How Real is the Problem of Homelessness?

[JackDaydream]

I am writing this thread because I am on the verge of becoming homeless, seeking accommodation for over 3 months from private landlords. The owner of the property where I am living presently is in the process of repossesing, and it is in unusual circumstances. The landlord, who was subletting, has gone missing in Pakistan, so the owner is wishing to repossess it and renovate it, and wishing to evict all the tenants here. I have been seeking accommodation daily but I am not being given any valid offers, mainly because I do not have a job currently.

The ongoing threat and fear of homelessness has brought me to the end of my tether, making many of the abstract and theoretical problems of philosophy fade into insignificance. Living and sleeping on the streets in London, and England is becoming an increasingly growing problem. Last year, there were 790 recorded deaths due to homelessness in the UK.

Shelter and safety are main needs at the lowest, most important aspects of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Nevertheless, I do feel that homelessness is becoming such a growing problem, as part of 'the new normal' in first world countries, that many seem to shrug their shoulders, with an attitude of indifference. So, I am asking you how do you view the problem of homelessness and, what can be done to tackle it? To what extent is it a practical, social or political problem?

[LuckyR]

Hey, first off, I absolutely wish you a speedy recovery to getting employment, income coming in and housing.

I have no knowledge of the situation in London or more broadly in the UK, so I won't comment there.

OTOH I have been researching for some time the rise in sidewalk camping in the US generally and in Portland specifically. So I can summarize my findings here.

Obviously there has been a baseline number of folks living on the street forever. The number was much smaller than it is today and was made up of several subgroups. The mentally ill were discharged from state hospitals a couple of decades ago (a good thing) but without an alternative plan (a bad thing). Runaway kids here have a robust safety net that is privately run. Veterans also have robust resources available such that the only vets on the street are those who choose to be on the street (more on that later). The number of folks down on their luck but who want to work and get off the street (what most people think of as "the homeless") will vary with the economy, unemployment and housing stats. Street criminals and/or chronic substance abusers are another group who actually in our area make up the vast majority of the increase in homeless numbers.

In our area several things are in play: 1) the city government actually supported street camping (over shelters) during the pandemic as a way to promote quarantine and therefore public safety. 2) currently there is a substantial minority of street campers who don't want to go to shelters, they prefer street camping, 3) this is proven by the fact that shelters are NOT running at 100% capacity, yet there are tents all over the place, 4) part (clearly not all) of the reason some street campers are living on the street is fuelled by the support from charities. This is an "enabling" thing akin to other dysfunctional relationships. 5) the rise of the criminal/chronic substance abuser segment is the part of the street camping epidemic that freaks out homeowners who have the misfortune dealing with them continuously.

Obviously there is not a single answer to the epidemic of street camping. First there should be a place to stay for those who want to get off of the street. Most assume that will be every one of the homeless. It's not. Therefore in addition there needs to be a return to making public space camping not a reasonable option. No more free tents, tarps etc. Of course, this is in a setting where everyone has a place off of the street to be (as stated above). Police clearing out bike theft rings, car chopshops, etc on a routine agressive schedule.

As it happens in our area practically every business has a Help Wanted sign in the window. Businesses commonly turn away customers because they are understaffed. So the only unemployed are those whose occupation is Criminal or are otherwise unemployable, which in this job market is a tiny sliver of the population.

[Gertie]

I am writing this thread because I am on the verge of becoming homeless, seeking accommodation for over 3 months from private landlords. The owner of the property where I am living presently is in the process of repossesing, and it is in unusual circumstances. The landlord, who was subletting, has gone missing in Pakistan, so the owner is wishing to repossess it and renovate it, and wishing to evict all the tenants here. I have been seeking accommodation daily but I am not being given any valid offers, mainly because I do not have a job currently.

The ongoing threat and fear of homelessness has brought me to the end of my tether, making many of the abstract and theoretical problems of philosophy fade into insignificance. Living and sleeping on the streets in London, and England is becoming an increasingly growing problem. Last year, there were 790 recorded deaths due to homelessness in the UK.

