Homeless Issue Isn’t Going Away in the Magic Valley

A friend in law enforcement told me we should expect more people sleeping in public.  He shared out high cost of housing is driving people into the streets.  I’ve seen some of them sleeping at local laundromats.  I met one early Sunday morning.  As I was loading a machine, he woke up.  He was a nice guy.  We wished each other good morning, and then he went back to sleep.  He snores, or if it’s sleep apnea, he obviously isn’t getting treatment.  I had a similar experience at another laundromat a couple of months ago, and once more, the homeless man I met was nice.  In fact, he was one of three people camping inside.

Safety Issues Should Concern the Politicians

But here’s my concern.  There are a lot of homeless people with mental illness.  Numerous radio guests have shared that part of the story.  It doesn’t mean they’re violent, but some could be.  The night I saw the encampment a couple of months ago, a young woman was doing her wash.  Before I arrived, she was alone among the homeless.  If that had been my daughter, I would be more than concerned.  But we know that most people in local government don’t have family at risk.  This is why they acknowledge a problem and then move on to another topic.

Not Everyone You See is a Bum

It’s one thing to blame a drunk or dope addict for their plight, but hard-working people who can’t pay inflated rent, that’s another matter.  And so is the day we wake up to the news that someone just trying to clean their clothes has been assaulted.  The manager of one local business told me I could go elsewhere if I didn’t like the campers.  I did, but if something terrible happens, and lawsuits fly, then I’m not sure anyone will patronize a place where the doors are permanently closed.