AUSTIN ADVOCATE

Homeless Management Information Systems
By Omar Chatriwala

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has been implementing Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) in an effort to organize and streamline services as directed by Congress. http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/homeless/hmis/index.cfm

These systems collect and categorize information on users of federally funded homeless aid programs, like soup kitchens and emergency shelters. The information is centralized and networked to allow access to the data across agencies.

Agencies implementing HMISs collect information on their clients, ranging from name, social security number, and ethnicity, to the place of their last residence, as listed in the Federal Register.

More advanced homeless programs that involve casework or assessment of a person’s needs require much more information. Details on a person’s income, HIV/AIDS status, domestic violence record, and education, and past and current employment are collected, as well as information on disabilities, behavioral, and general health.

“The system organizes services a little better, saves time, and saves a lot of frustration,” Sarah Traxler, Publications Editor, Training, and TA Coordinator at the Texas Homeless Network said (http://www.thn.org).

The management systems allow counties to count and really verify how many people are going through the system, Traxler said.

The Texas Homeless Network receives some funding from HUD and offers training and technical assistance on HMISs to surrounding community programs trying to implement them.

“HMISs definitely have their pros and cons,” Traxler said. “They allow homeless service providers to hold spaces in shelters for their clients instead of them having to wait through long lines,” she said.

The primary objections to the management systems revolve around issues of privacy and confidentiality.

A shelter decides different levels of employees, i.e. management, system administration, etc., and what level of access those employees have to their HMIS; which means there is no uniform security inherent in the systems.

Issues of cyber security haven’t been addressed by HUD’s HMIS directive either. “Confidentiality in the system is always susceptible to hackers,” Traxler said.

Many amongst the homeless find the quantity of information collected from them somewhat invasive.

“Bush saying he’s going to eliminate the homeless population, I wonder what he really means by that,” said Adam West, a homeless man.

West said harassment and judgment of homeless people has increased since the economy’s been down, and all the questions asked are just another form of harassment.

“Its turning into Communist law... knowing where everybody is, what they’re doing,” West said.

HMISs are a burdensome amount of work for the service providers as well. But, homeless service providers are so overwhelmed with work, it should make things easier, Traxler said. The main thing is its hard finding someone who has the time.

Texas does not have a statewide HMIS but there are plans to implement one, and eventually a nation-wide HMIS.

By networking the different agencies, care providers can determine what services are available for their clients.

“It cuts out all the BS,” Traxler said. “After doing direct service, referring kids to services assuming they would be there, and then getting turned away once they get there.”

All the kinks have yet to be ironed out of HMISs and a homeless person refusing to provide a shelters required information, could be denied service or turned away from a shelter

top

Universal Living Wage: Globalization and Labor
By Richard Troxell

This is the 2nd in a 3 part series called Globalization and Labor. In this installment, we will examine what effect passage of the Universal Living Wage will have on focusing retaining costs and business generally.

ULW Effect on Business and Tax Payers

Living wages are good for business. When workers make more money, they also have more money to spend. In fact, minimum wage workers have spent almost 100% of past wage increases directly into the economy. Increased personal income inevitably promotes commerce and stimulates local and nationwide economies. By protecting and stabilizing the very foundation of enterprises, the employees themselves, we can equally protect and stabilize businesses everywhere.

There are presently 10.1 million minimum wage workers in the United States. These employees comprise our nation’s pool of workers such as restaurant workers, construction laborers, dry-clean operators, janitors and others that, for the most part, provide support for our principal businesses.

In response to the depression of the 1930s, the federal government created the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938. In so doing, it established a single national minimum wage which today rests at $5.15 per hour or about $10,700 per year. The idea came in response to the legions of unemployed, underemployed, and low-wage workers roaming the country just as they are today. It was decided that in order to stimulate businesses and the economy, these workers needed to be economically stabilized. In exchange for a full day’s work, a man needed to be guaranteed a wage sufficient to secure basic food, clothing, and shelter. The absence of which resulted in high employee turnover, increased absenteeism and an increase in internal employee theft.

