What's the truth about homelessness? (drugs, health care, statistics, deaths)
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I've always wondered this. Excuse me if I sound naive but I'd really like to separate fact from fiction. I hear some of my collegemates were threatened with homelessness if they didn't get into college. One of them was in antisocial behaviour and parents/police told them they would be "starving to death and living on a cardboard box for their life". From what people say, being homeless means you won't live very long and sleep on the streets.
I'm surprised though why we old homeless for decades. If most have been kicked out by family for antisocial behaviour (hard drug use, theft,), mental illnesses and/or not willing to work, how can they survive beyond a few months without any cash to buy food? How can someone sleep in freezing weather and not die? I know we here about homeless deaths but surely given the statistics on homeless people, I'm surprised we don't see more of them dead.
I've always wondered this. Excuse me if I sound naive but I'd really like to separate fact from fiction. I hear some of my collegemates were threatened with homelessness if they didn't get into college. One of them was in antisocial behaviour and parents/police told them they would be "starving to death and living on a cardboard box for their life". From what people say, being homeless means you won't live very long and sleep on the streets.
I'm surprised though why we old homeless for decades. If most have been kicked out by family for antisocial behaviour (hard drug use, theft,), mental illnesses and/or not willing to work, how can they survive beyond a few months without any cash to buy food? How can someone sleep in freezing weather and not die? I know we here about homeless deaths but surely given the statistics on homeless people, I'm surprised we don't see more of them dead.
The homeless have many options. Most towns have tons of food banks, and many places that feed the homeless every single day. They can shower, and during the winter, and throughout the year there are shelters that cater to the homeless. I too was ignorant of this until recently, but the homeless at least in SoCal eat really nicely and many have beds for free every night. All you have to do is google, and you'll realize that there are options for the homeless. The ones you see that are dirty choose to be this way, and not to mention food stamps the homeless get $200 in California on the spot, and many get cash from the state that they have to pay back in social security.
During the year approximately 3 million people will be homeless in America, 25% are veterans who served this nation, around 1.5 million are children. About 40% are employed, there are many more substance abusers, drinkers, mentally ill and criminals who are NOT homeless. In many areas there are no shelters no soup kitchens and laws against feeding giving clothes or camping gear to homeless people. In some areas dogs/cats have much more in assistance and funding than homeless humans. Just a thought from one of the 3 million Americans on a homeless journey......
Well, if I was ever to become homeless, the first thing I would do is get the heck out of the area (if they had winter) and go somewhere where the climate is moderate all year round.
I dont understand why homeless people in my area, stay in the area, we get horrible cold winters and the summers are usually brutal humidity, the area is not at all conducive to living outdoors at all times! Some may say they dont have the money to get there, but if its THAT cold or hot, I would start walking!
It would be very cheap to end homelessness in America as it would free up alot of very expensive jail cells.
But homelessness serves a very important function in society. The same function as employer based health care. It keeps people afraid and obedient, knowing they'll be one mistake or bad luck from utter disaster, sleeping on the streets, losing health care coverage. It makes the people less free and more submissive and that's the way our ruling billionaire class want it.
It would be very cheap to end homelessness in America as it would free up alot of very expensive jail cells.
But homelessness serves a very important function in society. The same function as employer based health care. It keeps people afraid and obedient, knowing they'll be one mistake or bad luck from utter disaster, sleeping on the streets, losing health care coverage. It makes the people less free and more submissive and that's the way our ruling billionaire class want it.
It would be very cheap to end homelessness in America as it would free up alot of very expensive jail cells.
You will never end homelessness. There are so many reasons for it, it is not even useful to lump it all under the same heading. Some people are homeless because they just don't feel like working, some have hit a tough time in their life and lost their house, some are mentally ill and really need to be in a care facility, some are substance abusers and spend all their money on dope. Here in my state (Hawaii) there are a lot of "homeless" people who have money but they just feel like living on the cheap, outdoors.
Of those, maybe 1/3 - the ones who are just having financial problems - can benefit from things like cheap housing. The rest just cannot fit in. Many homeless shelters won't take in people who are high on drugs or drunk. Homeless shelters can be awful places and people don't want to go in them.
We need to solve the underlying problems first that drive people to being homeless, then whatever is leftover are the true homeless.
This is beyond crazy. It is not cheap to end homelessness.
Houston's looked at this in depth. x% of homeless are just lacking homes but that was the smallest percent (I think less than 10%) and a result of falling on hard times; e.g., job loss or bankruptcy.
The larger percentages were people with substance abuse (and if you think it's easy and cheap to get someone off drugs or alcohol, you've never met an abuser or alcoholic) and people who couldn't or wouldn't follow rules to stay in shelters or low-income Section 8 type housing. This is a major problem that no one knows how to handle.
During the year approximately 3 million people will be homeless in America, 25% are veterans who served this nation, around 1.5 million are children. About 40% are employed, there are many more substance abusers, drinkers, mentally ill and criminals who are NOT homeless. In many areas there are no shelters no soup kitchens and laws against feeding giving clothes or camping gear to homeless people. In some areas dogs/cats have much more in assistance and funding than homeless humans. Just a thought from one of the 3 million Americans on a homeless journey......
half the homeless are children
another 25% are veterans
only 25% are run-of-the-mill homeless adults?
that sounds low, but I don't have the info you're using. I see this, from one of the several nationwide coalitions
they say 372K are single adults
another ~180K are kids
for the single adults..."That being said, the experience of homelessness for this population is most often brief and non-recurring."
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