5 ms·
It's also important to note that SF is already a destination for homeless people from other cities in the US. In some cases that's by choice; in others it's be
by fredkbloggs 11y ago
It's also important to note that SF is already a destination for homeless people from other cities in the US. In some cases that's by choice; in others it's because the local authorities send them there simply to get rid of them (several noteworthy stories have come up just within the past few years). So it's quite likely that such a system would serve primarily to foist the cost of homelessness in other cities onto the citizens of SF, where, ironically, it's most expensive to address. If I were a citizen of SF, this would be my primary objection to such a plan. It's not clear how to prevent this kind of abuse in a fair manner.
This aspect was not mentioned in the article. Perhaps Medicine Hat is viewed as a less desirable place to live than, say, Vancouver, and therefore this hasn't been an issue. It's also possible that the Canadian legal system is more effective at preventing this kind of inter-provincial abuse.
- bayesianhorse 11y agoHomeless people prefer to go to bigger cities and frequent areas where they can beg for money or scavenge trash. So yes, small communities tend to not have many of them. The trick with San Francisco, if the city chose to try it, would be to find housing in commuting distance which is cheaper. Such housing wouldn't necessarily need to be in San Francisco, especially if these people don't have work or other ties there...
- Kalium 11y agoGetting homeless people to accept housing that's any useful distance from where they panhandle or scavenge trash ranges from incredibly difficult to functionally impossible. Which is to say that no, the homeless aren't likely to accept free housing in Walnut Creek. Not if their living patterns center on Van Ness.
- bayesianhorse 11y agoI'm not saying San Francisco should try that. But if they were to try it, they should coordinate their services. I also think the idea behind this housing is that the previously homeless people are encouraged to find new ways of living, and have it easier to stop drinking and get a job. Or start on medication, get treatment for PTSD etc.
- Kalium 11y agoIt's a good idea. The intentions are laudable. The basic problem is that you're asking people who are extremely risk-averse to take what they will see as huge risks with lifestyle change.
- duskwuff 11y ago> In some cases that's by choice; in others it's because the local authorities send them there simply to get rid of them (several noteworthy stories have come up just within the past few years). By way of example, Las Vegas had a standing policy of "discharging" mental patients by giving them one-way bus tickets to California cities: http://www.sacbee.com/news/investigations/nevada-patient-busing/article2577189.html http://www.sacbee.com/news/investigations/nevada-patient-bus...