Saturday, March 18

Homeless News Blackout


There has been no local media coverage about the homeless for several weeks. Compare that to late last year ... news, usually bad, about the homeless appeared almost daily. What's going on?

A casual and astute observer would probably have been alarmed by the influx of new homeless from the mainland empire as well as new local homeless. The situation is totally out of control. So out of control that a media blackout was established to keep the general public "in the dark."

The authorities have run out of solutions, not that any current solution was viable. There's not enough homeless shelter space. The affordable housing placement program is a sad joke. Most affordable housing for the homeless will only be affordable during the one-year term of Aloha United Way subsidies. Then, back on the streets. Placement numbers are so low anyway, essentially producing no effect on the rising number of homeless.

The authorities have been left with only one option: sweeps. The semi-permanent homeless "camps" are the on-going target of the Draconian measure. The rationale is to force the homeless to become "invisible" by making them urban nomads. As long as the homeless are on the move during daylight hours and sleep in some bushes at night, the problem is solved. Or is it?

In town, there are so many homeless walking around or loitering that they cannot be considered inconspicuous or "invisible." The homeless are everywhere. Soon there be more homeless than anyone else. Then, what will the authorities do?

Addendum: New empire budget proposed by "Donald" will end up sacrificing homeless shelter and affordable housing funding along with other programs serving the poor, the destitute, and senior citizens.

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