Homeless of New Orleans

Still here... just busy

2009-04-08T14:36:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone, I know it's been a long time since my last posting. I've gotta put everything on hold while I complete my second year of medical school. I did however, have the privilege to meet with Dr. James Withers of Operation Safety Net (http://www.operationsafetynet.net/), a doctor who conducts street rounds with the homeless. Check out the website!! Anyways, the research project is STILL ON, but on the shelf for a couple of more months. Darn USMLE...
BTW... thanks for the emails, please contact me if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions. :)

back under way

2008-06-20T08:28:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone, thanks for all of the responses. This week, I visited the bridge to find that the population has drastically decreased. I would estimate that there was may be a total of 30 people under the bridge when I was there (about 2pm).... just two months ago, there were hundreds under the overpass. I asked around, and it seems to be the same story. Many folks are being arrested, and others are being given hotel rooms by UNITY.

After visiting the bridge-folk, I headed to the French Quarter. At the Riverwalk, there are several locations where homeless hang out. I met four men sitting under some trees near the Holocaust Memorial statue. There was a total of about 12 homeless in that area. I will call the four who I talked to Charles, Peter, Larry and John. John had been homeless for a few days at a time, long ago... but this recent stint on the streets has lasted him a couple of months. Charles originally came from Mississippi, where he was living with family. He ended up homeless in New Orleans with his guitar, so he plays blues and country songs on the Riverwalk to passers-by. He played a couple of tunes for me, and I was pretty impressed. Peter didn't say much... Larry didn't say much to me either. He waits for tourists to come by and gives Mardi-Gras beads to their children, hoping that the parents will feel obliged to hand him some money.

During my lengthy conversation with Charles and John, I learned that the homeless on the River and in Jackson Square do not receive the aid from UNITY and other aid organizations that the folks under the bridge are getting. They stated that there is a LOT more crime under the bridge and that they stay as far away from it as possible... so much so that they visit the St. Joseph Rebuild Center (which is located near the bridge settlement) quite rarely. They also talked about the "gutter punks (a population of semi-homeless teenage kids who wandered into the city following the hurricane)." Charles and John stated that these gutter punks are causing problems for the homeless community with law enforcement. It seems that the folks on the Riverwalk are pretty chill and try to stay out of trouble as much as possible. Many sleep in other locations than the Riverwalk, at night. They mentioned a location at the Jax Brewery (an isolated patio), as well as some locations in neighboring parking lots. They just have to be careful, as the cops will frequently sweep these locations.

After listening to several songs performed by Charles on his guitar, I headed to Jackson Square, where I knew there was a group of homeless.... only to find that they were all gone. I chatted with a couple of folks who seemed to be Jackson Square regulars, and they affirmed my suspicions: NOPD had just performed a sweep of the Square, the night before. I asked where all the homeless went, and they both answered "jail." It will be a week or so before they all come back, so I plan to revisit the Square next weekend, or so.

I am putting together a study, from which I hope to gather much-needed data about the homeless population of New Orleans, so there will be more frequent postings, as I go out and gather more background information and seek out more homeless.

2008-05-05T13:58:00.003-05:00

Hello, everyone.... long time, I know... it's the end of the school year, so I've been preoccupied with exams... as usual.

Last week, I was out at the French Market (in the French Quarter) and happened to see Dale walking around and chatted with him for a while. I would say that his condition has improved by 200%. He still has his house, has a job, added ANOTHER dog to his family, and looks happy. I just wanted to add his example as a success story. Yes folks, homeless people can be successfully returned to society.... it just takes time and work.

Another development: Richard Brucker (the student that put together the homeless healthcare flyers) has created a website. The site lists all the locations that provide free healthcare for the homeless in New Orleans. You can see it here.

My updates will continue to be sparse for the next few weeks, but I hope to get back on the streets by the end of May.

"the word on the street"

2008-04-02T11:30:00.005-05:00

As there is seldom any legitimate news coverage of the homeless under the overpass, I have to rely on the "word on the street" to keep up to date on the happenings in the tent encampment. The "word" is useful, because it allows me to track the development of the camp, but it must be taken with many grains of salt, since it is all based on hearsay. I mention all of this, because the only news I have today is street-talk...

Multiple homeless individuals have stated to me that the police are now fining people for feeding homeless under the overpass. Usually, for the duration of my visits (which last from 30m to 1h30m), I will see 2 to 3 cars drive by with food for the homeless. Today, I noticed that there were no food deliveries during my visit. Also, many approached me asking for food, complaining that food deliveries are coming less frequently.

Other street news is that many homeless are leaving the city. The electrician that I met yesterday was leaving for Houston just as I arrived. I cannot say for sure, but it seems that those homeless who had hopes for easy-to-find jobs and nice weather are quickly becoming disillusioned. It's starting to get hot outside, and the police are not getting friendlier. Many are just getting "fed up" with waiting for help, and have decided to move on.

Of course, this ONLY pertains to the homeless under the overpass... there are MANY other homeless sites around the city (which I hope to visit)... the situation in those locations may be COMPLETELY different....

update from the overpass

2008-04-01T15:11:00.004-05:00

I finally found time to hang out under the bridge, again. There are fewer people living on the side of the encampment lying closer to Tulane Avenue. I talked to two individuals, "Tennessee" and Charles, who stated that UNITY has been removing the individuals with medical problems and finding them housing in hotel rooms.

Funny enough, I was reading UNITY's website this morning, and found some data from a recent survey they conducted under the overpass. You can read the powerpoint presentation here. The survey focused on the prevalence of health conditions that can relate to morbidity in the homeless. Part of the conclusion discussed the removal of homeless individuals with higher risk for morbidity from the overpass.

