1/ President Donald Trump’s new homelessness czar has ties back to Texas. Some have been critical of his approach.
He calls feeding homeless people "enabling" them, and once while working in Florida, he went undercover as a homeless person to study them. bit.ly/2PjjSxF
He calls feeding homeless people "enabling" them, and once while working in Florida, he went undercover as a homeless person to study them. bit.ly/2PjjSxF
2/ Robert Marbut Jr. is the founding president of San Antonio’s homeless shelter Haven for Hope. Gov. Greg Abbott has previously lauded the shelter which was developed by Marbut, calling it “probably the best template” for addressing homelessness. bit.ly/2PjjSxF
3/ But aspects of Marbut's approach to addressing homelessness have garnered blowback from housing advocates.
One critic called Marbut’s guiding principles “paternalistic, patronizing, filled with poverty blaming/shaming.” bit.ly/2PjjSxF
One critic called Marbut’s guiding principles “paternalistic, patronizing, filled with poverty blaming/shaming.” bit.ly/2PjjSxF
4/ Marbut once said in 2015: "I’m pretty controversial, because I often say, 'Having a home is not the problem for the homeless. It’s maintaining a financial stability that allows you to maintain your homestead.'" bit.ly/2PjjSxF
5/ From 2006 to 2010, Marbut oversaw the development of the 22-acre Haven for Hope shelter that provides services to approximately 1,700 people per day.
The shelter has been credited for centralizing homelessness services. bit.ly/2PjjSxF
The shelter has been credited for centralizing homelessness services. bit.ly/2PjjSxF
6/ Some leaders in San Antonio praised Haven for Hope’s model that they say helps hundreds of families in the city.
“If we didn’t have them in this city, we would be at a major loss,” San Antonio Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda said. bit.ly/2PjjSxF
“If we didn’t have them in this city, we would be at a major loss,” San Antonio Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda said. bit.ly/2PjjSxF
7/ Others are critical.
In the "guiding principles" listed on his site, Marbut writes that homeless people who exhibit good behavior should get “privileges such as higher quality sleeping arrangements, more privacy and elective learning opportunities.” bit.ly/2PjjSxF
In the "guiding principles" listed on his site, Marbut writes that homeless people who exhibit good behavior should get “privileges such as higher quality sleeping arrangements, more privacy and elective learning opportunities.” bit.ly/2PjjSxF
8/ Amy Stone, professor of sociology and anthropology at Trinity University who worked with Marbut during Haven for Hope's development, remembered his approach as “disengaged from reality of chronically homeless individuals.” bit.ly/2PjjSxF
9/ Marbut has also worked for cities like Salt Lake City; Fresno, California; and Daytona Beach, Florida, where he made headlines after disguising himself as a homeless man.
He told leaders to quit “enabling” homelessness by allowing handouts. bit.ly/2PjjSxF
He told leaders to quit “enabling” homelessness by allowing handouts. bit.ly/2PjjSxF
10/10 He has been a critic of the "housing first" model espoused by many advocates and supported by the Obama and Bush Administrations. Read more here. bit.ly/2PjjSxF
