Editorial: Who are the homeless Editorial: Who are the homeless (July 27, 2005)

Depth interviews with those 'without long-term, stable housing' result in stereotype-busting findings

Recent reports of an increase in aggressive panhandling in Palo Alto commercial areas have triggered a renewed stir of concern about the $25 million Opportunity Center now under construction on Encina Way off El Camino Real.

But police officials say they have not noticed any significant increase in citizen reports of overly aggressive panhandlers, especially compared to the late 1990s when the city enacted the "sit-lie ordinance" tightening up on panhandling.

And recently released findings of a detailed study of nearly 200 persons receiving services at local meal programs, drop-in centers and service centers -- as outlined in a story on page 3 of this issue -- paint a sharply different picture of who the homeless are.

Conducted under guidelines established by Stanford University Medical Center, Lars Osterberg, M.D. -- chief of the division of general internal medicine at the V.A. Hospital and head of the Arbor Free Clinic at the Menlo Park V.A. Hospital -- used the survey as the basis for a master's thesis for the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley.

Working with Donald Barr, M.D., also on the Stanford faculty and spearhead of the Opportunity Center effort since the late 1990s, Osterberg and a former Stanford student, Crystal Trujillo, approached 195 persons receiving "homeless" services -- and interviewed 145 who agreed to talk.

They found troubled persons, nearly half of whom reported suffering from depression, and 28 percent of whom said they were veterans. They also were aging, like much of Palo Alto: Their average age was 48, and one in four was over 55. Three quarters of those surveyed were men.

Not surprisingly, they reported numerous health problems: 28 percent reported high blood pressure, 11 percent diabetes, 13 percent asthma, 34 percent dental problems, 18 percent foot problems, 12 percent skin disorders, depression by 46 percent, and 16 percent "other serious mental illness." Only 22 percent said they were receiving mental-health treatment; just 40 percent reported receiving treatment for any health problems.

Then come some surprises: More than 40 percent said they were raised in the Midpeninsula -- Palo Alto or nearby communities. Overall, the average residency in the Midpeninsula was 23 years. And 12 percent reported finishing college, half said they attended college and just under 80 percent said they completed high school.

The high percentage of those raised in the area means that "these are the (former) kids of our communities," Dr. Barr observed. "This is not a migratory crowd."

Fears about the drop-in center attracting more homeless to the area are unfounded, he believes. The 20-year existence of the drop-in center behind the Palo Alto Red Cross building -- which will relocate to the new Opportunity Center when it opens next summer -- is the best argument against an influx of new homeless, he feels. The services will be essentially the same, but improved with showers, telephone access and even e-mail connections, along with a "sense of community."

The Weekly has long supported the Opportunity Center and praised the collaborative process that guided it through crises and fearful critics. That does not mean we believe the community should tolerate aggressive panhandling on sidewalks and streets.

We hope those who remain fearful will take a closer look at the facts of who the homeless really are and where they truly come from. Be watchful and critical, but base concerns on facts and experience, not fear and stereotypes.

Setting a higher standard Setting a higher standard (July 27, 2005)

There was a coincidental alignment of two sad cases last week: A judge sentenced one Palo Alto mother to a year in jail for hosting an alcohol-flowing teen party where one young man was almost beaten to death, and the district attorney's office filed a misdemeanor criminal charge against a second mother, a teacher's aide, who allowed teen drinking to continue after she returned home. In the latter case, a 17-old-boy drove off with a blood-alcohol reading twice the legal limit and crashed into a tree.

"Aren't you concerned about my well-being?" the staggering youth demanded of a neighbor who came outside to say police were being called.

That ironic query is precisely the point. The parental -- and peer -- standard for allowing, hosting or attending teen parties must be raised. Parents and young persons alike should recognize the wisdom of that, so they don't have to suffer the consequences.

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