Comments on: The Future Of Downtown’s Homeless http://pqliving.com/the-future-of-dcs-homeless/ Downtown Washington DC/Penn Quarter news and urban commentary Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:35:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: CityLiving http://pqliving.com/the-future-of-dcs-homeless/comment-page-1/#comment-10464 CityLiving Tue, 27 May 2008 07:03:33 +0000 http://pqliving.com/?p=1632#comment-10464 #18, yes, "corrupt" is too harsh; it's also baseless. We haven't seen any facts to back up this empty claim have we? You're right, there is no doubt that people can game the system; it happens all the time. I, on the other hand, have met people at CCNV who have recovered their lives because of it. I think we agree that there is no perfect solution and never will be. Non-profit organizations that cater to the homeless save our society many billions of dollars in taxes. They provide a huge safety net that our government is simply incapable of doing alone. That said, there are organizations that provide nothing more than food and clothing services for the homeless. Some of these organizations go out in the freezing cold to provide blankets and warm clothing to human beings who have no roof over their heads. True, they're not advising these people about how to get out of their situations, but are simply providing "mercy" services. There are needs for this. Many of the homeless in our city are mentally ill and simply incapable of doing anything different to survive. Ironically, many of them are veterans, whom we honor on Memorial Day, but because of their war experiences cannot function in a healthy way anymore. It's obvious that you are or have been involved in trying to combat this universal ill, and I totally respect you for it. Our commentator (#2 & #12) obviously does <i>nothing</i> but criticize those who do (using the tired "liberals" label to attack these caregivers), but this is a typical mechanism for people who go through life entirely focused on themselves. It also helps them justify not giving a cent to non-profits who care for these people. #18, yes, “corrupt” is too harsh; it’s also baseless. We haven’t seen any facts to back up this empty claim have we?

You’re right, there is no doubt that people can game the system; it happens all the time. I, on the other hand, have met people at CCNV who have recovered their lives because of it. I think we agree that there is no perfect solution and never will be.

Non-profit organizations that cater to the homeless save our society many billions of dollars in taxes. They provide a huge safety net that our government is simply incapable of doing alone.

That said, there are organizations that provide nothing more than food and clothing services for the homeless. Some of these organizations go out in the freezing cold to provide blankets and warm clothing to human beings who have no roof over their heads. True, they’re not advising these people about how to get out of their situations, but are simply providing “mercy” services. There are needs for this.

Many of the homeless in our city are mentally ill and simply incapable of doing anything different to survive. Ironically, many of them are veterans, whom we honor on Memorial Day, but because of their war experiences cannot function in a healthy way anymore.

It’s obvious that you are or have been involved in trying to combat this universal ill, and I totally respect you for it. Our commentator (#2 & #12) obviously does nothing but criticize those who do (using the tired “liberals” label to attack these caregivers), but this is a typical mechanism for people who go through life entirely focused on themselves. It also helps them justify not giving a cent to non-profits who care for these people.

]]> By: LiveAndWorkinPQ http://pqliving.com/the-future-of-dcs-homeless/comment-page-1/#comment-10452 LiveAndWorkinPQ Sat, 24 May 2008 16:53:08 +0000 http://pqliving.com/?p=1632#comment-10452 #17 - I think "corrupt" is pobably too harsh, but I do agree that many of the organizations actually do enable continued homelessness. I took a tour of the CCNV homeless shelter and talked to one of the people who lives there / works there about trying to set up a program to help people there prepare for job interviews. The relevant part of the story is that in talking to him he said that it is designed as transitional housing and the city mandates that people don't stay there for longer than 6 months. I asked him how long he had been living in the shelter - he said "5 years - we don't really follow the 6 month rule" #17 – I think “corrupt” is pobably too harsh, but I do agree that many of the organizations actually do enable continued homelessness.

I took a tour of the CCNV homeless shelter and talked to one of the people who lives there / works there about trying to set up a program to help people there prepare for job interviews.

The relevant part of the story is that in talking to him he said that it is designed as transitional housing and the city mandates that people don’t stay there for longer than 6 months.

