Doors Close, Doors Open, and the Homeless Trudge On

According to Robert Hess, the Homeless Services commissioner, the chronically homeless prefer the smaller havens. “They voted against the shelter system — that’s why they’re on the street,” he said. “They’ve had the opportunity to come into the shelter system each and every night, and they said, ‘No, the best place for me is on the streets.’ That’s a pretty strong statement.”

Mr. Markee commended the outreach teams, but said he did not believe that they could replace a central intake center, a “front door” to the homeless services system, where people know they can go when they need help. Nearly 3,000 men new to the municipal shelter system walked into Bellevue this year, he said. The center serves about 40 people a day, according to a spokeswoman for the city’s homeless services. That figure rises significantly in colder weather.


Courtesy of the NY Times
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