https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/4724...ess-crisis

More expert policy fails and another example of Obama trying to deal with symptoms instead of the root cause:

"...Housing First is an approach launched under President George W. Bush and dramatically expanded into a one-size-fits-all policy under President Obama. It provides those experiencing homelessness with subsidized housing with no expectations. Under this approach, nonprofits requiring their clients to abide by accountability measures, such as pursuing sobriety or attending regular job training classes, are barred from receiving state and federal grants....

Utah, which was once lauded by Housing First advocates, initially reported reducing its homeless population by 91 percent between 2005 and 2015­. But a recent report from the state’s Legislative Auditor General found that number was based on flawed data that falsely inflated the decrease in homelessness. To add insult to injury, the homeless population in Utah has nearly doubled since 2016....

Nearly 75 percent of unsheltered people in the United States struggle with substance abuse disorders. Giving them a roof over their head without expecting them to address the root causes of their homelessness robs them of their inherent dignity and the opportunity to reach their full potential. Secretary Carson has a unique opportunity to lead the nation in solving the growing homelessness crisis. His first step should be reforming HUD’s Housing First policy and embracing innovative programs that put people first by expecting more of them than mere survival."

I would add that many of those 75% and a lot of the remaining 25% have mental health issues.

(12-03-2019 09:37 AM)bullet Wrote:  https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/4724...ess-crisis

More expert policy fails and another example of Obama trying to deal with symptoms instead of the root cause:

"...Housing First is an approach launched under President George W. Bush and dramatically expanded into a one-size-fits-all policy under President Obama. It provides those experiencing homelessness with subsidized housing with no expectations. Under this approach, nonprofits requiring their clients to abide by accountability measures, such as pursuing sobriety or attending regular job training classes, are barred from receiving state and federal grants....

Utah, which was once lauded by Housing First advocates, initially reported reducing its homeless population by 91 percent between 2005 and 2015­. But a recent report from the state’s Legislative Auditor General found that number was based on flawed data that falsely inflated the decrease in homelessness. To add insult to injury, the homeless population in Utah has nearly doubled since 2016....

Nearly 75 percent of unsheltered people in the United States struggle with substance abuse disorders. Giving them a roof over their head without expecting them to address the root causes of their homelessness robs them of their inherent dignity and the opportunity to reach their full potential. Secretary Carson has a unique opportunity to lead the nation in solving the growing homelessness crisis. His first step should be reforming HUD’s Housing First policy and embracing innovative programs that put people first by expecting more of them than mere survival."

I would add that many of those 75% and a lot of the remaining 25% have mental health issues.

it's been a failed 'state' from LBJ's great society to Nixon's carnage with the war on drugs....

the rest only walked 'stock in step'....they were all fk'n clueless how to combat the real issues...

I've watched it happen during my existence on this strata....

#puppiesThatGoWoofWoof

Spot on.

We talked about this in the thread on LA building those ridiculous storage container structures. My wife and I have been volunteering and donating in LA/Orange County homeless communities for 15 years. The number of homeless folks suffering from substance abuse and/or mental illness is closer to 90% here. This is not a guess - I can't find a link right now but this number is from published studies. The very small fraction of able-bodied but unlucky homeless certainly could benefit from a roof and support to get back on their feet but for the vastly larger community, providing storage containers to live in, or, at the opposite end of the spectrum, punishing them, is never going to fix this. Treatment is the first and foremost need. Unfortunately, we have neither the facilities nor the will to build them.