07-17-2018, 12:07 PM
When all this started, I think we knew that the low-life elements of Puna would emerge at some point as a fly in the ointment of everyone else's charitable intent. Are all the homeless criminals? Certainly not. Are some of them? Most definitely. That's why screening makes sense. It's understandable that in the initial rush few questions were asked at the shelters or goods distribution points, but things have evolved, and so should the approach to providing assistance.
On a related topic, a friend who lives near the "garden shed" temporary housing village in HPP went to a meeting at one of the churches involved. He politely asked if the prospective residents were being screened and if the facility would be decommissioned after the emergency was over. The answer to both was yes, which was what he was hoping. He did encounter some stink eye and a few groans from other attendees just for asking, though. I think his concerns were legitimate and that the questions needed to be asked.
On a related topic, a friend who lives near the "garden shed" temporary housing village in HPP went to a meeting at one of the churches involved. He politely asked if the prospective residents were being screened and if the facility would be decommissioned after the emergency was over. The answer to both was yes, which was what he was hoping. He did encounter some stink eye and a few groans from other attendees just for asking, though. I think his concerns were legitimate and that the questions needed to be asked.