New Report Shows Non-Profits Pay Low Wages
There is a new study released by the state welfare department that gives a good overview of the companies that are using state programs in place of paying decent salaries. This was well reported in the Plain Dealer and on many blogs. The top 40 employers included service employers, restaurants, temporary labor companies, and non profits. Most of the reporting has included the fact that Wal Mart and McDonalds top the lists. Wal Mart is #1 in the State of Ohio in employees on Medicaid, #4 in individuals receiving cash assistance, and #2 with employees receiving Food Stamps. This is good information, but hardly shocking. It is also not shocking that Minute Man, Manpower, and Kelly Services, Custom Staffing are also on the lists.
What I found amazing was the number of non-profit organizations on the list
Medicaid
16. Goodwill 2,216 people
21. YMCA 1,648
25. Cleveland Clinic 1,486
29. Interim HealthCare 1,250
30. University Hospital of Cleve. 1,191
38. Salvation Army 648
Food Stamps
14. Goodwill 1,536 people receiving assistance
26. YMCA 932
29. Cleveland Clinic 844
35. UH of Cleveland 620
38. Salvation Army 574
This list should be the non-profit Wall of Shame list. How do they help people if their own employees cannot survive on the wages and benefits that they pay. How humiliating is it that three health care providers do not provide health to their own employees? The big issue with Goodwill is that it is intended as a training program for disabled individuals, but these individuals never get out of training wages. Perpetual training is not a real service to society. We have complained about Salvation Army for years and their notoriously low wages. I have known men who worked at the shelter and had to stay their periodically because they did not earn enough money. Check out this nice report that Ohio Policy Matters helped get released.
Also, check out Roldo's Squeaky Wheel blog. There are a number of interesting posts about poverty that were recently added.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Friday, February 24, 2006
State of the City is Hopeful
Jackson Outlines a Positive State of the City
Keep in mind that the Homeless Coalition has had to sue the City of Cleveland six times over the last 15 years, but I was very impressed with the Mayor's State of the City Speech. I liked the humility to say "Politicians say this stuff all the time, and I want to be measured on results" coming from a Mayor. I like the focus on education and regionalism. I hope that the suburbs realize how many homeless people come from outside of Cleveland to Downtown looking for help, and how little Greater Cleveland contributes to solving homelessness. I hope that regionalism will result in no poaching of jobs and no dumping of evicted tenants into other communities. I like the idea of the Mayor convening these groups with innovative ideas to discuss problem areas and then actually acting on those changes.
I really felt that for years no one was watching the store for average Clevelanders. No one cared that health care was hard to access. No one who could do anything would listen to the cry for help with rising utilities. No one, and I mean no one in the Administration or the County, would listen to the complaints of homeless people. No one cared that job programs did not serve the population very well--dedicate your life to this training and we will help you, but we cannot give you any money. No one in the administration would ever listen to the needs of the neighborhoods. They seemed to be going after the home run every swing and we never ever got on base. I am the consummate pessimist, but at this time I am looking forward to the next four years.
I liked the focus on quality of life and educational excellence. The Mayor said that everyone from the business executive down to the individual sleeping on Superior cares about the school system, and he was correct. Our survival as a city are based on the success of our schools. I want to see results as does the population that I serve. We want City Hall to care about the problems of accessing a shelter, accessing decent housing, and accessing a living wage job. I do want to live in a Great City again. I want to have homeless people trust the police force will take seriously crimes against victims who have no home. I am so glad that I did not hear about any more playgrounds for rich people. I liked that Mayor Jackson wanted to hold the state accountable for helping our city. I hope that he will also take on the federal government, which has gone to war against the American City.
We shall see if Jackson can heal the East vs. West issues, the Downtown vs. Neighborhood issues, the Black vs. White, and Poor vs. Those in Fear of Being Poor. I am ready to help.
Brian
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Keep in mind that the Homeless Coalition has had to sue the City of Cleveland six times over the last 15 years, but I was very impressed with the Mayor's State of the City Speech. I liked the humility to say "Politicians say this stuff all the time, and I want to be measured on results" coming from a Mayor. I like the focus on education and regionalism. I hope that the suburbs realize how many homeless people come from outside of Cleveland to Downtown looking for help, and how little Greater Cleveland contributes to solving homelessness. I hope that regionalism will result in no poaching of jobs and no dumping of evicted tenants into other communities. I like the idea of the Mayor convening these groups with innovative ideas to discuss problem areas and then actually acting on those changes.
I really felt that for years no one was watching the store for average Clevelanders. No one cared that health care was hard to access. No one who could do anything would listen to the cry for help with rising utilities. No one, and I mean no one in the Administration or the County, would listen to the complaints of homeless people. No one cared that job programs did not serve the population very well--dedicate your life to this training and we will help you, but we cannot give you any money. No one in the administration would ever listen to the needs of the neighborhoods. They seemed to be going after the home run every swing and we never ever got on base. I am the consummate pessimist, but at this time I am looking forward to the next four years.
I liked the focus on quality of life and educational excellence. The Mayor said that everyone from the business executive down to the individual sleeping on Superior cares about the school system, and he was correct. Our survival as a city are based on the success of our schools. I want to see results as does the population that I serve. We want City Hall to care about the problems of accessing a shelter, accessing decent housing, and accessing a living wage job. I do want to live in a Great City again. I want to have homeless people trust the police force will take seriously crimes against victims who have no home. I am so glad that I did not hear about any more playgrounds for rich people. I liked that Mayor Jackson wanted to hold the state accountable for helping our city. I hope that he will also take on the federal government, which has gone to war against the American City.
We shall see if Jackson can heal the East vs. West issues, the Downtown vs. Neighborhood issues, the Black vs. White, and Poor vs. Those in Fear of Being Poor. I am ready to help.
Brian
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Date Movie Makes Light of Attacks on Homeless People
Please Do Not Go See Date Movie
After the much publicized beating death of a homeless person in Florida, it is unbelievable that a new Hollywood movie would make light of beating up homeless people. I just do not understand the humor in this scene. This was taken from Screen It.com from the just released move "Date Movie."
