By Catherine Cuellar, KERA 90.1 reporter
Dallas, TX – Catherine Cuellar, KERA 90.1 reporter: Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief took the unusual step last week of listening to a focus group of homeless people. He asked the press and staff to leave the room at the Presbyterian Night Shelter so each person could talk freely. Among those who spoke with the mayor was Ronnie Price.
Ronnie Price, homeless person: We are creating a group of what I call disposable people.
Cuellar: Price, a 61-year-old Fort Worth native, first came to the night shelter a decade ago after his place of business closed. He re-trained as a nurse, then got involved with drugs and served 11 months in jail. He now he lives in the Veteran's Dorm.
Price: I have knowledge and talent for laboratory work and nursing, but with a criminal record and only one mistake in my life, I cannot do anything like that again. And I can't get housing because of laws passed in the state of Texas in 1986 and reaffirmed in 1996. I can't get food stamps. And so you have people that are forced into situations like this.
Cuellar: Mayor Moncrief was moved by what he heard from Price and others.
Mike Moncrief, Fort Worth Mayor: The fact is, whether they have a record or not, they're our responsibility. And if they're homeless in our city, then they're our homeless.
Cuellar: Moncrief has appointed a task force to help eliminate chronic homelessness over the next decade, as required by the federal government. But Fort Worth had a head start thanks to several years of work on this problem by neighborhood associations.
Moncrief: I think that's our ace in the hole, because our neighborhood associations really, really care. They realize that this is not just a responsibility for the city of Fort Worth. It's a community problem, and we're going to find a community solution.
Cuellar: Flora Brewer helped found the Near East Side Neighborhood Association five years ago to improve the area around her business, where the Presbyterian Night Shelter, Salvation Army, and Union Gospel Mission provide homeless services. She now chairs the public safety subcommittee of the mayor's committee on homelessness.
Flora Brewer, Public Safety Subcommittee Chair: What is wonderful about the approach that our mayor's advisory task force is taking is that it is the most broad-based set of stakeholders we have ever had, who have resources and ideas coming together with the service providers to solve problems.
Cuellar: Among those creative solutions was a change in the zoning early last year to foster economic development where most homeless services are provided. Areas previously zoned just for industrial use were transformed, with community input facilitated by Fort Worth planning director Fernando Costa.
Fernando Costa, Planning Director, City of Fort Worth: With a mix of land uses - residential, commercial, institutional and light industrial - they saw that these land uses actually could coexist in the same area and constitute a real neighborhood.
Cuellar: The idea is that a vibrant neighborhood will make the homeless feel safer and less stigmatized, so they'll get the services they need and get back on their feet. This motivates 43-year-old Karen Melton, who moved into the Presbyterian Women and Children's shelter a few weeks ago after losing her medical assistant job because public transportation wasn't available when she needed to get to and from work. While caring for her adult son, who's disabled, she's also looking for work.
Karen Melton, homeless person: I don't plan to get comfortable here because I can't sleep because I'm constantly thinking of what else can I do to get out of here right now. I want my own place so I can feel like I'm human.
Cuellar: Fort Worth leaders hope the humanity they're bringing to the homeless problem will encourage broad support for the ambitious projects ahead, including a 24-hour assistance center and affordable housing citywide. For KERA 90.1, I'm Catherine Cuellar.
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