Dis5 - Discussion #5 - Homelessness is a problem
34 34 unread replies. 86 86 replies.This discussion assignment has 2 parts, and is a mandatory, graded class assignment. This is worth a maximum of 5 credit points.
No late work accepted under any circumstances... discussion board will close at 11:59 pm on the deadline date. WRITE THE WORD COUNT AT END OF EACH RESPONSE.... NO WORD COUNT....NO FULL CREDIT
1. (3 pts max) Please write a 150-200 word response to the questions(s) below. Responses less than 150 words will receive reduced credit. This should be in your own words, using your own thoughts and ideas. DO NOT RESEARCH for these questions, and do not give statistics, or information from other sources. Do not paraphrase or cite other sources. ANSWER ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION(S) FOR FULL CREDIT CONSIDERATION. Hit "reply" button to submit an original response
How should we go about dealing with the problem of homelessness? Currently are we doing anything right or good to deal with this problem? What are we doing wrong? Offer some solutions . DO NOT RESEARCH.... Discuss your own thoughts on this and explain your answer. ( remember to write an accurate word count at the end of your response)
2. ( 2 pt ) Please write a 50-75 word (approx) answer to one of your classmate's response. Open a classmate's response, read and give feedback to the writer. Hit "reply" button to submit feedback to a classmate's response ( remember to write an accurate word count at the end of your response)
Please remember...NO LATE POSTINGS ALLOWED. Students have multiple days to complete this assignment, so loss of power, loss of internet, and broken technology is NEVER an excuse for missing deadlines.
This topic was locked Nov 6 at 11:59pm.Filter replies by unreadI think homelessness is a big problem in the Bay area and I don’t think the local government has done enough to stop this problem. I think government tends to just give them money but not try to fix the root problem. If the government gives money to the homeless who have a drug addiction, surely these homeless people would rather use the money to satisfy their addiction and won't use the money to find a place to rent and to look for a job. I think instead of giving homeless people money, we should offer them temporarily free housing so they know to be able to live under a roof is so much better than being homeless and having more incentive to build a future for themselves. We can then introduce them free rehabilitation program (for drug or alcohol abusers), free education, free healthcare, mental support (social worker to follow up with the homeless people who sign up for this program), and employment help. We should also encourage and offer incentives for companies to hire eligible homeless people. We should offer consultation services for homeless people to choose an education program so they would start and then continue with their education and hopefully can get back on their feet eventually. I know all these are not realistic and require lots of resources and government budgets, however in an ideal world when money is not a problem, these solutions might help! (243 words)
Hi Nga,
I completely agree with you, we have to get enough support to put them into programs that will guide them to a more stable way of living. I also agree with you, that they are not at all close to being realistic plans because we will never have enough resources and support to be able to do that. I have experience in working at homeless shelters and I can see that some of them abuse free food, and free housing, and most of them still continue with their bad habits. Temporarily giving them that support won't help someone who isn't willing to fix themselves. They eventually go back to the streets and eventually end up at another homeless shelter where they repeat again. Therefore, I firmly believe that homelessness is a problem that has, unfortunately, no permanent solution.
WORD COUNT: 140
Hi Nga,
I fully agree with you, that, although not realistic, there need to be systems and programs in place to assist in getting homeless people the help they require and getting them in a better situation than the one they are currently in. Hopefully, sometime in the near future, some of those systems or programs are put in place, or at the very least discussed.Word Count: 67
Edited by Martin Simeonov on Nov 6 at 3:39pmHi Nga,
I agree with you that giving money does not fundamentally solve the problem of homelessness and may even make it worse because they can get something for doing nothing. Giving them a chance is much better than giving them money. Money can only help them temporarily, but opportunities may help them for a lifetime.
56
Hi Nga,
I completely agree with you because nothing can change a nature that is deeply rooted in human nature. No one knows what if we give them money, what will they do with it? Buy food to fight hunger or step on the road of alcohol and drugs? So the best way is to help them get a job, which has helped them have a better future and, at the same time, help the whole of America. (78 words)
Edited by Thuy Ngoc Nguyen on Nov 6 at 9:06pm
Greetings all!
