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'“People should not be going to jail for possessing or using drugs,” Wiener told the Guardian. “It’s a health issue, not a criminal issue, and I hope that we ge

'“People should not be going to jail for possessing or using drugs,” Wiener told the Guardian. “It’s a health issue, not a criminal issue, and I hope that we get all the way there.” Unfortunately California's homeless population is absolutely exploding in size, and many of the tent dwellers are openly being dealt (decriminalized) and using drugs of all types. This is not a viable social situation for anyone.

to1y 6y ago
The difference is they will be using the same substances but potentially much more harmful and you will have more people needlessly in prison. I don't see the positive to your argument.
- olivermarks 6y ago
  There is no positive. It's a massive humanitarian crisis. Half the US homeless are in California, which spends 13 billion a year with no measurement, goals, metrics or evidence of positive results. Add in the opioid crisis, economic depression and housing shortages and you have a squalid pressure cooker of tents , crime and sanitation dangers.
redis_mlc 6y ago
> Unfortunately California's homeless population is absolutely exploding in size There's an interview on Youtube with a former police officer from either Portland or Seattle who was asked what percentage of homeless people that he talked to were on drugs, and he answered, "100%." It's important to understand that, since it increases the difficulty of responding to this issue - almost none of those people are ready to transition back to a job for a normal life. I don't have strong feelings on legalization either way, but note that mentally ill people self-medicating are in a different category than recreational users. Bipolar alcoholics are lucky to make it to 55 yo, so something to consider.
imtringued 6y ago
If you want to make sure there are no homeless people then you simply give everyone a home. Shelters don't count because they are designed for homeless people. If you are in a shelter you are homeless, if you are not homeless you aren't in a shelter.
- olivermarks 6y ago
  How would 'simply give everyone a home' work? California is the most expensive real estate in America. The state is spending 13 billion a year on triaging itinerants, many of whom refuse sobriety rules that may put them on the path to free housing. There is a giant homeless industrial complex siphoning out money intended for the homeless on management, top price union labor to modify motels bought with tax payer funds at way over valuation price that will 'house' a few dozen people in former hotel rooms. What would you do to house anyone who wants a home?

to1y 6y ago

The difference is they will be using the same substances but potentially much more harmful and you will have more people needlessly in prison. I don't see the positive to your argument.

olivermarks 6y ago
There is no positive. It's a massive humanitarian crisis. Half the US homeless are in California, which spends 13 billion a year with no measurement, goals, metrics or evidence of positive results. Add in the opioid crisis, economic depression and housing shortages and you have a squalid pressure cooker of tents , crime and sanitation dangers.

redis_mlc 6y ago

> Unfortunately California's homeless population is absolutely exploding in size There's an interview on Youtube with a former police officer from either Portland or Seattle who was asked what percentage of homeless people that he talked to were on drugs, and he answered, "100%." It's important to understand that, since it increases the difficulty of responding to this issue - almost none of those people are ready to transition back to a job for a normal life. I don't have strong feelings on legalization either way, but note that mentally ill people self-medicating are in a different category than recreational users. Bipolar alcoholics are lucky to make it to 55 yo, so something to consider.

imtringued 6y ago

If you want to make sure there are no homeless people then you simply give everyone a home. Shelters don't count because they are designed for homeless people. If you are in a shelter you are homeless, if you are not homeless you aren't in a shelter.

olivermarks 6y ago
How would 'simply give everyone a home' work? California is the most expensive real estate in America. The state is spending 13 billion a year on triaging itinerants, many of whom refuse sobriety rules that may put them on the path to free housing. There is a giant homeless industrial complex siphoning out money intended for the homeless on management, top price union labor to modify motels bought with tax payer funds at way over valuation price that will 'house' a few dozen people in former hotel rooms. What would you do to house anyone who wants a home?