Shelter and safety are main needs at the lowest, most important aspects of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Nevertheless, I do feel that homelessness is becoming such a growing problem, as part of 'the new normal' in first world countries, that many seem to shrug their shoulders, with an attitude of indifference. So, I am asking you how do you view the problem of homelessness and, what can be done to tackle it? To what extent is it a practical, social or political problem?

All the best Jack. You're right, having a safe, secure home is so important, and it's really scary to have that swept out from under you.

It might be worth approaching the council/housing associations if you have any special circs such as health probs or dependants. And although many private landlords say they won't accept people on benefits, some might be flexible if say you can show a good history or offer extra deposit, or pay several months rent in advance. A lettings agency can make your case. Most landlords just want someone who is a reliable payer and will look after their property. But yeah, it's a tough one, best of luck.

It's a political problem, which there are lots of practical ways to vastly improve, that's no mystery. Unfortunately the people with power currently don't care, in fact a lot of their wealth results from the ridiculous state of UK housing.

[EricPH]

Hi Jack, sorry to hear of your problems.
While you still have shelter register with the council housing department. Our town council say you should make an appointment to see a housing officer. However, from my experience of working with homeless people over the last ten years, I never make an appointment. If I can encourage the homeless person to come with me to the council, we walk into reception, register and wait an hour or so. We have seen a housing officer every time.
When I go with someone, it is just for moral support, they often feel a little more confident with an independent third party. If you have a local friend who could go with you for moral support, that might help, they don't need any experience.

Its helpful to bring ID, bank details and national insurance numbers, also details of any benefits you are on. Be prepared to answer lots of questions, just be truthful and it should be okay. Recently, our council has been offering housing in the north, because it is cheaper and possibly more available.

Citizens Advice are a good place to go, they should have a list of agencies in your area that help with homelessness.
If you have 'Big Issue vendors' in your town, speak to them. They generally have day centres with all kinds of resources.
Local churches are often involved in the voluntary sector. Churches Together in our town have opened up five homes for the homeless in the last few years. I know this is also the case in neighbouring towns.
Do a Google search of your town and homelessness.

I know it can be incredibly hard for people in your situation to do these things and follow through. Understandably, there is a feeling of being powerless and lacking confidence. You have to force yourself out of your comfort zone to do stuff now.

I hope you are able to find a solution.

[JackDaydream]

Hey, first off, I absolutely wish you a speedy recovery to getting employment, income coming in and housing.

I have no knowledge of the situation in London or more broadly in the UK, so I won't comment there.

OTOH I have been researching for some time the rise in sidewalk camping in the US generally and in Portland specifically. So I can summarize my findings here.

Obviously there has been a baseline number of folks living on the street forever. The number was much smaller than it is today and was made up of several subgroups. The mentally ill were discharged from state hospitals a couple of decades ago (a good thing) but without an alternative plan (a bad thing). Runaway kids here have a robust safety net that is privately run. Veterans also have robust resources available such that the only vets on the street are those who choose to be on the street (more on that later). The number of folks down on their luck but who want to work and get off the street (what most people think of as "the homeless") will vary with the economy, unemployment and housing stats. Street criminals and/or chronic substance abusers are another group who actually in our area make up the vast majority of the increase in homeless numbers.

In our area several things are in play: 1) the city government actually supported street camping (over shelters) during the pandemic as a way to promote quarantine and therefore public safety. 2) currently there is a substantial minority of street campers who don't want to go to shelters, they prefer street camping, 3) this is proven by the fact that shelters are NOT running at 100% capacity, yet there are tents all over the place, 4) part (clearly not all) of the reason some street campers are living on the street is fuelled by the support from charities. This is an "enabling" thing akin to other dysfunctional relationships. 5) the rise of the criminal/chronic substance abuser segment is the part of the street camping epidemic that freaks out homeowners who have the misfortune dealing with them continuously.

Obviously there is not a single answer to the epidemic of street camping. First there should be a place to stay for those who want to get off of the street. Most assume that will be every one of the homeless. It's not. Therefore in addition there needs to be a return to making public space camping not a reasonable option. No more free tents, tarps etc. Of course, this is in a setting where everyone has a place off of the street to be (as stated above). Police clearing out bike theft rings, car chopshops, etc on a routine agressive schedule.

