To the editor:
When will we have the courage to create a new and improved Lawrence Community Shelter? I know and have worked with the staff and volunteers at the shelter. They are without question the most dedicated, courageous and hard-working people I know. With very little community support they care for the mentally ill who no longer have hospital care, they work with those with special needs, the handicapped, the addicted and all those Lawrence citizens who are simply out of work and homeless.
I have attended the City Commission meetings where these same staff and volunteers stand and beg this community to allow them to build a better shelter, and I watch as the council members pass judgment. I do know that these elected officials are sitting between a rock and a hard spot when it comes to location, but when left with a choice, it is simply easier to postpone or say no to the shelter board.
What we don’t seem to realize is that it is a city problem and a city responsibility. I therefore suggest to the board of the Lawrence Community Shelter that they disband and close the shelter and if they have a few dollars left in their account, give it to the City Commission and city manager and tell them to care for the homeless.
Lawrence is not a barbaric community. I know too many people who believe that we are our brothers’ keepers. It’s time to build a new shelter.
Comments
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artichokeheart (anonymous) says…
It is not the city's responsiblity to care for those who refuse to care for themselves. I suggest the city close the shelter and send those who are unwilling to get it together on their way.
merrill (anonymous) says…
Homeless people hmmmmmmmm
More Crime.......... are not necessarily related at all.
However both are realities and are among the hidden costs of city growth and expansion. Bedroom communities are not necessarily known for jobs. Where does anyone expect the new jobless to work?
I know many many people from all sides of town wonder why the eastside of Lawrence,Kansas is most always chosen for concerns such as this.
Is it because the new westside doesn't want to help these people or maybe does not want these needy folks in their back yards? aka NIMBY.
honestone (anonymous) says…
A dry shelter where people can help pull themselves out of their situation is a good thing. Enabling and importing the cronic hopeless takes away from those that really want the help. That is the thing that I hear the most...we don't mind helping but the current shelter does not help
smitty (anonymous) says…
There are a multitude of social service agencies in Dg Co that can and do address Hayes concerns. There is much duplication of services and then there are those taht just don't get he job done no matter how much funding occurs. I believe DCCCA and the wet shelter all into the same group on that one.
Here, is a concern. If the community shelter is to operate as a wet shelter, why doesn't the largest, most financed drug and alcohol social service program directly support the wet shelter? DCCCA does not recognise the value of this operation. Before the city puts any more time and effort into the wet shelter, we need to utilize the tax funds and non-profits that are already in the business for the purpose of the targeted clientele.
cont
smitty (anonymous) says…
cont
City of Lawrence
2010 Alcohol Tax Funds
Request for Proposals
Calendar Year 2010 (January-December)
Agency Name: DCCCA, Inc.
Program Name: Lawrence Outpatient Treatment Program
http://lawrenceks.org/budget_files/20...
Lawrence Outpatient’s successful treatment intervention with adults and adolescents is contingent on our ability to effectively address their holistic needs through effective community collaboration.
Program staff link treatment clients with Health Care Access, Douglas County Health Department, local primary care physicians, Douglas County Aids Project and Douglas
County Dental Clinic for physical health care needs. The Lawrence/Douglas County Housing Authority and Lawrence Workforce Center provide access to affordable housing and employment opportunities.
*Clients with co-occurring mental health needs are seen at Bert Nash Mental Health Center*. Women’s Transitional Care Services is a resource for female clients who
are victims of domestic violence. Staff providing adolescent services collaborate closely with The Shelter, Inc., O’Connell Youth Ranch, and KVC Behavioral Health Care. Women who participated in residential substance abuse treatment at DCCCA’s First Step at Lake View may
continue their treatment at Lawrence Outpatient upon re-entry into the community.
Lawrence Outpatient Treatment Services staff actively participate in community collaboration initiatives designed to identify and seek resolution to service gaps. ****We are engaged in a formal partnership with the Lawrence Housing Authority, facilitating evaluations and providing
treatment services for homeless individuals.**** One of our substance abuse counselors offers assessment, evaluation and counseling on the University of Kansas campus weekly. Child and adolescent needs are the focus of our participation in the monthly Family Centered Systems of Care planning group. Finally, we meet monthly with Douglas County courts and criminal justice staff to address treatment needs of individuals involved with the court system, and partner with others to facilitate a continuum of services for jail inmates or re-entering the community.....