From what I witnessed in the past three years, homelessness is a major problem here in California. It is touching to see people living in tents during the winter. I understand that the government is trying to solve the problem, and I know that some programs are working to move the homeless to shelters, which is good but can't solve the root cause, which makes people homeless. House price is way more expensive in California than in other states, so I believe that the government should work on providing affordable housing for both rents and owning them. It is better to work on the cause of homelessness and minimize the number of people becoming homeless than work on putting the homeless ones back. For example, I am paying almost half my monthly paycheck for rent, so it is hard to put some money in my savings. If something happens in life and couldn't able to pay my rent, I can easily be homeless. Creating more work opportunities and making houses affordable to all can solve the homelessness problem.
(Word Counts - 180)
Responses 1 of 1
Hi Besrat, I totally agree with you! The government won't be able to resolve the homelessness problem if it won't fix the root cause. In the Bay area, housing is costly, I think the government would need to provide affordable housing for people with homeless people if they are willing to work or even do volunteer work for our community. I see there are lots of job vacancies in the bay area all the time. Retail, customer service, call center, and medical field, there are plenty of jobs out there, Government can pair up with the local vendor or big organizations such as Costco or Walmart to prioritize job opportunities for the homeless people so they are given the opportunities to improve their quality of life, hire an adequate number of social workers to look after a few homeless people per social worker to help them to get back on their feet, offer them free courses so they can qualify for many types of jobs, provide them help to seek jobs and find out the root problems on why they rather becoming homelessness so we can tackle the problems wholly. (192 words)
Edited by Nga Sze Miu on Oct 30 at 3:53pm- Hey Besrat, i think that majority if not all Californians can agree with you about living expenses. It’s scary how to think how someone’s life can change in the blink of an eye, realistically people aren’t to worried about a problem until they themselves are put into it, so until then or until enough eyes are put onto this i don’t see much changing anytime soon. -66 words
Homelessness has always (and will, unfortunately, will always) be an issue in the Bay Area. I think homelessness is a big problem that should have more effort put into fixing, but it seems like the government doesn't really care. I don't blame government officials though, as most of them live in places that tend to have little to no homelessness, so they don't really experience the problems first-hand. From what I've seen, it is really hard to fix homelessness because of the rising prices in California. I would suggest building more homeless shelters and current housing so that we can get them off the streets, but historically, that doesn't go very well. We could always increase employment but then again, I know that a lot of homeless people don't really approach it like that. Most of them rely on free money and others aren't really willing to get their lives together and look for stable jobs. The best approach I see to this is putting in the effort to get them off the streets first, get them into programs that can really help them get their lives together, and continue to support them until they have enough stability to start living without much assistance. In reality, however, that is a big stretch as the population of homeless people continues to grow rapidly and we will never have enough financial support to get that done.
WORD COUNT: 234
Hey Ethan, I would have to agree with what you said about there being a really big homeless problem in the bay area. There is only so much a small amount of people can do in order to help the less fortunate and sadly there aren't many people who believe in paying it forward and helping out the less fortunate - 60 words
Hi Ethan! I definitely agree with you. I believe it’s going to take a lot more than free housing with shelters or financial help by providing employment to eradicate homelessness. Homeless people need proper guidance to reintegrate into society. I really like your idea of programs that can provide the support that’ll continue until the homeless person is ready to live without assistance. I wouldn't have thought that far along. Unfortunately, these ideas may be unattainable at the moment with the current amount of attention our government is giving to homelessness.
Word Count: 91
Hi Ethan,
You do bring up a good point of how it is kind of hard to help them due to the prices in California. I also do agree on the part that we need to build more shelters. Like yes we have them but we should make them available in each city and bigger. Yes some of them do rely on free money, however if we can offer them jobs even if they don't like it would be a good start for them.
WC: 84
The way I think we should be dealing with the homelessness problem is everyone should pitch in to organizations that help out the homeless population, There are many organizations like that and if we all collectively pitched in, especially the super rich and wealthy then yes I believe that we could be doing a lot more for the homeless than we are now. Right now I say we are doing an ok job at dealing with the homelessness problem because of all the different organizations that have the same goal in mind, and that is to reduce the number of homeless people in the world, but there is still more that we could be doing for them. Some of the homeless people did stupid things in the past and that's how they ended up here and they want the chance to turn their life around, and some people were put in a bad situation and ended up like that as well, no one deserves to be homeless. The things that we aren't doing good enough in is the fact that there is still a huge homeless problem in the world. - 190 words
Edited by Sir Kwanye Benton-mccrimon on Nov 1 at 2:05pmhi kwanye, thanks for your sharing and I agree to your idea. Some homeless people did some stupid think and that's why they become a homeless people. For example they may be an alcoholic or drug addiction. They spend all the money buying drugs or alcohol and they can't even quit them. In addiction, some of the homeless don't wanna get a job and only stay at the streets begging people. I know people in California is nice and always give money and food to the homeless, but it makes them only rely on people and don't get a job.
