What to do with the homeless?

[Malern28us]

There are massive resources for the homeless already. So we are already doing the needful. If you chose to do more, I fully support your Christian duty.

What we need to do, is have a fifty state initiative to outlaw panhandling and make it punishable by lengthy prison terms. I’m sick of the human parasites working the street corners. It should also be a jailable offense to give them money. I’m also sick of the stupid people that perpetuate the problem by giving them money.

Compassion should never be punished. The problem is that no one knows what the people are going to do with the money. If I believe you truly are needy, I give something. If you are lying about why you say you need the money, that is between you and whomever you feel you will answer to one day.
I can not do everything but I can do something....

 

[Buckwheat 1]

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[Weather Man]

I only know that allowing them to congregate in tent cities is a horrible idea. You soon have a fecally contaminated drug infested no go zone.

 

[Machdup1]

Compassion should never be punished. The problem is that no one knows what the people are going to do with the money. If I believe you truly are needy, I give something. If you are lying about why you say you need the money, that is between you and whomever you feel you will answer to one day.
I can not do everything but I can do something....

Compassion should not be punished, but stupidity should. The folks who work the street corners are organized scam artists. Anyone who gives them money is a sucker and that level of stupidity should be discouraged to protect them from theirselves. Same reason heroin is illegal.

 

[Malern28us]

Compassion should not be punished, but stupidity should. The folks who work the street corners are organized scam artists. Anyone who gives them money is a sucker and that level of stupidity should be discouraged to protect them from theirselves. Same reason heroin is illegal.

Maybe you are a little biased?
I have run into people that truly needed what I shared with them. I look at it as I am blessed to have the ability to try to help someone. I was in their position once but was to proud to beg so I worked three jobs. There were many days I could have given up. I figure if someone is willingly begging for help, they have reached an all time low.
I understand your view also, I can see it both ways. Just its my money and I have spent it on dumber things that have no possibility of making anyone's life better.

 

[Blk04L]

There are many types of homeless people. Some are druggies, who may be too far gone to save. Some are career leeches who play the pity role but have no real reason to change. And then others truly hit a rough patch and need a helping hand.

I have no issues seeing my taxes go towards those who truly need help/a second chance. Just hope that it goes towards the people who need it and not the people who want it. How they get vetted, I don't know. Maybe do a small 3-6 month trial and then see if they have any motivation with the assistance to find another job or will they just live in the moment and fall back into the streets.

 

[Deceptive]

1. Build and institute a programming where they are given housing in/around cities. Make this a place where they can get cleaned up, learn skills, and work for the city.

2. Out of what they earn take a small amount to house, fees, and help clothe them. Setup an account with the rest. This gets them on track to becoming functional members of society.

3. Make panhandling illegal. If caught take their money and possessions.

4. If repeatedly ending back in due to drugs then stop helping and toss in jail.

5. Make jail/prison hell. Take away tv, computers, weights, sports, and only allow them to get an education or trade, let them work to help the jail/prison function, or make them do public service.



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[Malern28us]

1. Build and institute a programming where they are given housing in/around cities. Make this a place where they can get cleaned up, learn skills, and work for the city.

2. Out of what they earn take a small amount to house, fees, and help clothe them. Setup an account with the rest. This gets them on track to becoming functional members of society.

3. Make panhandling illegal. If caught take their money and possessions.

4. If repeatedly ending back in due to drugs then stop helping and toss in jail.

5. Make jail/prison hell. Take away tv, computers, weights, sports, and only allow them to get an education or trade, let them work to help the jail/prison function, or make them do public service.



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I am totally on board with #5. I cannot even afford cable tv. Well, I guess I could but I wont spend that much on something that I remember as a kid was billed as "nearly commercial free."
That was the concept behind paying for tv, less commercials.

 

[VegasMichael]

I live in one of the worst states for homelessness and there has yet to be an idea that's going to work. Some are mentally ill, some are addicts, some are lazy, some have fallen on hard times, some are wanted criminals. Nearly a thousand of them live under The Strip. In tunnels under Las Vegas, monsoon rains can pose deadly threat

 

[FJohnny]

Most of us would probably agree that a normally hard working guy who is down on his luck or an attractive blond single mom (widowed) need and deserve a hand. Equally, no one really wants to reward the lazy, the addicted or the fit 25 year old who would rather game than work. The problem is that many cases may be somewhere between the easy to identify extremes.

