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> That would assume that the homeless were caused by / came from Irving. Something can be your responsibility even if it's not your fault. Particular people wi

> That would assume that the homeless were caused by / came from Irving. Something can be your responsibility even if it's not your fault. Particular people with particular problems is a local issue. Particular tent cities hurting particular parks or businesses is also a local issue. Go ask a local social worker or police officer. They know everyone on a first name basis. They just don't have anywhere to go with their information. > Problem is nobody wants them, yet no one will enact policies that will solve the problem. So instead of shifting responsibility in one way or another, local governments and communities need to organize more around these issues. It's true that it's a huge problem, arguably one that will never get solved completely, but the local governments need to start by getting the word out about the particular needs they have: studies, funding, legal frameworks, training, coordination systems, etc. This is the kind of targeted Medicaid expansion that should be discussed, especially since mental health is in the news so much these days.

chrischen 9y ago
If Irving absorbs the cost of it, then other communities will simply keep sending their homeless. The problem will never be solved this way unless it's pushed back to its source. > So instead of shifting responsibility in one way or another, local governments and communities need to organize more around these issues. That's exactly what happened. Other communities shifted responsibility to Irving. By doing nothing, they are continuing to skirt responsibility. You're not going to get anywhere by forcing or shaming whatever current community is to shoulder the whole problem. For all you know, the encampments got there because of some initial sympathy and homeless-forward policies, and now you think it'd be fair to punish them for having shown some compassion?
- humanrebar 9y ago
  I'm saying local governments are the best equipped to solve the problem and drive reform. > The problem will never be solved this way unless it's pushed back to its source. Well, the problem is that people have mental illness. That shouldn't be a federal issue, and tackling the problem state by state has the same "source of the problem" issue you're concerned about. The sanest solution and the sanest reform starts local. The legal changes and funding models should probably be state or national. But we don't get there until we expect our local government to be responsible instead of plaintive.

chrischen 9y ago

If Irving absorbs the cost of it, then other communities will simply keep sending their homeless. The problem will never be solved this way unless it's pushed back to its source. > So instead of shifting responsibility in one way or another, local governments and communities need to organize more around these issues. That's exactly what happened. Other communities shifted responsibility to Irving. By doing nothing, they are continuing to skirt responsibility. You're not going to get anywhere by forcing or shaming whatever current community is to shoulder the whole problem. For all you know, the encampments got there because of some initial sympathy and homeless-forward policies, and now you think it'd be fair to punish them for having shown some compassion?

humanrebar 9y ago
I'm saying local governments are the best equipped to solve the problem and drive reform. > The problem will never be solved this way unless it's pushed back to its source. Well, the problem is that people have mental illness. That shouldn't be a federal issue, and tackling the problem state by state has the same "source of the problem" issue you're concerned about. The sanest solution and the sanest reform starts local. The legal changes and funding models should probably be state or national. But we don't get there until we expect our local government to be responsible instead of plaintive.