End Vagrancy Now !
The Fort Lauderdale City Commission might be about to make a big mistake.
The Commission is reacting to pressure from the powerful Downtown Development Authority to solve the age old problem of vagrancy. But this time around, it might be at the expense of a nearby neighborhood. The Authority is rightfully tired of losing business and image due to chronic vagrants, and wants the vagrancy problem gone - kaput - nada - out a here ! So the Commission is looking at kicking the can down the road a piece.
My advice? ....... Don't do it !!
The idea on the table is to lease a building somewhere out of the downtown core and put out word that chow is on !..... Sure, that will alleviate the problem downtown, but it will just move it on! And of course no neighborhood wants this problem. Life is hard enough without the government stepping in to help!
Victoria Park is the latest neighborhood up at bat, and predictably, they are screaming foul! ..... Their opposition leader, Charles King , says to move the problem to a "worthless" building out in Commissioner Dubose's district ...( Yes, he actually said that!)
Guess what? ..... If you build it anywhere, even more troubled souls will find their way to Fort Lauderdale !!
they will come !
Before the responsibly run Homeless Assistance Center was built on Sunrise Blvd.across from the South Middle River Civic Association in the late 1990's, the City housed all homeless, including the chronically vagrant folks, in a big tent downtown. It was a total mess.
Truth is, we shouldn't tolerate inhumane conditions in our City, period. Leaving people out to sleep in doorways and the bushes is wrong, just plain wrong. We need to take them in, help them with the issues that made them homeless to start with, get them back in the mainstream.
We need to insist on it. And if they don't want to be taken in, don't want our help, ...... my opinion? ...... help them find another town.
The Commission is reacting to pressure from the powerful Downtown Development Authority to solve the age old problem of vagrancy. But this time around, it might be at the expense of a nearby neighborhood. The Authority is rightfully tired of losing business and image due to chronic vagrants, and wants the vagrancy problem gone - kaput - nada - out a here ! So the Commission is looking at kicking the can down the road a piece.
My advice? ....... Don't do it !!
The idea on the table is to lease a building somewhere out of the downtown core and put out word that chow is on !..... Sure, that will alleviate the problem downtown, but it will just move it on! And of course no neighborhood wants this problem. Life is hard enough without the government stepping in to help!
Victoria Park is the latest neighborhood up at bat, and predictably, they are screaming foul! ..... Their opposition leader, Charles King , says to move the problem to a "worthless" building out in Commissioner Dubose's district ...( Yes, he actually said that!)
Guess what? ..... If you build it anywhere, even more troubled souls will find their way to Fort Lauderdale !!
they will come !
Before the responsibly run Homeless Assistance Center was built on Sunrise Blvd.across from the South Middle River Civic Association in the late 1990's, the City housed all homeless, including the chronically vagrant folks, in a big tent downtown. It was a total mess.
Truth is, we shouldn't tolerate inhumane conditions in our City, period. Leaving people out to sleep in doorways and the bushes is wrong, just plain wrong. We need to take them in, help them with the issues that made them homeless to start with, get them back in the mainstream.
We need to insist on it. And if they don't want to be taken in, don't want our help, ...... my opinion? ...... help them find another town.
Wow! Charlotte Rodstrom has really aged since that photo of the Commission was taken!
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AMEN ! Tim you have learned from history & experience. Each item that you suggest comes from the knowledge that this community has learned the HARD way for this problem. Why do we keep making the same mistakes over & over again? "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
I hope that the Commissions listens to the Homeless Center for soultions.
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The County must be the lead on this Issue we cannot afford taking this on alone Mayor Seiler needs to demand that the County Commission address this problem downtown
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I don't know exactly where the building they're speaking of is, but I do know Victoria Park is mostly residential, and close to downtown. They will pick up whats free there and still go back to downtown to beg.
The problem is we already give them too much help. We pay for their drugs and thats all they care about. Lets start arresting them for breaking the law ex. public intoxication, etc.
If we didn't allow people selling drugs on the street and to be cracked out in public they wouldn't stick around.
There are enough programs for them to get help if they want it, we don't need to spend anymore on them. I'd rather spend the money on more LE to get them off the streets for the above mentioned.
Only program I'd support is the one some areas off that will purchase people 1 way tickets to go home or somewhere.
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Send them to Mexico........they have plenty of room there. It is a shame that this beautiful City is inundated with dysfunctional groups of people, like drug dealers and users, homeless vagrants begging and illegal immigrants. We already fund way too many assistance programs that are being pillaged by undeserving recipients. It is time for people to learn that they can't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands......sometimes you have to throw something back.
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vagrants and other refuse must be removed from the streets and disposed of in the most expedient manner. Incineration or compacting is usually quite effective.Disposal in a wood chipper also makes good mulch. Might save the towns money on fertilizer for their parks.
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If Savannah can do it why can't we?
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I saw the address published in the Sun-Sentinel of the favored site and drove there to see exactly where it was located. My God, it is actually just across Federal Highway from the entrance to Holiday Park and the War Memorial Auditorium (thus, Victoria Park). I do believe the mayor and city commisson members have lost theit minds!
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If people like you who have experience and common sense solutions, would grab the political positions where the power is by the throat, throw PC aside, these problems can be solved.All it takes is a thick skin and COURAGE!
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I know a great park just off of Dixie Hwy and just north of 13th Street that would be a good spot for them. Just kidding Tim.
Just open the jail back up and start arresting them. As it is now, BSO just turns them loose as soon as they are dropped off there and it turns into a big waste of time for the cops. Re-Open the City Jail and have them start spending some time there and bring back the prisoner work crews to clean up around the city. It's a two-fer (at leasst)!
But alas, reality.... . Howard Finklestein and the rest of the bleeding hearts have made it next to impossible to effectively deal with the problem.
Elections have consequenses.
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WHY NOT SEND THEM TO THE POLICE ACADEMY AND USE THEM FOR TARGET PRACTICE? WHEN THEY ARE ALL GONE, START ON CONGRESS....AND WORK YOUR WAY UP...........
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Why don't we just pay them to leave town? How much are we going to spend dealing with this? Just give them a few $100 and put them on the train to Miami.
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