Brian
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
After the much publicized beating death of a homeless person in Florida, it is unbelievable that a new Hollywood movie would make light of beating up homeless people. I just do not understand the humor in this scene. This was taken from Screen It.com from the just released move "Date Movie."
"Yelling 'Bum fight,' Julia (Alyson Hannigan) rushes over to a bum on the street, punches and then repeatedly kicks and hits him (all played as a spoof of lighthearted romantic comedy montages). Grant (Adam Campbell) then joins her, kicking the guy in the crotch before the two rob him."Please do not spend money on this movie. It is disgusting and inappropriate at this time. Thank you 20th Century Fox and thank you to the Scary Movie writers/directors for showing why America is the only country in the world with real freedom of speech-- and why we are the only country with stupid people willing to abuse that power so that others will want to end that freedom.
Brian
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
The Ups and Downs of a Program
BTG Flies High and Comes Back Down to Earth
The Bridging the Gap program had a transforming year. They began the year with a large number of staff with the addition of the AmeriCorps National Service program, and everything was going swimmingly. This was great to have the added help, but this federal program was a nightmare from the administrative side. It was impossible to get reimbursement, and they demanded an entirely new accounting system to serve strictly their program. There was so much time spent on admin. that we almost forgot the mission of ending homelessness for individuals and families. We had plenty of support help, and this allowed us to house around 100 individuals or families despite the obstacles.
The biggest accomplishment of 2005 was the creation of HousingCleveland.org. The affordable housing database provides a free service to the thousands of people in need of help with housing that we do not have the personnel to deal with. Nearly a thousand people a day use the website thanks to the collaboration put together by First Call for Help/211 and BTG along with a great group of social service programs. Legal Aid, the Cleveland Tenants Organization, CMHA, May Dugan Center, and Maximum Independent Living are but a few of the organizations participating in setting up this important local resource. Leigh Ann Ahmad, our former program director, found Socialserve.com, a national non-profit, that set up the database for a very reasonable price.
The program was forced to move into the NEOCH offices late in the year, because their building was closing down. Free rent can't last forever. They also lost their program director (not that way, she moved), and we turned down the opportunity to continue to operate the National Service program. This was a rough decision, but it was best for the organization. The group reorganized and rebounded. They have set goals for the new year and are working on putting together staff and volunteers to house as many people as possible.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
The Bridging the Gap program had a transforming year. They began the year with a large number of staff with the addition of the AmeriCorps National Service program, and everything was going swimmingly. This was great to have the added help, but this federal program was a nightmare from the administrative side. It was impossible to get reimbursement, and they demanded an entirely new accounting system to serve strictly their program. There was so much time spent on admin. that we almost forgot the mission of ending homelessness for individuals and families. We had plenty of support help, and this allowed us to house around 100 individuals or families despite the obstacles.
The biggest accomplishment of 2005 was the creation of HousingCleveland.org. The affordable housing database provides a free service to the thousands of people in need of help with housing that we do not have the personnel to deal with. Nearly a thousand people a day use the website thanks to the collaboration put together by First Call for Help/211 and BTG along with a great group of social service programs. Legal Aid, the Cleveland Tenants Organization, CMHA, May Dugan Center, and Maximum Independent Living are but a few of the organizations participating in setting up this important local resource. Leigh Ann Ahmad, our former program director, found Socialserve.com, a national non-profit, that set up the database for a very reasonable price.
The program was forced to move into the NEOCH offices late in the year, because their building was closing down. Free rent can't last forever. They also lost their program director (not that way, she moved), and we turned down the opportunity to continue to operate the National Service program. This was a rough decision, but it was best for the organization. The group reorganized and rebounded. They have set goals for the new year and are working on putting together staff and volunteers to house as many people as possible.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Looking at Blogs on Homelessness
Homelessness on the Web
There is a lot of interesting blogs directed at homelessness around the net. Here are a few samples.
The biggest star in the homeless community was Kevin Barbieux who actually had started a newspaper in Nashville then a blog before blogs were cool. Somehow, I missed it but Kevin moved early in 2006 to Las Vegas. There is a good article comparing the two cities: http://thehomelessguy.blogspot.com/2006/01/new-view.html
There is a lot of interesting blogs directed at homelessness around the net. Here are a few samples.
The biggest star in the homeless community was Kevin Barbieux who actually had started a newspaper in Nashville then a blog before blogs were cool. Somehow, I missed it but Kevin moved early in 2006 to Las Vegas. There is a good article comparing the two cities: http://thehomelessguy.blogspot.com/2006/01/new-view.html
There is an interesting blog from Los Angeles, which the government is now referring to as the homeless capital of the United States. I do not agree with many of the stuff presented by this guy but at least it is updated regularly. It gives a good overview of what is going on in LA. The guy comes at it from the perspective of a provider and not an advocate, plus he is pushing a book he wrote.http://www.epath.org/blog/index.htm LA Homeless Blog.
An older board member of the National Coalition for the Homeless and a guy deeply committed to God, social justice and country also has a blog. Chuck Currie is a UCC Seminarian and does a blog. He was originally from Seattle and brought an important perspective to the NCH Board that we sure miss. He has an interesting piece on separate schools for homeless children.
http://chuckcurrie.blogs.com/chuck_currie/2006/02/no_separate_sch.html
Finally, there is an interesting series in the Minnesota alternative paper. It is a series of interviews with the men and women who stand by the freeway on-ramps. Take it with a grain of salt, but it brings some humanity to people who are often viewed with the same regard as those signs that warn only motorized vehicles on the freeway. It can be found at: http://citypages.com/databank/27/1313/article14078.asp
Good reading. Brian
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Recent Updates
A Few Quick Notes
Thanks to the Center for Community Solutions for hiring George Zeller--the best researcher on jobs in Ohio. He has dedicated his life to documenting poverty, and was never afraid to speak truth to authority with statistics. We don't give Cuyahoga County much credit for addressing poverty, but we have to thank the County Commissioners for making this possible. So it raises two questions...Will George be able to criticize the County since they are paying his tab? If CEOGC is the anti-poverty organization in Cuyahoga County and they have no researchers anymore are they operating in the dark?
