Letter: Problems of homeless must be addressed

Tuesday, April 12, 2005 | 9:17 a.m.

Las Vegas leaders should be ashamed to admit that the city not only has a "homeless problem," but that we don't even provide homeless people with bathrooms and drinking water. In a city that caters to extreme extravagances in life, and has so many successful businesses and wealthy residents, surely we can find enough money to shelter the homeless and at least provide them with basic necessities.

I realize that not all homeless people are easy to deal with, but we must at least try! To have them using the public streets as toilets is ludicrous. It is long past time that our elected county commissioners and City Council members solved the problem of homelessness.

Instead of adding facilities to help the homeless, Las Vegas has closed some of them in recent years. Perhaps those in power thought that would be a solution. Obviously, it is not. A pet sanctuary is being built, mostly through donations, at the Shade Tree shelter for women, so they can leave abusive situations without having to abandon their dogs or cats. We should also be adding a large new wing to the shelter, so that many more women and children abandoned or hurt by the men in their lives can be accommodated. Most of these men have been unsuccessful in finding work or are addicted to drugs or alcohol. We must also provide these men with a place to stay and counseling to help get them back on their feet and become productive citizens.

Las Vegas is proud of its growing population and status in this, its centennial year. But growth also means dealing with problems in society as well as profits.

GAIL MUNFORD