Henry Ford, the father of the American automobile, was facing exorbitant retraining costs due to high employee turnover. He was being forced to replace every employee four times per year. He also found that absenteeism was at an equally unacceptable level. His response was to almost double the daily wage of his workers to $5.00/day.

The immediate result was:
1) significant reduction in employee turnover,
2) significant reduction in retraining costs,
3) significant reduction in unscheduled absenteeism,
4) and almost complete stoppage of internal theft (roughly 50% of the theft in today’s retail world is committed by its own employees). Furthermore,
5) he created a true economic stimulus resulting in a business boom for his own company when his workers put discretionary funds right back into his company as purchasing consumers. All of these savings/benefits are possible today with the enactment of the Universal Living Wage.

The ULW will dramatically reduce employee turnover. Such reduction of turnover means a significant reduction in retraining costs. This results in huge business savings.

ULW enactment will significantly impact unscheduled absenteeism. Again, this will result in financial savings. This will help business avoid higher salaried employees or even small business employers/owners from having to temporarily step into these lesser-paid positions. They can thereby avoid wasting a valuable resource who continues to be paid at a much higher dollar amount while performing a lesser-paid job (and not doing their own).

To illustrate these effects, examine the findings of Michael Reich of the University of California. He reviewed a quality standards program initiated in April 2000 in the San Francisco International Airport. The $5.25 starting wage had been increased to $10.00/ hour plus health benefits or to $11.25 per hour without health benefits. (The industry wage average had been $6.00/ hour.) Turnover dropped from 110% to 25%. Additionally, employers reported that skills, morale and performance improved while absenteeism and grievances also dropped.

The reduction of employee turnover by having paid higher wages has been further demonstrated by the practices of New York worker-owned home healthcare facility, The Cooperative Home Care Associates. They employ 450 employees and are paying $7.65/hour which is 20% above the area average. They also provide health benefits, training, and compensation for travel time for employees to see clients. As a result, they experience a job turnover rate of less than 20% as opposed to the industry level of 60%.

Further illustrating the point, Vice President Artie Nation, Speaking for Mirage Hotels, credits the low turn over in his casino hotels of only 70% (as opposed to an industry high of 300%) as being the result of better wages and training.

Enactment of the ULW means stabilized, loyal employees who feel respected for their work contribution. This results in substantial reduction in the (number one dollar drain in the retail industry . . . internal employee theft.) The two largest retail employers in the world, McDonalds and Wal-Mart, would greatly benefit from this dynamic. Employees tend not to steal from people who show them respect and support their economic needs by paying them living wages. It is also important to note that, when employers are forced to hirer emergency temporary workers, they must pay for the service. And any new employee means more down time in training that new individual. The savings here is notable.

New small businesses are more likely to receive bank loans and support from the Small Business Association (SBA) by being able to produce solid Business Plans . . . plans that show that they are providing adequate budgeting to support all aspects of their business in a sustainable fashion. This includes manufacturing, advertisement, geographic considerations, transportation, employee training, and wages.

Employee Turnover/Retraining Costs

Currently, employers faced with employee turnover have begun to rely on the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Employers in the fast food industry can receive $2,400 for each minimum wage worker retrained. This can be repeated every 400 hours. In 1997, the subsidy was $385 million.

Potential savings are significant: 2,080 (yearly work hours) 400 hours (minimum work hours necessary to be eligible for the subsidy) = 5.2 potential turnover rate (Henry Ford was facing a turnover rate of 4.) In Modern times this is the same turnover rate experienced at the Greely Beef Slaughter House supplying ConAgra. 5.2 x $2,400 retraining subsidy = $12,480 per employee per year $17,680 x 4.5 million minimum wage workers in the fast food industry (which includes 1,000,000 agricultural workers) Potential Savings of: $79,560,000,000.

