Growing up in North Carolina, there were many things I liked about Raleigh. But there’s nothing to like about the way the city has treated the homeless.
Raleigh has joined several cities in taking actions that criminalize homeless persons - and even those who try to help them.
In 2007 Reverend Hugh Hollowell founded Love Wins ministry, which operates an open-door hospitality house and feeds the homeless twice weekly. But in 2013 while his workers were feeding breakfast in the city’s old downtown park, the police threatened to arrest Hollowell if they didn’t stop.
Bottom line, cities like Raleigh want to revitalize their old downtown areas, and they don’t want the homeless around detracting from that goal.
But as Utah is showing, there’s a better way to solve that problem. According to a report by Nation of Change, Utah has reduced homelessness by 78%, and is “on track” to end it altogether by 2015. It’s doing this by giving homeless people homes and saving the state millions at the same time.
Tell Raleigh to take a tip from Utah: Give the homeless houses and stop criminalizing them.
We, the undersigned, say cities like Raleigh should learn from what Utah is doing for homeless people, and stop criminalizing homelessness.
In 2005 Utah did the math and realized that housing the homeless saved the state considerable amounts of money. As Nation of Change reports, Utah found that “The annual cost of E.R. visits and jail stays for homeless people was about $16,670 per person, compared to $11,000 to provide each homeless person with an apartment and a social worker.”
A 2009 report based on an earlier survey and evidence from activists support Utah’s findings. “Homes Not Handcuffs,“ published by The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty and The National Coalition for the Homeless, “concluded that permanent housing for the homeless is cheaper than criminalization.”
After Reverend Hollowell’s work was threatened by the Raleigh police department, the story and his mission received national attention and more funding. But progress shouldn’t have to begin by threatening the lives of homeless people and those who try to help them.
Clearly, as the Nation of Change notes, Utah is showing us that “Housing is not only more human, it is more economical.”
We request that Raleigh take a tip from Utah and take the progressive and compassionate steps needed to solve its homeless problems.
Thanks for your time.
