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Honored Contributor
Posts: 23,835
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@Noel7 wrote:

@SeaMaiden wrote:

Helping the homeless is one thing... giving them handouts with no incentives to better themselves and live on the streets forever is another.

 

 Here in Seattle we have a new name for Seattle..." FREE ATLE"...  The city has opened it's doors for homeless people to come here and get free everything.... food.. clothes.... even building them boxes to live in.   No incentive for these people to get out of homelessness... just live off of the tax payer who is footing the bill.  More and more homeless camps are cropping up all over the city... dirty places needles everywhere...  close to homes and schools....they do not clean up after themselves at all.

 

 I am all for helping the homeless get back on their feet and become productive people in society.  But in FREE ATLE, this  so called  handout help is only exasperating the problem.


 

@SeaMaiden

 

The point that's missing is that most of the homeless are in no shape to care for themselves.  25% are severely mentally ill, many are our veterans suffering from PTSD.  Every night in the US, 40,000 vets are sleeping on the streets.


@Noel7  Then we need to focus on helping our vets( I thought the new administration was going to do this???  What happened to THAT promise?)

 

Put needed  many needed Millions of tax  dollars  there .....AND get the mentally ill assistance and off the streets.......including building new institutions  to house them if they are really unstable and a danger to  themselves and others.  

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,752
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@SeaMaiden wrote:

@Noel7 wrote:

@SeaMaiden wrote:

Helping the homeless is one thing... giving them handouts with no incentives to better themselves and live on the streets forever is another.

 

 Here in Seattle we have a new name for Seattle..." FREE ATLE"...  The city has opened it's doors for homeless people to come here and get free everything.... food.. clothes.... even building them boxes to live in.   No incentive for these people to get out of homelessness... just live off of the tax payer who is footing the bill.  More and more homeless camps are cropping up all over the city... dirty places needles everywhere...  close to homes and schools....they do not clean up after themselves at all.

 

 I am all for helping the homeless get back on their feet and become productive people in society.  But in FREE ATLE, this  so called  handout help is only exasperating the problem.


 

@SeaMaiden

 

The point that's missing is that most of the homeless are in no shape to care for themselves.  25% are severely mentally ill, many are our veterans suffering from PTSD.  Every night in the US, 40,000 vets are sleeping on the streets.


@Noel7  Then we need to focus on helping our vets( I thought the new administration was going to do this???  What happened to THAT promise?)

 

Put needed  many needed Millions of tax  dollars  there .....AND get the mentally ill assistance and off the streets.......including building new institutions  to house them if they are really unstable and a danger to  themselves and others.  

 

 


I agree @SeaMaiden

 

The mental hospitals were shut down decades ago, the people were dumped on the streets, it's all they know. And I agree that we have done our vets a disservice. We often hear about them killing themselves.  Horrible.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,454
Registered: ‎01-13-2013

311 complaints in SF
Complaints to the city’s 311 service about encampments, human waste and needles have steadily increased from about 6,300 in 2011 to more than 44,000 in 2016.

 

On the face of it, San Francisco’s homeless problem should have improved dramatically over the past year.

 

After all, last summer Mayor Ed Lee formed the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing to focus on the city’s most perplexing problem.

 

The city spent $275 million on homelessness and supportive housing in the fiscal year that ends Friday, up from $241 million the year before. Starting Saturday, that annual spending is projected to hit an eye-popping $305 million.

 

Public Works cleanup crews were busier than ever, picking up more than 679 tons of trash from homeless tent camps since June 1, 2016, and collecting more than 100,000 used syringes from the camps in that time span.

But, despite all the money and effort, reality on the streets hasn’t improved. In many ways, homelessness in San Francisco is as bad as ever.

 

June 26, 2017 Updated: September 7, 2017 1:24pm
San Francisco Chronicle

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,454
Registered: ‎01-13-2013

  Some people are homeless because they can't afford to pay rent, even after working all their lives. There are videos on youtube about people who live in vans, or their cars.

  One particular lady said she'd worked the past 40 years and her SS payments now were only $1,000/month.