Mark May 5, 2006 on your calendars. Friday May 5 at 6 p.m. at Massimo da Milano is the fifth annual meeting/fund raiser for NEOCH. Tickets will be released in the next month, and more details will follow.
The Teach In is set for February 27 at 6 p.m. This event will focus on outreach efforts in the city, and alternatives to going downtown and feeding homeless people. We will visit 2100 Lakeside Shelter and many of the agencies that provide outreach will talk about their experiences. Please RSVP by calling NEOCH or sign up on our website.
We are now in the middle of the Homeless Stand Down. InterAct Cleveland is taking the lead in this years Stand Down--an all day service fair for homeless people. On Friday February 10 it took place at the Cosgrove Center. Today, on Saturday February 11, Pilgrim Church in Tremont hosted an event to distribute clothing. Next week, they are opening up Old Stone Church and Trinity Church as warming centers during the holiday weekend.
Brian
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Thanks to the Center for Community Solutions for hiring George Zeller--the best researcher on jobs in Ohio. He has dedicated his life to documenting poverty, and was never afraid to speak truth to authority with statistics. We don't give Cuyahoga County much credit for addressing poverty, but we have to thank the County Commissioners for making this possible. So it raises two questions...Will George be able to criticize the County since they are paying his tab? If CEOGC is the anti-poverty organization in Cuyahoga County and they have no researchers anymore are they operating in the dark?
Mark May 5, 2006 on your calendars. Friday May 5 at 6 p.m. at Massimo da Milano is the fifth annual meeting/fund raiser for NEOCH. Tickets will be released in the next month, and more details will follow.
The Teach In is set for February 27 at 6 p.m. This event will focus on outreach efforts in the city, and alternatives to going downtown and feeding homeless people. We will visit 2100 Lakeside Shelter and many of the agencies that provide outreach will talk about their experiences. Please RSVP by calling NEOCH or sign up on our website.
We are now in the middle of the Homeless Stand Down. InterAct Cleveland is taking the lead in this years Stand Down--an all day service fair for homeless people. On Friday February 10 it took place at the Cosgrove Center. Today, on Saturday February 11, Pilgrim Church in Tremont hosted an event to distribute clothing. Next week, they are opening up Old Stone Church and Trinity Church as warming centers during the holiday weekend.
Brian
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Technology and Homeless People
How Important is Voice Mail?
As I sit here at the NEOCH offices on a lazy Friday afternoon, I have found that our connection to the internet is down. It has made me realize, as it makes anyone realize, how reliant we are on the web. This much is obvious. But, what I think isn't obvious is how technology we take for granted helps to widen the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
Before I go any further, I want to make it clear that I am in no way selling the ideal that technology is inherently evil. Technology exists as an inert pile of matter that, without reason or independent thought, lacks all capability for good or evil. So as to not ramble on, I will leave this topic behind.
I work on the Cleveland Community Voice Mail project here at NEOCH, which provides free voice mail to the impoverished of Cuyahoga County. Someone without a phone lacks an important tool required for attaining a job and qualifying for vital social services. All mission statements and well-worn PR declarations aside, if one cannot put a phone number down on a job application, the boss cannot get a hold of them. Employers are fickle people and will look for any reason to throw out apps in an attempt to cut down on the oversized stack. No phone number means no chance.
However, there was a time when a phone number wasn't necessary because phones were not that common. Back then, a homeless person was not at as much of a disadvantage as one is today. With the advancement of technology, so, too, comes the necessity for this technology. As society becomes more and more reliant on more and more stuff, those who cannot afford to have a lot of stuff will find themselves at a heavier handicap. This is all especially true with cars, credit cards, Bachelor degrees, cell phones, and the topic of my theme, the internet.
I want to say, "Think about that the next time you tell someone to 'Get a job!' " But, being a post on the NEOCH blog, I can't help but feel I am preaching to the choir (you are the choir). This is nothing revolutionary, but an observation of our rapidly digitizing nation and its effect on isolating populations within our communities. Having constant access to the internet is something we assume everyone has, and anything less is a minor annoyance between calls to the cable company.
I guess what I'm trying to point out is how scary the future is for the homeless if nothing is done about the matter soon. While the rest of the nation races up a ladder, snatching at the elusive golden snitch, the homeless are trapped on the same rung they were sitting on in 1776. This has less to do with the manner of the homeless and more to do with the state of the society they live in. It makes me sad, and this seemed to be a good forum in which to share that sadness. What can we do but try to ensure that the necessary tools are readily available? A ditch can't be dug without a shovel. A home can't be built without a hammer.
--Josh K.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
As I sit here at the NEOCH offices on a lazy Friday afternoon, I have found that our connection to the internet is down. It has made me realize, as it makes anyone realize, how reliant we are on the web. This much is obvious. But, what I think isn't obvious is how technology we take for granted helps to widen the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
Before I go any further, I want to make it clear that I am in no way selling the ideal that technology is inherently evil. Technology exists as an inert pile of matter that, without reason or independent thought, lacks all capability for good or evil. So as to not ramble on, I will leave this topic behind.
I work on the Cleveland Community Voice Mail project here at NEOCH, which provides free voice mail to the impoverished of Cuyahoga County. Someone without a phone lacks an important tool required for attaining a job and qualifying for vital social services. All mission statements and well-worn PR declarations aside, if one cannot put a phone number down on a job application, the boss cannot get a hold of them. Employers are fickle people and will look for any reason to throw out apps in an attempt to cut down on the oversized stack. No phone number means no chance.
However, there was a time when a phone number wasn't necessary because phones were not that common. Back then, a homeless person was not at as much of a disadvantage as one is today. With the advancement of technology, so, too, comes the necessity for this technology. As society becomes more and more reliant on more and more stuff, those who cannot afford to have a lot of stuff will find themselves at a heavier handicap. This is all especially true with cars, credit cards, Bachelor degrees, cell phones, and the topic of my theme, the internet.
I want to say, "Think about that the next time you tell someone to 'Get a job!' " But, being a post on the NEOCH blog, I can't help but feel I am preaching to the choir (you are the choir). This is nothing revolutionary, but an observation of our rapidly digitizing nation and its effect on isolating populations within our communities. Having constant access to the internet is something we assume everyone has, and anything less is a minor annoyance between calls to the cable company.
