Fighting homelessness by giving homeless people houses

purplemer
Why would you want to exert such conditions on people. In doing so you are forcing them to accept your values in life. Not everyone is the same and there are those that evidently cannot cope with the conditions that are set upon them by society.

Which condition is that?

Free schooling and training?
Free medical care both physical or mental?
Free drug or alcohol treatment?


You are right...its better to take a homeless person off the street , hide them in a house and forget about them then it is to take a homeless person off the street, give them treatment and try and enable them to take care of themselves.

reply to post by the owlbear


The guard wouldn't be there to regulate illegal activities like drug use but to act on things such as someone screaming or a fight. Or to be a phone for someone who wants the cops called(since many homeless don't have phones).

If the police want to focus on the area in regard to drugs etc that would be their business.

Also if there was a tent city with designated "spots" like 42., 43., then each tent would have same laws regulating homes. In other words, police would need warrant to search the abode.

I don't know how you'd see a tent city as a work release prison. It is a simply a place where people can go, today, without paperwork to sleep, to shower, to get mail. It is really that simple.

Like the man says...ya cant move the shelter to a nicer neighbour hood...Theres a lot of drunks out there that would be UNABLE TO FIND IT.....
Simply a comment on the futility of the rich planning for the poor and NOT KNOWING REALLY WHAT THE SITUATION MAY TRUELY BE.....
Why not ask the bloody people who are out there what they really need........................
Society has wrecked these people......drugs alchohol, rape,child abuse,human trafficking,,hopelessness....theres a whole litany of reasons for homelessness.
THESE are what needs to be addressed,not just a place to HANG THEIR HATS....
T he causes of these peoples life failures must be addressed.....
This is NOT EVEN POSSIBLE under the present system......................................

reply to post by opethPA

1. 2 year term of a free housing
2. During that 2 years free schooling or training for free
3. Drug and alcohol treatment for free
4. Health treatment both physical and mental for free.

Then what we are proposing is really two different things completely.
Because I'm saying it's very doable to provide enough minimum shelter
that no one goes without. Period. Under any conditions that might
include an unidentified mental disability. That resulted from stress
may be related to an unforgiving financial institution that is choking
the hell out of a lot of people. I'm not saying capable people who can
make it on their own but just want to be lazy should be housed for free.
But there should be a net for people who just thru no fault of their own
fail. From there if they can bounce back, they will. No need to involve a
bunch of extra pencil pushing and oversite. We're not talking about a condo
on the beach here.

reply to post by OrphanApology


That is also known as a homeless shelter.
Most are overcrowded already and filled with fun things like junkies, hepatitis, and MERSA. To get a chance at a bed, most people have to wait in line starting early in the day. How can they work? Or have a chance at work? Beds aren't guaranteed, which means food isn't guaranteed. Violence is certain as well.
The link provided by another poster about how tent cities do not work probably can cite more studies than I have the energy to.

I have serious concerns about just giving the homeless a house. First off most of these properties will end up in serious disrepair after a few years. Owning several rental properties for years has long since taught me if you didn't work to own that home you simply will not respect it. The homeless do need help and they are typically the most in need of it so they should be helped first. But just giving them a spit of land is not going to help matters.

Maybe the better idea is to put them in communal housing and require they take up some trade or pursue an education. If they don't want to do that then they have to volunteer for community service. By no means should anyone but the elderly and disabled get to sit home and watch the tube all day while everyone else has to put some effort into it.

But even then if we do this it pretty much requires us to seriously address our health, and education issues. Because let's face it there will be many that go homeless to get those things at no cost to themselves.

reply to post by purplemer


America should set up tent reservations, all those who want or forced to live in tents live on the reservation.

They did it for the Red Indians, so why shouldn't it be good enough for everyone else?

reply to post by randyvs


Randy we can all help each other without requiring validation for that help.

Its so childish to want something in return for help, its selfish and egotistical.

Im not commenting about your post but in response to what your responding too.

onequestion
Randy we can all help each other without requiring validation for that help.
Its so childish to want something in return for help, its selfish and egotistical.
Im not commenting about your post but in response to what your responding too.

Agreed..

Lets take the homeless , stick them in a house or a tent and forget about them..out of site , out of mind right?
That is certainly better than providing a shelter on the condition they try and improve their lives.

reply to post by the owlbear


A tent city is not a homeless shelter. It's a place where anyone can come to, and sleep on ground or in tent they have.

How are you equating a designated area outside that has showers and mail as a homeless shelter?

A homeless shelter is a cramped facility that has beds, heating, and air conditioning. It's a common bunkhouse paid for by the government that has food and showers and sometimes healthcare.

A tent city is simply land. Land where people pitch separate tents and live apart from the other people. Sometimes if they are newly homeless, a bivy or sleeping bag. Again though, it's not a bunkhouse.

Also the only reason tent cities do not work is because they are usually dismantled or moved around constantly. What I am talking about is something set up similar to a campground where you have shower facilities and a designated place to get mail. Hell you could even give a retiree a free parking spot for his or her camper in exchange for collecting the mail each day and distributing it.

And of course it is more dangerous than living in an apartment. But something centralized where there are many people is safer than sleeping alone outside. Especially for women.