  She took to living in her small hatchback to save money.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 23,835
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@Noel7 wrote:

@SeaMaiden wrote:

@Noel7 wrote:

@SeaMaiden wrote:

Helping the homeless is one thing... giving them handouts with no incentives to better themselves and live on the streets forever is another.

 

 Here in Seattle we have a new name for Seattle..." FREE ATLE"...  The city has opened it's doors for homeless people to come here and get free everything.... food.. clothes.... even building them boxes to live in.   No incentive for these people to get out of homelessness... just live off of the tax payer who is footing the bill.  More and more homeless camps are cropping up all over the city... dirty places needles everywhere...  close to homes and schools....they do not clean up after themselves at all.

 

 I am all for helping the homeless get back on their feet and become productive people in society.  But in FREE ATLE, this  so called  handout help is only exasperating the problem.


 

@SeaMaiden

 

The point that's missing is that most of the homeless are in no shape to care for themselves.  25% are severely mentally ill, many are our veterans suffering from PTSD.  Every night in the US, 40,000 vets are sleeping on the streets.


@Noel7  Then we need to focus on helping our vets( I thought the new administration was going to do this???  What happened to THAT promise?)

 

Put needed  many needed Millions of tax  dollars  there .....AND get the mentally ill assistance and off the streets.......including building new institutions  to house them if they are really unstable and a danger to  themselves and others.  

 

 


I agree @SeaMaiden

 

The mental hospitals were shut down decades ago, the people were dumped on the streets, it's all they know. And I agree that we have done our vets a disservice. We often hear about them killing themselves.  Horrible.


@Noel7  Everything you said ITA. 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,407
Registered: ‎07-07-2010

My friend is a counselor at a homeless shelter and I give quite a bit, especially since I am once again purging my closet.  I have also aparently lost two sizes somehow, and so I have some really warm coats that I have donated.

 

People also need to give pet food and supplies, if they are able.  What is common with many homeless is that they will feed their pets before they will eat.  I always make sure to include pet food and dog beds/coats if I can.

The next time that I hear salt and ice together, it better be in a margarita!
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,511
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Most but not all homeless suffer from either mental illness or addiction issues. Many have a basic income of either SSI, VA or cash assistance. 

 

In many circumstances it's not lack of suitable subsidized housing, it's compliance. Living by the rules of keeping their benefits. Many find community living with others in their circumstance.

 

Those with a criminal history and those on certain medications for mental health issues are often turned away from shelters and shut out of subsidized housing.

 

As far as "let them work at hotels and food pantries", most are run by volunteers. Who is going to conduct testing for Hep C or TB?

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 30,916
Registered: ‎05-10-2010

Re: Helping the Homeless

[ Edited ]

It's easy to see why there's no solution to the homeless problem.  You are all right.  You are all wrong.  It's far more complex than any of us want to believe and even a partial solution would cost the nation billions, many billions.  So each of us can only do our small part to make things just a little better for someone.    

Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,733
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@RedConvertibleGirl wrote:

@chrystaltree wrote:

Wow, I never knew that Seattle had a balmy, tropical climate.  

 

Seattle's temperature is pleasant enough. Yes, it gets cold in the winter but it's not piled up in snow or below freezing many days.  Not saying cold isn't unpleasant.  But a lot of the homeless refuse to even seek the shelter that is offered. But most of the year it is more than liveable.  Also, money is being diverted from other much needed funds (think elderly) to "help" with the homeless.



@RainyDayGal, there may be mental or physical reasons that some homeless shy away from shelters. Regardless, unless you have a statistic, I'll just have to take your word that this is actually a major problem.

 

As for diverting money from other needs? Well, we'll never all agree on a priority list, but I don't see that the homeless are any less worthy than the elderly.


~Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,940
Registered: ‎12-10-2016

@deepwaterdotter wrote:

And you could employ some of the homeless folks to work in the hotel and food pantry.


@deepwaterdotterIn Springfield, Missouri, the police are going out and asking the homeless if they want to work. It has helped but there are some that are standing on the side of the road and scamming people.