I guess what I'm trying to point out is how scary the future is for the homeless if nothing is done about the matter soon. While the rest of the nation races up a ladder, snatching at the elusive golden snitch, the homeless are trapped on the same rung they were sitting on in 1776. This has less to do with the manner of the homeless and more to do with the state of the society they live in. It makes me sad, and this seemed to be a good forum in which to share that sadness. What can we do but try to ensure that the necessary tools are readily available? A ditch can't be dug without a shovel. A home can't be built without a hammer.
--Josh K.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Predatory Lending Law Moving
You Did Nothing and Thousands Lost Their Homes...
The Ohio Senate is moving a predatory lending law rapidly through the legislature after the State of Ohio earned the dubious distinction of leading the nation in bankruptcies and second in foreclosures. This after a 2001 report that bankers successfully got shelved that had recommended only modest changes. Advocates were sidelined with having to submit a minority report, but even the small steps were rejected by the Senate leadership. This is the reason so few people bother voting in the United States--no one will be held responsible for bad decision-making. Someone should have to pay for the inaction of four years ago.
These guys in Columbus did nothing because the banking industry said that they could monitor themselves. How big of a moron do you have to be to believe that sharks would protect the small innocent fish? How many thousands lost their homes over the last four years, because of stupidity down in Columbus? If we could return to the days of public humiliation or drawing and quartering leaders that mess up, I believe that we would have near universal participation in the electoral process.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
The Ohio Senate is moving a predatory lending law rapidly through the legislature after the State of Ohio earned the dubious distinction of leading the nation in bankruptcies and second in foreclosures. This after a 2001 report that bankers successfully got shelved that had recommended only modest changes. Advocates were sidelined with having to submit a minority report, but even the small steps were rejected by the Senate leadership. This is the reason so few people bother voting in the United States--no one will be held responsible for bad decision-making. Someone should have to pay for the inaction of four years ago.
These guys in Columbus did nothing because the banking industry said that they could monitor themselves. How big of a moron do you have to be to believe that sharks would protect the small innocent fish? How many thousands lost their homes over the last four years, because of stupidity down in Columbus? If we could return to the days of public humiliation or drawing and quartering leaders that mess up, I believe that we would have near universal participation in the electoral process.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Monday, February 06, 2006
HUD Budget Announced Today for 2007
Katrina Allows Homeless to Spare Huge Budget Cuts
It is a mixed bag today with the announcement of the HUD Budget and the impact on homeless people. Homeless direct funds were increased to $1.5 billion from FY 2006 level of $1.326 billion. Most of the increase will go to the current trend at HUD of funding Supportive Housing programs which serve people who have been homeless for long periods of time. We talked about this fantasy program before that sounds good, but the devil is in the details. Communities are told that "supportive housing" is the magic bullet and these programs should be the top priority, but the catch is that the cities have to figure out a place to find the services in supportive services. Bottom line is that with national attention focused on the hurricanes and the other homeless issues the homeless dollars were spared.
Section 8 tenant based rental assistance will get an increase of $500 million, which translates to about 1 and a half additional vouchers for Cleveland. At least its not a cut! There is a $600 million dollar increase for the HUD buildings, which only means that the program will continue, but not grow. Public Housing will get no increase. This is bad news since they have sustained so many cuts and costs have continued to increase. In effect this is going to really hurt all those programs that have put off maintenance and renovations hoping their ship would eventually come in.
The worst assault in the housing field is the CDBG cuts, which are going to devastate communities like Cleveland. We do not use much of this money for homeless programs in Cleveland, but it is used for neighborhood improvement. This program is slated for a $1.1 billion dollar cut or nearly a fourth of its total budget. This is part of the continued war on cities by the Administration. It is almost like they are punishing American cities for 25 years of voting Democrats into office with only a few exceptions. This budget has to be passed by Congress, and in an election year that is going to be real tough. The tension between those who want a balanced budget and those who want to show that they are solving problems will be interesting. The only losers in this type of debate is all of us.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
It is a mixed bag today with the announcement of the HUD Budget and the impact on homeless people. Homeless direct funds were increased to $1.5 billion from FY 2006 level of $1.326 billion. Most of the increase will go to the current trend at HUD of funding Supportive Housing programs which serve people who have been homeless for long periods of time. We talked about this fantasy program before that sounds good, but the devil is in the details. Communities are told that "supportive housing" is the magic bullet and these programs should be the top priority, but the catch is that the cities have to figure out a place to find the services in supportive services. Bottom line is that with national attention focused on the hurricanes and the other homeless issues the homeless dollars were spared.
Section 8 tenant based rental assistance will get an increase of $500 million, which translates to about 1 and a half additional vouchers for Cleveland. At least its not a cut! There is a $600 million dollar increase for the HUD buildings, which only means that the program will continue, but not grow. Public Housing will get no increase. This is bad news since they have sustained so many cuts and costs have continued to increase. In effect this is going to really hurt all those programs that have put off maintenance and renovations hoping their ship would eventually come in.
The worst assault in the housing field is the CDBG cuts, which are going to devastate communities like Cleveland. We do not use much of this money for homeless programs in Cleveland, but it is used for neighborhood improvement. This program is slated for a $1.1 billion dollar cut or nearly a fourth of its total budget. This is part of the continued war on cities by the Administration. It is almost like they are punishing American cities for 25 years of voting Democrats into office with only a few exceptions. This budget has to be passed by Congress, and in an election year that is going to be real tough. The tension between those who want a balanced budget and those who want to show that they are solving problems will be interesting. The only losers in this type of debate is all of us.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Program Review: Voice Mail
2005 Golden Phone Award Winner
Cleveland Community Voice Mail had a big year in 2005 with a move, technology upgrade, a hurricane, and a few accolades. CCVM celebrated five years of operation in Cleveland, and then found that they were asked to leave their headquarters of the last five years. CCVM found a place in the Westown neighborhood, and had to upgrade the system that provides the messages to homeless people. This involved kicking everyone off the system, shutting the old one down and starting fresh. With this new system we were only able to serve 2,200 people (about half of a typical year.)
