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Homeless coalition remains determined
By ANNE LINDBERG, Times Staff Writer LEALMAN -- Ideas for solving the area's homeless problem are plentiful, but twin obstacles remain -- a lack of money and the objections of residents sick of having the down and out in their neighborhood. Undaunted, Lealman activists are trying to finance such things as neighborhood Port-O-Lets and a homeless shelter. Among the ideas: creating a coalition of churches to provide money and requiring the homeless to help clean the neighborhood and volunteer at any shelter that's created. Neighbors also plan to ask lawmakers to enact a "sin" tax on quart bottles of beer. The money collected would be directed to homeless projects. The activists were upbeat about the possibility of success. "There aren't a lot of communities who've succeeded in what we're talking about," said Frank Bowman of Pinellas County's community development department. Bowman is part of a team the county sent into Lealman to revitalize the area. "If we could do something like this, it would be absolutely wonderful," Bowman said. Neighbors along 28th Street N between 38th and 54th avenues complained in April to the Lealman Community Association that the homeless were wrecking their neighborhood by wandering around drunk and trashing the area. Two association board members took the complaints as a project and last month called a meeting of countywide experts to discuss the issue. From that group a 20-person steering committee was created to generate solutions. Representatives from the Bridge church in St. Petersburg proposed a "street paper," a newspaper created by and for the homeless, who sell it and keep most of the profits. The Bridge is attempting to get such a paper, the Community Mirror, off the ground. Committee members suggested a homeless shelter, to be located in an abandoned vehicle inspection station off 28th Street. "I will fight you," said neighbor Felicity Delrosario. "We do not want that shelter that close to our homes." Marcie Lauster of the Lealman Community Association asked Delrosario: "What is your solution?" Delrosario: "You really don't want to know." Delrosario restated her complaints: The homeless wander the streets drinking; they have sexual relations on picnic tables that businesses put out for their customers; they are rude and threatening; and they urinate and defecate in public. "We're going to have to accept those horror stories exist," Bowman said. "There are homeless people who are a problem." For the group's efforts to be successful, Bowman said, something immediate must be done to calm the complaints from Delrosario and other neighbors. Then the group can work on long-range solutions to helping the homeless people who want to be helped. For short-term fixes, the group suggested Port-o-Lets around the neighborhood; encouraging the homeless to clean up after themselves; and asking the Sheriff's Office to increase patrols in the area. But Port-O-Lets and a homeless shelter cost money, which Lealman doesn't have, and other groups that help the homeless may not want to share. It's fairly easy to get the start-up funds, they said, but getting money continuously is harder. Adding a Lealman shelter to the mix could cut into funding the other groups might receive. If you're interested
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From the Times South Pinellas desks Letters |
