Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Economics
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 08-02-2018, 06:51 AM
 
7,759 posts, read 3,837,069 times
Reputation: 8846

Advertisements

Focus on the future and making sure Gen Z has adequate opportunities and are not falling into the rut. Apprenticeships and relocation to appropriate areas where employers in need exist is critical.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 08-02-2018, 01:26 PM
 
Location: Washington state
6,972 posts, read 4,821,162 times
Reputation: 21742
This thread is really not for homeless bashing and it's also not really to talk about the homeless living on the street in tents and being in your face. I'm talking about homeless people that you might not really know are homeless when they're sleeping in cars, vans, or RVs and I was asking if there's anything we can do to help those people. Sorry, I should have made that clearer.

However, if someone has anything constructive to say about helping any homeless person, regardless of where they live, feel free to throw something out here.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational View Post
The help most need is being persuaded to buy a few tanks of gas to relocate themselves.
Similar applies to the rest who insist on staying where they'll NEVER earn enough.
Some of the people living in vehicles are the people who are generally working full time (if they can) as cashiers, waitresses, and other low wage jobs. Send them away and you'll be waiting in line for a looooong time in any business before you're helped. Is that what you want?

The rest of them don't need to worry about earning anything, since they are living on disability and/or social security.

Quote:
Originally Posted by StealthRabbit View Post
Well... Seattle and Portland are VERY homeless friendly to autos / RV's, but these programs have not been successful in HELPING to integrate these people into viable contributors to society.

https://www.thestranger.com/blogs/sl...n-rvs-and-cars
https://westseattleblog.com/2017/05/...ent-camp-site/
With Seattle’s ‘Safe Lots’ for RVs All But Gone, Campers Are Creating Their Own | Seattle Weekly

Portland:
https://www.portlandmercury.com/news...rtland-streets
Portland Will Allow Overnight RV Camping and Tiny Homes on Private Property - Willamette Week
https://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-new...o-camping-trip

Circa 2000... this was to be 'an answer' (self governing homeless village).
https://dignityvillage.org/

Surprise.. This 'solution' https://dignityvillage.org/ became very 'elite' among the homeless (i.e. restrictive, not accepting ALL homeless)... and now there are over 20x the number of people living on the streets in Portland (every night). Locals are moving out due to QoL / personal safety issues.
Portland's homeless went up in arms when an EMPTY 400 bed jail was offered as housing. (it had bathrooms / showers / kitchen ...)


How to help...?? It does not get much easier than 'buying back' your towed vehicle for < $100, There are hundred for sale every Wed at the towing auction (That is where I buy mine!). Living in a car beats living in a cardboard box / grocery cart in the We_t PNW.
Just ONE of the many NGO's I support provides 400 beds / night and 600 meals / day in Portland. ONE!!! of many.
Tiny homes / ADU's are now being allowed / encouraged.
Tyson Thurston, an employee of Sergeants Towing, which has a five-year contract with PBOT to tow abandoned autos, says RVs are the biggest waste of time and money, and that even the nicer motor homes they pick up are "90 percent garbage." The manpower that goes into dismantling them doesn't get recouped from scrapping the metal, he says.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tencent View Post
Focus on the future and making sure Gen Z has adequate opportunities and are not falling into the rut. Apprenticeships and relocation to appropriate areas where employers in need exist is critical.
This is exactly what I'm looking for in this thread, if anyone else wants to contribute.

You know, I can bring this to the people who work helping the homeless in this area, but I think when it comes to relocation, it's going to have to be on a nationwide scale. I'm wondering how to do that, and keep the federal government out of it. Although it's something that might need federal funding at some point.

I'm thinking this would work for one business that needed a lot of employees for a short time, like the apple growers in Eastern Washington who can't find anyone to pick their crops. The logistics are staggering. Transportation would have to be paid for and a place to park and live somewhere would be necessary while people were looking for work. Farmer's pay would have to be supplemented to make the job worthwhile. Hookups would be necessary for people living in vehicles. They can't be driving 60 miles round trip to get groceries every day. People living in their cars might need a larger space, like a shed for a temporary fridge or toilet.

We have enough people on this forum to find a solution. I think if we all work at it, we can put our heads together and come up with something. Should we target a specific area, first, or just jump in with both feet and try to come up with a solution that will cover any city anywhere? You guys tell me.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-02-2018, 05:43 PM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,602 posts, read 57,579,010 times
Reputation: 46028
Quote:
Originally Posted by rodentraiser View Post
This thread is really not for homeless bashing,,,

However, if someone has anything constructive to say about helping any homeless person, regardless of where they live, feel free to throw something out here.

...
This is exactly what I'm looking for in this thread, if anyone else wants to contribute.

...
We have enough people on this forum to find a solution. I think if we all work at it, we can put our heads together and come up with something. Should we target a specific area, first, or just jump in with both feet and try to come up with a solution that will cover any city anywhere? You guys tell me.
I am kinda keen on the "Poor Farms" and CCC. Sure, they were not PERFECT, but we could learn SO much from studying them and apply applicable improvements for today and have done a tremendous service to USA and humanity during the last 20 yrs. G Bush II could have won the world by implementing this during the 2008 financial crisis, rather than letting banks drain Trillions $$$ from USA economy and 'wealth holdings' of Joe Average.

teach useful skills, engage in productive contributions, (There is ALWAYS plenty to do on a farm!)

