Speaking For Monroe County's Most Vulnerable Kids

Dear Editor,

The Key West Golf Course community of 350 members is screaming to the City of KW that they will do whatever it takes to stop the possible construction of a nearby homeless shelter. In a published letter the KWGC expressed that it would be reckless and dangerous to create the shelter near their KWGC residential community, a grade school, a college, hospital, senior residential home, and businesses. (An open letter to Mayor Cates and City of KW Commissioners—The Blue Paper  https://keywestthenewspaper.com//article/an-open-letter-to-mayor-cates-and-city-of-key-west-commissioners/ )

Now, I want to speak for those in KW without voices that have been placed in a “reckless and dangerous” place for years. From 2008 to 2013, my wife and I were house parents for the two Department of Children and Families’ licensed foster homes in the Poinciana apartments of Key West that are sandwiched directly between two institutions for homeless adults. (See children shelters address @ 1621 Spalding Court, Key West, FL http://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/1965 )

The Website for one of the adult housing that states: “Provides permanent housing and essential services for up to 38 homeless adults living with serious mental illness.” The other facility is for many homeless males transitioning out of jail. (http://www.fkoc.org/Peacock%20Supportive%20Housing.pdf  address- 1628 Spalding Court)

Several years ago when the KW police were answering an early morning call to the mental shelter, I asked a policeman if he would want his child living in our complex. Immediately he answered, “Hell no!” I carried his answer over to the Our Kids (The lead agency for Miami-Dade and Monroe County) weekly audit meeting and only got raised eyebrows.

Last year, Florida executed Elmer Carroll for the 1990 rape and stabbing death of 10-year-old Christine McGowan. Carroll lived in a Florida halfway house for homeless people and convicts next door to McGowan. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-05-28/news/os-elmer-carroll-execution-20130524_1_elmer-carroll-ashton-sentences This news inspired me to send many letters to Governor Rick Scott to remove the DCF license to prevent 14 foster kids in protective care from living in the middle of these homeless shelters. However, as a former mayor, I understand the local politics “why” Scott refuses to answer my letters.

I hope that the KWGC community will continue to act against the proposed homeless shelter location that could compromise the safety of many, and take it as an unselfish mission to help get the State of Florida to remove Florida’s most vulnerable kids from the adult homeless and mental Poinciana community before history may be repeated.

Mike Sawyer

Denver, Colorado