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My friends and I were discussing the homeless yesterday at our group

The one thing that frustates me the most is the fact that people don't want to do the cheapest thing possible for the homeless because they don't believe the homeless deserve a safe, secure home for free. Housing them is the cheapest answer to the tax payer, hands down.

I don't know what kind of home they think the homeless would get. It's not a McMansion, or even a 1,200 sq ft home with all the luxuries.

I also don't know why it matters to them if the homeless get something for free. They weren't helping them, so why do they care if someone else does?

I came up with a fairly rough idea of a way to help the homeless, using something that has already been done successfully.

Get a plot of land that no one wants. A real clunker of a parcel that's been on the market forever. That way, it's obvious, no one wants it.

Set up tiny homes that can house 1 person. If you have a family, then a small mobile home. Tiny homes range from 450 sq ft to 900 sq ft. You can put a few on a fairly decent sized parcel.

Make a community garden that they can attend to while going through any rehab and/or therapy they need.

They can live for free while attending the rehab/therapy so they can get themselves stable.

Once they are ready to move from that, they are given donated clothes for job interviews. Now that they have a physical address, they can actually get a job.

Once they have a job, they must save a portion of their income and pay a modest rent. The rest is for them to enjoy things with.

Once they save up enough for their own apartment, they can move out and on with their lives. The time and rent spent during this time becomes a reference for them to get an apartment.

Yes, there will be failures. Yes there will be people who "take advantage". That's life. All well. Who cares?

Giving people a chance is more important than worrying about someone getting something for free, someone taking advantage of a situation, or unable to beat their demons. If you spend your time worried about what other people are getting that you aren't really makes you the bad person.
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Mellowgirl · 31-35, F
I hear what you're saying. And I do think if we can get the homeless off the streets it would be better for all of us. But I suppose without all the resources needed to clean them up of they have a drug habit, proper financial advice to help them understand how to manage their money to prevent debt, a training program for a job then you end up cultivating the same sort of behaviour within these homes especially if they're within close proximity to each other.

I have a neighbour who's got a local council home and she was prostituting out the property to support her drug addiction, she knew other homeless in the area and had allowed them to come to the property to make use of it, including storing stolen property, there's been various antisocial behaviours occuring here, like people using the communal gardens to shoot up and use it as a toilet.


She was taken into prison for a period of time, I can't say what for but it allowed for the residence to feel peace again. We watched the 20 bikes she had stored in the flat being cleared out, the smell, the roaches, the junk.

Only for her father who owns a local pub pay to keep the flat for her return.

She's returned and she's back to old tricks. We're just fed up. And in all honesty we've done all we can to get her out but here she is.

I wouldn't want this for anyone.

I don't pity her or her mates.
They seem happy enough loitering around in packs drinking their stolen alcohol, the crack head laugh is so distinctive and disturbing. But so we go on.

I was also conned a while back by a "homeless" and I decided that I wouldn't hand money over again like that.

If someone is desperately asking for help, looking to get any work that can be done off the books as a wah to try and rebuild their lives yes I would want them to be helped but these people seem like a lost cause.
FoxyQueen · 51-55, F
@Mellowgirl Well, one example isn't the whole and yeah, there are going to be people who can't get beyond what they know and who they know. That happens everywhere, not just with the homeless. That cycle is very hard to get out of as well. That is a different issue.

Vetting would be important. You want to make sure that those who want the help are able to accept it and all it entails.
Pretzel · 70-79, M
not a bad idea.

I just saw a Mysteries of the Museum episode where a mayor of one of the big cities - not sure but think it was Chicago in the 1890s

Anyway there was a big immigrant population and not enough jobs. People were hungry and it was a mess.

He took some city owned property, paid for gardening tools/seed out of his own pocket and let people grow veggies on the property.

Took some time but they had enough food to eat and sell.

One thing that might be needed in your scenario is mental health counseling - as a requirement. There's a lot of people out there with mental problem on top of everything else.

