Thursday, January 8, 2009
The Bridge: Holes in the system
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Photo by Laura Seewoester
The Bridge, Dallas' new homeless assistance shelter
Volunteers and partner agencies alike who are working with the homeless population know the reality of what is happening at The Bridge and it is much different from the description given by The Bridge management. As taxpayers and citizens of Dallas, it is not wrong of us to demand and expect accountability on how our tax dollars are being used for those who are the "least of these." This is an important issue and speaks a lot about our city. Do we take care of our fellow citizens or pretend they don't share the same rights or have the same needs as you and I?
After conversing with many homeless individuals the past few weeks and I am hearing this: they need consistency at The Bridge. They want the doors open for them to have the nutritious meals they were promised when it opened and if it takes a pass to accomplish that, then streamline the process so they are not in line for hours trying to get one. This one day pass may get them a meal or it may not and they must go through this same process every day IF they can get in the gate to even try. How can it be claimed that intake only takes 15 minutes when those who have actually done it report that it takes 3 to 4 hours? And with the meal numbers down so drastically, there must be a problem with the process that cannot be denied. If it is so easy to get a day pass then why are so many people missing meals and a 38% decrease in meals served? The decreased numbers provided by Second Chance Cafe meal services tell the story.
No matter what some are led to believe, all shelters do not serve meals and all shelters are not open during the day. Most shelters wake up the homeless early and have them vacated by 6:00 am. They might have breakfast for them or might not. Some might serve dinner but if you arrive too late for dinner you go without and some do not serve dinner at all. Further, if there are plenty of shelters beds, why are individuals being found sleeping outside of the doors of the shelters because they are told it is full after they had been sent there from The Bridge? Until consistency is met by all of the The Bridge shelter partners, including meals for all who are not eating at The Bridge, the homeless need to know how or where they are going to eat and sleep. In the meantime the homeless risk criminal trespass violations and jail if found sleeping outside on private property and street feeders risk fines if they feed those who need a meal. We appear to be drifting back to conditions as they were before the facility opened and with some conditions worsened. Many of the target population The Bridge needs to be serving are not getting in.
There are holes in the system that should be acknowledged so the public is not mislead into believing that all is well at The Bridge. It is not. Sometimes when you plug a hole in a dike it just springs a whole new leak. The same applies to bridges. The large P.R. campaign launched before The Bridge opened was regional and drew people from neighboring states and areas. The evaluation done by PATH Partners after opening determined that of people staying overnight in the courtyard and pavilion, 50 percent were not homeless, and instead they exhibited predatory behavior toward the homeless. Advice to The Bridge staff, given by people involved in the program design and with experience working with the chronically homeless was strongly against The Bridge services opening with a splash; they recommended a phased-in, "soft," opening. Services at The Bridge were never adequately in place and were quickly overwhelmed within 24 hours of opening, and The Bridge has never recovered from this. Management has been in reactionary mode ever since.
It is apparent that the current problems are a result of the poor planning from the very beginning complicated by freezing weather. There are too many individuals being turned away at the gate now, at times even when they have an appointment with a service provider there. When you leave it to an employee who demonstrates indifference or uses inconsistent procedures towards the population needing help you have a problem and that is what too many are finding when they come to the Bridge to access a meal or services. The first place to start with accountability must be at the front gate with improvement in allowing consistent access to the homeless individuals needing help. Why are so many of the chronically homeless individuals refusing to go to The Bridge? Because they gave up hope trying to get the services promised, they had poor experiences at The Bridge and are fearful of staying there, they are tired of standing in line for hours to get passes or they cannot get past the gate.
This is not to say that nothing has been accomplished at The Bridge. There have been some success stories and there are more to come. Let's hope with continued monitoring and expected accountability, service should and will get better for those who need it at The Bridge, not worse. In the meantime, the citizens of Dallas must continue to watch over and listen to those who are suffering while management at The Bridge continues to plug holes.
Articles of Interest:
Dallas Morning News: Charities that feed homeless fear changes in Dallas services
Dallas Observer: Dallas' The Bridge Homeless Center's Progressive Approach May Actually Make a Difference
DMN: Dallas' new homeless shelter, The Bridge, off to bumpy start
DMN: Reviews mixed on The Bridge, Dallas' homeless shelter
Pegasus News content partner - Street Zine
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Comments
georgemaze Anonymous
Quite a difference from what was presented in the Dallas Observer article. Does Dallas know how to do anything right? First, we welcome everybody, now they can't get in!
