topic Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness? in Community Chat

What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

Kachina624 — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 02:29:40 GMT

I know this is a problem in many metro areas. In Albuquerque, we've had homeless tent villages pop up in a number of inappropriate places under extremely unsanitary conditions.

Now the city fathers have proposed building a community of "tiny houses" on a donated lot in town. It seems to me like this would be a ready-built slum and would require a full-time warden to keep drugs and heavens-knows-what-else under control.

What are they doing where you live?

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

sassenach1 — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 02:57:30 GMT

Not much is being done where I live. I often think that malls that have gone downhill or abandoned stores could be refitted and adapted as solution for homeless. It would take a lot of planning and thought, but something positive could come from empty malls or stores.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

phoenixbrd — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:10:39 GMT

$$$ needed as well as social consciousness in order to address the devastating homeless population...

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

sunshine45 — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:02:51 GMT

probably not enough, but we do have shelters, soup kitchens, a number of very active charities, and outreach programs. it is a significant problem in baltimore, with around 3000 people on average a night who are homeless.

i have some friends that collect bags of coats and blankets in all sizes to directly distribute to those who are in the streets. they usually put out the word on facebook. as the weather will be getting colder soon, the situation will be worse.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

haddon9 — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:04:41 GMT

I honestly have never seen or heard of any homeless in my community or local town. I've been living here for 26 years and it's never been an issue.

However Philly is about 45 minutes away from me and I know there is a big homeless population there.

My son lives in Philly and came home to visit this weekend. I will ask him in the morning since your question got me curious.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

software — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:06:09 GMT

We do a lot for people down & out and want a hand up.

There are several shelters, soup kitchens, Salvation Army.

Habitat for Humanity houses. Every church in town has a ministry for the homeless, those just released from prison, domestic violence victims, etc.

But many of the homeless drop out of society for a reason and can't or won't be helped.

I agree with you on the tiny house.

Who's going to maintain them?

@Kachina624

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

BirkiLady — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:27:54 GMT

We have a large, clean shelter which provides food, a bed, shower facilities, etc., and is on public transportation for access to work.

In order to stay there, absolutely NO drugs or alcohol is permitted. Anyone under the influence will be sent to detox before being allowed to return. A chaplain and physician are on staff during normal business hours. (Don't know if they are "on call" or not.) AA, Al-Anon and NA meetings are held on the premises regularly. Rules and regulations must be followed or an individual is removed from the facility.

I don't know if there is a fee or what it costs per night or how long a person is able to stay (think I've heard two weeks, but it may be longer during the winter months). There are also spaces for families (away from homeless single individuals). They must follow the same rules and regulations.

There seems to be an increase in homelessness over the past 30-40 years. Most with health and/or mental health issues. It's become a problem in our community. Some are able to work; others not so much. They end up sleeping/living under bridges near the shelter and crime in that area is rampant. Big problem in most communities and taxpayers end up footing the costs.

We do have an active Food Bank for meals and food supplies. Our Food Bank also provides for our school children in the low-income Back-Pack Program to take home meals to eat over the weekend, a very necessary program for educating the next generation. Most Churches are active in supporting soup kitchens and providing clothing. Donations are generous. We have the usual Charities, but it's never enough. Poverty hits any age.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

Kachina624 — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:18:50 GMT

Apparently San Antonio has elaborate facilities with all kinds of services. A team from Albuquerque went there to study their plan. They came back very impressed but said there's no way we could afford what they have.

We have all the usual things; several large shelters run by charities, Habitat for Humanity, active Salvation Army, large food bank operation. There seems to be a certain element that doesnt want the regimentation of a shelter, don't want rules or regulations and want to do things "their" way. They are quite a problem.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

BirkiLady — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:22:35 GMT

@Kachina624 At least your State doesn't have to worry about the bitter weather of the northern states. I don't know how the homeless survive in the winter months. We have a large population who remain here (and in Omaha) all year. They have to be hearty souls.

Although, I used to park in a private State parking garage. In winter months, I'd arrive at work about 7:20 and be the first to decend the steps of the garage. It smelled of urine and I'd know the homeless had come in from under the bridges downtown. What an awful way to begin the day! During the rest of the winter, I would walk the length of the parking garage out of fear of meeting one of them alone in the steps. Wasn't going to put myself in that position.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

Equuleus — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:21:38 GMT

We don't have homeless people where I live.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

BirkiLady — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:30:16 GMT

Do you live under a rock?

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

Kay Vee — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:32:12 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
I know this is a problem in many metro areas. In Albuquerque, we've had homeless tent villages pop up in a number of inappropriate places under extremely unsanitary conditions.

Now the city fathers have proposed building a community of "tiny houses" on a donated lot in town. It seems to me like this would be a ready-built slum and would require a full-time warden to keep drugs and heavens-knows-what-else under control.

What are they doing where you live?

Not all homeless people are drug users. A lot of them have some form of mental illness. And this country as a whole doesn't do enough to help the mentally ill. Some of the homeless are families down on their luck that would probably benefit from and maintain a tiny home.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

LUVNLIFE — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:36:55 GMT

I think it occurs more than people see or think it does. I am in a midwestern city of about 60 thousand people.

If someone reports people are homeless or transient- police and a charity person goes to locate them. They bring them blankets and water and information where they can eat/ sleep for men, women. There are plenty of churches, charity places and homes that no one would be turned away.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

RedTop — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:38:35 GMT

I’m not aware of this area having a big problem with homelessness.

Actually the only case of homelessness I’m even aware of here was back in the 1990’s, and involved a married couple that police used to pick up on bitter cold nights and bring to the hospital. They were never happy with whatever accommodations were made for them, and started hiding from the police. Both passed away years ago.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

BirkiLady — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:49:45 GMT

Unless you volunteer in your community or work with your City's goals, you probably aren't aware of the scope of the problem. If I looked at my neighborhood, it certainly isn't visible in my everyday life and where I shop, dine, meet friends, walk, etc. But when I drive into other parts of the City, I'm well aware of the places that make a great place for a homeless person to sleep. I've become aware through education and compassion of others. My son is also aware of these issues and volunteers. Doubt my DIL has a clue.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

proudlyfromNJ — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:52:10 GMT

We are in a town of about 16,000. Am not aware of any homeless. This is in our town, not the county.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

willdob3 — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 04:03:08 GMT

@Kachina624

We have a lot of different, well established programs, shelters, etc.

I have heard about a tiny home community being proposed here, too. I am not a fan of that idea. But, then again, the idea of tiny homes for anyone kind of horrifies me.

Not everyone who is homeless wants to take advantage of available help.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

GCR18 — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 04:05:36 GMT

I live in a very small town in the midwest. The next town over has a shelter and soup kitchen. When I lived in the east coast, there were numerous homeless shelters in town. It's a huge difference between here and there.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

bikerbabe — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 04:20:59 GMT

Sometimes homeless leave certain towns precisely because there are no services and no way to survive.

Re: What Is Your Community Doing About Homelessness?

dex — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 04:21:29 GMT

We have a huge problem with more than a billion dollars spent but it keeps increasing.I can’t even tell you how horrible it gets with people using the streets as a restroom.They had to get rid of the planters and flower beds because they became full of human waste. There is much being done to help but sometimes I wonder if all of those programs don’t just bring more people needing help.