Broader efforts needed on homelessness

After over 30 years of the homeless encampment along the Fox River in Elgin, due to three separate extensive damaging fires, it has become necessary to move the individuals living there to temporary housing at the Lexington Inns and Suites located on Dundee Avenue through April 1.

The large number of homeless living in Elgin, has been a continuous problem with few permanent solutions ever manifesting. Homelessness has many causes, including learned behavior, mental health issues and drug and alcohol abuse. Social Service agencies within the Fox Valley offer help to those looking for it, but many of the homeless continue to want to live in the encampments. They seem to find comfort living with others like themselves and having to follow few rules mandated by laws, social rules and norms.

Elgin is making a great effort and expense to move those individuals living on the Fox River to safe quarters for the winter. Yet come spring, their permanent residence on the Fox River will no longer be an option. What these individuals choose to do remains a question mark. Officials might find that many homeless merely move an encampment to another location in the city to continue their way of life, despite Elgin offering to help live in a better and safer environment with financial resources. Others might accept the help offered to them by the city and local social service agencies. This, of course, would be the best option. Homelessness across the country, especially found in large cities, only shows the need for increased research for those with behavioral health issues. Better programming and medications that they are willing to take must be developed before the problem of homelessness can be solved across this country.

Linda McDaniel-Hale

Sleepy Hollow