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Pavel Lishin Verified
I had an idea that might be either brilliant or retarded.
The homeless are like children, really. They don't really own anything, they usually don't have ID, and if they have social security numbers, they probably don't actually have any of the documents. An 18 year old kicked out of the house with no paperwork and only the clothes on his back is in approximately the same situation, except he's probably showered in the past 24 hours.
We need an adopt-a-homeless-person project. A family would adopt a homeless person who is interested in getting off the street and back into society, let that person live with them, and get their life back on track. They'd have a residence, mailing address, and a place to bathe, all three of which go a long way to starting a career, or even a job.
Of course you'd have to screen applicants carefully - inviting a severe schizophrenics into your home is probably not a good idea - but I'm sure there's plenty of people with big hearts out there.
And if not, you could probably use people's inherent desire to brag - "We're better than the Joneses because we've gotten three hobos and a wino managerial positions in local businesses, and all they did was get one homeless teen a burger-flipping job at McDonalds!"
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
jtmbls Anonymous
Excellent idea. That actually happened with a Dallas (or maybe Ft. Worth) couple and a homeless man named Denver Moore. The experience was so rare and unique that they wrote a book about it - It was just featured on this site a couple of weeks ago; called The Same Kind of Different As Me. Denver Moore is now a respected artist in the Dallas area so it can work.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
georgemaze Anonymous
Most of us take for granted what a good night's sleep, clean clothes, access to a bathroom and ability to bath can do for our self-esteem. In order to have that you must be able to find an affordable, safe place to live. That is not easy to find in Dallas.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
Yes, b/c screening people who have no documentation of their everything is that simple.
And I'm positive the majority of big-hearted peeps would sooner throw money at the problem than deal with it in their household...then brag.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Pavel Lishin Verified
jtmbls: Added it to my amazon list, thank you. Sounds like a really interesting read.
Scott: I think there's medical tests for schizophrenia that go beyond asking them "so, do dogs talk to you?" I think they can do brain scans or measure something else, I dunno. And yeah, it's easier to throw money, which is why you'd need a media campaign aimed at the better-off that would convince them that generosity with personal time as well as money would make them "better" than their neighbors.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Jason Rice Verified
Um... sounds nice and sweet and jovial.
My uncle was killed by a homeless guy he was trying to help. Turned out the guy was f'ed up, therefore homeless, not the other way 'round.
And uncle had his degree in psych.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
georgemaze Anonymous
How many people are killed by NON-HOMELESS people who are f'ed up? The numbers killed by a homeless person when compared to the general population is very small. I hate to see a population labeled because of poor experiences with a few, although I don't suggest taking homeless people into your home unless you know them quite well. That also applies to the general population. Sounds like a nice plan but not always sensable. How about this: Work programs for all those who are able bodied needing a roof over their head could be provided work through infrastructure programs for a living wage along with guaranteed affordable housing. Those who are unable to work should qualify for subsidized housing and disability income with supportive services. We really don’t have adequate safety nets for those who fall upon hard times and it is time for that to end in this country. Offer a hand to those who need it and the majority will escape homelessness immediately rather than be trapped in a hopeless situation. How many of these people start self medicating to escape that despair? They are not all drunks and drug addicts and many are suffering from serious mental illnesses. Even a little bit of hope goes a long way and priming the pump for the greatest number of them is all it would take. Don’t make life more difficult for them than it already is when the situation can be remedied if we would just do it and we can!
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
To think J-Rice gave me crap about being idealistic. What in the world makes you think anybody is going to pay for brain scans on uninsured homeless people?
Guarantee the VAST amount of better-off peeps would sooner see inefficient handling of tax money than come home to a burned down house b/c they were trying to one-up the Joneses. I don't trust most people maintaining residency around my stuff - certainly don't trust a hobo who literally has nothing to lose in life.
It'd never work.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
jtmbls Anonymous
Wow...Sorry to hear that Jason. That is a shame.
Did any of you see that documentary called Reversal of Fortune? They followed a homeless man around for a year after giving him $100,000, (along with access to legal and financial assistance) and at the end of the year, he was right back where he started. Not to try to poo on anybody’s parade but it’s just my opinion that most people are exactly where they choose to be.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
jtmbls Anonymous
And don't let him lie to y'all...Doyle is just one do-gooder wife away from opening up his very own shanty-town!
