168 Austin homeless died last year on the streets (Atlanta: houses, price)

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

Memorial renews spirit to serve homeless community - News 8

[chuck_steak]

Is that statistic pretty common for any fairly large city in the U.S.?

[lndigo]

=x!

[LookinForMayberry]

I don't activate links from unknown sources, after paying the price in virus containment, but the homeless situation in the US is an interest of mine. I am confused by the responses received here, so far. I wonder: is it acceptable to have homeless people to Chuck_Steak, as long as it's "common"? As for the other response -- no telling what that might mean.

I believe that food and shelter for all is a moral obligation to everyone. It sickens me that we pride ourselves on being the "most powerful nation" and flaunt our wealth as if on parade, but cannot make provisions to help our poor.

How truly powerful is a mean-spirited nation?

When you are watching "The Christmas Carol" on your 50" television this season, will you see yourself?

If you have any compassion, you will find a way to help at least one person besides your self and your immediate family. The shelters and food banks are ready to serve, are you ready to assist them?

[BevoLJ]

Just did a quick google and read that 50 died in SD, 163 in San Fran. LA has by far the most homeless and they have like 400 deaths a year. NYC does their reporting quarterly and average 40 deaths per quarter for 160 a year. Seattle had 82 homeless deaths in 2005. Austin is usually around 45 (I don't know where they got the 168 number).

Here are some numbers based off of LA and a few other places but mostly LA, and it should be noted that LA only houses 17% of its homeless while other cities average closer to 85-95% .... (I couldn't find any on Austin)... The biggest cause of death is 27% cardiovascular, 24% substance abuse ODs, and 17% trauma (both violence and suicide). One thing the report noted is that they didn't have access to the actual death certificates so alcohol and drugs likely played a large roll in many of the cardiovascular deaths.

Across all cities 85% were male, as well as a significant percent being veterans. In LA 45% are Caucasian, 30% Hispanic, 25% African American. In NYC 60% are African American. 25% Hispanic, and 15% Caucasian. In San Fran the deaths were 41% Caucasian, 31% were Hispanic, and 25% African American. In Seattle 63% where Caucasian, 15% African American, 10% Native American. Also in Seattle the leading cause was OD's by a lot more, then trauma, and then cardio.

The study for Boston is a lot older. It is from '88 to '93 while the other studies I saw were from the past few years. Anyway it is interesting to see the older Boston study as it is a lot different. It had 606 deaths in that time and a much higher female population that the current homeless population, 68% male to 32% female however the homeless deaths were the same as now with 85% being male. Leading cause of death for ages 18-24 was murder, 25-44 AIDS, and for older it was cardio.

Atlanta's most recent study being from 1994 has a much higher % being African American, and the leading cause of death being Alcohol (they didn't have any numbers for Heroin or Coke).

[achtungpv]

The number that died doesn't say a lot. You might as well say 5,000 Austinites that are not homeless died last year.

Is the number of homeless deaths more statistically significant than the number of non-homeless that died?

[BevoLJ]

Are the numbers of anyone dieing insignificant?

Knowing that 5,000 non-homeless people died in Austin doesn't say a lot about homeless people. Understanding how, why, and which homeless people are dieing and how other cities have done in trying to prevent it is the only way to begin to understand the problem and think of ways to preventing more deaths in the future. Or do you not consider homeless people dieing a problem, and therefor not worth anyones attention or concern?

[electricninja]

It's acceptable to have as many homeless people as unwilling to work. I see some very energetic fools waving around the signs.

[lndigo]

Originally Posted by electricninja

It's acceptable to have as many homeless people as unwilling to work. I see some very energetic fools waving around the signs.

aren't a lot of the homeless mentally incapacitated (if not physically so)?

[electricninja]

Originally Posted by lndigo

aren't a lot of the homeless mentally incapacitated (if not physically so)?

Quite possibly. But also, a lot of them aren't.