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Showing posts with label Homelessness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homelessness. Show all posts
Only Sky ✏ Humanism’s mandate hits hardest in the face of senseless loss.
M L Clark

None of this would have landed in my purview if I hadn’t stepped out on Christmas Eve last year with the last of my seasonal food hampers. 

I knew that only folks having the roughest of times would be out during Nochebuena, a holiday that finds folks here, from the poorest to the richest, with family or community wherever they can find it.

Still, I was surprised to find a man I knew, named César, rocking in pain all alone on an empty street. He was a father, a single parent of two young boys. What was he doing out alone, pursuing so slender a hope of aid late on Christmas Eve?

During the later phases of official pandemic, César had been a daily presence among the neighborhood beggars, along with other parents (many out with their children), elderly folk, visibly disabled people, and youth helping parents at home. 

These are hard times for the world. Colombia is no exception. Over my years here, and especially during the fraught years of pandemic, I’ve come to know all the regulars in my neck of the woods. 

Continue reading @ Only Sky.

Never Waiting For The Miracle

Caoimhin O’Muraile ☭ As the 26 County administration continues with its apparent open-door policy towards allowing limitless asylum seekers refuge in Ireland and leave to seek refugee status, matters are beginning to unravel into chaos. 
 

Asylum seekers alongside our own indigenous homeless are finding there is no room in Ireland as they sleep rough on the streets of the Emerald Isle in tents, sleeping bags and, in some cases, just plastic bags. Our own homeless are sleeping in similar conditions. In fact it is probably they who educated the new arrivals in the art of survival as they have been forced to live rough for many years by different governments in the Dail. Various Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and coalition partners have turned their backs on Ireland's homeless many years ago, now they are inviting asylum seekers fleeing war torn countries, particularly Ukraine, as part of the 26 counties “hate the Russians” campaign, with, to a far lesser extent, those from Syria, a few from Yemen, Afghanistan and other troubled regions around the globe only to tell them on arrival, there is no room, find a park bench. 

This is as cruel as it is well intended, you cannot invite a person round for drinks and on their arrival serve up water! If there is no room for any more arrivals, would it not be better to say so rather than fill hearts with false hope, leaving them open to racial attacks, the drug barons, and the elements? The only difference sleeping rough in Ireland to their lands of origins is there are no bombs going off here. The accommodation offered is very similar of late, the street. This open-door policy resulting in more and more bodies sleeping rough on the streets will give the far-right a launching pad which has already happened at places like East Wall in Dublin, turning genuine concerns into racial hate, something the residents never had in mind at the outset. 

The far-right have been to a limited extent successful in their attempts to turn people against the fleeing asylum seekers particularly if they happen to be single males from the African continent. What happens if these disciples of Hitler latch on to “our streets being littered with refugees”, which most are not, they are asylum seekers aiming for refugee status, how long before the fascists capitalise on this tragic situation?

Back in 2015 Angela Merkel in Germany decided to allow in “over one million refugees” from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan into Germany as part of her “open door policy” which caused a backlash from the neo-Nazi Alternative For Deutschland (AFD) party. Many of those who initially welcomed the newcomers to Germany turned violently against them after hearing the hate mongering AFD speeches. Could the same happen here, on top of what has already happened at places like East Wall? Should the government change policy? Should they abandon the “open door” stance and begin limiting or stopping any more asylum seekers entering their jurisdiction? Is it perhaps time to start housing or at least accommodating those already here before inviting any more in? Would bringing in any more desperate people only be cruelly giving them false hope?

When the 26 County administration first set about its laudable acts of charity in line with “Cead Mile Failte” (a hundred thousand welcomes) it was a great act of kindness, admittedly for the government with an ulterior motive, but for the asylum seekers it was heaven. Now, it is turning into a kind of hell, as they jump from the frying pan of their country of origin into the fire of the 26 counties! If the government closes the door they will be accused of racism. If they close the door to all but Ukrainian asylum seekers they will, rightly, be accused of favouritism. If they continue down the present trajectory, they will fill the streets, along with our own unfortunate homeless people, with “foreigners” which will fuel the far-right organisations arguments. A tricky situation, what is the answer?

Well, if the government is really interested in finding a solution to this conundrum they could look back in history to 1919 and the “Democratic Programme of the First Dail” paragraph one. This states unambiguously “we affirm that the right to private property must be subordinated to the public right and welfare”, such an occasion has arisen to “affirm” that right, to make private property ownership “subordinated to the public right and welfare”. If you look around Dublin and other towns and cities the amount of “private property” sitting vacant is phenomenal. Some have been vacant for months, even years so why not take these shops that were, public houses that were, ghost housing estates and take them into public ownership for the “public right and welfare.” It would provide employment for many shopfitters, carpenters, electricians, plasterers, brickies and general labourers in renovating these premises. Some do not need renovation such as the ghost housing estates which are ready for accommodation. I know the present owners will not like this suggestion but they are not really supposed to. What comes first, private ownership of property and the rights which accompany this ownership, or, the rights of people to have somewhere to live both indigenous and newcomer alike? I think it was Thomas Drummond who once said; property ownership has its “obligations as well as its privileges,” as true today as it was then.

All the government has to do is place a “compulsory purchasing order” on all property left idle for three months or more. Start work, where necessary, on renovating using the labour outlined above. Many homeless people both indigenous and asylum seeker are tradesmen themselves and could start helping in this renovation work, earning a living wage, where one day they themselves might live. What a great prospect for somebody who, through no fault of their own, have become homeless either through reasons of war in their lands of origins or sheer bad luck at home here in Ireland, to have the opportunity of developing premises for themselves and those in similar positions to live.

The question is, will the government have the backbone to take this decision? Will they have the balls to take on the property owners through legislation? Or, on the other hand, will they go belly up the moment the rich man frowns in an aggressive manner? They could do it if they wanted to: the question is, do they? The 26 County administration are often boasting their pride, rightly so, in Irish history and fight against oppression so now why not put some of that revolutionary past into modern day practice? I suggest they read and digest the contents of the “Democratic Programme of the First Dail” and think about enacting some of it today, otherwise I see a disaster waiting to happen!

🖼 Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist.

Open Doors Policy 🚪 Could It Be Time For A Policy Change?

Common Dreams ✒ It turns out the very best thing to do is give people who don't have a place to live... a place to live.

Apr 29, 2023

Determined to pack more homeless people into Toronto’s overcrowded shelters, officials have come up with a solution: reduce the number of inches between beds.

There’s a certain logic to this and it may be the best we can do — given our refusal to consider solutions that would actually be innovative.

And so it is that here in Toronto we’re busy studying how to jam more beds into already-cramped shelters, while over in Finland — where innovation is more than just another word for privatization — they’ve managed to virtually end homelessness.

OK, so the Finns are more generous and just shell out a lot more to help the homeless, right? Actually not. The Finns are simply smarter.

Instead of abandoning the homeless, they housed them. And that led to an insight: people tend to function better when they’re not living on the street or under a bridge. Who would have guessed?

Continue reading @ Common Dreams.

How Finland Virtually Ended Homelessness 🏠 And We Can Too

Friends Helping Friends ✒ struggles to break free from the red tape of government bureaucracy as it struggles to feed the homeless in Dublin.  

To say we are devastated doesn’t even cover it. Some of this post was taken from our sister soup runs page the Homeless St Café but it sums up exactly how we are feeling

Over the last 4 years me and my amazing team have been trying to feed and care for the homeless in Dublin. We have only been able to do this each week with the kind donations from many of the people reading this. We have overcome many obstacles and barriers to provide the service every Tuesday and Saturday but this latest strike may very sadly be the final nail in the coffin for Friends Helping Friends.

Without prior contact and on foot of No complaints, the HSE’s Environmental Health department met us before we could started feeding our long queue the other Tuesday. They asked me a number of questions about how we operate. They referred to us continuously as a food business or as a charity, of which we are neither. It's actually something we’ve always prided ourselves on; simply being a group of like-minded people merely wanting to share a bit of care and kindness our forgotten homeless population.

We had hoped that the Dept would treat us similarly to other cases we are aware of where only recommendations were made. However, despairingly we have subsequently received a letter to outline to us that they have chosen in the case of homeless soup runs to subject us a strict compliance issues and full enforcement action and closure if we do not comply!!

My first reaction on receiving the letter was being completely overwhelmed with emotion. It really should not be this hard to help people in need. I just can’t believe people would work harder to stop you than help you. Now, however, while it would be easier to just quit, I feel we have to advocate for those who rely on us and let our supporters know what’s happening for us, and more importantly to the homeless people themselves.

We are not averse to recommendations and welcome any support we can get. However imposing costs on us to meet regulations designed for the professional food industry is too hard. For example, asking a small group like us to have full hand washing facilities to serve cakes on the side of the street is difficult to fathom, particularly when there was a complete failure by the relevant authorities to provide any hand washing or toilet facilities for the homeless during Covid lock downs when it was identified as one of the key elements in Covid prevention. Shocking - these facilities were then provided for social drinkers once a few videos circulated.
 
Or asking a pensioner who occasionally makes sandwiches for us to attend and pay for a specialised food safety training and to register and have her kitchen inspected by the HSE is beyond what can be expected of ordinary, caring people. This alone would be the death knell for what we are trying to provide; the end of people sharing what they can with other people.

When did we become this type of nation? A nation that reprimands repeatedly for helping those in need, that tells us not to help, then puts in strict limits about how to help, and then is trying to force us out with the unfeasible costs of helping. All we ever wanted to do was show we care and pass on people’s kindness to those in need. Our service and the other soup runs are hugely valued by those who turn up each week. Getting the ‘applause of a grateful nation’ on The Late Late Show 18 months ago, and now being forced off the street with this. When did we become such a Nanny state that deters ordinary people showing kindness?

We are not the only soup run to have been visited and according to the inspectors they will be visiting them all.

Does this level of enforcement apply to every cake sale, coffee morning or other incidence of sharing food? I doubt it.

If Dublin City Council or the HSE want to provide us with a premises to operate from with hand washing facilities, a kitchen, and people offering to do all this for free, they know where we are.

I really am sickened to my core. I’m beaten. I’m heart-broken that this is where we are. What’s the point in teaching our children to share and care, when such acts are severely punished in adulthood.

To the government, HSE and Dublin City Council I say…
This is your job to do, so do it and we will happily go on with our lives
Or failing that, help us to do the job you can’t or won’t
But for the love of God, if you can't do any of the above, leave us alone to do it in peace.

To the homeless that use our service each week…
We are so sorry this is happening and we will try our very best to overcome this for you somehow.

⏩ Friends Helping Friends is a soup run in Dublin Inner City which provides food, clothes, sleeping bags etc to the homeless and those who have hit hard times.

Hindering Helpers

From Scoop.me ➤ Finland is the only country in Europe where homelessness is in decline. Oringinally published in Kontrast.at/Kathrin Glösel.

In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. The reason: The country applies the “Housing First” concept. Those affected by homelessness receive a small apartment and counselling – without any preconditions. 4 out of 5 people affected thus make their way back into a stable life. And: All this is cheaper than accepting homelessness.

In 2008 you could see tent villages and huts standing between trees in the parks of Helsinki. Homeless people had built makeshift homes in the middle of Finland’s capital city. They were exposed to harsh weather conditions.

Since the 1980s, Finnish governments had been trying to reduce homelessness. Short-term shelters were built. However, long-term homeless people were still left out. There were too few emergency shelters and many affected people did not manage to get out of homelessness: They couldn’t find jobs – without a housing address. And without any job, they couldn’t find a flat. It was a vicious circle. Furthermore, they had problems applying for social benefits. All in all, homeless people found themselves trapped.

But in 2008 the Finnish government introduced a new policy for the homeless: It started implementing the “Housing First” concept. Since then the number of people affected has fallen sharply.

And the country is successful: It is the only EU-country where the number of homeless people is declining. 

How everyone is given residence in Finland

It is NGOs such as the “Y-Foundation” that provide housing for people in need. They take care of the construction themselves, buy flats on the private housing market and renovate existing flats. The apartments have one to two rooms. In addition to that, former emergency shelters have been converted into apartments in order to offer long-term housing.

“It was clear to everyone that the old system wasn’t working; we needed radical change,” says Juha Kaakinen, Director of the Y-Foundation.

Homeless people turn into tenants with a tenancy agreement. They also have to pay rent and operating costs. Social workers, who have offices in the residential buildings, help with financial issues such as applications for social benefits.

