How are your cities, states, countries managing homelessness and the homeless in the midst of COVID?
Mine converted and opened a large convention centre complete with separate areas for the symptomatic when shelters and meal kitchens closed during the lockdown, but it was actually not as well received or fully used by the target audience as expected. Especially once summer hit, many preferred various tent options through the river valley and parks, taking control over their own self isolation.
the smaller regular shelters have reopened now, with additional measures, so the City is planning to close the convention centre option. Oddly enough, the voices most opposed to this are not necessarily advocates of the homeless population but rather every day people worried the homeless will somehow go around infecting people.
It’s really weird, because the centre was never a lock down. It’s not like the homeless were being kept separate so they don’t infect society. It was to temporarily replace existing shelters and provide more space for the occupants as well as give them somewhere to either isolate if symptomatic or recover. There actually hasn’t been any cases in the homeless population that I’ve heard of though. they aren’t likely to start infecting people.
Personally I think it’s too early to close it, cases are rising and when fall sets in people will want an indoor option that provides more social distancing than traditional shelters. It’s costing the city a fortune though given how little used it is.
what are your communities doing?
