Faux compassion is only worsening homeless crisis

Yes, I know. By limiting the sample to only "chronically homeless" politicians can pat themselves on the back while the underlying problem is allowed to get worse. Since shelters continue to be at full capacity, its only a matter of time before more and more people reach that 365 day mark. Then what? I realize they have good intentions, but results are all that matter.

 

You want to open housing first to all homeless?

 

It's blatantly obvious that the Dem's positions on entitlements (homeless & illegals alike) is largely geared toward expanding & maintaining a dependent voting block. While US citizenship is sacrosanct, not germane here, - place a lifetime ban on voting rights for every illegal immigrant (ipso facto criminal) & 20 years for their subsequent 'chain migration' family members. Let's see how 'bighearted' the Dems are then, in spewing forth $ (our tax dollars) & curtailing the bed count capacity w/in our illegal processing facilities...

 

Is that a viable plan? How much would that cost compared to the plan I outlined?
Do politicians in progressive areas have enough money in their budget to be able to provide that to all the homeless?
Why does homelessness still exist in progressive areas?

 

No that is not a viable plan


Why does homelessness exist in conservative states?

 

California has a housing affordability problem. Your solution wouldn't solve that.

 

Actually housing first works well in LA for the chronically homeless

 

It would be impossible to have enough of it for all LAs homeless.

 

Chronically homeless. Homeless for more than a year.

Housing first does not work for short term homeless

 

Only if you can't afford it.

Calling it a 'problem' is borderline offensive. It's the equivalent of saying that things you like should be affordable. Are you not aware of this?

 

How many Millennials can afford $1700 per month for a one bedroom?

 

I know plenty. In fact, half of the millenials I know already own property.

OTOH, I also know millenials who decided that being creative was more important, or taking some idiotic degree (sociology, etc), who struggle to buy a decent pair of shoes.

 

Maybe there's some level of truth to what you're saying, but I think you are also brushing off and dismissing the problem, which is very real.

 

It's not a 'level of truth', it's reality. If you're born to an ordinary family (ie, you're never going to inherit the millions needed to buy real estate in expensive countries/cities), then you make damn sure you don't take 'feminist dance theory' at college. You take dentistry, or engineering, or accountancy. Or if college isn't your thing, choose a lucrative trade. Plumbing or carpentry, for example. Either way, it means HARD WORK. Every kid I know who is/was financially secure by age 30, got that way via sheer effort and force of will. No one gave them money, or jobs, or new cars, or real estate.

The sheer, screaming, hubristic vanity of thinking that even a modest home in an expensive city will somehow just happen .. even without you trying, is well punished by the inevitable poverty associated with such an attitude. There is no 'problem' there.

 

I'm sure it was never easy.

But you can't ignore outside forces. You take a situation that is already not easy and make it 30% more difficult and it can mean the difference between being able to make things work and not being able to make it.

At some point something has got to give.

There are many regions of the country where people are growing up where housing prices are $650,000 and apartment rents are $1700 a month. These are REGIONS, not just areas where you can drive a half hour away and find something cheaper.
It's not easy for young people to just pick up and move to a different region.
And probably you don't want them moving near you.

You are right, personal responsibility is important. But there are TWO SIDES to the story. I had a young roommate who had your attitude but he just couldn't take the pressure and tried to kill himself. I found him in a big puddle of blood.
Maybe you have no real idea what people are dealing with these days.
Maybe things are very different in different in different parts of the country.

 

1) outside forces (within the normal limits of the First World) are irrelevant. WE must adapt to changes if we want to survive. if 'outside forces' change by 30%, then we must adjust our approach by 30%. You don't watch the world changing and just sit there, expecting things to magically remain the same just for you.

2) I live in a country which sees run down inner city houses sell for $2mil. You don't need to tell me about the pressures on young people if home ownership is important to them. But that's the point, isn't it? IF home ownership is important to them .. then they'll do what needs to be done to make it happen. Whether that is studying something which will be highly paid, or whether it means staying at home with your family until you've saved enough for a down-payment (perhaps up to age 30, if need be), whether it's moving to a town or city with cheaper real estate .. or whether it's a combination of all three. Kids will do it if they need to. Maybe some will recognise that none of those options are available to them, so they'll commit to living with family for life .. sharing expenses and therefore allowing all to own a property (together).

Again, sitting waiting for housing issues to be solved magically, is not going to do anything but land you in housing insecurity. Expecting things to be the same as they were 20 years ago, when young people could leave home at age 18 and rent their own apartment in a big city, is beyond foolish. Today is NOT yesterday.

 

I definitely feel the passion coming through but don't agree with your solution. We still hold the 'Trump' card in this geopolitical petri dish - that we call our 'collective economy'. Protectionism, Nationalism are not inherently bad words & if judiciously measured are the ONLY way toward an American society that floods National / global funds into the crevices of our society... the ones that you are referring to.

Go figures, "Globalism"... the spate of Dem candidates want to disperse our 'blood & treasure' and apologize to the world; while simultaneously undermining our economic viability in the marketplace. 'Green New Deal' LOL, inconsequential really, cus Globalization will blot out all else before that 'pipe dream' can become a remote possibility...

Try the 'post millennials', the unemployed 'millennials' the uneducated & addicted Gen. Xers... them be your best bet for your deluded utopian dream of American "UN-Exceptionalism" Crank... S

 

Sorry, you've lost me. I'm not American, so a lot of that is outside of my ken.

And what are you trying to say about millenials and uneducated Gen X?

 

Meet "Henny Rat," The Rodent Passed Out With a Bottle of Hennessy in NYC | NBC New York
(No I'm not equating the 'rats' to human beings who are hard up) I AM equating the "life choices" of 'Henny da Rat' as having parallels to many that abuse drugs & alcohol & end up much like Henny the rat, lying on city sidewalks...

 

Shelters are only at capacity, even in cold climates, when there is an 'act of god' cold snap, storm or some disaster. Many homeless are more content abusing substances & not having accountability than eating well, sleeping safely & having a path toward a brighter tomorrow.

 

Thats why throwing money at the problem is not helping.

 

Government actually throws money into the now vast government structure. If they threw the money at anything else we would have fewer problems.

 

Or maybe they can just leave the money where it belongs; in the hands of those who earned it.

 

Maybe we should use "thoughts and prayers". Those always seem to work.

 

That will never be an option. Government at best is a necessary evil, and will always be an instrument for coercion and theft.