Homeless people will earn $10 an hour to beautify the city of Omaha

[TexasTowelie]

Inaugural participants in a new day-work program for homeless people will earn $10 an hour working in the city’s greenhouse, prepping flowers and plantings for city parks.

On Thursday, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert and Maj. Greg Thompson, commander of the Salvation Army’s Western Division, talked about the new A Way to Work program.

“My ultimate goal would be to end homelessness in the city of Omaha,” Stothert said. But that’s a complicated issue, she said, and the jobs program is one way to help that population.

Under the program, which will start next month, the city will pay homeless people and panhandlers $10 an hour for two days a week for doing jobs that beautify the city. (The minimum wage in Nebraska is $9 an hour.)

Read more: https://www.omaha.com/news/metro/homeless-people-will-earn-an-hour-to-beautify-the-city/article_55edd198-53b8-55f5-b858-a4e1c9c9b1d4.html

[liberal N proud]

1. It's a start

[CottonBear]

2. Other cities have provided free apartments for the homeless.

Having a home and a job ends homelessness. Then, the individuals can get help to work on their issues of addiction, mental illness, health care, education and literacy.

[iluvtennis]

4. More cities should do this. There are lots of empty buildings in homeless areas. Liability used to

prevent cities from providing the rooms/apartments, but looks like that hurdle has been eliminated.

[iluvtennis]

5. A baby steps...but many baby steps will get to the end goal as well.

[samplegirl]

3. Omg really

they think 2 days a week at $10.00 an hour will stop homelessness! Sounds like cheap labor that nobody wants at 2 days a week!

[ananda]

6. I liked Omahans when I was there in October.

Nice city!!!

[whopis01]

7. What a scam

From the article:

They are getting $100k (half from Salvation Army and half from the city). Here is how they are spending it.

$60k for a program manager
$20k for administrative expenses

The remainder will be spent to employee 6 homeless people at a time for 90 days. Well, 2 days a week for 90 days at a time.

And the whole thing only runs from Feb - Sep.

[DRoseDARs]

8. The moment I saw "Salvation Army" I knew there would be a catch. That's grotesque. nt

[whopis01]

9. My guess is the $60k job goes to an SA guy

Which means that the SA isn’t giving anything.