Voice Mail helped with the Katrina evacuees by providing a 1-800 number to those who came to Cleveland. This allowed them to keep in touch with family members from around the country. CVM expanded its program in Lorain County by serving a larger number of agencies and individuals. With the expansion, we were able to provide local numbers in Lorain County instead of the 1-800 numbers. The new system will also allow us to expand to the rest of Ohio without the huge costs that were a barrier in the past.
Program Director, Mike Gibbs, was selected for the national board of the Community Voice Mail Program starting in 2006. The big news of the last year was the Cleveland program was awarded the Golden Phone Award by the national group in Seattle. There are 34 Voice Mail programs in the United States. The program has big plans for 2006.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Cleveland Community Voice Mail had a big year in 2005 with a move, technology upgrade, a hurricane, and a few accolades. CCVM celebrated five years of operation in Cleveland, and then found that they were asked to leave their headquarters of the last five years. CCVM found a place in the Westown neighborhood, and had to upgrade the system that provides the messages to homeless people. This involved kicking everyone off the system, shutting the old one down and starting fresh. With this new system we were only able to serve 2,200 people (about half of a typical year.)
Voice Mail helped with the Katrina evacuees by providing a 1-800 number to those who came to Cleveland. This allowed them to keep in touch with family members from around the country. CVM expanded its program in Lorain County by serving a larger number of agencies and individuals. With the expansion, we were able to provide local numbers in Lorain County instead of the 1-800 numbers. The new system will also allow us to expand to the rest of Ohio without the huge costs that were a barrier in the past.
Program Director, Mike Gibbs, was selected for the national board of the Community Voice Mail Program starting in 2006. The big news of the last year was the Cleveland program was awarded the Golden Phone Award by the national group in Seattle. There are 34 Voice Mail programs in the United States. The program has big plans for 2006.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Hate Crimes Against Homeless People
Attack on Homeless Individuals Sleeping on Public Square
October 2005:
An individual who asked that his name be withheld reported sleeping on the sidewalk just off of Public Square when he was attacked by a passerby who threw a brick at him. He needed to be hospitalized, and has stopped sleeping outside in a visible location. He now sleeps with a group of individuals for security.
December 2005:
On December 29, 2005, Don was sleeping on Public Square in front of 55 Public Square when he was attacked by two white individuals who were nicely dressed and in a Toyota sedan. He was inside a sleeping bag at 4 a.m. when the attack occurred, and could not defend himself except to cover his face. The two were using sticks and kicking him. One of the sticks actually broke after repeated hits. A BFI garbage collector broke up the attack, and called an ambulance. The attackers had broken his jaw and he had multiple bruises all over his body. He had to get five stitches on his face. There were no other witnesses to the attack, but the BFI garbage collector. Don has not stayed on Public Square since then. He intends to only sleep with larger groups from now on so he is not visible or alone. He did give a police report to an officer while in the hospital.
The Ft. Lauderdale beating made national news, but these attacks have grown sharply in the United States. They happen in Cleveland, and we are meeting with federal officials next week to get national legislation to study and also to stop these attacks. It is my opinion that those hate video tapes showing homeless people being beaten that were sold on the internet three years ago have led to de-humanizing homeless people and a dramatic increase in beatings and attacks.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Coretta Scott King
The Passing of Another Giant in the Civil Rights Movement
Don't get me wrong here...The King family has sacrificed more for freedom than almost every other family in the history of the US. King, Jr gave up personal wealth and comfort for the cause. I have heard two of his children talk and they are remarkable. The passing of Coretta Scott King is a sad day in the history of the United States. But I have to wonder if the state of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta nearing bankruptcy and possibly facing take over by the federal government is representative of the state of justice and freedom in the United States. Is Social Justice in the US nearly bankrupt? Does a government that is engaged in another voluntary unjustified war have any standing to take over a "nonviolent" center? How can Atlanta host a Center of Nonviolent Social Change when they are one of the five meanest cities in the United States toward homeless people? I love the concept of a Center for Social Change, but with hate toward gays, war, the huge split in the country over social issues, domestic spying, jailing journalists, government lies, massive corporate corruption, and the buying of politicians, it is no surprise that the Center is nearly bankrupt.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Don't get me wrong here...The King family has sacrificed more for freedom than almost every other family in the history of the US. King, Jr gave up personal wealth and comfort for the cause. I have heard two of his children talk and they are remarkable. The passing of Coretta Scott King is a sad day in the history of the United States. But I have to wonder if the state of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta nearing bankruptcy and possibly facing take over by the federal government is representative of the state of justice and freedom in the United States. Is Social Justice in the US nearly bankrupt? Does a government that is engaged in another voluntary unjustified war have any standing to take over a "nonviolent" center? How can Atlanta host a Center of Nonviolent Social Change when they are one of the five meanest cities in the United States toward homeless people? I love the concept of a Center for Social Change, but with hate toward gays, war, the huge split in the country over social issues, domestic spying, jailing journalists, government lies, massive corporate corruption, and the buying of politicians, it is no surprise that the Center is nearly bankrupt.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
What Can You Possibly Say About the State of Ohio?
Possible lines in the Taft State of the State Address Today...
I rise today having navigated the State though the last eight years. I feel like there is good news and bad associated with the State of the State of Ohio.
"For example, I have lowered my golf handicap by 10 points in eight years, but Ohio has fallen to 47th in job creation. "
"Homelessness increased every single one of the years of my administration, and we have shot to the lead in housing foreclosures due to predatory lending. While we did nothing to address these problems, we did not face a natural disaster that virtually eliminated one of our largest cities. Some in state government would have preferred that radical Cuyahoga County would have been hit by a disaster, but this did not happen on my watch. Our natural disaster and population loss was drawn out over eight years and did not hit in one day."
"Our education system fell to near the bottom when compared to other states, but at least we got the 'intelligent' design people in the door of our schools."