I asked him how long he had been living in the shelter – he said “5 years – we don’t really follow the 6 month rule”

]]> By: CityLiving http://pqliving.com/the-future-of-dcs-homeless/comment-page-1/#comment-10447 CityLiving Sat, 24 May 2008 02:55:54 +0000 http://pqliving.com/?p=1632#comment-10447 #2 and #12, you refer to "corrupt homeless organizations" and that these organizations "encourage homelessness." Why don't you enlighten us with some fact to support such claims? Have you ever visited one of these agencies? Talked with the directors and staff? I personally know and have worked with people in these humane organziations and can tell you that you know nothing -- <i>nothing</i> -- of which you speak. And what are <i>you</i> doing about the problem besides spouting off about these terrible people? I'll answer that for you: NOTHING. Your comments go beyond insensitivity. They're grossly ignorant, hateful, selfish and plain inane. Next thing, you'll be calling for putting the homeless (and the "corrupt" people who try to help them) on rafts and push them out to sea. Yours are some of the most pathetic postings I've ever seen on here. #2 and #12, you refer to “corrupt homeless organizations” and that these organizations “encourage homelessness.” Why don’t you enlighten us with some fact to support such claims? Have you ever visited one of these agencies? Talked with the directors and staff?

I personally know and have worked with people in these humane organziations and can tell you that you know nothing — nothing — of which you speak.

And what are you doing about the problem besides spouting off about these terrible people? I’ll answer that for you: NOTHING. Your comments go beyond insensitivity. They’re grossly ignorant, hateful, selfish and plain inane.

Next thing, you’ll be calling for putting the homeless (and the “corrupt” people who try to help them) on rafts and push them out to sea.

Yours are some of the most pathetic postings I’ve ever seen on here.

]]> By: Ben http://pqliving.com/the-future-of-dcs-homeless/comment-page-1/#comment-10413 Ben Wed, 21 May 2008 19:40:41 +0000 http://pqliving.com/?p=1632#comment-10413 Arresting homeless people sleeping in parks sounds like an outstanding idea, particularly in light of all of those vacant cells they have down at the jail. Arresting homeless people sleeping in parks sounds like an outstanding idea, particularly in light of all of those vacant cells they have down at the jail.

]]> By: LiveAndWorkinPQ http://pqliving.com/the-future-of-dcs-homeless/comment-page-1/#comment-10408 LiveAndWorkinPQ Wed, 21 May 2008 17:57:25 +0000 http://pqliving.com/?p=1632#comment-10408 I definitely agree that something is not working, but putting them all in one place has its downsides. If you have ever been inside the CCNV homeless shelter at 3rd(?) and E it can be a little bit overwhelming and depressing. Granted that shelter is not exactly the Utopian idea that #12 probably has in mind. I definitely agree that something is not working, but putting them all in one place has its downsides.

If you have ever been inside the CCNV homeless shelter at 3rd(?) and E it can be a little bit overwhelming and depressing. Granted that shelter is not exactly the Utopian idea that #12 probably has in mind.

]]> By: Columbo http://pqliving.com/the-future-of-dcs-homeless/comment-page-1/#comment-10406 Columbo Wed, 21 May 2008 16:23:25 +0000 http://pqliving.com/?p=1632#comment-10406 I don't know #12, that sounds an awful lot like the "put them all on an island" approach. I don't disagree about trying something new, but I don't know that <a href="http://www.infoplease.com/spot/internment1.html" rel="nofollow">internment camps</A> are the way to go. I don’t know #12, that sounds an awful lot like the “put them all on an island” approach. I don’t disagree about trying something new, but I don’t know that internment camps are the way to go.

]]> By: jnwilkie http://pqliving.com/the-future-of-dcs-homeless/comment-page-1/#comment-10405 jnwilkie Wed, 21 May 2008 15:47:34 +0000 http://pqliving.com/?p=1632#comment-10405 i think you're on to something. we definitely need a different approach. i think you’re on to something. we definitely need a different approach.

