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.
I would think those cities with longer, colder winters would be likely to have the smallest populations. If I was homeless, I'd head to someplace warm (if there was any way I could).
This.
Chicago and Minneapolis are good examples. Sure, you will see them during the warmer parts of the year, but the numbers pale in comparison to the west coast cities, and they are mostly seasonal homeless. I’ve seen very few homeless in Chicago during the winter months, because the climate keeps them in check.
Austin has a bad problem. I have been harrassed when walking downtown when visiting the city. If they ask for money and you refuse, they can get nasty.
This is so true, and I have no idea why this is the case. I am thinking maybe it is because Austin is more touristy than DFW, where I am from, but the homeless, or visibly homeless at least, act as if they deserve money from strangers. Don't get me wrong, I often time do give money if I have extra change (I know all the arguments against doing so), but I can't afford to sometimes, or honestly don't want to-first world problems, but maybe I would rather have some extra pocket money to go out on a date that night.
I've heard that there is a stereotype in Austin that East Asians are wealthy tourists or wealthy college students, maybe that was part of the reason the homeless would be so aggressive and seemingly go after my group of friends and me, but I've never dealt with that sense of entitlement among the homeless in other cities.
Austin has a bad problem. I have been harrassed when walking downtown when visiting the city. If they ask for money and you refuse, they can get nasty.
I used to have this problem in Portland but for some reason some people on CD get very angry when I say this and they don't even live in Portland.
As years went by I was actually threatened a couple of times. Once the cops had to intervene, than heaven they were there. As the cop explained, old grey haired ladies like me get harassed the most. They think we're easily intimidated into giving them money. I usually shout at them when they get nasty but this guy was crazy on drugs. But every day downtown on my way to work I was hassled.
I don't always classify the homeless and panhandlers in the same category. The homeless usually just ask then leave you alone. Those who panhandle, some who have more money than the people they're trying to shake down, are the nasty ones.
I've been approached a couple of times since I've lived in the Cleveland area but never threatened.
I would think those cities with longer, colder winters would be likely to have the smallest populations. If I was homeless, I'd head to someplace warm (if there was any way I could).
While Denver isn’t the coldest place in the country by a long shot, we do get very cold nights in the winter and have a sizable homeless population
While Denver isn’t the coldest place in the country by a long shot, we do get very cold nights in the winter and have a sizable homeless population
Yeah, that’s very interesting. Bitterly cold temps start early and end late in Denver, even though there are plenty of mild days in between. How do they survive outside during those single digit nights?
Great list! I'd never seen this before. Looks like San Bernardino, St. Louis, Charlotte, Orlando, Houston, Austin, and Detroit have the least.
Chicago is has a lower rate than Charlotte, and one of the lowest in the U.S at 10 according to this. There are some downtown, but not really alot, and the same ones over and over again.
Pardon my ignorance, but how do some cities have most of their homeless sheltered, whereas others don't seem to have dented the issue at all? Is it bureaucratic inertia? Is it because the winter months are dangerous in the Northeast when compared to California, thus compelling the Northeast to act? Is it because this is a more recent issue for the west coast?
I would think those cities with longer, colder winters would be likely to have the smallest populations. If I was homeless, I'd head to someplace warm (if there was any way I could).
But the numbers paint a different story! Minneapolis/St Paul, the coldest metro of the 25 largest, has a rate of 15/10k. Meanwhile, the much warmer metros of Phoenix, Atlanta, San Antonio, Miami, Charlotte, Riverside et al, Orlando and Houston all have lower rates of 14/14/13/13/12/7 in that order.
A long time ago, warm places were more likely to have bums living on the streets.
Things have changed. Organizations in some towns give away tents and sleeping bags, hoping to entice bums to be less visible in tourist downtowns, i.e., go to the parks and woods instead. So then they harass legitimate, fee-paying campers at public campgrounds. No exaggeration; all of this happened in the town where I used to live. The nice woodsy walking trails threading all through town had bum camps soiling many areas, complete with massive trash/garbage/poop piles.
I know New York has a substantial homeless population. However, when I visited I was surprised by the lack of visible panhandling in lower Manhattan. Maybe that happens more in midtown near the touristy areas?
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.
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.
