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Jeeze. It's all tragic. Los Angeles homeless was a real eye opener, just absolutely horrible.
I can understand why these folks would flee from MA to ME.
Accepting homeless and parolees, you get a decent subsidy, no?
I do not get any subsidies.
The parolees are in an 'early-release' program which requires that they were first in a work program for a certain period of time. While in prison they were bussed to a sweat shop factory for so many months before they could qualify for early release. They come to me with security deposit and first months rent in hand. So long as they continue to work, pay rent and stay out of trouble, they can stay out of prison. If they quit their job and get behind in rent, I call the parole officer. The first time he will chew them out, but if they fail to maintain a job, then he hauls them back to prison.
So far I have not housed any of the homeless people. That would be exclusively tax-funded subsidy money. All of the other landlords I have spoken with seem to have horror stories about housing homeless through subsidy programs.
The homeless I have been working with in USA since 1980's are not interested (or usually capable) of "working". Especially in a dangerous stressful job (equipped with a chainsaw, axe and shovel)
We (USA) have been enabling this behavior for decades. that is not good.
Solutions are a good idea, and we have plenty available.
In Singapore, they gave the homeless weedeaters and put them in the median of a busy freeway during 90F day with 90% humidity. No tractors required during those times. (until the homeless were worn out and gone)
Well ... some communities are doing their own versions of CCC already. I believe many of these homeless people just need leadership not handouts. Nothing wrong with learning to take care of yourself and lend a hand. I'm not interested if they want to, maybe they NEED to. We would place them in medical facilities against their will, or in prison against their will, why not HELP them against their will.
Break em' down and build them up better. No one expects 100% success, but what ever we're doing now, ain't working.
The CCC would be great for capable people, but a lot of the homeless have mental illness or substance addition problems, and many of them reject help, won't stay in a shelter or get counseling & training.
We, as a society, are willing to incarcerate the homeless against their will, so why wouldn't 'helping' them against their will, not be part of the equation? That makes no sense.
Work, productive work... is possible for anyone who can survive homelessness. For goodness sake... we provide work for intellectually disabled and we can't utilize homeless people for work? Makes no sense.
If homeless people are living on the street in tents, scavenging for sustenance... they can work. If you're homeless because your poor, living out of your car, then you're looking for work. It's easy to say why we think it work help, but history tells us it has. Substance abuse is nothing new to homeless people... since alcohol was invented.
We, as a society, are willing to incarcerate the homeless against their will, so why wouldn't 'helping' them against their will, not be part of the equation? That makes no sense.
Work, productive work... is possible for anyone who can survive homelessness. For goodness sake... we provide work for intellectually disabled and we can't utilize homeless people for work? Makes no sense.
If homeless people are living on the street in tents, scavenging for sustenance... they can work. If you're homeless because your poor, living out of your car, then you're looking for work. It's easy to say why we think it work help, but history tells us it has. Substance abuse is nothing new to homeless people... since alcohol was invented.
I don't think the homeless should be just living in public parks and pooping in the streets. I know there is such a thing as the working poor, people who are capable of working but can't afford the ridiculous rents. I don't blame them one bit.
Once upon a time, there were rooming house districts in most downtowns where men could find a bed and a hot meal for a dollar or two. There were millions of day jobs where someone might hire from a street corner, just pay guys by the day if they show up and work hard.
Women, and some families, could find shelter at rooming houses run by the Catholic Church and other charities.
Most of this stuff has been closed down for one reason or other. It's a shame.
Years ago the WSJ reported on a rooming house for homeless men, run by nuns. The city ordered them to install an elevator to comply with the law. The nuns said they couldn't afford it, but offered to carry any wheelchair-bound men up the stairs as necessary. No, said the city. So the home closed, and 50 more men ended up on the street.
All those homeless could be helping with land management to prevent fires.... kinda like the CCC days during the 30's. Win-win in my book.
Those same folks like the outdoors and rural America. They would do just fine.
Great idea. They could all go live in the national forests, with a living wage paid by the feds. They could build their own log cabins and such. If they are going to squat, they may as well squat on public lands.
Great idea. They could all go live in the national forests, with a living wage paid by the feds. They could build their own log cabins and such. If they are going to squat, they may as well squat on public lands.
If anyone needs directions to the cabins, just tell them to keep their eyes peeled for piles of garbage, liquor bottles and needles and they should be pretty close to log cabins.
If anyone needs directions to the cabins, just tell them to keep their eyes peeled for piles of garbage, liquor bottles and needles and they should be pretty close to log cabins.
Don’t forget the illegal pot grows, meth shacks, and huge fires burning down what WERE beautiful natural settings. Sure, yup, NIMBY...”move ‘em out of sight, out of mind, and away from cities and suburbs...”
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