EDITORIAL: Coping with homelessness

Penn officials can take a number of steps to deal with the problem in University City. Only two days before the Sunday shootings, a homeless man allegedly stabbed a University maintenance worker in front of the Wawa convenience store at 38th and Spruce streets. Although police have yet to catch the suspect in the bloody stabbing, the incident goes well beyond violence and highlights the problem of homelessness in University City. Penn can only do so much to combat this widespread urban ill. While the real onus falls on the city itself to help the homeless, the University should approach the situation proactively by taking full advantage of University City's special services district and by extensively publicizing its anti-panhandling program. University officials should work with the University City District to ensure that UCD safety ambassadors assist police in getting homeless people to shelters. In light of the stabbing, and because Wawa employees claim that the store is a bastion for the homeless, the University should provide extra security forces in the vicinity of the convenience store. Additionally, Penn should push Philadelphia officials to establish a more efficient support program for the homeless. The University already has its own anti-panhandling system in place -- the "Don't Give Change, Help Penn Make Change" program. Instead of giving loose change or food directly to the homeless, program donors can drop money in collection bins and volunteer their time at human service agencies. Penn officials should better publicize the well-intentioned program, and they should make existing bins more visible. They should also work to place bins at more prominent locations such as The Book Store and the food court at the 3401 Walnut Street complex. These measures won't stop homelessness overnight. But they do represent important steps in helping the homeless and in making University City a safer place.