Less than a month ago, I had the opportunity to talk with some protesters who were camping on the front lawn of the Capitol building. Most of them were homeless families who had nowhere to go due to overcrowding at the family shelter.
One lady said, "Even if there was room for my family to stay at the shelter, I would not put my loved ones in such danger." She explained that the men's shelter has turned out to be a popular place for drug dealing and other illegal activities; since it is near the family shelter, that area has become unsafe for children.These families are not those who take wrongful advantage of government funds. One single mother used to be a legal secretary and was doing fine raising her family until her rent was raised. Not being able to find any affordable housing, she became homeless. Because she was homeless, she lost her job as a legal secretary.
Another woman, abandoned by the father of her child, was left to care for a brand-new baby on the streets. She cannot get a job because the child needs her care 24 hours a day. What are we to do with families in these situations? We could throw them into the family shelter for a few weeks, feed them once a week under the viaduct, or give them blankets with which to sleep at Pioneer Park. But are we doing this to solve the problem or to just keep them quiet?
Many single homeless mothers try to work to support their families, but their income is not enough to pay for housing, food and clothing. Low-income housing may not be the answer, but it could be a start. We need to take action to eliminate the repetition of such desperate circumstances.
Amanda Black
Salt Lake City