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I don't see how having homeless people everywhere in LA and SF is related to whether they have a functional legislature. Is there some law that California cou

I don't see how having homeless people everywhere in LA and SF is related to whether they have a functional legislature. Is there some law that California could pass to solve homelessness and they're just too dysfunctional to do so?

starik36 2y ago
If the legislature focused on passing thoughtful laws and not feel good nonsense designed to appease their base, we might get somewhere. But specifically to homelessness, obviously no easy solutions since the problem has been allowed to go from bad to worse and more. But how about enforcing existing laws. The governor made a big deal about enforcing the law about clearing out the homeless from under the freeway bridges and some other public places, where it was getting out of hand. The media came, he had his publicity shot, the cops cleared out the homeless. Mission accomplished... and a week later, the homeless are back. This is a specific example of feel good nonsense with zero follow through. But the main problem is the endless funding for the homeless problem. In LA alone, the state has spent $6.5 billion in the last 10 years (number has been increasing over the years). This means, every year there is roughly $650 million to be doled out between businesses, local governments, activists, etc... Given that more homelessness results in more money to all these organizations, you would be hard pressed to ask them to actually solve the problem that feeds them. This problem is on the legislature.
- consumer451 2y ago
  Can you give an example of a set of laws that would solve homelessness?
  - mullingitover 2y ago
    Short term emergency solution: Take the massive amount money that's being used in a wildly inefficient manner on token permanent supportive housing projects and instead shelter 100% of people on the street. Treat it as an emergency on par with Covid and target 90 days to get everyone off the street. Enforce bans on street camping 100% after shelter is guaranteed statewide. Long term: Amend the state constitution to defang the California Environmental Quality Act and the Coastal Commission with regard to new housing development - Amend the state constitution to punitively remove local zoning privileges for 10 years on the first offense, permanently on the second, for any region that fails to have its housing element plan approved.
  - dfadsadsf 2y ago
    [flagged]
    - autoexec 2y ago
      > Make being homeless illegal I'm not sure if stuffing innocent people, including children, into prisons is a great idea. > take people off the streets into shelters (prison-like) with strict policies (no drugs/no alcohol) outside of population centers. What's the point of a no drug/alcohol policy? That violates the rights of Americans and we've already made our stance on prohibition pretty clear. What happens if someone has a glass of wine? Do they get kicked out of their shelter and become homeless again? That's illegal. If you're so keen on taking people's freedom away why not just throw everyone in prison to start with? What does "outside of population centers" mean? That the prison/shelters should be away from where jobs are that would allow people to get back on their feet? That only people outside of population centers should be put in a prison/shelter? > Deport all non-citizens who do not positively prove that they have unsubsidized housing where they can live. Why not just deport all non-citizens who aren't here legally no matter what their housing situation is like? Any non-citizens here legally who find themselves homeless should have the same chance as anyone else to get back on their feet. I think a better solution would be to prevent non-US citizens from owning any kind of property used for housing in the state. Ensure that the owners of residential single family homes are actually occupying their property and not just renting it out to tourists. Prevent any corporation from owning a residential home in the state (although they can own apartment complexes). Implement a "use it or lose it" policy where companies who leave their overpriced apartment complexes more than 30% unoccupied lose their entire property to the state who will turn the whole thing into low rent housing. Companies who want to keep their empty apartment complexes will be forced to lower the price of rent until they are filled. Increase the availability of free child care, drug treatment, and mental health care services, as well as job placement, food assistance, and other support for those seeking help so that people get back on their feet more quickly.
- WalterBright 2y ago
  If you subsidize a problem, the problem will increase in size.
- amanaplanacanal 2y ago
  Clearing the homeless from underpasses doesn’t make homelessness go away, it just removes it from your sight. What laws do you think they should pass that would actually address the problem?
- JKCalhoun 2y ago
  > But how about enforcing existing laws. My sense (and I lived in the Bay Area for 27 years) is that it is because they have never worked.
- autoexec 2y ago
  > The media came, he had his publicity shot, the cops cleared out the homeless. Mission accomplished... and a week later, the homeless are back. It's almost as if removing them didn't solve their homelessness. If you ignore the actual problem and only make a lazy effort to address the most visible symptom of the problem being ignored than it's not really surprising when the symptom returns.
refurb 2y ago
CA has a notoriously dysfunctional legislature, doubly so due to the Democratic super majority in place that means any legislature the Democrat party wants would sail through without a hint of opposition. Look at the no fee law that conveniently exempted all restaurants for example. It's abundantly clear the legislature doesn't have the average voter in mind when it comes to the work it does.

