A HOPE provides a nice public service. Among other things, it is gives homeless people a place to eat, collect mail, and do laundry. It accepts some government grants, but it relies a lot on good Samaritans. A HOPE is now seeking to relocate to a larger facility after taking several measures to accommodate more and more clients.
The problem is, Amy Sawyer, Asheville’s Homelessness Coordinator, said about a month ago that the number of homeless people in Asheville was down in spite of appearances. She also predicted that the number of homeless people would increase due to the economy.
Some contend that Asheville’s policy of rewarding homelessness with free housing, meals, healthcare and counseling does more to recruit than remediate.
