Mission Statement:
-To increase the accuracy of the public’s perception of
homelessness
Contributors are designated by number only for the day on which
what we have to say is published; the numbers aren’t permanent identifiers.
Homeless shelters aren’t named, also to protect the identities of
contributors, who have every reason to fear retaliation from the shelters which
are supposed to help us.
April 28, 2019:
Homeless Human 1:
Health Concerns:
-(HVAC system) Building keeping people sick
-Urine incident lobby 4/9/19: chair, floor, ignored for 15-20 min
-Shower floors not draining properly/Cement needs
re-pouring. Water pools, creating
unsanitary condition. Can transmit
bacteria and germs to feet as water on floor shouldn’t be touching them.
-Asthma/allergies to cigarette smoke on line outside
-Perfume spraying in the dorms
Socio:
-Need race relations speaker to address the guest
community
-Dining tables in the lobby too close/creates fights,
hazards
Supplies:
-Are disappearing.
-Can’t get scrub robes in my size.
-Flip flops
-Sometimes no toothpaste or toothbrushes and we are sent
to the first floor to get them.
Human Rights:
-(Privacy) Shower
curtains not set up to close properly and some have holes in them.
Additional issues:
-Some mattresses need to be discarded; they are
unsanitary and they worsen musculoskeletal problems
-Forced to stand outside for hours on line:
-Elderly
-Disabled
-Sunburn
-Smoking
re: asthma, etc.
Homeless Human 2:
On Sunday, the only day that we are allowed a stay-in at
this shelter, staff decided to shuffle us around the already too-crowded lobby
while they folded the tables and “deep-cleaned” the lobby area. Yesterday (4/27/19) we were put out in a high
wind advisory with cold temperatures and rain for 7 hours while the shelter
could have been cleaned professionally from the 3rd floor down to
the basement; why didn’t they “deep-clean” the shelter yesterday when we weren’t
in the building? It’s now 9:10 a.m., we
haven’t been able to relax at all yet, unless you can call sitting in hard
plastic/metal chairs around tables relaxing.
Now that the lobby is ½ clean we are being shuffled again. It’s standing room only; there are NOT ENOUGH
CHAIRS to seat the women regularly. In
my opinion, the sudden cleaning spree today is intentionally controlling and
extremely disrespectful. I’m not sure
who the supervisor is because they NEVER use the dry erase board that is
supposed to inform us.
Even though there aren’t enough chairs for everyone, the
lobby is still crowded; it’s irresponsible and reprehensible. This morning, the EMTs could barely get
through with their gurney to take a guest to the hospital.
The guest who needed an ambulance today is
wheelchair-bound. This shelter made
her stay outside all day yesterday, refusing to provide her with transportation
to a day shelter, even though this shelter provides that
transportation one-way for nondisabled guests.
Being outside for hours yesterday worsened her condition to the point
that by evening she was in excruciating pain and couldn’t move. Because she was in so much pain, she was
given permission not to take a shower before bed. Staff who didn’t know that she had permission
not to shower for the night refused to give her a blanket or a pillow without first
asking a supervisor, even though the rules about showering before bedtime are broken
for all sorts of people, with staff knowledge and without a supervisor's permission, every night. Despite the shelter's inadequate facilities for disabled guests, she is a clean person; her pain was the only reason that she didn't shower last night.
Copyright Homeless Humans, April 28, 2019
Copyright Homeless Humans, April 28, 2019
