Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
#1
Account Closed
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...less-camp.html
I know we tend to joke about California and its issues, I did spend some time in Berkeley and think I drove through this area a long time ago, may have gone to the Home Depot.
It was a long time ago and the area was not wonderful then but is it really now as bad as the New York Times says?
I know we tend to joke about California and its issues, I did spend some time in Berkeley and think I drove through this area a long time ago, may have gone to the Home Depot.
It was a long time ago and the area was not wonderful then but is it really now as bad as the New York Times says?
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2012
Location: Cayman Islands
Posts: 4,998
Re: Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...less-camp.html
I know we tend to joke about California and its issues, I did spend some time in Berkeley and think I drove through this area a long time ago, may have gone to the Home Depot.
It was a long time ago and the area was not wonderful then but is it really now as bad as the New York Times says?
I know we tend to joke about California and its issues, I did spend some time in Berkeley and think I drove through this area a long time ago, may have gone to the Home Depot.
It was a long time ago and the area was not wonderful then but is it really now as bad as the New York Times says?
#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
Meanwhile Bay Area home prices, particularly in SF, are off the scale. Of course, there's a connection there. Combine that with the lack of a reasonable social safety net, and you've got a huge problem. Particularly poignant is that one of those featured is someone who lost their home and job in one of CA's wildfires and now is living in this encampment.
Last edited by Giantaxe; Dec 17th 2019 at 10:48 pm.
#4
I approved this message
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Chicago
Posts: 2,425
Re: Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
1960's era faddish, unscientific efforts to de-institutionalize mental health treatment without creating or funding any sort of reasonable alternative was a really bad idea. Similarly, criminalizing drug addiction instead of treating it like the public health issue it truly is was also a spectacularly bad idea. This is not a "poverty" issue, it's a metal health treatment and drug addiction treatment issue.
Last edited by Hiro11; Dec 18th 2019 at 3:09 am.
#5
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
Meanwhile Bay Area home prices, particularly in SF, are off the scale. Of course, there's a connection there. Combine that with the lack of a reasonable social safety net, and you've got a huge problem. Particularly poignant is that one of those featured is someone who lost their home and job in one of CA's wildfires and now is living in this encampment.
The wait list for social housing is so long there is no way the government can fund and build enough to meet demand.
We are going on 5 years on the wait list, we are lucky that we have housing but we only do due to help from MIL otherwise we would potentially be in a tent city.
Plus all the car dwellers and such who are homeless but less visible.
Doesnt seem to be any city along the west coast that doesnt have some level of a homeless and housing problems.
#6
Account Closed
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
A few people from that area have said that they have voted for substantial tax increases but very little has been done to help, if anything the situation gets worse.
#7
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2017
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 455
Re: Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
People need services and the money funds them, but it's a self-sustaining problem which just can't be fixed with ever larger increases in funding.
It's incredibly difficult to help people that don't want to be helped, or in some cases are mentally ill to the extent that they don't know they actually need help, and I don't think the State is necessarily in a position to obtain guardianship over people and force assistance on them.,
I don't have any answers either, but it's incredibly complex.
#8
Account Closed
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
Well as I was told and I do not have first hand experience, they tax increases were sold as a solution to the issue.
#9
I approved this message
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Chicago
Posts: 2,425
Re: Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
Again, this is not a poverty issue. It has nothing to do with the high price of real estate in California. The vast majority of homeless people are not able-bodied folks who are down on their luck, they are mentally ill and/or drug addicted. Local policies in certain municipalities have encouraged migration and / or perpetuation of homelessness in those areas. Read more here:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michael.../#4983b67c5a61
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michael.../#4983b67c5a61
#10
Account Closed
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
I have come across 4 people in Colorado I know by name who are living or have lived in their vehicle. In this situation there are bound to be some but maybe not many.
#11
Re: Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
Again, this is not a poverty issue. It has nothing to do with the high price of real estate in California. The vast majority of homeless people are not able-bodied folks who are down on their luck, they are mentally ill and/or drug addicted. Local policies in certain municipalities have encouraged migration and / or perpetuation of homelessness in those areas. Read more here:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michael.../#4983b67c5a61
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michael.../#4983b67c5a61
I work with people relocating to Austin. So many relocating from Bay Area due to high housing costs - and these are people working in tech, with v good salaries that would struggle to afford a home in SF, that are looking at 1.5hours commute each way even on v good salaries.
I'm beginnign to see the housing costs rise ++ in Austin now. It's scary. House prices in certain areas +15-20% in the last year. Apartments $1800+ for a 1 bed just outside downtown. $2.5K downtown.
#12
Re: Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
I'm calling BS on this.
I work with people relocating to Austin. So many relocating from Bay Area due to high housing costs - and these are people working in tech, with v good salaries that would struggle to afford a home in SF, that are looking at 1.5hours commute each way even on v good salaries.
I'm beginnign to see the housing costs rise ++ in Austin now. It's scary. House prices in certain areas +15-20% in the last year. Apartments $1800+ for a 1 bed just outside downtown. $2.5K downtown.
I work with people relocating to Austin. So many relocating from Bay Area due to high housing costs - and these are people working in tech, with v good salaries that would struggle to afford a home in SF, that are looking at 1.5hours commute each way even on v good salaries.
I'm beginnign to see the housing costs rise ++ in Austin now. It's scary. House prices in certain areas +15-20% in the last year. Apartments $1800+ for a 1 bed just outside downtown. $2.5K downtown.
#13
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
I would think the homeless most affected by housing costs are the working homeless, and those who have a disability and have disability income but said income is too low to pay for housing so they end up homeless, of course these groups make up a smaller % of the homeless and tend to be less visible especially the working homeless.
The mentally ill who receive little assistance or the addicts with no income are not really affected by housing costs they can't afford anything, its those who have a meager income most affected, even here if you can make 50,000 at least you can survive and do okay, under that and its tough, under 30,000 a year and its near impossible.
The mentally ill who receive little assistance or the addicts with no income are not really affected by housing costs they can't afford anything, its those who have a meager income most affected, even here if you can make 50,000 at least you can survive and do okay, under that and its tough, under 30,000 a year and its near impossible.
#14
Re: Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
It's a mix of poverty and mental health not just one or the other, even Oakland is starting the process of gentrification.
#15
Re: Among the Worlds Most Dire Paces: This California Homeless Camp
It's easy to be poor in San Francisco, when $100K is considered low income. Low rent apartments are being sold and gentrified out of reach for someone one on $10/$15 per hr.
It's a mix of poverty and mental health not just one or the other, even Oakland is starting the process of gentrification.
It's a mix of poverty and mental health not just one or the other, even Oakland is starting the process of gentrification.