Houston we have a real problem (Mission, Savoy: 2013, attorney, houses)

[LizzySWW]

Mental illness is why most of these people live on the streets.

I admit that when I'm with my kids & get haggled it makes me uncomfortable because mentally ill people aren't predictable. We need better services for these people but nobody wants to pay. Until then, they're your downtown Houston ambassadors.

Treat them with decency folks.

[Dopo]

From what I've been told... homeless centers just give them some food during the day and close their doors at night and leave everybody in the street.
that's not a way to help homeless people, they hit bottom and they need help getting back on their feet.
If it's mental illness we should help them or deal later on with whatever crazy c.... they end up doing.

[Htown2013]

Originally Posted by Dopo

From what I've been told... homeless centers just give them some food during the day and close their doors at night and leave everybody in the street.
that's not a way to help homeless people, they hit bottom and they need help getting back on their feet.
If it's mental illness we should help them or deal later on with whatever crazy c.... they end up doing.

This is very well said. Homeless centers are better than nothing as they are provide for the basic needs of these folk, who may be compelled to turn to crime if these most basic needs were not met. Most homeless are mentally ill. My understanding is most of this mental illness is PTSD and severe addictions, although there's others in there as well.

I think helping these people with their mental illness, giving them hope, and teaching them some marketable skills will help them get on their feet and on the road to becoming productive members of society.

[Truth713]

Originally Posted by Dopo

From what I've been told... homeless centers just give them some food during the day and close their doors at night and leave everybody in the street.
that's not a way to help homeless people, they hit bottom and they need help getting back on their feet.
If it's mental illness we should help them or deal later on with whatever crazy c.... they end up doing.

Let me actual take time out to to expain it to you

Shealter while being Tax free are not cost free, meaning they have to pay bills on those places to, second when its time to cut back on funding places like that are the first to take that hit
third treating mental ill is very expenstive and can consume a place like a shelters limited income very quickly, most over night shelters are first come first served and reach capatcity very quick and and forced to turn away dozens if not sometimes hundreds

[astrohip]

Poll fail. You listed two choices, both something you want to happen, without listing options such as "leave it where it is". Therefore you actually have the strange reality of more people replying than voting in your poll. Usually it's the opposite.

People love to vote in these polls, but not when they feel manipulated.

Bottom line: H.L.S.--you play us for fools, but look in the mirror.

[Mister Mister]

Originally Posted by TexasVines

because the ACLU sued in the 1980s to prevent the unwilling detainment of people that were not convicted criminals

so unless one willingly goes in for treatment and willingly stays in treatment there is nothing that can be done other than criminally charge them over and over....and when one is making poor life decisions and being enabled to continue to do so they almost always do not willingly seek treatment

another "win' for the left that was a loss for civil society...somehow it does not surprise me that you were unaware of this (or choose to ignore it)

So let me get this straight. You are stating that that the fact the ACLU followed the constitution and fought for it to be illegal to be able to unwillingly detain a non-criminal is a pox on the left? I'd say this is a win for the founding fathers and is not a left/right issue. With that said, I must say I am not surprised that someone with "Texas" in their name would make such an argument. I'm not from here and have learned quickly that many Texans have a pretty unique way of interpreting our founding documents.

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by TexasVines

because the ACLU sued in the 1980s to prevent the unwilling detainment of people that were not convicted criminals

so unless one willingly goes in for treatment and willingly stays in treatment there is nothing that can be done other than criminally charge them over and over....and when one is making poor life decisions and being enabled to continue to do so they almost always do not willingly seek treatment

another "win' for the left that was a loss for civil society...somehow it does not surprise me that you were unaware of this (or choose to ignore it)

How is that a win for the left? Isn't the conservative ideal all about individual control? This is exactly the kind of contradictory thing that bothers me -- not to say the left doesn't have its contradictions. It's totally OK to utilize government as a tool when it suits oneself.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by Mister Mister

So let me get this straight. You are stating that that the fact the ACLU followed the constitution and fought for it to be illegal to be able to unwillingly detain a non-criminal is a pox on the left? I'd say this is a win for the founding fathers and is not a left/right issue. With that said, I must say I am not surprised that someone with "Texas" in their name would make such an argument. I'm not from here and have learned quickly that many Texans have a pretty unique way of interpreting our founding documents.

Too many people think that anything the ACLU does is in favor of the left.

[H.L.S.]

Originally Posted by Dopo

I'll never understand why cities don't have "homeless rehabilitation centers"

Actually there are several, but just to name a few are: Star of Hope, Open Door Mission, Salvation Army, Cenikor. There are other services out there to help the homeless although not enough shelters for them. I notice alot hang around the grey hound bus station as well. There happens to be an old residential building that hasn't been used for years just sitting a block away, I think it's call the Sun Inn or the Savoy. Perhaps Search, Work in Texas, City of Houston, the several churches in Houston and habitat for humanity, along with their several financial supporters could make some of these old residential buildings into shelters/treatment centers/ work rehabilitation programs. This thought is including moving the Beacon NPO and it's parallel services there. Oh sure it will cost probably alot of money to do it; still it is a good alternative to compile all the available sources into one place and help the homeless off the streets instead of just tearing the buildings down. I personally think it would be a good advantage for the City to do so as well as tremendously boost the moral and feelings of the homeless. Also it would be a good tax write off for all of those organization involved to do it.

These building are big enough to solve the problem for the homeless. Think about it....

They already get food from several places going to and fro to all these services. They get clothes from these services and finances for what ever needed, like id's, birth certificates, phones, bikes, etc. I know because I have had to use them at one time. Instead of having all these service or NPO spread out that down house them...put them all together in one place and make housing available. It may be at tax payers expense, or by volunteer supporters. There are people with serious old money out there that can help solve these problems. You just have to reach out to them and make it happen. Make heroes out of them.

When this country was started, it was the millionaires that used their own money to make things happen and went broke to do it. Sure they got their just reward for doing so. They became heroes themselves. This country wouldn't be what it is today with out people doing that very thing.

[H.L.S.]

Originally Posted by westhou

I can understand why shelters are located downtown because there is easy transportation access downtown as well as large parks and a huge public library. Moving them outside of the city won't help because transportation is quite limited the farther you get from the city. Moving shelters to the warehouse district may not be a bad idea but I'm sure a lot of them will just take the bus back into downtown/midtown to walk around and ask for money. I doubt they would stay in the warehouse district because it's just not a place to spend time. So really that wouldn't solve your problem.

I think the Astrodome could have been made into a really cool center for the homeless to go to for services to get them back on their feet if they needed it and actually would follow through with the programs. Centralize the services and not make it a hangout for the homeless.

A large percentage of the homeless we see are mentally ill and providing them with those types of services may be the bests solution to get them off the street.

There really is no easy answer.

There is a good point there. I therefore think it would be a good idea for the City to make use of the old residential inns such as The Savoy and the Sun Inn. Put all these services in one place. Do not force a treatment program on them. But give them the food, give them the room, give them the medical/psychiatric care they need. But install rules such as no drugs/ alcohol. No visitors except family and religious. The treatments programs/ work search and placement should be voluntary. Let them do it at their pace. They must have comfort restored in order to become motivated and their self esteem boosted. To become a model type citizen, and a better part of society. I am sure there is a way to make that idea happen.