MESSAGE FROM OUR FOUNDERS: Evictions

Packing up belongings. Looking at the only home you have and realizing you’ll never see it again. Not knowing where to go…

Most can’t imagine the pain of losing their home. But that’s what’s happening as the City of Des Moines continues to evict long-standing homeless camps.

This year, the city has posted notice and evicted camps from city and private properties. On Aug. 18 alone, the city evicted 50+ homeless people.

Joppa helped move many of these residents to alternative locations because they didn’t qualify for housing. The rest went into hiding or relocated to one of the few areas where city officials still allow people to live while they are experiencing homelessness.

People seem to forget that no one can stay year-round at any shelter in Polk county—most homeless people are unsheltered at least five to six months per year with no safe, legal place they can go. Here are the facts:

• Shelters are full.
• Transitional housing is full.
• There is no legal place to pitch a tent or make shelter.
• Public campgrounds have closed.
• County campgrounds are not near public transportation.

Everyone is desperate to know: “Where can I go where I’ll be safe and know my ‘home’ will still be there when I return?”

The city won’t give them an answer and has not proposed any fundamental solutions to the problem. Their policy is to continue evicting homeless camps knowing full-well that our local homeless people have no where else to go. Please pray for our city leaders that they’ll make well-informed and compassionate decisions.

One voice of complaint will trigger the city to evict homeless from their makeshift shelters for winter. We need your voice of support to city and county leaders to show support for a plan to create shelter, not eliminate shelter options, for the homeless.

If you believe there needs to be plan for our homeless people, contact your city and county leaders and ask them to please find a solution for a safe place.

Here’s what Joppa is doing to help:

• Attending city eviction planning meetings and giving campers advanced warning.
• Using this as an opportunity to help more people get back into housing when possible.
• Helping people acquire legal council and appeal the evictions (if that’s what they desire).
• Working with other agencies to educate city leaders and promote fundamental solutions.
• Counseling and relocating clients’ belongings, as necessary, when housing isn’t an option.

Please refer any concerned camper to Iowa Legal Aid for free legal counsel at (515) 243-1193.

—Joe, Jacki & Caleb Stevens
Joppa Founders