At a forum last week on homelessness, the audience was presented with a frightening fact: the rate of homelessness is rising in Philadelphia. This is happening just at the time of greatest prosperity for many neighborhoods, and in fact, gentrification and higher property taxes have forced people who used to be able to afford their homes out into the streets. Read PhillyIMC’s account of the forum.
There are lots of things regular citizens can do to help people who have no home. If you encounter a homeless person in need of assistance, call 215-232-1984 (stop reading and punch that number into your cellphone so you have it!), that’s the Outreach Coordination Center of Project HOME. They will send someone out to help. In the midst of a condo and development boom in Philadelphia, many people have fallen through the cracks. Think about how many more 100K/year jobs we will need to add to the economy so people can buy all the “mid-market” priced homes and condos that are out there. It’s a skewed perspective and it needs to be discussed. In the meantime, we have to advocate for those without homes as well as for lower income families who need affordable housing, as they are least able to advocate for themselves.
2006-11-29 14:34:09
