Your thoughts about this proposed California bill? (San Francisco: subsidized, salary)

[Fran66]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

I suggest investing money into government work programs, so the city can hire homeless people that want to work, but can't find work to clean our parks or whatever. This is better than giving handouts because it will allow those who want to get out of homelessness the ability to work and save money.

And I am telling you, from two decades of personal experience, most STREET homeless can't work. They are physically ill and/or mentally ill.

A big problem is: we think everyone should have to work for their living because, after all, we have to work for our living. That's a very erroneous belief. We have many disabled, of all ages, living in government subsidized apartments meaning that our tax dollars support them. I don't hear anyone saying that they have to work. (And, yes, we have a lot of disabled who are faking it, but that is not at issue here.)

We just don't want smelly old street people around. They remind us that we have to work, and they make us feel guilty because we have so much (in comparison).

And, yes, their begging can be a big pain. I do understand that. And not only that -- they may very well take whatever money we give them and buy drugs, cigs and/or alcohol. But, again, that's not our concern. Our concern is that they are homeless.

Look, when I first arrived in a new city not all that long ago, I was homeless for the first week. I knew that in one week I wouldn't be homeless. And when I ate at a nearby shelter, I thought: Wow, this is great. The homeless eat very well." And they did -- no doubt about it. But then -- in the aftn -- I suddenly wanted a peach. And a pack of cigarettes. But I didn't have any money. And that's one thing I never understood about the homeless in the 2 decades I volunteered: they have few, if any, choices. And it's humiliating. If I hadn't been so relatively well off and if I hadn't of known that my homeless was going to end in 7 days -- I would have been begging too.

[04kL4nD]

Originally Posted by Fran66

I've already stated, in a previous post, what I suggest. And that includes passing this bill. It may be somewhat ridiculous -- it certainly doesn't begin to address the need -- but it's a start. Being homeless is NOT a crime.

It's great that you want to pass a homelessness bill of rights in a city/state you don't even live in. Good thing you live in New Mexico and not in SF/CA.

[echilibru]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

It's great that you want to pass a homelessness bill of rights in a city/state you don't even live in. Good thing you live in New Mexico and not in SF/CA.

Hers is a fairly typical opinion of voters in the state. She's just giving it voice. Very eloquently I might add.

[04kL4nD]

Good thing I get a voice too. And a vote that will actually count.

[echilibru]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

Good thing I get a voice too. And a vote that will actually count.

Here here. Cya at the polls.

Didn't know we only valued peoples opinions that live in state though.

[Fran66]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

It's great that you want to pass a homelessness bill of rights in a city/state you don't even live in. Good thing you live in New Mexico and not in SF/CA.

I am in the process of moving back to California. No lie. I've talked about it on The San Diego threads.

[Ruth4Truth]

Many of the homeless are vets with PTSD. Get those vets treatment, and get 'em into job programs. That's one sector of the homeless that can be helped.

How about re-opening some of the mental institutions that Reagan closed, so people who can't take care of themselves would be taken care of? Some homeless end up in jails and prisons, screaming-meemie crazy, being shuffled back and forth between acute care and regular jail, and temporary hospital stays. It's no way to run a prison, and it's no way to run someone's life, when what they need is regular meds and oversight.

[Fran66]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Many of the homeless are vets with PTSD. Get those vets treatment, and get 'em into job programs. That's one sector of the homeless that can be helped.

How about re-opening some of the mental institutions that Reagan closed, so people who can't take care of themselves would be taken care of? Some homeless end up in jails and prisons, screaming-meemie crazy, being shuffled back and forth between acute care and regular jail, and temporary hospital stays. It's not way to run a prison, and it's no way to run someone's life, when what they need is regular meds and oversight.

I totally agree with you, Ruth. But we still have to get the government on board. Shameful how our Vets are treated, isn't it?

[04kL4nD]

I also agree with Ruth, which is why I said:

How about we make these services effective at helping people re-integrate themselves into society, instead of just tolerating homelessness or being so PC about it?

This bill isn't going to 'fix' anything. In fact, it will probably make things worse!

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

I also agree with Ruth, which is why I said:



This bill isn't going to 'fix' anything. In fact, it will probably make things worse!

Yes, good point that you quoted yourself on, Oakland, I haven't read the whole thread. I think the issue needs to be addressed by its root causes, first. Then, once you've got the people taken care of who you can deal with effectively, you can decide what to do with who's left, and how to handle them. Could be that just one shelter might be needed once you get the bulk of the people assigned to different programs (vet care, mental health care, whatever), and that would be more manageable. Someone posted somewhere that NV is sending CA their homeless mental cases; that, too, would have to be addressed.