No where is there a direct connection to the wet shelter, no where in DCCCA's agenda is there any mention of support in or with the wet shelter. Why?
artichokeheart (anonymous) says…
Because DCCCA attempts to treat addiction where the shelter does not. While there is no guarantee treatment is 100% effective to not address the core problems at all is not working in the solution. For the most part though DCCCA is keeping quiet because they bring many of the shelter participants to the Lawrence community through their programs. Plus DCCCA wants all available funding for themselves.
50YearResident (anonymous) says…
"I have attended the City Commission meetings where these same staff and volunteers stand and beg this community to allow them to build a better shelter".
Of course it will be on your (citizens of the community) dime! I want a lot of thinks I can't pay for. Now if I could find a benefactor I would have the most toys of anyone.
New shelter slogan "Build and they will pay".
lawthing (anonymous) says…
Set up a Tent City, and bus to take the drunks there. Let 'em build a fire in a trash can to stay warm.....get high and drunk inside their own tent...Poblem solved!
smitty (anonymous) says…
In other words, DCCCA is responsible in part for the large increase in our homeless drunken druggies from other communities without accountability for the solution?
artichokeheart (anonymous) says…
Not a large part but some of it. Often smaller communities prefere their community corrections and parole transfers not return to their county of origin. This is especially true of smaller western Kansas communities where corrections officers supervise more than one community.
Yes edjayhawk many benefit from treatment and aftercare but true success lies with the individual not with program of participation. It isn't about what happens in treatment so much as what you do afterwards that matters. Congrats on your success.
ShePrecedes (anonymous) says…
The City of Lawrence is literally forcing people to sleep on the ground.
Gonna do everything I can not to spend money in Lawrence this winter, going out of my way to buy in surrounding cities. Lawrence cannot have the sales tax from my purchases.
I protest how they are treating the homeless and the people who so want to help the homeless.
ShePrecedes (anonymous) says…
I agree with lawthing.
At least give them a place to camp out.
artichokeheart (anonymous) says…
Just so all the facts are out there. the woman who started the wet shelter concept here is a longtime employee of DCCCA and Heartland RADAC. Her father was as she puts it " A high profile low bottom drunk" a room at the DCCCA main office is named for him because he started the recovery community here in Lawrence. is the number of meetings available in the Lawrence community and the services offered. This is a sales pitch of sorts used by DCCCA to keep beds full. The downside of this for Lawrence is that more services are needed for those who experience chronic relapse. Truth is a detox center would be more effective than the community shelter for the population that is in need of services.
smitty (anonymous) says…
From the shelters alcohol tax grant request....
The Intervention and Collaboration Program is a combination of two interdependent parts:
*intervention to empower individuals to identify, access, and build upon
their personal strengths to create a positive future; and,
*collaboration with existing service providers such as dccca, radac, Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, Valeo, Johnson County Adult Detox Unit, SOS in Kansas City, KS and ARC in Kansas City, MO to make full use of available resources and to more effectively serve the individuals in need.....
http://lawrenceks.org/budget_files/20...
The list of collaborating agencies are mostly from out of town. DCCCA doesn't claim any direct connection to the shelter even thought the shelter names DCCCA's involvement as justification to get a grant from the alcohol tax funds.
The city needs to look over the facts before allowing any more monies to the shelter.
Info on RADAC..Regional Alcohol And Drug Assessment Center
http://www.saack.org/radac.php
Again, there are a multitude of agencies for the problem. Poor coordination of services it appears.
bearded_gnome (anonymous) says…
current drunk/drug shelter does attract out-of-towners, does not practically check for local history/connections.
Edjayhawk, they do help the problem: they increase a crime-ridden destructive population and they thus help increase the problem.
***
EKH,
your LTE is pathetic. some o us do care about the homeless, it is the habitually homeless/bums we do not wish to enable. that is because enabling them aids them in their self-destruction. sometimes tough love is the caring response.
