I have an idea on how to address poverty and homelessness?

Question

I would take the idea of the shelter and expand on it. A clean well lighted place where anyone could go and get a free bed and food. No drinking, drugs, or weapons and well policed.
Anyone can stay aslong as they want but not many who could get jobs, etc would want to.

I would then eliminate section 8 housing, projects, food stamps, and the huge beaurocracies that surround them. And I would save a ton of money.

What say you?

Answer 1

They have a pilot program similar to what you mentioned in Washington State and it is saving tens of thousands of dollars the only difference is that they allow residents to consume alcohol do not police the place and I am sure some do drugs .

This might be a better alternative for people and you could have to places for people those who have children would be in an alcohol well policed shelter while the other adults would have a place that was more open .

The project saves tax dollars by reducing medical needs of the homeless drunks and keeps them out of prison at a cost well below the cost to house them in jail . Trouble is no one seems to like the idea unless they try and force the drunks to clean up and fly right defeating the purpose of saving money in the first place because they will not live in such a place .


The alcohol and drugs mean more then anything to them and offering them a place to stay does save around $18,000 a year per homeless person .
Between medical needs and jail they spend around $22,000. now .

Answer 2

I wouldn't say that eliminates poverty but homelessness yes. As long as mental problems exist, and people that are born who can't compete against society for one reason or another we will always have poverty in America. If we did something to help the weak, and mentally sick that would be a different story. It's the weak and mentally ill who fall victim to capitalism.

There are millions of people in deep poverty in America who get ZERO welfare assistance (ya gotta have an address for that didn't ya know.)

I'd also say the root cause is mental illness and not education. No amount of education will help these people. Also the sheer ignorance of poverty in America helps to perpetuate the problem, educating people on poverty rates, where its at, whos effected, would be a good start. Most people don't even know we help less people with welfare than we've ever had since it's inception.

Answer 3

The first part--absolutely. Its not dissimilar to the programs promised by conservatives in the 1970's along with their "urban renewal" projects--except they broke their word to create such services.

The rest-you need to work on it a bit.
Section 8 needs to be dumped--but we need some kind of low-income housing as wellas your expanded shelter idea. But it needs to be in line with what you seem to be driving at--as a way of helping people get to the point of self support, not a place to warehouse people rather than help them.

Ditto fod stamps. But--these programs need drastic reform--and you are right on the button about getting rid of the bureaucratic superstructure. Administration is one thing--these pyramids of office drones and red tape are ridiculous.

But--you also missed two key points. Keep in mind I'm taking your idea and running with it on the basis of solving poverty by creating a way out for those who can make it, given a chance.
1) we do need public health care (again drastic refroms, and for the same reasons): many of these people are in bad shape physically and mentally. Before they can function productively, you gotta get them healthy enough to do that.
2)Job training. This is a msut. Not all homeless/poor lack job skills--but most do. This is the BIG area where our "social safety net" has historically fallen flat on its face. Yet its so simple--"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to fish and you feed him for life."

Answer 4

Well, for starters, homelessness is not a strictly urban problem so you'd have to construct these facilities in all areas of the country. How do you transport people to them? What about the dislocation from whatever support is available where they are now? And what about whole families under the same roof as displaced mental patients (who make up a sizable percentage of the homeless)?

Hardest of all, where do you build these places? As in, "Not in MY neighborhood!".

But you're thinking, instead of the usual demagogaury around here.

Answer 5

the only best group of homeless all and sundry is the mentally ill. If someone is mentally extra healthful you ought to wander what they have executed to get all and sundry they comprehend to no longer supply them a assisting hand while they are down. while you're prepared to paintings you do no longer develop into homeless (different than quickly). agencies exist which will step in and supply human beings a hand while mandatory.

Answer 6

I think section 8 is a good idea but the homeless shelter is a good idea, if you take away the drinking and drugs, i don't see why anyone couldn't find a job somewhere

Answer 7

Sounds good, how do you sell it?

Is your shelter publically financed or privately financed?

Just saw a report this morning that 13 out of 25 private military charities received an "F" grade on donations, by using less than 30% of the money raised for actual charatable work.

So private charities are just as inept and/or corrupt as the publically financed system.

Answer 8

I'd say do some volunteer work at a homeless shelter and wake up before you have such silly thoughts

FYI, drinking, drugs, weapons arent allowed already

Answer 9

I'd say that if welfare went away tomorrow, you'd see a lot of people suddenly finding jobs. Even if it is something like McDonald's, it is better than sitting around living off of my tax dollars. They would all be better for it, too. The only thing sweeter than earning your paycheck is being allowed to keep it.

Answer 10

I say take the BILLIONS we waste on free money to welfare recipients and homeless shelters, and pump that into adult educational programs and job placement. Those willing to LEARN and to WORK for a living will get government assistance. Those who CHOSE NOT TO don't get anything. And why should they?