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Leo Afshar, from left, Johnny Van, center, and Bill Levenson hang out in the homeless encampment on Foremaster Lane between Las Vegas Boulevard North and Main Street in Las Vegas on Friday, May 15, 2009.
Sunday, May 17, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Sun Archives
- Street sweeps won't solve street sleep (4-17-2009)
- Metro rethinks 'Don't feed homeless' (4-14-2009)
- Growing homeless settlement vexes business, Goodman (4-3-2009)
Foremaster Lane and Main Street
Las Vegas seeks to use $2.1 million in federal stimulus money to get dozens of homeless people off a downtown street and into housing, an idea experts say misses the intention of the grant and could waste an opportunity to help thousands more hit by the economic collapse.
The federal money, part of $1.5 billion being given to 540 public and private agencies nationwide, is for preventing homelessness or helping homeless people quickly into housing. But private and public officials tied to the funding said the hope is that communities across the nation use the grants to help set in place sweeping changes in the way they help the homeless, while focusing as much as possible on people beaten back by the current crisis.
The city’s proposal, due at the federal Housing and Urban Development Department on Monday, focuses on a tent city at Foremaster Lane and Main Street that has caused controversy in recent months as Mayor Oscar Goodman has called for cleaning up the area.
The city’s plan proposes spending about 10 percent on the first goal, leaving most of the rest to the effort to clean up Foremaster. The problem, experts say, is that most of the population in such tent cities is chronically homeless, or those who have lived longest on the streets and often struggle with mental illness and addiction. The chronically homeless, they say, usually require years of intensive case management after getting into housing. The federal grants require people to be in stable housing in 18 months or less.
“If you have someone with mental illness, addiction, a lot of needs ... this is not the program these people might need,” said Mark Johnston, a deputy assistant secretary at HUD who has been offering training on the federal money across the country. “Generally speaking, this is not going to be a program for the chronically homeless.”
Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, a Washington-based group, said a plan such as Las Vegas’ could result in a tent city reappearing in 18 months or so. Her group advised Congress on the funding. She said the federal government couldn’t require the grant to help only people affected by the current economy, but noted that joblessness in particular could drive 1.5 million people to homelessness nationwide during the next two years. The HUD program is in a unique position to stem that increase, she said.
Linda Lera-Randle El, director of Straight from the Streets, has seen tent cities on Las Vegas streets for 25 years and moved hundreds into housing. She said public and private agencies “need to look at funding that fits each population — and I’m not so sure this is the best use of the stimulus funds.” She estimated that 90 percent of the people living on Foremaster are chronically homeless and echoed Roman’s concerns, both in terms of whether the city’s plan would work and whether it would be the best use of the money.
Lera-Randle El also sees more people being pushed closer to the streets by the economy. At least two-thirds of the federal money should be aimed at preventing homelessness through simple tools such as help with rent and utilities, she said.
“We need to set infrastructure in place to deal with people affected by the economy, heading for disaster,” she said. “That would be using this money to close the front door of homelessness, so people don’t hit the back door.”
Lera-Randle El, who has sat in on dozens of meetings on homelessness over the years, also noted that Las Vegas prepared its plan solo, despite years of coordinated, regional planning on the issue.
Shannon West, whose salary as regional homeless service coordinator is paid by all area municipalities, said she did not work on Las Vegas’ plan.
And Clark County, North Las Vegas and Henderson are submitting a joint proposal to spend $4.1 million in stimulus money that focuses more on prevention and on broader issues such as tightening communication between agencies that help the homeless.
Roman said the money should be used to set in place changes that would last. “It offers a tremendous ... transformation potential,” she said, adding that focusing on prevention and coordinating services better would help long after the recession is over.
Tim Whitright, development manager at the Las Vegas Neighborhood Services Department, did not directly address concerns surrounding the city’s proposal, but defended focusing on Foremaster.
“We were already looking at addressing the issue in the area, and this money seemed like a perfect segue,” he said.
“We think it fits within the guidelines.”
I absolutely agree! $2.1 MILLION for just "dozens"? And why are these losers a priority anyway? I'm sorry you're alcohol and drug dependent but it's not our collective problem. I'm tired of all these people saying we must do something about homelessness.No,we must not.We must pursue what used to be called the crime of "vagrancy".People wandering aimlessly and without purpose may not be a crime but everything else is.Public intoxication,littering,
theft,urinating and defecating,loitering,obstructing sidewalks,trespassing,illegal camping,etc. are "crimes" we're too reluctant to pursue.
