So Much Noise—I think I Need Noise Cancellation Headphones Just To Clear My Head.

In my communication studies while in college I learned a lot about noise. Not that high decibel night club noise. Or the screaming and yelping parties in the dorm.

Rather, my studies focused on that external force that impairs communication between the person voicing an opinion and the intended audience. It could be bad language. Boring phrases. Or simply a busted microphone.

Decades later, I’m still overwhelmed by noise. But now, I’m referring to noise polluting the world of homelessness.

So many opinions. Agendas. Solutions. Philosophies. Programs. Best Practices. Sometimes I wish I could spend the day with noise cancellation headphones, just to clear my head.

The voices of permanent supportive housing are strong. And powerful. Put a homeless person in an apartment with support services and you will end homelessness. Never mind the fact that we would have to invest hundreds of billions of dollars and spend the next decade building them. It is the answer. Makes sense.

But as soon as I embrace such a logical solution, those running shelters and transitional housing cry foul. People are not ready for an apartment. They need life skills. They need to kick their drug habit or dispel their mental demons before they can manage a household. It certainly makes sense. Even people who are already housed have trouble managing their households.

Concentrate on the most vulnerable homeless population. Those people who could die within months if we don’t help them now. Such strong words that tug on my heart strings. It becomes personal when I see these vulnerable people on my own streets just blocks from my loft.

But what about the families who just lost their homes via foreclosure? These are families like mine. Hardworking, strong values. With children, for God sake. We need to help them. And now.

I feel like I am being pulled in so many directions. Such noise penetrates my ear drums. It’s hard to focus. Hard to hear.

Hear who? The people on the streets who suffer. They suffer because our society develops homeless policies that confuse. At times, they conflict with each other. They suffer because after a while the noise is so loud our communities just want to cocoon themselves. Perhaps if we just ignore the voices of hurting people on the streets, they will just go away.

But it’s getting worse. The voices are not going away. In fact, the chorus of sadness is growing.

Somehow we need to cut through the noise of homelessness. And focus. On the voices. On the people who are hurting.

Can you hear them now?

(Pic from http://static.guim.co.uk)