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Old 03-20-2014, 02:51 PM
 
Location: Barrington
63,919 posts, read 46,578,285 times
Reputation: 20674

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Homelessness is largely an urban phenomenon. Back in the 80's, homelessness in Manhattan was obvious to the most casual observer. One was hard-pressed to walk a block without encountering a street person. Tent cities were and remain in many warm climate municipalities. Then there are the tunnels.....

The Homeless Assistance Act became law in the late 80's and provides grants to states to fund temporary and long term shelters, food and for social services. A substantial number of homeless people are mentally ill, addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. In some urban areas they have more opportunities to have access to shelter, than once was possible. In NYC, 11-12 apartment buildings packed full of squatters were eventually turned over to a community association. NYC got the homeless out of the tunnels and sewers and into housing. Cities all over the U.S. have done substantially more than they were doing 30 years ago to hose the homeless.

Back in the so called prosperous 50's, about 20 % of the population lived in dire poverty.

While poverty has always been defined by income vs. household size, it does not take into consideration the value of no/low income benefits, EITC, TANF, SNAP, free or reduced school meal programs, WIC, Section 8 and other housing options, Medicaid for minors and on and on.

Being poor in the 50's was a substantially different experience than it is today.
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Old 03-20-2014, 02:53 PM
 
Location: Sango, TN
24,869 posts, read 24,334,283 times
Reputation: 8672
Quote:
Originally Posted by middle-aged mom View Post
Homelessness is largely an urban phenomenon. Back in the 80's, homelessness in Manhattan was obvious to the most casual observer. One was hard-pressed to walk a block without encountering a street person. Tent cities were and remain in many warm climate municipalities. Then there are the tunnels.....

The Homeless Assistance Act became law in the late 80's and provides grants to states to fund temporary and long term shelters, food and for social services. A substantial number of homeless people are mentally ill, addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. In some urban areas they have more opportunities to have access to shelter, than once was possible. In NYC, 11-12 apartment buildings packed full of squatters were eventually turned over to a community association. NYC got the homeless out of the tunnels and sewers and into housing. Cities all over the U.S. have done substantially more than they were doing 30 years ago to hose the homeless.

Back in the so called prosperous 50's, about 20 % of the population lived in dire poverty.

While poverty has always been defined by income vs. household size, it does not take into consideration the value of no/low income benefits, EITC, TANF, SNAP, free or reduced school meal programs, WIC, Section 8 and other housing options, Medicaid for minors and on and on.

Being poor in the 50's was a substantially different experience than it is today.
Come to North West Florida.

They live in the woods and other non-urban areas making their own little make shift villages. Church groups will locate them and bring them food and supplies.

You see them a whole lot more in the city, but the homeless are in lots of places. Again, as I said before, most of the ones in the woods are insane, drug addicts, or drop outs. Not that there is anything wrong with being a drop out.
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Old 03-20-2014, 04:57 PM
 
33,387 posts, read 34,723,807 times
Reputation: 20030
Quote:
Originally Posted by Memphis1979 View Post
Look, I've lived in lots of places with homeless folks.

Most are either mentally ill, dropouts, or someone who is on bad drugs.

Just yesterday I found a mom and dad here at Walmart asking for a hand out from the cars with their daughters there.

I know lots of folks, even some of my family, who live in government housing, have food stamps, and get other assistance.

Few people are forced to be homeless. They may feel forced, but it is their own laziness or inability to ask for help that generally lands them there.

Start hospitalizations of the mentally ill again and the homeless rate would plummet
well said. i have worked with the homeless, and everything memphis said is accurate. but there is one other kind of homeless person he didnt mention, and that is those that choose to be homeless. and yes they are out there, and there are plenty of them.
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Old 03-20-2014, 05:23 PM
 
34,274 posts, read 19,297,155 times
Reputation: 17256
Quote:
Originally Posted by rbohm View Post
well said. i have worked with the homeless, and everything memphis said is accurate. but there is one other kind of homeless person he didnt mention, and that is those that choose to be homeless. and yes they are out there, and there are plenty of them.
And why do they choose it?

No cares in the world, those lucky duckys!
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Old 03-20-2014, 06:07 PM
 
33,387 posts, read 34,723,807 times
Reputation: 20030
Quote:
Originally Posted by greywar View Post
And why do they choose it?

No cares in the world, those lucky duckys!
very true, especially when they can eat six times per day for free, and when the temperature goes below a certain point, or the weather turns sour, they get free shelter and transportation to the shelter.
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Old 03-20-2014, 06:22 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles County, CA
29,095 posts, read 25,945,454 times
Reputation: 6128
The left wing media doesn't want to make President Obama look bad.
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Old 03-20-2014, 06:41 PM
Status: "Astros need a strong spring." (set 16 days ago)
 
Location: Suburban Dallas
52,617 posts, read 47,809,159 times
Reputation: 33738
Here's your reason, and it's been shared by others already: Favoritism towards liberals by the media. Too many things that are newsworthy will not get reported when leftists are in charge. And, sadly, homelessness and poverty are big problems which face our society.
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Old 03-20-2014, 06:42 PM
 
6,790 posts, read 8,181,190 times
Reputation: 6998
Quote:
Originally Posted by shooting4life View Post
The media doesn't talk about this because it would make the democrats and Obama look bad.

Just as how we never hear about the war protestors after 2008 or closing gitmo, or repealing the patriot act etc.

It is just further proof that democrats and republicans are cut from the same cloth and both sides inact the same policies and the lemmings on both side follow their party leaders and bash the other party without a single critical thought of their own.
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Old 03-20-2014, 06:51 PM
 
563 posts, read 805,731 times
Reputation: 339
Because then the official global narrative that the world is perfectly fine wouldn't be so accurate.
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Old 03-20-2014, 08:32 PM
 
Location: Home, Home on the Front Range
25,826 posts, read 20,642,112 times
Reputation: 14818
People simply aren't as empathetic as they used to be. This is readily apparent every single time people dismiss the facts of food insecurity and the struggles of the working poor.

Far too many reports on poverty, particularly child poverty, are met with a chorus of "people shouldn't have kids they can't afford" and so on.
Far too many reports on income equality are met with a chorus of "people are just jealous and want to steal from the people who have more."

No solutions, no concern, no empathy.

The media know this and tailor their reports accordingly.
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