Subject: RE: You should be ashamed
Dave, I further appreciate the opportunity to clarify much of the misinformation that has been prevalent in the media recently regarding the homeless.
Contrary to reports, the City is not banning groups from feeding the homeless. We have established an outdoor food distribution ordinance to ensure the health, safety and welfare of our community. The ordinance does not prohibit feeding the homeless; it regulates the activity in order to ensure it is carried out in an appropriate, organized, clean and healthy manner.
At a recent outdoor food distribution, citations were rightly issued for non-compliance with the process enacted to ensure public health and safety. Contrary to what was reported in the media, no one was taken into custody.
Experts agree that homeless individuals need more than just food. The homeless need shelter, clothing, and comprehensive medical and social services in order to help them get back on their feet.
To set the record straight, few cities have done more for the homeless than Fort Lauderdale. We are taking a comprehensive approach by working with numerous agencies, non-profit, charitable and faith-based organizations that, like us, are dedicated to effectively addressing this complex and important issue. Our overarching goal is to provide a long-term comprehensive solution for the homeless population. While aiming for that goal, we are concurrently working to protect public safety and maintain quality of life for our neighbors, businesses and visitors.
Our efforts include:
Fort Lauderdale was the first City in South Florida to establish a dedicated Homeless Assistance Unit as part of its Police Department. This Unit makes approximately 8,000 referrals a year working with the homeless to provide them with access to housing, critical medical care and social services. The award-winning initiative stands as a model that has been replicated by local, state, and national police departments and law enforcement agencies across the country.
Fort Lauderdale is home to the only full service comprehensive Homeless Assistance Center in Broward County. The Center has been operating here since 1999. Last June, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission unanimously passed an ordinance allowing the Homeless Assistance Center to expand its size and scope of operations to accommodate more beds and serve more homeless.
The City maintains an active partnership with Mission United, an organization dedicated to providing housing and social services to homeless Veterans.
In addition to Mission United, the City maintains partnerships, provides resources and support to Broward County, the Broward Partnership for Homeless, Housing Authority of the City of Fort Lauderdale, Salvation Army of Broward County, United Way of Broward County, Hope South Florida, and the Task Force for Ending Homelessness. These partnerships represent an outstanding example of how homelessness needs to be addressed – by bringing together a variety of agencies and organizations to collaborate, share resources, and leverage strengths in a unified effort to comprehensively impact homelessness through the coordination and delivery of essential programs and services.
Fort Lauderdale is the only city in South Florida and one of 235 communities in the United States taking part in the 100,000 Homes Campaign, a national effort to move disabled, chronically homeless people from the street to a place of their own. Using the motto "Housing First," the campaign reverses the traditional approach that required the homeless to go through addiction counseling and job training before earning a roof over their heads.
Through the Housing First program, Fort Lauderdale is providing the most vulnerable homeless individuals with housing, medical, and social services. The program is funded by a $441,000 federal grant that the City of Fort Lauderdale secured from HUD. It is currently providing permanent supportive housing for 22 chronically homeless people.
The City is proud to report that our initiative was recently re-funded by HUD. During the current year, we will have an additional $455,000 to continue to operate and expand this effort to serve even more chronic and vulnerable homeless in our City.
As part of our comprehensive strategy, the City has passed new ordinances that aim to reduce the public safety hazards and inappropriate nuisance activities that are negatively impacting our community. As a City, we have a responsibility to ensure that all of our public spaces are accessible and can be safely enjoyed by everyone – families, children, residents and visitors.
Our quality of life in Fort Lauderdale and our economic viability are directly linked to our stewardship of public spaces. The City continues to provide leadership in the implementation of innovative ideas to protect our quality of life while ensuring continued funding for programs and initiatives that address humanitarian needs.
The City, our neighbors, and our businesses have a long and distinguished history of compassion toward those in need.
If you would like to make a contribution to local non-profit agencies that help fund homeless assistance, substance abuse, and community support services in Fort Lauderdale, please visit our website: www.fortlauderdale.gov/give<http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/give>
Again, thank you for your interest in this important humanitarian issue.
