As tragic as this result is, unfortunately, it is not a surprise. We have been afraid for several weeks that an increase in homelessness would be the outcome of the Bush transitional housing program. This is simply the logical consequence of a flawed program design and an inept program implementation. |
If you don't have the resources, getting housing relocation assistance has proven to be problematic. |
It's scandalous. Congress should have hearings about the lack of information that's available. |
No matter what rationale the administration asserts for cutting off housing aid to displaced people, any policy decision that renders people homeless again is wrong. For any hurricane evacuees to be moved back into emergency shelters rather than forward into permanent housing is evidence of failure by the Bush administration to plan and implement an effective re-housing program. |
People wait years for housing assistance. They should not be delayed because somebody else is getting their money. |
The consequences are most dire for those least able to compete. Once somebody with a family loses housing and is living in a shelter, their ability to regain a foothold is much harder. |
The disparity between what people earn and what even modest rental housing costs grows larger each year. This is the housing market in which millions of low-wage workers and elderly or disabled people must try to find safe and decent homes. |
They actually have to pay attention to it. |
They are the poorest folks ... and they are the ones who are going to be left with nothing. It's going to show up at homeless shelters this winter. |
This nightmare has gone on long enough. We once again call upon President Bush to make good on his promises to the people of the Gulf. This is a national crisis and requires strong national leadership to assure that all displaced people are safely re-housed as soon as possible. They should not have to endure more trauma - most especially at the hands of their federal government. |
Unless they have some serious plan for helping move people from hotels into apartments, other than putting up fliers . . . as of December 1, there's going to be a lot of homeless people. |
We seem to be in this new state of chaos. Nobody's on message, because everybody's got their own message. |