As plummeting temperatures hit Gainesville this week, securing a bed in area homeless shelters has become a hotter commodity than the SG presidency.
The unforgiving chill of Tuesday evening saw more than 90 homeless people descend upon the St. Francis House for a place to stay as the mercury dropped below 45 degrees.
So much for coming to Gainesville for the weather.
The Editorial Board has the utmost respect for the area shelters working around the clock to meet the needs of Gainesville's homeless population, but we must concede not enough is being done to help them.
We aren't talking about UF students refusing to part with their spare change or crossing the street to avoid confrontation with a homeless person. Rather, we take issue with the city for failing to deliver on its promises of a one-stop homeless shelter for Gainesville - a place with plenty of room that can open its doors regardless of the weather.
Just because the temperature may be over 45 degrees doesn't exactly bode for pleasant conditions on the street.
We urge the city of Gainesville to stop treating the homeless as second-class citizens and move forward with their plans to build a shelter. Give this ever-growing demographic of our population a chance to reclaim their lives and break free from the cyclical nature of their existence.
It's so easy to turn a blind eye - but is it really so much harder to make a difference?
