Regarding the letter Dec. 10 by Daniel LaForteza:
Daniel said he has had a long association with the homeless community. What he was told as a child and his interaction with the current homeless population may be a bit unrealistic. Most homeless people just want to be left alone and if given a choice would not move from their current location.
That is not to say that some of them wouldn’t accept help in certain circumstances. Money, food and clothing are acceptable but jobs and relocation are not wanted. They have all the problems that a community of people would have: crime, theft and abuse, but they would rather suffer these problems in silence than involve the police. They want their privacy and their human rights to be left alone. This problem has been going on for decades and as we have seen money does nothing but fatten the local city and state programs. Think about this: Where are the stories about the homeless person or persons who were helped and recovered their lives? I have heard a few over the years but I also was saddened when the same people returned to become homeless again. It may be a mindset or just a life choice. Is there a broad and fix-all solution? No. It will take a hard-line attitude and a physical deep dive into the homeless community with a one-on-one conversation. If they do not want help and do not want to move, then the hard decision needs to be made.
Michael Dempsey
Newhall
