Homeless people take advantage of Call First agency’s offer of help

By Timothy Pratt (contact)

Friday, March 29, 2002 | 11:18 a.m.

Twenty-two of the homeless men and women recently driven from a homeless camp in downtown Las Vegas took a nonprofit agency up on its offer of a roof and a job Thursday.

The agency, Call First, runs five halfway houses for alcohol and drug rehabilitation in the Las Vegas Valley. Ken May, director of the nonprofit, called Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman in the wake of Sunday's sweep of about 175 people from a homeless camp on Foremaster Lane and Main Street.

May said he was homeless 10 years ago and wanted to help.

Thursday morning he gathered the group from under a bridge on Owens Street, west of the Salvation Army shelter, and took them to one the agency's houses in northeast Las Vegas. About 30 people remained in the camp, which has been growing since the sweep.

Meanwhile, an Internet-based network of homeless advocates responded to the sweep by announcing a global boycott of Las Vegas Wednesday, "... due to the inhumanity of Mayor Oscar Goodman ... toward (his) homeless constituents."

"Friends of the homeless, and all people of good conscience around the world, are encouraged not to visit -- as tourists or for business, commercial, professional or gambling purposes ... in or with the city of Las Vegas, or with any of its public and private entities, until further notice," said the announcement, which was posted on the Internet.

Goodman said he was unfazed by the effort and has explained to critics of the sweep that it was necessary in an effort to avoid a potential health crisis.

Ruben Botello, director of the World Homeless Union -- the network sponsoring the boycott -- said the announcement was sent to 5,000 contacts on a worldwide list, including homeless advocates, chambers of commerce and groups that promote tourism to Las Vegas.

"Right now, Las Vegas is the story around the world as far as homelessness goes," he said.

The move was meant to draw attention to the issue, and would be successful even if it brought disagreement, Botello said.

On Thursday night, nearly two dozen men and women were off the street thanks to Call First.

But homeless advocates said Call First's effort, while well-intentioned, calls for cautious optimism, particularly since the nonprofit hasn't worked with the homeless population.

"The fact that they went means they want a change," said Linda Lera-Randle El, director of Straight from the Streets, a nonprofit outreach program.

"But whether or not the change will stick remains to be seen," she said.

Mark Freiermuth, one of the men who left the camp under the bridge, said that a Salvation Army volunteer told him that the group was going to be moved from the area soon anyway.

"Anywhere has got to be better than this," he said.