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Special report: The homeless struggle
Ruling on tent city due today
By AARON SHAROCKMAN
Published January 12, 2007
ST. PETERSBURG - The fate of the homeless people remaining in the tent city today is still unclear. Mayor Rick Baker said he will decide this morning whether residents of the makeshift camp can continue to stay or if the city should enforce code violations against the not-for-profit group that owns the land. That group, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, says it plans to comply with city codes. A final decision, Baker said, will rest largely on whether he believes social workers have had enough time to assist everyone who wanted help. "We'll make that call when we get there," said Baker, who last week set a Friday deadline for people to leave the camp. Residents of the camp, meanwhile, begged for more time. Speaking before the City Council Thursday afternoon, several argued the camp has become the foundation to get their lives in order. Others came to the group's defense, saying to throw them back onto the street would accomplish little. Social workers have been distributing one-month $550 housing vouchers, but tent city residents have said they cannot find landlords to accept the voucher. And what happens after that month's up? they asked. "We're trying for nothing more than a good night's sleep without being arrested, beaten or rained on," said tent city resident Mary Street. City officials cannot force the residents off the camp site because the land is privately owned. The city, however, still controls the situation because the tent city violates city codes. Fines - which could be assessed by the Code Enforcement Board anywhere from $1 to $250 a day - are a last resort, said Sally Eichler, the city's codes compliance director. No citation would be made before Tuesday, Eichler said. City Council member Bill Foster on Thursday asked whether the City Council could block the potential code violations, over the objections of Baker. But Baker, according to city attorneys, has the final say. "I don't want to be the welcome wagon for people who choose this as a lifestyle," Foster said. "But if we can't do better, we need to leave them alone." Aaron Sharockman can be reached at asharockman@sptimes.com or 727 892-2273.
[Last modified February 8, 2007, 11:27:35]
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by Alice
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01/29/07 01:42 AM
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Social workers do not even know what they are doing. Giving them a voucher is nice, and all but apartment owners will not accept it if they do not have a job with income requirements,good credit, and when do they accept vouchers not were I been.
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by deano
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01/12/07 04:35 PM
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homeless vets are now homeless vets,some
wih families. cannot the who judge without
a compassion, without mercey offer no hope.
What if jesus walks among them,seeing if
compassion and love is amongest us all?
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by kenzie
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01/12/07 02:46 PM
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unbelievable! These people are hurting noone at least they are not sitting in front of stores or slepping on the side of the road. Is there not enough work for the city council to do.
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by billy J.
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01/12/07 02:36 PM
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I believe that Mayor baker is Side-Lining the issue. Because, he knows this will push him to either get a building set up or get off the pot! I wish the mayor was a true christian as led to believe, but I don't see it!
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by anon
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01/12/07 02:28 PM
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As long as the homeless are togther they can pool their voices and numbers for fair treatment & safety. Once they are scattered around the city for a month, they will be forgotten and end up back on the street. Leave them alone.
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by Anita
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01/12/07 01:29 PM
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Walk a mile in their shoes. If this happened to you, you would not respond in this way. The vouchers these people received for one month of free rent are worthless, most places will not take them, the ones that will are too far from buslines.
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by Trish
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01/12/07 11:06 AM
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Well, you have a 10 year plan to end homelessness, why not begin implementing it? Or could it be that homelessness will always be there, just not where tourists can see it?
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by annonymous
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01/12/07 09:41 AM
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During the onth of free rent, get a job. Any job. Something is better than nothing. Group together and share an apt. Be grateful for the month's free rent and do something positive in that time. It may not be possible for some,but it is for most.
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