Today on BBC World Update, which will also be aired on NPR, Dan Damon presents a program on homelessness, which includes a segment on my proposed Tiger Bay Village, a pedestrian village for the homeless that would consolidate most of the two dozen homeless agencies in Volusia and Flagler counties and provide a permanent solution to adult homelessness.  The county-owned land, already zoned for group homes, is next to an existing drug rehab center.

I have donated my design services. An engineering firm has offered to do the civil engineering for free, and one person has offered to donate her entire estate for its funding. Ultimately, this would save money and solve the problem, yet the project has languished for 4  years because some of the key homeless agencies do not want to consolidate or cooperate, and the county has not yet donated the land. Tiger Bay Village would especially help the chronically homeless with mental disabilities, most of whom are either in prison or living on the streets. For those with substance abuse issues, the village could provide them with a critical 18 month period away from the dangers and temptations of the inner cities where they can recover.

Listen to the program and visit villagesforthehomeless.org for more information.

Please call your council members and let them know you want to see action on this project. Tiger Bay could become a model for other cities across the country, but so far the powers-that-be do not want to stick their necks out. Let’s change that and do some good.