North Chicago Homeless Shelter

Days of Hopelessness

By Barry Narapareddy

Raymond Tate, 44, has been homeless for six years. Roaming the streets of Chicago and panhandling for change has become an everyday ritual for him. The violent atmosphere and unsanitary conditions of shelters cause over 79,100 homeless people in Chicago to turn to the frigid streets.

Tate is an example of the homeless crisis that is challenging the city of Chicago.

“These individuals are forced to turn to the cold streets because they fear the atrocities that occur within the walls of the shelters,” said Terry Smith, a volunteer at the Harper House Shelter.

Shelters serve as a home to many crack and heroin addicts. The AIDS virus is rampant, and poverty-linked diseases such as tuberculosis are once again spreading throughout the homeless community. The most prevalent reason that people refuse to live in shelters is due to the unremitting acts of violence.

“I just don’t feel safe at a shelter," Tate said. "At least on the street I have a fighting chance."

Tate is just one of the many homeless people in Chicago who refuse to use homeless shelters. Most men harbor the fear of being attacked for minimal possessions.

“I’m afraid that when I go to sleep at night, I may not awake the next morning,” Tate said.

Women, however, have to endure the fear of sexual assault and rape. Nationally, 13 percent of homeless people are single women. In Chicago, single women comprise 18 percent of the homeless population. Nationally, half of all women who are homeless are victims of domestic violence.

“If the violent surroundings don’t keep the homeless away, the inhumane conditions will,” Smith said. “You can smell the stench of urine throughout the hallways. The stained walls and roach infested rooms are undoubtedly overcrowded.”

The shelters offer a cot that is approximately four feet away from the next person. The staff distributes stained sheets and blankets encompassing a pungent odor that is embedded deeply within the thin cloth. Many people believe that the government does not place a significant amount of emphasis on renovating the dilapidated conditions of Chicago shelters.

The unsanitary conditions of Chicago Homeless Shelters

“As a society we should be making a greater effort to ensure that people have a safe place to rest their heads," Smith said. "The city should implement a broader range of security to monitor the activities that occur within homeless shelters."

It has become apparent that opening up an abundance of soup kitchens and shelters will not remedy such a large scale problem. There is no point in doing this if people are not willing to utilize the facilities. It is evident that the hazardous conditions of homeless shelters must be dealt with, if the city plans to reduce vagrancy.

Homeless advocate Gavin Newsome feels that in order to deal with the issue, more churches should open up shelters.

“Shelters affiliated with God seem to be well managed," Newsome said. "They also seem to draw a large number of people. The problem is that they are lacking in number.”

He feels that by opening new shelters and maintaining existing ones, it will provide a safe place for the homeless.