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Each city in the US has a unique homelessness problem. Relevant blog [1]. The most relevant distinction is between tech-cities that HN audiences live in (SF, Se

by screye 4y ago

Each city in the US has a unique homelessness problem. Relevant blog [1]. The most relevant distinction is between tech-cities that HN audiences live in (SF, Seattle) vs the success stories mentioned in this article (Atlanta, Houston). See the graphs here, credit to Dynomight: [2] Atlanta and Houston were dealing with high number of 'mentally healthy and sober' homeless. They were ripe for rehousing, and the project was a relative success. DO NOT EXTEND THESE INTUITIONS TO YOUR TECH CITY. Seattle and SF have seen an alarmingly high base/growth of mentally unhealthy homeless with substance abuse issues. Houston's solutions will not work here. There is reason a that residents of NYC do not complain about their homeless populations as much. They are overwhelmingly sheltered and able [3]. On the other hand, Seattle resident complain more about the sub-human interactions (property crime, harassment, flashing, open defecation) caused by for which the proportionally-larger mentally-ill/addicted population. Guess which city had an anomalous jump in meth consumption over a couple of years. It's Seattle [4] Drugs and mental health are at the center of the homelessness, crime, urban fallout and lack of safety in west coast tech cities. It is a hard problem with no good solutions, but ""compassion"" and abolition are certainly not it. The safety of 'mentally healthy and sober' homeless can only be ensured through the Institutionalization (institutional care or forced social isolation) of the mentally ill and drug addicted. Homeless shelters, social welfare workers and protection from police harassment are good learnings to pick from other cities. However, Seattle and SF should also consider reopening psychiatric hospitals, forcing mandatory rehab and unfortunately imprisoning repeat violent offenders who refuse care. Some might call it inhumane. But, it provides rehabilitation for those willing to seek care, it provides safety for those who've 'fallen on hard times' and makes the difficult decision to socially-isolate the small but dangerous minority within them. If you have a better solution, I am all ears. Last but not the least, NIMBYism is selfish. It is okay to be selfish. But do not claim to fight injustices, for then you'd be a hypocrite. It is not okay to be hypocrite.[5] [1] https://dynomight.net/homeless-crisis/ https://dynomight.net/homeless-crisis/ [2] https://imgur.com/a/KNbgDHr https://imgur.com/a/KNbgDHr [3] https://dynomight.net/img/homeless-crisis/coc/NY-New%20York%20City.svg https://dynomight.net/img/homeless-crisis/coc/NY-New%20York%... [4] https://dynomight.net/img/homeless-crisis/coc/NY-New%20York%20City.svg https://dynomight.net/img/homeless-crisis/coc/NY-New%20York%... (sauce : https://dynomight.net/p2p-meth/ https://dynomight.net/p2p-meth/) [5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljaP2etvDc4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljaP2etvDc4 (RIP)

wfhordie 4y ago
> Some might call it inhumane. But, it provides rehabilitation for those willing to seek care, it provides safety for those who've 'fallen on hard times' and makes the difficult decision to socially-isolate the small but dangerous minority within them. Quoting you for emphasis. The “compassionate” version of addressing homelessness by Seattle and SF is anything but. Put another way: if I were mentally ill, homeless, and endangering myself and others on the street… I wouldn’t want to be left to my own devices, to OD. I’d hope that someone in my life would step up and actually help me through it, even when that help was hard, even when it meant putting me in an uncomfortable place like institutionalization. Anything else feels cruel.
analyte123 4y ago
The general state of public order is the distinction here. While drugs and some minor property crimes are essentially decriminalized in Houston, assault is not. Vagrancy is tolerated unlike in rich suburbs, but harassment is not widely tolerated. And if someone were to assault you, you would be generally free to slug him in the face or shoot him, depending on the degree of force he used.

by screye 4y ago

wfhordie 4y ago

> Some might call it inhumane. But, it provides rehabilitation for those willing to seek care, it provides safety for those who've 'fallen on hard times' and makes the difficult decision to socially-isolate the small but dangerous minority within them. Quoting you for emphasis. The “compassionate” version of addressing homelessness by Seattle and SF is anything but. Put another way: if I were mentally ill, homeless, and endangering myself and others on the street… I wouldn’t want to be left to my own devices, to OD. I’d hope that someone in my life would step up and actually help me through it, even when that help was hard, even when it meant putting me in an uncomfortable place like institutionalization. Anything else feels cruel.

analyte123 4y ago

The general state of public order is the distinction here. While drugs and some minor property crimes are essentially decriminalized in Houston, assault is not. Vagrancy is tolerated unlike in rich suburbs, but harassment is not widely tolerated. And if someone were to assault you, you would be generally free to slug him in the face or shoot him, depending on the degree of force he used.