Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.wpost From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Suing for Shelter= Date: Thu, 26 Nov 92 10:44:02 EST Message-ID: <7.1992Nov26.104402@AmeriCast.com> Lines: 54 Suing for Shelter= IN RECENT DAYS, judges in two of the country's largest cities have expressed exasperation with a local failure to cope with the homeless and have issued orders that are unusual but flawed. The problem is tougher than anything that can be solved by a judge, and it intensifies as winter nears. Advocates in Miami filed suit four years ago seeking to stop the city from harassing and arresting homeless people for cooking and sleeping in public places. Their clients, they argued, had no choice but to engage in these activities in public because they lacked shelter of any kind. U.S. District Court Judge C. Clyde Atkins agreed, ruling last week that the city had violated their constitutional rights. He ordered the city to establish two "safe zones" where the homeless could eat, sleep, bathe and cook without being arrested. But it is a strangely limited ruling, recognizing a right and then geographically limiting its exer- cise, and while the plaintiffs' lawyers were pleased with the order, not everyone was. The city will appeal the limitation on its right to enforce ordinances. National advocates for the home- less believe the solution must be far broader. In New York, State Supreme Court Judge Helen Freedman, who has been presiding over a homeless case against the city for seven years, is fed up. The city's shelter system already houses 5,400 homeless families, but the pressure is so great that every night about 150 families crowd into Human Resources Administration of- fices around the city where they are allowed to sleep on couches, chairs and the floor. Last Friday, Judge Freedman threatened city officials with contempt if they fail to remedy the situation within 30 days. In that event, the first deputy mayor, commis- sioner of the HRA, deputy commissioner for crisis intervention and the assistant to the deputy mayor must spend the night in those offices with the homeless. The order has been criticized as a "judicial publicity stunt," but it is probably better seen as a scream of frustration from a judge whose sustained efforts don't seem to have made much of a difference. The long-term answer is not to allow sleeping in designated pub- lic spaces or to humiliate overwhelmed government officials. There must be local and federal commitment to a goal of eliminat- ing homelessness by devoting resources to housing and social ser- vices. A solution will require immense effort. Unfortunately, it can't be done by court order. 02:07 11-26C9999----- Copyright 1992, The Washington Post. This story is from the Washington Post's Capitol Edition On-Line and is not to be ar- chived or redistributed. For more information, send-email to American Cybercasting Cor- poration (usa@AmeriCast.COM)