January 3, 2007
Nineteen months after the announcement that the Health Care Financing arm of the State Health Agency would transfer to the State Administration of Human Services and Health Related Stuff at which time half the staff would be reclassified into other areas within the organization, the 90-plus empty cubicles are finally getting new occupants. Area homeless will be allowed to take up residence as part of an on-going community awareness and improvement campaign starting this month.
"This is something we all are really excited about seeing not only start but get underway," Los Ritos Building Manager William F. Davidson said. "The SAHSHRS started a 'Caring in the Community' program this year and the Los Ritos staff had an idea from day one. Actually, this was something we've been discussing since we first moved here two years ago: getting rid of the smelly whinos cluttering the corners and crevices we see on our commutes."
The Los Ritos Building, the farthest away campus of the SAHSHRS, is located in the Northeast part of the city and considered by many to be located in a "privileged" part of town, though numerous homeless are seen on street corners and camping in the wooded area behind the building.
Many employees are anxious to see the problem stop. "I moved over to this campus from the old building off the interstate a few years back," said employee Gary Doogan. "One of the first things that surprised me was how much wildlife was here and how many dirty derelicts enjoyed setting up shanty towns mere feet from the rear parking lots. Amazing to see in the wild, I'll tell you what."
While a majority of the homeless old-timers know not to bother the state employee, the number of emaciated men and women has steadily grown in recent months and now pan-handle employees for money or ask to bum a smoke every time someone enters and exits the building. Others resort to dumpster diving to make ends meet.
One of the organizers, Dudley Fisher, knew it was time to do something when one of the men followed him inside. "He was obviously drunk on something he called 'Jimmy Boy's Hard Stash' and threatened me with harm. I tried to pass him some loose change but he threw it down, calling me an agent of the 'Great MooDoo JooDoo Man," which he went on to claim brainwashed all it's servants. It was at that time, man, that I knew we needed to do something."
"Your heart just goes out to them."
As part of the plan, the homeless will be allowed to set up their belongings in any empty cubicle on the second or third floor in exchange they perform certain administrative tasks.
"We're going to train those that can read at or above an eighth grade level to file," Fisher said. "And I mean file: every last scrap of paper these people don't use for Kleenexes or toilet tissue is going to be organized in some form or fashion -- even if we have to make up a new system."
While the long-term plan of SAHSHRS has its supporters, a growing amount of employees are weary of how this can work. Angeli Nasaabt works in Phrenocaid Appeals on the third floor and is the only person on a row of seven empty cubicles that were used for testing the month before.
"Six of the bums were allowed to come in for a month and settle in, so to speak," Nasaabt said recently. "From what I understand they wanted to see how they would act and how other employees would react. To be honest, I don't think I can stand it much longer."
Nasaabt says she actually feared for her life the first day when, unbeknownst to her, one of the bums crawled out from under her desk. "No one told me they were coming in and then he...just popped out! It was very agonizing."
The bum, who goes by the name Awesome Max, apologized about being in the wrong bed, licked his lips, and then very slowly wandered across the hall to another cubicle.
Other employees claim that the random talking to one's self, the horrid smells emanating from corner offices and the passing out in the middle of the halls is something that cheapens the work atmosphere.
"We're aware of some problems," Fisher said. "We're going to tighten up and focus on these concerns. I know there has been an insect problem in the building so we're going to have the homeless learn how to use the trash cans and how to throw away old food, plates and cans instead of growing a mold circus. We don't allow smoking inside so people are going to have to learn to go outside and not smell like dingy, dirty dogs from the depths of Hell. It's going to be a lot of work but I am confident that we can make this work."
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