Saint Teresa of Calcutta famously said, "hungry not only for bread - but hungry for love. Naked not only for clothing - but naked of human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for want of a home of bricks - but homeless because of rejection." I wonder what the woman who devoted her life to caring for the poor would say about the recent characterization of Danbury's most vulnerable residents.  

Danbury's Zoning Commission is currently hearing a proposal to convert the former Super 8 hotel on Lake Avenue Extension into a permanent homeless shelter. The proposal by Pacific House, a nonprofit homeless agency, involves converting the former hotel location into a permanent shelter that will also provide social services such as employment placement, counseling for addiction, and assistance in acquiring permanent housing for its residents.  

While the proposal has received praise from local officials and advocates for the homeless, some neighbors who live near the facility have been vocal and passionate in their opposition to the plan, directing their most critical commentary at the shelter's occupants. Prejudicial verbiage such as “drug addicts,” “prostitutes,” “sex offenders,” and “criminals” have been tossed around by critics of the shelter to characterize its potential occupants.  

Despite evidence to the contrary, provided by the local police, critics allege that the temporary shelter is responsible for a spike in crime in the area. Meanwhile, these same critics claim that they are not against the homeless population but are instead concerned with their neighborhood's safety. One must wonder if these same critics are attempting to insult the public's intelligence, who are well aware of the long and documented history of crime in the neighborhood of the proposed shelter.  

Prostitution, drug use, and crime are a fact of life on Mill Ridge Road, infamous for its neighboring liquor store and sex toy shop. A few months ago, when 18-year-old Yhameek Johnson lost his life in a drive-by shooting on Mill Ridge Road, the incident resulted in area schools going into lockdown mode. The shooting is the latest chapter in a feud between two rival groups that has plagued the community for years. It wasn't that long ago when another shooting of a young male on Churchill Road near the playground of Mill Ridge Primary School resulted in a lockdown of educational facilities. 

Crime associated with drugs and prostitution was most prevalent in the area when the public housing development stood atop High Ridge Road, and it continues to be a concern for people of color in the neighborhood to this day. I guess the shelter's opponents didn't “read the memo” regarding their community's history or didn't care about the concerns of people of color in the area until the problem landed on their doorstep.  

We must face the reality that Danbury has a homeless problem that deserves our immediate attention. The city's most vulnerable population does not deserve to be labeled with old prejudices and stereotypes from residents who would have the homeless become someone else's problem.