Addressing the Problem of Homelessness in Des Moines, Iowa

If you look closely, you can see the little clusters of tents amongst the trees. I took this photo from a distance intentionally, so as to not invade the privacy of the people who live there. This little camp is one of many in Des Moines, Iowa. From atop the bridge, one can often see laundry hanging, and small campfires.

In recovery programs, denial is often described as when, even with evidence to make a situation perfectly clear, an individual continues to insist "It could not possibly be the drugs or the alcohol!" In this region, individual persons, groups, and the population as a whole, operate under the same premise-- even with all of the evidence, they continue to turn a blind eye to substance abuse and substance dependency, searching in vain for other reasons, other explanations, and solutions which cannot work because solutions can only work if they acknowledge the problem.

Although substance use affects the general population in one way or another, it is most deeply felt amongst the homeless population. A couple of years ago, I attempted to bring this to the attention of the mayor, and was only slightly surprised when I did not receive any reply. More recently, I directed a similar attempt to a member of the city board, upon reading an article in the local newspaper about their desire to do something constructive about the situation. The bottom line: no one in a position of authority wants to hear that drug and alcohol dependency destroys human lives; they do not want to hear that only by tackling this issue and taking positive measures to deal with it, can the homeless statistics be reduced and the individuals affected be helped.

What is being done instead? First, only when tragedies occur do people open their eyes. It takes an unnecessary death, or a serious accident, for the general population and the authorities to acknowledge a problem exists at all. Unfortunately, it usually does not take long for both the tragedies and the problem to be forgotten. Second, at times when it is in the public eye, they elect to take a "band-aid" approach-- a temporary "fix" which does nothing for the gaping wound underneath. Tear down the homeless huts; build yet another shelter; anything other than addressing the actual problem and putting constructive solutions into action. It is really no different from actively-using addicts or alcoholics who are prepared to do anything other than face their addictions.

How did it get to such an extreme? From years' worth of input from many people, the heart of the matter is that illegal drug use and alcohol abuse is considered to be no more nor less than a part of the lifestyle in this region. It is considered to be acceptable. It is believed that everybody does these things. Logically, when something is considered par for the course, it is very difficult to make anyone see that it is destructive.

There is no quick-fix to the issue of homelessness. However, only if substance dependency is acknowledged as the primary cause of many homeless persons' situations, will the need to implement positive solutions be equally acknowledged. I have proposed two changes to the current system. While both would require funding, qualified individuals, and effort, it would go a long way in reducing the number of homeless adults, and to help those who truly wish to be helped. In turn, the resources for homeless adults would be put to much better use than they are at present. By recent count, there are approximately a half-dozen shelters for adults in this city, including those solely for men, those solely for women, co-ed shelters, and also those for women with children. These are deemed temporary shelters, and do not include those designed as transitional-living. By recent count, there are approximately 30 homeless camps in this city; many adults who live outdoors also depend on soup kitchens and other resources.

The first necessary change is mandatory drug testing. Each person should be required to be "clean and sober" and stay "clean and sober" in order to stay at a shelter or make use of its facilities. People who truly want help in beating their addictions should be offered help; those who do not should not be allowed to depend upon shelters and other homeless resources to cover their daily needs. The second, related, change is to have competent staff members oversee residents' money, and educate residents in how to budget and use their money properly. There are legitimate reasons for both of these changes-- and their absence is the main reason for the out-of-control adult homelessness statistics.. A fact which not enough people are aware of is that a large percentage of the homeless population, in and out of shelters, have income. While some have jobs, many are dependent on SSI Disability; some also have Veterans' benefits. The pattern which results from this is upon receiving income, the money goes for drugs and alcohol, while continuing to rely on the shelters and other resources to provide for their everyday needs and maintenance. A second pattern involves those who, upon reaching their time limit at a particular shelter, simply move on to another shelter. A third pattern involves residents who are provided with apartments of their own by various agencies. In many cases, the apartments are either lost or willingly given up within a matter of months, as renters who do not know how to manage money effectively continue to use it for their addictions instead of paying utility bills and other costs of upkeep.

In addition to these changes, shelters should be held accountable for making residence as temporary as possible. While many people who request assistance do have ongoing, and often serious, problems, there are also those who turn to a shelter upon experiencing a single, unusual personal or financial setback. In other words, whether it is a common practice or not, while providing information for people who have only experienced minor setbacks to get back on their feet should be a priority, in some cases it is not. I personally believe that there should be some kind of investigation to find out if this is a common occurrence.

Whether a person becomes homeless due to one isolated setback, ongoing difficulties, or personal choice, it should not be a permanent "bridge to Nowhere." Living in outdoor camps or shelters for years or decades should not simply be dismissed as "the way it is."

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