|
REGULAR MEETING November 13, 2017
<br /> believe that's positioning us to make leaps forward in how we address the issue. But we can't
<br /> wait until next year, and that's why the City is again supporting Project Warm, which will
<br /> become available in December, as well as partnering with life treatment centers and the Center
<br /> for the Homeless, who are already operating weather amnesty programs—and we still have the
<br /> issue of the encampment. The City's policy is that no one (1) should be spending the night at this
<br /> location, and, in particular, it's not safe and it's not lawful to have beds,tents, pallets, anything
<br /> else that is permanent in the public right-of-way. The City has a responsibility to look after
<br /> safety requirements in that right-of-way. The main concern, though, is that encampments are not
<br /> good for the people that are in them. There is a lot of evidence that encampments lead to
<br /> increased disease, violence, crime, abuse, and victimization of the chronically homeless. So, as a
<br /> city, we're particularly concerned about efforts to distribute materials that have the effect of
<br /> encouraging people to remain in the encampment. I am sure that these efforts are well-
<br /> intentioned, but we need to be very careful about anything that might send the message that an
<br /> encampment is a good place to be, because that could be contributing to the victimization of the
<br /> chronically homeless. People respond to the signals that are sent their way, and not because
<br /> they're homeless but because they are people. As a community, we need to send the message that
<br /> everyone belongs under a roof, indoors, in a warm bed. We need to guide people in these
<br /> circumstances toward warm shelter and treatment for their issues, and avoid anything that signals
<br /> to any human being that where they belong is under a bridge.
<br /> Mayor Buttigieg continued, So, in the medium term, we think the framework we've laid out in
<br /> the working group report is going to make a major difference. In the short term, we have to rely
<br /> on a balance of practical resources, compassionate care, and the enforcement required for health
<br /> and safety needs. Our intention is not to be punitive—our focus is on the safety of all concerned.
<br /> I spent some time under the bridge, this morning, trying to get to know the situation, talking to
<br /> some of the individuals who were concerned. They're not bad people. These are people who are
<br /> in a very bad situation. And, again, for a number of different reasons, and there's probably as
<br /> many different reasons as there are people—which was, by my estimation between fifteen(15)
<br /> and twenty(20)who actually spent the night there. Everyone's got their story, but a lot of them
<br /> had stories that had to do with them being unwilling or unable to take advantage of some of the
<br /> services that our community provides. The reality is that I don't have the right to drag somebody
<br /> into services they're not willing to accept. But the question that's before the City is, "Do they
<br /> have a right to refuse those services, and remain in a situation that may be posing a threat to them
<br /> as well as to others?" If these situations were easy to deal with, we would have fixed it a long
<br /> time ago. But, we're striking the best balance that we can to find a way to handle this
<br /> compassionately and safely. And, as we have in funding some of what we're already doing, we
<br /> are going to rely on Council support for continuing to guide the community forward in this area.
<br /> Mayor Buttigieg continued, I know a lot of people are here to discuss the issue, and I know the
<br /> Council has some important business to take care of—I've got a few things to take care of in my
<br /> office—but I'll make a point of being back here to listen. As we listen to any ideas in this
<br /> administration,the thing that will get our attention the most is anything that points to a
<br /> documented track record of delivering results—in this case, results meaning getting people
<br /> indoors and out of the cycle of chronic homelessness, so they can be better off.
<br /> Councilmember Oliver Davis asked Mayor Buttigieg if, for the public, he could elaborate on the
<br /> notice given by the City for the homeless to vacate the encampment under the bridge within
<br /> forty-eight(48)hours. Additionally, Councilmember Davis asked Mayor Buttigieg if he could
<br /> list the criteria for eligibility for the Fuse Project.
<br /> Mayor Buttigieg responded that the City was effectively citing itself, as the City's right-of-way
<br /> has become a public nuisance for the City itself, and thus Indiana State laws of public safety.
<br /> Regarding the second question, Mayor Buttigieg explained that admission is based on need, and
<br /> things like alcohol and drug screenings are not part of the admissions process. Mayor Buttigieg
<br /> encouraged the public to consult the working group report for more details.
<br /> Councilmember Davis asked if the part of the report specifically pertaining to admissions
<br /> requirements for Project Fuse could be highlighted for easier accessibility for the public.
<br /> 3
<br />
|