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
I think you underestimate my disdain for people who choose not to provide for themselves.
Pretty sure the only way I'd have any part of that is if it's in preparation for putting wifey on the streets. =p
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Jason Rice Verified
Sorry george, didn't mean to imply that ALL homeless people killed my uncle, just one.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
georgemaze Anonymous
I am sorry about your uncle Jason. Mu point is that a mentally ill person killed your uncle. What difference does it make whether he was homeless or not? Unfortunately there is a danger in dealing with the general population in our society no matter what level of society they are at. I just hate to see all of the homeless population labeled as dangerous. Unfortunately that is that perception too many of us have.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
I don't think there's anything wrong with labeling them more likely to be dangerous.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Jason Rice Verified
The difference is huge, george. His well meaning efforts - several times ended up good - but it is dangerous. On one hand you have a kook that kills you, on the other you have amazing people like Cheryl Jackson and her amazing response to homelessness, The Giving Movement
... but just kicking in the old grassroots solution simply ain't wise. And I won't apologize for THAT generalization.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Jason Rice Verified
Sorry - dorked up the Giving Movement link
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
georgemaze Anonymous
Sorry about the difference in generalization Jason. I have worked quite a bit with homeless individuals and heve never had my life endangered but have more than once with the general population. That also probably depends on the position you place yourself in when dealing with the population. It can be tedious. Inviting them into your home is not a wise move simply because you do not know who you are dealing with. Labeling them more likely to be dangerous, possibly, if they are mentally ill or a drug addict. I have members of my own family I would not feel comfortable having living in my home and they are not even homeless. :-)
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
jtmbls Anonymous
I'd wager most of them don't want to be your feel-good project of the moment either. I rather like Phil Romano’s approach to the situation with Hunger Busters. He isn’t trying to change anyone. He is accepting a situation, recognizing a need and meeting that need without judgment. But now he can’t even do what he was doing thanks to the City of Dallas.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Jason Rice Verified
::members of my own family I would not feel comfortable having living in my home and they are not even homeless.
Ah, the "mother-in-law" jokes should start about now, eh?.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Clay213 Anonymous
Having moved on from solving the Israel-Palestine conflict-- Pegasus News' line of amateur pundits tackle homelessness next!
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Travis Bush Verified
I find Pavel's idea brilliantly retarded!
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
jtmbls Anonymous
Why not retardingly brilliant?
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Travis Bush Verified
Methinks that is best left for your comments, jtmbls..;D
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Jason Rice Verified
Sorry everybody, I said "mother-in-law" and someone thought they heard cussing.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
I'm pretty sure I would only dig myself a hole by commenting further, so please...bicker amongst yourselves as I do something relatively productive. (compared to this, damn near EVERYTHING is productive)
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
powerpedaler Anonymous
Typical Dallas approach to everything regarded as ugly, imperfect or non-world class. Dallas doesn't want to help homeless people, they just want to get them out of the way so people can't see them. Houston did a much better job dealing with the homeless--the government stayed out of it and let Star of Hope and SEARCH and other large, successful nonprofits do the job. While there are still homeless in Houston, you don't have the panhandler problem there that you have in downtown Dallas. Dallas would rather spend money on fancy bridges over the river than bridges to help people.
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
Isn't giving them another bridge to setup shanty-towns under technically providing shelter?
10 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
sarah_m Anonymous
I agree with you on reality versus perception in on-goings at The Bridge. I believe this is the greatest flaw at The Bridge. It begins, I feel, when anyone uses the term, "the homeless," in addressing the myriad of peoples living in a dwelling other than their own. You cannot do that. Ever. At any level, other than that all people, living any sort of life, on this Earth, are Human. The perception at hand has happened when Bridge staff and officials talk, and then think, and then talk some more, of "dealing with the homeless," or even in, "helping the homeless." Listen to how it sounds- "The homeless..." Now, what does that even mean? Other than addressing the problems stemming from having not a place of one's own, what does that even mean? It cannot mean anything other than helping someone who first became homeless, and the problems that then followed. But at the Bridge, it means oh so much more. What stands out to me, is what doesn't stand out to the "homed" who work and volunteer at the shelter. And that is that the people seeking shelter there do not think of all "homed" peoples as "all the homed people." And in their frustration they very well could. They don't. They don't assume all "homed" people's difficulties arise from a very small allowance of possibilities.
7 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
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