Amid so many heart-wrenching moments of devastation from the recent deadly hurricanes Katrina and Rita, there are now positive stories of individuals and families returning home. The nation is flooded with newspaper, radio and television reports of entire family units and pets going back to their hometowns.
Locally, a television station recently reported on the Santiago family’s preparation to return to New Orleans. What used to be the face of despair is replaced with tears of joy for some recent evacuees.
But what is going to happen to the dispossessed in our area? What is their future? How will they survive?
Many had hoped to be housed in the hangar at the Lambert Field site, which has been renamed “The St. Louis Welcome Center.” It was remolded to house evacuees of the hurricanes. The facility had been divided into dormitories for single men, single women, families and the elderly, and had been equipped with free long-distance service, internet access and its own medical center.
Bill Siedhoff, director of the city’s Department of Human Services, said the facility was set up for 2,000 people as an emergency shelter only and to make it a permanent lodging would create a number of problems. He said Lambert is not easily accessible to the local homeless population. The Department of Human services provides only information and referral as a direct service to the citizens of St. Louis.
So what local agencies will address the needs of our neighbors who are homeless? Who will identify ways to serve all in need, and tap every available state, city and county resource? Who will take action to remove barriers that keep the homeless from humanitarian assistance?
The Rev. James T. Morris, pastor of Lane Tabernacle CME church, and the Rev. Larry Rice of the New Life Evangelistic Center, continue to be frustrated by what they contend is local governments’ sluggish response to the housing needs of people mired in area shelters. They contend local governments have not addressed the most urgent shelter needs of those affected.
There is some good news for the downtrodden. A lawsuit filed on behalf of the homeless by the Washington University and Saint Louis University law schools, the American Civil Liberties Union and Legal Services of Eastern Missouri was settled last week for $80,000. The lawsuit had accused police of harassing and unfairly locking up homeless people to remove them from Downtown during the 2004 4th of July weekend.
Washington University law professor Steven Gunn, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said, “We are all on the same page that homeless individuals are to be treated with the same respect and dignity and accorded the same civil rights as every other resident of St. Louis or tourist who comes through our city.”
Missouri is sheltering thousands of people displaced by the hurricanes while neglecting the urgent shelter needs of the homeless on both sides of the river. Local municipalities should be working to end individual episodes of homelessness as soon as possible and restore these individuals and families to permanent housing and self-sufficiency.
I can be reached by fax at (314) 837-3369 or by e-mail at: berhay@swbell.net.
Carol Daniel is on vacation for the next few weeks.