poverty in Miami (Kendall, Coral Gables: squatters, public schools, university)

[MiamiVice1985]

Originally Posted by 305guy

That explains your post. You wouldn't be surprised if you went to any other major city/metro area in this country. Especially tourist spots/hangouts where there is always someone there. Old or young, homelessness and poverty don't discriminate.

These homeless people depend on tourists or drunk locals partying to give them cash and usually find someone to give it to them which is why they're on South Beach.

FX- if you click on that banana wealth link MiamiVice is advertising, you'll beg to God you had those 35 seconds of your life back.

By denying the existence of what everybody comes on this forum to complain about, you become part of the problem. However, I did manage to learn something today, I guess the problem can speak English as well as Spanish.

[305guy]

Who's everyone? That thread is filled with people disagreeing with you and your theory.

That's original, blame the hispanics for everything. Whatever makes you sleep better at night there Brickell Boy. Miami is hell on earth, blah blah blah by they way everyone, notice I live on Brickell?

[MiamiVice1985]

Originally Posted by 305guy

Who's everyone? That thread is filled with people disagreeing with you and your theory.

That's original, blame the hispanics for everything. Whatever makes you sleep better at night there Brickell Boy. Miami is hell on earth, blah blah blah by they way everyone, notice I live on Brickell?

I know, I know, I live on Brickell, but I don't spend much time there. Why would blaming everything on hispancis not be original? Is it because everybody already or always has blamed hispanic mentality for Miami's problems? Maybe I'm not in a minority in my opinion if what you're saying is true.

[fxzone]

I am a tourist, the 5 bucks i spend on that homeless lady will not help much!

So don't tell me i should something about it i'm a tourist and just observed something, jeezzzz!!

[Keeper]

Unfortunately, many of the homeless ppl you see on the streets in the US are mentally ill and refuse help. There are shelters and places that try to help but many don't want the help and prefer to live like they do on the streets.

You are right though there are older americans who live on the streets or in their cars in many cities.

[Manny561]

Originally Posted by fxzone

Miami is my favorite vacation spot and i go 2x in a year.

The thing that really bugs me on the(where i spend most of the time) beach are the homeless people. By homeless i mean elderly people.

I'm from The netherlands (Amsterdam) and ofcourse we have our problems there too, but you would never see people over 70 years old sleeping on busstations or benches next too the streets.

I saw a woman on miami beach she looked like she was 70+ or maybe even older, she was in such pain and dirty and nobody seems to care because she's there for a long time.

I was talking to a guy (miami local) on the beach and we talked about miami being a cool vacationspot, then he is asked me if i ever been to the real miami behind the bridge where it's all dirty and all the poor people live.
I then realised i've been closing my eyes all this time because i did notice it's filthy en alot of crime happens because people dont have money.

To me now it's very disturbing to party on the beach knowing there are so many poor people that don't even stand a chance to have a better life.

It is sad, miami could be alot better.

Its not just miami, all of south florida is exactly like that. glamorous clubs, and fine dining here, 4 or 5(or less) blocks away you have some of the poorest neighborhoods. west palm, boynton, pompano, ft lauderdale, hollywood, miami all have some parts you dont wanna be in for you life.

[MiamiRob]

Originally Posted by fxzone

Guys i have nothing against Miami, again it's my favorite vacation spot.

Just never seen people that old homeless in Europe, and i just wonder why.

It seems Miami is paradise at least it was to me, but now that i've seen more of the mainland areas im kinda sad that theres so much poverty

fxzone also take into account the social benefits system in your country compared to the US. The US doesn't have the extensive benefits compared to many nations in Europe hence the homeless eldery probably get by on a Social Security check & just Medicare.

As someone mentioned before some of these eldery may have mental or substance abuse problems as well. Miami does have two homeless shelters north of downtown but they have rules and many don't want to abide by them so they take their chances on the street. Sad but true.

[Keeper]

MiamiRob.. you are so right about SS and trying to live on it only. I know many ppl who only get $800.00 a month. They have no other income and while medicare pays for some health issues, getting a supplement cost around $100.00 a month. That doesn't leave much for housing based on the cost in Miami.

[Hasdrubal]

Originally Posted by Manny561

Its not just miami, all of south florida is exactly like that. glamorous clubs, and fine dining here, 4 or 5(or less) blocks away you have some of the poorest neighborhoods. west palm, boynton, pompano, ft lauderdale, hollywood, miami all have some parts you dont wanna be in for you life.

You nailed it. Other cities have a lot of working-class neighborhoods, which have nothing to do with poverty, but yeah, they are not that classy. But the differences in Miami are staggering. You can be driving along a very nice street, then turn left and find yourself in a ghetto part. Maybe Miami is overall richer than other cities -you named it, rural parts of Appalachia and "depressed towns from the Rusty Belt". It's just the contrast between the wealthy and poor neighborhoods that happen to be very close one to another.

[gymbuff]

Alot of the homeless you see are mentally ill people who would not benefit at all from a handout. The filthy homeless sleeping on buis benches are not people who lost their jobs a few months ago and eventually foreclosed or got evicted. These are people with deep rooted emotional, mental, or psychological issues that do not allow them to advance to a better lot in life.