The San Francisco Trash/Needles/Poop in the Streets Containment Thread (San Diego: assault, occupancy)

[CorporateCowboy]

Originally Posted by veritased

Well golly gee willikers, how impressive. We'd all like to tinker away on our boat, smoke doobs out in San Diego bay, feet up on the tiller, contemplating the sunsets meanings. However, see, some of us have to work, some of us, indeed want to work, because we want to add to society through our vocation. I happen to be in tech, though now fom AZ vs SF Bay, and working to advance a certain field of technology. I can't even contemplate lounging around like you, pontificating about social policies while being exposed to exactly none of them.

You’re making a ‘big tadoo’ out of nothing - Mutt is in his 70’s and retired. Let him tinker and smoke doobs - lol.

[CorporateCowboy]

Originally Posted by skygazer1

Sure, I too want to live on Pac Heights and pay nothing, get free needles, what a life. Everyone should be afforded that "right"

Yeah - ‘the life’, alright! What’s taking you so long to join in on the free needle/defacating on the streets party?

[likealady]

Originally Posted by BlakeJones

You say "ineffective" because we're talking about two different things.

You are talking about helping the homeless with their situation. I am talking about helping the quality of life of the city, regardless of if you help the homeless or not.

If homeless people insist on living in a city they can't afford they should be forced into designated areas. Mentally ill should be hospitalized & treated.

Cowboy is right though, the only way to get them off the sidewalks is to have them arrested and forced into treatment. Otherwise, the cops just tell them to move along, and you know what happens then? They just move a couple blocks down and create the same nuisance. Spraying the sidewalks clean is a bandaid, not a solution. Considering the amount of money we're blowing on these bandaids right now, I think a new approach wouldn't break the bank.

This whole 'the homeless issue is caused by a lack of affordable housing,' in my opinion, is complete BS. Anyone with some sense and hope would move elsewhere or find a temporary situation until the hardship passes. The ones on the street, screaming to who knows what, are drug addicts, alcoholics, and mentally ill. They need rehab and mental health treatment in a secure facility until they get clean and show the ability to return to a normal life. They're at rock bottom, they need someone to intervene for their own health and safety. They also, in my opinion, don't need to be cared for in the most expensive city in the country. Go build them a facility out of a warehouse in West Oakland or something or out in the boonies.

Maybe that's cruel? IDK, I think treatment so they can have a normal life is better than pooing on the sidewalk outside a tent?

[Matadora]

Originally Posted by likealady

This whole 'the homeless issue is caused by a lack of affordable housing,' in my opinion, is complete BS.

Yes it is total BS.

The homeless in my neck of the Bay Area are known druggies with no desire to assimilate into society as a functioning self sufficient person.

I've never seen as many BS excuses made for these folks.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by likealady

Cowboy is right though, the only way to get them off the sidewalks is to have them arrested and forced into treatment. Otherwise, the cops just tell them to move along, and you know what happens then? They just move a couple blocks down and create the same nuisance. Spraying the sidewalks clean is a bandaid, not a solution. Considering the amount of money we're blowing on these bandaids right now, I think a new approach wouldn't break the bank.

This whole 'the homeless issue is caused by a lack of affordable housing,' in my opinion, is complete BS. Anyone with some sense and hope would move elsewhere or find a temporary situation until the hardship passes. The ones on the street, screaming to who knows what, are drug addicts, alcoholics, and mentally ill. They need rehab and mental health treatment in a secure facility until they get clean and show the ability to return to a normal life. They're at rock bottom, they need someone to intervene for their own health and safety. They also, in my opinion, don't need to be cared for in the most expensive city in the country. Go build them a facility out of a warehouse in West Oakland or something or out in the boonies.

Maybe that's cruel? IDK, I think treatment so they can have a normal life is better than pooing on the sidewalk outside a tent?

If that's your plan then you should get your law degree and start working towards getting a seat on the Supreme Court because the courts have repeatedly ruled that you can't arrest people without probable cause and you can only detain the mentally ill long enough to evaluate them and determine if they are an immediate threat to themselves or others and I doubt if they will change those opinions because "likealady" has her own idea of how this should be handled.

The police can't just willy nilly run around arresting people and shipping them off to warehouses in West Oakland. The homeless do not have to prove that they are clean in order to walk down the same street as you do, nor do they have to return to a 'normal life'. If the City provides enough shelter beds the homeless can be banned from camping in public or erecting tents,until that happens you will just have to deal with them sleeping on the street.

[CorporateCowboy]

It’s not about ‘arresting’ the mentally ill. It’s about treatment (and the ongoing battle concerning ‘forced treatment’ vs. ‘civil rights’) in getting them off the streets.

[likealady]

First off, you need to not take things so literally. No need for personal attacks Cowboy.

I am speaking to both mentally ill and criminals, but just plainly chose to use the word 'arrested' even though it's not the correct word for both instances. I have seen homeless people shoplift. I've heard stories of dog-napping. I'm sure some of the people on the street do have criminal offenses. The Seattle Is Dying documentary spoke to many being repeat offenders of assault.

[likealady]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

I doubt if they will change those opinions because "likealady" has her own idea of how this should be handled.

UH, DUH. I have no desire to work in politics, despite the fact that I think it desperately needs some honest, smart and logical people. The Bay Area's issues are its own doing. They continually vote for more money to be thrown at this issue without anyone really checking if it's working. The people here are stupid, IMHO. They vote against their own quality of life. Not my problem anymore. I'm sitting here on the sidelines with my bowl of popcorn and will continue to watch it all go up in flames until the day I move away. SF will continue to lose tourist moolah, conferences, etc, but I doubt they will ever wake up.

[CorporateCowboy]

Originally Posted by likealady

First off, you need to not take things so literally. No need for personal attacks Cowboy.

I am speaking to both mentally ill and criminals, but just plainly chose to use the word 'arrested' even though it's not the correct word for both instances.

I didn’t attack you - simply said IF that is what you got out of my posts, you were wrong.

[BT312]

The answer is quite easy:

1. Establish a program that requires a substantial percentage of untrained labor on government bid projects be given to homeless, impoverished, etc. (“the economic disadvantaged”).
2. Require that 20% of all wages earned by the economic disadvantaged be put into a mandatory government savings account.
3. Build large-scale subsidized government housing outside of city boundaries.
4. Offer the subsidized housing at-cost or only slightly higher than at-cost, but significantly lower than market rates.
5. Allow the economic disadvantaged to apply their mandatory savings to the purchase of subsidized housing.
6. Attach strict terms and conditions to the occupancy of government housing, such as no drug use, mandatory employment, no subletting, maximum occupancy per unit requirements. Violations carry steep penalties.

Boom. Solved.