Harmony House, with help from the VA Medical Center and volunteers, conducted a Point-in-Time Homeless Count on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019, in Huntington.
Harmony House, with help from the VA Medical Center and volunteers, conducted a Point-in-Time Homeless Count on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019, in Huntington.
For a community to have large numbers of such homeless, unsheltered and unhoused people Ƶ and ƵlargeƵ is a relative term that is difficult to define in this case Ƶ can be a problem. ItƵs one that Huntington has faced for years, and it has emerged as an issue in the upcoming city election, particularly for mayor.
Three people are on the ballot in the Nov. 5 general election: Democratic candidate Jennifer Wheeler, Republican candidate Patrick Farrell and independent candidate Jay Michaels. At a forum on the Marshall University campus Tuesday evening, they gave their thoughts how they would address the problem if they were elected.
The thing about the homelessness situation in Huntington is not so much that it is a problem to be solved as it is one to be managed. If there were a solution that eliminated homelessness under our system of self-government, surely it would have been found by now. Instead, communities must decide what strategies they would use to help people find a place to live indoors and to avoid becoming homeless in the first place. It would be to minimize the problem as opposed to eliminating it.
At TuesdayƵs forum, Farrell said, ƵItƵs not a crime to be homeless. We can move freely throughout this country. ItƵs our constitutional right.Ƶ He added, ƵBut it is a crime to do drugs, to deal drugs, to steal, to trespass, to commit arson, do indecent acts in public. All of those things are crimes. ... What people are really concerned about, theyƵre concerned about their property. TheyƵre concerned about their safety. And so thatƵs what the city can and should and will enforce when IƵm mayor, right, is to make sure that everyone in the city feels safe.Ƶ
Wheeler said her focus on the issue, specifically in the first 30 days, would be to continue and improve on the things the city is already doing to decrease homelessness by using the Ƶhousing firstƵ model, a homeless assistance approach that prioritizes providing permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness. Wheeler said itƵs a model that other cities and countries have seen success with.
In addition to tracking data, Ƶwe also need to continue to work with our community partners through the continuum of care and developing a strategic plan,Ƶ she said. ƵMany of the providers in this area have met and come up with a plan that will work community-wide. But it is something that is still in the works and we have to build upon that.Ƶ
Michaels, who grew up in Huntington and recently moved back, said he wants to bring experience he gleaned from living in big cities such as Los Angeles. He said he is both for and against clearing out tent encampments.
ƵIƵm into clearing the camps and doing whatƵs right, but you got to do it the right way,Ƶ he said.
On the surface, the three candidates offer similar plans for managing the problems of homeless, unsheltered and unhoused people in Huntington. Their tactics differ, so voters must decide which candidate can best balance the need to be compassionate toward homeless people while providing the services they need and dealing with those who engage in criminal activity.
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