what's your opinion on the homeless situation in america?

Question

after all we are one of the richest countries in the world,and it seems ridiculous to have this problem.

Answer 1

"Homelessness" is hyped only when a Republican is in the White House. Homelessness is a political football with the "homeless" the pawns in the game.

It is a problem that is easily dealt with by faith based organizations like the Union Gospel Mission of Seattle and affiliated outreach missions.

The so-called homeless advocacy groups enable the mentally ill, the alcoholics and drug addicts to live on the streets in an attempt to make law abiding, clean and sober citizens feel bad.

Many of the so-called homeless CHOOSE to live on the streets where they don't have to live by the rules of normal society. These homeless by choice people leach off society. They don't want to work. They panhandle for drug and booze money. If you offer them anything but cash they refuse it!

The bonifide "down and outer" is rare and will seek out honest help from a rescue mission.

Homelessness has been politicized and romanticized too much.

The drug addicts, alcoholics and mentally ill need to get off the streets it is true. They need to be in institutions where they can get the help they need. They do not need to be pandered to for other's political gain.

Answer 2

I think it is absolutely shameful. I used to live between a mission and a homeless shelter. I learned that most people in that part of California who are homeless have jobs and don't have dependency issues. They simply didn't make enough money to afford the very expensive rent. To get into transitional housing, they had to be in a shelter. Most of the shelters had waiting lists to get in, and then limited your stay to 7-90 days, depending on the shelter. The average wait time to get into transitional housing was nearly two years. After two years you loose your transitional housing but the average wait time for Section 8 housing assistance was at least two years.

I made friends with a lot of these homeless folks. The ones that had mental issues usually went without treatment as they couldn't get into a program without an address. The ones with dependency issues couldn't get into a program until they were 'clean'. The women without children simply didn't have any shelters but one - with 12 beds. The women with children were also in very bad shape. By the time I left that area, I had provided shelter for literally dozens of 'stable' homeless folks over the years. I am pleased to say that I DID make a difference. Out of all the people who stayed with my family in that time, only two disappointed me and went back to the streets.

We need more shelters, less strict intake rules and more emergency/temporary facilities with longer term stays involved. This is a major issue in some areas and should be addressed. Unfortunately, this takes compassion and a commitment from the community; two things sorely lacking in modern American society, it would seem.

~Morg~

PS. Because of where I lived, I was once mistaken for a prostitute while walking to the train station and was offered a cheeseburger and fries in exchange for 'favors'. I maced the jerk. Taking advantage of hungry, desperate women. Shameful.

Answer 3

When (US govt) closed the mental asylums in the name of kindness (read: greed), a huge number of persons who were & are incapable of caring for themselves, the number of homeless skyrocketed.

I think it's a tragedy and morally indefensible.

To paraphrase Lewis Thomas, A society can be judged by how it treats its least beloved, its most disadvanted--its mad. As things stand now we must judge ourselves a poor lot and it's time we mended our ways. [not politically correct, but plain spoken, by a true humanitarian]

The number of homeless persons is huge making it all the more unlikely that we will, by legislation, really try to remedy the problem--the cost would be great.

The very idea of mental asylums disturbs me, but for those who can't take care of themselves and some who endanger others as well as themselves, what else is there?

The severely mentally ill are too often despised by those in whose neighborhoods they live, and the severely mentally ill (from what I've read) want to be let back in to the asylums in which they were relatively safe and not so despised.

I think we should reopen homes for the insane and those too mentally ill to cope on their own and make the homes/asylums far better than they were.

I see no way this tragic problem could be addressed except by legislation.

As for those homeless for other reasons, I have as much compassion, but no idea what to do except increase and improve our social servives.

The USA is a rich nation. We should do better! The very fact that we have homeless should shame us.

Excellent Question. Thanks for raising it!

note: I have a cousin by marriage who is schizophrennic and mentally retarded. He has been attacked several times (that I'm aware of) by men outraged at his socially unacceptable behaviour--of which he's unaware). One time he was beaten up so severely that he ended up in ICU. How these men could beat up one so small and weak *and* obviously psychotic .... Well, I'm glad I never learned who they were, because if I had, I'd be in prison for assault&battery.

Answer 4

I believe there are many homeless. I also believe there are many who live in squalor. (Some have chosen this lifestyle. The majority haven't.
It depends on what party is in office as to how many homeless there are.(that they want to admit)
Celebrities both Hollywood and sports and CEO's and ANYONE who makes in the 6 figures or more and don't help the homeless in this country should be ashamed.
I know many do help substantially.
However are we all helping in some way? think on that.

Answer 5

Most of our wealth, however is held be a very small number of people. And we are too concerned with our Big Screen TVs and SUVs to worry about the homeless person we just stepped over while carrying our TV home from the store.

One caveat. No sympathy for the drugged out homeless that got there because of their addictions. They brought THAT stuff on themselves. It's not like the perils of drug abuse are a big mystery today.

I know. Lets round up the homeless, and feed them to the hungry. Kill two birds with one stone.

Answer 6

I think a good percentage of homeless are mentally ill and the lack of a functioning healthcare system prevents many of them from getting the help they need. The other half is that so many able people are eating up social service funds instead of working and taking care of themselves, some people that end up in a pinch end up slipping through the cracks. Then the same tax paying family members end up taking them in. It's a sad situation and I think, fixable if we had more honest, selfless people politically in this country.

Answer 7

If I were rich, I'd hire all the homeless and unemployed on a contract to include lodgeing, food, medical and training for a project to build new cities that would protect all life as we know it from the heat and disaray that coming. Also set-up farming to grow food, 24 hours a day for all.

Answer 8

I have been working for a homeless shelter for years now and I can honestly say the problem is definately not getting any better.

Answer 9

I think it's stupid to have homeless people. We should be finding these people homes, and jobs. Not just leaving them be to fend for theirselves.

Answer 10

It is ridiculous, but many Americans think that equal opportunity actualy exists and that poverty and homelessness are mainly caused by laziness. As a result, we are one of the richest countries with one of the worst welfare systems.

A perfect example of why Americans are viewed as stupid.