Monday, December 12
The Business of Homelessness
"Caring for the poor and homeless has become a business in this generation. The poor and homeless who receive services are referred to as clients. Businesses that provide services to the homeless are not funded by the quality of service provided, they are funded by the number of clients served."
On any given day, over 20 thousand people are homeless across the State of Minnesota, according to a non-profit business that censuses such things.
The city of St. Paul recently announced a five-year plan to end chronic homelessness in the city. Included in the 131-million dollar plan (that’s $26,000,000 per year, or over $2,000,000 per month): $64,000,000 is for 920 new or existing ‘supportive housing units’ (about $70,000 per unit); $36,000,000 is for ‘rental assistance’ ($7,000,000 per year, or $600,000 per month); $31,000,000 goes to ‘supportive services’ not yet determined. Plus, another $11,000,000 will be, or has been, or is going to be set aside for one of the biggest faith-based charities in the country to build a 120-bed, single occupancy facility (that’s over $92,000 per bed). I think the facility is called a ‘wet-house’.
And, this is only Phase I of a five-year plan to end chronic homelessness, in only one city in Minnesota. Turn that into a ten-year plan, double the money to 260-some million bucks … Now, that’s a business!
Already, most, if not all agencies that provide ‘overnight shelter’ to the homeless get paid by the County or State to provide beds for the homeless. Agencies receive up to $40 per night per person, and that’s dorm-style sleeping with 10 or more beds per room. Where’s Motel 6 when you need them? I don’t know what kind of money the agency receives that shelters 250-plus men on floor mats each night. The men try to sleep while packed in one large room like sardines. They have to dodge the ‘crackers’ (crack smokers and dealers) and gang-bangers if they need to use the horrible bathroom facilities. The men are given floor mats because the agency can’t, or won’t, get the license required if the men are given beds.
Already, agencies that operate detox facilities get paid by the County or State to provide services to the inebriated. If you are homeless and stay in detox, you’ll never see a bill for your visit. If you are blue collar and stay in detox, you will be billed thousands of dollars for a three-day stay, and you will be sued in small claims court if you or your insurance doesn’t pay the bill. Some homeless people use detox as a shower/laundry facility. Some even brag of staying in detox over 200 times in a one-year period. The problem got so expensive, the County started a program that paid chronic detox users (homeless alcoholics) to stay out of detox. A chronic detox user could get over $200 per month to stay away. Wonder what the chronic detox user does with that kind of money?
Already, a large non-profit agency operates at least one ‘wet house’ in Minneapolis, a facility where chronic alcoholics, mostly homeless, are provided a room, three meals a day, and some security. I understand that residents have to be receiving Social Security Income (federal welfare). The agency receives the resident’s monthly SSI benefits, and then gives the individual back a stipend (under $50) for personal expenses. Plus, the agency receives other State and county funding to supplement the costs of doing business.
Most agencies that provide services to the homeless are non-profits that spend a big part of their annual budgets on administration, and to solicit your tax-deductible contributions that enable them to continue in business. The holidays are the time of year most agencies kick off these ‘capital campaigns’, and they advertise using black and white photos of toothless, homeless men in an attempt to guilt you out of your spare change.
The ding-a-ling agencies this holiday season are supposed to be a Harbor in the storm of life. They are already paid by State, County and Federal governments to conduct the business of homelessness. Then, they hire the homeless at minimum wage to stand out in the cold to solicit more funds (one lousy job!) so they can operate throughout the rest of the year. The agencies receive surplus cold weather gear from the military, and then sell the gear back to the homeless so they are able to stand out in the cold to solicit contributions. If the homeless use the agencies' facilities to sleep at night, I think they are charged for their bed.
Don’t kid yourself. Providing services to the homeless has become a business; for some service providers, it is BIG business.
If there are over 20,000 people homeless in Minnesota on any given night, I wonder how many people are providing services to the homeless on any given day. Doubt if any group censuses that information. That wouldn’t be good for business.
