Tent Cities: The Huntsville Solution

While volunteering for the 3rd annual Huntsville Alabama Operation Stand Down, I did some street outreach to spread the word to veterans about the three day event. In the course of that outreach, I visited one of Huntsville's Tent Cities and was surprised to learn that the camp was run by a local agency, thanks to an agreement they had worked out with local police, who had also worked out an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ADOT).

The camp sits under viaduct on the north end of the city and in order to stay individuals must first register with a nearby homeless services provider. The agency requires ID and provides the funds in necessary to procure one. A tent, if one is available, is provided to the individual and that person is then directed to the camp. A police officer is assigned to patrol the camp and does so on a regular basis, checking with the residents to make sure the area remains relatively trouble free. Every Tuesday, additional local service providers pass through the camp, offering resources and referrals while also monitoring the conditions of the camp and the residents within.

As I passed through the camp, I was impressed - but certainly not surprised - with the clean, neat and tidy look of the area.

When one gives an individual an area that actually belongs to them, whether transitional or permanent, that individual has a vested interest in keeping it fit for habitation and aesthetically pleasing ( pic 2.)

Huntsville s approach is an elegantly simple solution to the issue of Tent Cities and an approach that seems to be catching on in other cities. By providing residents with a short-term home and working with them to procure wrap around services and permanent housing, they are able to quickly locate people to offer resources and referrals; a major issue in providing much-needed services on a regular basis to people experiencing homelessness. The camp is patrolled by local police, just like any neighborhood, and residents feel a sense of protection from both the elements and the dangers of the street. Because residents are responsible for their designated areas, that accountability translates into responsibility and a sense of ownership for their respective areas. Because no permanent structures are built, the camp retains the feel of a transitory stop on the way to long-term housing while providing an underlying sense of urgency to find something better.

Kudos to Huntsville for such a sensible, no frills approach to the issue of Tent Cities. Let's hope other cities currently struggling with the issue of homeless encampments take a moment to examine Huntsville's solution.

Images from the author.