Might sound like it wouldn't be but it is. The worst place on earth for homeless women is to be alone and sleeping someplace where no one will hear your screams.

reply to post by onequestion


If I had my way a minimal shelter with minimal living quarters
is something that should just be a reality. Most of the people on
the street are there for only one damn reason. GREEEED!
Not because of drugs, not because they're lazy. Most people society
has put there. And without any kind of a base to operate from their
hygene descends and they become as unacceptable as the society
that put them there. Many of them after years of tax paying and
contribution to society.

So it has to be without condition and indefinite shelter. They can die
there if they choose. But I know full well many will use the platform
to regroup. Because that's all they need.

reply to post by randyvs


If it helps one person it helps everyone.

If all Salt Lake has is 17 homeless people, it's probably a good idea.. try this in Seattle, Portland or San Fran and it's a whole different story!

IMHO, anytime you "give" something to someone, it usually ends up costing more in the long run unless there is a system in place that ends with that someone eventually taking over the responsibility for themselves.

Well

I am homeless. Live in my van. Life is hard.

Until you come live a week in my shoes you are all talk

With no clue how cruel life

And mostly people

Can be

Ll the talk in this thread is utter nonsense

Very few will have to face the challenges i face every day

And fewer would survive the week

This thread shows the state of mind i our nation and communities.

All talk

Want to help?

Then actually do something!

The gov want help homeless. We are truly out of sight out of mind.

How about you don't buy anything other than necessities for a month

See how much money you need vs what you make

And realize that extra monly could do for someone really in need

A hungry family perhaps

But you want because greed has infested our mind and souls

Good luck to this world

It needs it

reply to post by Another_Nut


I agree. I would be homeless if isnt wasnt for someones grace right now as i try to put my life back together.


This country is all about being better then the person next to you not about helping them out.

reply to post by onequestion


You are one of the lucky. Many of us will never have that.

I wish you well on your journey and hope you realize

How bad it could have been

It has been known for some time that providing the homeless with permanent shelter is much cheaper than cleaning up after the messes they create.

There are many types of homeless people who are homeless for different reasons.

First there are people down on their luck, who get into a bad situation and wind up on the streets. These people are looking to become fully employed again. They take care of themselves, and most eventually find jobs, find help, and get off the streets.

There are the drug addicts and alcoholics, whose main aim is to keep feeding their addictions. Most will never get off of the streets, and wind up dying young.

There are the broken people. Something happened, that damaged them to a point where they will never be able to function again. It is really sad, but this happens to some people, and those people who don't have anyone to fall back on for support, wind up chronically homeless. Many of these people do ok on the streets. They learn how to survive and blend in.

A certain segment chooses to be homeless. Many of these people do well for themselves. They learn how to blend in, keep away from the authorities, find those places where they can camp, well hidden from society. They know where to find occasional work, and handouts, and work the system. Often they hunt and fish, and forage off of the land. They migrate with the seasons, and in most ways live a quality life, but it takes a lot of skill to survive like this. They aren't going to move into tent city.

Lastly, there is that segment of homeless people who are mentally ill, and simply do not have the coping mechanisms to succeed. This is probably the majority of homeless, at least from what I have seen. Their quality of life varies from decent, to horrible. These are people who should be treated as people with serious illnesses. If they can be cured, give them the necessary treatment. if not, the humanitarian thing would be to provide them with a place to live with a reasonable quality of life.

These different groups, and I am sure there are others should probably be dealt with differently.

The first group should be given training, and opportunity to get back on their feet. Remember the movie "The Pursuit of Happiness"?

The druggies and the alcoholics, we would all be better off to get them off of the streets, into rehab if they are willing to participate, and isolate them someplace away from society. Maybe we could set them up in special little communities.

Help the broken people mend themselves. Set them up in shared housing, give them counseling and an opportunity to rebuild their pride, and sense of self worth. Ease them back into a condition where they can be contributing members of society again.

The people who want to be homeless, live off the land, leave them alone, as long as they aren't committing crimes.

reply to post by poet1b


Close.

Except for that last line

Being homeless means you are breaking the law every minute

For instance

The is no place you can park and sleep legally

Private is private

Public is off limits during the night

So i either sleep during the day ( when i should be working or looking for work) or find a spot i hope no one will call the authorities

Either way is not good. And you cant live off the land in a city

Not enough game and that game is illegal to kill. And where do you get a fishing lisc with no money?

You don't

Just another chance you have to take

No kind of homelessness is easy

You need to get out of the books

Nd into reality to see the errors of your beliefs

reply to post by onequestion

If it helps one person it helps everyone.

Absolutely and it's not that PA is even at all wrong in his thinking.
This isn't even a matter of being right and wrong. As I see it, humanity
just deserves a better rock bottom then the G-D street. with absolutely
nothing at the mercy of many variables. No pets and no hoarding. Those
who desire more won't be there long. Those who don't won't become a
detestable street urchin.


Great thread by the way!
SnF

reply to post by opethPA


I think kicking someone out of a home after two years because they may still be on drink for example is to harsh. Some people cannot do it. What would you do with those people. Through them back on the street to die. I do not think anyone should have to homeless there are plenty of homes for everyone. Not everyone can live up to the same ideas and values. We are all different.