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I think people angry about squatters are thinking that squatters are squatting for political reasons, because for people angry about squatters, this is a politi

I think people angry about squatters are thinking that squatters are squatting for political reasons, because for people angry about squatters, this is a political issue. For squatters, this isn't primarily a political issue, it's primarily a survival issue. Squatting in the summer house of a CEO does solve your survival need for shelter, but it leaves a bunch of your other survival needs unmet because you're far away from, for example, grocery stores, and don't have the resources that the CEO has to have staff deliver and prepare your food. So I'd guess that's why squatters aren't targeting these properties. The narrative that squatters are being disingenuous about their political beliefs because they squat the wrong homes is really just a tool to paint squatters as disingenuous political activists. The reality is that while squatters might hold political beliefs, few people would choose to squat if they had other housing options. It's not a secure housing situation. Most squatters are squatting out of necessity not political motivations.

thegrim33 2y ago
> The reality is that while squatters might hold political beliefs, few people would choose to squat if they had other housing options Here in Seattle, time and time again, studies are done which show the majority of homeless, when offered shelter, turn it down and prefer to live on the streets. Which seems to completely contradict your claim that they would make use of housing options. Maybe Seattle homeless are different than your homeless. I don't know why that'd be the case. The same people with the same political ideologies blame the cause of it on the same things, in both places, at least. https://komonews.com/news/project-seattle/many-homeless-people-decline-shelter-offers-by-city-of-seattle-report-finds https://komonews.com/news/project-seattle/many-homeless-peop... https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-city-council-wants-data-on-why-people-experiencing-homelessness-reject-shelter-homeless-king-county-washington-street-region-policy-tammy-morales-human-services-public-meeting-offers-michael-bailey https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-city-council-wants-d... https://www.seattlepi.com/homeless_in_seattle/article/A-lot-of-homeless-people-the-city-refers-to-14504490.php https://www.seattlepi.com/homeless_in_seattle/article/A-lot-...
- kerkeslager 2y ago
  > > The reality is that while squatters might hold political beliefs, few people would choose to squat if they had other housing options > Here in Seattle, time and time again, studies are done which show the majority of homeless, when offered shelter, turn it down and prefer to live on the streets. Which seems to completely contradict your claim that they would make use of housing options. Shelters aren't homes. Can they store their things there and reasonably expect they won't be stolen? Can they have pets? Can they have privacy? Would you stay in a homeless shelter? I mean, come on. The fact that anyone at all says yes to staying in these places shows just how bad staying on the streets is.
- MrJohz 2y ago
  Interestingly, they've found the opposite effect in a number of places in Europe, which suggests that the Seattle homeless population really are quite different, or that there's something odd in how these sorts of policies are being implemented in Seattle. I suspect the latter: you're talking about temporary shelter accommodation, but the policy of Housing First is to give homeless people permanent flats and houses of their own. I can understand why people would not be interested in the former but would accept the latter. See for example: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_First https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_First https://thebetter.news/housing-first-finland-homelessness/ https://thebetter.news/housing-first-finland-homelessness/
  - kjkjadksj 2y ago
    There’s also the fact that compared to Europe, you can do quite a bit of hard drugs in public in Seattle and not really have a cop go after you over it. This also precludes shelters, since accepting the offer of shelter probably means accepting withdraw symptoms as well since you aren’t allowed to do drugs there.
- petre 2y ago
  Maybe the shelter comes with strings attached, like no booze on the premisses. This is a nonstarter for people living on the street where they can freely drink booze.
jjav 2y ago
> So I'd guess that's why squatters aren't targeting these properties. The primary reason they won't target homes of the rich or well connected is because they can afford to be in areas with private security that will make any squatting attempts a complete non-starter. Thus squatters can only harm the middle class homeowner who can't afford such protection measures.

thegrim33 2y ago

> The reality is that while squatters might hold political beliefs, few people would choose to squat if they had other housing options Here in Seattle, time and time again, studies are done which show the majority of homeless, when offered shelter, turn it down and prefer to live on the streets. Which seems to completely contradict your claim that they would make use of housing options. Maybe Seattle homeless are different than your homeless. I don't know why that'd be the case. The same people with the same political ideologies blame the cause of it on the same things, in both places, at least. https://komonews.com/news/project-seattle/many-homeless-people-decline-shelter-offers-by-city-of-seattle-report-finds https://komonews.com/news/project-seattle/many-homeless-peop... https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-city-council-wants-data-on-why-people-experiencing-homelessness-reject-shelter-homeless-king-county-washington-street-region-policy-tammy-morales-human-services-public-meeting-offers-michael-bailey https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-city-council-wants-d... https://www.seattlepi.com/homeless_in_seattle/article/A-lot-of-homeless-people-the-city-refers-to-14504490.php https://www.seattlepi.com/homeless_in_seattle/article/A-lot-...

kerkeslager 2y ago
> > The reality is that while squatters might hold political beliefs, few people would choose to squat if they had other housing options > Here in Seattle, time and time again, studies are done which show the majority of homeless, when offered shelter, turn it down and prefer to live on the streets. Which seems to completely contradict your claim that they would make use of housing options. Shelters aren't homes. Can they store their things there and reasonably expect they won't be stolen? Can they have pets? Can they have privacy? Would you stay in a homeless shelter? I mean, come on. The fact that anyone at all says yes to staying in these places shows just how bad staying on the streets is.
MrJohz 2y ago
Interestingly, they've found the opposite effect in a number of places in Europe, which suggests that the Seattle homeless population really are quite different, or that there's something odd in how these sorts of policies are being implemented in Seattle. I suspect the latter: you're talking about temporary shelter accommodation, but the policy of Housing First is to give homeless people permanent flats and houses of their own. I can understand why people would not be interested in the former but would accept the latter. See for example: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_First https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_First https://thebetter.news/housing-first-finland-homelessness/ https://thebetter.news/housing-first-finland-homelessness/
- kjkjadksj 2y ago
  There’s also the fact that compared to Europe, you can do quite a bit of hard drugs in public in Seattle and not really have a cop go after you over it. This also precludes shelters, since accepting the offer of shelter probably means accepting withdraw symptoms as well since you aren’t allowed to do drugs there.
petre 2y ago
Maybe the shelter comes with strings attached, like no booze on the premisses. This is a nonstarter for people living on the street where they can freely drink booze.

jjav 2y ago

> So I'd guess that's why squatters aren't targeting these properties. The primary reason they won't target homes of the rich or well connected is because they can afford to be in areas with private security that will make any squatting attempts a complete non-starter. Thus squatters can only harm the middle class homeowner who can't afford such protection measures.