South Bend Common Council to consider adding homeless to protected populations

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The South Bend Human Rights Commission has received multiple complaints of discrimination this year, according to common councilmember Lori Hamann.

However, not much can be done about it right now. 

The South Bend Common Council will consider an amendment to the city’s Human Rights Ordinance on Monday that would help fix the issue.

“It doesn’t matter who we are, status quo, we all deserve a second chance,” says Anthany Adams, who lives at the Center for the Homeless.

Adams has struggled for his second chance. He is on the search for a job as he also tries to make it in music.

“Some people won’t let you work because they feel like you’re a liability,” Adams admits.

An initiative by city leaders aims to give new protection to the nearly 600 homeless people in South Bend. 

“That’s a pretty significant chunk of people that really need structured, planned approaches to figure out how to serve them,” Hamann says, Common Councilmember for the city of South Bend.

Spearheaded by Hamann, a resolution on Monday's council agenda would add the homeless as a protected population under the city’s Human Rights Ordinance.

Hamann also believes there needs to be a Homeless Bill of Rights. 

Her focus is to address the discrimination that the homeless may face when seeking employment, which she says the city's human rights commission confirmed.

“Since the first of the year they have received six calls from individuals regarding employment that have insecure housing,” reveals Hamann.

She says since they aren’t considered a protected population, nothing can be done if an employer doesn’t give an applicant a fair chance based on their housing situation. 

Hamann hopes this is just the first step in providing stability for those that are considered homeless and helps get them on the path to no longer fall in that category. 

“If you look around the country, cities are going one direction or the other,” Hamann explains. “They’re either deciding ‘Okay we’ve had it, we need to pass bills that gets these people out of parks and off our streets’, and you have others passing laws and ordinances trying to find ways to help them.” 

Adams recognizes the assumptions some may have about the homeless, like problems with addiction or mental health, but says that’s not the case for all. 

Just like his music, he just wants a chance to get his life back into rhythm. 

“Let us have an opportunity,” Adams says. “Because somebody behind me messed up, why can’t I get an opportunity because of someone else?” 

Hamann says a final vote on the amendment to the human rights ordinance should take place on July 24th, the same day she hopes a first reading will be had on the Homeless Bill of Rights.