As it happens in our area practically every business has a Help Wanted sign in the window. Businesses commonly turn away customers because they are understaffed. So the only unemployed are those whose occupation is Criminal or are otherwise unemployable, which in this job market is a tiny sliver of the population.

You are probably in America and even though England is known to have a Welfare State it sounds as if the situation is better there than it is here. There is nothing like street camping and people living in the street are not usually together and often seemed to be shunned as though they are 'untouchables'.

Also, the situation of finding work and accommodation involves so much bureaucracy. It is not a case of being able to find work by looking at adverts. When applying for work, which is almost always online, mostly what I find is that it is a case of being sent more and more forms to complete, which mostly do not lead anywhere. In England, especially after the pandemic, it does feel like totalitarianism has really arrived, with people being replaced by machines and people being treated as numbers. There are organisations and charities to help but they are simply overwhelmed. Independently of my own situation, which is uncertain, it does feel like for many in England, including those born here such as myself, life is becoming increasingly intolerable for many. It has been going in that direction for about 5 years before lockdown and during the processes of the lockdown, this has speeded up incredibly. Of course, there is the unresolved Brexit situation too.

[JackDaydream]

I am writing this thread because I am on the verge of becoming homeless, seeking accommodation for over 3 months from private landlords. The owner of the property where I am living presently is in the process of repossesing, and it is in unusual circumstances. The landlord, who was subletting, has gone missing in Pakistan, so the owner is wishing to repossess it and renovate it, and wishing to evict all the tenants here. I have been seeking accommodation daily but I am not being given any valid offers, mainly because I do not have a job currently.

The ongoing threat and fear of homelessness has brought me to the end of my tether, making many of the abstract and theoretical problems of philosophy fade into insignificance. Living and sleeping on the streets in London, and England is becoming an increasingly growing problem. Last year, there were 790 recorded deaths due to homelessness in the UK.

Shelter and safety are main needs at the lowest, most important aspects of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Nevertheless, I do feel that homelessness is becoming such a growing problem, as part of 'the new normal' in first world countries, that many seem to shrug their shoulders, with an attitude of indifference. So, I am asking you how do you view the problem of homelessness and, what can be done to tackle it? To what extent is it a practical, social or political problem?

All the best Jack. You're right, having a safe, secure home is so important, and it's really scary to have that swept out from under you.

It might be worth approaching the council/housing associations if you have any special circs such as health probs or dependants. And although many private landlords say they won't accept people on benefits, some might be flexible if say you can show a good history or offer extra deposit, or pay several months rent in advance. A lettings agency can make your case. Most landlords just want someone who is a reliable payer and will look after their property. But yeah, it's a tough one, best of luck.

It's a political problem, which there are lots of practical ways to vastly improve, that's no mystery. Unfortunately the people with power currently don't care, in fact a lot of their wealth results from the ridiculous state of UK housing.

I am trying to sort out my situation the best as I can but the problem is that the council won't help at the moment because the owner of the house won't give anything in writing. Also, I have been in touch with about 250 landlords. The only 2 which were willing to consider me were trying to give me a horrendous contract or none at all. The situation in England seems to be one in which there are many rogue landlords, who can get away with mostly anything through legal loopholes. So many rooms can only be found online and the adverts are so specific in what they are asking. So many specify females only, the specific age ranges they will accept, and some even say which nationalities they want, such as must be Asian or African. I remember my father saying when he came over from Ireland as a teenager he used to see notices for accommodation which said 'No blacks. No Irish. No Dogs'. It is almost like that again, except it is about different criteria. Some adverts are even expecting babysitting or dogsitting in exchange for a reduced rent. The landlords seem to be able to get away with anything. I even see many male live-in landlords requesting females only, so I dare'nt even imagine what is going on there.

Part of the reason I am writing this thread is independent of my own situation because I am worried generally by what I am seeing. On the political level, it does seem that leaders are aware of bad practices and have tried to introduce policies, such as regulations. However, what seems to have happened is that landlords are just trying to find ways around this. In particular, they do not wish to have people on the benefits systems because the properties may be subject to inspections to see if they comply with basic safety, such as gas, electricity and fire regulations. Many landlords are only concerned with making as much money as possible..

