Homeless Advocates to County: "Shame on You"

[The Straight Story]

Homeless Advocates to County: "Shame on You"

SACRAMENTO, CA - Advocates for Sacramento County's homeless are speaking out against proposed budget cuts that could eliminate hundreds of beds for homeless people.

On June 30, 200 beds at Cal Expo are slated to be pulled. They are beds normally kept open only in winter, but they were kept open longer this year to house people that used to live in Sacramento's so-called "Tent City" - an illegal homeless encampment along the American River. Keeping the beds available was part of a short-term emergency plan to deal with the people from Tent City, and local homeless advocates say there's no longer-term plan in place.

"Where do people go? They park in neighborhoods. They sleep behind dumpsters. They sleep in doorways. It impacts businesses. It's a negative effect for everybody," said Leo McFarland of Volunteers of America.

His organization helps run other shelters in Sacramento, which may also have to remove beds because of budget cuts.

"We are not vapor," said Connie Hobson, who has spent time in shelters. "We cannot vanish and disappear at night and come back in the daytime. It's not going to work."

http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=60024&catid=2

[Fresh_Start]

1. Demand beds in the homes of the lawmakers who beleive

private charity is enough.

[DBoon]

2. maybe some no-tax-increase republicans could house them?

You know, the same folks who think a higher vehicle registration fee is an ungodly injustice.

[mdmc]

3. .

.