Tuesday, March 9, 2010

SAFE PARK

While looking for opportunities for work today, I ran across this article in a quarterly newsletter published by the Low Income Housing Institute.

Advocates Call for a ‘Safe Park’
for the Homeless in Every
Kitsap City
Every city in Kitsap County needs a
“safe park,” where homeless families can
sleep in their cars, according to a summit
on homelessness held in Bremerton
on November 17. Currently there is
one such park in Kitsap County, offering
families living in their cars a secure
place to park overnight, shower and
connect with caseworkers until they get
something more permanent.
It’s been up and going for more
than a year and has been heralded as a
success by politicians, police, socialservice
workers and homeless people.
At the summit, advocates urged
spreading the concept around to other
cities and towns, and vowed to push
safe parks at city council meetings.
Bremerton Police Capt. Tom Wolfe
said that he encounters many fewer
people in “creative” living situations
now compared to 20 years ago.
“I know we have a long way to go, but,
wow, we’ve come a long ways,” he said.
Some of the improvements in
providing for the homeless include
the safe park, Benedict House in
Bremerton for homeless men, a larger
emergency shelter at St. Vincent’s for
women and children now being built,
and new severe-weather shelters.
Homeless advocate Sally Santana
invites people interested in helping with
new initiatives to e-mail her at sally.
santana@wavecable.com.


First and foremost discovering this article reminded me that I need to stay better connected to the main reason I wanted to practice architecture - low income housing(please note that I'm NOT calling myself an "Architect." I am still in the process of licensing and do not yet have my stamp.)

Second, FASCINATING! How wonderful that an area has been created for people who are struggling to regain their footing - whether there by their own economic choices or by forces beyond their control - have a a safe place to go, to shower, to stay connected, and to give them some of the security we all need to make looking for a job that much more realistic!

Tacoma - do we have one? If not, perhaps we should!

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