Homeless population, becoming more integrated throughout the city? (Chicago, Lincoln: low income, 2015)

[frimpter928]

As well all know, cities like LA, SF, Seattle, Portland, etc. have massive homeless populations that seem very integrated as part of the 'city life', meaning interacting with homeless people become very much a part of your daily life. For the longest time (I have been here 30 years) Chicago's homeless population and problems seemed to be under under control and stable.

But in the last few years it seems like the number of homeless is increasing, but not only that, but becoming more integrated in daily life.

For example, I live in Avondale. I walk to the Belmont blue line every day for work. In the past few months a skid row type place has formed under the viaduct on Belmont and Kedzie. I kid you not, drive, by and it's literally a city of homeless people in that little area. It used to never be like that. The other day, one of the individuals took a crap on the main sidewalk of Belmont, something I had yet to see in my 30 years of living here. Then near Belmont and Sacramento, there have also been some homeless who have set up home on the sidewalk, something that in my 5 years of living in Avondale I have never seen.

Another part is the train. Now and then you would see homeless people on the train especially in winter. But lately it's been bad. I take the blue line. Last week there was a homeless person that was harassing people on the train and even started touching people causing people to yell at him and force him off the train. Yesterday in the morning there was another homeless person screaming back and forth on the train. Then today, as the train arrived in the station you could see car train after car train had numerous homeless people sleeping in them. The car I went in this morning had three homeless people in it alone.

The train examples the past few days and week are more like coincidence as it's usually not that intense, but I certainly have noticed more and more of it happening on my daily commutes compared to a few years ago.

It felt like before you really only had to deal with homeless people in the downtown area, but now it seems regardless of neighborhood, they are becoming more integrated into our daily life.

I am not trying to villify homeless people, rather it's just something I have noticed and curious if others have as well.

[Hiruko]

The city claims the homeless population has been declining, but anecdotally, I feel like there are more and more homeless people and more aggressive panhandlers. I had one complain about me giving him coins, saying, "You have a dollar right there!" Excuse me?

[VA All Day]

I don't go to Avondale with any frequency but remember a few years back seeing the tents under the Belmont viaduct.

Homeless people on the train is nothing new either, especially the red line.

[frimpter928]

Originally Posted by VA All Day

I don't go to Avondale with any frequency but remember a few years back seeing the tents under the Belmont viaduct.

Homeless people on the train is nothing new either, especially the red line.

Yes, on the red line, it's always been, but wasn't always like that on the blue line. In the past couple years it's really increased, very noticeable.

The tents are different now under the viaduct. They were on the sidewalks before. Now they are behind a gate in a big piece of land. I kid you not it looks likes skid row or something there. It's certainly has increased from what it is before. The thing is they had cleared it out about 1 year ago. And for about a good 5-6 months there were no homeless living under the viaduct anymore. But now there are at least 15 that have set up shop there.

[Master Jay]

frimpter928, I was in San Francisco a good 15 years ago, and was told by a native that homelessness was rather a large social issue in certain areas of the city. And I do recall over the last couple of years seeing the growth of tents under the overpasses. I work in the Milwaukee County Courthouse, and outside in the plaza between the Courthouse and our Museum, the number of tents exploded in the summer and fall of last year. NOW, they are all gone. So I do not know where those individuals are, or why they were NOT able to utilize the shelters that we have near downtown Milwaukee...I understand that sometimes homelessness is a result of a combination of issues, ranging from severe mental health issues, substance abuse, etc., and that sometimes it is a result of making poor personal choices (and some, like untreated severe and persistent mental health issues are not always CHOICE issues)...When I've been in Chicago, I will typically take any leftovers because when I encounter someone in a situation, I'd rather give food than money. I don't like to waste food, and if someone is hungry they WILL eat, and I prefer to contribute someone eating versus being tempted to buy alcohol/drugs. Sincerely- Master Jay in Milwaukee

[frimpter928]

