Anybody’s civic plans for housing people who are chronically homeless are well worth a look-see from other cities. There’s no limit to new good ideas, as well as some pretty spectacular bad ones.
Miami City Commissioners recently dreamed up a doozy to solve its downtown homeless problems — a ‘temporary’ tiny home village on an island.
America’s first homelessness gulag anyone? No barbed wire and guard towers in the proposal so far, but there is a nearby sewage plant that has been worthy of mention.
Not to speak of a more refreshing riff on the age-old NMIBY problem. This involves a whole new class of complainers without ‘Not In My Back Yard’ dancing on their lips. We’re talking about Not On Our Outdoor Trails (NOOOT). You can almost hear the mournful cries at twilight.
Supposedly these tiny homes are meant to be ‘transitional.’ But transitional to what and/or where? The plan is not tickling the fancy of Housing First supporters, and in turn the funding that requires a Housing First1 approach.
Will there be social support services? Food services? How many miles to walk downtown for a slice of leftover pizza and a professional cuddle? And once there, why come back?
Read more in the Tampa Bay Times: An island for the homeless? Miami approves new encampment.
