Tuesday, December 8, 2009
The Criminalization of American Homelessness: Testimony presented to UN Special Rapportuer on Adequate Housing, Raquel Rolnik
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Oral testimony from GW Rolle (St. Petersburg, FL) exploring the criminalization of homelessness and its effect on housing the American citizenry presented to the Special Rapportuer on Adequate Housing for the United Nations, Raquel Rolnik, which is to be submitted to the General Assembly in March of 2010.
The Criminalization of American Homelessness
I would like to thank the special rapporteur holding this important hearing on adequate housing. This is an important conversation, in some cases, regarding life and death. I am deeply honored to be asked to participate.
I am a VISTA Volunteer, who is attached to the Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless in St. Petersburg, FL, as the Faces of Homelessness Speaker’s Bureau Director, most of my work in the area of homelessness comes in an at large capacity. The Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless is a countywide organization charged with coordinating services to homeless individuals and families, generating revenue to help fund homeless service, and providing information and education to the general public about homelessness in the county.
My personal expertise in regards to the issue of homelessness stems from the fact that I first experienced homelessness at the age of fourteen. I last experienced a five year episode of homelessness two and a half years ago. My five year experience with homelessness in St. Petersburg, FL began when I was the victim of a house fire.
During the five years that I was homeless I lived under freeway overpasses, under bridges, in tents, in abandoned buildings, at construction sites and on the floor of tenement rooms. No matter where I lived, upon being discovered, I was warned by the police to leave the area.
When my house burned, I was employed as a chef on a day gambling cruise ship. As a renter, I had no insurance and received no compensation. As the house was rendered uninhabitable with no damage to the bathroom and my personal room, I would sneak in at night and leave early in the morning,. When I was caught and forbidden to stay there, I started paying people to stay on there couches. Because of my job as a cook, it was necessary for me to bath and have clean clothes.
I found it impossible to save money while having to take care of the needs of the often unemployed people who would let me stay on their couches. Determined to be independent so I could save the money for a new home (about a two paycheck period a month). I moved outside.
I quickly lost most of my property, my job, and my way. Without a job, it became impossible to “save” anything. Every resource became incorporated into the survival process. I found that living outside was legislated against, and dangerous.
Anti-homelessness ordinances had been passed to make every location where I tried to sleep subject to law enforcement. In St. Petersburg, the City Council has crafted local ordinances which have in effect, made it illegal to be homeless.
The reason I became homeless in the first place after my house burned is that I could not afford to transition into other housing with the barriers of first months rent, last month’s rent and a security deposit, which landlords required.
At the time of the fire, I was paying one hundred fifty dollars a week for an apartment attached to a house. The home owner was my friend and I occasionally worked for him at his accounting business, plus I performed yard work. My salary was approximately four hundred ninety dollars every two weeks. I had no savings. Post fire I could not generate the money necessary to move into another apartment.
The Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan suggests one reason the number of street homeless and persons at risk of homelessness is increasing is the lack of affordable housing.(Pinellas County Planning Report, 2008)
In Pinellas County, the 2008 US Dept of Housing and Urban Development states, the fair market rent is $658. per month for a modest studio apartment, $730. for a one bedroom, $993 for a two bedroom, $1,119., for a three bedroom, $1351. for a four bedroom. (Florida Housing Data Clearing House)
The above figures do not include the last months rent, and in many cases the security deposit (half a months rent) which landlords charge before one can enter a house.
In St Petersburg, the City Council has crafted local ordinances which have in effect made it illegal to be homeless, These laws include ordinances which make it illegal to panhandle, camp within the city limits, lay and recline on the public right of way, trespass , possess an open container, engage in disorderly conduct and public urination.
This criminalization makes it difficult for the homeless to maintain a flow of employment, counseling services, and sheltered living. These St. Petersburg ordinances, have the effect of keeping the homeless, homeless.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office, the cost of housing an inmate is $92. per day. This cost does not include jail medical costs or expenses associated with retaining a Public Defender.
