To the Editor,

Truesdale began a discussion on May 12 to ban the use of tents as a permanent residence after noticing a tent that was set up outside a residence on Market Street. Although the attempt to regulate sanitation and minimal living safety issues comes from a responsible place, the town is avoiding the main issue of what to do with the homeless in their own area. 

Truesdale’s current approach seems to be regulations that simply send the unfortunate into hiding or to another town rather than creating programs that help them.

 Every great city has the poor in mind. Just look at the town of Bloomington, Ind., which makes intelligent welfare programs and housing for the poor a priority at their town council meetings. Thusly, they build a foundation for their city that is based on wisdom and understanding rather than fear and avoidance. Bloomington is now thriving, beautiful, and their growth is breaking records. 

Regrettably, it seems that Truesdale is choosing a different tactic, one comparable to burying its head in the sand.

If Truesdale were really attempting to build a foundation for an exceptional city, then their first response to tents in yards would be to appropriate places to house those who have no housing, rather than simply creating regulations that make them sleep under bridges, live in the woods, or send them hitchhiking to the next town.

As it stands, Warren County has a homeless program to put people in homes but there are currently no homes to put them in. Not creating space to serve those who are down on their luck and needing a new start in life is simply an “out of sight, out of mind” attitude. Such a course shows a lack of empathy and is in the end, folly. 

With such a stalemate in reasoning, healthy growth will move to other towns. Warren County is number 37 in population but number four in homelessness (by percent), and the reason for such a large percentage of homeless is, obviously, there are no homes for them. And if they have no homes, they cannot begin the climb back up the ladder to become functioning members of society. 

So, the present course of action simply exacerbates the problem, sometimes forcing the homeless to hide in the woods where they certainly are not regulated. The problem is not the tents, the problem is lack of housing.

These are people we are talking about. People with hopes and dreams and families. Shall we continue to act as if they are not? It is an act of discrimination to not allow your neighbor to help people by putting temporary shelters in their yard. And how is an extension cord running to a tent any more of a fire hazard than Christmas decorations would be?

Dare I mention, also, that in all religions, modern and ancient, the gods smiled on those who helped travelers and the poor? Those who kicked them out of the way almost always found themselves cursed. And if you call yourself Christian, you must understand that the work of Christ is to help the “widows and orphans”, otherwise known as the poor and unfortunate.

I had a successful business two years ago, but with the onset of COVID and a few key mistakes I found myself homeless, just like that. Had it not been for the kindness of a local pastor and his hardworking wife, I would be in dire straits and bereft of hope. I can only imagine what it must be like for individuals and families who are not as lucky as I am. 

It is the hope of this author that the people of Truesdale step up to the plate here and join the discussion on what to do with the poor and unfortunate with more heroism and less fear. Assuredly this is the way to bless a town and send it on to a thriving future.