Tennessee also stated that many homeless are being arrested and sent to jail, as well. NOPD is arresting individuals for standing on the side of the road with signs and panhandling, as well as for public drunkenness.

Walking further down the row, I met up with Steve from Homeless Pride. He also confirmed that UNITY has been removing people from the encampment.
I also met several individuals sitting closer to Canal Street, one of which had just arrived from Ohio. His house burnt down, and he came to N.O. with prospects for work (being that he is an electrician), and for the warm weather.

I also met a man who had just been told that he has diabetes and hypertension. He was pretty freaked out about this, as he had no IDEA that he ever had these conditions in the past. Hearing that I am a medical student, he asked me for help regarding procurement of medications. As I cannot prescribe drugs, I could only direct him to some nearby locations where medical care is being provided for the homeless. Apparently, he had already gone to a couple of places, and at one (he couldn't remember which), he was refused because he didn't "qualify"... he marched out without asking WHY he was unqualified for medications (I would really like to know). Another location told him that they did not have the funds available. I am going to return tomorrow with some more flyers for these guys, so they can get some medical care.

I moved out to the other side of the overpass camp (closer to the "Riverside"). It was definitely MORE built up than I have seen in the past. The people there seemed more resistant to UNITY, but I could not get a clear picture as to why. It SEEMS that they are looking for a more permanent solution than a hotel room. Many kept stating that broken down houses and buildings left over from Katrina should be re-built and used to house homeless.

A House for DALE!!

2008-03-18T16:29:00.002-05:00

I apologize for the long break in blog posts... I've been dealing with exams and Spring Break.

After my last exam on Friday, I stopped by the I-10 bridge on the way to my car to chat with the homeless. I was lucky to catch up with Dale. He informed me that he found a house in the 9th Ward (I think I remember him stating that it was with UNITY). He's signed a lease for a year, and is working, gutting houses. I was so excited to hear the good news. Dale took his two dogs (he adopted another one, after some folks left theirs under the bridge) and all of his belongings from the encampment and brought them to his new place.

Although things are improving, they are FAR from perfect. Dale and I keep in touch via cellphone (as he has just acquired one), and I recently had another chat with him. Apparently his current employer is not paying him for the past several weeks of work. This is not an isolated incident. Many folks under the bridge have been complaining of the same thing. They have jobs in the hope that they will be able to raise enough income to get, and maintain, an apartment, but employers (mostly in the construction business) are taking advantage of the homeless' compromised condition.

Don't worry... there is more to come... so stay posted.

A quick survey...

2008-02-25T19:18:00.002-06:00

Hey, everyone... I've noticed that my blog is getting more traffic, so I was wondering how good this blog actually is. I have one survey question posted on the right side of this screen... if you could just pick one of the choices, so I have an idea as to how you feel about this blog, I would really appreciate it. If you have ANY suggestions about this blog, or our activities with the homeless, PLEASE e-mail them to me at dot.contiguglia@gmail.com

THANKS :)

The documentary crew

2008-02-24T13:41:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, Vinci and Harold arrived from New York to work on their documentary about the homeless of New Orleans, and Alison and I brought them around the city to scope things out. After discussing the situation in detail over some coffee, we all headed to the I-10 overpass so they could get some stories and video of the inhabitants. Dale, being a very talkative individual, gave a detailed description of his experiences being homeless. While they were taping him, I had the opportunity to chat with some other folks hanging around.

(Oh... and a side note, I mentioned bringing a homeless individual to the ER, last week... well, Dale told me that he has been in the hospital for the past few days, and no one has really heard from him... hopefully, he will recover soon)

One old man, Henry, came up to talk to me. He was studying to be an anesthesiologist at one point in his life, but blames his wife for making him change his plans and going to work in the oil fields for 15 years, instead. I did not get a story as to what ROLE his wife played in this change of heart, but he claims that this decision is what lead to his current state of homelessness. In order to prove that he had some medical education, he started naming various cardiac diseases along with descriptions of each disease, anatomical terms, etc... until I was convinced that he had gone to school... and I have to say that I AM convinced... he may know more about medicine than I do, actually. Apart from his medical education, he can draw, write (he plans on writing three books about his experience being homeless), and paint. He is from Baton Rouge and arrived in New Orleans on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras). At the moment, he supports himself by taking odd jobs cleaning the New Orleans Arena and Superdome, as well as picking up soft drink cans. He told me that he has the option to leave the bridge now (must have met some kind of fortunate event, like a home from unity), but elected to stay for a little while and help his new found friends under the bridge. He believes that the best way he can help is by writing those books, and looks forward to getting started on them.

We continued getting film and talked to Steve, Homeless Pride's Vice President. He had been given a house by Unity, but had issues with his landowner. Eventually the landowner kicked him out, and he is now back under the bridge. He keeps a tight ship, watching out for everyone who comes through. He tries to keep crack dealers and hustling away from the tents around him, and I even saw him chase one individual away while we were there, yesterday. He receives donations such as soaps, wipes, paper towels, and distributes them to the folks around him. Alison and I talked to Steve for a while, and he informed us that there are a couple of other large homeless settlements. One is at "The Wall" where Elysian Fields meets the river, and at Audubon Park near the river (behind the Zoo). I was intrigued by this, and am planning to check out these locations. Of course, there are also MANY homeless staying in the hundreds (don't quote this number) of still-abandoned houses in the city.

As I was passing out more health care flyers, I met another man with some medical education. When I mentioned that I was a medical student, a man with no teeth and a half paralyzed face started spouting out the names of all the cranial bones to me. I was quite impressed. It seems that the homeless community has more of an educational background than many people think. I also met a familiar homeless individual, Morocca... he usually hangs out on the River-side of the encampment with a plush mickey mouse.... which sounds crazy.. but this man is actually NOT crazy... just extremely humerous. Everytime I head out there, he greets me with the mickey mouse and asks me where Toto is or if I have ruby slippers on (being that my name is Dorothy, I am quite used to this). Yesterday, he didn't have the mickey mouse, and with a pout, told me that someone stole it.

