What the Shelter House should be doing instead of excessively costing taxpayers

By Mike Thayer

Here's an idea, instead of building $4 million facilities equipped with commercial grade kitchens for culinary training and operating budgets of $1.4 million annually, the Shelter House should turn itself in a Homeless Temp Agency.  Call it Shelter House Temps, Inc.

Hey homeless guy, want culinary training?  Sorry we don't have that here.  But if you want a bed for the night, a few meals to eat, OK, we'll give you that if you agree to clean litter and debris out of ditches on the behalf of the city and state.  We also contract with local businesses looking for people to sweep floors, clean bathroooms and take out the trash.  

Gee, a temporary situation that benefits the homeless, small business owners, government and the taxpayer - what a concept!

Comments

[MD]

Shelter House has a program that contracts with local businesses to do just that. The litter isn't a bad idea, but they wouldn't have time because they have to go to work. I think the community imagines the same people sitting around the shelter. The shelter doesn't allow anyone to sit around. Work is a requirement and many are in and out with jobs and housing in no time. The staff work hard to ensure this.

[doug s.]

MD,

I don't think you know as much as you pretend to know. Homeless do run the circuit. They hang out in Iowa City for awhile, then they go to Davenport, or Cedar Rapids, perhaps Minnesota for awhile, then come back through. They do just enough to meet minimum requirements while gaming the system. And if the contracts with local business really existed or was as successful as you imply it to be, then homeless numbers would be going down, not up.

[MD]

Yes, perhaps a distinction should be made between those who are chronically homeless, collecting benefits, and those who are willing to end their homelessness. There are definitely both types.