this is what those without homes and their advocates are asking for now:
1) That Minneapolis Police stop harassing and physically abusing those
without homes. (Refer to a Minneapolis Star Tribune editorial published
in February of this year.)
By and large this isn't a problem- I know of several homeless folks in my 'hood and they don't seem to be being hassled by MPD. Some homeless folks sell illegal drugs though and thusly draw legitimate police attention.
2) That local anti-camping laws and ordinances be repealed so that those
without homes who are turned away from homeless shelters for lack of beds
are less vulnerable to police brutality. When people are technically
breaking the law, whether the law is consistently enforced or not, they
are at the mercy of our dubious legal and law enforcement system.
For all practical purposes the anti camping law is unenforceable- it's quite legal to pitch a tent or own a van or RV in Minneapolis. The city has to actually prove "occupancy" to make what is at most a misdemeanor charge.
3) That bridge rods not be installed, so those turned away from homeless
shelters can at least stay halfway dry when it rains or snows, and have
some protection from the wind as well.
Peter, this is a cold climate and the bridges do not provide adequate shelter for sleeping under. I looked at the locally available outlet for cheap stuff, Target, and found that there best sleeping bag was only rated for 0 degrees farenheit. That rating assumes the sleeping bag is dry, clean, still has some loft, and you have something to block the wind from blowing right through it. Target has cheap tents too, but there not built to handle a heavy snow load and might collapse on you while you're sleeping. Among knowledgeable campers winter camping is considered to be an adventure suited for experienced campers only, and requires around $500+ of camping gear you won't find at Target.
4) That existing shelters be cleaner, safer and better staffed so that those without homes can be confident that a homeless shelter is preferable to the streets.
Agreed, and our various units of government already have much unused space suitable for this purpose.
5) That existing shelters stay open 24 hours a day, so that those without
homes are not forced to compound their misery and despair by wandering
the streets from 6 or 7 in the morning until the shelters reopen in the
evenings.
Staying open during the day would mean less staff would be available to keep shelters open at night when they're needed most.
Therefore, if office holders ignore polite inquiries through letters,
emails and phone calls, as Mayor Rybak has (I remember him asking
Margaret Hastings and others, on one occasion, to let up on the emails
to his office), then concerned citizens not only have the right, but the
moral obligation to step up the pressure.
One would think that a wise politico like R.T. would want to provide the homeless a permanent address and all that entails so they can register and vote... for him and his fellow progressive candidates. Given that at least 1% of the population is homeless, the republicans have won control of all three branches of federal government by far less than 1% margins, and few homeless folks would vote republican... one would think that housing the homeless would be high on every Democrat and Green elected officials agenda!
stayin' just ahead of homelessness in Hawthorne,
Dyna Sluyter
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