Mind you, the guy below may have been just legitimately taking an ‘intended’ nap, though I think laying in the sun at 6 PM in the evening probably wasn’t ‘planned’. He also didn’t look homeless, he had on brand new sneakers and a nice backpack.
But the bigger point is more and more I have been seeing people DTSF taking ‘naps’ in some of the most random spots, and others have noticed. It happens a lot around the Dudley House and Nelson Park. The other day I saw a guy passed out in front of the Holiday Inn on the sidewalk.
While I have seen this along the bike trails for years, it seems this summer the locations of these ‘naps’ are becoming more dangerous.
I guess yesterday a drunken brawl broke out by the Dudley House until a citizen broke it up. I have thought all along concentrating our homeless services in a neighborhood was NOT a good idea. I had suggested like the County’s Safe Home that a shelter should have been built by the jail.
The Arcs can be seen in the distance. Such a committed, but failed pilgrimage, will continue to become more common in the future, I am afraid, however.
But many will make it to the Arcs though. Where they shall dance counterclockwise around the bases in hopes of Druid dreams for a simpler time, when railroad yards had trains, ramps had hotels, events centers had nice siding, pool passes worked at aquatic centers, malls were filled with stores like Dillard’s, restaurants were not owned and named by a Dave or a Buster, and historic theatres had completed second and third floors. #DreamOnMyLittleDruidFriendsDreamOn…#YourBlissfulSleep&ItsDreamsMayHaveAllOfTheAnswers….#WhoKnows
This city needs a Mayor and an administration that will be aggressive in preventing people being homeless. They must be aware of it, as the subject is brought to their attention at the Council meetings. It’s time to address this sad issue and get something done versus making time for the endless selfies.
Maybe we need to check with all those wonderful cities run by liberals all of these years- they don’t have any homeless problems, do they? Then our mayor could run for higher office (ie DeBlasio or Gavin Newsome)
Huether used to round up and jail the homeless before a weekend. They were later released and given a ride to the city limits. There are more meth addicts now. A bus ticket to Omaha might be a better answer. Better yet, spend 1.5 million on the State Theater and warehouse them there.
“Maybe we need to check with all those wonderful cities run by liberals all of these years- they don’t have any homeless problems, do they? Then our mayor could run for higher office (ie DeBlasio or Gavin Newsome)”
Well, first of all, Newsome is a governor and not a mayor. But often conservatives do take negative note of how liberals run cities and states, but these conservatives never mention how these cities and states are far more diverse and complex then fly-over states and cities, which tend to be run by conservatives.
More importantly, liberals care more about government and trying to fix things. Conservatives tend to leave town and leave problems to others. Nothing is more indicative of this then what is going on in our own state. Have you ever noticed that as for as conservative and Republican this state is, that if a Democratic lawyer wants to be a state’s attorney in this state, especially if appointed to the position, there is little position to their appointment? Because conservatives don’t care about public policy and trying to better society unless they can use government to lower taxes for the rich.
So, was the forementioned a sweeping generality? Nope, because it is the truth and everyone knows it, but only some are willing to admit it or lay it on the line.
Reminds me of the regular bum fight you could watch outside of the old Banquet location. Those were the days!
well first of all Gavin Newsome was the 42nd mayor of San Francisco who then ran for higher office; your statement shows part of the problem- you expect government to fix everything- what happened to personal responsibility?; you bemoan the diversity of the large cities but who keeps telling us that diversity is what we need? and don’t tell me that there is not diversity in Sioux Falls- just go into the schools and see how many languages are spoken there; lastly- who bears the brunt of higher real estate taxes just questioned on this blog in the past several days?
“A bus ticket to Omaha might be a better answer.”
Actually, D.S. is on the right track. I have volunteered for many years at all of the agencies in the Whittier neighborhood. I see a lot of new faces each time. A one-way bus ticket to wherever a transient wants to go makes more sense for them and for the SF taxpayer.
We keep expanding shelters and services, but don’t seem to be making any progress. Our limited resources would be better served offering a hand up to local families in need, rather than a hand out to strangers passing through (which only incentivizes them to stay longer and work the system).
And to whatever group is giving bicycles to transients, please stop! I’ve had three near misses in the past month – not to mention the fatal that happened in June near the Flying J. I’m sure there are good intentions involved, but many don’t know the rules of the road.
MJ,
All of us are the government (Contrary to what Reagan once said). When the government does something, we all do it…. Oh, and there is diversity in Sioux Falls alright, but Cyox Phalls is still very much a homogenesis city without the challenges that larger cities have in this country.
Plus, you are already beginning to see this happen with our school board and its going to happen to our city too, where the growth of taxation becomes finite due to boundaries, but the demands and potential inflationary impact grow and challenge a community. That’s why these larger cities have the problems they do; and Sioux Falls will begin to experience that too, as it can no longer use expansion to garner greater cash flow to run its governmental entities.
Our cities overtime demonstrate a weakness in the capitalistic system. Capitalism is dependent upon expansion and new markets to stay alive, but cities, especially big ones, become overtime limited in their growth, which then causes them to die a slow death.
WCS, one of my friends told me recently they had their bike sitting next to their garage and they were looking out the window and saw a homeless person (they assumed) jump on it and ride off, she tried to chase him down but he took off anyway (and they live on the Southside of McKennan park.
Sierra said one time that she has lived in a lot of major cities and this is the first one she has lived in that gives away so much to the poor and homeless. I had a friend tell me they were helping with the free backpack program a couple of years ago and she was amazed at how many people with brand new cars show up with their kids to get a free backpack. She said one family had a brand new Mustang GT.
I agree we need to help struggling families, but the handouts need to end. I have said they should close the Dudley House and Banquet and Feeding SD from October to December, and a lot of these ‘traveling wilburies’ would leave.
But there is also a bigger problem, it’s the working poor who have to depend on these free services to survive. We have a wage collusion and affordable housing issue in this town. If we just paid these people a little more it would help the overall economy. I have often said the biggest investment the Federal government could do is give out FREE birth control for all. Other states that have started these programs have seen significant drops in unwanted pregnancies.
“Maybe we need to check with all those wonderful cities run by liberals all of these years- they don’t have any homeless problems, do they? Then our mayor could run for higher office (ie DeBlasio or Gavin Newsome)â€
So we are a conservative government and gave this & the larger cities that are liberal have this problem. Sounds like neither is figuring it out. Bussing people to Omaha may work until Omaha starts bussing 10x the people back here. Rounding up & jailing them costs tax payer money & they will just walk back to town. Instead of cutting each other down & thinking you are in the “right team” has anyone ever thought about putting our heads together and coming up with a real solution?
There are multiple inaccurate and pretty derogatory statements made about those who are homeless in this post.