After we saw the I-10 overpass, we brought Vinci and Henry to the 9th Ward. They got a lot of video and pictures as we stopped at the breach site, and even ventured into an old gutted-out church. We also stopped at the Holy Cross Community, so they could see a recovering neighborhood. For those of you in New Orleans, you have to check out what Americorps did with the levee area near Holy Cross. There is a path along the water, complete with park benches... it's quite pretty.

Needless to say, it was a BUSY day.

I am working on getting a research project underway. I am not sure what the research will encompass, yet... as I have to talk to some people who are already involved with the homeless, and look at past research articles from other cities in order to determine which information is important, and what I should pursue. I feel that with actual, published data, the City and the local organizations can make better decisions and intervention plans regarding the homeless. Hopefully, I am not being OVERLY idealistic.

New Orleans' newest plan regarding homelessness

2008-02-22T16:10:00.003-06:00

The Times Picayune (local newspaper) just published a front page story concerning the homeless, yesterday (you can read it here). Apparently, the plan is to take the homeless folks from under the bridge and put them into a few giant tents (equipped with triple bunks) where the homeless will recover from their mental illnesses, addictions, and social problems in several months, after which time, they will have enough money to leave the tent for an apartment of their own. I have not seen this alleged tent, yet.. but it's located on Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. I'll probably check it out tomorrow.
The article states that there will be beds for 210 males and 12 females in two tents and one barn. Individuals who stay at this location have to be "clean." Those with severe mental illness will be referred elsewhere... but... where?
I'm trying to avoid throwing judgments out, but... if you read the article... it speaks for itself.

here are some (but not all) of the questions I have to ask about this operation:

* what is being done, regarding prevention of the spread of infectious disease (HIV, TB, flu, etc...)?
* The population of homeless in NO is ESTIMATED at 12,000 - 19,000 ... this camp only focuses on the folks under the bridge (a few hundred).... what is being done for the folks NOT under I-10?
* who is providing the outreach and counseling services? how about the medical services?
* how will law enforcement be approached?
* is there any infringement on these people's rights as they are shuttled away and kept in this camp?
*etc, etc, etc...

A Possible Documentary!!

2008-02-21T17:53:00.002-06:00

Well, I have been contacted by Vincent Jean-Baptiste from New York, who is visiting New Orleans, this weekend. He is interested in filming a documentary on the homeless in the NO, and is coming down to check out the situation. Alison and I will be meeting up with him on Saturday... so stay posted to hear the details of THAT meeting. :)

WELCOME, VINCENT!!

City Council Meeting = DUD

2008-02-20T10:44:00.002-06:00

Alison and I came out to City Hall this morning, in order to attend an alleged chamber meeting concerning the homeless. Much to our disappointment when we arrived at City Hall, we were informed that the meeting had been canceled. :( There was no word on whether the meeting will be re-scheduled... so, we're going to keep our ears open and find out what the deal is.

CNN in the NO

2008-02-15T11:19:00.004-06:00

So, Anderson Cooper was in New Orleans yesterday, and he did a small piece on the homeless under the I-10 bridge... check out this link to watch his interview of one homeless individual.

A visit to the overpass

2008-02-13T15:27:00.003-06:00

After class, this afternoon, I headed out to the interstate overpass with Tim Park, another medical student. We passed out Richard's healthcare flyers to as many people as we could find. It was hard, due to the cold weather. Many homeless were holed up in their tents in order to avoid the cold, but most of those who were out were grateful to receive the flyers.

At the end of our tour, I came across a severely hypothermic individual who looked like he had been badly beaten. His mates told me that he needed a doctor, and it was quite obvious that he did, so I told him to follow me to a nearby emergency room. When he didn't fight back, I knew it was bad. Usually the homeless refuse such grand gestures because they prefer to lay low and avoid too much attention. I brought him to the ER and waited for him to be seen by the triage nurse. After he was seen, I had to run off to classes, but I will keep checking in on him.

I bring this up because I think it is absurd that a man could be, so easily, left to die on the streets in the USA. You think that this is something that only happens in under-developed countries, but it's happening here, too. This man would NOT have made it through another night... and it didn't take a medical student to realize this... all of his friends knew it, too. When we were waiting in the ER together, he showed me a wristband from another hospital that he had been to, last week. When I looked at this man, I could not imagine any doctor or nurse letting this man back onto the street in such a state... yet... what do you do with someone like this? Not only do they need immediate treatment, they need long-term care and counseling. This guy may live through another night, but tomorrow... he's still going to have cuts and bruises all over his body, his fingers will still be close to rotting off, and he will still be stuck out in the cold with nothing but a tent and a beer to keep him warm. The homeless need a WHOLE NETWORK of healthcare and mental health services in order to be rehabilitated.... but no one wants to step up to the plate.

On another note, this week's GAMBIT (local free newspaper) has an article on the homeless living under the bridge. I suggest that everyone check it out.

A meeting at City Hall

2008-01-24T10:43:00.000-06:00

This morning, Alison and I went to City Hall to attend a meeting between some representatives of Homeless Pride and Mr. Jonas Nash, the Director of Community Relations for Council member James Carter of New Orleans. The meeting itself was pretty unproductive, but Homeless Pride had some insight concerning the conditions under the bridge.

They definitely agree that conditions are worse than at Tent City. More tents have caught fire, there are more drugs, more injuries, and several women have been raped. The "CEO"Homeless Pride, Steve, stated that NOPD doesn't make rounds under the bridge. Steve claims that he has to keep the law, himself... I didn't ask any further questions about that.

