Letter: City policies lead to suffering

Friday, Jan. 31, 2003 | 9:36 a.m.

MASH Village is an essential part of the homeless provider network. Millions of dollars in federal funding made this facility possible, where 300-bed transitional housing, health care and other programs were available.

Why then has the city of Las Vegas closed this facility, under the guise that it requires extensive repairs, yet will not allow any independent investigation by a private contractor? The city of Las Vegas lost $100,000 in HUD financing by this irresponsible action.

There now is an assault against the homeless in which zoning laws, jaywalking and public drinking ordinances are punitively used against the homeless. In essence the city has criminalized mental illness and addictions, which wastes millions of dollars in the court system and is overloading emergency rooms. At the same time there is a $500,000 Westcare pilot program, which, through outreach, will help the homeless in a humane approach by providing care for mental illness and addictions.

Restrictive zoning to limit or eliminate successful smaller volunteer homeless programs is counterproductive and will lead to more suffering and confrontation.

FRANK PERNA