Originally Posted by Master Jay

frimpter928, I was in San Francisco a good 15 years ago, and was told by a native that homelessness was rather a large social issue in certain areas of the city. And I do recall over the last couple of years seeing the growth of tents under the overpasses. I work in the Milwaukee County Courthouse, and outside in the plaza between the Courthouse and our Museum, the number of tents exploded in the summer and fall of last year. NOW, they are all gone. So I do not know where those individuals are, or why they were NOT able to utilize the shelters that we have near downtown Milwaukee...I understand that sometimes homelessness is a result of a combination of issues, ranging from severe mental health issues, substance abuse, etc., and that sometimes it is a result of making poor personal choices (and some, like untreated severe and persistent mental health issues are not always CHOICE issues)...When I've been in Chicago, I will typically take any leftovers because when I encounter someone in a situation, I'd rather give food than money. I don't like to waste food, and if someone is hungry they WILL eat, and I prefer to contribute someone eating versus being tempted to buy alcohol/drugs. Sincerely- Master Jay in Milwaukee

Again, I am not vilifying them. It's just a trend I am noticing in Chicago, that does have negative impacts. First it's terrible to see more and more homeless people. It's representative that we as a country are not giving them the help and support they need. A country so rich, while impossible to eradicate homelessness, it should be descreasing instead of increasing.

That's great they eat, but on my way to work, door to door I at least cross paths with 5-10 homeless people per day. Giving them food and change is just not feasible. Once I had a party with a ton of leftovers and I gave them to the homeless, so I am up for giving them food when I can, but at the same time it's just not realistic either.

One last point, as you mentioned a lot our mentally ill. On the train last week the one that I mentioned he was very agressive touching people. Again, not villifying homeless people as a whole, but some but can start to cause problems if it goes unchecked. I mean in LA there is a reason no one walks through skid row, because it's dangerous.

[andrew61]

Might it be a result of rising rents coupled with SROs closing? I recall that SRO housing had pretty much disappeared in Lakeview by the time I moved away in 2015. Such housing isn't much, but at least it keeps people off the streets who might have nowhere else to go.

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by frimpter928

A country so rich, while impossible to eradicate homelessness, it should be descreasing instead of increasing.

Why do you feel this way? Homelessness is a global problem. It usually has to do with mental health and addiction. Utah was a leader in this respect, but they had a very expensive program that literally put homeless people into houses "housing first" and then pushed them into mental health and addiction programs. Most of the country doesn't have that kind of money or compassionate bent. The opioid crisis and rising housing costs have made homelessness even harder to tackle.

[Master Jay]

frimpter928, please understand that I was NOT suggesting you were vilifying anyone. You accurately made a point that it is a terrible thing to see a homeless problem, in general!... and also, there can be a nuisance factor to some who prefer to walk from A to B without being asked for a donation/receiving inappropriate comments if choosing not to contribute... And I think it was very kind of you to share your party's food versus throwing it away. Good karma for you! ... There have been quite a few times I've seen someone going through garbage cans looking for food. I remember one time I was riding my bicycle heading east towards Lincoln Park, and I turned around because I saw a woman searching through garbage. I took her across the street to a Subway Sandwich shop and told the staff there to give her whatever she wants to eat... andrew61 and Hiruko mention the other contributing issues (rising rents, opioid addictions, untreated mental health), and they are right about what they mention. We certainly have the same issues in Milwaukee. The Courthouse/Jail where I work is located in the downtown area. We do what we can to help! - Master Jay in Milwaukee

[Justabystander]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Might it be a result of rising rents coupled with SROs closing? I recall that SRO housing had pretty much disappeared in Lakeview by the time I moved away in 2015. Such housing isn't much, but at least it keeps people off the streets who might have nowhere else to go.

Homelessness is a national problem that is being ignored by the present administration and will only get worse in the near future. The causes of homelessness, such as mental illness, are difficult to address in that population. Cuts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development's public housing programs by the Trump administration guarantee an increase in homelessness, since low income housing and shelters continue to decrease in number. However, Chicago's homeless problem is far better than most sunbelt cities and west coast cities; one trip to skid row in Los Angeles or san Francisco is shocking to see in a country such as this. Lately downtown I see young white men begging, something I didn't see ten years ago.