Follow-up is one of the peskier problems in journalism; so often we write a story about a social or political trend when the news is either very good or very bad, and by the time things stabilize and a more comprehensive picture is available of what's really going on, we've moved on to 12 other topics, and never think to check back. So in the spirit of updating some reporting I did in July on the claimed successes of the Bush administration's homelessness policy, I wanted to highlight last week's AP report on tent cities rising up across the country. It turns out that homelessness, contrary to the earlier, optimistic report, is actually expanding this year.
The problem with the numbers released in July appears to be that individuals living in motel rooms, campgrounds, or with relatives for more than a week were not counted as homeless. So much for finding at least one Bush administration progressive success.
Here are the key paragraphs from the AP story:
From Seattle to Athens, Ga., homeless advocacy groups and city agencies are reporting the most visible rise in homeless encampments in a generation.
Nearly 61 percent of local and state homeless coalitions say they've experienced a rise in homelessness since the foreclosure crisis began in 2007, according to a report by the National Coalition for the Homeless. The group says the problem has worsened since the report's release in April, with foreclosures mounting, gas and food prices rising and the job market tightening. ...
The relatively tony city of Santa Barbara has given over a parking lot to people who sleep in cars and vans. The city of Fresno, Calif., is trying to manage several proliferating tent cities, including an encampment where people have made shelters out of scrap wood. In Portland, Ore., and Seattle, homeless advocacy groups have paired with nonprofits or faith-based groups to manage tent cities as outdoor shelters. Other cities where tent cities have either appeared or expanded include include Chattanooga, Tenn., San Diego, and Columbus, Ohio.
--Dana Goldstein
