* find jobs. The amount of mental illness out there, along with other issues, is astounding. Since we no longer have mental health facilities for the very poor in this county, they're out in the streets, getting no help. There are addiction issues that are not being addressed for lack of resources/stable environment/counseling support. Domestic violence (we only have 15 DV beds in the entire county, no children allowed) is actually the leading cause of homelessness among women and children in my county. Unemployment is a major cause, if not the root cause, for homelessness in my county. Some of these people will also have the aforementioned mental health and/or addiction issues. A lot of people with mental health issues self-medicate and end up with addiction issues. It's a multi-layered problem.
I'm sure you noticed that there are very, very few homeless that LIKE being homeless. They are so far in the minority it's maddening when people claim otherwise. None of these people are ';lazy';. It's hard work being homeless, which I'm sure you noticed. A little stability in their lives - an address, a phone number - would help a LOT. Access to a shower, cooking facilities, laundry facilities - you need all these things to stay healthy and find work. People need to realize that a homeless person can't just wake up one morning, find a job and keep it. How will the potential employer contact them? When they get a job, where/when will they shower? Eat? Do laundry? Not all employers will give a new employee an advance.
I applaud the building owner, the city of NY and the non-profit for their efforts to give these people not only hope, but a chance. Since transitional housing gives you between 1-2 years to find a home on your own (the Section 8 waiting list here is much longer than that, btw), this keeps these people safe and enables them to work, save money toward their own home and hopefully find low-income housing for a decent period of time rather than the 30 days they'd get at a shelter. I so wish we could find someone that altruistic here in my city.
Oh, and congrats! Now that you've been through that experience, you know you can make it through anything! It takes a lot of strength to survive such a thing in the first place, but to bring yourself out of it so well is truly amazing. I, for one, am very, very proud of you!What are your thoughts about the luxury condo that turned into a homeless shelter?
I guess I understand the complaints of some people. But as far as Im concerned, it doesn't matter what building it's in, as there as there is a place for homeless folks.
I think all luxury condos should be turned into homeless shelters
That's a tough one. First of all the people that live there and own property just lost a big chunk of their nest egg. The value of property in that neighborhood just plummeted, not fair but that is the reality.
I used to live in a neighborhood that was decent, then they put a shelter in and the quality of life went way down, in fact I had to move. Many people who live in shelters are good honest people who are just trying to get back on their feet. However, a big percentage are just ne'er-do-wells and degenerates.
If they tried to put a place like that in my town/neighborhood, I would be upset and do everything in my power to prevent it. On the other hand, where can you put these places? They have to go somewhere, right? Maybe they should restrict these shelters to 'out-of-the-way' industrial areas?
I think it's great. I don't know if the guy is a Christian, but he's certainly showing Christ-like behavior by doing this. Christ Himself would rebuke the critics of it, saying something like, ';why is it any of your business that I'm generous?';
He might quote the parable of Matthew 20, where a man paid the people who were hired at the end of the day the same wages as those who were hired at the beginning of the day, and the people who worked longer thought that wasn't fair, but the man replied,
';Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?'; - Mat 20:15
Wow that is amazing, honestly I think that all buildings going up should do this. Donate one floor to nonprofit, low income, or even coop, that way poverty leaves the ghettos behind and poor people can feel like a human again. The problem with poverty is it is ';ghettoized'; here in the Western world. And we are all headed down that road, almost the whole planet is one paycheque away from being homeless. If currency keeps de-valuing as it is now, you could go to the bank one day and have less cash than you imagined.
They have done this with downtown Toronto, here in Canada. They give tax breaks to the land owners of course, everyone wins. People have to get over the fact that some are paying 25% of the rent, for the same location. Americans may call me a communist for thinking so, but this is a great move for NYC.
Well, as your testimony proves, there are many people who come upon hard times, require help to find their feet and then are off and away, and able to support themselves.
Unfortunately though, for every one of the above, there are several lazy individual out for a free ride and there to fleece the social security system for all it's worth. They have no interest in self improvement, all they want to do is nothing.
Sadly they tend to ruin it for the rest...
Reminds me of the time when I was living in Pittsburgh and there was a large house next to my apartment building that was being converted into a halfway house for people being released from psychiatric hospitals.
A bunch of neighbors got their panties all wadded up over this and decided to try to prevent it from happening. One guy came to my door and asked me to sign a petition against it. I asked him ';Do you think halfway houses are a bad idea?'; and questions along those lines.
It all came down to the fact that he didn't think they were a bad idea he just wanted them in another neighborhood. And I was like, ';maybe we are that other neighborhood.';
