Homelessness - How do you fix it?

[RyanM]

I was talking with a buddy of mine several weeks ago, whose opinions differ than mine, though I respect him because he is usually able to defend them eloquently.

We got on the subject of the War on Iraq, and I asked him what he thought. He stated simply, "We're over there fighting for the liberation of their people, yet we've still got people in this country who are homeless."

And I asked him, "How would you solve homelessness?" And for once, he blanked.

So how do you solve it? Can it be solved? Is it an inevitability until our society becomes so mechanized that every facet of live is provided for us automatically and no one works? Or is there a way to fix the solution in the here or now?

 

[Zebo]

Love them like your brother.

 

[RyanM]

Originally posted by: Carbonyl
Love them like your brother.

That's a really nice thought. What does that mean? Care to clarify? And have you ever loved a homeless person like your brother, or do you only preach others to do that?

 

[Zebo]

Until we start treating people with respect and decently and REALLY spend the resourses it takes to make them productive there will always be large amounts of homeless and large amounts of crimminals.

If you feel society and no one cares about you are not given hope and mentoring, you are very likley not to care about yourself, and from there to downward spiral into crime/depression/homelessness and all sorts of other things come about.

 

[HappyPuppy]

My grandparents were all born in the 1890's. Before they passed on they used to tell me stories of bums and hobos. My mother and father were born in the early 1920's and they used to tell me stories about bums and hobos. I was born in 1947 and I grew up observing bums and hobos.

It is only in the last 15 or 20 years that we have become politically correct and started calling the bums and hobos "homeless people".

I would venture to guess if you studied ancient history you would find that there were bums and hobos back then, too. The Bible, whether you believe it or not, talks of whores and bums.

This is not a manifestation of modern society, it has always existed. There is no cure for it.

Feed them, clothe them and give them shelter and they will return to their wandering ways.

Peace.

 

[Zebo]

Happy, Picture the story you shared with us about you after the war and how your wife basically coddled you though the rough spots. Now picture if she never came along how things may have turned out. There are plenty of guys who are suffering still, though no fault of thier own, who have'nt been so fortunate. I mean you are not ready to acclimate back in society, and some never can after such experiances.

Even the innercity kids have thier smaller version of hell. I have met them. I have volunteered since I was 22 to help them and it makes a huge difference. Most have NO fathers, no clue about respect and what life is really all about. I have made life changing a difference to them because of the small effort on my part really. Money is not all I'm talking about.

Edit: I must be honest though, going bird hunting with them and handing a 20 ga. over still makes me nervous.

 

[Moonbeam]

No problem. Require everybody to have an address.

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

Rehab would be a good step. Why is it every single bum I see just can't go a day without a drink? Anyways, yeah, if they want to be homeless, it's not our business.

 

[BigJelly]

A vulcan machine gun with a lot of bullets.
Or stop helping them, if they need to survive than they have to work for it (what a concept work for a living).

 

[spaceman]

legitimate charity?

 

[desy]

The majority of homeless people are mental outpatients.
So if you really want to put a dent in homelessness the question should be
'how do we treat people in mental factilites so that upon release they don't drift into homelessness?'
Lots get released too early, or the state can't keep them because they had self admitted, or they discontinue their drug therapies and become sick again.

 

[CPA]

While I don't have any links, I do recall these facts from previous readings:

Homelessness in Houston

1980 - approximately 10,000
1990 - approximately 10,000
2000 - approximately 10,000


One thing is pretty evident from this:

No matter what the economic condition, we will always have homelessness.

 

[Moonbeam]

Since Egyptian times we should have been able to build enough magnificent stone dwellings to house tens of billions of people.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: CPA
While I don't have any links, I do recall these facts from previous readings:

Homelessness in Houston

1980 - approximately 10,000
1990 - approximately 10,000
2000 - approximately 10,000


One thing is pretty evident from this:

No matter what the economic condition, we will always have homelessness.

They all moved out to california keeping your rate static.

 

[desy]

Right Homelessness is not a function of economics .
Sure there will be some out there for other reasons IE economics but as I pointed out MOST have different issues.
I think 10 G must be good because even though numbers for Dallas has been static, it most have grown larger and per capita over 20 years which means its in decline.
The drugs and treatment is a lot better today for mental patients which is what I suspect is what is helping

 

[Toasthead]

Turn them into mailboxes...a la the Simpsons!

Remember, not everyone wants the responsibility that comes with renting a place, working 5+ days a week. You are assuking there is a problem. I say you find out how many people REALLY want to off the streets, and you will find there are already enough services available. I Used to run a transitional home for homeless people and MANY of them didnt want to get job training or housing referrals. They wanted some free food and cash enough to get them where they wanted to go. I think you are missing the point that many homeless people are homeless by CHOICE.

