September 18, 2008
Neighbors lose all to fire
A brush fire destroyed a homeless encampment right up the coast from me today. Four families lost what few possessions they owned. Some might consider this a small thing. After all, how much could they have lost, living as they do? A tent, a few clothes, perhaps some cooking implements. Try looking at it from a different perspective, though. This morning they had homes (albiet, unconventional ones) and their stuff, whatever that consisted of. Tonight they have nothing. How is their current situation any different from that of someone whose wood-sided home suffered the same fate? Each scenario is as devastating as the other. Each leaves its survivors without shelter or worldly goods. The Red Cross, other organizations and concerned citiziens will offer the same assistance, regardless of former circumstances: temporary shelter, food and clothing. The difference will come in a few days or weeks or however long it takes for red tape to untangle itself. It’s a good bet that my tent-dwelling neighbors did not have homeowner’s policies. No insurance adjustor will come around, assess losses and order checks to be written. Contractors won’t be clamoring to help them rebuild what they’ve lost. They will likely return to situations very similar to those that existed when they began their day this morning. Only then will differences emerge. The suburbanite will eventually have sturdy walls and a roof again. Those with a less substantial support system will pitch their new tents in an uncharred spot. All will try to get on with their lives in whatever way works for them. Tonight they are all the same, people who have lost all that they own and are worthy of compassion.
I was struck by one point in all of the news reports about the fire. It’s one small fact which may help explain why these people live as they do. Several new homeless shelters and transition centers have opened up on the coast over the last year or so. Hundreds of formerly homeless citizens of the Waianae Coast are now living in more conventional circumstances. Hundreds more are still on waiting lists, but there are others who have never applied for assistance and maybe never will. Mental illness, social dysfunction, drug use and criminal backgrounds have kept some out of the system. I don’t know the backstories or circumstances of the folks involved in today’s tragedy. What I do know is this: they have pets. Homeless shelters and transition centers don’t allow pets. I understand the practical reasons why this is considered necessary, but I think it’s a problem that can be solved. Following Hurricane Katrina it became known that many people in the devastated area had refused to leave their homes because evacuation centers would not allow them to bring their pets. They chose not to abandon those valued family members and some paid a terrible price. Changes have been made since then. Some municipalities now make arrangements for pets to be included in evacuation shelter plans. Surely similar considerations should be made for the homeless. When all you have is a dog and a sleeping bag, an offer of shelter that requires you to abandon your companion must feel like no solution at all. Solving the homeless problem requires more than just money and shelters. It needs understanding hearts and a little creative planning. And that’s all I have to say about that.
[tags]fire, hawaii, homeless, homeless solutions[/tags]
Posted by skeet @ 12:01 am • Hawaii, Society & culture
RSS feed for comments on this post.
TrackBack URI
September 18th, 2008 at 6:31 am, Flo Says:
Skeet, you raise a really good point. My lab is in Mapunapuna and when they swept the homeless out from under the freeway back in July I noticed there were 4 Humane Society trucks there. At the time I thought that’s not fair. Where I am I watch the homeless a lot and they take pretty good care of their animals. They are treated a lot better then some who are chained in a yard and ignored. They mingle with the humans. The humans always find food for them. It’s a nice thing to see. So I think you’re right. They need to do something about the homeless with pets. I think having a pet keeps you in touch with your compassionate side and that is a good thing.
September 19th, 2008 at 8:57 am, skeet Says:
Flo, I’ve made the same observations. I’ve seen dogs in homeless encampments wearing new flea collars, eating good food, when it’s obvious that the folks have nothing! It’s just wrong to hold out the promise of improving their circumstances, but only if they give up their pets. Very sad.