It may seem like common sense that, when helping the homeless population, it is necessary to go to them and not expect them to come to you.
But evidently it is something of a revelation to the Greensboro City Council, which spends millions of dollars each year in an attempt to provide shelter and services for the homeless population in Greensboro.
Councilmember Zack Matheny said he finally got a caseworker to come to Center City Park with him and said that when a homeless man in a wheelchair said all he wanted was shelter, the caseworker said she could help if he would call her and gave him a card. Matheny said he pointed out that this person in a wheelchair didn’t have a phone, and the caseworker, whose office is on East Wendover, told him to come see her at her office.
Matheny said it was “insensitive” for the caseworker to expect a homeless man in a wheelchair living in a downtown park to call her, and even more insensitive to ask him to wheel himself down East Wendover Avenue to come visit her.
Matheny’s comments led to a discussion on City Council about possibly providing office space for caseworkers in the downtown area where there is a large homeless population.
Mayor Nancy Vaughan said, “It would be helpful if we had space downtown. We have that little space in the library that used to be a coffee shop.”
She asked City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba to look into providing that space to one of the city’s partners in dealing with the homeless population. Jaiyeoba said the city had offered the space but was turned down because of the cost of renting the space.
Vaughan said that the rent could be considered an in-kind donation.
Councilmember Hugh Holston suggested providing space in the Cultural Arts Center.
Director of Housing and Neighborhood Development Michelle Kennedy said that one of the Pallet Shelters could be moved downtown and turned into an office.
It will be interesting to see if this discussion results in any action.
Find these homeless people a job and put them to work and make them live a productive life like the rest of us productive people. They are lazy and don’t want to work. There is something that they can do to make a living, they just don’t want to work. They are a disgrace to our city. Either they work or they are run out of town. Some persons do need help but most of the homeless are just lazy.
To have a job, you need transportation, phone & email, and have resolved any addictions. They are in a hole with their life and need incremental steps up to get out of that hole. Just saying, “get em a job” ignores the real complexity that is involved in recoving from the issues that led to their homelessness. Calling them lazy is just silly. It actually takes a great deal of effort to survive on the streets I assume. (Finding food, warmth, saftey, as well as feeding any addiction they have….)
ALso, remember that not all homeless people live on the streets. Some move from friend to friend with no stability.
You are literally a garbage human being. I’ve never wished karma on one person more than I have for you. For your education, and I’ll make it as simple as possible for imbeciles like you, a majority of people experiencing homelessness are employed.
Good gosh! Keep on electing these clowns. They do nothing but enable and draw more homeless here due to the generous democrats on council….using your tax dollars.
Talk talk talk. That seems be be all this council is prepared to do except for Zack. You know someone said when they were trying to supply Valley Forge for the winter that it’s easy to discuss the problem when you’re sitting in front of a warm fire. That seems to be the case here. Maybe the council should have to have a discussion sitting on the Courthouse steps after 9:00 pm when it’s 32 degrees.
This a great idea. Let’s create a new City Department for the homeless and staff it with a dozen or so high paying positions. Of course, we’ll need some new city vehicles for staff, and a new building to house them in. And paying for it will not be a problem because next year is not an election year for council so they can raise your taxes again to pay for it.
Better get the EDI requirements first.
This interaction by Mr. Matheney is exactly what local, state, and Federal Government offers its constituents.
The insensitivity towards real humans exists at all levels of Government. Federal Employees simply collect a fat paycheck and generous benefits, ignoring the humanity of this society.
Greensboro is not a homeless shelter.
It’s just a matter of time before they let them camp on the sidewalk, California style.
Isn’t that the IRC’s job? If not, then what do they do.
My first thought as well. They have the space, it’s already known and used by the people needing services. When the IRC first opened the 407 Washington St building, there were rooms used as offices for such things like legal consultation, basic medical services.
The city should consider building on what already exists, rather than than spending time and money reinventing the wheel.
John what’s going on with the Motel on highway 29 that the city bought 3 years ago. Queen Kennedy said it would be up and functioning within a year. Nothing seems to be happening there. There’s rooms for more than 50 people out there
The city is reportedly selling the Regency Inn to a California based nonprofit which plans to use it for permanent supportive housing, but it appears the Regency will be vacant this winter.
Thanks for your reply. What happened to the money that was given to Ms. Kennedy after the purchase to start the renovation. I think I remember it was around 100k
The majority of these folks have chosen to live this way. You can change that. There is a minority of them who have physical, or other disabilities where they can’t work, or can hold a job. It is sad but they will always be among us.