Sarasota Homeless To Be Shipped Out Of Town After Unanimous Vote

Sarasota’s homeless will soon be looking for new homes, thanks in part to a unanimous vote of city leaders to send them packing.

Despite the past failures of such plans, leadership moved forward with a proposal to establish the “Homeward Bound Fund” that would pay for shipping homeless people out of town.

One similar proposal had ben tried between San Francisco and Nevada. According to FOX 4, San Francisco previously sued the state of Nevada for reportedly sending their mental patients to the Golden Gate City in an effort to avoid the cost of treating them.

It wasn’t clear at the time of this posting whether all Sarasota homeless would be shipped to a single location or if each individual would be sent back to their hometowns, though with a name like “Homeward Bound Fund,” we’re thinking it’s the latter.

To make a go of this, city leaders have set aside $1,000 to help with travel costs of the Sarasota homeless. They’re also hoping for public donations, and they’re partnering with other charities.

For those of you who may be against the idea or think it callous and impersonal, we’re here to remind you that it could always be worse.

That being said, commenters at FOX 4 feel there are perhaps more humane options.

“Maybe funding a homeless shelter would have been a better idea,” said Bonnie Hanshaw.

Sheri Cost agreed.

“How rude and cruel can you all be,” she asked. “Dogs have a better life in Sarasota than people. All the sad people that voted never had hard times in their lives. All of them had money given to them and do not understand hard times. Remember we are talking about real human beings that have feelings. Animals (Dogs) have it better than humans how sad. I never thought I would see the day.”

“Amen sister,” responded Anne Charles Siperek. “I’m not homeless, but I’ve had some rough times. But only by the grace of God go I. I always thought Sarasota was a great place to think about buying a place. Not now. Sounds like a bunch of selfish, mean people live there.”

Oakley Riggs echoed commenter disgust.

“This is unconscionable, Sarasota,” Riggs said. “There but for the grace of God go you. It didn’t work in Las Vegas, it won’t work here. I am ashamed that human beings could be like this towards others.”

What do you think, readers? Should the Sarasota homeless be shipped out or is this inhuman as some have suggested?

[Image via ShutterStock]