Jann Scotts Journal: A night at BOHO in Boulder
Some names have been changed in this column out of respect to the homeless men discussed here.
At 6:30 pm I picked up Chad outside of the Boulder One Foundation where he had attended an AA meeting.. Cleo had called me at 5:00 and asked if I could give Chad a ride to St Andrews Church on Baseline which hosts tonight’s BOHO, Boulder Outreach Homeless Overflow. She didn’t feel comfortable giving a homeless street alcoholic a ride anywhere.
I have known Chad for 30 years. He grew up in Boulder and has been on and off the streets due to his chronic addiction to alcohol. Tonight he was sober as a Boulder County judge. He’s been sober for the past few months. But he’s penniless.
When we arrived at St. Andrews there was a line of 130 people outside the door. White Horse who runs BOHO came out to greet me. Inside was his wife Julie and two other staff members. Next a personal media tour took place where I saw an elaborate housing operation under way. Room after room was filled with mats, bedding, plastic floor coverings, dog kennels, snacks. Card tables up with computers were set in the lobby for staff. At seven the doors opened for Boulder’s poor , hungry unwashed and forgotten.
One of the problems is that this population are not sober enough for the Boulder Homeless Shelter.Over 80%of them are intoxicated. They are all alcoholics of the hopeless street variety. White Horse and his team provide dignity, shelter, clothes and food for these chronically ill people. These are not out of work construction workers or scientists. These are chronic street alcoholics.
During the night the police will stop by routinely with more drunk homeless men and women who need shelter.
Unlike the Boulder Homeless Shelter, BOHO is a wet shelter. As long as people behave they can come in. That’s good otherwise we would have more dead frozen guys.
This goes on night after night in Boulder in a different church every night. The churches are all Christian and one Jewish Temple. Christian Judea teachings really call upon its members to help the poor. And thank God it does. It does not seem to be the case in Boulder’s other 200 religions in my experience.
According to the staff no city or county officials, no commissioners, no council member, no judges or city or district attorneys have ever visited BOHO when it is in full swing on a cold winter night. They need to be there and get a tour. This is the low down side of homelessness.
As for Chad, he thanked me for the ride and will try to stay close to the few sober people in BOHO for the night. In the morning when he has to leave at 8:00, he will brave the weather and head back over to Boulder One Foundation for more AA meetings, free coffee and warmth of the building and recovering alcoholics.
BOHO estimates there are over 2, 000 homeless people sleeping outside tonight. 260 more of them are in BOHO or Boulder Homeless Shelter. 30 additional are at the Addiction Recovery Center. 200 more are in the Boulder County Jail. Another 40 will go to Boulder Community Hospital ER homeless entrance. The police, fire and ambulance will go on 10 callsl to pick up more street addicts. We will spend $5,000 tonight providing them emergency services. These are men and women who have lost their ability to metabolize alcohol and drugs and they are dying on our streets. Until they do BOHO offers shelter from the storm.
God Bless them this Christmas
Jann Scott
Boulder, Colorado
“If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your light will become like the noonday.” (Isaiah 58:10).
14 Responses to “Jann Scotts Journal: A night at BOHO in Boulder”
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FROM E-MAIL
Sara in Denver
This article made me cry. Thanks so much ! Being from close to Venice Beach and Santa Monica and downtown L.A. areas, it breaks my heart and opens my eyes that there are homeless people who live in such harsh climates ! I had already thought homelessness was such a tragic misfortune. There are people hurting even more than they are in L.A. Saying that, I attached a link to an article I read recently regarding a movie that was made on this issue. It raises the issue of mental illness that is also prevalent.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1205-lopez-angels-20121205,0,7437691.column
Well, you are wrong. Flat out. Not only did the BOHO staff tell us that 80% of their clients are alcoholics, but we have seen it first hand. The other 20 % are mentally ill. Almost none are out of work working class folks. Those folks, people who actually want a job or to be re intergrated into society are usually at the shelter and are in Boulder’s wonderful job and housing programs.
We recommend you stop enabling your alcoholic friends. You are not helping them by continuing the myth.
Editor
Please read today’s (12/20/12) article in the daily camera as posted on BOHO’s Facebook page.
I’m very sorry you have developed such a predudice that you have chosen to ignore the possibility that my post is accurate. Unfortunately, predudice often causes the ignorance to be passed on to as many as possible/or will listen. I’m afraid you also didn’t read or maybe didn’t understand my post in its entirety, but that also is common with predudice. I wish for you, this holiday season, compassion, understanding, and a freedom from predudice.
You are new to all of this. You are new to Boulder and you are new to being homeless. You feel sorry for everyone who is in your situation. You are the one with a scewed view. I on the other hand am not new to any of this.
