The success rate for ending homelessness in Iowa can go from 5% to 80% but spending more money isn’t it. After fighting homelessness for over 30 years, Andy Bales returns to Iowa from Los Angeles infamous skid row and he has a strong message for Iowans. Spending billions of dollars won’t fix it.
In the 90s Bales founded Good Samaritan Urban Ministries. Homeless youth who went through the program are still successful and thriving nearly 30 years later. Today, Bales returns to Iowa after being CEO of Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles and tells us exactly how to avoid the fate of skid row, but it’s a tough pill to swallow and will require your hands and feat.
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Skid Row to Corn Rows: Fighting Iowa homelessness
In an in-depth interview, Andy Bales, the former President and CEO of Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles, elaborated on the multifaceted issue of homelessness in California, particularly in Los Angeles. Bales highlighted that LA has a significantly higher number of people living on the streets compared to other cities, with estimates of around 75,000 people affected by homelessness, over 50,000 of whom are without shelter. In total, Los Angeles alone accounts for 50% of the entire USA’s homelessness population.
Policies making homelessness worse
Bales criticized the prevailing policies in California, which he believes exacerbate the problem. He pointed out the failure of strategies like harm reduction and Housing First, noting that these expensive and slow-to-develop housing solutions serve only a few, leaving many on the streets. According to Bales, the costs of such housing can reach up to a million dollars per unit, leading to subpar and crime-ridden living conditions.
He argues the philosophy behind these policies is flawed, with an overemphasis on rights to carry on addictions, equating hard drug use with normal activities. Bales stressed that this mindset is detrimental and leads to policies that are ineffective in addressing the root causes of homelessness.
How to solve homelessness in Iowa
Bales also underscored the importance of recovery-focused approaches and community support. He suggested that immediate shelter, along with recovery, job training, and community connection, is crucial for helping individuals bounce back from homelessness. He emphasized the success of Union Rescue Mission, where a significant portion of the staff are former guests who have turned their lives around, highlighting the importance of recovery and community support in this process.
Furthermore, Bales pointed out the corruption and mismanagement in the allocation of funds for homelessness, with funds often being diverted to administrative costs and developers, sometimes leading to criminal activities among city council members.
Bales concluded by emphasizing the need for a reset in policies and approaches, focusing on recovery, sobriety, and competence. He advocated for a people-first approach, where direct intervention and support could make a significant difference in the lives of those affected by homelessness. His insights provide a comprehensive view of the challenges and potential solutions in addressing one of the most pressing social issues in modern urban environments.
Contact Andy Bales
To help fight homelessness in Iowa, email Andy Bales at Andy@CFUM.org or call him at 626-260-4761