The Universal Living Wage

In the United States, the Universal Living Wage will relate to the local cost of housing and ensure that anyone working a 40- hour week will be able to eat, be clothed and afford the most basic level of housing. This will ensure that a worker can store his belongings, get rest, wake in the morning refreshed, take a shower, and go to work. He can provide stable labor for the industry, become part of the nation’s tax base, remove himself from being part of the tax drain, and advance himself generally at the same time. At present, this is not happening. In fact, millions of people are falling out of the U.S. work force and forming the ranks of homelessness. Three and a half million people will experience homelessness this year in the United States. At the same time, the U.S. federal government says that 42% of these homeless minimum wage workers are still working on some level. But according to the last several US Conferences of Mayors’ reports, no one can get into and keep housing at the current minimum wage.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

It has been suggested that a single uniform increase would address the problem. However, due to uneven localized inflation, to select a minimum wage level sufficient to afford even an efficiency apartment for someone in Washington, D.C. would mean the destruction of small businesses in rural America. Congress cannot set an appropriate single base wage using its current “one size fits all” approach. As a result, the Universal Living Wage, using existing government guidelines, establishes a wage that relates to the local cost of housing throughout the U.S. The ULW formula uses the same computations that the federal government has used to Subsidize business under the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for its Section 8 program. Under this program, the federal government has devised its own sophisticated formula to determine how much one can reasonably expect to pay for housing in areas throughout the entire United States. These areas, called Fair Market Rent (FMR) regions, are usually about the size of a county. The federal government has used these figures to subsidize business for years and pay business the difference between what people can afford to pay and what business says it wants to be paid for housing in each of the Fair Market Rent (FMR) regions. It is being suggested here that this standard that has supported business for decades should now be applied similarly to unhoused minimum wage workers. In other countries, housing may indeed be an appropriate measure. However, food may be most appropriate and something like the U.S. Federal Poverty Guideline might make the most amount of sense. Clearly each standard should be identified by each individual nation.

Transition

For over a decade, the gap has increased between the Federal Minimum Wage and what it costs to afford basic rental housing in urban America. During this time, business has used this economic windfall to its benefit. Often this has meant either accelerated expansion of individual businesses or an increase in personal wealth for their owners. Accordingly, many businesses will require an adjustment period to normalize budgets before enactment of the ULW. All businesses will be permitted a two year transitional period before paying any current employees (relative to the date of enactment) by the ULW Standard. New hires (post passage) would immediately fall under the standard.

In our 3rd and final installment, we will continue to explore the effects of the Universal Living Wage on business and tax payers focusing on tax savings and finally how it all relates to today’s global picture.

top

Margie is Risen - Part 2

First let it be noted, Margie’s birth name was Maggie La Prairie. She was 100% Chippewa, born in Leech Lake, Minnesota, April 11, 1931. We are saddened by her death, (4-17-04) yet we are joyful for knowing her. These are exerps from writings about Maggie, from her dedicated family here in Austin, Texas:

Margie was one of the most real people I have known. In the 27 years I knew her she always kept her word. I learned a lot from her but at times she had her stubborn side, which caused us to go to blows nearly many times. I could go on about my old friend. Some memories I am saving for myself. She is in good hands now!
Larry Williams AKA “Taz”

Margie, We should be grateful in remembrance of you. I believe that is one of those, we’ve had a chance to know & lives on in lives of further generations. Praise to the great Spirit-God for those whom make a difference in this world, with honor. Thank you Margie You’ve left your mark here on earth.
WH

One of the sweetest, mean little women I’ve ever met. Sure will miss you. Never fear I’ll keep the crossword puzzles going for you.
Billie

I’m glad you made it down the good road. Now you have it all.
Blu

Even though you never really remembered me-I never really forgot about you and never will. Your friend (forgotten)
Rick

Hey what can I say?
Jack

My frind for a long time
Coffee Chastain

God be with you & us!
Johnny G.

