Tier 1, Barrack Type Shelter,
Ft. Washington, NYC
26" x 39.5", mixed media.

The Fort Washington shelter for
men holds about 700 beds for the
homeless to sleep in during the
evening hours. At present, New
York's current mayor is seeking to
evict the homeless from the shelter if
they do not find work in 30 days. Also,
children would be separated from
their parents becoming wards.
Without a mail-box or phone, the
likelihood of obtaining work is
slim. Receiving benefits like welfare
relies on having a mail-box. In a city
with skyrocketing rents for more
upscale digs, it is little wonder that
Mayor Guiliani is anxious to rid the
urban population of this unemployed
or underemployed underclass. One
cannot forget that a lot of these
people are somebody's father,
brother, or son, and may have had a
job and a meaningful life. Now
jostled together with those who had
to endure the budget crunch in the
welfare and mental health systems,
the image of the shelter brings to
mind images of another time and
another place.
© sol robbins

3 of 7 images