There is an excellent commentary in the Los Angeles Times from yesterday about homeless folks in libraries.
This reminds me of a woman who came up to me at the reference desk last month and told me there was a homeless person in their car in the parking lot. "Are they doing anything wrong?" I asked. "No" she said. And I told her to let me know if they were, and I would be happy to deal with it. I hope I made my point nicely enough. She mumbled something about them all coming over from Seattle (as if Bellevue would never create the circumstances that put people on the streets) and got on a computer.
Cities that have tracked chronically homeless people estimate that a typical transient can cost taxpayers $20,000 to $150,000 a year.
I wish more people could understand that if we take care of each other better to begin with, it will save the communities (both dollars and heart) in the long run.
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I agree wholeheartedly, Dawn. I read an article in the Seattle Times a couple months ago about how the SPL's Central branch attracts a lot of homeless people who read, snooze, or want to clean themselves in the restrooms. And they pointed out how a proposal had been made to build a center for homeless people to hang out during the day, maybe take job training classes, and shower. But that funding probably wouldn't be granted. It would be a fabulous thing, and a great example for other cities.
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