Here's What Happened When One City Gave Homeless People Shelter Instead of Throwing Them in Jail

but...but..Americans cant help each other like this, its the stuff those COMMIES do or..or.. those SOCIALIST'S do.
marge get my gun!

originally posted by: defuntion
Star and flag for you and for SLC..

I am quite impressed as to this forward thinking.. Besides the obvious (and important) fiscal impact, there is some underlying positivity that I think other cities/counties/states might want to do a case study on..

I am a big fan of proactive/preventative measures of this sort, and this concept can extend far beyond housing the homeless into other areas..

Congrats Utah!

What makes you think this American city is the first place on the planet to providing housing for the homeless?
Like other posters have said it's been done many times in many cities around the world.

Maybe more American cities should be doing case studies on what's happening in other countries, and improve their own social policies and programs.

This is basically done in every city. It's called 'Publuc Housing'.

a reply to: FyreByrd

Quantifiable results. The city saved over $30 million per year. By helping people. Wotta concept!

Great find. F&S&

a reply to: FyreByrd

Good thread! Here're more good ideas for housing the homeless:

community.seattletimes.nwsource.com...
SEATTLE LOOKING FOR LAND TO HOUSE HOMELESS WHEN NAVAL STATION CLOSES
"Organizations that work on behalf of the homeless have created a committee to look at housing options at the Sand Point Naval Station. A questionnaire has been mailed to members of the Seattle/King County Coalition for the Homeless, to determine whether housing is feasible and appropriate at the naval station, which has been recommended for closure."

seattletimes.com...
HOUSING VOUCHERS TO AID WASHINGTON STATE'S HOMELESS VETERANS
"Washington state will gain 335 federal housing vouchers for homeless veterans."

seattletimes.com...
(Jan. 2014) USING SMARTS, WE CAN DEFEAT HOMELESSNESS
"Utah’s State Homeless Coordinating Committee cut homelessness by 78 percent over the past eight years. The goal is to end homelessness by 2015."

if you can't take care of yourself then it's possible signs of mental illness mixed possibly with drug/alcohol abuse. If you're found living, for example, under a bridge, then that person should be taken to a mental facility and evaluated. If it's deemed that you cannot care for yourself, then the facility will.

But it's complicated because there's the freedom of will issue. Does someone have the right to be a bum? Do they have a right to be homeless if they so choose to live that type of lifestyle? IMO, they do have the right to be a bum. I'm just kicking thoughts around here...It's a heartbreaking and complicated issue. But I don't, however, agree with giving them everything. That could encourage it.

a reply to: Fylgje

"if you can't take care of yourself then it's possible signs of mental illness mixed possibly with drug/alcohol abuse."

(Very outdated and simplistic statement! With high unemployment in a bad/mangled economy, like we have under Team Obama, people lose their jobs when companies downsize or go bankrupt. If people can't find another job fast - and many companies in the U.S. clearly state they only want job applicants "who are still employed, not unemployed" - then they end up losing their houses. Then it's a scramble to live with relatives and/or in a shelter. And most shelters are for women and children or just men - not families.)

"If you're found living, for example, under a bridge, then that person should be taken to a mental facility and evaluated. If it's deemed that you cannot care for yourself, then the facility will."

(Again, very outdated and simplistic. With the burgeoning populations of the mentally ill, homeless or not, there aren't enough beds in mental health facilities to house them all. Lawsuits are flying fast and furious today, because police pick up the mentally ill and they are then handcuffed to gurneys in hospital emergency rooms for days, until they can be processed into a mental health facility. Or else they are put into jails where they are abused by other inmates or guards.

(Even with a Mental Health Unit within a prison, sadistic guards can "make sport" of tormenting the mentally ill. Big lawsuit in Miami now, over a mentally ill prisoner who was "punished" by being shoved into a scalding hot shower - and died.

www.miamiherald.com...
STAFF AT A MIAMI-DADE PRISON TORMENTED, ABUSED MENTALLY ILL INMATES, FORMER WORKER SAYS

"But it's complicated because there's the freedom of will issue. Does someone have the right to be a bum? Do they have a right to be homeless if they so choose to live that type of lifestyle?"

(There will always be homeless. Some people just don't want the responsibility of a structured life. Some are mentally ill or war veterans with PTSD, who don't/won't take their medication. Some people are runaways from horrifying home situations with constant abuse, and can't trust anyone. Others are sane and smart, but prefer living-off-the-grid for whatever reasons. These hardcore homeless may take handouts of food, and maybe shelter in bad weather conditions, but otherwise refuse repeated offers of help from social agencies who seek them out.

