Concerning news out of right here in Brown County this week, where new cuts to housing programs would throw domestic abuse survivors and homeless families out on the street (story HERE).

As someone who also struggles with housing and has to live next to a drug dealing, sex offender who skirted Green Bay’s residency requirementsy (story HERE), it adds more danger to a life that is already saturated in fear.

The cuts stem from new requirements that involve local ordinances and tougher requirements.

Normally, I’m all for pulling yourself up by your bootstraps and going to work to dig your way out of homelessness.

But I also do not have any young children. I’m also not a domestic abuse survivor who has to fear for their life and can’t go to work with painful bruises on my body.

The timeline is also terribly unfair with many of these organizations scrambling to survive with only weeks to find an alternative.

There is an excellent chance you know what the dangers of being without shelter are in Green Bay. As I write these words, it’s early December and with the wind chill we are well into sub zero temperatures.

If these cuts go through we could see families with children on the street in this.

We could see women going back to abusers for a life of being beaten to avoid freezing to death.

Certainly, we can do better than this. Right?

As we continue to traverse the future, and the changing budget scenarios and housing policies we can’t lose our compassion.

It could mean loss of life for the most vulnerable among us.