I am trying to find a solution to my own situation although feeling demoralised. I am still looking for accommodation even though it seems almost impossible. I do wonder if many simply give up. On a few occasions I have been out in London after midnight and seen a hidden London of people sleeping rough and it seems like the country has gone back several centuries. There are hostels for the homeless but there are not enough places. During lockdown most of the homeless were given hotel rooms, but after lockdown the situation is so much worse than before. Also, it is likely to get worse and worse, with the rise of energy Bill's and an extreme polarisation of the rich and the poor. I have spoken to people I know who are working and many of them are uncertain of how to manage and survive in the future.

[ernestm]

HI Jack

I lived with the homelss after leaving Oxford for three months, and I would say it wasnt so bad except for the rampant drugs. If the police show up, according to British law one has 6 weeks to before a court case on it, and then the judge grants you another 6 weeks so you can find somewhere else to live. I met another guy who I got on with and we were able to get a place together.

[JackDaydream]

Hi Jack, sorry to hear of your problems.
While you still have shelter register with the council housing department. Our town council say you should make an appointment to see a housing officer. However, from my experience of working with homeless people over the last ten years, I never make an appointment. If I can encourage the homeless person to come with me to the council, we walk into reception, register and wait an hour or so. We have seen a housing officer every time.
When I go with someone, it is just for moral support, they often feel a little more confident with an independent third party. If you have a local friend who could go with you for moral support, that might help, they don't need any experience.

Its helpful to bring ID, bank details and national insurance numbers, also details of any benefits you are on. Be prepared to answer lots of questions, just be truthful and it should be okay. Recently, our council has been offering housing in the north, because it is cheaper and possibly more available.

Citizens Advice are a good place to go, they should have a list of agencies in your area that help with homelessness.
If you have 'Big Issue vendors' in your town, speak to them. They generally have day centres with all kinds of resources.
Local churches are often involved in the voluntary sector. Churches Together in our town haveb opened up five homes for the homeless in the last few years. I know this is also the case in neighbouring towns.
Do a Google search of your town and homelessness.

I know it can be incredibly hard for people in your situation to do these things and follow through. Understandably, there is a feeling of being powerless and lacking confidence. You have to force yourself out of your comfort zone to do stuff now.

I hope you are able to find a solution.

Thanks for your reply. At the moment I cannot even get an appointment with the Council and I have been there twice. I am on the waiting list for an appointment with the Citizens Advice Bureau. It does seem that the system is so overwhelmed at the moment and it has got to the point where people have to be on the street literally before they are given any help at all.

Strangely, I have wished to work with the homeless myself, especially as I have a background in mental health care and so many people who are homeless do have mental health issues. About 2 years ago, I applied to do volunteer work initially with an organisation but I didn't go through with it because my mother became seriously unwell. After she retired, she was a volunteer at a day centre for the homeless. She was in the room giving out clothes for them and she found it extremely interesting. She used to talk to them and after she stopped working there, many used to come up to her in the town frequently.

Many people are extremely prejudiced towards the homeless. However, in the last few years many who never expected to become homeless are becoming so. At some point, when I have sorted out my own situation I would still like to work with the homeless because it is an interesting area of work as I am sure that you find az you work in it.

[JackDaydream]

HI Jack

I lived with the homelss after leaving Oxford for three months, and I would say it wasnt so bad except for the rampant drugs. If the police show up, according to British law one has 6 weeks to before a court case on it, and then the judge grants you another 6 weeks so you can find somewhere else to live. I met another guy who I got on with and we were able to get a place together.

Yes, I am wondering what it will be like if I end up with a group of homeless people and I am sure that they will diverse. I am just hoping that they can speak English because at one stage in this house I was living with a group in which people were from different countries and no one could speak much English at all. It made communication difficult for discussion of basic house rules as it was like being in The Tower of Babel.