Bassetlover (anonymous) says…
Smitty - There is no duplication of services in this county when it comes to sheltering the homeless, especially now that the Salvation Army no longer offers this service. Name one other agency that does it. If we insist on pushing these people out of our community and into another, we make it THEIR problem. And if they act like Lawrence does and insist on pushing it to another city to deal with, it becomes someone else's problem....and so on and so on. When is the buck ever going to stop? What community has the courage to step up to the plate and say they will be responsible?!?! Homelessness is never going to go away. It is cruel and mean-spirited to ignore this isssue.
50YearResident (anonymous) says…
Here is an idea, and I would even contribute to this one. Build this shelter in another State and ship our homeless there to be rehabilitated.
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
Here is an idea: Why doesn't the J/W interview Loring Henderson and ask him specifically why he chose to come to Lawrence for this gig.
smitty (anonymous) says…
One progam...OK...the church ran and funded progam is in place.
I'd give you the name but I can't remember what it's called. The JW archives will not allow me locate that information without an exact wording and spelling
side note(that's why the software is next to worthless, JK)
honestone (anonymous) says…
"ShePrecedes (Anonymous) says…
The City of Lawrence is literally forcing people to sleep on the ground. "
I get to call BS on this one. I cannot find anything that states that the City is forcing anyone to sleep on the ground. If there is such a notation please advise me.
...and...
"2Bfrank (Anonymous) says…
not mentioned here once again is that 40% of homeless in Douglas County are children. where to put them?"
Where did you get that data???
BTW...I think most people would advocate for a dry, family shelter. Just not the flophouse that we now have that will give you your bottle as you walk out the door to start another day of job hunting and self-improvement.
smitty (anonymous) says…
Henderson and his BOD writes grants for alcohol taxes to fund the shelter so they are just doing some more creative fund raising when they return the addiction to the addicted. Keep those taxes rolling in!
LTEs that are without substance and nothing more than a panhandling attitude are not getting the PR work done. With the budget projections that the wet shelter has, shouldn't we have professional expertise? Courage to assist is not the problem Competence is.
Informed (anonymous) says…
You're thinking of Family Promise, smitty. Family Promise is doing a wonderful job of helping families out of homelessness. If only our wet shelter residents were so desirous of help, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. Henderson would be able to find a suitable home for his shelter. However, since there is no mention of removing "wet" from the shelter, Henderson will most likely face obstacles at every turn. And, in my opinion, rightly so.
honestone (anonymous) says…
Thanks for the source of the data...
A wet shelter is the problem here. Why doesn't Henderson accept that. The help would be much easier to get if he would just listen. Wait...does he work for our city commission...they don't listen either.
ShePrecedes (anonymous) says…
Honestone, I know personally of someone sleeping on the ground because the shelter he was living in is not supported in the city "Ordinances". With two low-paying jobs as is sadly too common in Lawrence, he was perfectly happy where he was, how he was, not bothering anyone, and the city pulled him out of his home. He sleeps on the ground now.
You can spout your theory, honestone, but you cannot tell us about the true practices.
ShePrecedes (anonymous) says…
You certainly know what posters possesses heart for other people and what posters do not.
FYI, we are on this earth for each other, one and all of us. We are not! on this earth for making things aesthetically pleasing and exhibiting great displays of heartlessness.
We are not here to support fat, cumbersome, slow-moving social systems that care little for the people, ... ie: the city of Lawrence.
50YearResident (anonymous) says…
ShePrecedes, wow, you mean we are really one big Bee Hive, making honey for the Queen, only to have someone come and blow smoke up our Arse and take most of it away, just leaving us enough to survive the winter?
bearded_gnome (anonymous) says…
obviously "sheprocedes" is a massive socialist, or marxist, take from every one according to his ability, give to each according to his need. and the benevolent citizens' committee will decide when you have enough money, that's when the confiscatory taxes kick right in.
***
hey!
2bfrank,
put some dried oregano on it, it won't taste so bad!
my gawd, what's bronze/cool/spiderman/ariadne/jaguar/rusty2 et al et al up to now, thrown off this board over ten times now?
Jonathan Kealing, will it take him trying to out me again to get his arse TOSsed off?
7texdude (anonymous) says…
The bottom line on this issue is money. Old shelter or new shelter, how are we going to pay for their care? Both now and in the future. The state of Kansas is broke and the city gov't is not much better.