We also heard that there is going to be a discussion about homelessness in the City Council Chamber on February 20th.

Homeless Healthcare Resources

2008-01-23T15:47:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Richard Brucker (TU med. school), we now have a complete list of healthcare resources for the homeless... read it below!! Feel free to print it out and distribute it to anyone who you think may benefit from this information. THANKS RICHARD!!!

... it seems that I am having trouble with formatting this table to my blog... so if you want the whole table, just e-mail me (dot.contiguglia@gmail.com), and I can forward you the whole document.... if anyone knows how to upload documents like this to a blog, PLEASE let me know.

MEDICATION AID:

Wal-Mart offers over 360 prescription drugs at only $4 per 30-day supply. Please ask your doctor if the prescription is available through the

Wal-Mart $4 Prescription Program. If your prescription is for a name-brand medication, ask your doctor to recommend a generic alternative.

Target has a similar $4 Prescription Program too!

If you are homeless, the Ozanam Inn (843 Camp) will give you a voucher for most prescriptions so that you do not have to pay.

NAME	ADDRESS	HOURS	PHONE	DESCRIPTION
Healthcare for the Homeless Program: Edna Pilsbury Health Clinic	2222 Simon Bolivar Avenue	Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:00 pm	504-658-2825	Need to come with a letter from a homeless service provider * Physical exams, medical diagnosis, and treatment * Flu vaccines * Limited medications * referrals for x-rays * lab tests * Dental care * Mental health (appointment only) * Provides referrals for substance abuse treatment * For the homeless * FREE.
Harry Thompson Center	1803 Gravier St. (RebuildCenter at St. Joseph Church)	Mon, Wed, Fri: 10 am -1 pm	504-273-5547 (extention 1)	General medical care * Prescriptions written * When available medicine dispensed * Psychiatry on Monday and Wednesday * Free * A homeless outreach center.
Fleur de Vie Clinic	611 N. Rampart St. (Covenant House)	2^nd and 4^th Saturday each month 9am – 2pm (last patient seen at 1pm)	504-988-3000	This is a free clinic run by Tulane Medical Students. Every patient is seen by medical students and then by the doctor. Walk-in Medical Care * Mental Health Visits * Social Workers Available * Health Education * Prescriptions * Servicios en Español
Tulane University Community Health Center at Covenant House	611 N. Rampart Street	Mon & Thurs: 8am – 7pm. Arrive at 7:45 AM Tues, Wed & Fri: 8 am – 5 pm	504-988-3000	Walk-in ok * $10 for walk in, $5 for appointment, FREE if unable to pay * each patient can be assigned a primary physician to lead their medical home team * on-site mental health counseling * behavioral health services * geriatrics care * reproductive health services.
Common Ground Health Clinic	1400 Teche St. (corner Socrates), Algers	Mon: 2-5 pm Tue: 9 am - 12 noon Wed: 10 am -3 pm Sat: 12-3 pm	504-361-9800	Walk-in health care * prescriptions * prescription assistance * counseling * herbal medicine * massage & body work * servicios en español * health education * HIV testing * physical therapy * vaccinations * free
Odyssey House Health Clinic	1125 N Tonti St. (at Gov. Nichols St.)	Mon, Wed, Friday 1 pm – 5 pm	504-821-9211	Offers free primary health care * vaccinations
Kingsley House (Medical Bus)	1600 Constance St.	Tues 9 am – 4 pm	504-523-6221	Basic Health Care * Vaccinations * New prescriptions only * Free * Walk-in OK * For Children Only
St. Thomas Community Health Center	1020 Saint Andrew Street	Mon – Fri: 8am – 5pm	504-529-5558	Comprehensive Primary Care * Eye Clinic * Cardiology (Heart) * ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) * Cancer Screening NOTE: They accept Medicaid and Medicare. Cancer screening programs, optometry (eye), and ENT programs are FREE to eligible patients. For primary care there is a $20 minimum for each visit. Eligible for up to 90% discount for services provided, based on income and family size.
St. Anna’s Medical Mission	1313 Esplanade St.	Wed: 4 – 6 pm	504-947-2121	HIV testing * blood pressure screenings * glucose screenings * basic office visit * FREE
LSU Mobile Dental Van	1313 Esplanade St. (St. Anna’s)	Thurs: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm	504-903-7307	FREE DENTAL CLINIC * by appointment only * For those without access to dental care * Need referral from HIV Service Agencies or St. Anna’s Medical Mission.
NO AIDS	507 Frenchman St. (Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sat) 2601 Tulane Ave, 5^th Floor (Wed, Fri)	Mon: 1:00 – 3:00 pm Tues: 4:30 – 7:30 pm Wed: 5:00 – 7:00 pm Thurs: 4:30 – 7:30 pm Fri: 1:00 – 3:00 pm Sat: 1:00 – 3:00 pm	504-821-2601	Free HIV testing and counseling * anonymous * get your results in less than an hour. For more locations call the statewide HIV/AIDS hotline toll free at (800)-99AIDS9 or (800)-992-4379.
Ozanam Inn	843 Camp St.	Mon – Fri: Evenings Sat. 12 pm – 4 pm	504-523-1184	Weekdays - Free TB testing during the week for the homeless staying at Ozanam Inn. Must put in a bed request by 4:00 PM. Saturday – Basic office visit * for the homeless * run by LSU medical students * prescriptions given * free * TB tests given * Do not need to spend the night to see the doctor.
Luke's House	2700 Louisiana Ave.MountZionMethodist Church) ( United	Tues: 5:30 pm – 8 pm	504-899-3431 x 14	basic primary care for adults and children * pastoral counseling * mental health counseling * referrals * FREE * Childhood immunizations for low-income families

Bad times

2008-01-23T15:27:00.000-06:00

So, I've been visiting the I-10 folks over the past few days... things are NOT looking up. It's cold, people are losing their morale, as they have lost their spotlight now that they are removed from Duncan Park, and it seems that more people are walking around with fight and car accident-related injuries.