I am used to a fair amount of drama in life, especially as I have worked in an acute psychiatric admissions ward. It is likely that some kind of action will happen in December because the landlord is due to appear in court and he is uncontactble in Pakistan. Apart from bailiffs and police Social Services may need to be involved as there are 3 children under 16 upstairs. I don't want it to happen too immediately but the not knowing is worrying. Also, it is horrible here because there are bugs, leaking pipes and ceilings which the owner will not repair and we are still paying rent.

What I do find is that such existential aspects of life throw a different perspective on life. The day when I found out about this potential situation I had been out sheltering from a summer storm, reading Kierkergaard's '
'Fear and Trembling'. Until that time I was not even aware that the landlord was not the real owner and it has been a journey into fear and trembling. However, the ups and many downs in life are probably important learning experiences. The other day I read that Eckhart Tolle has suggested that the experiences of suffering are important in the process of 'waking up' in life and I do think that this makes a lot of sense in thinking about the difficult experiences in life. It is useful for thinking about how some people seem to have much harsher lives than others.

[EricPH]

Thanks for your reply. At the moment I cannot even get an appointment with the Council and I have been there twice. I am on the waiting list for an appointment with the Citizens Advice Bureau.

There have been occasions when I have gone to the housing office, and they say there is no one available. I ask if we can sit and wait and eventually we have been seen. There is an urgency about your situation, because if you loose your flat, you will have nowhere to store your possessions. In our town we have a charity called 'Two Saints', they prefer to support people before they are made homeless. They may have more influence to get things done.

Look up the Big Issue centres near your town, they specialize in helping the homeless.

Many people are extremely prejudiced towards the homeless.

Anyone who has a mortgage or pays rent, is always about three months away from being made homeless. It only takes an accident, job loss, breakdown in a relationship, or some other tragic event to set you on that path.

At some point, when I have sorted out my own situation I would still like to work with the homeless because it is an interesting area of work as I am sure that you find az you work in it.

I have been a volunteer Street Pastor for about fifteen years, we wonder the streets of our town until around 4 am. Sadly, we are coming into contact with more homelessness in the last few years. We help them with food, clothing, blankets etc. I try and encourage them to meet up with me and go to the council offices during the day, again as a volunteer. I have wasted a lot of time waiting for these guys to turn up, often they don't. It can be very frustrating, but at the same time rewarding. We have successfully played a part in helping a few find accommodation.

[JackDaydream]

Thanks for your reply. At the moment I cannot even get an appointment with the Council and I have been there twice. I am on the waiting list for an appointment with the Citizens Advice Bureau.

There have been occasions when I have gone to the housing office, and they say there is no one available. I ask if we can sit and wait and eventually we have been seen. There is an urgency about your situation, because if you loose your flat, you will have nowhere to store your possessions. In our town we have a charity called 'Two Saints', they prefer to support people before they are made homeless. They may have more influence to get things done.

Look up the Big Issue centres near your town, they specialize in helping the homeless.

Many people are extremely prejudiced towards the homeless.

Anyone who has a mortgage or pays rent, is always about three months away from being made homeless. It only takes an accident, job loss, breakdown in a relationship, or some other tragic event to set you on that path.

At some point, when I have sorted out my own situation I would still like to work with the homeless because it is an interesting area of work as I am sure that you find az you work in it.

I have been a volunteer Street Pastor for about fifteen years, we wonder the streets of our town until around 4 am. Sadly, we are coming into contact with more homelessness in the last few years. We help them with food, clothing, blankets etc. I try and encourage them to meet up with me and go to the council offices during the day, again as a volunteer. I have wasted a lot of time waiting for these guys to turn up, often they don't. It can be very frustrating, but at the same time rewarding. We have successfully played a part in helping a few find accommodation.
[/quote.

Your experience is interesting because in many ways the nature of homelessness is probably not one of the 'trendiest' areas of philosophy. I used to buy 'The Big Issue' magazine and, if anything, I think that it may have become a bit sold out into the mainstream as opposed to its initial aims. I think that it has become less visible recently, which may be related to homelessness being a hidden aspect of life. But, I will look out for it in my daily travels as a useful resource and as a platform of the hidden voices of many who are outsiders as a result of the issue of homelessness.

