Homeless in Turlock There has been a bit of a row over the homeless population in downtown Turlock. Some residents and business owners are upset with plans to turn the We Care Homeless Shelter into a more permanent year-round operation. It is reasoned that making the 400 B Street shelter permanent will only attract more homeless people to the area. A few vocal citizens are even saying we ought to be doing whatever we can to run these people out of town! There is an unfortunate polarization taking place on this issue -- and a harsh tone to the conversation. The frustration is understandable. People are looking for something tangible to blame. It's no fun having to clean-up after people who use the entry to your business as a toilet or who sneak into your yard and sleep in the bushes under your front window. And of course, no one really wants a homeless shelter in THEIR backyard. But the reality of the situation is that we need to provide shelter services somewhere. The fact is that even before the shelter was there the homeless population downtown was growing. Lest we forget, the shelter, a city-community-church collaboration, was a response to the problem. It currently operates only during the cold weather months. And it is not the shelter itself that draws people to the city. The homeless population doesn't seem to decline once the shelter closes during the warm weather months. And there is no evidence (just conjecture) that the homeless population increases when the shelter is open. Homelessness is complex and blaming it on the shelter is unfair. Homelessness on a whole -- in all communities -- is on the rise. This isn't just a Turlock issue. People don't come here because we have a few warm dry beds on cold wet nights. It is true that a large contingent of the homeless population drifts from town to town -- but they don't pick a town because of a Spartan program which provides a shelter and perhaps a few meals. They just end up here. And it's not just a downtown issue. Our church building is on the northside of town -- well away from downtown -- and I find drifters sleeping on our back patio there. I've had to clean-up after people who urinate in front of the doors or along the walls. That is the reality of life in 2006 -- in the cities and the burbs. It is true, though, that the folks in the downtown area have more to deal with. One reason is that we've worked hard to make downtown an attractive place to hang-out. The community has done a fantastic job of revitalizing the Main Street area. It's well lit, there are places to sit (and sleep), and the landscaping makes it a pleasant place to be. It is a magnet for people -- homeless and otherwise. If you were homeless and looking for a place to spend your time wouldn't that be attractive to you, too? In a sense, we've been the victims of our own success -- the law of unintended consequences. The fact is that the absence of a shelter will only create additional problems -- with more people on the streets or setting up encampments in empty lots. We need to move forward with the construction of the permanent facility. But we also need to hear what the downtown residents and business owners are saying. They need additional policing in their area. We need to make it clear as to what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior. No hanging around buildings. No going in people's yards. And certainly, no using buildings and trees as toilets. Maybe we need to be playing a loop of George Antheil's La Femme 100 tetes over the Main Street speakers throughout the night. :-) It would also be helpful to have more outreach workers on the street -- gently encouraging and equipping those who can make the transition back toward a more responsible lifestyle. There are mental health and addiction issues that need to be dealt with. Kudos to those who are already at it -- the Salvation Army, the United Samaritans, the small contingent which holds Bible studies and serves sandwiches in the park, all the churches which provide meals at the shelter... Turlock does care. But sometimes we get fatigued -- especially when we feel that people are disrespectful and ungrateful. It is no wonder that the Apostle Paul has to remind the church in Thessolonica, which had a great reputation for health and generosity, "Don't grow weary in doing good." (2 Thessalonians 3:13) Even the most generous people can get tired. Unfortunately, no matter what we do homelessness isn't going to go away. But it doesn't have to become an all consuming issue, either. We can learn from other communities which have had successes. Long Beach, Modesto, Sacramento, Santa Ana, and Phoenix have developed some creative collaborations. This is not a unique issue for Turlock. And it doesn't just belong to the downtown residents and business people. This is something which needs our attention -- regardless of where we live or work.