That's the total number of beds that are saved each night for women who are working. All of the other working women have to take the chance that there will be empty beds when they get to the shelter after work, or sleep in the lobby on cots, mats on the floor, or in chairs. As the weather gets colder, there will be less and less of a chance that there will be empty beds after the lottery every afternoon, and less chance even of working women getting cots or mats because there will already be a waitlist every night for women, working or not, who were at the shelter for the lottery and who didn't get beds. When you sleep in the lobby, you are woken up by 4:30 a.m. at the latest.
I think that the general public perception of homelessness is that everyone who's homeless needs to stop being so lazy and just get a job. That's probably why the people who are elected by the public don't pay much attention to the real situation.
Copyright L. Kochman, August 25, 2015 @ 8:35 a.m./edited, with additons @ 8:39 a.m.
