Last month the Rail Auxiliary Team received a two-hour briefing on the homeless from two experts in the homeless population.  Our mission during that day was to “first seek to understand, then seek to be understood.”  We learned about the homeless and the “revolving door” where a sweep goes through and clears the homeless encampments from the tracks which sends the homeless to another location, then only to return to the tracks.  We also learned that some of these individuals are in this situation due to economics and once out of the homeless environment are “only 1 flat tire away” from returning to the homeless environment.  On July 24th, the RATs set out to gain trust with the homeless population to be part of the larger solution to eliminate homelessness next to the tracks.  We provided cold water to those that wanted it and will reach out to those organizations in the community dealing with the homeless to become part of the solution.