Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I post this as a kind of thought experiment in order to avoid going down the political party rabbit holes.
If you had suddenly become in charge of this fictional U.S. with its very real homeless problem, what steps would you take to solve it? You have unilateral control, but similar budget constraints.
Finland solved their homeless problem, and the developing country we retired in, has no visible homeless.
What can be done in this most powerful, richest country in the world?
I'd start with the thorough analysis who exactly the homeless are, and not basing my decisions on hear-say.
Because without clear understanding who the affected people are ( and the reasons behind it) one can't address the problem.
I assume that "homeless" are not one homogeneous group; there are different reasons for people becoming homeless.
Some problems can ( and should be) addressed and solved I am sure, and some simply can't be resolved, realistically speaking.
This would be a lot more fun if we didn't have budget restraints. I don't want to play unless I have unlimited funds and control of the military. And no sass from politicians. I would replace all of them. There would be no pork! Lobbyists would tremble in their boots. All I need are loyal minions. First the U.S., then the world! Bahahaha!
You can't solve homelessness in a country as big as the U.S. I would make it completely illegal to sleep in the streets and lock up those who disobey the orders. If they went to jail, at least they would have shelter, a place to sleep and shower, and food and water. All provided by the tax payer and they don't have to do anything to maintain it and society doesn't have to see them and clean up after them.
If they broke the law I would have them arrested. Then after cleaning them up, drying them out, getting some food into them, and some basic medical care we could see what we have to work with.
Families would be notified. That may eliminate some.
One's with outstanding warrants would be transported to that jurisdiction or start serving the sentence if in same jurisdiction.
The able bodied would be placed in something like the CCC. They would build the facillities needed.
There will always be some that you can do nothing for. They will die, just like they are doing now.
You can't solve homelessness in a country as big as the U.S. I would make it completely illegal to sleep in the streets and lock up those who disobey the orders. If they went to jail, at least they would have shelter, a place to sleep and shower, and food and water. All provided by the tax payer and they don't have to do anything to maintain it and society doesn't have to see them and clean up after them.
I don't think that's the way to go. You are making it illegal to be poor and/or mentally ill and locking people up for this. That's harsh. How do you make someone obey rules to not sleep on the streets when they have nowhere to go?
I think at minimum we have to ask ourselves what are we doing here: Trying to make ourselves more comfortable or trying to actually help our fellow man?
Three issues causing homeless in this country: 1 addiction to drugs and alcohol 2. Mental illness 3. Poverty
Forcing addicts into a rehab facility won’t solve the addiction issue. Those who want to get clean may get clean but the addict has to really want to get clean. Some communities have made it easier for addicts to get and use drugs. Stop enabling addicts.
Mental illness can cross over to addiction since some “self medicate” for their issues. Some can get much better with counseling and medication. But some will refuse the medication thinking the government is trying to poison them or say the government doesn’t want them to know what’s really going on (uncle’s excuse to stop taking his medication).
Those who are homeless merely because of poverty should be the easiest to help since they actually want help.
First, change public school system. Hold back students who aren’t performing to standards, especially in elementary grades including Kindergarten. Second, give power back to the teachers and faculty to remove problem students from the classroom. Beginning in middle school include classes on the health and risk factors of narcotics and alcohol. Don’t use hyperbole to make them sound worse than they are, use real facts and situations. In high school give more in-depth education on drugs and alcohol. Middle and high school should begin aptitude testing to help direct the student to a potential career path. Counselors should not be solely focused on university education. They should include any vocational or trade school programs as well as any apprenticeship programs.
Three issues causing homeless in this country: 1 addiction to drugs and alcohol 2. Mental illness 3. Poverty
Forcing addicts into a rehab facility won’t solve the addiction issue. Those who want to get clean may get clean but the addict has to really want to get clean. Some communities have made it easier for addicts to get and use drugs. Stop enabling addicts.
Mental illness can cross over to addiction since some “self medicate” for their issues. Some can get much better with counseling and medication. But some will refuse the medication thinking the government is trying to poison them or say the government doesn’t want them to know what’s really going on (uncle’s excuse to stop taking his medication).
