I built a park for street people in San Francisco in 1978. The lot was on 6th Street and Minna Alley. I bought it as an asset for Glide Memorial UM Church where I was business manager and treasurer.
The park was of great historic importance. It lasted 3 years and was much loved by the neighbors and the park habitues. The park was intended to provide peace, safety and a convivial space for people who were normally living on the street. Nothing else like it had been done before or since to my knowledge.
These are some of the blogs I’ve written on it. The park has shaped my thinking on many subjects from Puritanism to poverty.
http://phillips.blogs.com/goc/2003/10/puritanism.html A description of 6th Street Park, built as a safe refuge for street people. Nearly all street people just want a peaceful life.
http://phillips.blogs.com/goc/2006/09/homeless_stabil.html A description of research on street people who always seem to remain steet people. Decade after decade. Also, street people got the missnomer ‘homeless’ after 1981 based on New Yorker's blind 'do-gooder' ignorance.
http://phillips.blogs.com/goc/2007/01/6th_street.html My comments on recent efforts of renovate 6th Street. We can’t fix a street where street people have lived a long time.
http://phillips.blogs.com/goc/2007/03/surprised.html Street people remain street people regardless of Lefty municpal efforts and regardless of the amount of money spent on them. Talk to them an understand why.
http://phillips.blogs.com/goc/2006/03/poverty.html A real understanding of poverty comes from working with and being involved in lives of the 6th Street Park people. 'Poverty' is a word without substance.
http://phillips.blogs.com/goc/2006/03/poverty.html Getting a better understanding of the lives of street people from 6th Street Park; particually people who are content being outcasts.
http://www.well.com/~mp/a25.html A complete summary of 6th Street Park, written two years after it closed.
(Photo includes some Park habitues and some staff.)