Mike Hupka’s recent letter to the editor regarding homelessness in Boulder promoted a number of myths that bear rebuttal. Myth one: “For the vast majority of these people, and particularly the long-term homeless, theirs is a life choice.” While for a few, homelessness may be a chosen lifestyle, most of the homeless I have encountered would prefer to be housed. The Shelter’s Housing First program has demonstrated this point for the past four years. In partnership with Boulder Housing Partners, the Shelter now houses 26 formerly chronically homeless individuals in permanent scattered-site housing. They all continue to prefer to stay housed. Myth two: “The reason there is such a prevalent homeless situation in Boulder County I believe, results from the generosity of the county residents.” It is interesting to me that when I talk to my shelter colleagues in Denver, and in other parts of the country, they hear the exact same argument. We can’t all be attracting the homeless to our home towns. Generosity is not the cause of homelessness. Look to mental illness, physical disability, addictions, domestic violence and poverty for more realistic sources. Myth three: “However, there should be a limit to the taxpayer’s generosity for those who choose their life style and take no initiative to change.” There is a common misconception that the City or Boulder County run the homeless shelter and other services agencies that serve the poor. The Boulder Shelter, as well as our sister agencies, are private nonprofits that receive the majority of our funding from private, nongovernmental sources. There are several other statements in Mr. Hupka’s letter that I do not have the space to refute. However, I will close with a favorite quote from Samuel Johnson: “A decent provision for the poor is the true test of civilization.”
Greg Harms
Executive Director, Boulder Shelter for the Homeless
Boulder
Oh Mr. Harms. I agree with almost everything in your letter but why do you have to over state your case?
“The Boulder Shelter, as well as our sister agencies, are private nonprofits that receive the majority of our funding from private, nongovernmental sources.” I will take your word for the majority of your funds but frankly your organization receives substantial amount of money from the City Government including a recent payment of $75,000. What your organization gives to the public return is little information. Who stays at the shelter? Where do they come from? How long do they stay there? How many are criminals awaiting trial or on parole or have been released early from prison or for that matter are being actively sought by the police? You won’t tell the public. Or if you are willing to make such information public, the Daily Camera does not publish it.
“for a few, homelessness may be a chosen lifestyle, most of the homeless I have encountered would prefer to be housed. “ Yes I am sure that is true. But your operation aides and abets those few (and if you know how many these few are you aren’t telling the public) who have chosen to be permanently homeless. Even if they rarely stay at the shelter, you feed them, store their belongings, get their mail for them and provide many other services. Without these services, these permanent “life style “ homeless would not be able to indulge themselves this way.
"they would prefer to be housed" greg says
and they would prefer
and they would prefer
and they would prefer
and wouldn't we all PREFER free housing, free money, free food
no more going to work, no more paying tax to support people who won't work, and, and, and
We face the real problems in this city and in this country
Hard, exhausting fu*king labor, chump change wage, exorbitant taxes out of that paltry wage, trying to make ends meet everyday, supporting a bunch of worthless bums in government, and paying for these people like greg harms, joy eckstine and the lot of them screwing us and our city with their phoney drivel
we pay for their welfare, we pay for the HUD grants for their housing, we pay county property taxes which goes to the bum population— which all is in the millions, Greg Harms– and, if they were not enabled by you and eckstine, and if there was just a little intelligent planning— the whole "homeless" (aka career freeloaders and deadbeats) problem could be quite easily taken care of.
Don't tell any big stories about the money and where it comes from– we're getting stiffed, pal.
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Thanks i love your article about Greg Harms: Debunking myths about the homeless | Daily Camera: Letters to the Editor
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