Don't leave the homeless up a creek without a paddle

To the Editor:

Now that camping on local community public property has been made illegal, lacking only Gov. Bill Lee’s signature, perhaps Its sponsors, Sen. Paul Bailey, Sparta; and Rep. Ryan Williams, Cookeville, can sponsor legislation to create housing for those who find themselves homeless and unable to pay for a place to live.

According to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), 1 in 5 homeless people have a problem with mental illness: including veterans with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

The Tennessee Legislature could create a panel to study successful approaches to the problems of homelessness, both in this country and other countries. The number of homeless people is declining in Finland, for example.

For anyone who would like to send an e-mail to Gov. Lee about SB1610/HB0978 the address is: bill.lee@tn.gov.

Perhaps a study should be done before making being on public land in local communities illegal. And Gov. Lee might consider vetoing this bill so that a careful study of methods which help, rather than punish, the homeless can be carried out.

Virginia M. Jones

Oak Ridge

This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Letter: Not leaving the homeless up a creek without a paddle