Love you
Miss Maggie
Mother Love

This photo was still in my camera when Margie died.
It was on 3-21-04 on Butler St.

To my Indian friend. You saved my life almost every Sunday. See you up yonder later.
TJ AKA “you want-to-be-guitar player”

It was fun, knowing you: May God bless, be with you and take care of you.
Terry Family

We all love you and miss you on Earth. We wish to have more time with you. You are special.

Margie, Thanks so much for being here that short of time to us that a flower that we have that yet to see that times again.
Greg AKA “Greg long hand”

Maggie LaPrairie, you were so bad, so good, so much mother hugging fun-when we drank, smoked, ate barbeque all those many years (11 or 12 for me, knowing you) Rest awhile, Forever even, Bugs

I will miss you... a lot! Carolina

Take care kiddo MBS

It’s very different without you!
My knees feel wounded.
“Old Mrs. Young”.

A lot of people knew Margie. She will never be forgotten. Her ashes are sprinkled at Red Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota by her birth family in South Dakota.

A bible verse came to my mind about Margie: Mathew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

And that’s the rest of the story! Now get on with your life.

top

Signs & Wonders: A True Story
By Why Change Cain

It was a hot summer in the year of 1983. I had moved to Austin only a year earlier to take advantage of the jobs available because of the boom. I was working for a well-known electrical contractor on an office complex off highway 360 in Westlake. The foreman quit and the company supervisor asked me to take over the job. We had one more building out of three to finish and it was only at about 20 percent complete.

The outside of the buildings were all glass. The air conditioning control wiring wasn’t complete so I left the AC on all the time to help the workers inside beat the heat. This caused the glass to sweat every night until the doors were opened the next morning.

I arrived one morning and as I approached the building the General Contractor Superintendent, Roy stepped out of the job trailer and began to walk with me. About 50 feet from the building Roy suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. I stopped to see why and he was looking up at the glass over the entrance that overshadowed the atrium. He said, “Do you see what I see?”

I than turned and looked up to see the rising morning sun had revealed a perfectly formed picture of the face of Jesus. The kind you would normally see in a coffee table Family Bible or paint by numbers set. We stood there mesmerized for a few seconds when he broke the silence and slowly began to speak, “What does that look like to you?” he said.

I said, “That looks like Jesus to me! How did that get there?”

He said it appears to be the dew formed the picture by sticking to the dust on the glass. I asked if he thought that maybe some of the workers had drawn the picture from the other side the day before. He said no one had been working in that area and it would take a 16' ladder or a scaffold just to get up there.

I then suggested that we call the newspaper or a television station and ask them to come out and get some pictures right away ‘cause no one will ever believe we saw what we saw. He said, “I wish I could but it wouldn’t do any good anyway, I have to prop those doors open and some 30 odd workers are about to start showing up. That picture will disappear as fast as that dew begins to run and then dry up, and that will be almost immediate as you well know.” My desperate feeling to try and save the picture soon faded as I realized he was right and went to unlock the gang box and line out my men.

Nothing else out of the ordinary took place on that job and we punched it out and moved on to another one. About two months later I was traveling up 360 and missed my turn. I ducked into that office complex remembering that there would be plenty of room to make a U-turn in the parking lot.

As I took a quick glance at that same building and there above the double door entrance right under that same glass was a sign that read, “THE NEW CHURCH.”

Jesus prophesized that in the last days there would be signs and wonders in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. I’ll never forget that experience and it’s only one of the miracles that have taken place in my life. I wish I could share them all.

top

top

Vendor Spotlight: Carl Hatleli #473
His Quest is for the Sky
By Brenda L. Curran

Carl Hatleli started skydiving in 1980 as a hobby. Now it has turned into a plentiful sideline. His story starts in 1980 when he was in the movie “Red Dawn” that was filmed in Las Vegas, New Mexico. He played the part of a Russian skydiver.

