BLANK CHECK
By Keith Howard
Here is the first sentence:
INC neighborhoods do not stand by and let neighbors endure the downward spiral, the rigors, the disruption, the dislocation, and the danger of homelessness.
I believe this sentence is intended as an affirmation of the shared responsibility of all citizens to recognize the need and humanity of those whose conditions and circumstances have left them on the street. I accept this affirmation, but the question is, How should we (all together) meet the shared obligation this recognition imposes?
INC supports immediate and permanent accommodation of homeless neighbors in professionally managed and professionally supported housing, with equitable and appropriate metro-wide distribution
PUBLIC FUNDING AND PUBLIC BEHAVIOR
Public Funding and Public Behavior
By Jan Marie Belle
The concern is not who lives next door. Rather, the concern is the public behaviors of the neighbors next door.
For example: 16th Street Mall visitors and business people complain about apparently homeless people persistently engaging in objectionable behaviors such as loitering, littering, panhandling and public intoxication. Certainly this is not a good image for Denver’s tourists and convention visitors.
But–Will putting the chronically homeless in housing also change public behaviors?”
We don’t know.
There is a 60 unit homeless “housing first” development planned for 1601 South Federal. Before INC endorses “Housing First funding” let’s see what happens on South Federal. Objectionable behaviors are no less objectionable on South Federal as they are on the 16th Street Mall
