Update: Moving the Homeless

I wrote earlier this year about the Dallas Housing Authority moving a bunch of derelicts into an apartment complex in Oak Cliff despite the protests of the homeowners in the area.

The move has occurred. One of the first to be moved in was Kelvin Locke who is deemed a success story by Jay Dunn of The Bridge. I'm sure any one of us would be happy to have this success story move in next door: Locke has struggles with mental illness and addiction. He served time in Arkansas prisons for a robbery in 1990, possession of a firearm in 1991, aggravated robbery in 1993, property theft in 2000, and burglary in 2006.

Kelvin says that he and others moving into the complex "are people, just like you." No they're not -- I've never done drugs, I never robbed anybody, I never illegally possessed a firearm, I never held anybody up, I never stole someone else's property, and I never broke into somebody's home or business. And look at the dates of his offenses. This is not a man who just made a bad mistake or had a lapse of judgment. His convictions span at least 16 years -- and that's just the times he got caught.

I do hope the newspaper does a follow-up on this success story. I'd like to see where he is in 90 days.

Ironically (or maybe not), the next day the newspaper front page story was about Dallas Police Department plans to put a patrol post in a storefront near The Bridge because of increasing crime. Mayor Tom Leppert confirmed that the situation has deteriorated enough since the shelter opened in 2008 that he has asked police to begin a special initiative to crack down on crime.

In a letter to the editor, Rose Mary Thomas of DeSoto faults the Oak Cliff homeowners for being wary of their new neighbors. She says these criminal drifters should be welcomed to "beautiful Oak Cliff." Well, Rose Mary, I'm glad to hear you say that, because the DHA has taken notice of your welcoming attitude, and maybe the next group they plan to relocate will be sent to an apartment complex on Bolton Boone Drive in DeSoto.

Melanie Helen Francis of Sherman adds her two cents in her letter to the editor. She says that Plano's affluent citizens are bringing shame to Plano for their opposition to a large homeless shelter being built there. She says Plano is a whitewashed sepulcher. She says they should turn from their wicked self-serving ways. My goodness, Melanie Helen, what did the people of Plano ever do to you? If you're so adamant about "heavenly values," maybe you should include that little judge not verse in your daily devotions. And then, let's see how you feel when they decide to build that big old shelter for cons, addicts, and mental cases in Sherman just down the street from you.

"New to the neighborhood." The Dallas Morning News; August 4, 2010; p. 1A.
"Patrol Post proposed near Bridge." The Dallas Morning News; August 5, 2010; p. 1A.
"Give homeless a chance." The Dallas Morning News; August 5, 2010; p. 12A.
"Plano, consider heavenly values." The Dallas Morning News; August 19, 2010; p. 18A.