Homelessness

Show empathy

Regarding “Tent city woes” and “Stop shameful eviction of needy tenants” (Page A31, Sunday), Mayor Sylvester Turner is certainly exhibiting shameful treatment of the homeless and appears to be allowing questionable action against public housing tenants.

Showing little empathy for those homeless remaining without shelter, the mayor, in using a newly passed anti-tent ordinance, is fighting to remove a tent city from under a U.S. 59 bridge. It is understandable that he is most likely under pressure from the area’s residents. But additional homeless shelter is needed first. A recent survey by the Coalition for the Homeless reported roughly one-third of the homeless in Harris County remain without shelter.

Now, the Houston Housing Authority is attempting to clear out the senior and veteran tenants from its project at 2100 Memorial. Until the authority provides a specified, justifiable explanation, one is left to believe some good oldfashioned greed may be involved with this highly valuable property.

Thank goodness for the American Civil Liberties Union, which has obtained a restraining order against the city’s enforcement of the tent ordinance. Hopefully, someone will soon file suit against HHA to stop its eviction effort.

Houstonians must always be ready to assist, not attack, those less fortunate. Remember, under different circumstances anyone of us could become homeless.

Don Sumners, Houston

Let’s be fair

Regarding “Tent city woes” (Page A31, Sunday), it is important to understand the neighbors’ perspectives. They’re just trying to live their lives: go to work, do the grocery shopping, send their kids to school, go for walks, maybe go for a short vacation occasionally. They didn’t ask to have shootings and stabbings across the street. They certainly never volunteered to have people urinating on their fences, littering in their driveways and harassing their kids. At the same time, the homeless need a place to go, and it’s not to campsites under freeway overpasses.

I am firmly of the view that we need a two-step approach. First, build a large public homeless shelter with treatment and social services on site — like what San Antonio did with their “Haven for Hope.” Then allow the homeless to pay their way by doing odd jobs around the city, like Albuquerque did.

Once these programs are established, then pass the bans on camping and other quality of life laws to clean up public spaces — with the rule that instead of being incarcerated for violations, the homeless are sent to the public shelter.

We would be able to have clean neighborhoods and be fair to the homeless.

Adam Weiss, posted via HoustonChronicle.com