Newspaper Helps Washington Homeless Gain Self Respct
Reuters
Feb. 2, 2005 - Alvin Dixon became homeless after suffering a nervous breakdown following the violent death of his son. He has regained a measure of self esteem by selling "Street Sense" -- a newspaper for, by and about the homeless in the nation's capital.
"Selling the newspaper gives me a chance to express myself. It helps my self-esteem and gives me a sense I am doing something positive and it helps me sharpen my skills in relating to people," said Dixon, who was featured in the newspaper's December issue.
When he lost his home, Dixon stayed with friends and relatives and spent some nights in a car on the streets.
"The hardest thing is the feelings of inadequacy, not being self sufficient and having to rely on other people. It was also hard being disconnected with my family," he said.
Homeless men and women selling "Street Sense" have become a familiar sight in Washington since the newspaper appeared in November 2003. They stand outside subway stations, by bus stops and on busy street corners. The monthly print run of 10,000 normally sells out within two or three weeks.
"Many of our vendors are writers too. They write poetry, features and editorials. Our readers include professional types and people who work on Capitol Hill," said co-editor Laura Thompson, who volunteers her time and expertise while holding down a regular job as a reporter for the American Banker, a trade publication.
The newspaper costs $1, of which vendors get to keep 70 cents. Some say they can sell a couple of hundred a week, providing them with valuable income.
The editors see selling the newspaper as a transitional occupation, helping vendors to get on their feet after jail or drug rehabilitation until they can find a better job and some permanent housing.
"I was panhandling on the streets but selling the newspaper gives me something positive to concentrate on during the day. I've been passing out my resume along with the paper," said Jake Ashley, another vendor.
The District of Columbia estimates that between 16,000 and 17,000 city residents are homeless at some point each year, and about half that number on any given day. During the warmer months, about 500 people live on the streets. About 7,500 people sleep in shelters each night on average.
PROBLEM GETTING WORSE
The problem may be getting worse as housing prices soar in the city, which has been experiencing a process of relentless gentrification. As inner city housing is refurbished, poorer people are pushed out.
"We're seeing more families becoming homeless. That's folks who have jobs or part-time employment but can no longer afford homes," said Cornell Chappelle of the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness.
"Homelessness is related above all to the housing market. Folk are just priced out of the market," he said.
Ashley's story is fairly typical. A military veteran, he lost his home after running into problems with the law and has been homeless for three years. He said the hardest thing about being homeless was the cold at night.
"You can't get to sleep in the middle of the night when you are on the street and the ambulances go by. Also, the police target the homeless," he said.
Washington provides a range of different shelters, many run by religious groups. But space can be limited, rules are strict and some homeless people complain that staff members talk down to them and try to provoke them.
At the Franklin School men's shelter, located about four blocks from the White House, there is rarely a spare bed, said Chapman Todd of Catholic Charities, which operates 11 shelters in the city.
"If it's not full, it's very close to full every night. We've seen high usage in all our shelters. Demand seems to be higher than it's been in recent years," he said.
Nationally, homelessness seems to be rising as well. A report last month from the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that a 6 percent average increase in requests for emergency shelter in 27 cities surveyed in 2004. In 2003, the report found a 13 percent increase.
In 2002, the Bush administration adopted a goal of ending chronic homelessness within 10 years. However, Congress has failed to authorize funds to advance the program.
"We were disappointed with the resources they put behind their promise. They really didn't put much money behind it," said Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance To End Homelessness.
She added: "President Bush has not talked very much about this issue. It has not been one of his signature issues."
In fact, White House officials have said Bush in this year's budget to be unveiled Feb. 7 will propose deep cuts in the $4.7 billion federal community development block grant program, which cities rely on to help pay for low-cost housing among other programs.