[Dlaw]

I am writing this thread because I am on the verge of becoming homeless, seeking accommodation for over 3 months from private landlords. The owner of the property where I am living presently is in the process of repossesing, and it is in unusual circumstances. The landlord, who was subletting, has gone missing in Pakistan, so the owner is wishing to repossess it and renovate it, and wishing to evict all the tenants here. I have been seeking accommodation daily but I am not being given any valid offers, mainly because I do not have a job currently.

The ongoing threat and fear of homelessness has brought me to the end of my tether, making many of the abstract and theoretical problems of philosophy fade into insignificance. Living and sleeping on the streets in London, and England is becoming an increasingly growing problem. Last year, there were 790 recorded deaths due to homelessness in the UK.

Shelter and safety are main needs at the lowest, most important aspects of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Nevertheless, I do feel that homelessness is becoming such a growing problem, as part of 'the new normal' in first world countries, that many seem to shrug their shoulders, with an attitude of indifference. So, I am asking you how do you view the problem of homelessness and, what can be done to tackle it? To what extent is it a practical, social or political problem?

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. YOU WILL LIKELY BE ABLE TO STAY IN YOUR PLACE:

Illegal eviction

Illegal eviction is when a landlord or another person deprives a tenant of their home without following the correct legal process. Tenants are entitled to “quiet enjoyment”, which means they have a legal right to live in the property as their home. Landlords must obtain the tenant’s consent before entering their home.

Most tenants are protected under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 which protects tenants against harassment and illegal eviction by landlords. Harassment can be anything a landlord does, or fails to do, that makes a tenant feel unsafe in the property or forces them to leave.

Landlords are required to get a court order and ask bailiffs to evict the tenant. Local authorities have enforcement powers to deal with harassment and illegal eviction.

Local authorities have enforcement powers to tackle illegal evictions. Local authorities can investigate offences of harassment and illegal eviction under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 and, if the evidence justifies it, prosecute where an offence has been committed.

In cases where the landlord has been convicted of acting illegally, they may be subject a rent repayment order, a fine and/or imprisonment for up to 2 years. The landlord may also be subject to a banning order as unlawful eviction and harassment under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 is a banning order offence.

If a tenant is being forced out of their home illegally they should contact the police and their local authority as soon as possible. For advice on individual cases or if a tenant is worried they may have been illegally evicted, they should seek legal advice or contact a free impartial advice service such as Citizens Advice or Shelter.

You may already know this stuff, but have you gone to a shelter or gotten a case worker anywhere else?

What city/area are you in?

As you are sadly finding out, homelessness is a real and growing problem.

You can DM me if you think I might be able to help you from the US.

[Dlaw]

Hey, first off, I absolutely wish you a speedy recovery to getting employment, income coming in and housing.

I have no knowledge of the situation in London or more broadly in the UK, so I won't comment there.

OTOH I have been researching for some time the rise in sidewalk camping in the US generally and in Portland specifically. So I can summarize my findings here.

Obviously there has been a baseline number of folks living on the street forever. The number was much smaller than it is today and was made up of several subgroups. The mentally ill were discharged from state hospitals a couple of decades ago (a good thing) but without an alternative plan (a bad thing). Runaway kids here have a robust safety net that is privately run. Veterans also have robust resources available such that the only vets on the street are those who choose to be on the street (more on that later). The number of folks down on their luck but who want to work and get off the street (what most people think of as "the homeless") will vary with the economy, unemployment and housing stats. Street criminals and/or chronic substance abusers are another group who actually in our area make up the vast majority of the increase in homeless numbers.

In our area several things are in play: 1) the city government actually supported street camping (over shelters) during the pandemic as a way to promote quarantine and therefore public safety. 2) currently there is a substantial minority of street campers who don't want to go to shelters, they prefer street camping, 3) this is proven by the fact that shelters are NOT running at 100% capacity, yet there are tents all over the place, 4) part (clearly not all) of the reason some street campers are living on the street is fuelled by the support from charities. This is an "enabling" thing akin to other dysfunctional relationships. 5) the rise of the criminal/chronic substance abuser segment is the part of the street camping epidemic that freaks out homeowners who have the misfortune dealing with them continuously.