Before the 1970s a lot of people were put in mental hospitals - they weren't the best - but they were let out and that saw an increase in the homeless population. They were unemployable without medication.
Pretzel · 70-79, M
@FoxyQueen yeah, the sad part to me is that there are veterans with PTSD that aren't being cared for (among the other sad stories)

some people want to be free of belongings - but I suspect most of the people out there (some with families) would rather have a roof over theirhead.
Longpatrol · 31-35, M
@Pretzel I'm very disappointed with Trump for that particular aspect as well, for a nation who so values the military, the way he's treated the the VA is startling, and that servicemen who support him do not see the hypocrisy are too many
FoxyQueen · 51-55, F
@Longpatrol Many in the military don't want what they think of as "handouts" and are the core followers of the bootstrap method. Not to mention, many of them refuse to seek therapy because of the negative repercussions from the military for seeking help.

So when they see trump "being tough', it fits right in with their rugged individual syndrome.
exchrist · 36-40
Seems to be a wonderful proposal. I know of many abandoned parcels in the city nearest me. Some are wild areas most are simply burnt out lots. A few woodshed with an address would help move the nomads in our society into adulthood & employment. Maybe start an online petition in your area or a go fund me to start the first such endeavor? When it works it will catch on get coverage/media exposure and be recreated elsewhere. It’s a great idea! What part of the country are you in I’m in upstate New York
FoxyQueen · 51-55, F
@exchrist NW VA.
exchrist · 36-40
@FoxyQueen I’ve driven through there plenty of forest I’d like to see hobbit homes haha
Coralmist · 41-45, F
I love this idea. Something really needs to be done. We can spend millions if not billions on space exploration but not on our beloved people who do deserve a normal life???? They are in situations not only of *choosing* to do drugs, it's far more than that. Some have had exceptional trauma. And can't work. We need to help one another out , because it could be any of us.
Appreciate. Your thoughtful post🌷
Longpatrol · 31-35, M
@Coralmist I think I support billions on space exploration, what I cannot stand is the waste of trillions on the military, an inefficient cruel medical system tax breaks from corpos
SunshineGirl · 36-40, F
Some good ideas.

The attitudes you speak of are so frustrating. Funding decent public housing is far more cost efficient than tackling homelessness on the streets or keeping people in prisons or other institutions.

People have a right to question what their taxes are being used for. But homelessness is essentially a societal failure. If the state has to step in where the market, private charity, or family have failed, then there should be no complaint.

The lack of basic human compassion is worrying.
exchrist · 36-40
The “cheapest” answer to homelessness is tent cities or repurposing already existing probably abandoned structures to house the unsheltered. Housing is expensive and stressful. Neighbors are annoying utilities are expensive insurance costly maintenance purely aesthetic. Some people don’t want to be bothered. I don’t but I live with family. The “homeless” form communities of support amongst themselves. So what’s the problem?
exchrist · 36-40
@FoxyQueen the system hasn’t supported this approach. It might be best but military funding is the federal government’s only priority
FoxyQueen · 51-55, F
@exchrist Yeah, sadly our wasting tax money on things that don't benefit anyone but the rich, we haven't attempted this on scale. That is also because tax payers don't want to pay for it because we've become a nation of not wanting someone to get something that is helpful if everyone can't get it.

We are a selfish nation
exchrist · 36-40
@FoxyQueen agree! What will it take to overthrow all these corrupt politicians? The people are ready to implement solutions but the elected officials in government (holding the purse strings) only want to argue, do the same old, save face, and waste money helping other countries
EBSVC · 36-40, T
Understanding why people are so opposed to things like that, in a myriad on different scenarios, is one of the things I’m trying to understand the most

“Hatred of the poor” goes a long way. That idea is a lot more than just those three words. Lack of empathy is another. Hazing bias too, perhaps? It, like everything else, is a weather storm of bad ideas, insecurity, and selfishness.