A recent study, Chronic Minor Offenders in Pinellas County Jail, showed that between 2005 and April 2008, 3,789 unique arrests for 1,997 unique individuals, The St. Petersburg Police Dept. accounted for 55% of the arrests.
The 3,844 local ordinance arrests resulted in 12,015 jail days and a total estimated cost of $1,108,692. These figures do not reflect the cost of police surveillance, investigation, arrest and transportation to jail. This money could be better spent linking the homeless with affordable housing and homeless services.
The five years that I was homeless in St Petersburg, I was arrested five times. I was arrested two times for trespassing in attempts to shelter myself and three times for possession of an open container.
I served nine days in jail at various intervals. Every time I went to jail I lost my job, or position in the day labor pool and had to start over. Truthfully, I had no idea of what was to become of me because I had no way to accumulate the vast amount of money needed for lodging. Every cent I made went towards maintaining my existence. Not having a job upon release from incarceration forced me to engage in even more illegal actions such as panhandling and further trespassing.
Proposed Remedies and Solutions
Proposals to demolish and replace structures must be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Study.
This study must include the effect demolition would have on humans, the financial environment, and the misery index, as well as the effect on animals, wetlands, and air quality.
The United States must respect the rights of every citizen in regards to food clothing and shelter. There is no reason for any American not to be afforded the dignity of a home.
As a member of the Pinellas County Leadership Network, I participated with a housing committee. Upon investigation, I found that there are four hundred and ninety nine boarded and abandon houses in St Petersburg Florida. (In an article complaining about graffiti, vandalism and trespassing by homeless people, the St Petersburg Times counted Five hundred and twelve.)
Those houses should be made available to homeless citizens. These citizens should be given the tools and the skills to repair these abandoned structures.
There must be a moratorium on legislation criminalizing street homelessness.
In order for the homeless individual to gain access to the development of services that are necessary to put him into housing, his status must be compatible with that of a legal, housed citizen.
Every American should be able to live inside and have access to adequate affordable housing. This is not a rhetorical statement. Given the vast resources of this country, this is simply a matter of compassion and priority.
The Criminalization of American Homelessness
I would like to thank the special rapporteur holding this important hearing on adequate housing. This is an important conversation, in some cases, regarding life and death. I am deeply honored to be asked to participate.
I am a VISTA Volunteer, who is attached to the Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless in St. Petersburg, FL, as the Faces of Homelessness Speaker’s Bureau Director, most of my work in the area of homelessness comes in an at large capacity. The Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless is a countywide organization charged with coordinating services to homeless individuals and families, generating revenue to help fund homeless service, and providing information and education to the general public about homelessness in the county.
My personal expertise in regards to the issue of homelessness stems from the fact that I first experienced homelessness at the age of fourteen. I last experienced a five year episode of homelessness two and a half years ago. My five year experience with homelessness in St. Petersburg, FL began when I was the victim of a house fire.
During the five years that I was homeless I lived under freeway overpasses, under bridges, in tents, in abandoned buildings, at construction sites and on the floor of tenement rooms. No matter where I lived, upon being discovered, I was warned by the police to leave the area.
When my house burned, I was employed as a chef on a day gambling cruise ship. As a renter, I had no insurance and received no compensation. As the house was rendered uninhabitable with no damage to the bathroom and my personal room, I would sneak in at night and leave early in the morning,. When I was caught and forbidden to stay there, I started paying people to stay on there couches. Because of my job as a cook, it was necessary for me to bath and have clean clothes.
I found it impossible to save money while having to take care of the needs of the often unemployed people who would let me stay on their couches. Determined to be independent so I could save the money for a new home (about a two paycheck period a month). I moved outside.
I quickly lost most of my property, my job, and my way. Without a job, it became impossible to “save” anything. Every resource became incorporated into the survival process. I found that living outside was legislated against, and dangerous.
