05 November 2011

By Raymond Billy | ResonateNews.com

TYLER, Texas — A task force formed by Mayor Barbara Bass designed to address what city officials fear could turn into a growing homelessness problem is being met mostly with praise here. But some residents are questioning whether there is sufficient civic resolve to alleviate the problem after the City Council voted last year to deny a homeless shelter a permit — amid code violations — that would have allowed it to continue operating.

Jan Wood, who was an active volunteer at the shelter — the East Texas Rescue Mission — said its closure demonstrated a lack of compassion by city officials.

“They were heartless, all of them, including the mayor of Tyler,” said Wood, 75, a resident of the city for four decades. She said the mission — which was located in the northwest section of Tyler — provided an ideal opportunity for homeless men to rehabilitate their lives.

“That was the best area to give men access to jobs, medical care, etc. And it's very difficult to get a job when you don't have a place to live, a mailing address and a number where potential employers can contact you,” Wood said.

James Smith, who lives five homes away from the rescue mission's location, was also perplexed by the task force coming so soon after the shelter was forced to shut down.

“Mayor Bass and the city leaders are suddenly concerned about the homeless problem in Tyler. I think it's pretty hypocritical of them to do that when they closed the rescue mission last year,” said Smith, who spoke at a City Council meeting last year in favor of granting a new permit to the rescue mission. He said the council followed the lead of area business leaders and homeowners who wanted the rescue mission closed for reasons other than the code violation, which was an illegal expansion of the facility.

“A lot of times, we as Christians get on our knees and pray that God would bless the poor and the needy. Then, when God puts them on our doorstep, we say 'Oh no, lord. I didn't want to have to look at them,'” said Smith, a welder.

Eric Broughton, 63, decried the rescue mission's closure. But he understood the city's decision and welcomed the mayor's task force.

“It's a wonderful thing. Any time you have the leaders becoming involved in an issue like this, it's a big step,” said Broughton, a member of North Tenneha Church of Christ in Tyler, which serves meals to homeless once a month. “Knowing the mayor and city leaders, I believe they agonized over the decision to close the rescue mission. I think that's why they created the task force.”

Christina Fulsom, executive director of People Attempting to Help, or PATH, a nonprofit organization that serves economically disadvantaged residents, agreed that city leaders' hearts are in the right place and the task force is evidence of that.

“It's a great step in the right direction. The City Council did what they had to do in closing the rescue mission based on the regulations and rules that they are charged with enforcing,” Fulsom said. “Mistakes made by the rescue mission put the City Council in a bad position. I would have made the same decision.”

Federal funding and grants help the city of Tyler finance a number of services designed to remedy the causes of homelessness. Through such funding sources, the city will spend $6,819,047 on vouchers for rental assistance between 2010 and 2013, according to information provided by the city. Fulsom said the city will eventually have to expend some of its own money to adequately address a homeless population she believes could be as many as 500 people. But right now she's satisfied that the issue is being taken seriously.

“The city is not currently in a position financially to help more than it does. We're starting at ground zero with this issue,” said Fulsom, who is a member of the mayor's task force. “In the past, it wasn't recognized as a community problem. Now, we're taking steps to prepare and deal with it.”

David George Montalvo, a founding member of Church Under A Bridge — a new ministry organization designed to foster trust and friendships between local church members and the homeless — lauded city leaders for their leadership on this issue.

“Some cities try to whitewash the issue of homelessness by limiting the number of permits that could be potentially used to help the homelessness. You don't see that happening in Tyler,” Montalvo, 39, said. He pointed to an ordinance in Orlando, Fla., which limited the number of people that a single organization could feed and the number of meal events an organization could sponsor each year. Houston also has an ordinance that makes it difficult for small ministries to serve the homeless. Tyler has no such restrictions, Montalvo said.

But Wood said Tyler is lacking the familial tact that would be appropriate in dealing with this homelessness.

“All of these homeless people are someone's mother, father, sister, brother, son or daughter. We should be aware of that and treat people the way we would want our own family to be treated if they were in that situation,” Wood said. “A lot of people treat stray dogs better than they treat the homeless — especially in Tyler.”

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