"We cut the number of people and children eligible for free health care, but that will certainly help the bankruptcy attorneys who have to file for people with large health care bills. The mark of our success is that Ohio leads the nation in bankruptcies filed. [Wait for the cheering]"
"We have done very little to assist those poor people struggling with high heating bills, which I believe reinforces that rugged individualism that built this great state. The lesson of my administration is: 'Don't turn to government for help! Solve your problems yourself!' "
"I have given major tax breaks to corporations so that those executives will have a better bottom line and can spend time volunteering with my OhioReads program and not sweating the numbers. I have dramatically cut all levels of taxes to the point that I could not keep mental health facilities open in this state."
"I have nearly cleared out the manufacturing sector from Ohio with the thinking that we can start with a clean slate. I saw the writing on the wall, and figured that if manufacturing was going to flee the United States, I would hasten their exit. Eventually, the workers of Ohio will not remember the good paying steel, coal, manufacturing industries and will gladly accept any low paying service job that becomes available. I could have never done this without the incredible state legislators gathered today, and so I thank you. We all salute the future burger flippers of Ohio."
"I set a record for the number of times the same proposal was dressed up in different outfits before it passed with my beloved Third (or Fourteenth?) Frontier. With a solid majority of friendly state legislators for my entire term it was a close vote, but in 2005 we got the Third Frontier passed. The bad news is that I also set a record as the only governor convicted of a crime while in office. "
"We stopped measuring the amount of pollution in our waterways to appeal to my libertarian friends, but I did find a way to keep people away from the water by charging for parking in our state parks."
"Keep up the good work. With your help we can make Ohio what it once was--a vast wasteland with very few humans. "
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
I rise today having navigated the State though the last eight years. I feel like there is good news and bad associated with the State of the State of Ohio.
"For example, I have lowered my golf handicap by 10 points in eight years, but Ohio has fallen to 47th in job creation. "
"Homelessness increased every single one of the years of my administration, and we have shot to the lead in housing foreclosures due to predatory lending. While we did nothing to address these problems, we did not face a natural disaster that virtually eliminated one of our largest cities. Some in state government would have preferred that radical Cuyahoga County would have been hit by a disaster, but this did not happen on my watch. Our natural disaster and population loss was drawn out over eight years and did not hit in one day."
"Our education system fell to near the bottom when compared to other states, but at least we got the 'intelligent' design people in the door of our schools."
"We cut the number of people and children eligible for free health care, but that will certainly help the bankruptcy attorneys who have to file for people with large health care bills. The mark of our success is that Ohio leads the nation in bankruptcies filed. [Wait for the cheering]"
"We have done very little to assist those poor people struggling with high heating bills, which I believe reinforces that rugged individualism that built this great state. The lesson of my administration is: 'Don't turn to government for help! Solve your problems yourself!' "
"I have given major tax breaks to corporations so that those executives will have a better bottom line and can spend time volunteering with my OhioReads program and not sweating the numbers. I have dramatically cut all levels of taxes to the point that I could not keep mental health facilities open in this state."
"I have nearly cleared out the manufacturing sector from Ohio with the thinking that we can start with a clean slate. I saw the writing on the wall, and figured that if manufacturing was going to flee the United States, I would hasten their exit. Eventually, the workers of Ohio will not remember the good paying steel, coal, manufacturing industries and will gladly accept any low paying service job that becomes available. I could have never done this without the incredible state legislators gathered today, and so I thank you. We all salute the future burger flippers of Ohio."
"I set a record for the number of times the same proposal was dressed up in different outfits before it passed with my beloved Third (or Fourteenth?) Frontier. With a solid majority of friendly state legislators for my entire term it was a close vote, but in 2005 we got the Third Frontier passed. The bad news is that I also set a record as the only governor convicted of a crime while in office. "
"We stopped measuring the amount of pollution in our waterways to appeal to my libertarian friends, but I did find a way to keep people away from the water by charging for parking in our state parks."
"Keep up the good work. With your help we can make Ohio what it once was--a vast wasteland with very few humans. "
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Artists Unite to Entertain/Educate Homeless People
Calling on all Artists to Perform at Shelters
The Shelter Storm Revue Tour is now recruiting, reviewing, and renewing performers. All varieties of performance styles are called for: pop-tart poets, muse-mute musicians, do-right dancers, comics and politics, ministers and managers of the spoken word. The Revue Tour travels this here county of Cuyahoga, stopping in at shelters and meal sites with little more than a whirlwind of talent and a pocket full of noise. The Revue Tour is set to begin in late February or
early March. If you are interested in providing your talents to the spectacle, please contact (216/432-0540) NEOCH and ask for Josh the VISTA.
--Josh
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
The Shelter Storm Revue Tour is now recruiting, reviewing, and renewing performers. All varieties of performance styles are called for: pop-tart poets, muse-mute musicians, do-right dancers, comics and politics, ministers and managers of the spoken word. The Revue Tour travels this here county of Cuyahoga, stopping in at shelters and meal sites with little more than a whirlwind of talent and a pocket full of noise. The Revue Tour is set to begin in late February or
early March. If you are interested in providing your talents to the spectacle, please contact (216/432-0540) NEOCH and ask for Josh the VISTA.
