No easy answers

I’ve always liked the fairy tale of there being a magic wand that can be waved that instantly makes everything OK. Then again, that is a fairy tale and there is no such thing as a real magic wand. In reality, problems are complex and there are many variables.

The crisis with the homeless is no different. There is no quick easy solution that can be fixed in a snap. We have cities looking out for the concerns of economic development on one side and the souls who are chronically challenged migrating to cities for services on the other. Where CAN the homeless go legally? Where do you go when you are not welcome anywhere?

Then there are service providers. They need rules and structure but the rules can chase away the very people they are meant to serve.  Shelters are not places that fling open their doors and welcome you in with easy and grace. If you go to a shelter you sign over everything you have including your money. You get searched. You get a promise to get your stuff back when you leave. You may be required to pay a fee for the bed and meal. You are not allowed to visit more then a set amount of times a month. You share a room with people you may feel uncomfortable around. You may need to accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior too depending on which shelter is visited. Shelters need to have a plan and follow it to offer a safe and valuable service. They are doing the best they can. Even if the people in need of services can find fault with shelters at least they are doing something.

The homeless population is a reflection of our society. Some of them are as good as gold and are loving beautiful souls. Others are not so charming. People can have so many dysfunctions and issues that sorting them out could be endless. Like I said, the homeless are a refection of our society as a whole and we are all a mix of good, bad and ugly.

Since there is no national policy to deal with homelessness, the problems are pushed around from place to place. Literally some cities do offer one way bus tickets to unload the issue elsewhere. When one city does a good job being graceful than it attracts more people in need of services.

On the other hand, when a city is too strict and heartless they risk being sued for civil rights violations. Lets be honest, if city government can succeed at stripping people in poverty of their civil rights they may attack the middle class next.  Where do you draw the line?

The solutions to easing chronic homelessness are not easy. Humanity has it weaknesses. It is easy to find people to complain about and to point fingers at. No one is perfect. The city government certainly does not want to put out a welcome mat and attract more people in need of services. The issue does not come with an easy button.

The best we can hope for is that we as a society face the challenges without trying to sweep it all away. While the solutions presently available may not make everyone happy, trying to do what is right is better than not doing not doing anything at all. At the end of the day we should hope that everyone tries to “do the right thing ” and that those actions ease the problems without adding to it.