A man called moments ago asking for help finding some temporary shelter.

He recently moved from out of state and is unfamiliar with Syracuse. He is also disabled. I didn't get much else of his backstory, but the jist of it is that he will be homeless in a few days.

He was asking for an efficiency apartment for the rest of the month- enough time for him to get his resources together and move to his home state. If we had funding we could give him money for rent. If he was coming out of a shelter we could give him furniture. This a perfect example of the kind of scenario I mentioned in an earlier post; a person needs help but doesn't fit specific requirements for the kind of help that can be given.

He tried staying in a local shelter called the Rescue Mission, but apparently they're out of beds. He could go to Catholic Charities' men's shelter, the Oxford Street Inn. While the "Ox" would have beds, I was hesitant to refer him to that shelter. I know it has a severe bed bug infestation (measures are taken daily to combat it, but the sad fact is that clients bring them into the Ox from the outside), and he seemed intent upon being able to have some privacy. Sleeping within a few feet of other men in a room full of 80+ sleeping men would be the opposite of privacy. Also, if he owns anything large he will have to find a place to store it- the lockers at the Ox are small.

I also referred him to the Department of Social Services, because they might be able to put him up in a hotel room for a week, but I'm afraid that they'll turn him away because he will be receiving Social Security Disability insurance soon. I don't know why they do that to people.

So, a man will probably be out on the streets in a few days. I don't feel right about that. I hope DSS or a caseworker at the Ox or Rescue Mission can do something.