starik36 2y ago

If the legislature focused on passing thoughtful laws and not feel good nonsense designed to appease their base, we might get somewhere. But specifically to homelessness, obviously no easy solutions since the problem has been allowed to go from bad to worse and more. But how about enforcing existing laws. The governor made a big deal about enforcing the law about clearing out the homeless from under the freeway bridges and some other public places, where it was getting out of hand. The media came, he had his publicity shot, the cops cleared out the homeless. Mission accomplished... and a week later, the homeless are back. This is a specific example of feel good nonsense with zero follow through. But the main problem is the endless funding for the homeless problem. In LA alone, the state has spent $6.5 billion in the last 10 years (number has been increasing over the years). This means, every year there is roughly $650 million to be doled out between businesses, local governments, activists, etc... Given that more homelessness results in more money to all these organizations, you would be hard pressed to ask them to actually solve the problem that feeds them. This problem is on the legislature.

consumer451 2y ago
Can you give an example of a set of laws that would solve homelessness?
- mullingitover 2y ago
  Short term emergency solution: Take the massive amount money that's being used in a wildly inefficient manner on token permanent supportive housing projects and instead shelter 100% of people on the street. Treat it as an emergency on par with Covid and target 90 days to get everyone off the street. Enforce bans on street camping 100% after shelter is guaranteed statewide. Long term: Amend the state constitution to defang the California Environmental Quality Act and the Coastal Commission with regard to new housing development - Amend the state constitution to punitively remove local zoning privileges for 10 years on the first offense, permanently on the second, for any region that fails to have its housing element plan approved.
- dfadsadsf 2y ago
  [flagged]
  - autoexec 2y ago
    > Make being homeless illegal I'm not sure if stuffing innocent people, including children, into prisons is a great idea. > take people off the streets into shelters (prison-like) with strict policies (no drugs/no alcohol) outside of population centers. What's the point of a no drug/alcohol policy? That violates the rights of Americans and we've already made our stance on prohibition pretty clear. What happens if someone has a glass of wine? Do they get kicked out of their shelter and become homeless again? That's illegal. If you're so keen on taking people's freedom away why not just throw everyone in prison to start with? What does "outside of population centers" mean? That the prison/shelters should be away from where jobs are that would allow people to get back on their feet? That only people outside of population centers should be put in a prison/shelter? > Deport all non-citizens who do not positively prove that they have unsubsidized housing where they can live. Why not just deport all non-citizens who aren't here legally no matter what their housing situation is like? Any non-citizens here legally who find themselves homeless should have the same chance as anyone else to get back on their feet. I think a better solution would be to prevent non-US citizens from owning any kind of property used for housing in the state. Ensure that the owners of residential single family homes are actually occupying their property and not just renting it out to tourists. Prevent any corporation from owning a residential home in the state (although they can own apartment complexes). Implement a "use it or lose it" policy where companies who leave their overpriced apartment complexes more than 30% unoccupied lose their entire property to the state who will turn the whole thing into low rent housing. Companies who want to keep their empty apartment complexes will be forced to lower the price of rent until they are filled. Increase the availability of free child care, drug treatment, and mental health care services, as well as job placement, food assistance, and other support for those seeking help so that people get back on their feet more quickly.
WalterBright 2y ago
If you subsidize a problem, the problem will increase in size.
amanaplanacanal 2y ago
Clearing the homeless from underpasses doesn’t make homelessness go away, it just removes it from your sight. What laws do you think they should pass that would actually address the problem?
JKCalhoun 2y ago
> But how about enforcing existing laws. My sense (and I lived in the Bay Area for 27 years) is that it is because they have never worked.
autoexec 2y ago
> The media came, he had his publicity shot, the cops cleared out the homeless. Mission accomplished... and a week later, the homeless are back. It's almost as if removing them didn't solve their homelessness. If you ignore the actual problem and only make a lazy effort to address the most visible symptom of the problem being ignored than it's not really surprising when the symptom returns.

refurb 2y ago

CA has a notoriously dysfunctional legislature, doubly so due to the Democratic super majority in place that means any legislature the Democrat party wants would sail through without a hint of opposition. Look at the no fee law that conveniently exempted all restaurants for example. It's abundantly clear the legislature doesn't have the average voter in mind when it comes to the work it does.