Some say Metro hasn't done enough to help homeless - WSMV Channel 4
Member Center:
Advocates for the Nashville homeless community handed a pink slip to members of the Metropolitan Homelessness Commission at their public meeting Friday.
They said the commission has failed in its 10-year plan to end homelessness, as hundreds more have turned to Nashville's streets in recent years.
In the most recent survey Metro officials found there are more than 2,300 people living on the streets in Nashville.
In 2006, former mayor Bill Purcell created a task force to end homelessness in the city, and a commission was created and charged with completing a list of goals within 10 years.
"We want to let this commission know we have your pink slip. You're fired," Howard Allen said.
Now, the homeless community has made a big statement to city leaders.
Advocates like Allen told commissioners that, in the eyes of the homeless, they're fired.
"It needs to start all over with new ideas and new people. It started that they were meeting every month, but now they meet every other month," Allen said.
The commission set out to provide case managers that would help homeless individuals with mental disabilities and addiction to drugs and alcohol so they could eventually get jobs. But, in six years, only 95 people have seen caseworkers.
Metro's goal was to place 2,000 homeless people into housing by the year 2015. But it's been six years, and they've only been able to place 500 people.
"Whether we'll get to 2,000 or not is a question mark," said Commission Chairman Erik Cole.
Cole said the group has run into a series of problems. The commission's fundraising arm has only been able to raise about $100,000, they are already without a director and, Friday, Cole stepped down as chair.
"The funding levels have increased, and the city has been very good to the commission. It's a difficult population, and it's a hard job, but we're certainly not falling apart," Cole said.
But advocates for the homeless don't buy it. And the folks noticing the growing problem are looking to the city for an answer, too.
Channel 4 News asked if the commission will continue to operate after the year 2015. Cole said that will be up to Metro leaders and the commission to decide at a later time.
Copyright WSMV 2012 (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
 | 
|
