Homeless plan shifts to awareness,Las Vegas Sun

54 pictures and captions,
do you have the time?

http://www.homeless.org.au/pictures/

Mom's Comments: "Educating the community" MUST also include educating Metro and City Marshals, and encouraging them to use alternatives other than enforcement action as a response to homelessness.

All harassment and verbal abuse toward homeless individuals must cease. Citations, arresting, or threatening with arrest, homeless persons for innocent conduct which NO non-homeless person would be arrested for must cease immediately if we (the community) want to END homelessness. These actions include sitting, eating, sleeping or otherwise innocently being on public property, including city sidewalks. The revolving door of incarceration only perpetuates homelessness.

For the benefit of the homeless and the community as a whole, everyone must have the opportunity to learn about the causes of homelessness. This education and awareness must start at the top with our mayor, sheriff, and judges. For the mayor, sheriff, and judges this education should be mandatory. This would benefit the community.

Although the love of all humanity should be more important than MONEY, focusing on the symptoms of homelessness costs taxpayers more than addressing the root causes of homelessness.

Homelessness is not a crime. Allowing local laws that "criminalize" homelessness IS a crime-- or should be a crime.

Whether for monetary reasons or humanity reasons, we must work to help the homeless and needy obtain SAFE, affordable permanent housing; quality medical care; job training, and jobs that pay a living wage.

EVERY human being deserves this. One person, one day at a time.



Homeless plan shifts to awareness

By Timothy Pratt, Las Vegas Sun

HOMELESS advocate Gail Sacco, left, serves meals to homeless at Huntridge Circle Park on Maryland Parkway near Charleston Boulevard Wednesday January 11, 2006. Sacco began bringing meals to the park once a week in June of 2005 but now brings meals every day, she said.

Photo Credit: Steve Marcus

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/lv-other_cut/2006/jan/28/c00006506.html

A regional committee has approved a stripped-down proposal to use advertising for helping the homeless, 16 months after the plan was first pitched.

The idea is to work with Brown & Partners, a local ad agency volunteering its time, on a campaign that will "educate the community" about who the homeless are, why it is important to help them and what they need to get off the street, said Shannon West, regional homeless services coordinator.

The campaign does not exist yet. The next step is to form a small group that will develop it, West said.

The regional committee, composed of administrators from local governments and representatives from private groups and Metro Police, voted for the plan Jan. 19...

For the full story:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/lv-other/2006/jan/28/520039203.html

Timothy Pratt can be reached at 259-8828 or at timothy@lasvegassun.com