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Anrakyr
Guest
The homeless problem is easier to solve.
Just give them homes.
Just give them homes.
When I see all the homeless people in parks and with signs . I go cold now.how about you?
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Mike1w
Guest
who do you expect to pay for these homes?
Even if they aren’t actual houses, someone has to pay for the space and services.
Even if they aren’t actual houses, someone has to pay for the space and services.
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Anrakyr
Guest
I know practically you are coming from a logical place but realistically does it matter?
People need homes, we build them new ones. There are ways. The questions shouldn’t be how its why haven’t we?
People need homes, we build them new ones. There are ways. The questions shouldn’t be how its why haven’t we?
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Bithynian
Guest
I volunteered at my parish’s homeless shelter for a good decade, staying overnight to supervise. I’ve had many, many chats with homeless gentlemen (and a few women) as well as other volunteers. (Note that I’m in Australia.)
I think the most fundamental answer is that the term “social housing” (or whatever term is applied to government subsided accomodation) is seen as a politically dirty word in most Anglophone countries (UK, Australia, US, etc.). It conjures up images of deadbeats getting fat off the public purse. It’s a cultural perception.
Strangely, this isn’t how it’s seen in continental Europe where most countries have very robust social housing programs. These cover not only those who are homeless, but also people who might be vulnerable to homelessness: single parents, low income families, students, women fleeing from domestic violence, etc.
It’s viewed as a basic necessity, inasmuch as clean water and street lighting, and so people don’t especially ponder the idea that some people might be exploiting it. Not that the Europeans whom I’ve spoken to deny that some might exploit it: that’s inevitable. But it has such profound social and health benefits for the entire community that it’s worth it.
In any case, it’s a very sad situation in Australia, especially in Sydney where I live. Rent and house prices are soared exponentially (~300%) over the last two decades, while wages have been stagnant. The waiting lists for social housing in Sydney are upwards of 10 years (you’re effectively waiting for a tenant to die): the closest town with a waiting list of less than 2 years is some 13 hours drive away.
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PolarExpress975
Guest
Depending on where your from some of these people aren’t even poor and just asking for money. I have seen people wearing nice clothes with Jordan’s saying they are poor. It’s not to hard to weave who is actually struggling though if you actually analyze them for a moment. I have bought someone food before, but never am I giving cash away because they will most likely use it for drugs an alcohol.
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Zaccheus
Guest
Cheats and scammers exist. That makes it easy to dismiss all the panhandlers, all the homeless, as cheats and scammers. The fact is that most are not.
And honestly, I’d rather lose some money to a scam than refuse help to someone who legitimately needs the money so they can eat.
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vern_humphrey
Guest
I am reminded of the Holy Family of Stone County (Arkansas). A woman comes by a church saying her mother just died in California. She wasn’t able to get out there in time to see her alive, but she must go to the funeral. But her car isn’t running. She has an estimate for repairs, and of course she needs money for gas, food and lodging.
The Ministerial Council calls this the Holy Family because her mother had died and been resurrected at lest 14 times.
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Mike1w
Guest
If the homeless can work at all, they should be afforded the opportunity to choose so, and if they choose not to work and they could, then so be it. Those people shouldn’t be helped. If they are disabled, then they should either receive treatment and given a work program, or be classified as permanently disabled. Help those in need. If you can help yourself, but choose not to, that isn’t society’s problem.
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Bithynian
Guest
Yes, and I’ve known many homeless men to be well dressed. There’s often an endless supply of relatively new clothing from various organisation since our consumerist society disposes of perfectly fine clothing as soon as it’s out of season. Moreover, they - like us - tend to be self-conscious about personal hygiene: we want to blend in, not stick out (especially in respect to body odour).
In any case, it’s unfortunate that there’s some rather hardhearted views being expressed in this thread.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
That is also know as “story 97 B” (97 A is a dead father).
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Magart
Guest
I have offered homeless people food I brought and was told that they wanted cash. Also had an energy bar thrown back at me after offering it to a person on the street with a sign . I do support the local shelter with food and money. Many of them are scammers and some mentally ill, there is no way to tell. I have also given cash when I had a deep instinct to do so.
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Tolle_Lege
Guest
Good point. The money is best used by a reputable, professional charity that knows the most effective way to help these people. It is easy to be overcome by guilt, sometimes wanting to directly assist each and every person we see in this situation. But that is unreasonable and can also be irresponsible itself.
In good conscience, based on reason, our own experience, and the experience of others, I feel it is fine not to directly help these folks monetarily. I would rather give them a bottle of water, snacks, a poncho, some toiletries, etc. than money. You just simply don’t know what it will be used for, and honestly, you do not want to enable an addiction or vice.
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DarkLight
Guest
I have always wondered about this. I’m one of the people who was considered a “treatment failure” by the mental health system. The only real solution they had for me was heavily sedating drugs. I later learned this isn’t uncommon for people with childhood trauma; a lot of professionals just don’t really know what to do. You end up with a pile of diagnoses and not much else. The standard treatments for depression or anxiety don’t really help.
I was lucky. I had a friend who was willing to let me stay with him while I got back on my feet - no further deal other than that I’d help with cooking and cleaning. He also helped me get through the applications for medicaid and food stamps and made sure I could actually get rides. So I had the chance to take time to just recover, and I could be a bit more selective about mental health care rather than just dealing with whoever the hospital or charity assigned to me.
I also know later on, when I was facing a potentially dangerous situation at home, I was told I wouldn’t be able to stay at the shelter and keep my job. I was doing shift work and the shelter’s hours didn’t match with what I needed. A lot of low-end jobs have people starting early or staying late or even working overnight, and that doesn’t work well with shelters that are only open for certain hours for people to sleep.
But it makes me wonder. It’s often easy to say that there are programs available, but that doesn’t necessarily imply that they’re helpful to the people in need. Sometimes I think it’s easy for people to say that those in need should do this or that when we’re detached from the situation, without necessarily seeing what might be keeping the solutions from working for a person.
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Zaccheus
Guest
“If a man will not work, neither let him eat.” It’s actually is Scripture.
But:
This assumes that work is available. If a man wants to work but there are no jobs to be found, that is not the same as refusing to work.
If there are jobs but they require skills the man does not have (and has no reasonable opportunity to learn) that’s the same as there being no jobs for that man.
It’s easy to assume that an unemployed man just doesn’t want to work, but it’s also very unfair.
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aroosi
Guest
@Zaccheus t is very hard to find somebody willing to hire you (unless you are in a special job placement program) if you have a long gap in your resume, a low credit score, a history of drug use or incarceration, you are older, sick, belong to a minority etc. yes, there are law against job discrimination but they are often ignored (see all the sociology study sending the same resume with a different name, sex etc.)
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Zaccheus
Guest
@aroosi: sadly this is true.
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Eric_Hyom
Guest
Homeless people need a lot of help to get work. Try applying for a job if you have no address for the employer to write to. Try working if you have to sleep in a doorway or car park.
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Techno2000
Guest
It’s a window of opportunity to be a Saint…the Devil can’t stand to see you do one tiny little good deed for God.
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Minks
Guest
@Eric_Hyom
I totally agree with you. In my case, I was just one paycheck away.from total devastation for many years, even though I lived frugally. I’m guessing that the same holds true for the majority of single paycheck mortgage holders.
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