Where is the compassion for our homeless people?

Published: 26 August, 2010

• WHO is running Camden’s homeless persons unit?

What have they done to all the counter staff and client advisers? 

What have they done to the people who used to care about preventing homelessness?

Where is the personal human and compassionate touch? What has happened to codes of practice that were set up?

And they seem to be asking homeless people to register for housing online.

More homeless people will be at a greater disadvantage than ever because they will be unable to access the housing register through the lack of computer knowledge and skills.

What are you doing to this valuable service for people who are made homeless through no fault of their own? I believe you are dismantling this unit piece by piece to save money!

I had occasion to take a client to the homeless persons unit in Argyle Street.

I introduced her at housing reception, where she was given a questionnaire to fill in and asked to take a ticket and to wait for an interviewer to be free.

The interviewer did not introduce herself by name and furthermore she suggested that she could offer limited emergency help and only if my client came under any of these categories: if she had mental health problems; if she was a drug mis-user or if she was a raving alcoholic.

Even then she couldn’t be seen right away.

The new system that Camden’s homeless persons unit have introduced will have a negative effect on the indigenous population.

Because it is geared to cater to all nationalities they will get priority consideration for housing over people on the already overstretched housing waiting list.

ALFRED MACLEOD
Oakley Square
NW1