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Before the May 6 Election Day, candidates will respond to readers who submitted questions on the upcoming election for Roanoke City Council. The candidates' replies appear below in alphabetical order. To see a specific candidate's response, click on the name below.

Candidates for mayor: David Bowers | Nelson Harris | Anita Powell | George Sgouros

Candidates for city council: Dale Edmonston | Valerie Garner | Sherman Lea | Anita Price | Court Rosen | Brian Wishneff

Topic: Homelessness in the city

How do candidates plan to address the concerns raised by RAM House and other community action groups who feel that the City Council has stalled or failed in its efforts to solve the problem of homelessness in the Star City?

— Hank Bostwick

Candidates for mayor

David Bowers

David Bowers (I): Like many Roanokers, I was ashamed and stunned by comments of our current city council with regards to the homeless here in Roanoke. It is not our Christian responsibility to truck these people off to another area, out of sight and out of mind. Instead, I believe the council, our local government and facilities like RAM House and the Rescue Mission should all be working together first to assist those who unfortunately find themselves homeless, and then to try to address the bigger question as to how to help these people become permanently homebound, instead of homeless. I work with the Interfaith Council at my church, St. Andrews, on a regular basis, in a small way (I help clean the dishes) but I think it is important for all citizens to participate in efforts to take care of our poor, our senior citizens and our disabled citizens in our midst.

Nelson Harris

Nelson Harris (D): Roanoke city government does not have the capacity to “solve” homelessness. To suggest such oversimplifies a complex problem. I have publicly endorsed the plans of the Council of Community Services and the one developed by TAP, the Rescue Mission, and RAM. One can access those plans on their respective Web sites. These plans seek to effectively mitigate chronic homelessness. The organizations I just cited are valuable assets to our city and I appreciate their ministries and services. The city is currently exploring ways, in concert with the nonprofit community, to provide a better coordination of services. All acknowledge that the market area and the main library cannot be de facto day shelters for the homeless, so addressing the day-time issues are the top priority in this matter currently.

Anita Powell

Anita Powell (I): We need to discover and address the most prevalent causes of homelessness in our area whether is be unemployment, lack of job skills, substance abuse, disabilities, or physical or mental health issues. We need to talk with the organizations that work with the homeless and formulate a long-term plan to work toward a solution.

George Sgouros

George Sgouros (I): As Mayor, I would propose that the City Government look into the development, creation, and establishment of a Downtown Centralized Community Care Center for Homeless Individuals and Families, in the form of a Composite Homeless Apartment Complex & Shelter, Educational/Job Training Work Center (complete with Information Database Resource), and a Food Bank & Kitchen, to be installed in the old YMCA on 5th Street and Church Avenue. “This Rejuvenation Project of Both Building Structure, Lives, and Hope” will be a combined enterprise modeled somewhat on the successful Rescue Mission and Female Living Shelter on Tazewell Avenue, but will incorporate its own unique, expanded, additional features. It will be staffed by a qualified staff, employed to investigate, identify, and rectify (on a case-by-case basis), the economic causes, and mental/physical/health, and nutritional needs of homeless individuals and homeless families. Their findings will be entered into an Interconnected Database of Available Local, State, and Federal Services, to help Formulate a Program of Solutions Towards Readjustment, Motivation, and Job Training of individuals on the road to a life of progressive stabilization.

This Resource Center will provide an Independent Living Environment (on a temporary/free basis for the lower floor shelter), in conjunction with an affordable apartment housing complex (on a low paid/extended stay basis for the upper section of the complex). During this time efforts will be made by the center staff towards not only to supplying on-the-spot affordable housing, but on-the-spot jobs (in the operation of the center facilities). They will guide in the process of finding the next-step-up in alternative affordable housing, and jobs. This step-up-the-rung/helping-hand ladder approach to elevating the individual (or individuals) status as productive self-made citizens, will reinforce self esteem, and motivate a person’s drive for achievement and independence. A Homeless Center, as described, will help in establishing a Centralized Group of Processes that address: The immediate responsiveness of social compassion towards an individual’s stabilization, through on-the-spot problem awareness, and creative inclusiveness of the individual towards the purpose of solution – residential, educational, and job establishment.

Younger/overage homeless individuals who are out of the educational system will be mandated to enroll in the planned Overage Academy, which I have proposed to be established Downtown either in the Higher Education Building, or nearby on Henry Street which I see as a encouraged and burgeoning Central Educational Hub. This will help in motivating and inspire these reengaged students, by involving them in a “Community of Learning,” in a Central/Downtown -“City Campus Environment of Learning and Self Improvement,” with easy accessibility to the shelter location, jobs, and public transportation.

