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When you get handouts, sometimes you get rules. Don't like the rules? Don't take the handouts.
People make their own choices.
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When you get handouts, sometimes you get rules. Don't like the rules? Don't take the handouts.
People make their own choices.
I don't understand? When the poor choices bad choices and seeks help its called handouts. When the rich does bad choices and seeks help, its often called smart business or stimulating the economy? Hmmmmm go figure.
I agree, I as playing Test Drive Unlimited 2 yesterday and they expected 7 million dollars for a yacht. They must be high on potenuse if they think i'm going to pay that.
What more and more communities are discovering is that the homeless will cost the taxpayers money whether they organize programs for the homeless or not. In other words, as taxpayers it will cost us to do something for them, but it will also cost us if we don't, but only the first has any chance of making a difference in any of their lives..
And in fact, although much of the public has trouble accepting the fact, failure to provide meaningful programs can cost us more than doing anything useful would, because public health and public safety issues and spending caused by doing nothing at all are so expensive. That's why smart communities are increasingly looking to save money by creating innovative programs like turning empty urban buildings into basic SRO housing.
A simple investigation of the homeless population shows there are three primary sub-groups, of roughly equal size...
The alcoholics and addicts, and the incorrigibles who reject rules and regulation, are the stereotypical homeless who are most frequently targeted by the public's ire. They are generally seen as the most undeserving of help, and the most "out of control" and "looking for a handout." But this third of the overall population can at least be drawn to inexpensively operated tent-city encampments or open shelter facilities with toilets and showers, reducing the drain on police and medical resources caused by having large numbers of people living rough on the streets, with all the attendant sanitation issues.
The mentally ill and the disabled, particularly homeless vets. Probably the most worthy of support in the public's eyes, but far too often lumped in with the incorrigibles and addicts. Providing basic food and shelter to them and making counseling programs available is not only compassionate, but cost effective. Not helping them causes more to become addicts and more problematic. Many in this category avoid existing shelters because they have dogs, and dogs aren't allowed in the shelters. There's a simple, compassionate solution to this issue... provide for them to keep their dogs with them.
The temporarily disadvantaged and working poor make up the final third. These primarily need access to cheap, basic housing. SRO rooms... a safe place to sleep and keep clothes and a few belongings at a cost that they can handle on very low incomes. This is where participation from the private sector could make the most difference.
So while we can't eliminate homelessness, nor taxpayer expense, we can be smart about how we spend the money, and that starts with realizing that different groups of the homeless require different solutions.
For the record, people who actually know me in real life would never call me naive. Matter of fact, that's pretty much the exact opposite of naive that I'm most widely known for.
And great thinkers don't see compassion or kindness as a weakness, but instead as a desirable quality, a strength to be cultivated and encouraged, and a signature of a truly great man.
Quote:
Compassion suits our physical condition, whereas anger, fear and distrust are harmful to our well-being. Therefore, just as we learn the importance of physical hygiene to physical health, to ensure healthy minds, we need to learn some kind of emotional hygiene. ~ Dalai Lama
In the future would you please comply with the TOS and stop making insulting personal comments? The topic is homelessness, not me or others here personally.
For the record, people who actually know me in real life would never call me naive. Matter of fact, that's pretty much the exact opposite of naive that I'm most widely known for.
And great thinkers don't see compassion or kindness as a weakness, but instead as a desirable quality, a strength to be cultivated and encouraged, and a signature of a truly great man.
Humble as always. Any other thoughts on how great you are?
Compassion doesn't work for drug addicts, alcoholics, and lazy people. Cities and countries that legislate/abolish homelessness are the most successful. Stop handouts for lazy people. Tough love versus weakness is best.
I don't understand? When the poor choices bad choices and seeks help its called handouts. When the rich does bad choices and seeks help, its often called smart business or stimulating the economy? Hmmmmm go figure.
You changed the subject of what we were talking about. Hmmm. Go figure.
__________________ ____________________________________________
My posts as a Mod will always be in red.
Be sure to review Terms of Service: TOS
And check this out: FAQ
Moderator: Relationships Forum / Hawaii Forum / Dogs / Pets / Current Events
Trying to legislate homelessness away, trying to banish it... neither works.
And increasingly the courts are limiting "tough love" measures due to constitutional violations. And in Hawai'i there is also precedent from Kamehameha's "Splintered Paddle" Doctrine, which established the principle that people could sleep in peace by the side of the road. Along those lines, one of the recent court decisions in Hawai'i reaffirmed that it is legal to live in one's car.
And as the articles I've posted here discuss, the homeless will cost the taxpayers money no matter what we do, so we might as well put the money we'll be spending to good use.
First of all, let's take better care of our disabled vets, and the mentally ill. These people really deserve our compassion and support, so let's stop just lumping them in with the addicts and troublemakers, and fund programs that serve their special needs.
Second, let's find ways to encourage and enable low cost simple SRO housing to be built or converted from exisitng buildings, for rent to the working poor. Not everyone needs or can afford an apartment that would appeal to a middle person. Taking care of their needs now saves money later by allowing them to stabilize their lives and avoid falling into addiction... which is primarily a disease of the poor and distressed.
Third, for the worst of the worst, the ones who "don't want help" or who won't abide by basic rules, we can still reduce the costs of dealing with them by proving very simple, very basic shelter and hygiene and medical options that will draw them out of the tourist zones. And lets tap the merchants and property owners who most stand to gain financially from "cleaning up the downtown" to contribute to the cost.
In addition, communities can do more to encourage and support non-profits and charities that serve the homeless, such as this group on Maui does.
Quote:
Program meets Maui's homeless at point of need
WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — This month, A Cup of Cold Water, a Community Care Van program celebrates its one-year anniversary. It has distributed 46,443 basic need items to 5,607 of Maui's neediest people over the past year, according to program officials, and is run by donations from island churches and without any government support.
The mobile care van also logged 4,210 miles as it made stops in Central Maui on Wednesdays, in Lahaina on Saturdays and in South Maui on Sundays - to places where the island's needy congregate or may be nearby. The schedules are planned to avoid overlap with other outreach services.
"The mission of meeting people at their point of need is 'old medicine.' It's ancient elbow-grease Christianity," said Kekuhaupio "Keku" Akana, president of the board for A Cup of Cold Water.
Akana modestly said that the program is still in its infancy and tipped his hat to others who have long been helping the needy on Maui.
"We are rookies at this," he said. "We just want to thank all the known and unknown people doing their own program."
Akana said that the program run by private donations and volunteers and receives no government help so there is "zero burden of tax-related dollars."
He added that the Episcopal churches on Maui that launched the program - Trinity-by-the-Sea in Kihei, Good Shepherd in Wailuku, Holy Innocents in Lahaina and St. John's in Kula - have been joined by members of Maui's Nazarene, Congregational, Roman Catholic, New Hope, Grace Bible, Keawalai churches and members of the Buddhist religion and other organizations to support the program.
"We are doing well and we are growing," said volunteer Mary Lou Mellinger. "We are getting more volunteers."
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