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		In Arlington, Hitting the Streets to End Homelessness By KEVIN LYONS Star-Telegram ARLINGTON - On the banks of Johnson Creek, where its waters flow just west of the first green of the city-owned Meadowbrook Golf Course, the telltale signs of a homeless camp are everywhere: crumpled cups and beer cans, some socks, a soiled purple paisley comforter. Because the golf course is behind a chain-link fence, shoulder-high brush and large trees, the camp is virtually invisible to golfers, though they’d no doubt hear any ruckus that flared up. But Johnny Morris did not need any noise to find this place Wednesday. Morris, a former parole officer and Vietnam veteran, was hired in July by the Arlington Life Shelter to approach the city’s homeless, offer them food or water if needed, and tell them about city services to get them off the streets. "I’ve got 30 cases so far," Morris said. "These folks, they don’t want no trouble. They just want to exist without going to jail." Based on a recent count, officials estimated that there are more than 400 homeless people living in Arlington, about 11 percent of the homeless population in Tarrant County (3,577). They live in emergency shelters, outdoors or sometimes in pay-by-the-day motels. Hiring an outreach coordinator was one of several recommendations made by the city’s task force on chronic homelessness. Depending on the initiatives the city chooses and to what level they are enacted, the effort could cost $350,000 to $1.2 million over 10 years. In 2007, responding to the needs of Arlington’s homeless cost city, school, and medical providers more than $800,000. Arlington is not alone in trying to find new ways to deal with its homeless population. In June, Fort Worth officials adopted a similar 10-year plan at a cost of $700,000 to $3 million. The recommendations to end Arlington’s homeless situation were unveiled during a City Council meeting Sept 2. Some of the notable recommendations: Apply for federal Health Care for the Homeless funds. Currently, many who are homeless rely on emergency services for medical care or use an overburdened public health system. Create an additional shelter. Arlington’s three shelters — the Arlington Life Shelter, the Salvation Army’s Family Center and SafeHaven of Tarrant County — house 213 people. Develop a homeless court program. According to the task force, several cities across the country hold court in shelters, and homeless people with outstanding warrants can use their participation in shelter programs as time served. In 2007, homeless people spent 862 days in the Arlington Jail, costing the city $161,912. Not knowing exactly how many homeless people live in Arlington makes it hard to raise money to fight the problem. "For a city our size, we do not have a very visible homeless population, and it’s a Catch-22 because that’s what the city wants," said Becky Orander, executive director of the Arlington Life Shelter. "We work real hard with panhandlers and the like to get them in here and off the street. But when you try to raise funds, and they are invisible, people think they are not here," she said. By the numbers The city estimates it has more than 400 homeless people. It cost $828,997 to provide city, school and some medical services to homeless people in 2007. That does not include money given by faith-based organizations or emergency shelters, or housing assistance provided by the Arlington Housing Authority. A breakdown: $54,275: Amount it cost the Police Department for 1,250 man-hours to assist the homeless $161,912: Cost of incarcerating the homeless for a total of 862 days $130,000: Services provided to the homeless by the Fire Department $94,336: Services provided by the city code enforcement $22,674: Services provided by the parks department $120,000: Arlington Memorial Hospital’s treatment of 120 homeless people $100,000: Ambulance services for about 100 people $180,800: Arlington school district services for 2,132 children Source: City of Arlington




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