Yesterday’s blast of winter weather persuaded me to seek the warmth of Boulder Shelter for the Homeless. If I had drawn a high number in the men’s lottery for available beds and been turned away, I’d have gone to my secret homeless campsite — but the option of being indoors is a blessing for every homeless man and woman here in Boulder.
Which brings me to the point of this blog entry: It seems that many of the male residents in the First Step program at BSH don’t really understand the fact that there doesn’t have to be a shelter for them at all. These fools were running in and out of the men’s emergency dorm until well after midnight, carrying on silly conversations loud enough to disturb dozens of others who were trying, in vain, to sleep. I suspect that a couple of them even smoked crack cocaine in the men’s restroom next to the dorm, given their supercharged behavior. (That one of these crackheads is also a Jailhouse Christian comes as no surprise to this ex-convict, but that’s another blog entry).
Where is BSH staff in all of this mess? I’ve just about given up on ever bothering to complain about wrongdoing committed by any First Step or Transitional Living program resident there. It seems that staff is too often uninterested in applying consequences to these clowns, unlike what is done with homeless clients who aren’t in either of these programs. No wonder that these program residents are so arrogant — they really do enjoy an elevated status. To me, case managers at BSH bear a lot of responsibility for this sorry state of affairs. (BTW, in a well-run program like the one at Samaritan House in Denver these screwups would be thrown out on their butts, pronto).
Still, these “special” homeless people from BSH will receive an education if and when they return to the Real World. Nobody there is going to put up with their bull****, and will laugh at their overblown notions of self-worth.
Then, those among them who retain at least a couple of functioning brain cells will wish that they had made better use of their time in the BSH programs — instead of taking it for granted while partying all night.
I'm a member of the First Step program, and I do my chores diligently, and I'm tired of you bashing us. If you don't like the Shelter, go away and live in your "secret campsite." The only reason you go to the Shelter is to observe people's behavior, and then insult them in your blog. Yes, Max, homeless people tend towards mental health and substance abuse issues. Yes, they have attitude problems that hamper their ability to find and keep employment. DUH. What exactly did you expect to find? Sane sober cheerful highly motivated ethical people?
Good for you; that makes you an exception which proves the rule. Obviously, you're not assigned to clean the restrooms or showers — otherwise they wouldn't be filthy most of the time.
As I have asserted before – Max is no better than a snitch. He has his nose so far up the cops' backsides as to know what they ate for their last meal. How he ever made it through prison alive is beyond me, unless maybe the guards were protecting him because of all the information he provides.
He is very quick to point out problems and criticize others, but when it comes time to be part of a solution – as in taking action, he balks.
Hey, is there a REWARD for turning you in?
I doubt it — stupidity isn't a crime.
and lucky for you neither is being lazy, fat and ugly.
Right you are.
Still, I'm happy — are you?
BTW, not to pry, but what keeps you out of the First Step/Transition program? Are you opposed to it on moral grounds? Nosy question #2 (naturally you don't have to answer): Was leaving Lexington, Missouri a condition of your parole?
I've been in every type of program there is, six in all, as both a client and a paid member of staff. I no longer have any interest in programs — having found my own way which suits me better.
I'm no longer on parole; my 12/12 date was on my birthday, January 13th of 2008. Leaving Lexington was never a condition of my parole, but since I had to sell my home to pay voluntary restitution to the feds (who very kindly didn't prosecute me) I had no place to return to. Always wanted to live in or near the Rockies, anyway.
Inpatient treatment at the ARC (Addiction recovery Center) is frozen, no $$$ for it. Boulder County Mental Health isn't taking any new patients, same reason. Shelter case managers seem to take anyone that's willing to try, and I applaud them for that. Most people fail at 1st Step/Transition, which to me means that there is a major weeding-out going on. Yes, the staff tend to be forgiving, because they genuinely want their clients to suceed, not fail. People try, some suceed, most fail, because of the problems that have caused them to fail in the past. It's sad, and I hope they all find more chances in the future.
Let me get some input from you. Here's my take on it. Advice/corrections/suggestions welcome.
There is no one answer to the "homeless problem." You have the temporary economic homeless, who dip into homelessness and quickly bounce back out. These folks need a bed and a meal for a bit. You have people who like being homeless, hippies, hoboes, etc. They just need a bed and a meal. Then you have the substance abusers and mental cases. Many of these will fail forever. It's sad, but they will. All you can do for them is harm reduction, get them to jail, to the bughouse, to the ARC. Others who want help should get it, free, no questions asked, right then, inpatient substance abuse and mental.
Kicking them out to freeze and starve is not an option for any decent person. Even for the ones who just keep screwing up.
I totally agree that a minimal level of emergency shelter and services for the homeless is absolutely necessary in any civilized society. In fact, I would favor that alone rather than giving substance abusers SSDI/SSI disability benefits; we know that only benefits the liquor store owners, dope dealers, and cheap motel operators — and enables the person receiving that money to continue their self-destructive lifestyle. Let 'em finance their own drinking and drugging and partying by panhandling, which they do anyway.
The successful homeless people I see tend to keep the homeless services industry at arm's length, and they return to being self-sufficient quickly compared to others.
I've often thought that a Great Depression-style Civilian Conservation Corps for the able-bodied homeless would be great. In return for labor, you'd receive room and board, medical care, a clothing allowance, be required to attend GED classes if you're not a high school graduate, and also be required to save at least 33% of your salary to build a nest egg toward getting into housing (Real Housing, too, not taxpayer-subsidized).