Forum Post: Haven for the homeless draws ire of authorities

http://www.mydesert.com/article/20120202/NEWS01/202020307/Haven-homeless-draws-ire-authorities?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage snippet Indio code enforcement officials visited the camp and asked Haki Dervishi to get rid of the tents. But because the back of his shop is on tribal land and is governed by the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, he doesn't have to comply with the request.

snippet Outdoor living is not permitted within city limits, according to Ben Guitron, spokesman for the Indio Police Department. He said the department became familiar with the tent city about two months ago after receiving complaints from nearby business owners and residents.

“The goal is we don't want to see camping. We don't want to see PM 10 (dust control) issues. We don't want loitering. We don't want to see trash,” he said.

snippet A handful of people have lived behind the store on and off for a couple of years now, but a noticeable influx came early last year after Martha's Village & Kitchen closed its 100-person emergency shelter because of a lack of money.

---

The element of private space vs. public space is both fascinating and revolting. Historically, the middle to upper classes have played this game of pushing social ills under the rug. If you cannot see it then it must not exist.

If you have six people that live in a two bedroom apartment then there is no private space and out side or public space becomes private space. If you have no private space the outdoors or public space is private space. People pay lots of money to move to areas where they can have private space. We can call it NIMBY.

People have been living there off and on for a couple of years. More people came last year after the Mission closed. They just became aware of the problem 2 months ago.

That is a lie.

They chose to ignore the problem and it is only when it presented itself as a visible issue did they begin to act. However, that act is only to push it under the rug.