Found: the Root cause of Homelessness

[Dancing David]

Hi there!

At a recent town meeting I once gaian got to hear an explanation for the cause of homelessness. HOMELESS SHELTERS.
The reason we have homeless people is because we have homeless shelters, isn't that cool! Now all we have to do is close all the homeless shelters and there won't be any more undomiciled individuals.

Common facts:
70% of homeless individuals at men's emergency shelters ahave a major mental illness.
The average age for homeless individuals is 9.
Children comprise 75% of homeless individuals.


Thanks!

Peace
danccing david

 

[Baggle]

I would have no problem with making a family support, etc center in my town to give a place to stay and get a hot meal to homeless families. Nothing too comfortable, but a bed and a meal.

However, David, have you ever been to San Francisco? That is why I don't want homeless shelters in my town. It is a becon for the homeless, most of whom are seriously mentally ill.

Maybe it's time for gov. mental hospitals to return...I am not sure. I understand that these people need SOMEWHERE to go, but I don't want them roaming the streets in my town. I really dislike walking down the streets of SF and being constantly accosted by individuals begging for change. Maybe that's cold blooded, but....

-Baggle

 

[Guest]

Hi there!

At a recent town meeting I once gaian got to hear an explanation for the cause of homelessness. HOMELESS SHELTERS.
The reason we have homeless people is because we have homeless shelters, isn't that cool! Now all we have to do is close all the homeless shelters and there won't be any more undomiciled individuals.

Common facts:
70% of homeless individuals at men's emergency shelters ahave a major mental illness.
The average age for homeless individuals is 9.
Children comprise 75% of homeless individuals.


Thanks!

Peace
danccing david

I'm am curious as to the source of your "common facts."

 

[Tony]

I would have no problem with making a family support, etc center in my town to give a place to stay and get a hot meal to homeless families. Nothing too comfortable, but a bed and a meal.

However, David, have you ever been to San Francisco? That is why I don't want homeless shelters in my town. It is a becon for the homeless, most of whom are seriously mentally ill.

Maybe it's time for gov. mental hospitals to return...I am not sure. I understand that these people need SOMEWHERE to go, but I don't want them roaming the streets in my town. I really dislike walking down the streets of SF and being constantly accosted by individuals begging for change. Maybe that's cold blooded, but....

-Baggle

So san francisco is like a western New orleans? Charming.

 

[Dancing David]

And I thought santa Monica was the Home of the Homeless, soory I live just south of the great while north in central midwest. Why would being homeless or low income preclude geographic location, that is the american dream.

Luke: I will research and get back to you! The mental illness thing is common in the mental health field, the kids thing I think comes from the National Coalition for the Homeless. I be getting back to you.

Peace
dancing David

 

[Dancing David]

Luke T: I belive NAMI is the source on the mental illness and the National Coalition of the Homeless is the source for the others.

While I agree with the goals not all may agree with thier methodology.

Peace
dancing David

 

[Samus]

I think you asked the wrong question. Homeless shelters causing homelessness seems irrational. "Let me quit my job and abandon my apartment so I can live in a shelter!"

What I think you're driving at is "Do homeless shelters help perpetuate homelessness?" Does having a shelter make an individual less likely to stop being homeless?

I have no source for my statistics, but last I heard a lot of homeless folks have drug problems or mental illnesses. At the very least, you can say a percentage x of homeless people fall into one of those two categories.

For that x%, having some type of free food/housing source is really their only option, especially for the mentally ill. Those with drug addictions can (in theory) be rehabilitated and sent back into the working world. Does anyone have any statistics apropos to the success rate of such programs?

Homelessness is a tough problem to tackle. Some have just lost hope, some have addictions, some don't want to be helped, etc. Government is clumsy at best when trying to "fix" this problem. I don't have an answer, but I know allowing unconditional access to free government services like shelters, etc. without ever rehabilitating is not the right course of action.

In that respect, I'd say homeless shelters can perpetuate homelessness, but only amongst those who were probably going to stay homeless anyway.

 

[Dancing David]

dwb: Nice post!

In my experience most homeless shelters have a 'length of stay' and during that time the resident is required to get a job and save some money. Unfortunately in my area most drug rehab has a wait list of two months.

Also in my experince many panhandlers are actually domiciled , it is just thier way of making money!(Anecdotal,personal)

When it comes to homelessness I really feel that we drop the ball on children, how many young women and men have to turn to protitution because thier mom/dad is abusive? Why is it in this great country of ours that we just trun our backs on all the kids who families drive them away? They are homelss too.

Peace
dancing david