Health Care for the Homeless

Homeless are less likely to receive basic health care a new study shows. According to poll results analyzed by researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program that homeless have a substantial inability to get the health care that they need.

Lack of health insurance or money to pay were the reasons most frequently associated with lack of care, followed by insufficient food, vision problems, and having been in foster care when young.


http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/639182.html

Boston has a Healthcare Program that is specifically aimed helping the homeless receive proper health care.

http://www.bhchp.org/

California Homeless Blog

A California Blog devoted to homelessness and poverty. This is something that everyone interested in these issues might want to take a look at from time-to-time to see what is happening.

http://www.povertyinsights.org/category/news-policies-trends/
http://www.examiner.com/x-37705-LA-Homelessness-Examiner~y2010m5d23-Los-Angeles-homeless-blog-transforms-into-an-online-poverty-site

Quote of the Day

"Some people want a homeless life. "Some people, they really do." Mayor Liionel Rivera

So please Mayor Rivera tell us how you really feel.

This is the Mayor of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

This city has just said no to about $43 million in federal assitance about the city refused to raise taxes in any way, causes the city to sut fire, police, and social services to the city.

The local governments response was that they did not want to add to the federal deficit. How fiscally responsible of them----being that $43 million is just a drop in the great ocean of things that are adding to the federal deficit.

Amazing that it never came into the heads of these politians that people that have jobs, homes, and security tend to spend money----and stimulate the economy.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/19/lionel-rivera-makes-olber_n_582193.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/gop-those-thrown-out-of-t_b_577893.html?ir=Denver

Michigan Daily Article

MISSION again spotlighted in the Michigan Daily.
http://www.michigandaily.com/content/tents-still-pitched-camp-take-notice?page=0,0

And here is video interview with Caleb Poirier
http://www.michigandaily.com/content/news-camp-take-notice

Homeless in Boulder hold "sleep-ins"

Boulder, Colorado homeless individuals are holding “sleep-ins” and educational events to press the city of Boulder to provide legal places for the homeless to sleep at night.

Apparently Boulder has an ordinance that allows the police to issue a $100 ticket to anyone caught “seeking shelter” on city property.

Wow!!!! What can anyone say---- that is amazing that human beings in need of shelter are ticketed for sleeping. There are NO shelters in the city of Boulder May 1 through October 15th.

http://cbs4denver.com/wireapnewsco/Boulder.homeless.to.2.1695497.html
http://cbs4denver.com/wireapnewsco/Boulder.homeless.protest.2.1697245.html
http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_15099272#axzz0oF3POMqo

Hopeville in St. Louis

St. Louis “Hopeville” tent community of around 75 individuals were forced to leave the camp by the city. The encampment had asked the city for an acre of land because the response of the city social services was not adequate to meet the demand of the number of individuals that are homeless.

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kwmu/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1650125/St..Louis.Public.Radio.News/Homeless.encampment.cleared.without.confrontation

This is another case of a city not providing proper services to those in need but insist on moving people to another place. Just because the camp has moved its location does not mean that the issue of the homeless is going to go away.

Ludington, Michigan

Ludington has a rotating church shelter system.
http://www.ludingtondailynews.com/news/49686-helping-the-homeless

Michigan Daily Editorial about CTN from May 9, 2010

The editors of the Daily recognize the many issues that CTN faces and that there is no support from the community.

http://www.michigandaily.com/content/daily-fighting-homelessness

Wall Stree Journal Article

By ALEX P. KELLOGG
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A group of about 20 homeless people were told by state police to vacate a campsite they'd set up near an interstate highway as this college town is preparing to host President Barack Obama for a commencement address at the University of Michigan.
Members of the group said they believed they were evicted because their site, which they call Camp Take Notice, falls along the route that tens of thousands of people will take to hear the President speak at Michigan Stadium, which seats more than 100,000 people.
"We didn't do nothing for them to move us that fast," said Lynvel Cooper, 51 years old, who has been homeless for nearly seven months and had been living at the camp site for about six weeks. "It didn't feel right."
Brian Nord, a graduate student at the university and president of the board of Mission, a nonprofit group that works with the homeless, said "the local government doesn't want the appearance of this" while the President is in Ann Arbor. Mr. Nord said he plans to attend Obama's speech Saturday.
The camp is located near the Ann Arbor Saline Road exit of Interstate 94, in a wooded area near a commuter parking lot. An Applebee's restaurant is nearby; Michigan Stadium is about two miles away.
Lt. Wynonia Sturdivant, a Michigan state police officer who dealt with the matter, said the people were informed on Tuesday that they were trespassing on property belonging to the Michigan Department of Transportation. "I didn't remove them," she said. "They voluntarily moved."
She added that complaints had been filed in recent weeks about panhandling on the exit ramp near the camp site, although she couldn't verify if panhandling would be illegal at that location. Residents of the camp said they have strict rules that forbid anyone from panhandling nearby. They also said they have had regular visits from city and state police, and were told to move their tents to a different spot near the highway ramp about seven months ago after police said they were trespassing there, but had never before been told to leave.
Mr. Cooper, an Ann Arbor native, said he has moved to a gulley several miles away, along with most of the group. State police said the group could also be trespassing there, but that they haven't gone to check yet. Mr. Cooper did maintenance and landscaping work but ran short on money last fall, forcing him onto the streets, then a shelter and finally to Camp Take Notice.
He described living there as "a lot better" than many shelters, despite the lack of electricity. He said people would watch out for each other and avoid drugs and violence. Many have cell phones, and some jobs.Write to Alex P. Kellogg at alex.kellogg@wsj.com

Michigan Daily from May 3, 2010

The comments on this article are a must read. Oh and be sure to read the article. http://www.michigandaily.com/content/tent-city-eviction-draws-attention-rights-homeless

Detroit News April 30, 2010

ACLU sides with CTN on eviction by the state question. MDOT claims that the moving of the camp has nothing to do with the visit of the president to Ann Arbor.

http://detnews.com/article/20100430/METRO/4300373/Homeless-evictions-questioned-by-ACLU

Channel 7 News Report

Here is the Channel 7 news report on the moving of Camp Take Notice

http://www.wxyz.com/news/story/Hiding-The-Homeless-In-Ann-Arbor/8KVdT7P9IEuQsKaOeNml_A.cspx