RV Daily Report today says that another California city is grappling with homeless encampments and deciding whether they should be allowed to continue and in what form. According to MercedStar.com, about half of the residents are registered sex offenders. A committee was appointed by the City Council to investigate this issue and is reporting tonight.
Probably because of all the laws in California, one element they are debating is whether to make the campgrounds, if continued, ADA handicapped accessible!
As one commenter pointed out, regular citizens have to pay their mortgages and for services and don't get help. While I have sympathy for those who have become homeless due to job loss and the economy, sometimes our actions encourage the role of the victim. In some cases, people are better off economically getting handouts than trying to find jobs and taking care of themselves. And, at the same time, some who really need a helping hand, and aren't looking for a career as a welfare recipient, don't receive it.
It is a positive that Merced is looking at the issue and apparently considering the long-term consequences of allowing campgrounds for homeless. RVs aren't mentioned so perhaps this is tent city or a combination of the two. We'll have to see what the council decides after their open meeting tonight. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak
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