Renee Davenport: We need a plan for homelessness, not just statistics

I am glad to see the city council is recognizing that an out-of-town person cannot successfully address the issues of homelessness in our community. Pasadena, where Joe Colletti operates, is a much larger city and has a greater capacity for addressing such issues. Though the urban initiatives run by Colletti have brought information to our community about funding (which is necessary), they have really never addressed the real issue – homeless people have no stream of income and therefore do not qualify for many of the housing options available.

We do not have a center where the homeless can congregate, nor do we have a plan for warming or cooling centers. This winter it was only after many visits to the city council that we achieved a warming center for March. People in our community should unite and get busy with a real plan to address the issues of people on the streets, in our parks and panhandling. Having an organization that is actually from our community and willing to take the reins will benefit us more than an out-of-town business giving statistical information and no more.

This story was originally published May 7, 2015 at 10:48 AM with the headline "Renee Davenport: We need a plan for homelessness, not just statistics."