Memorials honor homeless deaths in Oakland, and across the nation

Memorials honor homeless deaths in Oakland, and across the nation

By Lynda Carson -- December 21, 2009

Oakland - On December 10, 2009, St. Marys Center in Oakland held a somber memorial in recognition of homeless deaths occurring in Oakland. St. Marys Center provides housing for the elderly homeless population, and provides additional services for low-income seniors, families and preschoolers.

Locally, Operation Dignity estimates that around 1,064 people are residing in homeless encampments throughout Oakland on any given night and according to City officials, Oakland needs around 7,000 more affordable housing units to end homelessness within Oakland's borders during the next fifteen years.

During December 21, 2009, the National Coalition for the Homeless held their 20th anniversary National Homeless Persons' Memorial in 121 cities, 43 states, and commonwealths in Canada, to commemorate those that have died across the nation while living on the streets being cold, hungry and homeless.

Throughout the month of December, vigils and memorials to honor those that have died homeless have sprung up all across the nation in an attempt to bring attention to the ongoing tragedy of homelessness and the victims of brutal deaths occurring nationwide, within the homeless population.

It was only this morning that a homeless man was hit and killed by a train in Fort Worth, TX. A homeless man was found dead on Dec. 12 in San Bernardino, CA, in an abandoned bar that caught fire. A 40 year old homeless man (Daniel Willis) was found murdered in early December 2009, in Tucson, AZ. In November, a 41 year old homeless woman was found strangled near a homeless camp, in Bellingham, Washington, and a homeless man nick named Bicycle Bob was murdered in October 2009, in a fight over a sleeping spot in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Brutal deaths among the homeless are being reported all across the nation, and in addition to the homeless deaths being reported above, as recent as Dec. 8, 2009, a homeless woman in Hemet, CA., died from exposure due to the cold during a storm. A homeless man was found dead at his encampment in November along the Russian River, in Northern CA. Other reports include a homeless man who died in early December in his tent along the Guadalupe River in San Jose, after a tree fell on him.

In response to the homeless crisis occurring nationwide, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council reported that the average age of death for people experiencing homelessness is around 50 years, compared to about 78 years for non-homeless Americans.

In reports on homeless deaths during 2009 from across the nation, though not complete; theres been more than a dozen homeless deaths reported in Anchorage, 19 homeless deaths in the area of Boulder, CO, 19 homeless deaths in Asheville, NC, 11 homeless deaths in Toledo, 9 homeless deaths in Cape Cod, 10 homeless deaths in Guilford County, NC, 18 homeless deaths in Corpus Christi, 20 homeless deaths in New London, CT, 18 homeless deaths in Myrtle Beach, SC, 16 homeless deaths in Grand Junction, CO, 27 homeless deaths in Louisville, KY, 87 homeless deaths in Philadelphia, 14 homeless deaths in New Orleans, 15 homeless deaths in Knoxville, TN, 50 homeless people in Indianapolis, 155 homeless deaths in the greater Denver area, 22 homeless deaths in Ventura, CA, 42 homeless deaths in Las Vegas, 17 homeless deaths in Washoe County (Reno area), 3 homeless deaths in Palatine, IL, around 131 homeless deaths are expected to be reported for the state of Minnesota, over 22 homeless deaths in King County, Washington, and 67 homeless deaths have been in Santa Clara County, CA, during 2009.

Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com