If you have been reading my blog you probably know how happy I am with this. Council people Rackman, Trangucci, Tarantino, and Fertel were willing to hear an open proposal before making a decision on the Oasis shelter issue. Despite a supposed expert stating that there are only 4 homeless veterans in New Rochelle (there are many), that Hope houses lots of people (it does not), and that Larry Mosley has our best interests at heart (he will listen if people have complaints he says-tell that to my 30 days in jail), and that his staff were cut because of funding (they were fired because of beating up clients and stealing from the homeless) they still made the right decision. This means that any service agency experienced in these issues who wants to can apply for the money and the best will win (in theory-this will work if it is done fairly.)
This does not mean that our fight is won, but it is a major victory. Don’t be fooled by the few homeless people who spoke in support of the shelter. While me and a few of my friends were at the city council meeting Mrs. Troum was at dinner making a speech for ten minutes before people were served their food (it is the first time a lot of us get to eat after 11:30 in the morning, it is rough to wait.) She told ever one to go. She said Mr. Mosley is a decent man and he only is not providing good services because he doesn’t have enough money. She said as many people stated last night form her staff that they will provide case work substance abuse counseling, computer service and comprehensive care. The average salary of a caseworker is 50,000 (indeed.com.) She did not state how they plan to pay for all of that will 100,000 a year split two ways.
Other agencies already have caseworkers or advocates and a facility to run programs and only need more hours. It is also telling that there were 100 people at dinner last night according to my friend. Only four or five actual homeless people showed up to speak for her. It sounds like a lot, but there were a hundred there, who she told for ten minutes, before dinner, to go.
What needs to happen now is that Oasis needs to be looked into more closely. They have to be investigated. And the RFP needs to go to the person who most deserves it, and who can provide the best services, whoever that is. It needs to be a fair process with no monkey business. You know I will tell you if there is.
Thank you for following this issue and for calling, those who did. We are going to need people to keep putting pressure. Don’t give up on us.