As a student majoring in anthropology and Latin American studies, it’s a real possibility I might one day be living in a van down by the river. All jokes aside, homelessness is a major issue our city faces every day. According to the non-profit Porchlight, more than 3,500 people experience homelessness in Madison per year. It’s not an invisible problem, either: Every time we buy a copy of Street Pulse or hear the man that stands next to Jimmy Johns singing hallelujah, we’re reminded of the great inequity dividing our city.
That’s the reason I was most angry when I read the Cap Times Grassroots column this week, which details the struggles the Daytime Resource homeless shelter is facing due to its own neighbors in the Tenney-Lapham area. Unfortunately, this article showcases the “not in my backyard” elitism that causes the divide in the first place.
The problems the homeless center has encountered are small-scale, despite serving 75-100 people per day. Sometimes people show up drunk, and center policy dictates they must be let in. As one might imagine from many people sharing a small space, there are some squabbles. There has been an increase in police calls from virtually none before the shelter opened to 31 calls for the center last month. But, as reported by the Cap Times, Madison Police Central District Capt. Carl Gloede admitted, “If a warming shelter was created in your neighborhood, with the population it serves, you would expect a change in activity.”
The neighborhood’s response to this influx of homeless people, however, has been disproportionate and discriminatory. As reported by the Cap Times, Richard Freihoefer, a representative for the Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood Association, said, “I can’t wait until it’s gone and we get a nice development over there. … I’d love to drive the bulldozer.” Freihoefer further characterized the homeless as “guys staggering around the neighborhood scaring people. These guys are not trying to change their lives.” Several other business owners have also called in complaints.
I would like to impart a lesson my grandmother always taught me: There, but for the grace of God, go I. In this fumbling economy, it’s not a far cry to think that anyone could go, within a relatively short period of time, from having job security to facing homelessness. Furthermore, who’s to say that any one of us wouldn’t turn to drinking or other substance abuse in a similar stressful situation? It’s one thing to dismiss someone’s life by saying they’re not trying to change. It’s entirely another to walk a mile in their shoes or attempt to help them get back on their feet.
Let’s look at the real issues here. Central Library, where the homeless used to warm up, has been de-funded and relocated to a smaller building. The basement of the State Capitol, another popular hang-out spot, is also closed. Porchlight is overflowing and not able to meet the needs of the community’s homeless. The Daytime Center itself is being heavily used, despite the fact that it lacks many amenities. All this points to the fact that homelessness is a big issue with extremely limited funding. Yet, what those not experiencing homelessness care about most is their property values and prospective developers.
“I hope this motivates the community to get their act together on community services,” said Ald. Bridget Maniaci, District 2, as reported by the Cap Times. She couldn’t be more right: The need for and use of the Daytime Center should be inspiring its neighbors to campaign for better support for the homeless. If they truly want the homeless away from their neighborhood, they should be helping them regain a place in society, not foisting them off on some other area. Until this happens, there will always be the man standing next to State Street Brats who says to me, “Smile, little lady. It’s a beautiful day. Spare some change”?
Taylor Nye ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in evolutionary human biology, archaeology and Latin American studies.