--Josh
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Grapevine had a very good year in 2005
Year in Review 2005: Grapevine
We were able to move the Grapevine from unstable nearly closing in 2004 to a little more solid footing in 2005. We published 7 issues in 2005, and improved the look of the paper. At the end of the year we even published in color. We also now publish in all digital, which was a big step for the paper. It would make it a lot easier to publish the Grapevine on the web, but we have never resolved the issue of copyright protections for photos and poetry. The Grapevine also won the Community Shares award for Social Justice reporting in 2004. The Grapevine is also one of the longest continuously published street newspaper in the United States. Basically, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Boston are the only papers older in the US. We will try to publish 9 papers in 2006 and expand the number of places that the paper is available in Cleveland. Also, we hope to have every issue archived on the internet. Finally, the Cleveland Public Library is planning to make the entire history of the Grapevine available on microfiche in 2006. We will try real hard not to condemn the entire world with one poem like we did in 2005.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
We were able to move the Grapevine from unstable nearly closing in 2004 to a little more solid footing in 2005. We published 7 issues in 2005, and improved the look of the paper. At the end of the year we even published in color. We also now publish in all digital, which was a big step for the paper. It would make it a lot easier to publish the Grapevine on the web, but we have never resolved the issue of copyright protections for photos and poetry. The Grapevine also won the Community Shares award for Social Justice reporting in 2004. The Grapevine is also one of the longest continuously published street newspaper in the United States. Basically, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Boston are the only papers older in the US. We will try to publish 9 papers in 2006 and expand the number of places that the paper is available in Cleveland. Also, we hope to have every issue archived on the internet. Finally, the Cleveland Public Library is planning to make the entire history of the Grapevine available on microfiche in 2006. We will try real hard not to condemn the entire world with one poem like we did in 2005.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Emergency Food and Shelter Program
A good model to distribute a little money
There is this little pool of money from the Federal Government called the Emergency Food and Hunger program administered by the United Way (formerly FEMA). They take 1% administration and we distribute around $880,000 in funding each year. There is a local board made up of providers, City, County, advocates, religious and foundations all meet to decide on the distribution of these funds. There is some difficulty in that a number of the providers are also voting members and have to abstain from voting on certain issues, but overall the process works well. If most of the board shows up then it is a very good group, and it does not hurt to have the providers present. The provider community can actually help to explain some of the problems, trends and issues in the system. The group has figured out a fair and equitable distribution of shelter dollars based on the size of the shelter and the number of people served over the previous year. They have also developed a process to convert hot meals to pantry meals in order to compare apples to apples. It is unfortunate all the dollars are not distributed in the community so simply and equitably. There are always issues about an agency's viability and the definition of homelessness, but it seems to work. I always wish that these experts would sit for a day and talk about broader issues like the distribution of all funding in the city, the ways to reduce the numbers in the shelter, and reducing the number of people entering the shelter.
Brian
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
There is this little pool of money from the Federal Government called the Emergency Food and Hunger program administered by the United Way (formerly FEMA). They take 1% administration and we distribute around $880,000 in funding each year. There is a local board made up of providers, City, County, advocates, religious and foundations all meet to decide on the distribution of these funds. There is some difficulty in that a number of the providers are also voting members and have to abstain from voting on certain issues, but overall the process works well. If most of the board shows up then it is a very good group, and it does not hurt to have the providers present. The provider community can actually help to explain some of the problems, trends and issues in the system. The group has figured out a fair and equitable distribution of shelter dollars based on the size of the shelter and the number of people served over the previous year. They have also developed a process to convert hot meals to pantry meals in order to compare apples to apples. It is unfortunate all the dollars are not distributed in the community so simply and equitably. There are always issues about an agency's viability and the definition of homelessness, but it seems to work. I always wish that these experts would sit for a day and talk about broader issues like the distribution of all funding in the city, the ways to reduce the numbers in the shelter, and reducing the number of people entering the shelter.
Brian
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
The Truth Commission..What Next?
Truth Commission Comes to Cleveland
Yesterday at the majestic Trinity Cathedral, the Truth Commission came to Cleveland. This national advocacy effort led by the Kensington Welfare Rights Union and Chari Honkala is based on various UN resolutions signed by the United States that current policy violates. This is a dangerous philosophy since many in the United States hate the United Nations, and others actually feel that the UN is an illegal governmental institution. NEOCH was a co-sponsor and we certainly feel that poverty is an injustice that is a violation of U.S. and international law. We have said many times that in the richest country on the planet, it can only be greed that keeps everyone from obtaining a minimum standard.
It was a good event. One of our friend's testified, Cynthia Miller, and detailed the events leading to homelessness in Cuyahoga County. We also heard from women who were struggling to get assistance from the County. We heard from residents of public housing, and those living in a manufactured home. There were some amazing stories of survival, and hope. There were people testifying who still believe in government even though, for the most part, they were left behind by our government. Very powerful testimony--now what.
What I am always disturbed by is the fact that people pour their heart out for these things and nothing ever comes from it. I hope that this is different. There were a lot of community leaders present (McMickle, Bishop Gries, etc.). I hope that this testimony made some difference, and gets through to someone. I hope these horror stories are used to change policy. I hope that they get posted on a website, and make some impact beyond the chorus. We will see. It is a great deal of work to put these things on, but the real work begins after the event.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Yesterday at the majestic Trinity Cathedral, the Truth Commission came to Cleveland. This national advocacy effort led by the Kensington Welfare Rights Union and Chari Honkala is based on various UN resolutions signed by the United States that current policy violates. This is a dangerous philosophy since many in the United States hate the United Nations, and others actually feel that the UN is an illegal governmental institution. NEOCH was a co-sponsor and we certainly feel that poverty is an injustice that is a violation of U.S. and international law. We have said many times that in the richest country on the planet, it can only be greed that keeps everyone from obtaining a minimum standard.
It was a good event. One of our friend's testified, Cynthia Miller, and detailed the events leading to homelessness in Cuyahoga County. We also heard from women who were struggling to get assistance from the County. We heard from residents of public housing, and those living in a manufactured home. There were some amazing stories of survival, and hope. There were people testifying who still believe in government even though, for the most part, they were left behind by our government. Very powerful testimony--now what.
What I am always disturbed by is the fact that people pour their heart out for these things and nothing ever comes from it. I hope that this is different. There were a lot of community leaders present (McMickle, Bishop Gries, etc.). I hope that this testimony made some difference, and gets through to someone. I hope these horror stories are used to change policy. I hope that they get posted on a website, and make some impact beyond the chorus. We will see. It is a great deal of work to put these things on, but the real work begins after the event.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
A Disturbing Day--Meanest Cities
Criminalization Report Issued--Homeless Man Beat to Death
On the same day that the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty released Dream Denied: Criminalization of Homelessness in the U.S. two young monsters in Ft. Lauderdale beat to death a homeless man with a bat. The report lists the 20 Meanest Cities toward homeless people. While Ft. Lauderdale moved off the list this year, 7 of the top 20 cities are in the South and 6 are in the West. The meanest city list is developed by looking at laws and city actions against homeless people like anti-panhandling, sweeps, broad enforcement of laws against homeless people. I have always felt that municipal governments that are "mean" to homeless people give cover to deranged young people who feel that it is acceptable to attack homeless people. I feel like hate crimes directed at homeless people increase in the cities that are constantly attacking homeless people with police, laws, and city attorneys.
