I spent a good half hour this morning re-reading all the posts… Although I don’t regret or retract my previous post, I would like to clarify a few things:

1. I agree there is a problem.
2. Pads is not the solution to the problem of homelessness in this area.
3. People do not choose to become addicted, they choose to stay addicted. The path to recovery from
addiction is incredibly difficult for anyone, without a support structure it is next to impossible.
4. The laws and codes need to be enforced, regardless of someone’s “lot in life”.

As I read all the posts, I realized it was only a few posts that tossed me over the edge. Although it might have been tongue and cheek suggesting tar & feathering, using mace or letting them fight, to the death I still feel it’s inappropriate. How does it look to an outsider reading those posts? How does it look to our public officials reading those posts?


Please think before you hit Post Now


I’m off my soap box and done posting.

This is interesting too.

quote:

DuPage PADS provides insurance for each congregation that hosts a PADS site. This insurance releases the parish and the diocese from any liability. (Currently there are four Catholic parishes that have PADS sites.) We have been in contact with the diocesan insurance company, Catholic Mutual, about our possible plans. They have no objections but want to make sure that the insurance certificate has the correct wording. There are no special licenses required to be a PADS site. We will be required to have a fire inspection done by the fire department before we can start.

I think that's fair Perplexed.

My church (First Congregational) hosts on Sunday nights and will host one Sunday night per month all summer long. I know the pastor well and could certainly talk with her but again, I'm not sure what good it would do. The purpose of providing shelter to someone who is homeless is good. The problem isn't PADS itself, the problem is SOME of the PADS clients and large groups congregating and violating village ordinances. I do think it would be valuable to have the pastors of both churches at this meeting or forum that we keep talking about. Will we really have this forum????

Oh, and I thought this was very intersting:
Poor mental health options in Illinois.

quote:

Originally posted by Amy:
My church (First Congregational) hosts on Sunday nights and will host one Sunday night per month all summer long. I know the pastor well and could certainly talk with her but again, I'm not sure what good it would do. The purpose of providing shelter to someone who is homeless is good. The problem isn't PADS itself, the problem is SOME of the PADS clients and large groups congregating and violating village ordinances. I do think it would be valuable to have the pastors of both churches at this meeting or forum that we keep talking about. Will we really have this forum????

I think Mamattorney had a very good point. My speaking with a pastor would be solely academic, nothing more. One major question I have is whether they are aware of ALL types of personality characteristics that PADS accepts. I am also curious as to how active they are, if at all in the identification process. I would like to know what information PADS gives them leading up to their decision to host. St Mary's is accepting input from the public as of right now, and would most likely be the best place to start.

FYI: Based on what I read, these congregations don't make a profit from hosting PADS. It appears that food, utilities, cleaning supplies and the like comes from their budget. Insurance comes from PADS. I totally agree with you that these congregatiions believe what they are doing is good.

A Profile of Homelessness in DuPage County

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During 2001-2002, there were 1159 persons who used DuPage PADS services, an increase of 32% over the past year. Persons who stay at DuPage PADS usually need this service for a short period of time with 78% staying 1 to 30 days. There were 16 persons who have used DuPage PADS for over 210 days, indicating that for this handful of individuals DuPage PADS 9 is their primary source of shelter. DuPage PADS offers case management services to individuals who have been in the shelters for five days or longer. During the past year there were 391 persons who utilized the services of a case manager with 109 receiving employment referrals and 62 obtaining employment.

Here is where the 5% success rate comes in or is it a 95% failure rate? Of 1159 served, 62 obtained employment. 62/1159 = 5%. This does not include recidivism.

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Although DuPage County has a relatively low number of homeless people,homelessness is devastating to the individuals involved, particularly to children.

Although this is from 2003, Simler currently contends homelessness is a crisis in DuPage. Keep bringing them in and it will be.

quote:

Originally posted by bitterboy:
This is an interesting proposal put forth by St. Mary's. Not sure if it's realistic or legal.

quote:

All guests are required to not arrive at the site any earlier than 6:30 pm and to leave the property and neighborhood at 7:00 am the following morning. Volunteers are responsible for making sure this happens.

This is the PADS rule for all sites and it is very strictly enforced - you will be turned away for violating it. Loitering is strictly forbidden, you may NOT even step foot on the property until the posted time.

You will always see PADS patients waiting/queuing just over the property line before the allotted time. The prohibition against hanging around burning hours is clearly due to the negative effect loitering has on the property's day business and established customer base.

quote:

Originally posted by jombl:

quote:

Originally posted by bitterboy:
This is an interesting proposal put forth by St. Mary's. Not sure if it's realistic or legal.

quote:

All guests are required to not arrive at the site any earlier than 6:30 pm and to leave the property and neighborhood at 7:00 am the following morning. Volunteers are responsible for making sure this happens.

This is the PADS rule for all sites and it is very strictly enforced - you will be turned away for violating it. Loitering is strictly forbidden, you may NOT even step foot on the property until the posted time.