Those who are homeless merely because of poverty should be the easiest to help since they actually want help.
First, change public school system. Hold back students who aren’t performing to standards, especially in elementary grades including Kindergarten. Second, give power back to the teachers and faculty to remove problem students from the classroom. Beginning in middle school include classes on the health and risk factors of narcotics and alcohol. Don’t use hyperbole to make them sound worse than they are, use real facts and situations. In high school give more in-depth education on drugs and alcohol. Middle and high school should begin aptitude testing to help direct the student to a potential career path. Counselors should not be solely focused on university education. They should include any vocational or trade school programs as well as any apprenticeship programs.
These are good ideas; however, the bolded is already being done and from what I've seen up close and personal, may work at that time but doesn't always last into adulthood if the person is prone to addiction.
I do very much like the suggestions of aptitude testing and paying attention to the students who are not the top performers in the standard, college-bound way. Also, while I am sure this will bring on the screeching of how it is not the school's job--which technically may be right--it would be great if there were resources to help those kids who obviously do not have parental support at home regarding their futures. Doing so could break a multi-generational trend of despair and poverty.
Another issue is lack of affordable housing. Efficiency apartments aren’t profitable enough in some communities so they don’t get developed. Mobile homes are affordable but some communities are banning trailer parks for tax revenue generating subdivisions or commercial properties. Developers aren’t building small affordable homes choosing instead to build McMansion type homes for greater profit.
Help those who want to be helped, and those who can be helped w/ a reasonable amount of resources. They will be required to help provide some of those resources that they are able to provide...cooking, cleaning, building, maintaining, teaching others skills they may possess.
Those who refuse help, or those with mental illness, who are harming themselves w/ drug & alcohol addictions must be removed from our public places. They must be institutionalized, but they too will be asked to help in any way they can to defer cost.
Living amongst us stealing, begging, soiling our spaces would not be tolerated. They'd get picked up, assessed, then placed into 1 of the 2 choices above. They lose access to alcohol, drugs, handouts, shelter under bridges & in public places....all that ends.
Family members are kept in the loop through out the process, & are given 1 shot at caring for them.
Help those who want to be helped, and those who can be helped w/ a reasonable amount of resources. They will be required to help provide some of those resources that they are able to provide...cooking, cleaning, building, maintaining, teaching others skills they may possess.
Those who refuse help, or those with mental illness, who are harming themselves w/ drug & alcohol addictions must be removed from our public places. They must be institutionalized, but they too will be asked to help in any way they can to defer cost.
Living amongst us stealing, begging, soiling our spaces would not be tolerated. They'd get picked up, assessed, then placed into 1 of the 2 choices above. They lose access to alcohol, drugs, handouts, shelter under bridges & in public places....all that ends.
Family members are kept in the loop through out the process, & are given 1 shot at caring for them.
I'd like you to expand on what you mean by that last part of the sentence, bolded. It sounds as if you mean some sort of ultimatum or are suggesting that families have the power to make a difference and are just neglecting to do so. I may be misreading that.
Many families have exhausted themselves trying to care for the mentally ill and/or addicted. Incorporating assistance from organizations like NAMI that provide support to both the mentally ill and their families, as well as similar organizations that help with addiction, should be a key part of helping the homeless who fall under those categories.
A guy I went to school with ended up homeless, probably as a result of addiction. I didn't know him very well. Kind of a quiet guy, but friendly when you spoke with him, and looking back, I believe he had some sort of learning disability. Back when we were kids, if kids weren't diagnosed as mentally disabled but didn't do well in school, they just sort of pushed them through.
I remember someone saw once saw him in NYC seemingly helping a hot dog vendor wearing a long trench coat in the summer. Eventually we learned that his body had been found in an alley in a plastic garbage bag. His brother was a police officer, and his family had tried every which way to help him, but he refused all help and he came to that sad end.
Some families do abandon their mentally or addicted members, unfortunately, but I think in most cases, families would welcome support but are unable to help their loved ones on their own much of the time.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
