The Shame of the City, or the Victims of Society?-Part One

In December 2003, the San Francisco Chronicle published a series on homelessness called "The Shame of the City". In this series reporter Kevin Fagan dove into the city of San Francisco to figure out why there were so many homeless people living so miserably, and blatantly destitute in such a sophisticated and progressive city. Despite the cities efforts, and millions of dollars thrown at the problem, there are still 3,000-5,000 "hard core" homeless living in the city, this kind of homeless man or woman are the type most visible in the city, sleeping on the street and panhandling. They are unfortunately, also the most difficult people to help.
Part one of the series is called "The Island", this segment is about a 40 by 70 foot traffic island between 12th and Mission Street and South Van Nuys Avenue. The segment describes the everyday tragedies experienced by the collection of homeless people using the traffic island as a home base who spend their days pan handling and doing other things to get money. The article describes the death of the so-called leader of traffic Island, a man named Tommy. Like approximately 170 other homeless people a year Tommy lived and died on the streets, he contracted necrotizing fasciitis and soon thereafter died. Tommy was a heroin addict who taught the other residents of the Island how to pan handle most effectively and looked out for the others.
Tommy is just one example of the many people who have succumbed to homelessness, as are the others on the Island. Many are prostitutes, several are one legged, and almost all of them are drug users ( a majority use crack and/or heroin). These people are often ignored or even abused by the people who walk by them on the sidewalk, when they really just need counseling or healing. Those classified as "hard core" homeless don't want help though and that is the main problem. One of the men living on the Island was so against receiving any outside help that he krazy glued his skin when it split instead of going to a doctor.
On a good day the panhandlers can make about $40, which is almost always put towards a $10 crack rock or a $20 bag of heroin, and that is quite often the best that they strive for.
Homelessness is a terrible tragedy and as the story of the men and women who live on the Island shows, the homeless are individuals who want a better life, they are all somebodies son or daughter and they all were children who were full of potential at one point.