Editorial: Regional reality at last?

Thursday, July 1, 2004 | 8:41 a.m.

Clark County is setting an example that we hope will be followed by all the cities in the Las Vegas Valley. It is providing Catholic Charities with $24,000 to open a daytime refuge from the heat for the area's homeless people. A total of 12 area homeless people died from heat exposure in the summers of 2002 and 2003, and the death on Fremont Street earlier this month of a 72-year-old homeless man was partially attributed to the heat.

The $24,000 is expected to last about a month, after which the county hopes the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson, and North Las Vegas will help in sharing the cost. With their help, the shelter will remain open until Sept. 30, offering lifesaving relief from the heat.

The Shade Tree shelter and the Salvation Army already operate daytime shelters, but even with this third shelter, there will not be enough room to accommodate the need. But a third shelter is a good start and we hope it receives support from the cities. Local governments have deflected criticism of their homeless policies by saying they are working diligently toward a regional plan. This would be a good time to show that such planning can produce tangible results.