Signs For the Unhoused

Originally Published: August 4, 2023

New signs have been installed along FDR Blvd stating “It’s OK to say NO to panhandlers. Give to many, not just one. Scan and support local nonprofits.” A QR code with a list of nonprofits and the 211 help line are also listed. Is this really what our County Government is doing to address homelessness and help the unhoused?

During the last three budget cycles (2021-2023), the County allocated $130K to Three Oaks Center each year. Last year, two other nonprofits addressing homelessness joined, with the County giving Lifestyles of Maryland $2K and The Mission $4K, bringing the County’s total investment in combating this issue to $136K for the year. Over the course of four years, the County has invested only $526K in helping the unhoused. With all Three Oaks does, I would be very surprised if $136K is even one tenth of what their yearly budget requires.

In comparison, the County spent over $7.5M building a new animal shelter. Don’t get me wrong, I completely support that project and I’m thankful we have a place to house animals in need. However, when was the last time a significant investment was made to help the unhoused PEOPLE in St. Mary’s?

Poverty and homelessness are issues across the county. At a recent Planning Commission meeting, one person was concerned about new commercial development unknowingly providing access to his neighborhood for “transients” in the area. The resident said unhoused people travel through the area behind Food Lion and worried about them walking through his neighborhood to the Shoppers in Charlotte Hall.

Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) households are those which earn enough to be above the Federal Poverty Level ($14-$30K depending on family size) but not enough to afford the household budget (including food, utilities, etc). According to the Healthy St. Mary’s Partnership 2020 Community Health Assessment, nearly a third of households in St. Mary’s are below the ALICE threshold. Seniors, 65 and over, are the most affected group with nearly 39% of senior households falling in this category. These folks could be one financial hardship away from losing their home.

What kind of response will these signs actually generate? Safety concerns were raised about a panhandler to getting hit by a car, but signs won’t stop that from happening. And, though phone usage in vehicles is a prevalent problem, I don’t see the point of encouraging drivers to scan a QR code, in a turn lane, at a super busy intersection. Getting out of a vehicle to scan it could cause more safety issues.

The 211 number assumes someone has a phone to use to call or search for help. Visiting the 211 website, I searched by 20619-California, MD, to find resources within 25 miles. Among the results were:

-Sleep In Heavenly Peace, a great organization, but one that provides built bunk beds for children. This is not something an unhoused person can use.

-Pyramid Walden, good for someone with substance and/or mental health issues.

-Care Net Pregnancy Center which, again, is not housing.

-Housing Authority of St. Mary’s County, which closed its waitlist last November because it was so long.

Three Oaks Center was not listed in the search results. The only homeless shelter results I found was if I searched a 50 mile radius, and that was in D.C. There is no full time shelter for the unhoused in the tri-county area. With Three Oaks receiving limited help from the County Government, they must pursue grant funding which takes time and man hours that could be spent elsewhere.

In the picture below, there are THREE of these signs at the intersection of FDR and St. Andrews. Commissioner Colvin lamented at the last Commissioner meeting about the State denying the County’s request to place these on State roads. Is that why three are in one place? How much did these signs cost to produce and install? Was there no one who stopped and thought “Maybe this isn’t the best use of funds?”

I’m at a loss. In the same Commissioner meeting, a presentation was made about the planned child care center for County employees at the Governmental Center. The construction cost is $1.9M, with a yearly operating expense of almost $900K. It’s a great idea, and a needed resource to improve recruitment and retention of employees. However, is the financial burden of these families tough enough to warrant the continued neglect of addressing poverty in our area?