(01-20-2022, 01:26 PM)copycat Wrote:

(01-20-2022, 01:18 PM)mikesez Wrote: First of all, you should be proud of yourself for overcoming that situation. We're all happy for you, and thank you for sharing your story. Sounds like the story took place in Maryland about 20 years ago, is that right?
You found a job as a garbage collector, your employer didn't care that you were homeless at the time, you saved up enough for a deposit on place, and you found a place with a rent that you could afford.
Do you see how maybe it was much easier to do those three things on the East Coast 20 years ago, than it is today on the West Coast?

Don’t you see the solutions provided by the powers that be on the west coast are a failure and continuing down that path is not the answer.

I agree that the big West Coast cities need to change their approach to these issues before they will really get better.  Giving away housing is extremely expensive and will only attract more homeless from other areas.  Putting them all in jail is even more expensive than that.  Right now they are only doing bandaid solutions.  Providing them with limited relief, but not a way out.  Better than doing nothing, but not solving the problem.
The basic problem is housing affordability, which can only be fixed by (1) increased high density housing connected by (2) increased public transit. Rent control is another possibility but that hasn't worked well in America so far. They shouldn't "give these houses away" , just allow them to be built and put on the market, prices will go down at least a little.

In NYC, for instance, it's affordable to spend 40% of your income on rent because you can use the huge number of trains and subways they have instead of driving.  In LA and SF there are much less public transit options and more people need cars to get to homes that are widely spread out.  So 40% of your income on rent is no longer affordable once you factor in a car payment and gas.  

Clear enough?

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