More Homeless in Tent City

The poor economy is adding more homeless people to the Pinellas County tent city.

Pinellas Hope, the tent city run by Catholic Charities here since December 2007, has been largely for the chronically homeless, some of whom suffer from mental illness or struggle with drugs or alcohol.

About 20% of its 240 residents became homeless recently because of the economic downturn, says Frank Murphy, president of Catholic Charities, Diocese of St. Petersburg.

"We're seeing a change in the population. … We're seeing a lot more that are just plain losing their jobs and their homes," says Sheila Lopez, chief operating officer of the charity. "A lot are either job-ready or working but have lost their home because they were laid off, or their apartment, and now can't go to work because they're not shaven, they're not clean, they're living in a car, or they're living on the street."

Catholic Charities has run into resistance in attempts to build a tent city in Hillsborough County. The proposed site is near East Lake Park. Residents expessed their xenophobia before the townhall meeting with Catholic Charities.

"We've asked them, 'Why this location?'" said East Lake Park resident Joanne O'Brien.

O'Brien said residents have seen more homeless people in the area since the charity declared its intentions, including some sleeping in a lot behind her house.

O'Brien has been against the plan to build the tent city since January of this year. She does have a soft spot for stray cats.

"I keep them inside because creatures living outside have a dramatically shortened life span," she says.

Indeed.