For homeless people, no such thing as away

Since covid started, my husband and I have stumbled into hosting a camp of homeless people [on property north of the Fayetteville National Cemetery]. We never meant to do it, but when desperate human beings appear in our town, he and I agree that it would be inhumane and unChristian to turn our backs and drive them away.

Before covid, there were already homeless people. Since covid, there are droves. The housing crisis has come home to roost on the streets of Fayetteville and cities all over the country.

When people are desperate, they’re not in their best state. That means homeless people may come with extra problems. There are people in the neighborhood who are very worried about their presence, with its added mess and such, and have raised complaints. Some of the complaints are valid, others are overblown and even untrue. Because of the complaints, the city may demand that these helpless people be pushed off our land and driven “away.”

I want to point out that with the housing situation the way it is, there is absolutely no “away.” The people now living on our land, who tell us they feel more secure there than anyplace else they can find, will not vanish. They’ll be forced to hide somewhere with less security and less access to the scarce resources.

If our city (which wants to see itself as “caring” and “compassionate”) is determined to drive people “away” they need to get to work and find housing for them. We would be very happy to give up the homeless camp job if the city formulates a real and effective plan for coping with the swelling homeless population and see that needy people’s real housing needs are met. It’s the only humane thing to do.

GLADYS TIFFANY Fayetteville