Anti-homelessness ordinances had been passed to make every location where I tried to sleep subject to law enforcement. In St. Petersburg, the City Council has crafted local ordinances which have in effect, made it illegal to be homeless.
The reason I became homeless in the first place after my house burned is that I could not afford to transition into other housing with the barriers of first months rent, last month’s rent and a security deposit, which landlords required.
At the time of the fire, I was paying one hundred fifty dollars a week for an apartment attached to a house. The home owner was my friend and I occasionally worked for him at his accounting business, plus I performed yard work. My salary was approximately four hundred ninety dollars every two weeks. I had no savings. Post fire I could not generate the money necessary to move into another apartment.
The Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan suggests one reason the number of street homeless and persons at risk of homelessness is increasing is the lack of affordable housing.(Pinellas County Planning Report, 2008)
In Pinellas County, the 2008 US Dept of Housing and Urban Development states, the fair market rent is $658. per month for a modest studio apartment, $730. for a one bedroom, $993 for a two bedroom, $1,119., for a three bedroom, $1351. for a four bedroom. (Florida Housing Data Clearing House)
The above figures do not include the last months rent, and in many cases the security deposit (half a months rent) which landlords charge before one can enter a house.
In St Petersburg, the City Council has crafted local ordinances which have in effect made it illegal to be homeless, These laws include ordinances which make it illegal to panhandle, camp within the city limits, lay and recline on the public right of way, trespass , possess an open container, engage in disorderly conduct and public urination.
This criminalization makes it difficult for the homeless to maintain a flow of employment, counseling services, and sheltered living. These St. Petersburg ordinances, have the effect of keeping the homeless, homeless.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office, the cost of housing an inmate is $92. per day. This cost does not include jail medical costs or expenses associated with retaining a Public Defender.
A recent study, Chronic Minor Offenders in Pinellas County Jail, showed that between 2005 and April 2008, 3,789 unique arrests for 1,997 unique individuals, The St. Petersburg Police Dept. accounted for 55% of the arrests.
The 3,844 local ordinance arrests resulted in 12,015 jail days and a total estimated cost of $1,108,692. These figures do not reflect the cost of police surveillance, investigation, arrest and transportation to jail. This money could be better spent linking the homeless with affordable housing and homeless services.
The five years that I was homeless in St Petersburg, I was arrested five times. I was arrested two times for trespassing in attempts to shelter myself and three times for possession of an open container.
I served nine days in jail at various intervals. Every time I went to jail I lost my job, or position in the day labor pool and had to start over. Truthfully, I had no idea of what was to become of me because I had no way to accumulate the vast amount of money needed for lodging. Every cent I made went towards maintaining my existence. Not having a job upon release from incarceration forced me to engage in even more illegal actions such as panhandling and further trespassing.
Proposed Remedies and Solutions
Proposals to demolish and replace structures must be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Study.
This study must include the effect demolition would have on humans, the financial environment, and the misery index, as well as the effect on animals, wetlands, and air quality.
The United States must respect the rights of every citizen in regards to food clothing and shelter. There is no reason for any American not to be afforded the dignity of a home.
As a member of the Pinellas County Leadership Network, I participated with a housing committee. Upon investigation, I found that there are four hundred and ninety nine boarded and abandon houses in St Petersburg Florida. (In an article complaining about graffiti, vandalism and trespassing by homeless people, the St Petersburg Times counted Five hundred and twelve.)
Those houses should be made available to homeless citizens. These citizens should be given the tools and the skills to repair these abandoned structures.
There must be a moratorium on legislation criminalizing street homelessness.
In order for the homeless individual to gain access to the development of services that are necessary to put him into housing, his status must be compatible with that of a legal, housed citizen.
Every American should be able to live inside and have access to adequate affordable housing. This is not a rhetorical statement. Given the vast resources of this country, this is simply a matter of compassion and priority.
Labels: GW Rolle, Homelessness, Pinellas County, PPEHRC, St. Petersburg, UN Special Rapporteur Raquel Rolnik, United Nations Human Rights Council
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