Service Malls in the News

The city of Calgary in Canada is doing a Project Homeless Connect Day. They call it a temporary “one stop” service center (or a mall.) Critics say that services should not mix different populations—i.e., homeless mothers and children should not enter with chronic adults. The reporter goes on to say that this temporary “one stop” should (or could) be a permanent one stop—24/7—rather than just one day every other month.

In response to critics, as long as there is good security and management, and perhaps even separate entrances, it’s okay to mix populations. (The only exception would be victims of domestic violence and runaway, or transitional-aged youth. These should certainly be addressed differently.) The ideal would be a separate mall just for families and kids

The mall movement is certainly expanding around the country. There are successful permanent Connect Day facilities going on and being built throughout the country. Cities are using these as the entry point into a community’s system of care. Currently, Dallas and San Antonio, Texas are in the middle of building their 24/7 Connect Day facilities.

The key to these malls, is how to link these services to permanent housing.

In the LA Times today, there is an article about the chronic homeless issue in Laguna Beach, an upscale beach community in Orange County, south of Los Angeles. People are surprised because this is a community far from the urban grind of Los Angeles. But there they are. About 50 of them.

Laguna Beach is also talking about setting up a one-stop resource center to help address this issue. If only all of the cities in LA and OC county would respond like this, we could actually get a handle on seriously addressing homelessness.

(Pic from http://www.calgarybroadcasters.com/)