As Mayor - I would present four additional considerations to the council in addressing the homeless, the disadvantaged, and the educationally disavowed. They must include - continued educational adjustment & opportunity, job training, and social commitment to social enhancement. I propose the following:
• Greater Educational Interaction, Training, and Advancement for Those Less Fortunate: In Community Shelters; for the disadvantaged children of the homeless; for those from broken homes; adoptees; and for teen mothers and fathers, and their children. Initiate supportive funding, volunteer tutoring, guidance, and adaptive G.E.D. programs for those young people out of the educational system, yet pursuing continued educational growth and opportunities, and financial betterment while working.
• Greater Involvement and Cooperation by the Courts, Law Enforcement, and Judges To Provide: Educational content through community service programs; these to be available for underage offenders not as punishment, but as educational improvement and personal image expanding programs. Taking part will result in credited reduction of sentences, and help in job skill development upon Completion.
• Increased Adult Education Opportunity Programs to enhance educational achievement in themselves, as well as their children’s outlook on achievement. Education and job training must be encouraged, and provided for those “older students of life” who desire enhancement, or who weren’t able to make a go of it, the first time around. They must through our efforts and compassion, be allowed to go back, succeed, strengthen themselves, and the community.
• An Improved Institutional, Organizational, and Cooperative Partnership between Roanoke City and the Veterans Administration needs to be formed and regularly addressed to incorporate Residential, Educational, Jobs & Work, and Outreach Inclusion Programs for Veterans (which according to a latest survey found 28% of the homeless were veterans).

As Mayor, I intend to address issues of abandonment and rejuvenation in the Downtown Core of Our City, with the same insight for solutions awarded to the abandoned homeless individual in need: To provide for, motivate, renovate, rejuvenate, rebuild, and use the resources that already exist, to elevate the viability, visibility, status, and function of the Future Soul of The City of Roanoke and Its’ People.

“We Stand Here at a Crossroads in the City’s History.” The seriousness of our endeavors will resonate down through the future of Our City. Do you want the inadequate results of the tepid, unresponsive, and biased decision process, displayed by The Current Mayor and City Council to continue to exclude The Majority of the Working Class People of Roanoke, by favoring the influential minority of wealth and power?

It’s Time for You - The Citizens of Roanoke City to stand-up and use your true power of governing and say “Enough is Enough!”

Candidates for council

Dale Edmonston

Dale Edmonston (I): There are several national initiatives and a funding source from HUD; we should participate.

Valerie Garner

Valerie Garner (I): There is no simple solution to homelessness and solving the problem in its entirety is like saying no one will ever lose their job again. Roanoke is “moving forward” and growing. This brings growing city issues we may not want to recognize as a part of this growth. Crime, traffic congestion, parking, and not the least of these is homelessness and poverty. We should make every effort to solicit monetary assistance from other jurisdictions who are also growing. I was ashamed by our mayor and some members of council when the article by Mason Adams published November 6, 2007, “Roanoke examines stance on homeless” and the comments made. Let me just say — by ignoring, neglecting, and disregarding the least of the inhabitants of our city tells us much about our hearts and souls as a society. Roanokers have big hearts. Thank God for RAM House and the Rescue Mission.

Sherman Lea

Sherman Lea (D): We need to begin to address the need for additional affordable housing on a regional basis either by expanding the boundaries of the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority to include the entire Roanoke Valley and/or to develop a regional housing consortium similar to what is in the Charlottesville area. We also need to seek additional funds to expand alcohol and drug treatment options because many in the homeless community suffer from these addictions.

Anita Price

Anita Price (D): According to recent numbers, the homeless population has somewhat declined. However, that does not diminish that it still remains a problem that warrants attention. I do know that in Roanoke City Public Schools, every effort is made to make certain that a child placed in a shelter or is considered homeless, the school system has a team in place that works to keep that child in his or her home school. Transportation is provided and the RCPS’s team works with the shelter to work with the family to provide wrap-around services.

Court Rosen

Court Rosen (D): We can never truly solve the problem of homelessness in Roanoke if we don’t proactively seek solutions to the causes that drive people to this position in life. I believe we must provide day programs tailored to homeless that deal directly with the problems of the individual — from substance abuse to job training to mental illness and beyond.

We currently have a number of wonderful community organizations that provide housing, food, faith-based services and other essentials to those who find themselves without a home. More steps must be taken, however, to assist the ever-growing problem of homelessness. We must actively integrate our community efforts and resources, such as the grant-writing team of TAP, in order to identify and solicit grants that would fund necessary programs, thereby reducing the funding burden on the City.

Homelessness is topic we can all agree should be addressed, but it is often painful to acknowledge and confront head-on. The city can tackle this problem if we are willing to work in partnership with qualified organizations who know best how to obtain funds at the federal and state levels.

Brian Wishneff

Brian Wishneff (I): There appear to be a sufficient number of beds for our homeless population. The problem from my perspective is that we do not have a sufficient number of supervised places for the homeless to go during the day. Therefore, I would like to explore the idea of creating a single location outside of downtown where the homeless get proper medical and psychological treatment, continuing education and/or workforce training during the day so we can break their cycle of homelessness. Ideally, the city would provide a building and the bus transportation and the private non-profit sector would provide the staff support. Through an effort like this we should have a goal of eliminating homelessness all together.