There’s nothing to do about the people now, they’re a lost cause. But if we can figure out why it’s happened maybe we can teach our children to be better.

But yea, everything you said is right and it is a simple fix. Seems like everyone should be on board because that sounds like the kind of thing that would make a country pretty “great”, you know?
Matt85 · 36-40, M
it would great if all the money spinning was taken out of it. like if the house/flat was all paid off. i mean, what does rent actually pay for once the building is owned by someone? it's just a way to produce a constant source of income with no work and no product. i mean repairs and utilities i understand those need to be paid but i get the feeling we pay rent so they (whoever owns buildings) so they can pay their rent. or buy a 2nd yacht.
FoxyQueen · 51-55, F
@Matt85 it would pay for any utilities like water and electric and property taxes. Also, it would provide a history of payment for when they rent an apartment on their own.

Also it would shut up those complaining about someone getting something for free.

By modest, I'm thinking a couple $100, at most. This isn't a get rich venture. This is a helping people venture.
Thevy29 · 41-45, M
I can't be sure, But I think I remember reading about a Movie star who has started something very similar to this. It's definitely an idea every city should employ.
Longpatrol · 31-35, M
@Thevy29 I remember that too but when I tried googling it a lot of lip service folk came out. I feel like I know who you're talking about and they're genuine af
swirlie · 31-35
One of the problems with creating homes for the homeless is the same problem that arrises when creating food banks for the needy.

When I volunteered at a local Food Bank a few years ago, it wasn't ragged-looking people walking in off the street and asking for a ration of donated food, it was people pulling up to the door in their 2 year old cars, popping the trunk open and loading up because they had 5 kids waiting at HOME and Food Banks were a way of them saving money for their kid's college tuition, which they'd openly admit to us as we filled their cardboard boxes with free food.

That's why I quite volunteering my time at the Food Bank. Fukk that shitte.
swirlie · 31-35
@FoxyQueen
This is not about me Foxy, this is about you and you alone!

I responded to your original post with factual, self-observed information about the homeless and as well as those taking advantage of the homeless while pretending that they themselves were just as needy, but that wasn't good enough for you!

You want everyone to agree with your perception of reality and if they don't, then you'll dog them repeatedly in your feeble attempt to give validity to your story.

The time has come for you to grow up Foxy, because you've been around way too long to be acting like someone who is emotionally bankrupt.
FoxyQueen · 51-55, F
@swirlie I'm sorry you are so angry to hear anything that doesn't fit your disgruntled ideas. I hope you get the healing you need for whatever hurt you this bad that you get so angry at someone who lives their life differently than you and still chooses to see the good in people. I hope you can once more see the good too.

Have better life than you have now. You owe it to yourself.
This message was deleted by the author of the main post.
lilylovesgaming1986 · 36-40, F
So who is going to pay to clear this land and set it up for tiny houses. Who is going to pay for the up keep. Like mowing the water and electricity and taxes. What about the tiny houses who is going to pay to have them built. What about the rehab who is going to pay for that also
@lilylovesgaming1986 Nashville Tn, has 100 tiny houses setting in a parking lot. for all most two years, no place to put them, the land is too expensive,
give each homeless person one million dollars and a pass on a cruise ship, they would save money,
FoxyQueen · 51-55, F
@lilylovesgaming1986 Who pays for them to be imprisoned now? Which is far more expensive than housing them.

The tax payer. That's who pays currently up to $35,000 per homeless person in their area that only includes prison time.

I'd rather see that $35,000 to helping them back on their feet. $35,000 per person can do a lot of good, don't you think?
Monalisasmith86 · 41-45, F
Housing isn’t the cheapest answer you have to pay for the land and invest to find the land and funding somehow to build on the land or find an old used property to renovate all that costs in millions of dollars it isn’t free
FoxyQueen · 51-55, F
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