Readers: Why Didn’t The Homeless Sleep Inside The Shelter Instead Of The Sidewalk?

Nearly forty-percent of the readers that voted in the poll last week wanted to know why the homeless slept on the sidewalk rather than inside Larry Rice’s New Life Evangelistic Center:

Q: Your Thoughts On The City Closing The Sidewalks Around Larry Rice’s Homeless Shelter:

1. Why aren’t the homeless sleeping INSIDE the shelter rather than on the sidewalk? 58 [39.46%]
2. About time, they need to shut that place down 37 [25.17%]
3. Rice is just using the homeless to build his organization 15 [10.2%]
4. Larry Rice’s shelter is being unfairly targeted because he serves the homeless 11 [7.48%]
5. Other: 10 [6.8%]
6. Downtown residents are too intolerant of the homeless 9 [6.12%]
7. I just hope the city doesn’t push the homeless to my neighborhood/city 5 [3.4%]
8. Unsure/No Opinion 2 [1.36%]

As to be expected the responses to the given answers (above) and other answers  (below) ranged from support of, to opposition, of the NLEC model for dealing with the homeless.

1. There has to be a better solution but I don’t know what solution would be.
2. Sidewalks are public space. Close down the shelter and protect our sidewalks!
3. There is definitely something political going on here beneath the surface
4. empty school buildings + social worker and police = safe housing for winter?
5. Let’s get Larry a one way ticke to Yemen. What a fucking jerk.
6. moving the homeless doesn’t change the fact that poverty is a problem
7. its bullshit. i needed to walk to 17th from OPOP and had to walk in the street
8. No social workers. Dense facility. = bad
9. 4: nimby, pawns, inside, intolerant
10. Larry Rice is a publicity-seeking clown.

That model is basically require them to pray to Larry Rice’s deity if they want a place to sleep. Through other agencies the homeless can collectively get:

• a hot meal prepared in a health department approved kitchen,
• a mailbox,
• use of computers & phone,
• storage of personal belongings,
• a place to shower,
• use of laundry facilities,
• social workers to help with issues such as drug/alcohol dependancy ,
• occupational therapists to assist with skills needed to function in society,
• and even travel assistance to return home if they’re stuck in St. Louis.

Many individuals without a home don’t want to be on the street but the road to get back to having their own place becomes so overwhelming by the time they find themselves sleeping on a sidewalk or park bench it takes many people to help them get their lives back together.

Imagine trying to get a job when all your clothes are in a plastic garbage bag, when you have limited access to a computer to search, no phone or a limited cell to get call backs, and have to wait in line to shower. Many homeless are employed, receive disability  or veterans benefits but they lack accounts for direct deposit and pay huge fees to get checks cashed. Much work needs to be done to get those who don’t want to be homeless into housing and provide for those in the future that find themselves in that situation. I don’t see NLEC being part of the solution.

— Steve Patterson

Seating For All

For many years the establishment Flannery’s Pub at 1324 Washington Ave has had sidewalk seating. Unfortunately, those seats have been tall seats & tables.

When I started this post it was going to be to thank them for adding regular height tables so the rest of us could eat alfresco.

But thursday night I passed by and these tables I photographed a few days earlier were gone already. What’s the big deal? With help I can get into a high stool but for many that’s not an option. Restaurants need to offer some regular height seating indoors and out.

— Steve Patterson

Culinaria’s Dock & 9th Street Garage Hostile To Pedestrians On Locust

When Desco built the 9th Street garage to support their renovation of the Old Post Office they didn’t design is for a grocery store, even though Desco is Schnuck Markets development arm. If you’ve shopped at Culinaria you’re well aware of the shortcomings inside.  If you’ve walked there you’re likely aware of them from the exterior too.

This time I saw the truck on my way to Culinaria so I stayed on the north side of Locust. Other times I was blocked, I even had to wait once while a truck backed in.

That’s the loading dock, before then is the vehicle exit from the parking garage.

Pedestrians are told through falling signs to use caution because of exiting vehicles. Some garages have an audible sound to alert pedestrians when the gate goes up to allow a vehicle to leave. Not here. Well, I’m sure motorists are cautioned to look for pedestrians.

Nope! Nothing on the ramp to remind drivers to look out for and to yield to pedestrians.  If an audible sound were to go off when the gate goes up that would also help alert drivers to pedestrians crossing their exit route.

Warn the pedestrians about cars but not warn the drivers about pedestrians. Figures.

— Steve Patterson

Poll: Thoughts On The City Closing The Sidewalks Around Larry Rice’s Homeless Shelter

The city’s efforts to address concerns raised by neighbors of Larry Rice’s New Life Evangelistic Center (NLEC), a homeless shelter, took a new twist recently.

Thursday morning [9/6], the city cleaned the streets and sidewalks and set up barricades on sidewalks, where large groups of homeless people have been camping. (KMOV: City moves up clean-up schedule downtown)

Below are a couple of pics I took that afternoon:

I posted the second pic to the UrbanReviewSTL Facebook page (link) and many comments came in — some glad the city finally took action and others defending Larry Rice and asking where the homeless are supposed to sleep with Lucas Park closed for renovations and now the sidewalks outside Rice’s shelter closed.

Given the divergent views on Facebook I knew this would make a good poll topic. The poll is in the right sidebar, the provided  answers are presented in a random order.

— Steve Patterson

Missing Planter Reveals Paver Sidewalk Discoloration

Various planters exist along Washington Ave. A rectangular one is common since it doesn’t reduce the sidewalk width the way a round planter would.

But recently I noticed a number of spots around 13th Street where these planters used to exist.

Amazing how much darker the brick pavers are now some 10 years later. I’ve not (yet) counted how many planters are missing. It’s possible these were moved to other locations.

— Steve Patterson