The press release for the report is posted on our website. The Top 5 are
1. Sarasota, FL,
2. Lawrence Kansas
3. Little Rock, AR
4. Atlanta, GA
5. Las Vegas, NV
No Ohio City was listed. Chicago is 11th and Pittsburgh is number 20.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
On the same day that the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty released Dream Denied: Criminalization of Homelessness in the U.S. two young monsters in Ft. Lauderdale beat to death a homeless man with a bat. The report lists the 20 Meanest Cities toward homeless people. While Ft. Lauderdale moved off the list this year, 7 of the top 20 cities are in the South and 6 are in the West. The meanest city list is developed by looking at laws and city actions against homeless people like anti-panhandling, sweeps, broad enforcement of laws against homeless people. I have always felt that municipal governments that are "mean" to homeless people give cover to deranged young people who feel that it is acceptable to attack homeless people. I feel like hate crimes directed at homeless people increase in the cities that are constantly attacking homeless people with police, laws, and city attorneys.
The press release for the report is posted on our website. The Top 5 are
1. Sarasota, FL,
2. Lawrence Kansas
3. Little Rock, AR
4. Atlanta, GA
5. Las Vegas, NV
No Ohio City was listed. Chicago is 11th and Pittsburgh is number 20.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Just Met with the Police over Convention Center
A Fresh Wind: Treating Homeless People with Honor
I just came back from a meeting with the City of Cleveland over the problems at the Convention Center. The Third District Police have for the past three years had a better approach toward homeless people with the appointment of two officers to be the liaison to the homeless community, but it was refreshing to see that the City Administration seems to have a new attitude as well. It is rare that the Police are out front of the City, but so be it.
Anyway, the City is giving the residents of the Convention Center another week to move. So they will have given two weeks. They have given specific instructions to the social service providers to do everything they can to find appropriate places for the population. And they have made it clear that law enforcement is the last resort. Senior City officials were present and wanted to figure out what to do for these 17-25 people. All we ever want is to have all homeless people and non-homeless people be treated with respect, and given warning before things are rammed through that have a negative impact on the community.
My only concern was the signs might discourage pedestrians from using this public park. But that is a City of Cleveland problem and not a homeless issue.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
I just came back from a meeting with the City of Cleveland over the problems at the Convention Center. The Third District Police have for the past three years had a better approach toward homeless people with the appointment of two officers to be the liaison to the homeless community, but it was refreshing to see that the City Administration seems to have a new attitude as well. It is rare that the Police are out front of the City, but so be it.
Anyway, the City is giving the residents of the Convention Center another week to move. So they will have given two weeks. They have given specific instructions to the social service providers to do everything they can to find appropriate places for the population. And they have made it clear that law enforcement is the last resort. Senior City officials were present and wanted to figure out what to do for these 17-25 people. All we ever want is to have all homeless people and non-homeless people be treated with respect, and given warning before things are rammed through that have a negative impact on the community.
My only concern was the signs might discourage pedestrians from using this public park. But that is a City of Cleveland problem and not a homeless issue.
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Homeless People Evicted from Convention Center
Fire Leads to Eviction
If you are Downtown, you might have noticed these flyers directed at Homeless people. They give a deadline of this Wednesday January 11, 2006 for homeless people to move from the Convention Center property. We are aware of this issue, and have spoken to police and the local outreach workers to try and help relocate some of these individuals and couples. A few of the people have slept in front of the glass doors near the Mall B for years without being disturbed. So why are they being asked to leave now?
It seems that there was a fire targeting a gay couple who slept near the Convention Center and Brown's Stadium. This caused damage to the metal doors of the Convention Center and was the last straw for the staff at the Convention Center. They demanded that police evict these squatters. This has been a relatively safe place since no one walked by these locations and staff had left them alone. These were mostly either couples who have no shelters available or people who have a problem with staying in a congregate living space. So now because of a suspected hate crime, they will all have to move. The Cleveland Police never really did anything because the staff at the Convention Center staff seemed to tolerate all this activity.
This eviction does not fall under the agreement signed with the City of Cleveland in 1999 because the Convention Center is a park, and there are special rules for parks. NEOCH signed an agreement that police would not harass homeless people for purely innocent behavior like sitting, sleeping or standing on the sidewalk. This covers the public sidewalks, but does not cover public parks. It seems that parks have curfews and special laws that were not covered in our lawsuit. We are doing everything we can to try to help those who stay around the Convention Center find appropriate places to live (preferably inside). We all know what a pain it is to move especially in the winter.
Brian
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
If you are Downtown, you might have noticed these flyers directed at Homeless people. They give a deadline of this Wednesday January 11, 2006 for homeless people to move from the Convention Center property. We are aware of this issue, and have spoken to police and the local outreach workers to try and help relocate some of these individuals and couples. A few of the people have slept in front of the glass doors near the Mall B for years without being disturbed. So why are they being asked to leave now?
It seems that there was a fire targeting a gay couple who slept near the Convention Center and Brown's Stadium. This caused damage to the metal doors of the Convention Center and was the last straw for the staff at the Convention Center. They demanded that police evict these squatters. This has been a relatively safe place since no one walked by these locations and staff had left them alone. These were mostly either couples who have no shelters available or people who have a problem with staying in a congregate living space. So now because of a suspected hate crime, they will all have to move. The Cleveland Police never really did anything because the staff at the Convention Center staff seemed to tolerate all this activity.
This eviction does not fall under the agreement signed with the City of Cleveland in 1999 because the Convention Center is a park, and there are special rules for parks. NEOCH signed an agreement that police would not harass homeless people for purely innocent behavior like sitting, sleeping or standing on the sidewalk. This covers the public sidewalks, but does not cover public parks. It seems that parks have curfews and special laws that were not covered in our lawsuit. We are doing everything we can to try to help those who stay around the Convention Center find appropriate places to live (preferably inside). We all know what a pain it is to move especially in the winter.
Brian
Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.
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