Community Chat

[fortune]

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@Sooner wrote:

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@fortune wrote:

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@Sooner wrote:

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@Mj12 wrote:

Most people want to help the homeless, but few want low-income housing next door or down the block or even in their town.  It's a huge problem in the US.  I don't know what the solution is.

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The solution is in a large part jobs.  Jobs that left this county long ago.  People need jobs.  Of course that is not the whole solution, but it is a big part of it.  

It is hard to get out of poverty and many need some education, a skill, clothes and help getting a job and getting on their feet.  Then comes the self respect and the pride that comes with having a job.  Giving them a place to stay is a band aid.  Getting them a job and a place to stay and a reason to have pride in themselves is a solution.  

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@Sooner

I've noticed that almost all low-paying jobs--lawn mowers, house painters, construction workers, etc., are held by people from other countries.  Why don't some of the homeless take these jobs?

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@fortune  I guess  they don't want to, don't have to, don't have a car or a truck and equipment to mow, some are not able bodied etc.  That's what I wonder why don't people seem to be doing as much to get them to work as they should.  People need opportunities and hands up.  Maybe some sort of incentive to hire them.

A long time ago, people gathered in certain spots to do farm day labor and where picked up there.  Don't know if these programs are still around or not.  It was a word of mouth thing, not a govt. program. 

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@Sooner

Many of those people from other countries who take the low-paying jobs live together with a group of people, stand on the street corners to get rides, etc.  They don't have anyone giving them incentives to work.  They work to live.

[Cakers3]

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@bikerbabe wrote:
Not sure what communism has to do with helping the homeless. Jumping the shark? LOL.

It absolutely is the role of government to help the most vulnerable populations: children, disabled, seniors, poor; homeless. I’m not going to start proposing specific solutions but to say it’s not the role of government is absurd. It’s OK for government to subsidize medical insurance for seniors but it’s not OK to help the homeless? Explain that to me.

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@bikerbabe  Actually it started prior to @maestra 's post.

It started with a post about capitalists.  Which, of course, also had nothing to do with the topic but then again threads are fluid.  And usually a way to sneak in a pov from another side.

In case you missed it, not just seniors receive subsidized medical insurance, either.

[Sooner]

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@fortune wrote:

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@Sooner wrote:

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@fortune wrote:

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@Sooner wrote:

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@Mj12 wrote:

Most people want to help the homeless, but few want low-income housing next door or down the block or even in their town.  It's a huge problem in the US.  I don't know what the solution is.

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The solution is in a large part jobs.  Jobs that left this county long ago.  People need jobs.  Of course that is not the whole solution, but it is a big part of it.  

It is hard to get out of poverty and many need some education, a skill, clothes and help getting a job and getting on their feet.  Then comes the self respect and the pride that comes with having a job.  Giving them a place to stay is a band aid.  Getting them a job and a place to stay and a reason to have pride in themselves is a solution.  

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@Sooner

I've noticed that almost all low-paying jobs--lawn mowers, house painters, construction workers, etc., are held by people from other countries.  Why don't some of the homeless take these jobs?

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@fortune  I guess  they don't want to, don't have to, don't have a car or a truck and equipment to mow, some are not able bodied etc.  That's what I wonder why don't people seem to be doing as much to get them to work as they should.  People need opportunities and hands up.  Maybe some sort of incentive to hire them.

A long time ago, people gathered in certain spots to do farm day labor and where picked up there.  Don't know if these programs are still around or not.  It was a word of mouth thing, not a govt. program. 

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@Sooner

Many of those people from other countries who take the low-paying jobs live together with a group of people, stand on the street corners to get rides, etc.  They don't have anyone giving them incentives to work.  They work to live.

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@fortune  We worked for 40 years for that reason.  It wasn't a hobby. 

[pitdakota]

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@Sooner wrote:

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@Mj12 wrote:

Most people want to help the homeless, but few want low-income housing next door or down the block or even in their town.  It's a huge problem in the US.  I don't know what the solution is.

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The solution is in a large part jobs.  Jobs that left this county long ago.  People need jobs.  Of course that is not the whole solution, but it is a big part of it.  

It is hard to get out of poverty and many need some education, a skill, clothes and help getting a job and getting on their feet.  Then comes the self respect and the pride that comes with having a job.  Giving them a place to stay is a band aid.  Getting them a job and a place to stay and a reason to have pride in themselves is a solution.  