If you decide that eligibility has to be judged and you put this in the hands of government wouldn't you just expect them to make a massive bureaucracy? A bunch of little judges with power over the deserving and the ability to pay off the undeserving. And in the end perhaps costing far more than simply helping everyone?

It becomes a math problem whose most likely solutions are to help everyone or help no one.

Americans are known as the most generous and giving in the world. I would not be surprised to find out that leaving tax dollars with the individual and having the government keep out of it would result in a charity based system that helps the deserving and better encourages the able to work. But could we live with the inevitable cases where some slip through the cracks and are lost?

No easy answer.

 

[Coiled03]

What do you mean "what should be done"? We already do more than enough, and yet, some of them literally choose to be homeless when they have viable options.

 

[Smooth]

What do you mean "what should be done"? We already do more than enough, and yet, some of them literally choose to be homeless when they have viable options.

So, status quo is okay with you?

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

I live in one of the worst states for homelessness and there has yet to be an idea that's going to work. Some are mentally ill, some are addicts, some are lazy, some have fallen on hard times, some are wanted criminals. Nearly a thousand of them live under The Strip. In tunnels under Las Vegas, monsoon rains can pose deadly threat

this, there's no one solution because there's no one problem, it's a host of problems that result in the same outcome. It has to be accepted that some people cannot be helped (mental illness etc...) and those are the ones I feel like we have some responsibility to help.

Central Fl has a lot of issues because there are so many jobs here but they're minimum wage jobs at theme parks and hotels etc...The available housing is over run so rent prices sky rocket and even a single person can't afford a place to live on minimum wage. My house would rent for about the same as the payment on a 15 year mortgage. The affordable housing issue could be its own thread.

 

[big reg]

I find that living in an area with very few homeless people or dirtbags in general helps.

 

[Pribilof]

We are in the tightest job market since 1969.

Based on my informal, non scientific surveys while working downtown everyday, the problem of homelessness cannot be solved because the majority of homeless choose that life.

The status quo is good enough for them.

I hate to be so callous but IMHO that's the reality of the situation.

Reaching out and helping the homeless

Give food, warm clothes, or point them in the direction of a residential recovery program.

Just look at all these services!
Get Help at The Bowery Mission

If people wanted to help themselves, they would. Stop giving these people money to feed their addictions.

 

[Revvv]

I live in one of the worst states for homelessness and there has yet to be an idea that's going to work. Some are mentally ill, some are addicts, some are lazy, some have fallen on hard times, some are wanted criminals. Nearly a thousand of them live under The Strip. In tunnels under Las Vegas, monsoon rains can pose deadly threat

It's sad.

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[Malern28us]

I live in one of the worst states for homelessness and there has yet to be an idea that's going to work. Some are mentally ill, some are addicts, some are lazy, some have fallen on hard times, some are wanted criminals. Nearly a thousand of them live under The Strip. In tunnels under Las Vegas, monsoon rains can pose deadly threat

I only knew about this already because of that one episode of CSI...

 

[Coiled03]

So, status quo is okay with you?

If the alternative is even more assistance that won't be used, provided by the working public, then yes.

 

[RedVenom48]

Those that choose drugs or homelessness get whats coming to them. There are enough shelters out there for those that are truly homeless and have had unfortunate events happen to them to put them in that spot.

Anyone with a sign asking for money thats got 2 arms, two legs and could clean up their appearance absolutely get no money from me at all. They made their choices, now live with them and it will be without my money or assistance.

I think people choose that life or get it chosen for them by drugs, which is still a choice. I have zero sympathy especially when I know my tax dollars are going to fund programs to help these people already.

 

[IronSnake]

Everyone that's being hard on homeless need to remember one simple fact..

You are one series of unfortunate events from standing right next to them. Nothing guarantees your level of finances, home, or family/friends. In the blink of an eye, it can all be gone very quickly.

Think before you speak, because these are human beings. Not isolated animals.