Obviously there is not a single answer to the epidemic of street camping. First there should be a place to stay for those who want to get off of the street. Most assume that will be every one of the homeless. It's not. Therefore in addition there needs to be a return to making public space camping not a reasonable option. No more free tents, tarps etc. Of course, this is in a setting where everyone has a place off of the street to be (as stated above). Police clearing out bike theft rings, car chopshops, etc on a routine agressive schedule.

As it happens in our area practically every business has a Help Wanted sign in the window. Businesses commonly turn away customers because they are understaffed. So the only unemployed are those whose occupation is Criminal or are otherwise unemployable, which in this job market is a tiny sliver of the population.

Unless Portland is totally different from Seattle you're really very wrong. You're forgotten AT LEAST two things: first, because of COVID, shelters have just a portion of the beds they used to have available. Second, employing a homeless person is so difficult there are charities who do nothing but. I worked with guys who were coming to work from tents and the back of old moving trucks. Not a picnic and they were young and fit (although with plenty of problems, hence their homelessness) add on addiction, prior convictions, weird clothes, untreated mental illness and it's not like they're going to walk into a Chipotle and get a job on the spot.

It's much easier to get a homeless person housing than a job, in my experience.

Have you worked with the homeless? In what capacity? I'm coming from knowing hundreds of homeless guys by first name at least.

[LuckyR]

Hey, first off, I absolutely wish you a speedy recovery to getting employment, income coming in and housing.

I have no knowledge of the situation in London or more broadly in the UK, so I won't comment there.

OTOH I have been researching for some time the rise in sidewalk camping in the US generally and in Portland specifically. So I can summarize my findings here.

Obviously there has been a baseline number of folks living on the street forever. The number was much smaller than it is today and was made up of several subgroups. The mentally ill were discharged from state hospitals a couple of decades ago (a good thing) but without an alternative plan (a bad thing). Runaway kids here have a robust safety net that is privately run. Veterans also have robust resources available such that the only vets on the street are those who choose to be on the street (more on that later). The number of folks down on their luck but who want to work and get off the street (what most people think of as "the homeless") will vary with the economy, unemployment and housing stats. Street criminals and/or chronic substance abusers are another group who actually in our area make up the vast majority of the increase in homeless numbers.

In our area several things are in play: 1) the city government actually supported street camping (over shelters) during the pandemic as a way to promote quarantine and therefore public safety. 2) currently there is a substantial minority of street campers who don't want to go to shelters, they prefer street camping, 3) this is proven by the fact that shelters are NOT running at 100% capacity, yet there are tents all over the place, 4) part (clearly not all) of the reason some street campers are living on the street is fuelled by the support from charities. This is an "enabling" thing akin to other dysfunctional relationships. 5) the rise of the criminal/chronic substance abuser segment is the part of the street camping epidemic that freaks out homeowners who have the misfortune dealing with them continuously.

Obviously there is not a single answer to the epidemic of street camping. First there should be a place to stay for those who want to get off of the street. Most assume that will be every one of the homeless. It's not. Therefore in addition there needs to be a return to making public space camping not a reasonable option. No more free tents, tarps etc. Of course, this is in a setting where everyone has a place off of the street to be (as stated above). Police clearing out bike theft rings, car chopshops, etc on a routine agressive schedule.

As it happens in our area practically every business has a Help Wanted sign in the window. Businesses commonly turn away customers because they are understaffed. So the only unemployed are those whose occupation is Criminal or are otherwise unemployable, which in this job market is a tiny sliver of the population.

Unless Portland is totally different from Seattle you're really very wrong. You're forgotten AT LEAST two things: first, because of COVID, shelters have just a portion of the beds they used to have available. Second, employing a homeless person is so difficult there are charities who do nothing but. I worked with guys who were coming to work from tents and the back of old moving trucks. Not a picnic and they were young and fit (although with plenty of problems, hence their homelessness) add on addiction, prior convictions, weird clothes, untreated mental illness and it's not like they're going to walk into a Chipotle and get a job on the spot.

