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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

The St. Augustine Record - 12/1/2017

Homeless survey failed those it meant to serve

Editor: My wife and I often walk around the City Marina on Sunday mornings as the sun comes up and find five or six people sleeping in the Gazebos on the east side of the bridge. We walk through them without any problems.

I'm not saying the number of homeless and panhandlers in St. Augustine is not a problem, but let's get the database right.

First of all, many of these people are on Social Security, disability, and/or veterans pensions. That was never mentioned in "the survey."

Most of this group of people would never pass a credit report to qualify for an apartment, regardless of rents (also never mentioned in the survey).

Why is homelessness the fault of the owners of investment property?

While the article gave percentages, it failed to report ?

n How many men?

n How many women?

n What were the questions?

n Who did the interviews?

n Where were the interviews taken?

n What government agencies - local, federal and county - were there to help explain assistance to these men and women?

Homelessness is a national problem - more so in the Southern states with warmer climates. Again, this report fails to show data on what other cities, counties and states are doing to try to remedy the problem.

These articles get to the point of believing that some feel if we bring the homeless and panhandlers to the city limits and drop them off in the county, the problem is out of sight and out of mind - and out of the downtown area of St. Augustine.

Another case of poor surveys, studies and reports that blame the problem on someone else.

Rich Marinucci

St. Augustine

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