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

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It's not housing, it's not money. What is missing is the will to help the mentally ill who can't help themselves,  even if they don't want to get the needed help, because they are a danger to themselves and others. 
.[/quote]

+1. I’m a social worker who has worked with the homeless population and this point cannot be stressed enough. Yes there are homeless people who have just had bad luck and are working but can’t afford housing. These people are often “couch surfing”, living in their cars, etc. and can benefit from affordable housing, educational opportunities, and employment resources.

The chronically homeless people living in tent encampments are not these people. They generally are living with incapacitating mental health issues and often addiction. It would be expensive to institutionalize these people and provide them with necessary medications, healthcare, and treatment which is why the issue is avoided by politicians. It bothers me that politicians often tout “affordable housing” and “more jobs” as fixes for this issue.

[/quote]

Agreed.

Which is why allowing tent communities in densely populated areas is not the solution. These should absolutely be cleared out. There is one in Southeast DC under the 695 overpass on 6th street. It has grown quite a bit over the past year. Sidewalks are just not a place where people should be allowed to camp out. [/quote]

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