I understand the issue and the passion involved. We need to help some or all of these people, but can we afford it? This is not a good time for homeless advocates to step forward and complain about funding when the state is cutting over 10% of education with more on the way.
This is the bottom line. How can we pay for this? What is the best way to come up with the money? Answer those questions and you're a candidate for public office.
bearded_gnome (anonymous) says…
This is the bottom line. How can we pay for this? What is the best way to come up with the money? Answer those questions and you're a candidate for public office.
---first, make sure you're helping those who have local ties/history, and those who really want to improve their lives-escape homelessness. then, the money goes much further, makes a difference.
Haiku_Cuckoo (anonymous) says…
I haven't looked in the phone book, but I'm willing to guess that the letter writer doesn't live anywhere near the proposed shelter site.
Moderate (George Lippencott) says…
A few points
Family Promise does indeed help homeless families. They are success oriented and have a limited clientele at any given time. The city almost drove them away with our usual over cautiousness about liability
Our only shelter does try to address family homelessness. The new facility would improve those services.
Our shelter does try to assist people to escape from homelessness and makes every effort to connect the willing with appropriate services.
Our shelter is dry. You can not drink nor bring alcohol to the shelter. They do allow in those who have been drinking.
Locating the shelter outside of the downtown (right or left) included a leap of faith that the homeless will seek out the shelter in that location.
Remember part of the emphasis for the move is to get the shelter out of downtown as desired by the “Downtown Lawrence” lobbying group. Shelter management is not to blame.
Where would you have those who are homeless and who have been drinking go on a subfreezing winter night? Policing up dead bodies in our parks may not be the best a civilized society could do.
smitty (anonymous) says…
Remember part of the emphasis for the move is to get the shelter out of downtown as desired by the “Downtown Lawrence” lobbying group. Shelter management is not to blame.....
History of the way Henderson has run the shelter is why there are as so many objections.
Henderson strongly stated that the shelter can not and will not be held responsible for their clientele when off premise even if just across the street.
Sexual activity openly displayed in that street
Beatings in the alley that the shelter is located
Drug over doses mixed with alcohol resulting in frequent ambulance and police presence.
Stealing of prescription drugs from the mentally ill then distributing and using those drugs freely on the steps of the church(LINK across the street again)
Sleeping bags & dogs left unattended in the bushes at Trinity and First Christian complete with trash, trash, trash and more trash.
Old West Lawrence's patient campaign to attempt discussions with the shelter to resolve problems only to be met with denials.
Henderson's ignoring of ordinances to accomplish his fund raisers.
Queer baiting of a male client by other male clients that resulted in criminal attack on premise. Henderson stated the guys were playing chess. They were out side smoking and harassing an effeminate client until that client emotionally broke and struck back. Henderson lied.
Over flow clients invasion of Vermont Towers where the populace is elderly or handicapped to sleep in activity rooms. Police called.
Methodist Church broke into by homeless.
People using the parking lot across the alley from the shelter harassed.
Clients only going 10-20 feet off shelter premise to sit on ground or at the alley to consume alcohol or drugs leaving empties to trash the side walk area.
Drug trafficking in the alley. Cars would drive up and the fast hand switch of money and drugs were all too apparent.
Over flow camping in South Park. This has nothing to do with the river camps existence.
The list is so long. There's more to explain why there is a need for management plan requested for the current proposal site.
None of these examples even reach down town into the business concerns.
Hayes says....Lawrence is not a barbaric community. I know too many people who believe that we are our brothers’ keepers. It’s time to build a new shelter......
Is that your addy in Alvamar? Got room on that golf course and the inclination to implement a program there? Winter is just around the corner.
Another nimby lte? Perhaps you best could serve the situation if you and some of your peers assisted in that management plan Henderson is so short on.
Moderate (George Lippencott) says…
smitty (Anonymous) says…
Are we talking about children or adults with all the protections of our laws? The shelter can not police adults off their premises - that is a police function.
Many of the issues you cited could as well have happened if the shelter were on the moon. If there was no shelter where do you think the homeless will go-Topeka? They will be right there doing what they are doing now. At least with the shelter there is some ability to restrain conduct at least part of the time.
