FORT SMITH, Ark. — The Fort Smith Board of Directors, along with other staff members, visited Washington DC on April 29 to meet with various departments, including the United States Congressional Delegation, United States Department of Transportation (DOT), United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and representatives from the Biden-Harris Administration.
Specifically, they're meeting with HUD to see how to secure more funding to help with the city's unhoused population.
"We look at homelessness in the country and see a very large number of those that are panhandling are homeless and have mental health issues, you just need to drive down the street and you can see this," said Carl Geffken, the Fort Smith city administrator.
The "Change Helps" program is in full swing for the city. Instead of giving money to panhandlers, it asks people to donate to a local non-profit through text.
Josh Buchfink, the public relations manager for the city said last week it's been successful so far with around $700 having gone to local non-profits.
"We put up signs that say, 'Text FORT to 91999.' All of that money goes directly to those organizations who serve the homeless" said Buchfink. "We also want to give directly to those nonprofit organizations that can stretch those dollars farther."
Geffken said the issues for the unhoused population started years ago, "Back into the 1970s and 1980s there was the issue of mainstreaming people with moderate mental health issues ... They did not do their best by advocating and helping those people that needed it most."
He said he wants HUD to know this is not just a Fort Smith issue.
"The Fort Smith Police Department, like so many others, helps those that have mental health issues. But that's not the way it needs to be addressed," said Geffken. "It needs to be much more of a larger resolution that can be used across the country."
"We want to make the point known that this is much larger than any one city or state can handle," said Geffeken.
While the delegation is in DC, they're also talking with stakeholders on how to secure funding for the consent decree that forced the City of Fort Smith to spend millions of dollars on sewer improvements.
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