Monday, August 18, 2008

City of Ft. Worth's "Housing First" program falls down right out of the shoot


So the City of Ft. Worth does this media blitz about Debra, the girl that's been living on the streets of Ft.Worth for 15 years, because Debra is one of the first people to receive grant money for "Housing First." A program that prides itself on the fact that if you provide 4 walls and a roof over a homeless person's head, they are more likely to become a productive, tax paying citizen instead of a non-productive, tax burden for the working people of Ft. Worth. Debra's drug of choice is alcohol (and a need to feel loved by a man). I know, because Debra has worked for me, on & off several times. I know Debra well, she's good hearted, fun loving, hard worker, excellent groomer, great with customers, etc. (when she's sober). When Debra's drunk, she can be a belligerent, offensive and hard to handle. I've had to call the police twice to get her out of my lobby. Debra has had a video story done on her by the Star-telegram, several articles written about her by Star-telegram, she's been on tv Sunday morning "Insights" Fox channel, etc. So we, the taxpayer's fund Debra a $700 or so apartment for a certain amount of time. I have been called by several of the employees from Ft. Worth Housing to make sure she had a job if all went well with the Housing First plan. I asked more than once that the case manager call me and let me know what parameters Debra would have to function within. Never have I gotten that call and discussed what the guidelines are in place for Debra.

Long story short, Debra was suppose to go to Detox (MHMR) then 28 day residential treatment. The past 3-4 days Debra has shown up at my place of business, walking the streets of E. Lancaster once again, all the while you tax paying citizens of Ft. Worth are footing the bill for her apartment. Today she showed up drunker than cooter brown, with a puppy under her arm, looking like hell and asking me if she had a job. I called Ft. Worth Housing contacts and asked what was going on and why my tax dollars were being wasted. Housing blamed MHMR for releasing Debra from Detox to the streets, etc.

ONE CANNOT GO FROM DETOX TO THE STREETS FOR RECOVERY. HELLO.......IT DOES NOT WORK! The solution: CFW and County Commissioners will have to spend millions of dollars to reform our jailhouse and reform people while they are sitting in jail for their Class C crimes. Women must be separated from men and their (men & women's) emotional health and well being be the focus. Otherwise the City of Ft. Worth's Mayor and all other Council members are wasting your tax dollars. Email them and tell them so. The Indigency Law in Texas is a crock! Get rid of it!! Everyone must pay for their crime!!

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