Regarding “Neighborhood pushback leads Syracuse, county to pause drop-in center for homeless” (July 25, 2025):
If you have ever squeezed a water balloon, you can both see and feel how the water is displaced. Installing a fence at the end of Dickerson Street is a lot like squeezing a water balloon. The unhoused and homeless individuals who spent most of their day on Dickerson Street have not disappeared, but, rather have moved to other spaces, including Columbus Circle.
For the past six months, Catholic Charities has collaborated with Onondaga County leadership to develop a 24/7 Hospitality Center. Unhoused individuals who have no place to go during the day would be welcomed at this center, where their basic needs would be met. And I mean basic. Water, coffee, a restroom and a light meal. The most innovative component of the proposed hospitality center would be daily programming offered by Onondaga County, including health, mental health, substance abuse and peer recovery services. On-site security would monitor and patrol the area, day and night…