John P. "Jack" Seiler
Mayor
City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida
________________________________
From:
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2014 11:16 PM
To: Jack Seiler
Subject: You should be ashamed
The most corrupt government on this planet has driven its citizens from their jobs, their homes, their dignity, and now no one is allowed to help them.
How is it possible that you people could pass such a law ?
You should be ashamed.
Put yourself in the shoes of those lives you destroyed.
4 comments:
This mayor's comments sound very noble on the surface but, unfortunately, I believe the public in general no longer trusts "humanitarian" projects sponsored by the government. Also, I agree wholeheartedly with the late former President Ronald Reagan in saying that these activities are more correctly handled by the churches than the state. When the state provides welfare to the needy, it creates a socialistic state and burdens the taxpayers. There has been much published in recent years about how the wage earners can no longer support the non-wage earners through socialistic "welfare" programs which are by essence necessarily mismanaged.
I have a lot of empathy for the homeless as my own then 90-year old mother was put on the street with only the clothes on her back and her meager social security check suspended for no reason. And, it was partially due to the so-called "welfare" programs of the City where she lived at the time. But, even MORE relevant is the fact that the local police department's so-called "welfare" activities also assisted in FORCIBLY (and unlawfully) placing my father in a home where he was subsequently MURDERED for his money by my sister. Even a superior court judge adjudicated that my father was murdered but, to date, no court (the case is now in the state supreme court) has been willing to order that the perpetrators be prosecuted -- which include numerous police officers and the mayor personally as well as my sister and the administrator of the home. Is it any wonder that the people no longer trust the government, or the police, to perform such "welfare" activities?
Yes, it is true that, economically, President Reagan's assessment makes more sense that it is the job of the churches to help the needy. BUT, on a practical level, it makes even MORE sense for the churches to perform these services. Needless to say, my mother is AFRAID to accept so-called "welfare" services from the "government" such as this mayor says his city is now providing! AND, that is because of what her City did to her husband of 70 years as well as what it did to her personally.
One last question for this mayor: "If you are so concerned about the safety of the food distribution programs of the churches, would you prefer that the homeless find their food in garbage cans -- which would be their only alternative source of food?" Just follow the advice of President Reagan and let the churches do it! When Reagan made that statement, it was before its time as the churches at that time were not yet ready to take on the challenge. But, now, when the churches are finally catching up with President Reagan's proper vision, your city answers by harassing and persecuting them!
I agree with the original writer. You ought to be ashamed of yourself! President Reagan was absolutely right! It's not your job. It's the job of the churches! Let them do their job.
Sounds like a double standard...when mayors have meet and greets,,,politicians and the neighborhood people show up at a strangers house..no regulations.I know I set so many up....everyone comes and eats,,,,so why can't poor people do it too?? Also are you saying that this 90 year old man was not arrested.twice??.. ..http://countercurrentnews.com/2014/11/man-arrested-for-feeding-homeless-gets-arrested-again-one-day-after-first-arrest/
SUCH BULLSHIT,I LIKE THE PART ABOUT HUD IS GOING TO BE HELPING. YEA IT IS SECURED ARE RIGHT,RIGHT IN THE HANDS OF THEM.WHAT THEY DO IS GET YOU IN THERE HOMES CHEAP LIKE 400 DOLLARS A MONTH AND THEN WHEN YOU START MAKING MONEY THEY COME AFTER YOU,I KNOW BECAUSE IAM PAYING 830.00 DOLLARS AND WHEN THEY SO CALL HELP ME AND IAM DISABLED THEY DON'T CARE.AND I LIVE IN THE GHETTO OF CALIFORNIA.BUT IT'S ALMOST OVER FOR ME BUT I FEEL FOR THE ONES THAT DON'T GOT A WAY OUT. WAKE UP AMERICA IT'S TIME FOR THE 8 BILLION TO BUM RUSH OUR GOVERMENT AND THE ONES TRYING TO KEEP THERE BULLSHIT OUT THERE THEY ALL NEED TO BE HUNG IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE WORLD.
this is the same standard letter they send out on all BS,,, I sign thousands of petitions and get lots of this BS
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