I found my friend, Dale again. Apparently he was one of the few lucky ones to get a hotel room through Unity for the Homeless when Duncan Park was shut down... but he, and some others, were soon kicked out of the hotel. I could not get a full story as to what happened ... Dale and his friends were heavily intoxicated ... but I would definitely like to know why people who were provided housing by Unity are now back on the streets.

And... another note about Unity's program... I am not criticizing them, as I have not worked with them... but I can only tell about what I am seeing on the street. Many folks who HAVE housing with Unity are ending up back under the bridge. They are complaining that they do not have jobs. ANOTHER chief complaint is that people who are coming in from outside of Louisiana are getting homes from Unity, while homeless New Orleanians are still stuck under I-10.

During my visit today, I encountered a couple of 18 year olds as well as a mother and child living under the bridge. The mother stated that her husband gets enough money during the day in order to get them a cheap motel room for the night, while they use whatever is left to buy food... but during the day, she has to stay under the bridge with her child (who I estimate to be about 2 years old).

In other news, the St. Joseph Rebuild Center (located on Tulane avenue), which provides showers, laundry, and legal services for the homeless, was broken into, last Thursday and Saturday. They had to close the center in order to "re-do" the locks, but are scheduled to re-open this Friday. The bridge inhabitants were definitely in an uproar about this and were very angry to hear that someone robbed the center.

I apologize for the poor quality of my writing... but it's hard to be creative with my English when I have so much studying to do. It's more important that I at least get this information out, when I can. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned... :)

oh.. the clothing drive...

2008-01-16T16:34:00.000-06:00

Also, we held a winter clothing drive which was very successful. We had so much stuff, it was overflowing from our boxes... even two weeks into the drive we were STILL getting tons of goods. Some funny items included a frying pan and a camera... hey, you never know when you'll find a stove or some batteries lying in the street... but, it was ALL awesome.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED AND HELPED TO DISTRIBUTE.

Long time...

2008-01-16T15:50:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone,

Thanks for reading the blog. Sorry that I haven't been updating. Medical school has been busy.. I had exams, then a two week course in Taiwan, now I'm catching up with school...

Anyways... let's get up to date with the homeless:

The Panel Discussion:

The discussion that we organized in December went well. Many homeless also from Tent City came out to the panel, which was held at Tulane Medical School. There was a lot of dialog between the homeless and the panel speakers (who represented Unity for the Homeless, the City of New Orleans, Homeless Pride, Tulane School of Social Work, and the Harry Thompson Center). It was great to see these speakers also talk amongst each other, as this was the first time that some of these organizations had been in the same room. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more solution-seeking. The discussion ended up becoming a list of complaints between the organizations, City Hall, and the homeless. Despite all of this, I (as well as my colleagues) were happy to see ANY civilized discussion come out of this meeting, at all.

The Eviction:

Despite the efforts of many activists in the city and our discussion panel involving City Hall, the homeless were evicted from Duncan Plaza on December 21. Alison (a medical student) and I managed to make our way out to Tent City right after our exam that day, in order to chat with the folks who were moving out. There was a whole mess of reporters, abandoned belongings, shredded tents, and homeless carting and backpacking their stuff away. I approached several people and asked them where they were going. Everyone replied that they were heading for the I-10 bridge on Claibourne Ave. and Canal St. In the preceding week however, many were lucky to receive housing through an effort by Unity for the Homeless to house as many people as they could before the eviction (I do not have a number, yet... but I'll find one).

The Present:

Today, I went out to the I-10 bridge. This has got to be the worst weather New Orleans has had in a long time. Not only is it cold and rainy, we also have gale-force winds in some areas of the city, and the bridge which normally is very windy, is one of those spots. The population has skyrocketed (again, no numbers, yet). So many people are under the bridge that others have had to stake out tents under the lanes that feed from Claiborne on the ground to I-10 above. They however, are the lucky ones because there is soil under those feeder lanes in which they can use stakes for their tents. The folks that are directly under the bridge are on top of concrete so their tents are essentially unattached to the ground and are at risk of blowing away even on normal days. I don't know who, but someone was nice enough to donate some port-a-potties and maintains them, too... just as long as the homeless keep them in reasonable condition. Of course there are some who abuse them but there are also others who go out of their way to keep things nice.
One such individual, who I will call Dan in order to protect his identity, lives under one of the feeder lanes next to a parking lot which faces a bar called Handsome Willy's, which is popular with medical students. He tries to keep the area clean by picking up garbage when he is provided with trash bags. Dan is aware that Handsome Willy's rents out the parking lot and is losing money due to people's distaste with parking so close to a homeless camp. He asked me for more garbage bags and cleaning products so that he and another lady could keep the latrines cleaned, as well.
Next to Dan's tent was a massive pile of burnt belongings. He explained that the two inhabitants got into a fight and somehow, their tent caught on fire during the altercation. Luckily, no one was hurt... and according to Dan, the couple is back together.
We walked together to the median under the bridge where Homeless Pride set up another sign (they had one displayed at Tent City). Unfortunately, the president and CEO were not present, and I could not chat with them. Everyone who WAS there was definitely in a bad mood or curled up in a tent due to the weather. There were some familiar faces from Tent City, as well as some new ones. I was chatting with one Duncan Plaza refugee and asked about Unity's housing program. His complaint was that individuals without ID's could not be eligible (many homeless do NOT have ID's), and that people from out of state were getting housing (at the loss of local New Orleanians who were still waiting for housing).
With all of these observations, there is no doubt that the City Government's action has NOT improved the situation for the homeless at all. It did however, clean up the mess in front of City Hall just in time for Mardi Gras. I just don't know what the tourists will think of New Orleans when they start rolling in from all over the nation and come right off of the interstate to see several hundred homeless living like animals. Good Job New Orleans.

