In a previous blog article I talked about the number of homeless children in Alief this Christmas. Early this week a good friend and leader in TMO received a call about a family who was at risk of being put out of their apartment for non payment of rent. My friend is the type of person who when she thinks there is a need and no one else is around she will pick up and go. As it relates to homelessness I have suggested to her and others that if we are to make an impression in the homeless rate in Alief we will need to organize a constituency of churches, mosques, temples, businesses, public officials, and the schools. But she took it upon herself to try and make a difference in this one family’s life. And for that she is to be commended.
Homeless people in Alief and other suburban communities are invisible. The city of Houston has a vigorous program to housing homeless persons. One of the reasons for this vigorous program might be that downtown office workers are accosted on a regular basis and there is a built in constituency to alleviate homelessness. As you might guess, the thrust of the city’s program is in downtown. In a paradoxical move the city passed an ordinance last year that faith based groups wanting to feed the poor in downtown would have to get permits to do so. Many of those churches protested to no avail. But that’s another issue. So, let’s focus on my friends family.
The family was a mother and three children. She had no SS card which probably meant that she was undocumented. She spoke little English. Her husband had abandoned her and the children and taken off to parts unknown. She worked in a downtown office building making no more than minimum wage. Because of her status she was not eligible for government assistance. On her own, my friend has been attempting to get funding for the homeless in Alief from the city. So far, she has been unsuccessful but she continues in her efforts. She would not admit it but I think she paid this months rent. I asked her what she would do, next month. She is hopeful of finding an apartment project that will donate an apartment. The city rep stated that an apartment project could deduct the rent. However, I talked to my CPA who stated that this was not true.
So, next month the woman is back to square one. Even if she were to get six months free rent and utilities, the problem for her and other homeless still exist. Fundamental changes have to occur.
Go back to “There’s a Hole in the Bucket Dear Liza–Redux 1” that elaborates on 16 impediments to the poor. Not all of these impediments can be alleviated but even if a few key systemic changes can make a significant difference. Here are just a few suggestions:
1. Develop a constituency in Alief of organizations and persons concerned about the issues surrounding homelessness and poverty in the suburbs. Put pressure on city, county, and state officials to address the issue through funding for affordable housing.
2. Develop support groups for the poor within churches, apartment projects and schools. Isolation is one of the most critical ways the poor are marginalized. Share groups, roommate services, and bartering programs might be started with the input of the homeless persons. In order to know the life of homeless persons, we need to know them, to share stories with them and look at them in the eye.
3. Raise the minimum wage to $15. per hour.–I hope you didn’t stop reading. You might want to go back and read my article on raising the minimum wage to $15. That would do more to help take people off the welfare roles and would be a huge savings for the tax payers. It sounds counterintuitive but it’s true. Check it out.
4. Help anglo middle class persons to better understand poverty and that only paying for rent or giving food only keeps the person in a state of dependency and a form of brutality, that keeps persons in a state of constant fear, helplessness, and hopelessness. And this is not just done by having a study about poverty at your church. It’s about developing relationships with the poor and those persons with the power to bring about systemic changes.
If there is an answer to homelessness it will require that we bring homelessness and poverty out of the shadows and acknowledge that it exists. Then we have to confront the overwhelming myriad of issues that are unearthed.
TMO Alief 
