The Chronicle‘s Cynthia Leonor Garza reports on the concerns of homeless people over the World Series:
From his makeshift sidewalk home just a block from Minute Maid Park, Frank listened to the radio Wednesday night as the Astros clinched the National League championship — and quietly rejoiced.
Frank, who is homeless and did not want to give his last name, said he was glad the Astros won, and that he waved at the passers-by honking their car horns throughout the night on their way to Main Street.
[snip]
As Houstonians prepare for the biggest sporting event to hit town since the 2004 Super Bowl, some of the city’s homeless expect to be asked to leave the party before it begins.
Frank said he’s trying to keep his living area clean and make it look presentable for visitors, but he’s also prepared to move along — something he and other downtown homeless people said is inevitable when there’s a game at the ballpark.
[snip]
“The city doesn’t want them panhandling,” said Kevin Walsh, a Salvation Army case manager, who said he expects most of the homeless will scatter on days the World Series games are played downtown.
He added, “All major cities have homeless. That’s just part of the landscape, and we do the best that we can trying to deal with the homeless, … and as long as they’re moving they have the right to walk the streets as anybody else.”
[snip]
Frank Michel, spokesman for Mayor Bill White, said that the World Series is very different from the Super Bowl, with fewer out-of-town guests anticipated. The city has no plans to round up or shift people, he said.
“As long as people obey the laws, they won’t have a lot of problems,” Michel said. “We don’t expect that would be different for anybody, no matter where their home is.“
So here’s a question that apparently wasn’t interesting to the Chronicle reporter and/or her editors: How is a “makeshift sidewalk home” consistent with walking the streets and obeying the laws?
