Here's a question .. Why so many homeless people in Seattle? (Vancouver: coupons, buy)

[electroprince]

Any answers? I don't think it's even as bad as NY. But I can't stand being hassled for money all the time. I'm empathetic, but it's annoying and one thing I really don't miss moving back ..

[JesseJB]

Many reasons:

1. Large city with limited tourist throughfares (Pike-Pine-Broadway) where homeless concentrate to panhandle.

2. The suburbs made being a bum illegal, so they all came here.

3. We have good social programs so they come from all over the country to use them up.

4. Lack of shelters and housing.

5. Mild weather.

6. Gullible "nice" population with guilt to alleve through panhandler donations.

7. Threats of lawsuits keep lawmaking bodies from being able to regulate antisocial behavior.

8. We're on the freewheelin' West Coast.

[electroprince]

That's a pretty good list. I just hate getting guilt tripped. I'm living on a tight budget myself so I couldn't see myself giving money to every bleedin' person. I'd be homeless too.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

I think No. 6 is the top reason.

[electroprince]

Originally Posted by HandsUpThumbsDown

I think No. 6 is the top reason.

Yeah .. I think I agree.
I don't mean to judge anyone, but I see a lot of young perfectly able people homeless begging me, another young person, for money. Now of course I wouldn't give anyone who looks young and capable my hard earned money ..

They sit in front of grocery stores (like QFC in cap hill) for example, begging you for hand outs right as you get out after grocery shopping. It really pisses me off and I think it's so rude.

It's just a culture shock for me at first always because back where I live, nothing of the sort happens, and the homeless people would generally leave you alone. At least a lot more than in Seattle. They don't sit right outside of food stores harassing you, it's a rare sight.

I also saw a young couple with a baby downtown asking "support our family" ... sitting on the streets. Okay like I said I don't mean to judge ... I'm sorry, I'm just one of those people who believe in hard work and pushing yourself to get a job especially if you're a young man who needs to support their family.

Anyway, it really pisses me off. I can understand some of the old people with mental problems and etc, and I can understand some young homeless if they were also mentally ill & etc... but most that I've seen seem perfectly capable of working like everyone else. I don't like getting guilt tripped by lazy looking people.
Another thought.. some young people voluntarily choose to be homeless.

/end rant

[jertheber]

I know people like to rant but in this case it's a little over the top. Go about your business and don't worry about the panhandlers, it's a city thing, every large city has there share of them. Seattle, Portland and the Bay area are large metroplexes with a decent climate most of the year. Florida in the winter has loads of bums down from the northern states, as does Texas. People are going to do what they do, including senseless ranting over things they can't change.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by jertheber

I know people like to rant but in this case it's a little over the top. Go about your business and don't worry about the panhandlers, it's a city thing, every large city has there share of them. Seattle, Portland and the Bay area are large metroplexes with a decent climate most of the year. Florida in the winter has loads of bums down from the northern states, as does Texas. People are going to do what they do, including senseless ranting over things they can't change.

Have you been here before?

Every time I have out-of-state guests, that is the one thing that captures all their attention: The panhandlers here are intrusive/aggressive. Even the guests that are from the big cities in the East Coast and Chicago remarked about it. Its odd to them.

[HuskyDawg]

It's all the folks who moved here after being told on this forum that Seattle isn't that expensive.

[godhead]

Originally Posted by Inkpoe

Have you been here before?
Even the guests that are from the big cities in the East Coast and Chicago remarked about it. Its odd to them.

whaaaa?
Those guests must live in cozy little bubbles 'cause I've seen plenty o' panhandlers from NYC to WA DC. Agressive too.
Try telling some crackhead to quit washing your windshield at a stoplight back east.



I already give what I can to charity.
I have no guilt about saying no to panhandlers.
btw-Whatever happened to that program on Capitol Hill, you could buy chits or coupons that were good for food but not cigarettes or alcohol?

[movingwiththewind]

Originally Posted by godhead

whaaaa?
Those guests must live in cozy little bubbles 'cause I've seen plenty o' panhandlers from NYC to WA DC. Agressive too.

Cozy little bubbles? I don't know what you're talking about. I'm from NYC and never experienced this problem in NYC. Every time I'm in Seattle, I'm shocked how bad this problem is there. It seems, in Seattle, bums / homeless basically own downtown / belltown. They are all over the place.

A friend from Vancouver, BC recently visited Seattle for the first time. She went to Pike Place market, among other places in downtown. She told me, she was shocked by the amount of "crazies" and bums in Seattle. She felt scared by the aggressive appearance of those people. Yes, everybody knows about downtown Eastside in Vancouver, but the area is limited to just a couple of blocks. In Seattle, bums and street kids are basically everywhere! Not saying those folks are dangerous, but they are definitely annoying. And they are everywhere you go. They should at least mind their own business, like everybody else, instead of bothering people.

Don't tell me this problem exists everywhere. But it's definitely a problem in Seattle.