By Charles Springer
So, Mr. Bush has finally looked at the streets of America to see the mess his corporate buddies and neo-conservative office-holders have created.
He is supposedly putting into motion a 10-year plan to end homelessness in America. I wonder if he is going to ask the top percentage of Americans he gave tax breaks to for help.
Meanwhile here in Santa Monica, the mayor is going to put his own plan into action to end homelessness. I hope he looks at some key points in this situation — such as the fact that for years the homeless agencies have operated without any type of outside watchdog groups to ensure people are not mishandled and to bring complaints to light when a guest of the shelters have them.
This watchdog agency should include homeless, former homeless, as well as representatives from all segments of Santa Monica, and not be affiliated to any special interest group. This watchdog group would also have access to the financial books to watch for those who abuse the system for their own gain.
I have seen this many times. As an example, on Skid Row there was a woman arrested for selling section-eight vouchers to her friends while the homeless people waited.
The homeless commission should be reinstated to give advice and help to form a short and long term plan to make this a reality. And, again, there should be homeless and former homeless who have managed to get off the streets to help in forming this plan. We as homeless and former homeless have the experience to help and know what needs to be done to enact such a plan.
Then there is the problem of the funding and how it should be spent. The first thing I know to be true is that for every dollar spent, only about 3 to 5 cents winds up going to the homeless. The rest is eaten up in administrative costs.
I suggest these agencies use mostly volunteers and interns for the grunt work, as well as a cap on the upper levels of pay — even pay reduction for the top level. This will help separate the ones who truly want to help from those who would just take the job for the high paycheck.
And all donations should be watched to ensure the workers do not take their “share” of the good things and leave the undesirable things to the homeless. I have also witnessed this in my years for homelessness.
Now to the biggest problem: accountability.
I have written in a few columns about how I was unduly asked to leave two homeless shelters. This is one of the biggest problems I see within the shelter system.
For example, I was put on the street for not reporting my chore for times in the space of two months. I was working and going to church and A.A. meetings as required. Two of the times I failed to report the chore, the attendant was standing right there when I had finished. This was after my returning from Chicago to bury my father.
Another instance in Samoshel, I was given a bad report and no way to dispute it to anyone outside the agency. The attendant’s word is taken over the guest whether this attendant is right or wrong, as was the case in the incident at Samoshel. To this day the former executive director stands by the word of the attendant who asked me to leave even though the attendant was fired for drug abuse not long after.
This only leaves me to wonder how many others out here were similarly treated. It also shows me how hypocritical the shelters are. If I am attending a program that promotes honesty and accountability for one’s actions, why are these agencies not held accountable for their actions?
Is this the way we lead? Do as I say not as I do? Or is it that the ones who are in control of the agencies want to cover their butts at the expense of the homeless?
I say accountability first, then from there the learning process begins.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 23, 2003. Read the original PDF.