Pay your way at Union Rescue Mission

It's an experiment borne out of necessity: The long-struggling Skid Row mission is now charging $7 for an overnight stay and cutting its three daily free meals to one. CEO Andy Bales says that besides helping the mission's finances, the fees could provide homeless residents with an incentive to be more self-sufficient. This runs counter to the philosophy at most shelters, where folks are not charged - and as you might guess, it's created a stir. From AP:

"Our aim is to get them off the street," said Herb Smith, president of Los Angeles Mission in Skid Row. "I don't think charging them is going to generate relationships to help them do that." But others take a tough-love philosophy -- free services create dependency and expectations of a free ride that don't motivate people to take responsibility for their lives. They point out that most homeless are not destitute. The majority receives Social Security disability, which is about $845 a month in California, or general relief, about $221 a month. Some have jobs.

[CUT]

The policy has had some unexpected advantages. Residents say the shelter is much calmer and cleaner since the fees started and paying guests seem more serious about getting their lives in order. There are fewer fights and emergency calls. "Beforehand, it was like a madhouse," said Ronald Wells, who has been living at missions for a year. "People really weren't interested in doing anything for themselves." Edward Bravo, who became homeless after being evicted from his apartment, said paying his way makes him feel better about himself. "When everything was free, it was okay," he said. "Now I feel inside of me, it's helped me."

KPCC's Steve Julian interviewed Bales about the changes.