Combating Homelessness Requires an Action Plan

The recent decision by the to cancel plans for a in the heart of the Old Dundalk community has brought the issue of homelessness into the forefront.  

As we consider the issue objectively, we should be able to agree that the issue merits our attention and calls us to consider our response in action.

First, we have an obligation to care for one another and, as such, to identify solutions to the pressing challenges we face as a community. Indeed, finding the right housing and rehabilitation options are critical if we ever hope not only to meet the needs of the homeless, but also to end their dependency on government services and return them to being productive citizens. 

Helping the less fortunate (including the homeless population) can and should be done thoughtfully. Haphazardly placing resources for people in need throughout a community, near residential housing, and in our commercial districts, for example, is neither thoughtful nor productive. 

Whether through real examples (loitering and panhandling) or a perceived stigma, social services located in commercial centers only serve as a deterrent to potential customers. In that regard, diverting services for the homeless, along with other social services, away from places like our shopping centers and places of commerce makes sense and can add to a vibrancy of a commercial district.  

The good news is that there are ways that we can remove these sporadic social services from key residential and commercial areas while still meeting the needs of homeless individuals.

One example of how we can accomplish this is to leverage the now-vacant Diamond Point Shopping Center, which is relatively far removed from other commerce and residential housing, as an effective location to provide services for both Dundalk and Essex residents in need.

The substantial space could allow for multiple services to be provided there, and to be pulled from other commercial spaces. Rather than simply providing shelter from homelessness, imagine if individuals receiving shelter could also have access to effective job training and counseling services in the same location. 

Rather than have a patchwork of services in commercial districts and among residential communities, we could create a comprehensive location that would best serve those in need – something research has confirmed has the most positive benefits for the disadvantaged.

The need to provide services should not condone placing those services anywhere; likewise, the rational desire to keep services out of certain locations should not keep services from being provided altogether. Using Diamond Point or another site like it, to create opportunities to remove services from our business and residential corridors and place them into a comprehensive center, reflects this reality.

Creating a location with comprehensive services is best for people in need, as well as for our communities, While it will not be easily done, we can meet the needs of our neighbors while growing robust commercial and residential areas with the efforts of our government, church, and community leaders.