Change of Heart On Phoenix

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by pathrunner

Just making sure you realize that many people living in vans and other types of RV's do not poop on the sidewalks. I know several nomads even some who were in the movie Nomadland. Yes, there are desperate people who maybe didn't have a very good childhood with proper training, and yes lots of them have drug and alcohol issues, but for example I lived in Long Beach. People aren't pooping on the streets - yet. Lots more homeless though. The city has put up very large portable potties in the parks, with a place to wash hands outside. Much higher tech. That obviously needs to happen in San Francisco (used to live there), it's infuriating that someone created a Poop Map App to let people know where the poop is. Disgusting. And outrageous that the city does NOTHING about it.

Stealth parkers in cities and suburbs do not want to draw attention to themselves and that is why they use a luggable loo or find a bathroom, just like a lot of people who travel or live in their RV's.

Large corporations frequently work with charitable organizations to assist the lower income people, and the down & out. Seems to me that they could team up with Habitat for Humanity (or other similar charities) and construct more low cost apartments or micro housing for the ones who can't begin to afford what's out there. It certainly would be better than having a bunch of derelicts laying around & defecating on the streets. It would also be a little more aesthetically pleasing than tin can housing (trailers, vans, and RVs)

[pathrunner]

The problem with that idea is every square inch of San Francisco and Long Beach is already developed. Literally. There isn't even any bldg to put them in except in the Bayview district of San Francisco, by the bay. It's historically a very unsafe area, but I'm sure there is gentrification going on (I haven't been there in years). As for Long Beach, there's no area that isn't taken up by development or a city park.

There's no will. That's why nothing will ever get done. I'm very cynical about this issue. They could have done something, they could be doing something, but there's no political or economic will.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by pathrunner

The problem with that idea is every square inch of San Francisco and Long Beach is already developed. Literally. There isn't even any bldg to put them in except in the Bayview district of San Francisco, by the bay. It's historically a very unsafe area, but I'm sure there is gentrification going on (I haven't been there in years). As for Long Beach, there's no area that isn't taken up by development or a city park.

There's no will. That's why nothing will ever get done. I'm very cynical about this issue. They could have done something, they could be doing something, but there's no political or economic will.

If there's no more room to develop, why couldn't older, abandoned structures be converted into living quarters? Former warehouses have been revitalized in the form of apartments & lofts, so I don't see what the issue would be for the private sector & charities to create low income housing out of buildings that are not being used. Seems like a waste to leave them vacant or tear them down. Some people are simply beyond hope, but putting them into a shelter of some kind would be better than leaving them on the street.

[pathrunner]

I have asked this a lot. There is no political or economic will.

A measure was approved at the end of 2016 in Los Angeles County for converting shipping containers in Long Beach into dwellings for the homeless. It has not taken off significantly if even at all. It's basically gone nowhere.

All they do is sit and talk about it. a YouTuber I follow occasionally put it like this:

Make every Mayor, city councilperson and anyone else connected to the issue who could get something done, live in the street with no more than $10 a day. And that's a lot. For a week. They wouldn't last a week. But make them. Required. Suck it up and stick it out all night and day long in the streets.

Then they'd see what it's like and maybe THEN they'd develop the political will.

A lot of those people have constituents who don't want taxpayer money spent like that. They want the problem solved but they don't want taxes to go up. And yeah, one can understand why they don't want more taxes because the money is never spent effectively.