‘Commentary’ Archives
Asheville Transit: Broken Promises of Improved Bus Service – Yet the Associated Fare Increase Happens Anyway; More Fare Increases to Come
Starting July 1st we get to pay $20 for a monthly bus pass, up from $15. This increase is part of the Transit Master Plan (TMP) approved by the city. According to the TMP, the first of the "gradual" rate increases was supposed to coincide with the implementation of specified bus service improvements. That fact is in bold italics in the [...]
A-Hope Again Threatens to Deny Services
Unfortunately, this is now my third article in this series (about problems with the person running A-Hope). There was a note on the door of A-Hope today that said if they continue to find cups around the property then they are going to stop providing coffee. I didn't see any garbage, and I rarely do. Once in a while someone leaves a [...]
A-Hope Maintains Policy Which Encourages the Homeless to Sleep in Downtown Asheville; Won’t Address Suggestion
It's unfortunate I have to write another article like this about A-Hope, when they provide the most services to homeless people in Asheville, and the staff there are usually friendly. (My other article here is titled "A-Hope in Need of New Direction" from 4-30-2010.) The names of the involved persons are omitted here for privacy [...]
A-Hope in Need of New Direction
Today the Director of A-Hope threatened to close tomorrow if people are not "nice" to the staff. She said the staff were there "because they want to be" and they "could make more money working somewhere else." I had been there around 40 minutes and hadn't noticed any problem. When I went downstairs right after that announcement I asked a [...]
Moutain Xpress: Letter – The homeless aren’t the problem, but delinquents are
Homeless has become a continuing issue of interest to letter writers to the Mountain Xpress. This week's letter is by Brandon Oliver and is a mixed-bag of support and criticism of the local homeless community. He has little sympathy for those down on their luck and responding with what can be understandable anger. He is right that there are [...]
CNN: ‘Mayor’ of Skid Row
Jeff Page is homeless and living in L.A.'s Skid Row, but he's also an elected official serving on the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. He's the only homeless elected official in L.A. (and frankly, the only elected homeless person I could find doing several different google searches). Embedded video from CNN Video His story is an [...]
Citizen-Times: Cold Weather Shelter Opens & It’s Hard to be Homeless in the Cold
According to the Citizen-Times staff report ABCCM opening severe weather shelter the old Coxe Ave. ABCCM Men's shelter is going to be open from 6pm today until 8am Monday. Please let anyone know who needs to get out of the cold that this shelter space is available. Barbara Blake's article For Asheville's homeless who live outdoors, the [...]
MountainX editorial: Don’t Scapegoat the Homeless
In the Mountain Xpress editorial "Don't Scapegoat the Homeless", Jerry Nelson raises several issues with Jan Davis's statements that I pointed out in a previous entry on the possible banning of smoking from Pritchard Park. I was dismayed by some statements published in the Asheville Citizen-Times recently and attributed to Asheville City [...]
WLOS ABC 13: Asheville Homeless Coalition Meeting
Asheville Homeless Network is a member of the Asheville Homeless Coalition, made up of the homeless service providers that receive federal money (AHN does not receive federal funding, but have a place on the Coalition in an advisory position). Moss and I attended yesterday's meeting at the Western Carolina Rescue Ministry on Patton Ave. I'll have [...]
Citizen-Times Editorial: Asheville cares more about tourists than its homeless
Feels Asheville cares more about tourists than its homeless by John Perry, Asheville I am writing this letter in regard to the homeless citizens here in Asheville. Have you ever been cold in the morning because you didn't have anywhere else to sleep at night? Well, I have been homeless for at least 10 years of my life, since 1999. I've stayed [...]
