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> Long-term public support for the entire population, even the inconveniently vulnerable and expensive part of the population, is the only solution. Ok, what w

> Long-term public support for the entire population, even the inconveniently vulnerable and expensive part of the population, is the only solution. Ok, what will you do about the people who actively refuse to accept that support? We are talking about non-rational, mentally ill, addicted people. You can't just offer support. If that worked, this problem would not exist.

munk-a 4y ago
When shelter is offered without any strings attached it is almost never refused by homeless persons. Some people have developed serious trust issues with government authorities after decades of abuses but if the housing is presented as a thing they control it is almost universally accepted. The problem is that shelter is always offered with strings attached - you need to be actively seeking employment, you need to listen to our sermons, you can't use if you accept the housing, you can only sleep here for three nights then we need the bed for someone else. If SF built some new high-rises and offered every homeless person a condo free of charge that they will personally own after some amount of occupancy you'd pretty much solve homelessness and put a significant dent in mental health issues overnight.
- pandaman 4y ago
  >If SF built some new high-rises and offered every homeless person a condo free of charge that they will personally own after some amount of occupancy you'd pretty much solve homelessness and put a significant dent in mental health issues overnight. And if that does not happen you can always say that some strings were attached after all: the requirement to pay utility bills, the requirement to dispose of trash, the requirement not to have open fire and/or chemical labs inside, the requirement not to assault neighbors and passersby etc. etc. After all there are always some "strings" required to live in the society and even more of those when you require that the society provides you with everything you need for nothing in return.

munk-a 4y ago

When shelter is offered without any strings attached it is almost never refused by homeless persons. Some people have developed serious trust issues with government authorities after decades of abuses but if the housing is presented as a thing they control it is almost universally accepted. The problem is that shelter is always offered with strings attached - you need to be actively seeking employment, you need to listen to our sermons, you can't use if you accept the housing, you can only sleep here for three nights then we need the bed for someone else. If SF built some new high-rises and offered every homeless person a condo free of charge that they will personally own after some amount of occupancy you'd pretty much solve homelessness and put a significant dent in mental health issues overnight.

pandaman 4y ago
>If SF built some new high-rises and offered every homeless person a condo free of charge that they will personally own after some amount of occupancy you'd pretty much solve homelessness and put a significant dent in mental health issues overnight. And if that does not happen you can always say that some strings were attached after all: the requirement to pay utility bills, the requirement to dispose of trash, the requirement not to have open fire and/or chemical labs inside, the requirement not to assault neighbors and passersby etc. etc. After all there are always some "strings" required to live in the society and even more of those when you require that the society provides you with everything you need for nothing in return.