Before Boulder cares Austin and I were out picking up homeless drunks in my Bronco on snowy nights. I work with homeless guys every day. Not the way you like. I only work with homeless men, who want to get sober, get off the streets, and get jobs.
So trust me kid I know exactly what’s going on out there, so save your bullshit for someone who doesn’t know or care.
All of those 14 who died on the streets, did not die from being homeless. they died because they are chronic street alcoholics and the died drunk on the streets.
The Daily Camera is part of the problem. They wouldn’t know the root cause of homelessness if it bit them in the ass.
Now stop being an apologist. Stop drinking.
This does not change the fact that 80% of all of you on the streets are there because you are chronic alcoholics and drug addicts whose lives are trashed by addiction. Right??
I have huge experience with homeless population in Boulder . I know more about homelessness in Boulder than anyone. I am the man. I know. I have been dealing with you guys for 30 years here. I also know the answer to the problem. QUIT DRINKING. 80% of all homeless men and women in Boulder are street alcoholics and everyone knows it. The other 20% are mentally ill. Only 2% are situationally homeless. That is they are out of work NCAR scientists. But those people want jobs and don’t want to be homeless. They will remain homeless for less than 6 months.
Most of you who stay at BOHO are too drunk for the Shelter and cannot qualify for the Shelter. Some of you are married and want to be with your man, but he is drunk and you…. you are probably drunk too.
A lot of you like being homeless. You like the life. That is why you are defending it so much here. But the truth is, if you all sobered up, homelessness in Boulder would disappear. Right? It is the alcohol!!
FROM FACE BOOK:
Boulder Outreach for Homeless Overflow Great story, Jann. Thank you so much for your time and support!
Emma
I am actually the cities foremost expert on homelessness. Let me teach you a few things here. Most street people who stay at BOHO are alcoholics. It is a sad fact. Most of you screaming at me over this sensitive article are either alcoholics or women who enable alcoholics. The only hate here is coming from you street people, for being called out. The numbers are quite clear. And you know it.
To our credit, Boulder is the most loving caring city in the USA. There are more services for homeless people than anywhere in America. Boulder citizens are kind loving people, but their KINDNESS IS MIS GUIDED. I’ll say t again. It is misguided compassion. Because you homeless alchies have got their number. You know how to pull on their heart strings to get drinking money. The difference is I have a doctorate in Streetology just like you. I know the bullshit games just like you. The 14 street people who died on Boulder streets this year died because they were horrible alcoholics. That is the truth. Alcohol took them and slammed them onto the street and killed them. Right.??
You are the one who is calling them scum. Not me. I see sick alcoholics on the street corners flying signs every day. I see alcohol killing people out here. I See you in so much denial, you don’t want to look at the truth.
Notice you and your girlfriends are the ones spreading the hate. I am merely talking about how alcohol kills all of you guys our here on the streets. You don’t like that, because you might have to admit it.
I think it is a clear judgement call by BOHO. The municipal court, Boulder county Jail and the emergency room that most of you homeless here in boulder are alcoholics. That is a fair assessment. Everybody knows it. You know it. So lets talk about all the drinking that goes on in the park?? Lets talk about how these 14 guys died this pas year.
It does not matter why an alcoholic drinks only if they are ready to quit and what they want to do about their problem. Alcoholism is a disease which kills most homeless. So why is the booby prize question.
See Emma most of these guys aren’t driving their own bus. alcohol is. Most homeless are adult men who are street alcoholics. They don’t have a choice. Alcohol makes that choice. People like you who are clueless only make the problem worse.
Well Emma, I see you don’t even live here in Boulder . Not America either?
So you have no idea what goes on here. Sounds to me like you are completely full of crap. And you don’t know me either? So you don’t know anything about me or Boulder. You are just a wind bag old broad. Nice.
You are a busy body who can’t stand a frank discussion about rich white Boulder and our street alcoholics who live and die in shelters like BOHO.
We don’t have any poverty here. We don’t have a bad economy. Everybody here is rich. This is one of the wealthiest communities in America! But we do have a population of wondering drug addicts and street alcoholics who prey on the people of Boulder and as a city Sage I like to point that out.
Emma
You started the name calling and insults. I work with the homeless every day and have for over 30 years. I know what is killing them. It is alcohol. I find it strange that when I bring up the issue of alcoholism , you completely deny it.
I finally determined that all of the women writing in are actually the same woman, who is a street alcoholic, lives on the streets of Boulder and does not want to get well. She goes to the Boulder public library with all the other drunks, takes up valuable computer time and writes to me demanding that if it weren’t for you or I she would be fine dying on our streets. OK…. that’s her right.
I am interested in those who want to live and want to get off the streets. Some people love the streets.
Merry Christmas
Jann