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As somebody who grew up in the area, Iowa City has a near-nil homelessness problem.
by gnarlouse 11mo ago
As somebody who grew up in the area, Iowa City has a near-nil homelessness problem.
- bluGill 11mo agoI live just down the road in des moines and there is a homeless problem. It is mostly out of sight but it is there.
- echelon 11mo agoIt's 23 deg F in Iowa City in a few days. It's not even winter yet. I think this has everything to do with it. Meanwhile it's 70 deg F here in Atlanta. California and Florida have even warmer temps.
- mmooss 11mo agoWhat is your point? The assumed demonization of people because they lack homes is a false assumption. I've spent plenty of time around people who apparently lack housing (I don't ask), including on public transit. I don't find they behave better or worse than others, on average.
- olalonde 11mo agoHomeless people have higher rates of substance and mental-health issues, and, unsurprisingly, less access to showers and laundry facilities.
- nobody9999 11mo ago>Homeless people have higher rates of substance and mental-health issues, and, unsurprisingly, less access to showers and laundry facilities. As someone who was homeless (for less than a year, thankfully!), my experience was that many people with nowhere to go (myself included) become incredibly despondent that they have no roof, no shower, no place to keep (let alone wash) their clothes and turn to drugs as a way of (temporarily) ameliorating their suffering. Those with mental health issues often can't hold a job as they're suffering from debilitating mental illness (duh!) and those with no place to shower or keep clean clothes have a hard time getting, keeping jobs too. The latter group mostly just needs the opportunity to present themselves for job inquiries bathed, reasonably well rested and in clean clothes. The former group needs the same plus mental health services including supervision and treatment. Don't forget that more than half of Americans are an unexpected $600 emergency away from being unable to pay for food, rent, utilities, etc. But most folks ignore that and instead just want them gone. They don't care where -- in jail -- in another city -- just as long as they don't have to look at them. It's disgusting.
- mmooss 11mo ago> less access to showers and laundry facilities. Really, the land of the free is going to enforce showering laws? If our standard for freedom is that low, I'd lock up all the people spreading fear - they do far more damage.
- olalonde 11mo agoI didn't suggest that. I was only addressing the question of whether "they behave better or worse than others, on average," and the evidence clearly leans toward "worse."
- gnarlouse 11mo agoHonestly, I’m not sure I have one.