Upcoming Dallas city council meeting will be D-Day for the poor and our city

by James K. Waghorne

It was interesting Sunday watching two Nobel Prize winners and one future Prize winner discuss the economics of America today and what President Obama's stimulus package might mean for our citizens. It was even more interesting to hear all three mention that if the poor in our country are not addressed, it can overwhelm anything done.

Homelessness in some cities has grown 33% since this recession started and all projections are that it will grow worse. What will happen in Dallas if homelessness increases twofold within the next 2-3 years and City Hall doesn't have anything in the barrel to take aim at this devastating social issue? Downtown Dallas will become flooded far worse than before The Bridge opened up. Every councilmember will be inundated with calls about homeless campsites or individuals sleeping in business doorways. The economic affect will be felt by everyone as will the reputation of our City only because we had an opportunity but maybe decided to pass on it. Are we as a community really blind to the big picture here? Would anyone wish to have 50 individuals roaming their neighborhoods day and night versus having 50 individuals getting support daily, staying in their own rooms watching television and than going to sleep inside their own bed instead of some field, under some bridge or in some alley. Is this what we want in Dallas? I'm shocked that the Cedars Neighborhood Association would vote against mix-income housing when there are 2 large shelters in the area. It would make common sense that housing would eventually eliminate pay-by-the night shelters and in the long run eliminate any homelessness in the area. If each district in Dallas would agree to have just 50 units dedicated towards getting rid of homelessness, we wouldn't need to have any debates and every district wouldn't need to have to worry about homeless individuals roaming their neighborhoods.

A while back an economist from UNT did a study and suggested that homelessness cost the City of Dallas $50 million in revenue. If it takes $17 million to get housing (not being a math genius), this would mean that City Hall would get almost $3 back in revenue for every $1 spent. Just me, but during this recession I would take that for the citizens of Dallas so down the road we wouldn't need to cut services to all our citizens.

There's that old saying that fits perfectly here; "Don't cut off your own nose to spite your face."

There are many items this Wednesday the 25th on the City Council's agenda concerning housing needs for our citizens. The fact is that this Wednesday can set the tone for this city's economic future for the next two to three years. It will also set the tone for what happens to tens of thousands of Dallasites living in poverty and if City Hall can have the foresight to see the big picture here or: "Cut off everybody's nose"?

James K Waghorne - Dallas Homeless Neighborhood Association