[tijlover]

Salt Lake City has done an awesome job of getting their homeless off the street, with housing. Of course, the Feds chipped in a ton of money for this type of housing, but they've reduced their homeless costs from $42.5k a year to around $22k a year. And, mind you, Utah is a conservative Republican state!

And with this type of housing you need not be drug/alcohol free. If you can pay, they'll take 1/3rd of your income, in the form of disability/Medicaid/medicare for rent. This type of homeless housing is also popping up in other parts of the country, including L.A. and NYC.

When a homeless person leaves the LTC/Rehab facility I work at, we are under federal/state guidelines to make sure this patient is not dumped back into the streets, and they're transferred to a secure location. Social services will assist them in finding housing, food stamps, bus passes, free medical care and even free educational training.

Many of these homeless people weren't even aware the services that were available to them, didn't realize they were eligible for Disability or Medicaid.

And this ain't gonna happen in myopic, procrastination-prone Las Vegas for some time to come. Oh, the idea of turning the unfinished Fountainbleu tower into a high rise homeless shelter!

I will miss the laughs in NV/Las Vegas.

Conservative, Republican-loving Nevadans voting in Sandoval, resulting in the highest tax increase in Nevada's history, and not learning from Guinn, another Republican, voting in the 2nd highest tax increase in Nevada history. Ah, the laughs! And I'm sure even Bernie Sanders has gotten a good laugh out of it!

[Drkness]

Originally Posted by stormynh

I really doubt that. I looked at them closely and they are dirty, have sores, and clearly have hard lives. I think that people like to tell themselves that so they feel better about these homeless people. I'm just not buying it that these people are even close to having more money than me. I totally understand if you choose not to donate anything to them.

I've only been in LV for two-months and have learned alot of about this city in a short-time, There's this blonde homeless man whom is very apparent that he's an addict; Not a day goes by that i don't see him on E.Charleston by Tacos Mexico every time i past thru, he's digging in the garbage, talking to himself and begging.

My first couple of days here i felt bad and gave him a $20 and struck an convo with him, he was telling me about how rough he had it and showed me his body marks (track marks included) of which he said were bed-bug bites. It broke my heart but then i thought to myself wait, I've been homeless before - Whats the first thing you do? find a place to shower/clean yourself perhaps go to the YMCA/Public Pool or buy a Gym membership, Second you find some food.

In LV i've noticed that food is EVERYWHERE you can grab a Tamale for 0.50cents on Bonanza or hit up the dollar store and get a water-bottle and some Ramen Noodles for under $2. Which is why i just don't give out money anymore, many of these people are druggies/cons attempting to extort you by using pity. I truly RESPECT the homeless people who carry those signs that say "I will work for food" that shows some motivation and hunger [pun intended] that they truly are in need of an purpose and WANT to succeed, but when i just see someone outright begging i lose all respect.

Out by the Welcome to LV sign i seen this homeless man who with his earnings purchased an LED Light Bar and is using that to take photos for tourists and making tips, Now that is how you truly determine when someone is in real need - they don't sit there hopeless waiting for a handout; they figure something out.

[ScoopLV]

The only thing these people are in "real need" of is narcotics.

If they were truly in need of help, there are dozens of programs to choose from. But these programs aren't going to play the enabling game with a junkie. Too bad so many people in Las Vegas don't see this for exactly what it is.

People who want to show compassion should give to Three Square and similar. The only things they're accomplishing by giving money directly to beggars is prolonging a human being's addiction, and enriching drug dealers. That isn't compassion. It's the polar opposite.