This winter, new hope for homeless

By A TIMES EDITORIAL
Published November 15, 2007

"Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Taken from the Book of Matthew and a guiding principle of Catholic Charities USA.

Say "tent city" in St. Petersburg and the words evoke strong feelings of rage and disgust. Last year, an impromptu tent city next to a homeless shelter was dismantled by the city, and after police destroyed the tents of some homeless protesters, the backlash against the city was deservedly harsh. The city responded by reopening the tent city and providing a level of services that a charitable society considers humane treatment of the least among us.

Winter and the annual influx of the homeless in upon us again, only this time public officials in cooperation with the religious and charitable communities are more prepared. A partnership overseen by Bishop Robert Lynch of the Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg has produced a plan for a more sophisticated tent city to handle as many as 400 homeless individuals over the next four or five months. Called Pinellas Hope, in involves religious organizations, local governments, non-profit agencies and the private sector in a coordinated effort to reduce street homelessness and to move some of those individuals into a more productive life.

Local Catholic Charities President Frank Murphy deserves a lot of the credit for putting the partnership and plan together. Learning from the successes and failures of last year's response to the homeless, Murphy has created an ambitious yet realistic plan. To succeed, however, it will need support and assistance throughout the county.

Lynch has offered the use of 10 acres owned by the diocese on 49th Street in unincorporated mid Pinellas. Temporary structures would house the various social service agencies, while the homeless would stay in tents and have toilet and shower facilities available, as well as transportation to jobs and other service agencies.

There will be enough tents for about 250 people, though as some move on as many as 400 overall could be helped. The compound will be fenced and residents will be expected to abide by rules of behavior, a necessity for the safety of all.

The plan is made possible by a generous financial gift from St. Petersburg resident Harry Stonecipher. Pinellas County has also promised substantial resources. Even then, the success of the experiment will rely on many volunteers. Pinellas Hope will need groups to fix and deliver meals each night, while one business has already volunteered to do the laundry.

Yes, this is still experimental, but no one has come up with a better plan. "If we put it in the right place and it's a go, we've got a model," Lynch said. He hopes to expand the effort to the four other Tampa Bay counties in the diocese.

Local officials still need to sign off on the site, and there are many details remaining to be worked out. Even if the plan is a success, there will be plenty of homeless individuals still on the street. This is a national problem with myriad causes.

Yet you have to start somewhere. If Pinellas Hope turns around the lives of dozens of homeless men and women, as expected, it will have been worth the effort.

[Last modified November 15, 2007, 00:52:06]