Why can't America house its homeless?

Question

With all of its wealth, land and billions being given out for year-end bonuses, why can't America create homes for its homeless. Why does anyone in America outside of the drug addicted or mentally instable go without food or shelter?

Answer 1

we had a homeless mission here where I live and it stayed full most of the time but it shut the doors because it couldn't get enough help from the local businesses and people to keep the place going..nobody would help financially or donate food...It got no govt support either. We have a salvation army..it's only for men. I lived in another city and their mission was only for men..I had a child and was told I was out of luck unless I wanted to move to the next city (3 hours).. There are programs like section. 8 but they ae always out of money and won't accept new applications..It took me 3 years with a small child to get accepted and housed. The problem with Sec.t 8..Landlords won't take it.. Sect 8 is so DAM- picky..everything has to be PERFECT..(VERY PERFECT) or they won't pay..they are a pain in the azz..landlords don't want to deal with them...too much hassle..there are plenty of apts and plenty of homeless that should have a place to live but the govt goes in and tells the landlords they have to do $100 worth of stupid little repairs just to rent Sect. 8..for $400..they can turn around and rent to someone off sect. 8 for $500 and not do the repairs.

Answer 2

What does your Country do? You never said...

Except the drug addicted and mentally instable this makes up most of the homeless out there in the streets in America!
A young person who is staying with friends this is not being homeless (someone on the boards today was saying this) this is being young.
As a kid I traveled around in my pic up and seen a few states, I did not consider myself homeless at all! I was free and could do what ever I wanted. Working farm jobs or picking fruit for cash. This is being young.

There are some who are truly homeless, down and out and just needing a hand. Others are FREE. Free to come and go. More people need to talk to these people, just say hi and start talking with them. The conversation will lead to "why do you not have a place tonight".
Some just got out of jail and there family do not want them around. Some like to ride the trains (yes these people are still out there). Some go south where it is warmer. others are children who's home life is better on the streets. Shoot such as a couple up in Seattle Washington who had sent there kids to college by being professional pan handlers. Some of these of course are those who want to be free and see America.
I can tell of stories where I had put up people who had no where else to go...Or bought food for those that were hungry out of my own pocket.
Otherwise there are shelters,the government has put up many in low cost housing. There is the food stamps, medical, welfare. There will always be a "homeless" problem in a society as big as ours. Some wanted some not wanted.

So you did not say what country you are from and what your country does for the homeless? If you are an American what are you doing? Have you bought a meal for someone? Have you housed someone? Have you given your money to someone? Given cloths to someone who was in need? Pointing a figure is easy to do, but one needs to turn that hand around with that extended finger....

Answer 3

I believe the question is not why America can't but, why America won't house the homeless or hasn't housed the homeless. In my opinion, America can house the homeless just as much as it can help those who are suffering outside of America, but those who are in power have decided to ignore the situation for awhile as opposed to taking action on the matter. I believe there is enough money in the world so that everyone on the face of the Earth could have food, shelter clothing and the other essential of life (note mansions, new cars, manicures and "bling" are not essentials). The problem is that there is a very small fraction of the American population that holds the majority of the money. Likewise, there is a small percentage of the world population that has the majority of the money.

Answer 4

We actually do house our homeless. There is the Salvation Army, and other shelters that the homeless are aware of. In my community there is a state fair grounds that is used during the summer, in the winter when it is cold, those same stables are opened for the homeless to get shelter and warmth during the night. There are training programs set up to educate the homeless so they can seek employment and not become homeless anymore. Within that same agency, they provide interview training and interview clothes, an apartment to live in for a short period of time while they get on their feet. Some homeless abuse the system and choose not to better their lives, thus burdening society. Our country may have 'allot of money', but look how many places, agencies, programs, causes that money goes to. I don't go to Donald Trump or Bill Gates and say, "Look how much money you have, send some my way" They are wealthy, but are doing other valuing things with their money, it's not for me to ask. Be careful of what you read of a country. There is a phrase that goes " I'll only believe a small percent of what 'they' say about you if you (in turn) will only believe a small percent of what others say about me. ".

Answer 5

As much as we hate to hear it, some people prefer to be homeless. The man you see on the corner may have at one point in time been a very successful CEO of a large company but it fell under and he lost everything. His wife could have divorced him and won custody of his kids and he may prefer that sort of life to null out any pain.

Also, America is too busy worrying about other problems. To the government I guess it's more important whether or not abortion and stem cell research should be legal or not and what we should do about Iran and the current war in Iraq. You have to look at what type of people are running our country. (And no, I'm not trying to make this out to be a "lets bash the president" responce.)

Answer 6

there's a difference between a criminal appropriate to housing, a Consitutional appropriate to housing, and a ethical appropriate to housing. Legally, till a state legislature or Congress enacts a statute that a technique or the different creates one in each of those regulation (and appropriates sufficient money to pay for it), there is no criminal appropriate to housing. this can no longer happen. could it happen? i do no longer think of so - that undermines the entire concept-approximately a loose marketplace economy. That reported, emergency shelters are, of path, useful and good supplies for individuals who discover themselves and not utilizing a house, to help them get decrease back on their ft. there is no assure of housing interior the form. A Constitutional modification giving this appropriate is extremely unlikely. Morally, i think of that folk could help those in choose for while they're able to realize this. i don't have faith this may be a needed governmental function although. Charitable agencies such by using fact the pink bypass do an remarkable pastime of offering assistance to people in disaster circumstances. this way of corporation is worth of all of our help.

Answer 7

Well, a lot of people who are homeless got that way because of mental reasons drugs or alcohal. Some just don't want to work and think they will just get money off begging instead of working. So sure it would nice to help them but you can't always feel so sorry for them.

Answer 8

A-Lack of affordable housing. I see ads for houses in the low 120's. Is that supposed to be a joke?
B- If you have a house that is not your primary residence (you rent to someone else) It's taxed at a higher rate. Primary residence at 4% and rental property at 6%, here in South Carolina. The landlord is not going to be nice and absorb this cost. He's going to charge enough rent to cover it.
C-Blanket aide. If you have children and no job, you get rent assistance, foodstamps, and child care. Then you get a job, probably at 6/hour and you lose ALL your help. People can't afford to work. Social workers need to make individual evaluations in giving aid. Maybe raise their rent, but keep the daycare intact.
D-education opportunities. No one can collect rent assistance while they're in school. There is financial aide, but it barely covers tuition. If you don't have a strong support system, you can't meet living expences while you're in college.

The systems we have in place do not help people to improve themselves.

Answer 9

Our money builds homes for the poor Israelis but will not for our own. FIVE billion dollars per year aid to Israel could solve quite a bit of the homeless problems.

It is a policy issue.

Answer 10

By far and away most of the homeless in this country are mentally ill or addicts. When Reagan was president he was ordered by a federal judge to release all non violent mental patients. Our number of homeless in this country sky rocketed.