Homeless not political

It seems there is a vast majority that feel Spokane’s homeless population issues can be fixed with an election.

As such, each candidate has their campaign viewpoint on how to improve a quality of life for those less fortunate, as do other leaders in our community. With all of their discussions hitting on one common thread: what do we do with the homeless, it seems we should quite placating a population which contributes near zero return on investment. With each passing day, our leadership is embroiled in finding that silver bullet which will cure a non-curable epidemic.

Homelessness in Spokane is coddled and sometimes applauded as stoic. It is not and should not have the public appearance of either. Maybe for a moment we should consider devising a program to hold them accountable for the taxpayers’ contribution to upright their ship? Instead of building more individual shelters, sprinkled around our city, why not build one common place – a compound of sorts, to offer all those services in one location? I dare to speak the word tent city, but if they, the homeless, are willing to let Spokane house and feed them, let’s garner all that energy into one common effort.

One important bullet item would require anyone wanting access to this “homeless city” would need to meet minimum requirements; i.e. being sober, drug free or in a treatment program and willing to work in some capacity. Those with a violent criminal background need not apply.

This, in simplistic terms for now, could serve to resolve waste of resources, remove what many see as a public nuisance, offer help to those in need and build a foundation which could offer a lasting resolution.

Alex Johnson

Spokane