Letter: Bureaucracy can’t help homeless

Thursday, May 2, 2002 | 8:48 a.m.

The homeless population, which includes veterans, mentally ill, families and single males, desperately needs our charity. We should volunteer, donate clothes and household goods and give financial aid to homeless providers who have proven, compassionate services.

It would be a mistake to follow the lead of Gov. Gray Davis, in the republic of California, and float a housing bond to provide subsistence housing. Voters should reject any suggestion of a $50 million dollar housing bond, which a recent Sun editorial said could be one option to help the homeless.

Imagine the cost overruns and shoddy construction, which governments on all levels produced in the past. The Veterans Home in Boulder City, the VA clinic on Vegas Drive and MLK, and the Clark County Justice Center are only a few examples. Voters would be crazy to trust any government program. It would be far better to give incentives to the private sector to develop affordable housing for the homeless.

Millions of taxpayers' hard-earned money has been spent with little oversight and cost analysis.

The regional approach to homelessness will work when the homelessness task force requests advice from homeless advocates, individuals who provide services on their own, and the homeless themselves.

Since the HUD/Summit homelessness meeting in September 2001 we have seen little action and too much bureaucratic maneuvers.

FRANK PERNA

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