Homelessness has been in the news a lot lately, but the phenomenon is not new. The poor have always been with us, but society’s accommodation changes. Let’s roughly categorize the homeless because they are certainly not all the same.
ONE: The vagabond, who prefers the freedom of not being tied to a location. Some have an income from a trust, entitlement or pension, others from odd jobs. In the past they might have gone west as trappers. Many were recruited, or conscripted. Some are loners and sleep where they can, often annoying the residents. Some couch surf, taking advantage of social connections. Eventually they get older or sicker and more burdensome. Some manage an air of respectability, but others support themselves criminally.
TWO: Parasites, they work the system to avoid work. A majority if you believe Fox.
THREE: The incompetent, they may have an emotional illness, low intelligence or a disability that makes them unemployable. We cannot ignore them and call ourselves civilized.
FOUR: The truly unfortunate, people who no fault of their own find themselves outdoors, broke and jobless. Many of us are just one uninsured illness or accident away. This group includes mothers with children. They may cherish remnants of former possessions. There are many subcategories, and one must remember each one is different and they are all human.
To improve the relationship between the homeless and the rest of us we need to understand their world and how it differs from ours. Most need, after food, a safe place to sleep, although it might not meet our definition. As a society we would rather that not be the park, a doorway or front yard. The safe place needs to include a secure place for their belongings so they do not have to carry them about. It is in society’s interest for them to have access to clean water and sanitation. Open defecation is not acceptable.
We all agree that they should, if possible, become employed. For that to happen they need to be employable, which means clean and reasonably sober. One hundred percent drug-free is not a viable standard. How many of us could pass that test? Clean is not too hard, but sober is more of a challenge that may require counselling. Counselling is easier if you know where they are. They need to be reachable, an address and phone number, preferably a direct phone number, not just a message center. An employer offering entry level work is offering it right now, not next month; they need access to transportation.
Providing low-cost but safe sanitary housing for the homeless is not just a bleeding-heart giveaway entitlement, it makes good fiscal sense. It does not have to be expensive. A trailer 8 feet by 20 feet with utilities can accommodate all basic needs for a small family. The object is to get them back on their feet, employed and contributing, but leave an incentive to improve. Children need school so they will not be the next generation of hopeless. I believe Bill Gates determined that a dollar spent on pre-K education saves $45 in the long run. The savings from pre-K health care are probably even greater.
Well-paying low-skill jobs are being replaced with machines, but there are low-skill public works jobs that need to be done and mostly are not. Something like the Civilian Conservation Corps could help some homeless gain self-respect and learn good work habits while improving our public spaces. Jail seldom improves things.
In past centuries many employers considered workers something like beasts of burden to be worked hard and discarded. The future requires superior human beings that in turn require nurturing to develop the abilities that will be needed. Opening our hearts to the unfortunate is not just the compassionate thing to do it’s in our collective best interest.
Sunday is Christmas Eve, enjoy; share if you can.
Ken Obenski is a forensic engineer, now safety and freedom advocate in South Kona. He writes a biweekly column for West Hawaii Today. Email obenskik@gmail.com.