Get real! This is a real problem and you can not make the national problem of homelessness the problem of the Lawrence open shelter. You do know that many of the homeless are veterans. The VA is trying to address that problem but is behind the power curve in doing so. Maybe we should just shoot them all so they will not bother you??
smitty (anonymous) says…
George, you are not informed.
These issues have been addressed, weakly, by the shelter in response to years of communication attempts by the neighborhood association and others in the community. The news letters and occasionally the JW covered the denial of responsibility.
It is vital that neighborhoods the relocation will effect are informed(they are) of the past problems that the shelter refused to accept responsibility for. That knowledge led to the request for a management plan.
Since Henderson and his BOD waited until the last minute to hold neighborhood meetings that address our concerns, it is apparent that Henderson has not yet learned how to communicate and co-operate with valid, history proven concerns.
To reverse progress in the discussions because you are not in the know is unacceptable. This letter to the editor stirred some discussion. Learn from it.
Moderate (George Lippencott) says…
smitty (Anonymous) says…
I am not informed because I point out that the shelter can not control adult citizens off their premises??
I am not informed because I point out there is pressure to move the shelter from those impacted by the homeless
I am not informed because I point out that Lawrence is not alone - the country has a problem and we have our share.
I am not informed because I question whether the presence of the shelter really contributes to the problem or helps address the problem.
Sounds to me like a lot of NIMBY in your comments with little constructive thought on how to address the problem.
honestone (anonymous) says…
Sorry George...the thoughts like this are the shelters undoing. You (the shelter) bring them in and then you say that their control has noting to do with you. If they don't want the control then don't bring them in. I have to accept all sorts of rules and regualtions when I enter into a social contract and that includes proper behavior. Why should we expect anything less from the people with their hand out?
The WET shelter is the undoing for all of the others. Do you (the shelter) believe that you should try to be all for everyone. In these times of limited dollars do we concentrate our resources on those that want the help rather then using our dollars (social and real dollars) for a flop house. A dry shelter would be tolerated much easier.
Finally...don't the people on the west side feel bad about trying to push the flop house on those in East Lawrence or do you not care as long as you can feed the need without impacting your own neighborhood? I understand there is a lot of open property in alvamar and out west by wakarusa
Moderate (George Lippencott) says…
honestone (Anonymous) says…
Interesting set of responses. It is as we say it is because we say so!
Part of your argument is that the existence of the shelter causes the homeless to come. The alternative is that the shelter is here because caring people are addressing the homeless that are here because they live here. Irresolvable other than to observe that studies reflect that many of our homeless originate here.
A second element of your argument about east-west is at best sophomoric. You put the shelter where the homeless are. The homeless are not on the fringes of the town but downtown. Moving it away from the downtown may reduce participation in the shelter but not necessarily the number of homeless. Homelessness is concentrated in our urban centers. Moving it to Don’s is at best a compromise to placate the ‘Downtown Lawrence” crowd.
Mostly unstated but deeply embedded in your argument is that homelessness is a choice. If we did nothing for the homeless they would all find jobs. That argument reflects a stupefying ignorance about homelessness. Can you identify anybody that would want to live that way if they had an alternative? Do your homework on the causes of homelessness and then chip in and help address it.
sunny (anonymous) says…
Shut it down!
You want to help them? Open up your house and take them in!
Moderate (George Lippencott) says…
sunny (Anonymous) says…
And when did you get appointed King??
50YearResident (anonymous) says…
There could be support for a shelter in Lawrence if Mr. Henderson could come before the City Commission and say this:
I want to build, and I have the 8 Million Dollors in the bank for the construction and funding for 30 years for operating expense guaranteed from sources other than Douglas County residents. It will not cost the Lawrence Community one red cent for this project.
However the real story is quite differant, With no money the Shelter staff wants approval to buy and build and fund millions of dollars worth of improvements at the cost of local tax payers. The minority of residents want to saddle these costs of this project on all the residents with no idea where any of the money will come from. Now does anyone see a problem here? This project will drag down the community with nearly $1 Million Dollars per year expected to be doled out by the locals. If this is incorrect, please post correct information for all to read.