Word count (103)
While I am not too familiar with the current state of how our local government is dealing with homelessness, I don’t think they’re doing a good job at dealing with the issue since I’ve noticed a rise in homeless in the Bay Area over the past few years. Local governments would try to “get rid” of homelessness by prohibiting homeless people from setting up their tents in the area. While this clears that particular location from a crowd of tents, most of the time I would see the tents get set up in a different location. A possible solution would be to provide more free housing or build more homeless shelters. However, homeless people have deviated from the norms of society for some time and would end up abusing the resource instead of using it to help improve their situation. Thus, we would also need to create programs that can help homeless people reintegrate into society instead of just providing free resources without the proper guidance on how to use them. Unfortunately, with the amount of attention our government gives to the homeless and the way they allocate their budget, I don’t believe we’ll be getting these programs anytime soon.
Word Count: 200
Hi Trang,
I agree, they have not been doing a good job of reducing homelessness in the Bay Area. Programs that help the homeless reintegrate into society would be very beneficial. They need the guidance on how to properly use their resources to get out of the endless cycle. It is unfortunate that the government is not giving enough funding to properly solve this issue.
Word count- 67
Hi Trang, I agree with everything that you said and we do need programs to make sure that these individuals are actually bettering their situation and to have someone go up and check on them every once and a while to see how they are doing because they might not have family to check up on them and I feel like if they have a support system these people with strive and be better off.
Word Count - 75
Hi Trang, I completely agree when you said homeless people have deviated from society’s norms and that they would end up abusing the resource. I feel not knowing when one would eat next or sleeping in the rain would damage anyone’s mental health; but when all is suddenly given for free, it can be very easy to abuse it. Therefore, it is crucial for both the government and the public to address mental health in homeless people when they are looking for solutions on how to reduce the rate of homelessness.
Word count: 91
Hi Trang,
I completely agree with you about the local government not doing enough about our homeless situation. The local government keeps on initiating that homeless shelters should be built near residential areas and of course no one will agree to that. There should definitely be more programs supporting the homeless to restart their lives again along the lines of job fairs, mental health counseling, and physical health care. (69)
Edited by Michelle Mai on Nov 6 at 11:45pm
The problem of homelessness is almost impossible to be fully eliminated. It is a huge problem in California and not enough is being done. There are homeless shelters that provide living and meals. This is beneficial because it gives them a buffer, a place to stay while they are working to support themselves. The problem is that there is a maximum capacity in these shelters, leaving a large amount of homeless still in need of help. Many homeless people stay in tents on the street and the city often kicks them out, in hopes to clear the homeless. The problem with this is that they can move them, but this does not solve the problem and the homeless will just find another place to set up. The government needs to create more effective programs that can support the homeless in basic needs and joining the workforce. There needs to be more funding and more people need to realize the problem and help with whatever they can.
Word count- 166
Hi Christine!
I agree with you on the points you mentioned about the size of the homelessness problem in California. The other point I agree with is the concerned bodies are not doing enough to solve the homelessness problem. You mention some about the shelter houses and how they help the homeless; I appreciate that because people should get their basic needs. In addition, you wrote about getting more funds to help these people, which is also fantastic. But, I believe the government should work on the root cause by creating more job opportunities and making housing affordable.
(98 Words)Hi Christine,
I definitely agree with your post. I think homelessness is a major issue and these people to not have enough support in order to eliminate this issue. I agree with you that although there are shelters available, they only meet a small percentage of people's needs, leaving many homeless people on the street. I enjoyed reading your post.
