by William Skink
We are starting to see a shift from the shaming campaigns to enforce social distancing to the alleged need of law enforcement to intervene. Two days ago the Billings Gazette reported that arrests are possible for “blatant violations”:
“Blatant and egregious” violations of social distancing and isolation requirements ordered by Montana and Yellowstone County health officials could lead to arrests or citations.
“I don’t want to prosecute any of my fellow residents for any of these violations,” said Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito during a Wednesday press conference. “But I took an oath to follow the law, and I will.”
These draconian steps only apply to people who live in houses, apartments and mobile homes. If you live in your vehicle, homeless camp or overcrowded emergency shelter, like the Poverello Center, you are exempt.
NBC Montana recently reported on a letter they received from a Missoula first responder, which you can read in full here. Here is a portion of what the first responder saw at the Poverello Center:
While responding to 1110 West Broadway, the Poverello Center here in Missoula, I observed several groups of men and women standing among the broken down vehicles that line the roadway. Clustered together sharing cigarettes and beverages. Some living in cars, others the sidewalk. Many tucked into doorways, many drinking openly.
As concerning as the exterior was, the interior was far more shocking. Interior hallways had multiple people in chairs, all sitting in close proximity to each other. The reception desk area itself was crowded with people. Well within the distancing recommendations of our health professionals. I was astonished to see a cafeteria/day area full of people. People laying on the floor, people sitting and standing, people eating, people everywhere.
Allowing people to congregate contradicts current public health safety recommendations and puts everyone at risk. First Responders already have limited supplies and personnel, situations like this put their ability to safely respond in danger. The shelter also allows intoxicated individuals, adding yet another safety issue to the First Responders. Hopefully this sheds some light on these issues and changes can be implemented.
I can only imagine the frustration first responders are experiencing as they see the incredibly dangerous conditions that our Governor apparently condones through his reckless exemption of the homeless.
When will Governor Bullock acknowledge that his big punt to overwhelmed municipalities on the homeless issue is putting people at risk, especially the people WE ALL RELY ON when we need emergency medical attention?
The Governor has used the massive power of the state to shut down local businesses under threat of fines and arrests. The justification for these serious actions that many people won’t bounce back from is to supposedly FLATTEN THE CURVE, right? And the reason to flatten the curve is to protect our health care workers, including first responders, right?
THEN WHY THE FUCK EXEMPT HOMELESS PEOPLE, GOVERNOR BULLOCK?
The Governor’s actions are reckless and will undermine the very thing he is willing to destroy local businesses to accomplish. Health care workers are already scared and facing retaliation for describing the dire conditions they are being forced to work in, so maybe the Governor can take that into consideration as he turns Montana into a police state.
Except for homeless people, because they’re exempt.
I really think it isn’t that simple.
Where would you have a shelterless person shelter in place?
The reality is that it would indeed require an egregious disregard to produce an arrest of someone who has a home and blatantly violates the directive. No one wants to populate jails, increase court dockets, etc. Homelessness is a status. If you can’t comply because of your status, that’s the way it is. If you have a home, stay there.
He’ll need the homeless vote to beat Daines.
I think New York and California have a much larger problem here, both because they have a larger homeless population and more virus cases. That said, I don’t think they know what to do anymore than we do. Currently the idea in CA is to put them in hotels. I’d like to hear more on this story. How do hotel owners feel about it? I suppose they’ll get paid at some point from the government for those stays, but what about the amount of damage that the homeless will surely cause? I suspect many will begin smoking in the rooms right away, for instance, and that’s just the beginning.
Businesses like hotels aren’t getting a lot of help from the government. Most have to go through the SBA to get a loan/grant, but the system to dole these out seems sketchy and will probably take weeks.
Banks, however, are getting lots of money…both in bailouts and to administer the SBA loans/grants. We also know that banks have been constructing huge new bank buildings for years. We have two new huge Stockman Bank buildings in Missoula, both of which received MRA funding during construction.
It makes sense for the banks to open their doors to the homeless. They have a lot of space, and if we’re fine with the idea of opening the hotels to the homeless, why not the banks as well? Banking policies over the past few decades have resulted in many people becoming homeless in this country, after all.
I am in the stock market and invested in over 110 companies. When stocks turned south in early March the two groups of stocks I retained even down 30-50% were the airlines and the banks. Because I knew once again the banks would be bailed out way before any other sector. First the Federal Reserve poured billions into the repo market and now the banks are going to do well making relief guarantee loans to the small business at a starter of $347 billion. I learned my lesson in 2008-09 never bet against the banks as way to powerful. I think Greg has a point but the banks already locked their lobbies and I doubt they care much about the homeless. They will donate some money to food banks but remember that money comes from all their endless fees. There is a new bank building almost on every corner in most larger Montana cities but try make appointment to try get a $500 unsecured loan because you are out of work and see how fast they hang up on you. Two of these major banks based out of Miles City and Billings are controled by just two families. I am hearing even with record low interest rates that farmers and ranchers are having trouble getting credit. Things are unfortunately going to get much worse for Montana way of life. The homeless problem is certainly just the tip of our problems in Montana.