Clark County has been making strides to decrease our community’s large homeless population since the 1980s. The amount of homeless people is still very high. The 2015 point-in-time count concluded that at least 662 members of Clark County are homeless. We as a community and city hall must work together to continue decreasing these numbers. It is difficult for one to get back on their feet or find employment after living on the streets.
If the homeless are given opportunities to work in the community for money, it could have positive outcomes, as it has in other communities. For example, they could pick up litter from parks and streets.
Albuquerque, N.M., has a similar program called “There’s a Better Way,” which has produced over 1,000 jobs for those in need. The homeless individuals were paid $9 an hour.
Of course, this may be altered to fit Clark County’s economy. This program allowed homeless individuals to find real jobs and eventually a place to live. Clark County should follow this example and provide jobs to the homeless in order to alleviate this issue.