I mean if these homeless encampments were a "house",they'd be shut down for health and code violations and no one would be permitted in.
First off there are more then one type of "homeless". I had not seen a homeless person on the streets of Las Vegas until the mid 70's-80's. Why is that do you ask? I'm gonna tell you why.. They closed down the State funded mental facilities. As soon as they closed them down, the streets were flooded with people with mental illnesses. They had no where to go... many were in such bad shape, that they didn't know how to take care of themselves, just walked around town talking to themselves. Someone as mentality impaired as that are unable to work, and "live a normal life". Their reality is a place most of us have never visited before.. The crime rate also exploded... The mentally ill are not bums.. they are ill..
I find it incredibly sad. The State needs to reopen facilities for the mentally challenged. This would lower the crime rate, keep these people OFF the streets, in an environment where they would receive the medications they need, counseling and a roof over their heads.
During this same era, Vets from Nam were coming home. Many had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in a very severe form, which of course was understandable. Many came back with missing limbs and wounds that preventing them from being as productive as they had previously been. Some simply had a very difficult time adjusting back into civilian life. There was virtually no help for them either. These men and women fought for our Country and in turn had the very people that sent them to Nam turn their backs on them. Many of our Vets came home to no home... thus adding to the homeless rate. I don't drink or do drugs at all, but I know that many did turn to drinking, and other ways of self-medicating. I don't fault them for this whatsoever... they were/are trying to forget.. I don't say it is the right answer, but I do understand.. We do have a small program here in Las Vegas now for the Vets. But that's just it, it's SMALL... it needs to be expanded big time!!! What's going to happen to the next set of Vets??? More homeless? I don't consider our Vets bums..
Cont
What really blows me away, is that our Government fights tooth and nail for the illegal aliens. But they turn their backs on our Vets, and the people that need help due to mental issues. Every time we get another flood of illegals we just build them a new school for their anchor babies. Why not take care of the people that fought for our Country, and the citizens with mental challenges first?????????
The next level of homeless people are a new breed, and seeing as we haven't taken care to assist the first 2 groups of homeless, this can only continue to grow. The next generation breed consists of people that worked everyday, had nice homes, loving families,but are now out of work due to the economy, thus losing their homes. Yes, I know some people made very stupid mistakes with the sub-prime lending scams, as well as jumped on the bandwagon to refinance when the market was ungodly inflated. However, they were still working people, not bums...
You've had a good many years to get this right, Las Vegas!!!! Stop putting tiny band -aids on our problems and concerns. Quit waiting until things are so out of hand that it is upsetting Harry Reid because it might interfere with his NEW grandiose City Hall, and start addressing these issues in a manner in which it will help to solve and absolve.
If you need help getting this started, just give me a jingle! It isn't as difficult as you may think...
I have a feeling the real reason there were fewer homeless people in the 70's was that it wasnt a welcome place for them in las vegas (thank you, mob).
Once the government gives these people freebies and coddles them, of course there are more of them that take advantage of it.
It really isnt a collective problem. If the homeless dont see the problems inherent in being homeless, why feed and house them and make it EASIER to be homeless??
First of all there is not one category of homeless people. I know I spent time talking to the actual people on Foremaster. It is true some are addicts and don't want help. Its also true some are mentally ill and without intervention won't seek help. Surprisingly though I've met four who are widows who can't afford housing on their stipends yet are not yet 55 to qualify for cheap senior housing. A lot are also felons who want work but are negatively affected by the economy. There are also those on unemployment which is too low to make the rent and married couples not wanting to be seperated into the shelter system. Get the ones who want to work jobs and help setting up in housing then deal with the rest.
Not all the homeless have mental issues and the percentage that do is about the same percentage as the non homeless. The homeless don't commit as much crime as the non homeless and if you look where the ones with homes that are committing the crimes live they are in some of the nicest neighborhoods. Look at the crooks that the mayor defended and see where they live. If the county spent the money they hand out ($400) to clients, that are just going to buy drugs, alcohol, and gamble, on buying up some of the apartment buildings that are empty and old hotels just THERE and put the homeless in them. Not everyone on the streets have problems. There is no law against being homeless and the constitution does protect ALL citizens, not just those with homes. Everyone of the politicians that are so against the homeless should have to live like them for one month with only what the could carry in a shopping cart, or baby buggy and live they way the homeless do. You would not be able to survive one night. You should commend these people because the ARE the ultimate survivor