]]> By: joe http://pqliving.com/the-future-of-dcs-homeless/comment-page-1/#comment-10404 joe Wed, 21 May 2008 14:53:24 +0000 http://pqliving.com/?p=1632#comment-10404 Here is how to "cure" homelessness. For $40,000 per year per person we should be able to hire them to watch over each other in a campus setting etc. Make insurance part of their contract, so lots of drug treatment etc. Job training. The current approach & current proposals are just more of the same strategy that has failed for the last 20 years. Try something new. Leaving people to rot on the sidewalks is not humane. If a person is sleeping in the park or on the sidewalks etc., arrest him. Ninety day sentence [with nine more months suspended]. Detox in jail. Release on condition that he live in my homeless campus palace, where he is paid to watch over the other formerly homeless persons. After one year, he can leave, but if he's sleeping on the streets again, back in the system. I don't know, something like that? :-) what we're doing isn't working, that much is obvious. The homeless agencies only encourage more homelessness - after all, if homelessness were "cured" where would these parasitic "do-gooders" do? Break the cycle. Where do you see very little homelessness? The upper midwest: it's too cold for one, & the smart liberals with common sense don't allow people to be homeless. But it's mostly just too cold :-) which makes San Francisco's attraction to the homeless all the more odd. That is one cold city - but with dumb liberals who just throw tons of money to the homeless - oh wait that sounds like DC. Smart, common sense liberalism is the key. Here is how to “cure” homelessness.
For $40,000 per year per person we should be able to hire them to watch over each other in a campus setting etc. Make insurance part of their contract, so lots of drug treatment etc. Job training.
The current approach & current proposals are just more of the same strategy that has failed for the last 20 years. Try something new.
Leaving people to rot on the sidewalks is not humane. If a person is sleeping in the park or on the sidewalks etc., arrest him. Ninety day sentence [with nine more months suspended]. Detox in jail. Release on condition that he live in my homeless campus palace, where he is paid to watch over the other formerly homeless persons. After one year, he can leave, but if he’s sleeping on the streets again, back in the system.
I don’t know, something like that? :-) what we’re doing isn’t working, that much is obvious. The homeless agencies only encourage more homelessness – after all, if homelessness were “cured” where would these parasitic “do-gooders” do?
Break the cycle. Where do you see very little homelessness? The upper midwest: it’s too cold for one, & the smart liberals with common sense don’t allow people to be homeless. But it’s mostly just too cold :-)
which makes San Francisco’s attraction to the homeless all the more odd. That is one cold city – but with dumb liberals who just throw tons of money to the homeless – oh wait that sounds like DC.
Smart, common sense liberalism is the key.

]]> By: jnwilkie http://pqliving.com/the-future-of-dcs-homeless/comment-page-1/#comment-10399 jnwilkie Wed, 21 May 2008 05:08:56 +0000 http://pqliving.com/?p=1632#comment-10399 this guy just wanted some privacy. that's why he built his box-home around him. wouldn't you feel uncomfortable if you knew people were looking at you while you were sleeping? if he'd had shelter, i'm sure he would have slept in there instead. this guy just wanted some privacy. that’s why he built his box-home around him. wouldn’t you feel uncomfortable if you knew people were looking at you while you were sleeping? if he’d had shelter, i’m sure he would have slept in there instead.

]]> By: Anonymous http://pqliving.com/the-future-of-dcs-homeless/comment-page-1/#comment-10398 Anonymous Tue, 20 May 2008 23:57:37 +0000 http://pqliving.com/?p=1632#comment-10398 right on! san francisco is the king of homeless land. i always used to say, if i am ever homeless, i am heading to san francisco. they are very welcoming. anyways,.... if we want homeless people to leave here and get out of our eyes, we should spray. nasty spray... right kids!? :) right on!
san francisco is the king of homeless land. i always used to say, if i am ever homeless, i am heading to san francisco.
they are very welcoming.

anyways,…. if we want homeless people to leave here and get out of our eyes, we should spray. nasty spray… right kids!?

:)

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