Are we doing enough as Americans to help end homelessness?

[Viki63]

I wouldn’t put it like that, at all. It is extremely difficult to institutionalize many/most, though and there aren’t enough facilities to do so. I have a cousin who is most… distressed. His parents don’t know what to do with him and are rightfully scared. Until he actually snaps though, they’re largely helpless. He’s had more than a few police incidents but nothing seriously enough to be incarcerated (which would only inculcate even worse inclinations anyways since rehabilitation is laughable and recidivism so high)… Truly a dreadful situation with no easy answers.

He alternates between living at home where he is fairly disruptive and disrespectful and being a vagrant where he is unencumbered by most normal restraints.

That’s really sad.
My friend tried over and over to get help for her mother, knowing she had mental problems. Finally the woman began knocking on neighbor’s doors at midnight, naked, and was finally institutionalized. Of course she blamed her daughter who was only trying to help, and their relationship was difficult until she passed away.
We need to do more to help the mentally ill.

 

[DarkLight]

One problem I wonder about is how much “life skills” teach we do. Things like how to run a budget, how to behave at a job interview, etc. There’s a lot of skills required to run basic stuff.

 

[Deus_tecum]

In my city there are day labor places within walking distance of sober living rooming houses which cost only about $60wk, and include utilities. Minimum wage take home is about $300 week. $300-60= $240 a week for food and saving up to better one’s self. An individual eating groceries instead of fast food only needs about $40 week for food. $200 could go not savings and after 2 months the person could move to North Dakota, or save for 4 months and buy a good used car… Of course such planning and frugality is a bit difficult if one has a $60 day dope habit.

 

[MSSheBear]

In my city there are day labor places within walking distance of sober living rooming houses which cost only about $60wk, and include utilities. Minimum wage take home is about $300 week. $300-60= $240 a week for food and saving up to better one’s self. An individual eating groceries instead of fast food only needs about $40 week for food. $200 could go not savings and after 2 months the person could move to North Dakota, or save for 4 months and buy a good used car… Of course such planning and frugality is a bit difficult if one has a $60 day dope habit.

You live in a place that has a high minimum wage and low living expenses. Awesome. Not everyone does. Where I live everything costs more including the rent on the “clean and sober” places. Plus we have the highest sales tax in the country. So maybe, just maybe, people might be homeless for reasons other than drug use and/or being mentally ill or lazy.

 

[Deus_tecum]

You live in a place that has a high minimum wage and low living expenses. Awesome. Not everyone does. Where I live everything costs more including the rent on the “clean and sober” places. Plus we have the highest sales tax in the country. So maybe, just maybe, people might be homeless for reasons other than drug use and/or being mentally ill or lazy.

1. I don’t think I ever said that ALL homelessness is caused by drug abuse, and/or mental illness.
2. We do not have a high minimum wage.
3. Yes, I specifically chose to live in a part of the country where the cost of living is reasonable.
4. Northern Cali is beautiful sounds awful politically and cost wise, and I will almost bet it is run primarily by demoncrats. That’s who usually likes to have high taxes.

 

[MSSheBear]

California does have some extremely liberal politicians especially in the metro area where I live. We have high taxes. The high cost of housing is probably due to affluence and the earthquake regulations not to mention other government meddling.