Olaf Maly, University Park, responding to the "City Softens Homeless Stance" article in the Aug. 18 edition of SRQ Daily

The homeless story is a sad, ongoing and never-ending one in Sarasota. And countless other cities on our planet. When do officials finally realize that this is the lifestyle those people chose for themselves and whatever the officials will do is not working. They cannot be contained and sheltered. They want to live outside houses and outside society. Only a few would change that, if they could. Yes, they would like to have a roof over their head when it's raining or heat when it's cold, but as soon as the circumstances are favorable, they will be on the street again. I knew a woman, whose husband made the choice of living on the street, although he had a job, an education, a family and everything one would ask for. This was just the way of live he had in mind. Give them a place to hang out, maybe not right in the center of town, and leave them alone. Every penny spent is wasted money. Spent the money on education, the kids, on their future. What is much more sad than having those people on the street is that we have to make donations, that kids have school supplies. That is the point to start. For the salary of this new and useless 'homeless ambassador,’ or whatever he is called, hundreds of kids could be fed, have supplies and go to school without being hungry.

Olaf Maly, University Park, responding to the "City Softens Homeless Stance" article in the Aug. 18 edition of SRQ Daily