Homeless Left Out in the Cold

When the city's coldest night approached in Newark, homeless people had to take refuge anywhere warm they could find. Some chose to travel elsewhere to avoid the cold. Temperatures dropped to 13 degrees which enacted the cities "code blue" program.

Teams of outreach workers checked on street dwellers every two hours under the department’s “Code Blue” procedure, which goes into effect when the temperature or wind chill drops below freezing and is heightened when the readings fall below 20 degrees, according to Mr. Diamond.

While shelters were available for the homeless to stay in, many remarked that they don't like the shelters as much as fending for themselves. During times like this, the issue of homelessness becomes especially apparent. Although it's clear that something has to be done, it's also important to make sure that any government are effective and helpful to ensure government spending does not increase too much.