Ending Chronic Homelessness

[jeffster]

This could have its own thread. It really could. There are reason that some of us folks won't take transit. My kid was sexually assaulted on public transit, no way in hell she's ever getting on a bus or other public transit again, and sadly, this is very common.

As for the rest, as you said, there is no real answer. The big issue with homelessness is that some people simply don't want to be helped, or simply can't be helped. Public safety though always has to be a priority. People like Dan, or I can even include myself, know how to deal with sketchy situations. However, not everyone can -- and others need to realize that. Many (not all) in the homeless community don't want to live by any set of rules, and rules that as a whole population, we have to live by. Add in this addiction to drugs/alcohol, mental illness, etc., and you have a perfect storm that is really unfixable.

This is completely false.

Nobody wants to sleep in a tent on the side of Charles St., they do so because they have no alternative. Just because we pretend we have given alternatives that they turn down in preference to a tent at the side of Charles St. doesn't mean we can say they "don't want to be helped". You try living in a shelter for a week, you'll find real quick why some choose to sleep on Charles St.. We have a real answer, which is to provide unconditional and adequate housing to everyone, we simply choose not to do it and a large part of why we choose not to is either excuses (we pretend it's too expensive, which is absurd given the police budget) or pure sociopathy...people who believe we shouldn't give people housing because they don't deserve it.

What kind of housing? And where?

And I agree that we should have adequate housing for everyone, but, that isn't the case. My 19 year old son remarked that he has three choices when it comes to living somewhere: 1) live with me 2) risk living with shitty roommates 3) be homeless. It's just not the 'homeless' that don't have adequate homes, there are literally millions living in this country that can't afford their forever home, so they have no choice but to bunk up with others, including their parents.

Since you're a believer of housing for everyone, certainly you would include those millions that aren't technically homeless, but aren't exactly home keepers either - be it rent or own.

So, again, how do we do this? Where does the money come from? For real, we can't tell people that are trying to have, and are having, a productive life that they don't deserve a home because 'you're capable of living with others'. Because in order to really house the homeless, we have to tell the more functioning people that the really don't deserve to have a home. And that might be the reality of your children come 18 years from now.

As for 'unconditional' -- I don't buy that. Everyone, including the homeless, need to own up at some point. You simply don't give people the keys to a unit, or house, and say 'do whatever you want, this is unconditional' housing. That's not fair to people living in the same building, or if in a severed lot, to the nearby neighbours.

We can create things like 'A better tent city', but even they have some rules. Respect for others if not anything else. But that's hardly a good solution to providing housing for everyone.

Regarding your other post regarding your condo; if I was on the board, I would not be letting the homeless sleep in the vestibule. Perhaps it might be from my previous experience and having to do 'clean-up' of someone murdered in a vestibule, it wouldn't be a risk I'd be willing to take, for myself, my family, and my neighbours living in the same condo. Regardless of your belief, everyone deserves to be safe, and to feel safe. The situation in your condo is not safe, and if someone were to be hurt badly, or ever murdered, and it was known that you allowed for this type of arrangement, you'd be liable because you failed to provide a safe and secure environment for the other owners/tenants.