You will always see PADS patients waiting/queuing just over the property line before the allotted time. The prohibition against hanging around burning hours is clearly due to the negative effect loitering has on the property's day business and established customer base.

I'm choking on the irony.

PADS people were late tonite.

Homeless locked out until around 7.

Previous post is correct.

The PADS people tell the homeless not to step onto the church property until 630. So they stand across the steet, at the old folks home,etc.

Really, really sucks to live here when this occurs....

quote:

Originally posted by jombl:

quote:

Originally posted by bitterboy:
This is an interesting proposal put forth by St. Mary's. Not sure if it's realistic or legal.

quote:

All guests are required to not arrive at the site any earlier than 6:30 pm and to leave the property and neighborhood at 7:00 am the following morning. Volunteers are responsible for making sure this happens.

This is the PADS rule for all sites and it is very strictly enforced - you will be turned away for violating it. Loitering is strictly forbidden, you may NOT even step foot on the property until the posted time.

You will always see PADS patients waiting/queuing just over the property line before the allotted time. The prohibition against hanging around burning hours is clearly due to the negative effect loitering has on the property's day business and established customer base.

Take a closer look at what it states. It states they have to leave the neighborhood, not just the property. No way is this enforceable, not sure what they are thinking. Or, maybe they know something we don't.

Here is another example from the church bulletin:

quote:

TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THE SITE: In addition to the potential for guests who might loiter on the property or in the neighborhood, questions were also raised about how guests would find transportation to and from St. Margaret Mary. Is there a PACE route within walking distance? If not, could PACE re-route a bus to make rides available? How many guests have their own transportation and how open are they to giving rides to guests without transportation?

• Experience from other congregations hosting PADS sites is that loitering has not been a problem and that DuPage PADS is quick to respond to any issues that might arise.
• Unlike many urban homeless, many of the guests at PADS sites have cars. Those without transportation often get rides from those who do.
• The DuPage PADS director is willing to work with us regarding conversations with PACE bus service. When the PADS site was at Evangelical Free Church (on Hobson Rd.) DuPage PADS was able to arrange for a commuter bus to take guests to the train station.

Sounds pretty good to me. No loitering, most folks have cars, PADS is going to set them up with transportation out of the hood. Ahhh....Heaven!

quote:

Originally posted by Amy:

I believe in the golden rule: Do unto others as you'd have done to you.

Gotta run!

I was always told the Golden Rule was: He who has the gold makes the rules.

quote:

Originally posted by perplexed:

As I read all the posts, I realized it was only a few posts that tossed me over the edge. Although it might have been tongue and cheek suggesting tar & feathering, using mace or letting them fight, to the death I still feel it’s inappropriate.

Please think before you hit Post Now

The fight to the death post was mine! Why. . . . Because I was at Einsteins last week getting coffee when two of our guests started fighting over a table and GE's finest was called (And did they take their sweet time walking across the street) It will be interesting when the fight gets serious or involves a resident.

Perhaps you should observe before you post!

How do you think it looks to outsiders reading this when the information is glossed over or the problem is ignored?

PADS is a f*#king sham! Nothing will be done until something serious and I mean real serious happens. (rape, stabbing, mugging) TBS if you are reading this maybe you can suggest to our untrustworthy trustees that people do not like to go shopping when the have to run through crowds (not just a couple ) F*#king Crowds of bums to even get down the sidewalk. People will avoid areas where they do not feel safe! Can't remember the last time I said "Hey . . . They're having a sale in Markham. Did any of you ever have one of these guys bang on your car's window? Scares the living crap out of you!

Interesting, we were in downtown Naperville yesterday, and outside the Corner Bakery, there was a homeless fella. He had a cart with about 6 large bags on it.

He also had a sign advertising his www.flickr.com page with his photography on it. I wish I would have wrote it down, I am sure he gets more hits than I do at my site.

Downtown Naperville was packed, and we saw about 4 other homeless with their cars and bags etc... and they were not bothering anyone of offending anyone.

Awesome...in a CBD 10x the size of our with a population of 10x the size of ours...you saw 5 homeless people. Please explain to me why 4 days a week I see at least 15.

I'll hang up and wait for your answer.

Because our CBD in no longer the Central Business District
Our CBD is the Chicago Bum Destination

quote:

Originally posted by BlueEchoes:
Interesting, we were in downtown Naperville yesterday, and outside the Corner Bakery, there was a homeless fella. He had a cart with about 6 large bags on it.

He also had a sign advertising his www.flickr.com page with his photography on it. I wish I would have wrote it down, I am sure he gets more hits than I do at my site.

That was me.

quote:

Awesome...in a CBD 10x the size of our with a population of 10x the size of ours...you saw 5 homeless people. Please explain to me why 4 days a week I see at least 15.

Empty storefronts remind them of home, or what passed for their previous habitat.

PADS is a poor solution to housing the homeless and mentally ill but you get what you pay for- which is completely inadequate services from the State.

http://www.nami.org/gtstemplate.cfm?section=grading_the...D=63&ContentID=30964