Homelessness and Downtown: Part 1
This is part one of a series on homelessness and homelessness solutions. This entry will examine current efforts in Oklahoma City toward dealing with poverty and homelessness issues.
Homelessness has been recognized as one of the biggest problems facing many urban areas. Panhandling, loitering, and drug abuse are common problems related to homelessness, and witnessing these behaviors on the sidewalks can be uncomfortable for downtown residents and visitors. The challenge for city leaders is how to take care of the homeless population in a civil and caring way so that the problems associated with it can be effectively eliminated.
The most recent point-in-time count of OKC’s homeless population was conducted in January 2009. Results are not officially out, but a recent NewsOK.com video and article says that homeless families are a growing trend with the economic recession. About 2,000 homeless individuals were counted in the 2007 point-in-time census.
As downtown develops and is gentrified, particularly in west side areas like Film Exchange and southern areas like Core to Shore, homelessness will continue to clash with mainstream society. Hopefully, this intermingling will shift greater focus to homelessness. Already, changes and new programs are beginning to be implemented.
Back in 2005, Downtown OKC and the Homeless Alliance partnered to create “Real Change” vouchers. At the time, a study by the Homeless Alliance showed that 80 percent of panhandlers were not homeless but simply looking for drug and alcohol money.
The Real Change voucher solution addressed the issue by allowing downtowners to purchase a booklet of vouchers to give to panhandlers. The vouchers provide a bus ticket to a homeless shelter for a meal and place to sleep, with illustrations and maps to show how to get assistance and enter the network of homeless services.
The Real Change Voucher
Future plans are far greater. At 3rd and Virginia, the Homeless Alliance is working on planning the “WestTown Resource Center” which will act as a place to consolidate homelessness services for people in Oklahoma City.
Mission: The WestTown Resource Center, based on the values of collaboration, progress, and respect, seeks to serve homeless and at-risk persons by providing a comprehensive resource center focused on long-term solutions to housing security.
A Sketch of WestTown
When WestTown is completed, homeless people and families will be assigned to a case worker, called a service coordinator, that will help them plan their future. Services will include counseling, government benefits, addiction treatments, showers, laundry, health clinics, and employment placement. WestTown will be a major step forward for the homeless community.
In 2007, Mayor Cornett created the Homelessness Action Task Force to examine how the city could do better. The next entry will look at those suggestions and how they can help downtown’s homeless.
Homelessness and Downtown Series
Part 1: Current Initiatives
Part 2: Mayor’s Homelessness Action Task Force
Part 3: Homelessness Solutions Elsewhere
One very interesting thing of note is that the powers that be (or the powers that don’t be judging by their progress in the last 5 years) in the Film Row area are perfectly content with the city bundling services to the homeless just blocks away. Chip Fudge was quoted saying something embracing the City Rescue Mission and the WestTown complex. I was surprised..and glad to hear that someone isn’t on a mission to run the homeless out.
[...] About « Homelessness and Downtown: Part 1 [...]