Reply to What is with all the homeless tents in DC?

Forum Index » Metropolitan DC Local Politics

Reply to "What is with all the homeless tents in DC?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]There aren’t enough homeless shelters / resources for these people. When you get a bunch of NIMBYs blocking developments geared toward this population, this is what happens. Our city also needs more counseling and psychological support, a lot of these people don’t want to be in permanent housing.

Have a little compassion for those out on the streets. Be grateful you can afford to live in an expensive city and not out on the streets. [/quote]

I’ve read that this is untrue and there is in fact housing/shelters but they are considered undesirable by tent dwellers because there are rules.  Can someone who is more knowledgeable about this weigh in. [/quote]

I knew a homeless man on the streets of DC who wanted to go to a shelter or permanent housing but being an older gentleman with a drug problem he found that finding permanent housing was almost impossible and the shelters were too dangerous.

He tried to go to a shelter in Va., but it was too hard to get too and because they are sleep only shelters he had to find somewhere to go during the day.  Much easier in the city where you can park yourself in a bench to panhandle during the day.

Yes many of these people have serious addiction issues. Not all addictions can be treated or cured so what do we do? It isn’t a palatable option for many to think that you should take care of people where they are.  As in highly dysfunctional people are sometimes homeless because they are highly dysfunctional and always will be but still should have their basic needs met even when they can’t or won’t do it for themselves.

I for one believe they should have clean and safe housing, healthcare and food. Basic comforts  it I don’t know what the looks like or how that gets delivered when dealing with marginalized populations.  We struggle to do the basics for people who are undergoing what should or could be temporary periods of dysfunction.[/quote]

What people actually want, but won't say, is for basic facilities to be setup out of sight such as under overpasses that aren't common walkways. Permanent housing is pie in the sky bs and allowing the mentally ill to occupy libraries and Union Station is totally unacceptable. [/quote]

No, they should be actively moved into shelters and treatment programs (both of which are generously funded in DC) or else they need to move along. We should not allow these dangerous and unsanitary tent cities to flourish, which are really a disservice to both the housed and unhoused.[/quote]

Well said![/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics