Hurt, Not Helped, by a New Mega-Shelter

by Mark Horvath · 2010-08-29 06:00:00 UTC
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This new video comes from Mark's InvisiblePeople.tv 30-city, 11,000-mile, 75-day road trip, going on now. Mark has been producing videos faster than we can post them, so we're devoting the blog to InvisiblePeople.tv all day today.

David is on the streets in San Antonio, Texas. He works day labor jobs to survive. It didn't used to be so bad in town, but then Haven for Hope opened, he says.

Close to 80 local organizations collaborate to provide services at the massive Haven For Hope shelter. I only spent a little time there. Although the facility is impressive, their solution seems more like institutionalizing homelessness.

Please note that I never asked anyone to speak about this shelter, yet in every interview that was the topic. Street talk about services is not always honest, but in this situation, and from my own tour of Haven of Hope, I have to agree that this is not a way to treat people. Even for my interview there they only allowed me to talk to the head secretary.

The "airport security" and giving people the title of "prospects" and "members" gave me the creeps. My main concern is that homeless people in San Antonio are no longer given the freedom of choice.

Mark Horvath is an activist for the homeless. He vlogs at invisiblepeople.tv and blogs at hardlynormal.com. He was formerly homeless in Hollywood.
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