Using A Hospital As A Homeless Shelter?

I got a message from a friend earlier today to tune into WSTV’s re-broadcast of last night’s Winston Salem City Council meeting. They were discussing the homeless issue, and at the point that I started watching, a speaker was suggesting that EMS pick up homeless people and take them to the hospital for shelter to get them out of the cold.

My thoughts: Hospitals — local and national — routinely dump homeless people who are actually in need of care. Why would they start sheltering well homeless people? And who’s going to pay for those EMS trips? And what are they going to do with all those homeless people at the hospital? (I could answer those..)

Then a woman suggested that the Housing Authority temporarily waive rules to allow homeless people to stay in empty public housing units.

My thoughts: [Initial reaction: Same as Emily's.] Winston has empty public housing units? What? Greensboro has a looong waiting list! (Can we borrow some of theirs?) And public housing units come under HUD rules — can a City Council vote to waive federal regulations?

I appreciate the discussion of the issue and I look forward to watching the whole video as soon as it’s available online. But I do hope they come up with better options for unsheltered homeless people in Winston.

P.S. The mayor did mention the college kids who’ve been sleeping outside to raise awareness of the cap on homeless beds in Winston. Nice. But I’m guessing they wanted some action.