On April 19, at 7 p.m. the Trinity United Methodist Church will host a "homeless forum" at 6512 23rd Ave. N.W.

Questions that will be explored include:

- Why is homelessness growing in Ballard?  

- Who are the homeless? Are they all moochers, drunks and jerks?

- What can be done politically to end homelessness?

- How can our neighborhood care but not enable?

- How can church and neighborhood work together?

The forum will feature Tim Harris, Editor and Publisher of Real Change speaking about the structural, political reasons for homelessness.

Rev. Craig Rennebohm, Mental Health Chaplain and author of "Souls in the Hands of a Tender God," will speak about the personal, behavioral reasons for homelessness.

According to the church, this is the first of several neighborhood forums aimed at creating strategies geared toward solutions for the growing issue in the community.