Necessary Roughness

Heard this on Shreveport’s news-talk radio station. The Associated Press reports that U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson personally presented a check for $12 million to the mayor of New Orleans and a leader representing 70 homeless groups.

More numbers from the article:

• $1.4 billion in federal homeless funds this year
• $25 million to Louisiana (a new record)
• 1250 people considered “chronically homeless” in New Orleans
• 6000 “people who drift in and out of homelessness”

Let’s do some quick math. There are at least seventy homeless groups in the New Orleans area alone—how many homeless groups does a city need, anyway? Let’s assume an average salary of $40,000 (though I suspect this is modest in the Big Easy) for two full-time personnel per group. That’s $5.6 million. Half of the budget left for benefits: $6.4 million divided by 6000 people = $1066.67 per part-time vagrant, in addition to other aid they receive through “social-service, correctional, and health institutions.” (Source: bestofneworleans.com)

HUD requires New Orleans to participate in “discharge planning”, additional services such as vocational training or treatment for drug addictions, in order for a municipality to receive federal funds. Google leaves me short of any numerical results of these attempts.

What besides personal shame prevents people from saying they’re homeless for a month and taking handouts, especially when that money comes from a government that expects little in return? At least in Houston the indigent can sell The Houston Chronicle on street corners and profit in proportion to their efforts.