In the midst of this nasty weather, in the warmth of our homes, it may be well to reflect on the very hard lives of the homeless among us. I attach below a petition, mainly endorsed by local churches, concerning ameliorating the conditions of our less fortunate neighbors.

Contact and mailing information for this petition are available at the following addresses:
Info@Reeder4Arlington.org; website: http://Reeder4arlington.org; U.S. mail: Arlington Green Party, P.O. Box 50473, Arlington, VA 22205.

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Petition to Congress and the Arlington County Board: Establish a Year-Round Homeless Shelter and a Public Jobs Program for Unemployed Arlington
County Residents

Whereas:
All people have an inalienable right to basic shelter and to be treated with dignity,
All people have a right to a job paying a living wage to support themselves at or above poverty levels,
Over 500 people were counted as homeless in Arlington in January 2009 (a 25-percent rise from January 2008),
In September 2009 over 5,500 Arlington residents were officially unemployed and many more thousands unable to find full-time work,
Average rents in Arlington in 2009 exceeded $1,700 a month and required an income in excess of $65,000 a year to be affordable,
The county’s one winter shelter can only accommodate 73 people in a dilapidated building and is open only from November through March, and
Many unsheltered people must live outdoors in Arlington parks and open space.

Therefore:
1.Arlington County Government should open and operate a year round shelter to accommodate all unsheltered homeless people.
2.Arlington County Government should seek federal government stimulus funds to begin a public jobs program for homeless and any unemployed resident to perform needed community work, and undertake green energy savings efforts such as weatherization and free energy audits for county residents. Each job must pay at least a living wage of $13 an hour, and provide health benefits.

Name (Please Print)
House Number & Street Name in Arlington, VA
E-mail Address (optional)
Date
Signature

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This petition will be delivered to the Arlington County Board, Arlington, VA, and to Arlington’s U.S. Congressman Jim Moran and U.S. Senators Webb and Warner.

The Arlington Green Party, community activists, members of Arlington’s faith communities, and unions are circulating this petition.

For more information, please contact the Arlington Green Party at email: Info@Reeder4Arlington.org; website: http://Reeder4arlington.org; U.S. mail: Arlington Green Party, P.O. Box 50473, Arlington, VA 22205.