I agree that services whould be available for those who want help, but what you are asking is how do we get everyone to quit smoking , without first realizing that some people LIKE to smoke.

We can only help those who really want it.

 

[AmerDoux]

Something like 80% of the homeless are mentally ill to one degree or another (and, no, i dont have any links to support that percentage!)
Back in the 80's, good 'ol Pete Wilson, CA's gov. decided to save the taxpayers a few dollars and had the state mental facilities close some wards and put clients out on the streets. These are the people that they claimed could support themselves. What is the definition of being able to support yourself in CA? Cardboard box = Home, eating out of trashcan = Food and filthy rags = Clothing.

It wont get fixed until somebody knocks some sense into the politicians and they re-define the qualifications for what constitutes being unfit to care for yourself.

 

[Jmman]

There will always be homeless people. There was an interesting little study done here in Denver. 10 homeless people (the guys standing on the corner with signs) were approached and offered a fulltime job paying $20 an hour doing landscaping, free rent, clothes, everything they would need to survive. Out of those 10 people who were handed an awesome opportunity to better their lives, how many showed up to accept the job? None of them. When they were approached and asked why they didn't show up, one of them replied "why would he work when people just give him money for standing on the corner." He actually stated that he was happy with his lifestyle. Until these people step up and try to really make a better life for themselves, the problem will be impossible to solve.......

 

[LunarRay]

Quote

So how do you solve it? Can it be solved? Is it an inevitability until our society becomes so mechanized that every facet of live is provided for us automatically and no one works? Or is there a way to fix the solution in the here or now?[/quote]

There are many roads that lead to the homeless's address... in order to remedy the issue you must repave each of the roads. A very costly endevor for any government.
Work for the chronic unemployed who have exhaused their funds and just gave up is a start. Mental Health treatment that should go along with any program for one who has been or is homeless should be manditory. A minimum wage that allows for the cost of rent as well as food for those less able to vie for the big buck positions. And on and on.
It becomes an accepted way of life... after awhile. You got to end that attitude by substituting something those folks find inviting for what they also find easy to live with.... Remember they have lost self esteem - many of them. So to make them proud again is no easy task... but, it is doable... but, requires the bucks and attitude of the buck passers to be in sync. A liberal approach vs a "There are jobs they are just lazy" approach.

 

[ElFenix]

not gonna happen. some people can't, we should help them. some people won't, we shouldn't help them. sometimes its hard to differentiate.

 

[LunarRay]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
not gonna happen. some people can't, we should help them. some people won't, we shouldn't help them. sometimes its hard to differentiate.

It ain't gonna happen because society at large has a limited amount of funds to use in various ways and the homeless issue, although recognized, is not any where near the top of the list...
The homeless have no problem being homeless and even if they did they have so weak a voice that most cannot hear their cry.
It is very hard to determine if the cause is endogenous or the result of some economic issue... either is not fixable without substantial intervention.

 

[Moonbeam]

What kind of a capitalist society would we have if we took care of loosers. In a dog eat dog world where cheep goods depend on cut throat economizations and sweat shop wages, do you really want people who won't resign themselves to inslaved poverty and prefer libertarian poverty to have it easy. Who's going to work for nothing if life is too easy elsewhere. Its the suffering and misery of millions that allows me to live well. You expect me to give that up by housing the homeless?

 

[Zebo]

The selfish man is dying inside. His only satisfaction is to one up you with a new beamer, rolex, a gate around his house but untimatly his family is only waiting for his demise not his footsteps though the door.

 

[LunarRay]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
What kind of a capitalist society would we have if we took care of loosers. In a dog eat dog world where cheep goods depend on cut throat economizations and sweat shop wages, do you really want people who won't resign themselves to inslaved poverty and prefer libertarian poverty to have it easy. Who's going to work for nothing if life is too easy elsewhere. Its the suffering and misery of millions that allows me to live well. You expect me to give that up by housing the homeless?

What irks me is when the police won't arrest the "bums" for panhandling on the freeway access because they have real crimes to investigate.. Even the homeless ought to share in the 3 hots and a cot that is afforded the real bad guys (and gals). I say you can solve the problem by making it a felony with a manditory 5 to 10 year sentence... build lots of jails stimulates the economy... better still have the homeless build the jail... wait have them build their own houses from donated supplies... nah... let em pan handle..

 

[JellyBaby]

How 'bout we use illegal Mexican immigrants to teach woodland survival skills to all our homeless, then use some of the "public land" the feds have "purchased" over the years and relocate the homeless there? The illegals can earn their citizenship while educating the homeless so the later can live in the pristine, unspoiled wilds of such places as Montana. It's a win-win, right?

Seriously, any statistics on what percentage of bums/hobos/homeless have families to help support them?

I'm not in favor of any public-funded permanent support for any homeless person who can support himself but states do have aid programs and charities do exist to help with this problem.