Vellucci Calls On Lampoon To Feed City's Homeless

Cambridge Mayor Alfred E. Vellucci may have a new solution for the problem of the city's homeless.

The mayor plans to introduce a resolution into the City Council Monday calling on the Harvard Lampoon to open their doors and their kitchen to the city's poor each weekend.

"They have offered food hundreds of times to the greats of America and the world," Vellucci said Wednesday. "I would hope they'd be as generous with the hungry."

Cambridge does not have enough "drop-in centers" to accommodate the city's roughly 1540 homeless people, Vellucci said, adding that those shelters that do exist operate only on weekdays.

"His concern is that it should be a seven-day-a-week service," said Imani Butler, the city's emergency service co-ordinator.

Tradition

But Conan C. O'Brien '85, president of the club, which periodically publishes parodies, said yesterday that the mayor's proposal was both "hilarious" and unfeasible. "We end up taking care of most of our graduates who end up poor and homeless, "O'Brien said. "We're just not in a position to take in more derelicts."

Vellucci has in the past introduced resolutions suggesting that Harvard Yard be paved over for use as a parking lot and that the Lampoon building be turned into a public latrine. He first thought of the castle as a shelter because of its "ideal location" and ample facilities.

"The facilities we have here I doubt even the homeless would want to use," countered O'Brein.

According to Butler, the city has no public shelter for the homeless except Shelter, Inc., which she says "is always full." A number of local churches offer hot lunches once a week, and the Salvation Army last month opened its doors Mondays and Fridays to serve meals for the poor.

Well-Endowed

Vellucci said that many "rich Harvard kids say they are eager to help the com- say they are eager in help the community of the poor. This should be a perfect example for the 'haves' to help the 'have-nots,' "he added.

City councillors yesterday expressed surprise at the mayor's planned proposal, but added that such a measure would probably not be defended at Monday's meeting. "Vellucciputs a lot of nonsense in and it usually passes because nobody wants to vote against him," said Councillor David A. Wylie.

Wylie added that even if the measure does pass, the city would have no power to enforce it