Friday, July 18, 2008

Dallas homeless shelter The Bridge still facing challenges

By Pat Spradley of Street Zine

Photo by Laura Seewoester

The Bridge, Dallas' new homeless assistance shelter

The much anticipated opening of a new homeless center in Dallas, The Bridge, has been challenging with a much larger than anticipated population of homeless citizens needing help. The center is overflowing with hundreds more than it was built for. The facility was built to accommodate 300 in the pavilion and transitional area, but since opening they have had 300 camping in the courtyard and 200 in the covered pavilion.

On Friday, June 20, Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance (MDHA) and PATH Dallas announced the Care and Housing Services at The Bridge were being restructured. Both agency press releases stated that it was mutually agreed that MDHA would take over operational management of all Care and Housing Services from PATH Dallas meaning the contract with PATH Dallas was terminated.

Recent Channel 8 News and the Dallas Morning News reports indicate Joel John Roberts, chief executive of California based PATH Partners, sent a letter on June 18 to Mike Faenza president and chief executive of the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, which runs The Bridge, stating the facility “operated in crisis mode” without a “clear line of authority.” Roberts stated that overcrowding was in part because of people who preyed on the homeless and set up “illegal markets” and he questioned the accuracy of security checks at the shelter’s entrance. He also suggested in the letter that “some security guards were accepting pizza and drinks from known drug dealers.”

Since The Bridge opened in May, Reverend Bruce Buchanan, Director of the The Stewpot, reports that The Stewpot has seen a 25% increase in clients needing one-on-one casework services and an unanticipated 72% increase in clients needing document assistance.

The Stewpot assumed the role of meal service provider at The Bridge with the opening of Second Chance Café. Moving the existing noontime meal from the Park Avenue location to The Bridge and expanding to 3 meals daily, 7 days weekly, has been a challenge for them. An average of 700 individuals are served at each meal and 64,000 meals were served in the first thirty days of service.

Anticipated numbers for a thirty day period was 60,000 and, although expanding the service and moving to The Bridge was a move The Stewpot proudly accepted, it quickly became more challenging with the higher than anticipated numbers. Reverend Buchanan pointed out that serving this many could not have been accomplished without the help of 2,069 dedicated volunteers who were there to help.

Other homeless service providers are reporting no decrease in numbers needing services or shelter stays.

Individuals have witnessed constable and police vehicles from other cities dropping off homeless or indigent people at The bridge and saying that some cities are buying bus tickets and sending their homeless to Dallas. Some claim there are individuals who are not even homeless, but just hanging out at the shelter. How many are really homeless and how are they being screened?

Are people really just dropping by for free services and meals, preying on the unfortunate and impoverished individuals who are there for help?

An anonymous source says that a survey PATH Dallas did before their departure confirmed that 50% of the people staying at The Bridge, eating the meals and utilizing the services, were not homeless.

Independent interviews done with homeless individuals who have frequented The Bridge seem to substantiate what the PATH director alleges in his letter to MDHA Director Mike Faenza.

“There is a need for more organization and rules and consequences for those who break them. I would feel safer if there was a real police presence there to discourage poor behavior, thieves and drug dealers. I refuse to stay there any longer and don’t intend to go back. “

“More and better security is needed along with rules and guidelines for facility use. Right now they have nothing but chaos with no consequences for bad behavior. It is not a safe place to be. The non-confrontational approach is not working because a few bad apples always manage to ruin things for everyone else. Lot’s of fights are taking place and some of the employees have been assaulted. The persons committing these acts are not kicked out or banned and are allowed to return to cause more trouble.”

“They have too many people with issues concentrated in one place and calling it a success instead of the chaos that it really is. The place is a zoo and all they have done is sweep the homeless into one area. This is more about getting us off the streets than providing services and that is why they are calling it a success.”

“More storage is needed for personal belongings. We carry all of our personal belongings with us. We are being told the items will be thrown away if left too long in one spot.”

Individuals interviewed said they appreciate having a place to get a meal, use the telephone, restroom, shower and it was nice to be able to do laundry. One man said he felt it was better than being on the street even if he was sleeping in the courtyard and he felt things would calm down eventually.

Many of them commented on the high hopes they had and that The Bridge was going to be the answer to their prayers, but were disappointed with the lack of assistance available because of the crowds.

“They need to make sure they are actually serving homeless people and provide the services they claim they are providing. How can people be screened? How do you prove you are homeless?”

One thing everyone interviewed agreed upon was, no matter what population segment or group you are dealing with, rules must be in place to maintain order and there was no order at The Bridge. The citizens of Dallas depend on our uniformed police officers to enforce that order and there is no reason why homeless citizens should not be afforded the same protection. They want to feel safe while they are at The Bridge and many of them don’t.

In fairness to MDHA, considering the center has only been open since May, it is not surprising to hear there has been chaos with that many people congregating and confined in such a small area. It is going to take time to refine procedures, rules and expectations of the people coming to The Bridge seeking services.

Additional security has been hired, and some changes are being made to bring more order to the confused state the facility has been experiencing. A curfew has been put in place and identification procedures are being implemented to deal with overcrowding. Hopefully, changes in procedures will help reduce some of the frustration felt by individuals going there seeking help or who have had poor experiences.

There are already success stories coming from those who have benefited from the services The Bridge offers and there will be many more. (See Successes at The Bridge) What they are trying to accomplish is a monumental task.

MDHA will have to take off the kid gloves with a few individuals, plus clear out the predators and the trouble makers to achieve their goal. It appears they are taking steps in that direction.

Pegasus News content partner - Street Zine

Related stories

• Advocating for mutual respect and communication among partners in solving homelessness in Dallas (Aug. 8, 2008)
• Where does The Bridge lead to? (Aug. 3, 2008)

See more stories in:

• Poverty > Homeless

Comments

johnyalamo Anonymous

Seems as if it was built over toubled waters.

1 year, 3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )