Homeless Haven

    If I were homeless, I would much rather be in Seattle than Montana. Seattle's winter low temperatures are Montana's highs. But beyond that, Seattle has a reputation as a homeless haven. The homeless camp in public parks and in upscale neighborhoods. The waterfront has more beggars than fish. The needle exchange program designed to protect drug addicts from contaminated syringes has exposed thousands of non-drug users to disease from carelessly discarded needles. Not to mention the contamination from urine and feces in public areas and, frequently, public restrooms. Which is why I'd rather hang out in a hotel than sightsee in Seattle.
     I think most of us support community services that give the poor a hand up when they find themselves homeless through circumstances like medical bills, broken automobiles, broken homes or job loss. Although there are many jobs available for those willing to work. People in those circumstances are homeless by necessity. The problem is those that are homeless by choice. Some would rather sleep outside on a frigid Montana night, than comply with the curfew or sobriety requirements of a shelter. I recently learned of a mentally ill young man who left the warmth and safety of a shelter because they would not let him smoke at the time he wanted to. Instead, he was hanging around our community services building waiting for someone to find him a place to live. He exercised his right to leave with no intention of taking responsibility for finding new housing. Mentally ill people do not make good decisions. Neither do addicts. So, much of the money allocated to help people get back on their feet, goes to those who have limited ability to, or no intention of, doing so. Homelessness is becoming a crisis. Cities that used to be tourist meccas have become unsafe and unsanitary.
     There is no easy fix to this problem. Those who abuse the free services in one city can simply move to another. Eventually, there will be a taxpayer uprising. Property owners in places like Seattle are going to be reluctant to pay high taxes in neighborhoods overrun by squatters. Communities will run out of resources. Police are already refusing to risk death entering homeless encampments. Meanwhile, even though it will hurt some who genuinely want to change their circumstances, we need to cut back on providing tiny houses, tents and sleeping bags, the kind of perks that promote a haven. Because those who choose to make our hometown their homeless camp, claim their haven at the cost of ours.