The Sioux Falls city council had a discussion today during the informational about what to do with the problem at Heritage Park. I have no idea of what a solution would look like, it’s like whack a mole. But I do see how this came about.
• Concentrating all the poor and homeless services into one neighborhood (deciding to put the Bishop Dudley house next to the Banquet).
• Allowing alcohol in some parks but not in others (eliminate it in all parks).
• Lots of poor and impoverished people in Sioux Falls (crap wages).
The city council isn’t going to solve this problem overnight, but first they have to look at the symptoms of the disease and realize where they messed up, then correct the bad decisions that were made in the past.
Mr. E, I disagree with your third point. The wages are probably just fine by my standards, but no matter what the wages are those people would not work.
we all knew that once VanEps was cleared, any and all buildings in downtown are now lofts for lofty people, what the hell did anyone think would happen. The minute Weber Ave became the new demarcation for poverty all the way to Clevland Ave and beyond, that was all MMM wanted. The core of sioux falls is collapsing except for the little downtown area. Look at Whittier and Dudley house area, look at the old Axtel Park which is now the alternative school (soon most will be parking lots and hotels for the Sanford Falls Event Center. How about 16th street north to 9th along kiwanis to Minn. ave. what a crap hole of blight, its perfect for SHape Places zoning to purge the low income housing or rents, and then none of the current residents can afford to be around unless welfare picks it up. Its a mess, but yet we will bus the cream of the crop to a school George McGovern that cannot be walked to, I bet old George is rolling in the grave as a result of that planning. WTF
But, didn’t the police say in the Argus the other day that there is no problem in Heritage????
Right – we should spread the services for the homeless all power the city – because – you know – homeless people are fully capable of being highly mobile and independent.
FWIW, that park has been a gathering place for the “less fortunate”. as long as I can remember – since I was a kid – 1950’s.
This blog is taking on an ever more and more FAUX NEWS like quality.
Every city has a low income area with problems. What disturbs me is the mayor’s upsell. Supposedly, everyone’s working and the quality of life is fabulous. The city does nothing for social services. They arrest vagrants but do not provide council or pay for a jail cell. The county’s budget is 400% less than the city. They had to raise taxes to assist and support vagrants, infirmed, and homeless. The city builds luxury country club indoor entertainment, sports, and hotels nobody can afford. It’s time to steer city budget toward the county. This mayor spends influentially and personally political while discriminating against the majority who are impoverished.