MORE NEWS COMING SOON!!

Homeless discussion panel at Tulane U.

2007-12-04T09:50:00.000-06:00

Doctors for Global Health has organized a discussion panel to speak about homelessness in New Orleans. It will be taking place at noon on Friday (the 7th) in the Medical School Auditorium... and it's OPEN TO THE PUBLIC... homeless and non-homeless, of course.

We've invited:

a representative from the City of New Orleans
So'nia Gilkey (from the Tulane School of Social Work)
Martha Kegel (Exec. Director of Unity of Greater New Orleans)
Donald Tompson (Exec. Director of Harry Tompson Center)
a respresentative from Homeless Pride of Duncan Park (Tent City)

COME BY AND CHECK OUT THIS EXCITING DISCUSSION!!

Meanwhile, those of us working on the vaccination drive have gotten some data, and are waiting for information on procurement and cost of the flu vaccines, so we can send a reasonable cost estimate to Dean Sachs of Tulane Med. School.

Some Developments

2007-11-29T21:43:00.000-06:00

Heh... so we mentioned latrines... well, it's not going to work. Aside from various regulations that would prevent us from placing them in public spaces, it turns out that quicklime is a hazardous material... darn.

On a good note, however... the new Dean of Tulane Medical School, Dean Sachs, has offered to help us by obtaining flu vaccines, which we can then distribute to the homeless. Tomorrow, a group of us are going on a fact-finding mission to determine a good estimate of how many flu vaccines we'll need. Yay.

homeless clothing drive

2007-11-29T09:33:00.000-06:00

As it is getting colder, we are conducting a clothing drive for the homeless. We are collecting jackets, socks, shoes, gloves, and hats. Boxes have been placed at the Tulane School of Public Health and the School of Medicine (student lounge and auditorium).

Photos and Winter Drive

2007-11-25T21:23:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone, I hope Thanksgiving was awesome for y'all. Jay Shukla posted some pictures from last week's visit to "The Village" on flickr. Please check them out. :)

This week, we are starting a winter clothing drive. Collection boxes will be placed in the medical school student lounge and out in front of the auditorium (in the "window room") as well as at the School of Public Health out near the Canal Street entrance.... probably near the elevators. PLEASE donate. THANKS! :)

My other activity will revolve around finding data about the homeless population. STAY TUNED!!

Yay-ness

2007-11-20T13:26:00.000-06:00

Plenty of stuff has been going on, the past couple of days:

1. Richard Brucker, a medical student, created flyers that had details about different organizations giving aid to the homeless, which he then posted out on the streets near the homeless settlements. Great Stuff... I'm going to upload the flyer, so anyone who reads this blog can see it, print it, and distribute it, if they feel that they know someone who may need the information. It is also a good source for people who want to volunteer... since the flyer has phone numbers.... anyone can call these organizations, and they will be more than happy to get more volunteers.

2. Yesterday, I went back the the I-10 bridge ("the Village," as one of my friends likes to call it) with Jay and (another Dorothy), second year medical students. We chatted with folks, and found that they have a serious need for latrines (although the stench spoke for itself). We saw that they have a somewhat organized community under the overpass. Many have mattresses set up on the concrete, and one couple even has a whole bed with a box-spring and frame. Their belongings are all kept in garbage bags which they stack around their beds in order to cut the wind, as its strength seems to be amplified by the bridge and pilings. There is some violence and some drug dealing going on, but the inhabitants impressed on us that the level was not even close to that of Tent City. We observed as one do-gooder (I think his name was "Railroad Jack") brought a box filled with fried chicken breasts to the homeless. Apparently, even the "Village" gets well fed.... but they made sure that we understood... they want homes and jobs more than free food.

3. People keep asking me... "what is your goal?" "why are you doing this?" At first, I wasn't sure. "There are people in a street, I'm not... so why SHOULDN'T I help them?" Well, that answer doesn't fly.... so... I've thought about it. My goal is to reduce homelessness in New Orleans. Yes, this is STILL very broad... I need to determine a percentage or proportion by which I want to reduce homelessness, if I'm going to be thorough about it... which I will. How will I do it? Well, now that I understand that these people are NOT just winos, and that they have a desire to get off the streets, my next plan of action is to take a two-pronged approach: conduct a scientific survey of the population + address the immediate needs of the population, in the meantime. I am developing a survey, right now, actually. I want to examine the situation from health, social, economic, and personal (to the homeless person) angles. With some real data, I feel that local officials will be more inclined to approach the problem and help out... right now, all they have is hearsay, and hearsay doesn't get funding.

4. Addressing immediate needs. So, they REALLY need latrines... right now, both Tent City and the I-10 village are filthy with human excrement... this is not acceptable in a "developed country." I have been talking to professors at the Tulane School of Public Health, and have been told that simple, sanitary latrines can be constructed out of large cans that are lined with trash bags and toilet seats and filled with lime. So, some students and I are going to seek some resources to construct these latrines, as well as some basic shelters to put AROUND the latrines, so homeless people don't get arrested for indecent exposure.

Yeap... that's what I have going on, right now. I'm working on constructing a report, delineating the current status of the homeless, as well as a history of the situation... I'll post it when it's finally written.

possibilities

2007-11-19T00:26:00.000-06:00

You may have noticed that I have added a list of possible "plans of action" for our group. I just made it off the top of my head, but I will be adding to it as more people send their suggestions, and my colleagues and I will try to make them come true. :)

Richard Brucker's experience

2007-11-19T00:16:00.000-06:00

A "little" note from a fellow medical student, Richard Brucker, who helped me last thursday with interviews :)

Talking With the Homeless

New Orleans is unique city with a unique homeless problem. After Katrina, many paying tenants suddenly entered the world of homelessness. FEMA supposedly came to the rescue; however it became apparent to me on the cold Thursday afternoon quite how hard Hurricane Katrina struck. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, George and Tyrone were paying tenants in New Orleans. After the hurricane FEMA paid the landlords who lost their homes for their destroyed property and paid the tenants for their lost clothing. With many homes destroyed and housing less available, rent increased and became unaffordable. Unfortunately the lack of affordable housing meant that people suddenly entered the world of homelessness.

This past Thursday I went to "Tent City," a park across from city hall where many homeless people live. A few of my classmates and I went to the park to talk to these homeless men and women and find their stories. I was most interested in how they became homeless and what we, as a coalition of medical students, could do to help them. Rather than guess what is needed by these men and women, we would find out what THEY want. I was not surprised that every person I spoke to had the same 3 needs: Housing, Medical Care, and Education.

Firstly, I was surprised to find that three of the four men I spoke to worked. The one who didn't suffered five heart attacks and four strokes. He receives a monthly disability stipend from the government. Prior to Katrina this stipend was enough for him to pay for housing. Post Katrina his stipend and these men's forty plus hour work weeks is not enough to pay for housing. Obviously, they want more affordable housing and more shelters. One idea that they had was to turn the abandoned hotel across from "tent city" into a shelter. It could hold thousands of people and provide bathing for many!

As a Tulane Medical Student I really learned a lot that cold Thursday afternoon. The first man I spoke, Jesse, told me that one of the biggest things the homeless needed was more medical and dental clinics. Tyrone had five heart attacks and four strokes, he needs to be seen regularly in order to ensure that he will live. George is a Vietnam veteran and when he went to the VA of New Orleans, they told him they can't see him until he retires in a year. He was told to check out Bridge House, a Drug and Alcoholic treatment center, with a clinic once a week. George did not understand how there are many resources for drug addicts, alcoholics, and mentally ill, yet nothing for the men and women who can't afford healthcare. Another man named George received a prescription for antibiotics from the ER. He told me that it was $54 and he just couldn't afford it. Suddenly it dawned on me that availability of resources is worthless without the knowledge that they are even available.

Although there is a need for more clinics, as a medical student I know that the resources are available. I personally volunteer at a few of the free clinics in town, some of which these men and women did not even know exist. In regards to the prescriptions, until I started medical school I never knew that Wal-Mart had a $4 prescription program. ANYONE, with or without insurance, could get a month supply of over 300 generic drugs for only $4. I told these men that there were more resources available. I told them about the Wal-Mart prescription plan. When I told them that I was going to make up a list of all the available free medical and clinics in the city, complete with their services, their hours, and their addresses George began to cry. He told me that people look away whenever they walk by and that he feels alive knowing that there are people here who really do care.

Lastly, I mentioned that education was also on their list of priorities. Jesse Weathers was a man who lived all over the United States. At one point he lived on Skid Row in Los Angeles. He said that the best thing LA has to offer for the homeless is education. There are education centers for the homeless. These centers provide basic education to help people get their GED and provide job training. He feels that New Orleans would benefit greatly from an Education Center for the Homeless. This education center would be most beneficial, according to Jesse, if it provides Blue-Collar Job Training. This would allow people the homeless to get higher paying, better jobs, which would ultimately help put the homeless in homes. Further, he suggested that the education center provide GED training to these men and women. When I asked if he felt that this would help the homeless situation, he responded, "The homeless situation will always be, but New Orleans needs to have a better avenue … an education training center would be a plus. Not just a few people, but many, would utilize this.

After my few hours talking with the homeless I learned that the problem is extremely complex. In order to best provide for these men and women, we need to cater to their needs. Unfortunately Katrina has made the housing situation rather unfortunate. I do, however, see some things that we as Tulane students can do to help these men and women. Firstly, I created this list for the free clinics in town. I added a note about the Wal-Mart formulary. We could possibly have a mobile clinic travel to "Tent City" and could provide a health education presentation to the homeless. In regards to education, I believe that an education training center is necessary. However, I believe that we can start in small steps. Jesse seemed rather receptive to a once-a-week tutoring session in the New Orleans public library. We could work with people on what they need help with. If people need to learn to read, we can teach them. If people need to study for their GED we can tutor them. The homeless situation in New Orleans is dismal. Even if we can not completely fix it, we can definitely do something to make it better!

Replies to my posts

2007-11-17T20:00:00.000-06:00

Some of the students that I went out with on Thursday have replied to my posts and included the information that they found, as well. Please read those, too. :)

youtube

2007-11-17T18:48:00.000-06:00

ummm.... I uploaded 3 videos to youtube... Merci Beaucoup, Merci Beaucoup 2, and Merci Beaucoup 3... but for some reason, I can't find them when I try to search them on youtube... am I missing something? Please let me know if there is something I need to do in order to make them accessible to the public. :)

Merci Beaucoup

2007-11-17T17:53:00.000-06:00

So, on Thursday, several students and I went out to Tent City to interview the homeless. We wanted to find out why people were there, how they became homeless, how they are surviving, as well as what they want from us, if we are to help them. I will tell some of their stories, later in this blog.... after I study a little bit...

While interviewing people, I was informed that Mayor Ray Nagin was holding a free dinner for the public on Canal Street and handing out free blankets to the homeless. Intrigued by this, I ran to my car (parked under I-10, near another homeless settlement) and drove towards St. Charles and Canal. While on Gravier Street, I noticed a group of about 15-20 homeless people marching in the street. I immediately parked my car and ran out to catch up with them. Camera in one hand and notepad in the other, I resembled a journalist more than a medical student, and actually had some people ask me what newspaper I was from. ha ha

Led by Dale and his dog, Elvis and bearing an old sheet emblazoned with "Homeless Pride, Love, Peace, Unity," the rag-tag army rapidly marched towards the event. Fists in the air, they chanted "Hey Ray, whaddaya say? We want housing today!" and "What do we want? HOUSING! When do we want it? NOW!!" Once we reached canal, the march continued on the trolley tracks, in order to gather the most attention.

So, what WAS this dinner about? Once we arrived, I shouted with the protesters for a few minutes, and then left in order to investigate. Interestingly, the dinner was not actually intended for the homeless, as we had all thought... and there were no blankets being passed out (there must have been some mis-information in the telephone-arabe that we call the "word on the street"). There was a free, catered meal, however (enough to feed 3,000 people). Once I conducted some research into this matter later on, I found out that this dinner was part of the "Merci Beaucoup Campaign," led by Mayor Nagin to thank the businesses and citizens of New Orleans for coming back and being a part of New Orleans' recovery. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that Rebirth Jazz Band was playing, as well... a New Orleans treat.

Upon finding Nagin milling with his constituents, I decided to take the opportunity to ask him a question. I ducked under the press cameras and called his name... and he turned around. Shaking his hand, I introduced myself as a medical student from Tulane University and informed him about my desire to help the homeless of New Orleans. I stated that, throughout our interviews, the homeless have kept re-iterating that they are more than willing to help fix up some of the old, abandoned buildings around the city in order to create housing, which they could inhabit, afterwards. Of course, Nagin did what I expected any politician to do, he brushed me away with the excuse, "We don't have the resources...," and pretty much made it clear that, for some reason, this would be impossible. I still find that hard to believe... but I am going to give our city government the benefit of the doubt. After all, I am not there, so how can I judge? However, a better explanation of the situation would have been appreciated.

After gorging ourselves on food, I walked back towards T-City with Scooter, Will, and Micheal (three of the tent people). Upon reaching my car, I thanked them for the escort, and they headed out to "the wall" a location where they knew they could find some handouts, including dog food... for Elvis.

Photos

2007-11-17T11:28:00.001-06:00

So, on Thursday, I went out with some medical students to interview homeless people at Tent City. We took some photos, and I created a flickr account for all of us to upload our pictures. Pictures on that account were taken by myself, and a fellow student, Dustin Abadco.

On another website, Larry Huan posted some of his pictures. Yay for the fish-eye lens. :)

Who are they?

2007-11-17T10:04:00.000-06:00

Who are these homeless people sitting out on City Hall's front yard? Are they a bunch of wino's with nothing better to do? Are they all crazy people, left with nowhere to go after Charity Hospital's unfortunate demise? Or are they just crack addicts waiting to pounce on Tulane medical students for spare change so they can blow it on another trip?

The answer to all of these questions is ... yes, and no. And here is how I know.... I talked to them.

Several medical students and I have watched this settlement grow from a few homeless guys in a park to a whole community, which now goes by the name of "Tent City." We grew curious as to what this whole phenomena was about, so we went out last Thursday, and asked some residents of T-City why they are there. The answers we got were actually quite different from what we were expecting.

Contrary to what we believed, homelessness is not a state that you expect to stay in forever. According to two previously homeless men, who now are spokes peopele from Ozanam Inn (a local homeless shelter), multiple adverse events happen to an individual so fast, and so proximal in time, that the individual cannot recover fast enough and loses everything. These events can be divorce, natural disaster, losing a job, making a bad investment, psychological disorders, addiction, losing family members, etc... When someone doesn't have the resources to recover from these events, they end up homeless.

Many of the residents of Tent City were struggling before Hurricane Katrina, and then the storm served as a coup de grace, and finished the job. Some tried staying in the city, and were eventually escorted out by federal troops, while others made it out to nearby states (some made it as far as New York). At some point, New Orleans Mayor, Ray Nagin, sent out a message to the nation for the residents of New Orleans to come back and help rebuild. So, they did... and they were in for a bad surprise.

Scores of New Orleanians (as well as individuals from outside of the state) came to the city looking for work... and there is no shortage of work. There is actually a shortage of workers, despite the influx of people returning to the city. The problem is that there is no affordable housing. Ever since the hurricane hit, two years ago, rent and housing prices have sky-rocketed in the city.

Most of the homeless in New Orleans actually do work. They find jobs operating forklifts at the shipping ports, washing dishes at posh restaurants in the French Quarter, working at hotels, gutting and rebuilding houses, etc. Despite the pay, they still cannot afford housing, and are forced to sleep on the streets. You can see them sleeping outside Jackson Square in the French Quarter, at the French Market, under Interstate-10 on Canal, at Tent City, and many more locations. There are an estimated 12,000 homeless in New Orleans, and some are even claiming that this is an under-estimate.

Now, you are thinking... "sure, they are homeless, and it sucks, but they're not innocent little angels, either." That is true. Homelessness goes hand-in-hand with illegal behavior. Living on the streets is rough. Many of these individuals have drug and alcohol addictions, have stolen before, and commit violent acts. This does not warrant that we should ignore them, but should make us want to help them even more. The longer they are marginalized by society, the harder it will be to bring them back into society as productive, happy citizens. They want this chance... so, to use the words of a former homeless man, Sessie Pullins, let's "give them a hand-up, as opposed to a hand-out."

Intro to the Homeless of New Orleans

2007-11-14T22:26:00.000-06:00

Hey y'all,

Welcome to NOhomeless. This blog is all about the homeless of New Orleans and what can be done to help them. I'll be back with some more info...