Moderate (George Lippencott) says…
50YearResident (Anonymous) says…
How does one challenge such an assertion?? Where in gods name did your numbers come from??
IHistorically, I believe that what funding the shelter has received from the taxpayers either comes from the alcohol fund or from federal funds (CDGB). Funds also come from the faith based community and other individuals. As a charitable organization the shelter files a tax return that reflects where the money it gets originates.
In respect to taxpayer sources the shelter does provide services to the city in offering an alternative to having individuals sleeping on the streets or in the parks. If the city provides other funds, it does so willingly. Historically the city provided funds to the Salvation Army to address homelessness. Why would the shelter be any different from the many, many other social services funded by our state, county or city?
smitty (anonymous) says…
JW quote...
“Sheltering is not the solution to homelessness,” said Capt. Wes Dalberg, who leads The Salvation Army site in Lawrence. “It’s a part of what moves people along the path to getting out of homelessness, but it’s not a solution and an end in itself.”
For now, the organization is preparing to serve five families or individuals through the program, and future grant funding could boost it to 15 families or individuals......
Salvation Army to close homeless center
Agency to focus on new transitional housing service
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/feb...
What has happened to the updates on the Salvation Army's progress?
Lawrence Community Shelter
$600,000
Rep. Dennis Moore (KS-3) requests $600,000 for:
Lawrence Community Shelter, Inc.
214 W. 10th St.
Lawrence, KS 66044
http://washingtonwatch.com/bills/show...
Statistics on who uses the shelter by ethnic, racial, veteran populace is 7%(so much for georgie's guilt trip on behalf of the veterans), poverty pimping stats(5 full time and 7 part time employees), much more stats.
Then there's this dog biscuit business for the past several years that has yet to produce any monies scheduled to receive a building of their own.......**Joseph Project partially funded by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development to start an entrepreneurial company to employ homeless individuals. The Joseph Project's major
product is Good Dog! Gourmet Biscuits and Treats....Especially important, there will be a second building with space for the Lawrence Community Shelter's strong program for on site employment through its Good Dog! Gourmet Biscuits and Treats project which distributes to area stores and clinics dog treats made
and packaged by homeless residents of the shelter. The projected cost of the secondary building, included in the $2,862,000 total projection, is $534,000.......
Dennis Moore's request for $600,000 is in the same amount to build the non-profit producing doggie biscuit business that employs, what a half dozen part time homeless or do the volunteers dot he work?
from LCH site.....Early Wednesday mornings, Matt, Mark, Brian, Matthew and Tony gather at the L.I.N.K. (Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen) to mix, bake, and package Good Dog! Biscuits & Treats......five people for a start up or $600,000 building that does not include any other expenses involved.
We don't even have to go to the addiction/mental health problems or LCS wet shelter clients to find major problems with this proposal.
Moderate (George Lippencott) says…
smitty (Anonymous) says…
A lot of data but litle analysis.
1. The Shelter works with the homeless to transition those who are ready. What makes you think otherwise?
2. So you acknowledge that families are in the ranks of the homeless. The SA and the community shelter (and other agencies) all address family homelessness.
2. Statistics will hang you. My veteran’s data comes from the VA. Not sure where your data comes from?
“The VA estimates that 131,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. And approximately twice that many experience homelessness over the course of a year. Conservatively, one out of every three homeless men who is sleeping in a doorway, alley or box in our cities and rural communities has put on a uniform and served this country. According to the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Urban Institute, 1999), veterans account for 23 percent of all homeless people in America.”
So in your mind we can service veterans but not "Joe six-pack" or his family who are down on their luck??
3. There may well be federal funds for capital investment by the shelter. That is old news. What is your issue there? The last argument was about local taxes for operating funds (million dollars a year). Where did that come from?
I do not have the time or the inclination to continue to deal with assertions.
Your bottom line is that somebody is getting a free ride and you want that to stop so the shelter will go away.
There are many people like you who do not want to address the problems in our society and fall back on your version of personal responsibility. So we go back to my second post - we can just shoot the homeless. If you are right that threat should motivate them to all go out, man up and make us proud.
Tell me, why is homelessness a national problem? I guess you feel that the elected officials everywhere are being duped into funding social services for the homeless??? Maybe we can use the resources to pay for health care reform?