What if I were tell you that the recent survey of the "homeless" in Twentynine Palms conducted for the County of San Bernardino was a complete and total sham, teetering on fraud?

It turns out that the so called survey was more observations of a couple of guys at a local fast food restaurant one evening, on the poor fashion statements of local residents. If you where disheveled you were counted as homeless. Since none of us are what you would call on the fashion cusp, any of us could have been listed as appearing homeless.

Surveyors were told not to interview or approach the "homeless" but to make an educated guess if indeed what the saw as homeless was homeless. If it looked like a duck to them, they counted it.

The City of Twentynine Palms Council will be given testimony to these facts by a member of the survey team this Tuesday night.

I'm not sure what the scam is on this "homeless" issue, but I can smell a rat.

Sounds like the survey-takers weren’t given the right supervision and training to even produce a credible survey of the number of homeless people in Twentynine Palms. Any survey which doesn’t include the homeless is not really going to be credible at all. Morongo Valley has committed itself. Twenty-nine needs an accurate count. Who has that responsibility? Was it bad county managment and a lack of oversight.
Branson Hunter () - 04 02 08 - 13:24

Maybe the city could sponsor a free homeless Big Mac dinner at the Golden Arches and count them there. Maybe give away a few jackets and warm clothing.
ken () - 04 02 08 - 13:55

Hi Dan,

At the meeting on the 12th a gentlemen is scheduled to speak during public comments about the count and how it was done from his perspective as one of the official counters.

His statements will be “interesting” to say the least.

Again, his comments will be taken in the context that Jim harris and I questioned – the methodology of the count. That does not mean we qustion the issue of how to assist the homeless.

Steve Spear
Steve Spear () - 04 02 08 - 17:08

Thank You Steve for being willing to sincerely assess the homeless situation that we have in the high desert, the housing crisis is nationwide and when low income housing support services are looking to provide housing for teachers, law enforcement, firefighters, and nurses, then we have a huge problem http://www.knowledgeplex.org/
I am fortunate that I have my own home and an affordable mortgage but not many are so lucky, I had great people in the industry looking out for my needs, the mortgage broker and real estate agents. Over the last 3 years I saw that quality change to where we are in a bad state and it is going to get worse. We have vulnerable citizens in the Morongo Basin who need that same type of expertise and professionalism that I had. IF I could get the zoning approved I would love to get the financing to put a homeless shelter on my property, provide a safe place for those who have not been safe. Can anyone help me to do that in an official capacity? I feel that if we as a society don’t look out the least of our neighbors we will not have anything left to look out for.
Leslie - 05 02 08 - 17:20

Hi Leslie,

Things are very bad to say the least. Mortgage crisis, rampant over spending across the board, cutting of social services, the list is long and seems to us to be a black hole of despair.

These issues are real and effect us all. I seek the truth of a matter. I seek true analysis of a matter so I can make effective and rationale decisions.

Anything that is offered on the plate of an agenda rings hollow. When members of a counting system step forward to say that the definition and methologidy were perhaps flawed should make us all step back to evaluate what is being said.

The homeless situation is a scar on our country and beliefs. I just want to know the truth of how deep the problem is.

Our resources are limited and expenditure of those resources must be measured in terms of the greatest good for the greater goal.

The homeless deserve more than what the offered survey provided. It is a sad day when those entrusted with the use of public funds need to question the very content of a study that wishes to tip their vote to an agenda. The homeless are very much more than an agenda and deserve our cencern and help.

I feel that this can be done – but to those that put this survey together, do not attempt to mislead me for your own agenda. Let me have the facts so that I can make a real decision about real people.
Steve Spear - 05 02 08 - 21:51

Thank you so much Steve,
As far as I know about the survey is that it was far lower of a count then what I knew about personally as so many were not included in the count criteria. I do not know specifically about 29, although we I was getting trained for Reach Out housing issues were the most pervasive problems people were having trouble with (Feb. 06).

Thank you also for being willing to look at the causes of homelessness, lack of; education, quality mental health services and health care, drug rehabilitation, income opportunities, safe working environments, migration of the marginalized, our high rate of previously incarcerated, etc. We can’t just turn our backs and ignore or abuse those who have suffered way too much.

You are so right when you say that agendas are slanting the outcomes, research has been twisted the last several years to promote the personal wealth of too few at the expense of too many.

To combat this a group of caring individuals (9) were pulled out of a Homeless Forum ( Dec. 21, 2007) that consisted of about 60 residents of the Morongo Basin to form a board for a non profit to address the homeless issue. We are the Morongo Basin Aligning Resources Challenging Homelessness or MB ARCH. Our objective is to bring awareness, find creative ways to problem solve the lack of homelessness among families and individuals. Pull from the county resources that are already tagged for housing in our area. We are working hard at working ourselves out of a position. We have met just about every week since then to get our ducks in order. We are a diverse group, professionals and laypersons who see the crisis on a day-to-day basis, consumers, and individuals who really care. Soon we hope to have the web site operational so that the community can participate more.

We have our next forum meeting on the 12th of Feb, the same day as the 29 town council, we are looking to see how to combine both.
Leslie () - 06 02 08 - 05:51

After last night’s tornadoes in 7 states, that leaves behind more homeless people. People tend to ‘stereo type’ what homeless people are supposed to act and look like. It can happen to ANYONE at any given moment. Homelessness does not discriminate.
29 Palms Resident - 06 02 08 - 22:51

If you smell a rat, tell my old lady to take a shower.
Jimbo - 06 02 08 - 22:53

29 Palms Resident,
Agreed those that are affected by disasters economic and natural are actual homeless people. Bums and hobos are homeless by choice.

Jimbo,
Thats is a great example of showing your Christian Piety.
Dan O - 06 02 08 - 23:14

Smell you later Bimbo
ken () - 07 02 08 - 08:16

...yea. Fish ain’t bittin here Bimbo. Try down stream.
Mike - 09 02 08 - 01:01

  
Remember personal info?

Emoticons / Textile

To prevent automated comment spam we require you to answer this silly question.
( in lower case, please.)
 

  (Logged in as )

Notify:
Hide email:

Small print: All html tags except <b> and <i> will be removed from your comment. You can make links by just typing the url or mail-address.