(The homeless families or people living on the street due to a cascade of "bad breaks" not of their own making, are the ones most open to help from social agencies. No one's "giving them everything," just three-hots-and-a-cot as the saying goes. With addiction counseling and help getting work - or at least onto Disability or Social Security rolls - they are grateful to get off the streets and into a semblance of a normal life again.)

And how, exactly, do you classify a younger homeless population Denver is now grappling with, due to legalized recreational pot?

www.denverpost.com...
DENVER'S NEW HOMELESS ARE YOUNG POT-HEADS
"Madewell is among the homeless lured to Colorado by legal marijuana who are showing up at shelters and other facilities, stressing a system that has seen an unusually high number of people needing help this summer."

"Of the new kids we're seeing, the majority are saying they're here because of the weed. They're traveling through. It is very unfortunate," said Kendall Rames, deputy director of Urban Peak, a nonprofit that provides food, shelter and other services to young people in Denver and Colorado Springs.

"While many come to smoke without worrying about the law, others "are folks looking to work in the industry, a lot of them have an agricultural background," or other experience they expect will be in demand, he said. They may also have a felony on their record that automatically disqualifies them from getting a job in the highly regulated business.

"Those who do find jobs in pot shops and grow houses often don't earn enough to pay rent or buy a home in Denver's expensive housing market," Flagg said. They, too, can end up homeless.

"On the list of reasons given at St. Francis Center, a daytime shelter, marijuana trails only looking for work," said Tom Leuhrs, the executive director.

"While marijuana use contributes to the number of homeless, the growth in their numbers indicates that people are having difficulty moving into the workforce from high school and college," Leuhrs said.

"The economy is not supporting them. There are not enough jobs," Leuhrs said.

originally posted by: Fylgje
if you can't take care of yourself then it's possible signs of mental illness mixed possibly with drug/alcohol abuse.

Your post is so insulting and reeks of ignorance! As someone who has lived on the street, I seriously take offense to your statements. I can only assume you know nothing about the homeless.

Good for SLC! It's a smart and economically wise move! Hopefully, this will become a model for the nation.

a reply to: FyreByrd

I may have my opinion as to mormonism but at least they act in a christian fashion which is more than can be said for many other so called christians, and yes I know they are not all mormon but I can only see correct behaviour here on there part.
A check on those formerly homeless will also find a high percentage now have job's, maybe not well paying but at least they now earn something and pay a little tax and this is one in the eye for the ultra rich who think anyone poor is dirt beneath there feet as this show's that it is more economical to look after your people when they are in need than to criminalise them.
Of course the private police and prisons will not be too happy at the lost revenue they are no longer able to steal from your tax payer's by way of inside dealing's.

Very well done Salt Lake City and may you weather the coming storm.

originally posted by: Fylgje
if you can't take care of yourself then it's possible signs of mental illness mixed possibly with drug/alcohol abuse. If you're found living, for example, under a bridge, then that person should be taken to a mental facility and evaluated. If it's deemed that you cannot care for yourself, then the facility will.

But it's complicated because there's the freedom of will issue. Does someone have the right to be a bum? Do they have a right to be homeless if they so choose to live that type of lifestyle? IMO, they do have the right to be a bum. I'm just kicking thoughts around here...It's a heartbreaking and complicated issue. But I don't, however, agree with giving them everything. That could encourage it.

Even those that are mentally ill or addicted deserve our care not our distain nor do they deserve to be imprisioned.

The issue of 'free will' is at the bottom of causes and conditions that lead to homelessness and/or mental illness or addiction. The exercise of 'free will' requires personal security/safety. We will all act 'ill' when in desparate straights.

Practise compassion, it helps with fear.

originally posted by: MKMoniker
a reply to: FyreByrd

Good thread! Here're more good ideas for housing the homeless:

community.seattletimes.nwsource.com...
SEATTLE LOOKING FOR LAND TO HOUSE HOMELESS WHEN NAVAL STATION CLOSES
"Organizations that work on behalf of the homeless have created a committee to look at housing options at the Sand Point Naval Station. A questionnaire has been mailed to members of the Seattle/King County Coalition for the Homeless, to determine whether housing is feasible and appropriate at the naval station, which has been recommended for closure."

seattletimes.com...
HOUSING VOUCHERS TO AID WASHINGTON STATE'S HOMELESS VETERANS
"Washington state will gain 335 federal housing vouchers for homeless veterans."

seattletimes.com...
(Jan. 2014) USING SMARTS, WE CAN DEFEAT HOMELESSNESS
"Utah’s State Homeless Coordinating Committee cut homelessness by 78 percent over the past eight years. The goal is to end homelessness by 2015."

