Editorial: New hope for the homeless

Monday, Dec. 26, 2005 | 7:52 a.m.

This may have been a milestone year for the Las Vegas Valley's 8,000 to 10,000 homeless people. Local governments have been roundly -- and appropriately -- criticized in past years for not providing adequate services for the men and women, many of whom are veterans, who cannot afford homes or apartments for themselves and for their families and must live by their wits on the streets.

Two significant developments this year show promise of positive change.

In July the valley's local governments, through the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition, agreed to work together in assisting homeless people with shelter and other needs. Their goals are to find housing for as many homeless people as possible, to help them through the issues in their lives that landed them on the streets and to provide treatment for mental illnesses, addictions and other medical conditions.

Additionally, the 2005 Legislature appropriated $4 million to be spent on programs for the valley's homeless population. The money is being used to provide outreach workers who are connecting with homeless people and helping to ease their personal crises.

These developments have the potential to turn around this area's national reputation for being behind the times and callous in its approach to homelessness. In 2003, for example, the National Coalition for the Homeless named Las Vegas as the country's meanest city. It's a reputation we need to move away from.

There is much to do.

So far this year 75 homeless people have died on the streets, the most since counting began in 1995. Our shelter system remains disgracefully inadequate, resulting in hundreds of people exposed to storms and extreme heat and cold. There are not enough treatment centers -- a problem that may be alleviated when a new state psychiatric hospital opens next year. The housing that is found for homeless people is often frightfully rundown, largely because there are not enough inspectors to cite landlords for code violations.

Also included in our shortcomings is a wide knowledge gap. Who are these homeless people? How many are veterans? How many are children? How did they become homeless? What are the common factors that might lead to greater prevention of homelessness? Are there foundations or service organizations in town that would join with the government in helping the homeless if asked?

With Clark County and the valley's municipal governments working together now, and with the state coming through with substantial funding, 2006 could be remembered as the year in which a more progressive attitude toward the homeless began to take hold. It's happening in other cities -- St. Paul, Minn.; Orlando, Fla.; and Philadelphia are examples -- and we believe it should be happening here.