While Pennsylvania Voters Go To The Polls, Penn’s Homeless Go To Overnight Cafes

With the pressure of more people ending up on the streets of Philadelphia, the city government is keeping their “overnight cafes” open all night. These “cafes” are drop-in centers for homeless people during the cold season. They are like L.A.’s version of Winter Shelters, but without the beds.

They provide warm food and a warm place to go when it is cold outside.

The city of Philadelphia is also committing to build 200 permanent supportive housing units per year. The city has 3,500 people who are homeless. So it will take 17.5 years to house the current homeless population, if you assume that no more people will be homeless during those years.

Providing warm places to go during the cold is a compassionate act. But it is not a long-term solution. Promising to build 200 housing units is also a compassionate act. But again, is not really a serious effort to truly resolve homelessness.

(Pic from http://gloucestercitynews.typepad.com/)