After that he and his partner Rick moved to Austin and started up Austin Skydivers and began teaching skydiving here in Austin.

Soon after that they started doing all kinds of shows in Austin and surrounding areas including San Marcos, San Antonio, New Braunfels, Round Rock, and Pflugerville. This 4th of July will be Carl’s 10th anniversary in the Round Rock area at Old settlers park.

Carl says that he jumps at an altitude of 3,000 to 4,000 feet for shows only. Normally, just for fun he jumps at 12,000 to 16,000 feet.

His parachute is called a Square, and it has a forward speed of 30-40 miles per hour. From the time he jumps from the airplane it takes approximately 3 to 4 minutes to land on the ground.

His landings are “very soft.” He jumps with streamers and sometimes smoke attached to his feet. He packs his own parachute for every jump and his reserve parachute is packed by a licensed rigger every three months.

He has jumped out of many different airplanes including a Boeing 727 jet which is the only kind of jet you can jump out of. He has jumped from DC3’s, C130s, twin otters, King Airs, Queen Airs, Cessnas, Jet Ranger Helicopters and Hot Air Balloons.

His next show will be at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock at 8:00 p.m. on July 4th.

top

Beijing
Ruff Draft

Russia 1957
SPTNIK, the first satellite launched into orbit,
The stage was lit atomic.
NYE, 1979 communism still danced forbidden in the arms of
democracy, she wore a red dress to impress how deeply your
enemies complete you.
1984 came and went.
1989, What do you remember?

A summer Sunday, watching cartoons
(breaking news)
so I changed the channel
(peoples republic of china)
( changed the channel again,
(teinimin square)

What do you remember?
watching as if in the back of a movie theatre,
the screen flickered violent imagery.
Three months of protestes turned bloody,
buses burning, over turning, troops firing on students.

Too young realize these bullets were
moving at the speed of real TV,
I was too young to fathom the courage it takes
to stand in front of tanks demanding democracy
over Mao’s dead body.

I changed the channel, but it was still 1989.
I changed the channel but it was still Bejin,
Still live from Tienimin, where 19 yr old students
clutched each others hands so tight.

Their eyes wide as bicycle tires
racing through the streets,
dragging the bodies of
momentary revolutionaries.

From the couch, fried into my circuitry,
left me continually collapsing backward into memory,
burning the same replay, same satellite relay,
infiltrating my mind state
like pirate radio waves invade East Germany.

I changed to channel 5, channel 6,
the fall of the Berlin wall into a pile of bricks.
somewhere between the minds of anarchists and
the peoples clenched fist, censorship can not stop us
from remembering.

Remembering the sound of rusty bicycle tires
trying to turn hot tears in gardens burning,
starving for democracy’s tide to come turning.

June 1989
RE1999
MEM2000
BER2004

top

Enemies of the “Civilized World”

A civilized world that ignores the Rwandan genocide because it had no economic benefit is no civilized world

A civilized world driven by policy shaped, crafted, designed and maintained by greed is no civilized world

A civilized world that allows few to flaunt, abuse, pollute and degenerate Earths resources is no civilized world

A civilized world that allows spying, subversion, trade secrets and select government sponsored terrorism is no civilized world

A civilized world that allows money mongers to oppress people creating revolution and violence cycles is no civilized world

A civilized world that freezes the assets of the terrorists must freeze the assets of the money mongers for it to be a civilized world

A civilized world that labels the weak, the indigenous the uncooperative cultures as killers is no civilized world

A civilized world that encourages recycling, higher wages in necessary function industry, neighborhood gardens is a civilized world

A civilized world allows every human being the health and sanitary benefits of advanced technology

A civilized world rewards the overachievers and allows material well being to all underachievers

A civilized world does not prejudge individual motives which may not be to our liking as enemies of our “Civilized World”

Tumen Soliz

top