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Having worked with the homeless population that included the homeless veteran population for a period of several years, I can speak to the fact that gainful employment is a huge hurdle for someone that is homeless.

But it isn't the lack of available jobs that presents the obstacles.  We have a serious lack of transition programs for the homeless in this country.  In order to be employed, it takes money & resources. Getting a job requires clothing, shoes, socks, transportation to & from the job, money to laundry clothing, etc.  Even bus transportation takes money.  There are many homeless that are willing to take a job, but then struggle because they don't have enough cash to pay for bus transportation back and forth from the job. Some will make it, but many do not.

I know of one particular case in which the homeless individual was a veteran that served with the military police.  He was able to obtain a job as a night security guard.  But the bus quit running at a time before he had to report to work.  No friends with reliable transportation, etc.  So he walked a considerable distance & set up his "homeless" spot closer to work.   Since he did not have access to a reliable shower every day, no money to wash his work clothes, and had to walk to work in the rain at times, he was fired for his repeated disheveled appearance. And so....it was back to the homeless shelter for him.  

Transition programs tend to have greater success rates since individuals can stay up to so many months there and many of them assign a case manager to provide "start up" funds for some clothing,  transportation, & other resources that are needed for them to actually work.

[Cakers3]

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@Mj12 wrote:

Most people want to help the homeless, but few want low-income housing next door or down the block or even in their town.  It's a huge problem in the US.  I don't know what the solution is.

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@Mj12  Low-income housing is not the same today.  There are lovely apartments throughout that are not strictly low-income; while some have income requirements (meaning you have to have an income limit to live there) you will find Section 8 scattered throughout "nice" apartment complexes.

The issue of low-income housing isn't so much that people do not want units near them; the issue is that the earlier days of "the projects" were meant to be stepping stones to a better way.  At least that's how it rolled where I grew up.

Unfortunately, when we started to have vets returning from VN with very little support, and the unemployment rates beginning to soar soon after,  people were stuck in low-income housing and some were not even able to afford that anymore.

Couple those issues with the soaring addiction when meth and cocaine use became the norm in the 80's  and add the deinstituionalization of the mentally ill, we ended up with a volatile mix that was never fixed.

It's very easy to say people don't want low income housing near them; but that is a minor point today.  We can build and build and build until the earth caves in, but when social inequities are the norm and not the exception, no amount of housing will solve the problem.

People cannot just move into an apartment.  They need clothing, food, health care, a job, etc.  It is a process of transition.

[phoenixbrd]

"Many homeless are just that for a reason.

They don't want to assimilate.   It's their choice."

Yes, this is true.  It is also true that many are mentally ill, drug addicts, or have fallen on exceptional hardship, or escaping from potentially violent situations.  There are many reasons why people are homeless. 

For some reason, this subject has come up a few times recently.  Obviously, there is not a simple answer.  There are opportunities to make a difference.  You may not be able to move mountains, but we may be able to help an individual.  You can donate time and/or money.  You can donate clothing, food.  It may be a small gesture of offering a smile or a voucher for a meal.  There is a way to be of assistance, it may not be on a grand scale but there is a way to be proactive.  No this does not resolve the large homeless issues, but it is an action that we can take if our heart is moved by this devastating problem.

[ID2]

Everyone is in charge of their own life. If they choose to become homeless then so be it. Get a job, even if it pays minimally, and make money.Sorry I can't find it in myself to pity those who chose where they are now.

[KKJ]

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@shortbreadlover wrote:

thank you

i thought that was what you meant but was unsure.

 and i agree with you.

this city has a building boom but it is all very high and over priced apartments and homes..

the developers don't want to build homes tat real people can afford.

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But then you have people who say that when you have cheap housing the people just trash them & don't take care of them.  

[shortbreadlover]

i knew a couple of people who were homeless and they worked their butts off to get on their feet.  it wasn't easy but they did it.  and sometimes a job is too few hours or too low paying to really help in a big way.

i also see in this city where landlords are pushing people out so they can charge much higher rents.  i don't bame them for wanting to make a profit on their property but....

[Highlands72]

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@ID2 wrote:

Everyone is in charge of their own life. If they choose to become homeless then so be it. Get a job, even if it pays minimally, and make money.Sorry I can't find it in myself to pity those who chose where they are now.

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There goes my faith in humanity.