3 ms·
> Many of them refuse treatment or can't abide by the rules of the house, so they get kicked out. > While millions of people here are painfully poor and have a
by gedy 9y ago
> Many of them refuse treatment or can't abide by the rules of the house, so they get kicked out.
> While millions of people here are painfully poor and have almost nothing, they almost all have somewhere to live.
I think these are the two key points. Many countries allow and tolerate slums and cheap, DIY housing that people own or 'own'. The US has not tolerated slums in 100 years, and the past 50 years has really tightened the regulations on the quality, safety and 'DIY-ness' of housing.
The poor get funneled into 'free' housing, but as gov't programs these are not owned and do not tolerate breaking the rules. Especially by the tax payers who fund them.
Not sure I see a quick solution as each of these are reasonable on their own. I do think cheap, 'ugly' housing owned and maintained by the low income ends up better than most gov't housing projects in the US.
- latchkey 9y agoYou make a really good point about the slums. I spent 4 hours yesterday motorbike driving around and exploring District 8 in Saigon, which is a series of man made islands separated by water canals (sadly full of sewage and trash). Many of the homes near the water are illegal slums and could be torn down by the govt. at any time. Yet, from appearances, it looks like a long time since that has happened. I suspect they'd just rebuild anyway. Every legal house has a 'name book' that has the names of the people who live there in it. The really sad bit it is that no book means to no school for the kids who live there. Even with no school, no safe house to live, literally every one I saw was smiling and friendly. This is such a different planet from where I came from and I find my mind expanded every day I'm here.
- mschuster91 9y ago> Many countries allow and tolerate slums and cheap, DIY housing that people own or 'own'. The US has not tolerated slums in 100 years, and the past 50 years has really tightened the regulations on the quality, safety and 'DIY-ness' of housing. And with perfect reason: "slums" always end up being a hazardous environment. Fires, pests (due to trash and excrements being everywhere), streets too narrow for ambulances, susceptibility to wind or rainfall...
- ewqedwq 9y agoA more cynical reason is that Western states have three pillars of exploiting the middle class: Taxes, health insurance and housing costs. The cost of these redirect the value that a middle class person produces to protected interest groups like civil servants, the military industrial complex, doctors and landlords. It is vital for the system that everyone either has to pay a high rent or buy a house.