WPB Watch The Lord’s Place & Homelessness

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Former Mayor Jeri Muoio, knowing WPB has a problem with the homeless reached out to The Lord’s Place for assistance. A contract was signed and the outreach began.

Shortly after Mayor James was elected, he cancelled the contract and has the program brought in house.

Excerpts from The Lords Website

“Our History. Our founder, “Brother” Joe Ranieri, was an orphan who experienced housing instability at an early age and whose younger brother died tragically on the streets. In honor of his brother’s memory, Joe opened a soup kitchen in 1979 to feed the homeless.”

“July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022. Clients Served 1,747 Clients Housed 438 Clients Employed 337”

“From July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023 Individuals served 1,838 people housed, including 55 families consisting of 119 children. 20% of residents are age 55 and over. 91% of individuals who exited our housing programs successfully remained stably housed for at least one year after program exit. 76% of those in recovery avoided relapse while in our housing programs, and 85% avoided the use of emergency/crisis services. 92% of clients served are no longer homeless.”

The Lord’s Place does not feed the homeless on Saturday and Sunday, so the WPB homeless have a need for FNB (Food Not Bombs) and We Care About People Inc. who do feed the hungry on weekends.

https://thelordsplace.org/

The City should supply residents with the facts and figures, as The Lords Place has, on how many people have been helped by the city since the election of Mayor Keith James on March 12, 2019, when the war on homeless began.

Editorial from the city.

“Public Health, city services at root of permitting rules.” Excerpt from the story below. Link below is entire city editorial.

Let’s address “Public Health” first.

“The feeding of large groups of people with no oversight is a public health concern, as there is potential for food-borne illness and excess litter within the city’s public spaces.”

Regarding the editorial from the city: their concern regarding food-borne pathogens and overflowing trash.

There are many public events being held in the same area as well as other areas of the city, for example, Clematis by night every Thursday, where food vendors are selling the food and trash is left behind and overflowing trash cans are present all the time. Why did the city pick only homeless feeding events where the number of the participants is far less than during all other events? This doesn’t make sense to me.

Let’s address “excess litter within the city’s public spaces”

I attend the feedings for two reasons, 1st. to observe, and 2nd. to police the area to insure no litter is left behind. The majority of the homeless place their refuse in a barrel, while a few do not. I pick up the few dishes, cups, and empty water bottle’s. I do not want the city to have this particular complaint so I do it willingly. The problem I do have is the city does not have container’s for recyclables. Read the city statement below. What you see is what is used for the feeding. Missing is the water bottle.

https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-palm-beach-post/20230902/281621014908281

Rebuttal from FNB 

“The ordinance requires those hosting any food sharing public expression event involving 25 people or more must obtain a permit. Another stipulation of the ordinance limits permits to two per location per year”

Four citations were issued, 3 to members of FNB and myself. We were arrested, fingerprinted, but not placed in jail. We are ordered to court 9/26/2023, and there is a possibility of being fined $500.00, and or 60 day’s in jail. Read the entire rebuttal below.

https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-palm-beach-post/20230902/281608130006393

City Commission Meeting 9/5/2023.     My message in part

“Everybody good? Let me remind you who is not doing so well.

June One dead, one injured in West Palm Beach shooting. 2200 block of Belvedere Road

July 15-year-old girl shot and hospitalized in serious condition. Tamarind Avenue

July two people were hospitalized following a shooting in West Palm Beach Lake Mangonia Apartments.

Aug. 1 killed, another critical after shooting at Village Boulevard apartment complex

Sept. 2023 The shooting occurred on 6th Street, off N. Tamarind Avenue.

7 people shot in WPB in 3 months. Other crimes!

Burglary from Motor Vehicle, Residential Burglary, Aggravated Assault, Individual Robbery, to name a few.

With the crime in WPB can someone explain to me why 5 or 6 police officers, along with 4 police cruisers arrived on Clematis St. to stop FNB (Food Not Bombs) from giving a hot meal to the homeless. I have another question. How many police officers, and PSC Security are assigned to downtown Clematis St. while people are being killed in other sections of the city?

Three people from FNB, along with myself was arrested and fingerprinted at the feeding, and must appear at the Criminal Justice Complex on 9/26/2023, and subject to a $500.00 fine and, or 60 days in jail.

James waged war on the homeless from day one, and City Commissioners gave James his amendment to allow for arrest, fine and jail time.

The story below was published Dec. 30, 2020, and please see the restrooms locked and secure. The reason the city gives is people use the restrooms for sex and taking drugs, so they must remain locked. What can the homeless use to relieve themselves?

Mayor James gave a no-bid contract to PSC Security, stating they were to patrol City Parks. What are PSC security being paid for if the city continues to lock the restrooms.

https://wpbwatch.com/2020/12/homelessnesscriminal/

The end

Not quite.

9/9/2023 The homeless arrived and so did FNB to offer a meal to the hungry. Unlike last Saturday the city placed barricades along the entire street to keep the homeless along with FNB out of Centennial Park, where the feeding took place for the last month. I was told the feeding was moved to 100 block of Clematis where I encountered more barricades along the street keeping people away.

FNB moved across the street, set up the tables and began serving the homeless. Three police officers arrived and once again 3 members of FNB were given citations to appear once again in court for a possible $500.00 fine, and, or, 60 days in jail.  Click picture to enlarge and notice barriers.

The police are caught between a rock and a hard place and the city is demonizing cops. All people see is cop’s arresting, and shutting down the feedings. I want them looking at the people responsible, Mayor Keith James and the Cornerstone 5 city commissioners.
The end.