“We cannot arrest our way out of homelessness.” That statement has been repeated in many communities following the Supreme Court decision. Arresting someone for being homeless and then expecting them to find housing and a job upon release is a recipe for recidivism. Hope Village provides help and support to those ready to receive it. The Hope Village model is not unique to Longview. It’s worked elsewhere and it’s working here.
I don’t understand opposition to Hope Village. It works better than any other program. It amazes me that many of the opponents are only a few paychecks away from being homeless themselves.
Is crime a big problem? I see adding criminal background checks as just another way to discriminate. If Hope Villagers want and need to commit to success, why throw an unnecessary obstacle in their way?
George, in terms of an arrest leading to incarceration (one day at jail) and being awarded a public defender for indigency (95-98% of all criminal misdemeanors), the ~average~ costs include:
Additional nights at the Graybar Hotel cost $95.80. Then there can be added expenses depending on the needs of the inmate. There also can be extra costs passed on to the taxpayer for 911 dispatch services, and if gathering evidence is required for the prosecution.
For 2023, the City budgeted $594,860 for incarceration/jail daily rates. From January to June, the City averaged $57,240 in monthly expenses from the jail. On July 1, 2023 drug use and possession became illegal again and classified as a gross misdemeanor. Because these offenses are no longer a felony, the costs associated with these drug offenses are incurred solely by the cities (this is referred to as the “Blake Fix). For the month of July, 2023 the City of Longview’s jail expenses were $109,621. For August, they were $131,294. September was projected to be $142,000-$145,000.
I haven't paid attention to the monthly incarceration costs since then. Interim City Manager Duscha should readily be able to furnish the current and past figures since September.
The bottom line is this; HOPE Village is approximately half the cost of incarceration, and there are a wide array of life-changing services offered that are ~proven~ to work at repairing lives. Comparatively, almost none of these services are offered in jail.
LPD calls HOPE Village “a great resource for the city.” At this point, anyone who doesn't support HOPE Village is simply ~not~ a fiscal or moral conservative. Frankly, it should be something we all are proud of, and view as a bare minimum response to the complex problem of chronic homelessness.
But the moral rot in this county starts at the head, and Rick Dahl and Arne Mortensen have effectively demanded their minions destroy HOPE Village. Last Thursday's council meeting gave us a glimpse of their spiteful and malicious plans, yet these CONservatives pretend to be "Christians".
“We cannot arrest our way out of homelessness.” That statement has been repeated in many communities following the Supreme Court decision. Arresting someone for being homeless and then expecting them to find housing and a job upon release is a recipe for recidivism. Hope Village provides help and support to those ready to receive it. The Hope Village model is not unique to Longview. It’s worked elsewhere and it’s working here.
We are all one catastrophic life event from being homeless. And it might not even be of our own making. Mother Nature might have a say in it.
I don’t understand opposition to Hope Village. It works better than any other program. It amazes me that many of the opponents are only a few paychecks away from being homeless themselves.
Is crime a big problem? I see adding criminal background checks as just another way to discriminate. If Hope Villagers want and need to commit to success, why throw an unnecessary obstacle in their way?
Andre, where did you get the number for the cost of jailing a person? I had heard earlier that it was $700.
Andre, I'll take this one if you don't mind.
George, in terms of an arrest leading to incarceration (one day at jail) and being awarded a public defender for indigency (95-98% of all criminal misdemeanors), the ~average~ costs include:
Daily Jail Rate $95.80
LPD/Records Staff Costs $157.72 (3 hours collectively)
City Prosecutor $67.80 (.3 hours)
Public Defender $307.00
District Court filing fee $115.14
Total $743.46
Additional nights at the Graybar Hotel cost $95.80. Then there can be added expenses depending on the needs of the inmate. There also can be extra costs passed on to the taxpayer for 911 dispatch services, and if gathering evidence is required for the prosecution.
For 2023, the City budgeted $594,860 for incarceration/jail daily rates. From January to June, the City averaged $57,240 in monthly expenses from the jail. On July 1, 2023 drug use and possession became illegal again and classified as a gross misdemeanor. Because these offenses are no longer a felony, the costs associated with these drug offenses are incurred solely by the cities (this is referred to as the “Blake Fix). For the month of July, 2023 the City of Longview’s jail expenses were $109,621. For August, they were $131,294. September was projected to be $142,000-$145,000.
I haven't paid attention to the monthly incarceration costs since then. Interim City Manager Duscha should readily be able to furnish the current and past figures since September.
jim.duscha@ci.longview.wa.us
The bottom line is this; HOPE Village is approximately half the cost of incarceration, and there are a wide array of life-changing services offered that are ~proven~ to work at repairing lives. Comparatively, almost none of these services are offered in jail.
LPD calls HOPE Village “a great resource for the city.” At this point, anyone who doesn't support HOPE Village is simply ~not~ a fiscal or moral conservative. Frankly, it should be something we all are proud of, and view as a bare minimum response to the complex problem of chronic homelessness.
But the moral rot in this county starts at the head, and Rick Dahl and Arne Mortensen have effectively demanded their minions destroy HOPE Village. Last Thursday's council meeting gave us a glimpse of their spiteful and malicious plans, yet these CONservatives pretend to be "Christians".
"Vergogna!", indeed.
Good presentation! Helping people is cheaper than hurting them!