Survey: 'Bad' behavior hurts Shelton businesses
By GORDON WEEKS
gordon@masoncoun.com
Eighty percent of recently
surveyed Shelton business own-
ers say their customers "deal
with poverty," and 60 percent
believe "bad" and "unwanted"
behaviors such as dumpstor div-
ing and public urination harm
their business.
In a second survey, also con-
ducted by the city-appointed
poverty task force, half of the
174 people who use food banks
and meal-feeding services say
they've lived in Shelton for 11
years or more. Fifty-six percent
live in permanent housing, 19
percent say they are in transi-
tional housing, which includes
the homes of friends and family
members; 18 percent are home-
less, living in the streets or in
the woods; and 7 percent say
they live in makeshift homes,
including vehicles.
Simultaneously, the surveys
show no correlation exists be-
tween poverty and "bad behav-
ior r in Shelton, task force chair-
man Jim Morrell told the Shel-
ton City Commission during its
Dec. 16 regular meeting.
Those are among the find-
ings of the surveys conducted by
the nine-member poverty task
force, formed by the city in July.
The task force used the survey
figures and other data in formu-
lating 23 recommendations on
mitigating the effects of poverty
in Shelton.
The recommendations in-
chide forming a city-citizen pov-
erty committee to follow up on
the recommendations, develop-
ing a "one-stop-shop" for social
services, adding public rest-
rooms and focusing on youths
Journal photo by Gordon Weeks
This homeless encampment sits in the woods just outside
downtown Shelton. A city-appointed poverty task force is
considering a recent survey's figures when developing 23
recommendations on mitigating the effects of poverty.
to reduce generational poverty.
The three members of the Shel-
ton City Commission are now
considering the recommenda-
tions and data findings before
offering direction to city staff.
The social services survey
targeted people who used ser-
vices provided by Community
Lifeline, Saint's Pantry Food
Bank and the Community
Kitchen between Sept. 5 and
Nov. 7.
Of the 174, respondents,
55 percent are male, 45 per-
cent female. Almost half -- 46
percent -- are age 50 years or .
older. Seventy-eight percent are
single and 22 percent are mar-
ried, although many were sepa-
rated at the time of the survey.
Of the 168 respondents who an-
swered the question, 74 percent
said they do not have dependent
children -- which means 26 per-
cent of the respondents have
children who also are living in
poverty.
Fifty-five percent who re-
sponded to the question said
they have a "disability." A little
more than 40 percent earned a
high school diploma or GED.
When asked about the ser-
vices they use, 87 percent said
they use food banks or the
Supplemental Nutritional As-
sistance Program, 24 percent
use medical and counseling
services, and 19 percent have
Social Security. Five percent
said they use no services. Four-
teen percent are employed, and
eight are in school. Sixteen per-
cent said they have construe-
tion skills, the same percentage
of respondents who have skills
and training in medical, dental
or mental health.
Of the 174 business respon-
dents, 50 percent are business
owners, seven percent are prop-
erty owners and 33 percent
are both. As for the location of
their business, 77 percent are in
downtown Shelton, 17 percent
are on Olympic Highway North,
and 3 percent are on Olympic
Highway South.
Asked to identify their types
of businesses, 19 percent stated
professional office, 17 percent
are nonprofit organizations, 15
percent are retail, 13 percent
are restaurants and 8 percent
are "other" businesses.
Only 50 business owners
answered the question about
how they "cross paths with the
impacts of poverty." Of those,
80 percent say their customers
deal with poverty, and 66 per-
cent say they deal with the ef-
fects of poverty outside of their
businesses. In the multiple
choice option on how often they
"come across poverty," 72 per-
cent answered "daily."
Asked to describe how they
perceive the effects of poverty
on their businesses, 60 percent
cited "bad" and "unwanted"
behaviors such as drug and al-
cohol abuse, littering, graffiti,
urinating in alleys, dumpster
diving, loitering, panhandling,
and harassing employees and
customers for free food, change
or cigarettes.
Placing second on that sur-
vey question was financial im-
pact at 14 percent.
"What is clear from the re-
sponses is that impacts seemed
more to do with bad behavior
than specifically poverty related
issues," the task force report
states.
When asked what actions or
policies might be helpful in mit-
igating the effects of poverty on
their business, almost 25 per-
cent suggested jobs and train-
ing programs; 15.5 percent said
increasing law enforcement
and regulations; 12.4 percent
mentioned conversations, col-
laborations and awareness;
11.3 percent said medical and
mental health programs; 9.3
percent said expanding and im-
proving the downtown; and 8.2
percent said improving housing
and providing more shelter op-
tions.
For a look at all the findings
and the recommendations, go
to the city's websito at www.
ci.shelton.wa.us. Go to the pov-
erty task force information page
and click on "final report and
appendices."
BRIEFS
Continued from page A-6
Wanted: Habitat for Humanity families for 2014
Habitat for Humanity of Mason County is accepting
applications for families for homes being built in 2014.
The homes are sold to partner families at no profit, and
are financed through low-interest or no-interest loans.
To be eligible, the family must have lived in Mason
County for at least one year; be willing to partner with
Habitat for Humanity; have a steady gross income of 30
percent to 60 percent of the current median for Mason
County; be willing to work 400 hours of "sweat equity"
as a down payment toward the new home; and be in
need of a safe living environment.
For an application or to get more information, call
Habitat for Humanity of Mason County at 426-8134.
• Compiled by reporter Gordon Weeks
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Mason County Journal - Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014 - Page A-7
