PHOTO/REV. BRUCE WRIGHT
ST. PETERSBURG, FL — In Florida, all is not sunshine and tourism. Florida is the third largest state in the country, with a population of more than 20 million people. It is considered by most political analysts to be a major swing state in elections. Florida is a tourist state. Florida has many distinctions, many of which are not so positive, particularly, when it comes to homelessness and those experiencing it.
When the foreclosure crisis and the crash of 2008 happened, a new crisis emerged in Florida. That was an explosion of those experiencing homelessness, some for the first time. Florida ranks among the highest in homeless populations, currently number two in the country. People who had never been homeless or hadn’t been homeless in a long time were impacted. And, the power structures of capitalism, tourism, and housing were unprepared for how deep this impact would be. Florida is also at the top of the list in the growth of women, veterans, and families experiencing homelessness. Florida is number one in criminalization of the homeless and hate crimes against those experiencing homelessness.
The impact was such that a statewide group was formed by currently homeless, formerly homeless, advocates, grass roots groups such as the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign (Florida Chapter), and legal professionals to both address the concerns and the growing number of those criminalized by local municipalities. One of the things coming out of this has been a “Homeless Bill of Rights”. (See http://fhbor.blogspot.com) This bill of rights is an attempt to protect those experiencing homelessness and their human rights, including the right to housing, clothing, food, living wage jobs, and other concerns. It is to look at those experiencing homelessness as a protected class.
Let me share with you the urgency. The organization I work with, Refuge Ministries and the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign, is involved in an eviction action and defense of more than 400 people, including 100 children and 35 elderly under Hospice care. The city of St. Petersburg, in co-hoots with a big developer, is attempting to put these people on the street without any affordable alternative and the big social services of the Non-Profit Industrial Complex are complicit in supporting this. The point behind things such as the “Homeless Bill of Rights” is to give people, such as the victims of the eviction, agency in their own decision making process.
This crisis of homelessness will only grow, especially in Florida. It is encumbent on all who believe in justice for the oppressed class of the poor to join this fight to end homelessness. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere.” Fight on!
