Housing the homeless

STAY AT home. Let us come home. These are the kinds of pleas that have defined the covid19 crisis. But what about the homeless? In this public health emergency, we cannot afford to forget they are part of the picture too.

It’s a little disheartening to see no clear policy emerge in relation to street dwellers, despite the matter being raised repeatedly. Instead, there’s been parroting of the purported legal difficulties involved in removal, with some citing human rights.

Yet, it is hard to imagine which judge, in this extraordinary pandemic, would strike down a move by authorities to protect the health and well-being of citizenry by containing the movement of these individuals. Indeed, are there not multiple instances when the law itself qualifies individual rights in order to ensure people do not pose a threat to public safety?

The mere presence of street dwellers in our communities undercuts the State’s message of calling on people to stay at home. Such individuals congregate in public places, rove from district to district – they constitute a hazard if the objective is to contain or slow the virus.

It’s good that Port of Spain Mayor Joel Martinez has met with all the major stakeholders. But earlier this week he was still saying this: “We are discussing the various options before us…We are trying to work on solutions to assist them with accommodations over the next couple of weeks or more if necessary.” Discussing. Trying.

The images of a parking lot in Las Vegas in the US being used to house homeless people demonstrate the difficulties involved. Officials need to accommodate such people with the requisite degree of social distancing. And they need to ensure the way this is done is humane.

Over the years, there have been myriad policies regarding our street dwellers.

For the Summit of the Americas in 2009, they were scooped up, government then saying the action was not specific to the summit and to hide from the international delegations the problem we had. With many having drug and/or mental health issues, most of the street dwellers simply returned.

Various plans have been announced to provide new accommodation, as the Nipdec car park at Independence Square has reached capacity. Those plans have remained plans.

In all of this, a key question must be asked. Where are the relatives? Given the difficulties involved in housing people who have substance abuse and mental health issues, it’s understandable why many have been unable to provide the kind of harbour they owe their loved ones. At the same time, there are also some cases in which family members have simply been irresponsible.

Laws to make relatives more accountable might be useful, though each case will turn on the particulars. Perhaps the private sector can be called in to help.

Meanwhile, here’s a possible compromise: The State should consider converting minor sporting facilities and community centres, which now stand dormant, into temporary camps. Such facilities offer space, but can also be properly controlled.