A Post About Homelessness
Sunday's Miami Herald has an article homelessness and the opening of an pavilion complete with a padded mat and a roll down plastic screen to provide a shield from the rain. It's the go to alternative to a night in jail in Miami. Some think it may encourage more folks to live on the street and slow down efforts to find more permanent housing for the homeless. I don't think being homeless is a crime, but it's hard to live on the street and not get in trouble. Recently I noticed bus benches with arm rests that split the benches into thirds. I doubt it is being done to help older riders get off the bench and on the bus. I would guess it just makes it impossible to sleep over night on a bus bench next to your rusty grocery cart.
I'm not really sure there is a good permanent answer to the folks that are chronically homeless. The problem relates to the cost of housing and low wages, mental health issues, drug addiction, and in some cases some really bad luck.
One growing kind of houselessness if not homelessness is the increasing amount of doubling up that is occurring. Lot's of folks have someone staying in an empty bedroom or on the couch and very often this is not something that is planned and it may last longer than was ever anticipated. Another issue is the availability of subsidised housing. Lot of folks may be eligible for housing help but the folks will languish on waiting lists for a long time. Providing housing is the beginning of that moral hazard than many people worry about. If they don't have to pay rent, why will they work? Or why should I help them I'm already working my ass off? This attitude will creep into any long term housing problem, as subsidies are often the first thing cut when times get tough. After three days the smell of stinky fish is always a possibility.
First, last, and a security deposit can easily be three thousand of dollars for a modest place in a good neighborhood if you can find a place. I think this is becoming a real dilemma. The August issue of Harper's Magazine featured an article about the end of retirement. Amazon hires older workers in campers and along with a minimum wage job you get a place to park your rig and a hook up for seasonal work. The squeeze is on. I guess this is where a lot of the job growth is happening.
Lot's of folks need a cheap place to hide. I've had one of those low wage part time jobs. Working your fingers to the bone and only getting boney fingers is a victory of sorts. I haven't seen the once popular bumper sticker for a while, I'm enjoying my retirement, I'm spending my children's inheritance. It's not very funny any more.
I'm not really sure there is a good permanent answer to the folks that are chronically homeless. The problem relates to the cost of housing and low wages, mental health issues, drug addiction, and in some cases some really bad luck.
One growing kind of houselessness if not homelessness is the increasing amount of doubling up that is occurring. Lot's of folks have someone staying in an empty bedroom or on the couch and very often this is not something that is planned and it may last longer than was ever anticipated. Another issue is the availability of subsidised housing. Lot of folks may be eligible for housing help but the folks will languish on waiting lists for a long time. Providing housing is the beginning of that moral hazard than many people worry about. If they don't have to pay rent, why will they work? Or why should I help them I'm already working my ass off? This attitude will creep into any long term housing problem, as subsidies are often the first thing cut when times get tough. After three days the smell of stinky fish is always a possibility.
First, last, and a security deposit can easily be three thousand of dollars for a modest place in a good neighborhood if you can find a place. I think this is becoming a real dilemma. The August issue of Harper's Magazine featured an article about the end of retirement. Amazon hires older workers in campers and along with a minimum wage job you get a place to park your rig and a hook up for seasonal work. The squeeze is on. I guess this is where a lot of the job growth is happening.
Lot's of folks need a cheap place to hide. I've had one of those low wage part time jobs. Working your fingers to the bone and only getting boney fingers is a victory of sorts. I haven't seen the once popular bumper sticker for a while, I'm enjoying my retirement, I'm spending my children's inheritance. It's not very funny any more.
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