It's much easier to get a homeless person housing than a job, in my experience.

Have you worked with the homeless? In what capacity? I'm coming from knowing hundreds of homeless guys by first name at least.

I agree with BOTH of your additional pieces of information. I sort of alluded to the first one in my comment #1 about the response of city government during the pandemic. As to your second point on acquiring employment, true I didn't address it directly. My comments on the availability of jobs is accurate, such that whatever the ease or difficulty of landing a job is for a street camper in a tight job market it is relatively easier in the current job market, though I'm not saying it's overall "easy". And I did note that some homeless are currently "unemployable", though they were always probably unemployable ie before the recent homeless crisis.

Having said that I agree with what you wrote, do you disagree with what I wrote?

I do have an important question that you probably know the answer to, namely in your experience, what were most of the current NEWLY homeless doing before the homeless crisis? Were they homeless somewhere else and moved to Seattle? Were they employed and housed and lost a job? Why more homelessness in Seattle?

[Dlaw]

Having said that I agree with what you wrote, do you disagree with what I wrote?

I don't know yet. We'll see. I know that nobody likes camping, but camping on the street can be a more comfortable and safer option than having to camp at a sketchy campsite where nobody can see you if you start to get robbed or beat up.

I do have an important question that you probably know the answer to, namely in your experience, what were most of the current NEWLY homeless doing before the homeless crisis? Were they homeless somewhere else and moved to Seattle? Were they employed and housed and lost a job? Why more homelessness in Seattle?

They actually tried to fire me for making notes on the guys I worked with for my own info. The first thing I noticed was that homelessness seems to be like a plane crash - three major things have to go wrong that you can't fix in time. Before people become homeless almost all of them are semi-homeless for quite a while. They live in their places but don't pay rent, they move in with friends, they move in with relatives. But then they come to that place where they realize they don't actually have anywhere to go and nobody is really ready for that.

The big issues bring them down.

Mental health - this is probably the most important issue by far as it contributes negatively to all the other problems. You're talking about people with SERIOUS problems that are made intolerable, first through childhood abuse (it's amazing to me how many of the guys I worked with - especially the African-American guys - would talk to each other about how it wasn't their mothers' fault that the were homeless because their moms beat them just like they are supposed to - and I mean savage beatings) They then get into abusive, criminal relationships with peers. They generally zero positive input from fathers - just not even expected. As aggressive, immature and confused young people they then meet with failure after failure except, temporarily, with crime.

Crime and prison - In America when you are released from jail for a felony you are effectively homeless day 1. Many homeless people have SERIOUS felonies on their records. Even misdemeanors make it impossible to work for many employers.

Drugs - Most of the people I met had been addicts for at least part of their lives and most had started very early. Just as a side note I suspect that as marijuana became more and more acceptable and sold by more and more people whose lives were pretty solid (and finally legal), it meant that street people lost a subsistence way of life.

Insanity - I mean to distinguish this from mental health issues. Here we are talking about people who cannot consistently take care of themselves or relate to people in the community. I was SO glad that New York City started taking such people off the street. It is an absolute crime to let people like that live like animals. America should weep in shame for letting people suffer on the streets when they should be in hospital.

For older homeless health issues are REALLY problematic. Somebody can go from diabetic to dead in a couple weeks if someone doesn't watch them. I had three really nice clients who lost parts of their feet from diabetes or frostbite (frostbite in Seattle? Yep). A bad tooth can put you in the hospital. People have strokes and can't even tell anybody what's wrong. People have moderate heart conditions that, untreated, turn them from a ambitious job seeker into an invalid in a nursing home.

You have to think about the homeless this way: if you had a friend who had gone through what a homeless person has gone through, how long would you think it would take your friend to get back to normal - 6 months? 1 year? 2 years?. Now how about if as they were recovering and getting back to normal they had to live in a tent or rent a bed in some meth dealer's RV for 8 months?

Basically, people are homeless because their lives SUCKED.

Are there schemers among the homeless? Yes there are. Interestingly the schemers are the people who are most responsive to rewards and consequences. The sociopaths are probably the easiest group to deal with day-to-day.