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Resident urges Tupelo officials to treat homelessness as social issue, not a crime
Summary
Melvin Foster, a Tupelo resident who recently returned after a career in New York City finance, urged the council to address homelessness through services and housing rather than criminalization, citing local shelter dynamics and an outreach breakfast at All Saints.
Tupelo — Melvin Foster, a resident who said he returned to Tupelo after a long career in New York City, told the Tupelo City Council that the city should address homelessness through services, not criminal penalties.
Foster told the council he worked with homeless populations while living in New York and that he volunteers with an outreach breakfast at All Saints called St. Brew, which he said serves “about 40 to 50 people every day.” He urged the council to avoid criminalizing homelessness as state lawmakers consider legislation on panhandling.
“You do not criminalize homelessness. You work with it to eliminate it and to address the issues,” Foster said during the citizen hearing. He told council members the city’s response should include assessments of mental-health needs, job training and housing options.
Foster described several categories of people he encounters: those with mental-health needs, people who “timed out” of foster care and lack supports when they turn 18, veterans and people moved to Tupelo after release from correctional institutions. He said some people in the outreach program have moved into minimum-wage jobs after the breakfast program helped connect them with employers.
Foster also urged the council to visit the St. Brew breakfast at All Saints, saying, “I would invite each of you, including the mayor, to come to Saint Bruce at All Saints, Monday through Friday, 7 to 08:30, some of the people and hear their stories.” (Transcript spelling of the outreach program varied; the speaker referred to the All Saints outreach breakfast by name during remarks.)
Foster referenced current state action on panhandling, telling the council the state bill—identified in the meeting as House Bill 1203—was on the governor’s desk and urging caution about using criminal penalties as a response.
The council did not take immediate action on Foster’s suggestions during the public-comment period. His remarks were part of the citizen hearing portion of the meeting and were recorded in the meeting transcript and minutes.
