Letter: Still time to help area’s homeless

Monday, Oct. 15, 2001 | 8:47 a.m.

Thank you for your Oct. 9 editorial, "City Council gives homeless the shaft." Since June, when the city of Las Vegas pressured for the destruction of Tent City, homeless advocates, with good will, have dialogued and appealed for a temporary shelter to be opened. The MASH tent, a 250-bed facility, has been sitting empty as those former residents of Tent City moved to the sidewalks along Main Street and Foremaster and hidden in other areas of the Las Vegas Valley.

Rather than take leadership in getting the other local governments to assist in quickly opening the needed shelter, it seems that Mayor Oscar Goodman and the Las Vegas City Council decided months ago not to help. The perspective from many homeless sleeping outside, who have been waiting anxiously for the opening of the MASH tent, is that Mayor Goodman's secret plan has been to make things so harsh that the homeless will leave town. The recent abrupt and unexpected closing of the Salvation Army's main overnight shelter only adds to that perception.

Now the cooler weather has arrived, and blankets are needed for those sleeping outside. For the homeless sleeping outside, the issue is to open the MASH tent now. To provide shelter until Catholic Charities can open its new facility in June, in no way takes away from long-term planning by the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition Homeless Task Force. There is still time for Mayor Goodman and the Las Vegas City Council to help with an immediate contribution from their contingency fund. They should act immediately.

DAVID BUER Editor's note: The writer is a Franciscan brother and advocate for the homeless.