The Hidden Crisis: The Reality Of Homelessness in Idaho

Someone is bound to ask me how I determined this fellow was homeless. True, I didn’t go over and pose the question. When he was awake, you couldn’t get a word in edgewise. He was constantly talking to himself.

I walked into a laundromat at 9:15 in the morning on New Year’s Day. The place had opened at 5:00 a.m. It was 27 degrees outside when I arrived. This man was asleep on a bench. Two other people were quietly washing clothes. After I loaded a couple of machines, I heard him groan, and then he went to the bathroom. Then he left. He returned about half an hour later and curled up on the same bench.

The place was considerably busier at that point, but at least he was warm. If not comfortable.

I don’t have a quick solution for the homeless issue. Next week, state legislators return to Boise. It’s not a pressing issue. As I wrote last week, the homeless aren’t a big voting bloc, however. Housing costs show no signs of cooling. I posted the picture of the man online and some people replied that many of the people on the streets earned their plight. Yes, I know that, but not all of them.

Maybe someone will establish a study group. They can gather over juice and bagels one morning every week for a couple of years, and then issue a report that states the obvious. We’re going to see more people living on the streets. I don’t envy those seriously looking for a solution.