JESUS RAN A GROUP HOME

By Rev. Talbert W. Swan, II

The siting of residential social service programs is a difficult process across the nation and has become a contentious issue in the city of Springfield over the past few months. Certain city officials, led by city councilor Timothy Rooke, have exacerbated the fear of citizens of the impact of residential programs on their families, their neighborhoods, and their schools. Mr. Rooke has made a campaign of putting a moratorium on such programs in the city and has argued that Springfield is “oversupplied” with various residential treatment programs and group homes.

His argument is that our city is unfairly being targeted for group homes and other publicly funded residential facilities for people with mental illness and developmental disabilities, people with AIDS, people in recovery and other “special needs.” This notion has been coupled with the argument that we also need to decrease the stock of low-income housing in the city as well.

While I respect the concerns of residents on the potential impact of these programs on their neighborhoods, I am taken aback at the hypocrisy of community leaders who openly express support for needy people but oppose such support in their own neighborhood. This is called the “NIMBY” syndrome -- an acronym for "Not In My Back Yard." During the public debate on needle exchange, Rooke adamantly opposed the city approving such a program but publicly declared his support for “treatment on demand.” I wonder where he thought these treatment programs would be located.

In addition to NIMBY, another “syndrome” has gotten in the way of residential support programs, “NIMTO” -- “Not in My Term of Office.” Just as needle exchange, a public health issue, became politicized, residential support programs now face the dilemma of becoming political fodder for the upcoming municipal elections.

The complaints from residents concerning residential programs are very familiar. They complain that they are not adequately informed of the development of new residential programs in their neighborhoods and have little power to address problems that may result once the programs are established. Community representatives have said that residential facilities bring down their property values and will increase drug use and criminal activity. Complaints about AIDS residences have usually involved fears of inadequate medical waste disposal, as well as expressions of fear concerning the AIDS epidemic. While these concerns may seem warranted, existing research supports the fact that carefully supervised programs rarely generate complaints among neighborhood residents.

I believe the city should assist social service agencies to locate residential facilities in locations where program participants can be offered a broad range of services and in areas that will mitigate complaints from residents. However, to put a moratorium on such programs sends the wrong message. What the city of Springfield would be saying to those in need is, “We feel your pain and want you to get help, however, get help outside of our city.” Is this the message we intend to send?

Jesus once expressed disappointment in His disciples for seeing Him in hunger and not feeding Him, seeing Him naked and not clothing Him, seeing Him locked in prison and not visiting Him. The puzzled disciples asked Jesus when such events occurred and He answered, “When you do it to the least of these my little ones, you do it unto me". (Matt 25:40).

After healing a man with leprosy, Jesus went into a home to teach. According to the Bible, in Luke Chapter five, multitudes of sick people came to Him to be healed. While teaching in a private home, four men brought a man sick with palsy to Jesus. There were so many people in the house they had to dismantle the roof to get the man to Jesus. Seeing the faith of these men, Jesus cured the man of the palsy. Thank God there was a residential program in the neighborhood that “the least of these” could access to receive help in their time of need. Sadly, in today’s political climate, Jesus would be forced to move his operation outside of Springfield. n