Please understand our goal is not to oppose helping the homeless, it is opposing helping them in the well intentioned yet misguided way the St. Petersburg Diocese is proposing. While they have a noble goal of helping as many as possible as soon as possible, this is exactly where the problems are created. When they take people in and then figure out if they have a desire to be independent, we have a large amount of homeless who are accepting of their lifestyle and do not want to change now in our area. This is not the place for step one of the procees to filter out the bad eggs. We have 50% of the new tenants that have drug and/or alcohol addictions and/or mental illness wandering our streets all day long. We feel great sympathy for those homeless that really do want to be productive members of society and have trouble getting the hand up that they need. We don’t think that just because someone has mental illness they are dangerous, but we are concerned for their safety as well as ours. But, the 50% that have issues we don’t want brought into our area on a large scale. That high percent who don’t want to get a job or kick their addictions are ruining it for those who need and want the help. Our area cannot support a project that will bring that many people with severe issues and lack of drive to transition into society into our area.

 

We are not monsters, like the hate mail we have been getting suggests. I personally volunteer for an animal shelter weekly. My partner in this effort has worked extensively with the homeless for years and may of our volunteers and supporters also volunteer their time to help other great causes including helping the homeless. This effort is not about hating the homeless but about preserving the safety and tranquility of our community.