Are we seeing the beginning of a trend here? I hope so.

Thx for the reference.

originally posted by: thinline
This is basically done in every city. It's called 'Publuc Housing'.

No - it is not. "Public Housing" or 'the projects' is primarily federally funded and is intended to house the working poor not the homeless.

originally posted by: mortex

originally posted by: defuntion
Star and flag for you and for SLC..

I am quite impressed as to this forward thinking.. Besides the obvious (and important) fiscal impact, there is some underlying positivity that I think other cities/counties/states might want to do a case study on..

I am a big fan of proactive/preventative measures of this sort, and this concept can extend far beyond housing the homeless into other areas..

Congrats Utah!

What makes you think this American city is the first place on the planet to providing housing for the homeless?
Like other posters have said it's been done many times in many cities around the world.

Maybe more American cities should be doing case studies on what's happening in other countries, and improve their own social policies and programs.

I agree wholeheartedly that the USA could learn a lot in many areas of 'social practise' from other countries around the whole; however, one of the big problems in the US is a common perception that the rest of the world doesn't exists or if it does it is stupid. It's called 'American Exceptionaism' and is us at the very worst.

a reply to: MKMoniker

Problem will dissolve after legalization of recreational use in majority of states. BTW recently some blurb surfaced that FBI have to lessen workforce pot policy. They wanted to hire army of hackers but could not because most of them smelled like coffeeshop

a reply to: FyreByrd

It is all senseless the spending on all the wrong things. Our town paid 1 million for a little bike path bridge over a drainage canal, the path could have gone around it was only for looks while we have homeless on the street everywhere.

Many years ago when i was a kid the small town I lived in started a project I don't know if it was county state or what. They build very nice cinder block homes cheerfully painted nice lawns and people paid per income, my Mother paid 50 dollars a month for a three bedroom home.

The outside areas were maintained by a service and the neighborhood had its own incinerator to help with garbage costs the garbage was large communal dumpsters for the whole blocks of houses.. We all had clotheslines provided to help cut electric.
Whatever people did inside those homes I have no idea but outside it was really nice. This housing allowed my family to save enough to buy a nice new home in town as many others did. There are ways, they waste so much!

a reply to: FyreByrd

"Are we seeing the beginning of a trend here? I hope so. Thx for the reference."

I hope so too! Any society that cannot take care of its weakest/most frail members, is doomed to die. And with the increasing disparity between Rich and Poor in the U.S., we MUST have a working "social net" if only so that we don't end up in civil war between the Haves and Have Nots.

Although, even a "best intentions social net" can be exploited by a quasi-facist government:

www.omaha.com...
MAN ILLEGALLY LOCKED IN MENTAL FACILITY AS "DELUSIONAL" FOR 20 YEARS, FINALLY RELEASED - AND SUES
"John Maxwell Montin, 52, filed the lawsuit Friday in federal court, naming 21 former or current Lincoln Regional Center doctors, a program manager and two nurses, the Lincoln Journal Star reported.

"Montin is seeking more than $22 million in damages for incorrectly labeling him mentally ill, unnecessarily holding him and subjecting him to treatments he didn’t need. He’s also seeking $760,000 in lost wages and $10 million in punitive damages.

"Montin was released nearly a year ago after a regional center doctor acknowledged that Montin had been misdiagnosed from the beginning."

a reply to: JanAmosComenius

Thanks for the comment. And if people want to puff while at home on their own time, I have no problem with that.

But just because Colorado and Washington state have passed laws for "recreational pot", many/most companies in those states still have "no consuming/smoking pot" rules for employees while they are on the job. This goes along with other company rules about not drinking or consuming addictive substances that could impair their judgement or critical movements while on the job.

Same with driving. Drivers too stoned to pass the "driving while impaired" laws can get ticketed or arrested, just like any other DUI.

There should be shelters in several places in each state(there may very well be) for people who're temporarily down on their luck. I think that any person who enters one of these facilities should be assigned a life coach. There's already section 8 housing. There's welfare. There's food stamps. I don't know of any more solutions that would work other than a life coach.

a reply to: FyreByrd

It is cheaper to love than to ignore or arrest the homeless, who would have thought?

This story is both beautiful and sad.

We are applauding a city who's only reason to help the homeless was to save money.

I am happy that it is working for the homeless but I will be much happier when the world does humanitarian things without concern for money.

Love should be enough of a motivator to help the homeless, it is sad that it only came about because it was financially sound.