Juha Kaakinen is head of the Y-Foundation. The NGO receives discounted loans from the state to buy housing. Additionally, social workers caring for the homeless and future tenants are paid by the state. The Finnish lottery, on the other hand, supports the NGO when it buys apartments on the private housing market. The Y-Foundation also receives regular loans from banks. The NGO later uses the rental income to repay the loans.

“We had to get rid of the night shelters and short-term hostels we still had back then. They had a very long history in Finland, and everyone could see they were not getting people out of homelessness. We decided to reverse the assumptions -  (Juha Kaakinen, Director of the Y-Foundation)

That’s how the “Housing First” concept works

The policy applied in Finland is called “HousingFirst”. It reverses conventional homeless aid. More commonly, those affected are expected to look for a job and free themselves from their psychological problems or addictions. Only then they get help in finding accommodation.

“Housing First”, on the other hand, reverses the path: Homeless people get a flat – without any preconditions. Social workers help them with applications for social benefits and are available for counselling in general. In such a new, secure situation, it is easier for those affected to find a job and take care of their physical and mental health.

The result is impressive: 4 out of 5 homeless people will be able to keep their flat for a long time with “Housing First” and lead a more stable life.

In the last 10 years, the “Housing First” programme provided 4,600 homes in Finland. In 2017 there were still about 1,900 people living on the streets – but there were enough places for them in emergency shelters so that they at least didn’t have to sleep outside anymore.
Providing people with apartments is cheaper than leaving them on the street

Creating housing for people costs money. In the past 10 years, 270 million euros were spent on the construction, purchase and renovation of housing as part of the “Housing First” programme. However, Juha Kaakinen points out, this is far less than the cost of homelessness itself. Because when people are in emergency situations, emergencies are more frequent: Assaults, injuries, breakdowns. The police, health care and justice systems are more often called upon to step in – and this also costs money.

In comparison, “Housing First” is cheaper than accepting homelessness: Now, the state spends 15,000 euros less per year per homeless person than before. 

No miracle cure – but a high success rate

With 4 out of 5 people keeping their flats, “Housing First” is effective in the long run. In 20 percent of the cases, people move out because they prefer to stay with friends or relatives – or because they don’t manage to pay the rent. But even in this case they are not dropped. They can apply again for an apartment and are supported again if they wish.

Of course, there is no guarantee for success. Especially homeless women are more difficult to reach: They conceal their emergency situation more often: They live on the streets less frequently and rather stay with friends or acquaintances.

Finland Ends Homelessness And Provides Shelter For All In Need

Anthony McIntyre shares his views on the paramilitary display at a Dublin housing protest last week. 

Gardai & Gurriers

Republican community activist Rowan Clarke in the first of a series of pieces shares his thoughts on the Apollo House occupation.

Then Out Of Nowhere Came Apollo House

When he can’t sleep, Joe Armstrong takes a drive through Belfast. He comments on the despair and hopelessness that he is witness to on the city’s streets during his early morning drives.

I’m always out and about in the wee hours. I see homeless people on every corner. They are getting younger. Young girls on the street. Heroin is everywhere and there are victims everywhere. There's no help out there for them and its only getting worse.

Young people sleeping in the bushes in McClure St. Addicts waiting on the shop opening which is about a hundred yards from them. People are dying here big time. Only last week a young girl from the Shankill was found dead in a house at the Bull Ring. Her family said that it was the system that failed her. I believe this to be true.

Was out for a wee drive there, just in. Driving up Botanic Ave and there's a tent pitched with a small dog sitting beside it. A young girl in her teens, soaking wet with just a tracksuit top on, walking along Shaftesbury Square with a couple of other young homeless people. A lad lying in a door way on the Dublin Road.

Frightening to see how many young people are on our streets. Why can’t there be at least one of these empty buildings open to shelter these poor people?

Its pissing down outside now. I’m lying listening to the rain from a warm bed and can’t get that tent or young girl out of my head. It just doesn’t feel right to be laying here.

Lord forgive me for ever crying in your face. Some of us just don’t know how lucky we are.

Well, Good morning all. Whatever you may be doing today spare a wee thought for the homeless and may a light shine on your path. God Bless and take care.

I See Homeless People

Eoin

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