CCC Brief History
https://www.courier-journal.com/stor...pers/83665978/

We do volunteer community service on a similar concept in the Philippines (for drug rehab youth).
As homeschoolers our kids worked beside us... I learned that from my 'poor farmer' grandparents who invested their very busy lives in helping others (the less fortunate). I served right along side them from as early as I can remember.

IIRC... San Antonio has a successful 'Back-to-work' program for homeless.

other cities participate here:
https://www.backonmyfeet.org/
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-03-2018, 05:34 AM
 
7,898 posts, read 7,078,432 times
Reputation: 18586
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tencent View Post
Focus on the future and making sure Gen Z has adequate opportunities and are not falling into the rut. Apprenticeships and relocation to appropriate areas where employers in need exist is critical.
Now this is really puzzling. Society provides years of free education and in fact makes that education mandatory. A great many people just ignore that opportunity and learn very little. Meaning they graduate high school without skills. In most parts of the country community colleges are also dirt cheap. Those who did not take advantage of secondary school education are not likely to voluntarily take advantage of CC educational opportunities.


So should society force people to change? Should we make people get more education or do apprenticeships or move to areas with employment opportunities? Or do we allow people the freedom to make poor choices?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-03-2018, 06:34 AM
 
Location: Australia
3,602 posts, read 2,275,044 times
Reputation: 6931
Would it help the situation if your minimum wage was considerably higher? Or do you require more social housing?
I know most countries have homeless people and people living in vehicles, but the scale of the problem in the US is saddening, especially considering the overall wealth of the country.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-03-2018, 08:07 AM
 
9,754 posts, read 7,570,179 times
Reputation: 24229
I think for most of these people, it's their own choices. I know a young woman who is threatening to live in her car right now because a relative will no longer let her sleep in the middle of her living room floor in her section 8 apartment.

The young woman is working full time and can afford a small apartment, but she likes spending her money on frivolous things instead of housing. She's a nice young lady with some immaturity and entitlement issues.

Could/should we force her to rent that apartment? Should we all chip in?

Becoming homeless is not usually a sudden occurrence, it's usually a culmination of bad luck, poor choices and a delay in taking corrective action when things start going downhill.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-03-2018, 09:57 AM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,602 posts, read 57,579,010 times
Reputation: 46028
most of USA homelessness is by choice:
we (USA) often 'enable' it, or...
we (USA) make it very tough to get the appropriate help (Too expensive HC / Psychological care);
Lack of our society and government to interfere (+/-),
few programs / jobs that are suitable to 'passive-participate' and sustaining ones minimal needs.

Other reasons for homelessness:
1) Easier way of life
2) No desire for working or taking housing responsibility
3) Mental illness
4) Destitute due to unique USA challenges (too easy to get into debt - false perception that wealth and beauty are everything) (Medical costs, bankruptcy, payday loans, spending more than they make)
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-03-2018, 10:36 AM
 
Location: The Triad
34,090 posts, read 82,537,204 times
Reputation: 43648
Quote:
Originally Posted by rodentraiser View Post
We have enough people on this forum to find a solution.
The solution is obvious. Unappealing to many but still very very obvious.

Quote:
Some of the people living in vehicles are ... at low wage jobs.
The rest of them ... are living on disability and/or social security.
Neither should do it in areas where they can't have/earn enough to support themselves

Quote:
Should we....? You guys tell me.
Solve your own problems and stop waiting for some guvmint plan.

As the owner of an automobile you can create your own "Move To Opportunity" program.
Be an early adopter....and you'll have more chance to do well in your new life there.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKC8pSFg1Vw
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-03-2018, 10:51 AM
 
28,122 posts, read 12,446,553 times
Reputation: 15329
I know some people that are living in their cars, they have things in their past preventing them from being qualified to receive much assistance, help or in finding a place to live, criminal records, past drug convictions, etc are usually insurmountable hurdles
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-03-2018, 11:21 AM
 
Location: Yakima yes, an apartment!
8,340 posts, read 6,729,573 times
Reputation: 15129
Quote:
Originally Posted by rodentraiser View Post
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other...les/ar-BBLiM4k

When we talk about the homeless, people usually think of those living on the streets in a tent, panhandling for money because they're drug addicted and alcoholic.

This article refers to those other homeless, the ones who are basically the "elite" of the homeless world, the ones who live in their vehicles. These are the homeless that could be helped with lower housing costs. What can we do to help them?
Don't help me...Really. I have lived out of my vehicle since 2012. I LOVE it. I can go where I want, not worry about someone breaking into my "Home" while at work. I admit, I pay nothing towards certain things that people with property do pay. But then I don't worry.

I even had a co-worker (Who I have told several times I'm happy) come to me about a program for people living in vehicles..."Look, Hon, how often have I said "I like living like this"?

She replied "Several times"

"Do you think I'm lying?"

"No, but you need.."

"I need you to stop trying to make me live like you do. To try and help me. I don't need it"

I make between $29K-$35K (With OT) so you can see. I'm doing good. In 9 months I should clear the $15K in debt I have and then get a new (To me) van
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Economics

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top