Kelly
¶ 9:00 PM
"Caring for the poor and homeless has become a business in this generation. The poor and homeless who receive services are referred to as clients. Businesses that provide services to the homeless are not funded by the quality of service provided, they are funded by the number of clients served."
On any given day, over 20 thousand people are homeless across the State of Minnesota, according to a non-profit business that censuses such things.
The city of St. Paul recently announced a five-year plan to end chronic homelessness in the city. Included in the 131-million dollar plan (that’s $26,000,000 per year, or over $2,000,000 per month): $64,000,000 is for 920 new or existing ‘supportive housing units’ (about $70,000 per unit); $36,000,000 is for ‘rental assistance’ ($7,000,000 per year, or $600,000 per month); $31,000,000 goes to ‘supportive services’ not yet determined. Plus, another $11,000,000 will be, or has been, or is going to be set aside for one of the biggest faith-based charities in the country to build a 120-bed, single occupancy facility (that’s over $92,000 per bed). I think the facility is called a ‘wet-house’.
And, this is only Phase I of a five-year plan to end chronic homelessness, in only one city in Minnesota. Turn that into a ten-year plan, double the money to 260-some million bucks … Now, that’s a business!
Already, most, if not all agencies that provide ‘overnight shelter’ to the homeless get paid by the County or State to provide beds for the homeless. Agencies receive up to $40 per night per person, and that’s dorm-style sleeping with 10 or more beds per room. Where’s Motel 6 when you need them? I don’t know what kind of money the agency receives that shelters 250-plus men on floor mats each night. The men try to sleep while packed in one large room like sardines. They have to dodge the ‘crackers’ (crack smokers and dealers) and gang-bangers if they need to use the horrible bathroom facilities. The men are given floor mats because the agency can’t, or won’t, get the license required if the men are given beds.
Already, agencies that operate detox facilities get paid by the County or State to provide services to the inebriated. If you are homeless and stay in detox, you’ll never see a bill for your visit. If you are blue collar and stay in detox, you will be billed thousands of dollars for a three-day stay, and you will be sued in small claims court if you or your insurance doesn’t pay the bill. Some homeless people use detox as a shower/laundry facility. Some even brag of staying in detox over 200 times in a one-year period. The problem got so expensive, the County started a program that paid chronic detox users (homeless alcoholics) to stay out of detox. A chronic detox user could get over $200 per month to stay away. Wonder what the chronic detox user does with that kind of money?
Already, a large non-profit agency operates at least one ‘wet house’ in Minneapolis, a facility where chronic alcoholics, mostly homeless, are provided a room, three meals a day, and some security. I understand that residents have to be receiving Social Security Income (federal welfare). The agency receives the resident’s monthly SSI benefits, and then gives the individual back a stipend (under $50) for personal expenses. Plus, the agency receives other State and county funding to supplement the costs of doing business.
Most agencies that provide services to the homeless are non-profits that spend a big part of their annual budgets on administration, and to solicit your tax-deductible contributions that enable them to continue in business. The holidays are the time of year most agencies kick off these ‘capital campaigns’, and they advertise using black and white photos of toothless, homeless men in an attempt to guilt you out of your spare change.
The ding-a-ling agencies this holiday season are supposed to be a Harbor in the storm of life. They are already paid by State, County and Federal governments to conduct the business of homelessness. Then, they hire the homeless at minimum wage to stand out in the cold to solicit more funds (one lousy job!) so they can operate throughout the rest of the year. The agencies receive surplus cold weather gear from the military, and then sell the gear back to the homeless so they are able to stand out in the cold to solicit contributions. If the homeless use the agencies' facilities to sleep at night, I think they are charged for their bed.
Don’t kid yourself. Providing services to the homeless has become a business; for some service providers, it is BIG business.
If there are over 20,000 people homeless in Minnesota on any given night, I wonder how many people are providing services to the homeless on any given day. Doubt if any group censuses that information. That wouldn’t be good for business.
Kelly
¶ 9:00 PM