60 words
In my personal opinion I don't think that the United States is doing anything for the homeless population across America. I think that the government is trying to shove the issue of homelessness under the rug and try and forget about it. We as a country should go about the way of homelessness by ensuring that homeless individuals have a place to go to get help. In San Jose specifically, when a group of homeless people are camping out on the side of the freeway, the cops tell them they cant be there and force them to relocate, yet they dont provide them with any other information. I think that we should be providing homeless people with a plan on how to get back on their feet and providing them with a case worker who can help them get into rehab (if they have a drug problem), or to help them get a job and have a place to stay rent free and with free food so they can save their money to get back onto their feet. What we are doing wrong is that we aren't doing enough to provide these people with the resources they need in order to get back on their feet. Another issue is the cost of living and that most places won't hire them (aren't clean, or don't have enough money for proper work wear), in at least San Jose and California in itself is that working a minimum wage job barely pays the rent thats not including food and utilities and I personally think that we need to do more about this issue
Word Count: 270
To deal with homelessness, I think, is to set aside the notion that there is only one possible solution. Both the government and the general public are responsible. I was not born or raised in the Bay Area, but I feel that current strategies that exist in Jakarta to help the homeless need to be improved. Existing government strategies to help homeless people are not very effective. The general public here is also quite unmotivated to help the homeless perhaps due to ineffective government strategies and because most are not aware of the social impacts of homelessness. Some solutions could be more effective government policies and neighborhood campaigns that support these policies.
Government strategies that are more long-term, such as building small homes for the poor and providing mental health assessments, may create a foundation that can motivate them to improve their overall health. There should be ways to avoid making these people feel too secure afterward, for instance by requiring a certain number of work hours to be fulfilled. The work here can be provided by supportive neighborhoods that build campaigns to help employ these people as volunteers. Furthermore, these neighborhood campaigns can also collect and provide daily necessities, such as food, water, and clothing, to these people.
Word count: 209
Homelessness is a real problem we face every day, and I work downtown in san Jose. And working downtown, you can see the contrast between the tech and rich condos and the bottom at the bus stops for the homeless who often stay there. I take the bus downtown to my job, and I often see homeless people on the bus; we tend to avoid or ignore them or give out money and food. Where I work, homeless people come in often, and I can see the struggle some of them have, like mental health issues, drugs, and alcoholism. Every situation is different, and its no one solution for this problem, like taking preventive actions to prevent families from facing homelessness. I'm not one hundred percent sure how to fix it. I want to think of stopping the problem is to prevent it by showing the newest generation resources to help them.
Wordcount: 152
Hey Susana, I can agree with you especially working downtown I've seen it's one of the worst areas where you can turn and see homelessness on almost every corner. With every situation being different I believe there are different easy to approach them and still being able to get them the help that they need.
word count 58
I think homelessness is a huge problem that we have. Huge part of this takes place in downtown San Francisco and on the East part of San Jose. Well at least where I've seen it bad. You see people living under the bridge on the East Side of San Jose. Sometimes there are even fires under the bridge due to the homeless people. I wish that the government can create a system or something that can help those people who are homeless. I feel bad for them. Sometimes when I see then and they ask for money. I give them food instead because who knows what they will spend the money on. In San Francisco downtown you see many of them laying down on the sidewalk. Some have dogs and it is truly sad. Maybe the government can put in a little bit of a better effort into helping these homeless people. I know there are public shelters but maybe we need more and maybe even offer them jobs just as way to start over in life again. Something that can help them get back on their feet.
WC: 188
Hi Julianne, I completely agree with you. I see so many homeless people and tents on the freeway when I go places. When I was traveling to San Francisco in the summertime I saw so many homeless people on the Bart train with their dogs and dogs are not allowed on the train. When I see a dog with a homeless person I hate how the homeless have nowhere to live but also the dogs aren’t getting the right nutrition. It is so sad. (84 words)
Hi Julianne,
I completely agree with you. Giving them money will not help them. They could spend the money on drugs or alcohol. That makes matters worse for them. The government is not addressing the issue. They should provide career training and a rehabilitation center to assist them in finding work. They don't have to be homeless any longer.
Word count:59
I think homelessness is a big issue in the Bay Area. I think we should be better at dealing with the problem of homelessness. Currently we are not doing enough to deal with this issue. I think we need to provide for more room in the shelters for the homelessness. We should also provide more food for them since they cannot provide food for themselves. Ever since the housing prices in California went up, it has been hard for people to find new homes or keep their homes. I see many neighbors in the neighborhood selling their home because they can’t afford to live in this part of the city. I also see many people in my neighborhood not able to sell their home because it is too expensive for others to buy. The families who cannot afford to stay or buy a new home, stay with their family to save money. (152 words)
Hi Lauren, I agree that the housing prices in California are a huge factor in letting people maintain their homes. We should be helping homeless people provide food and shelter. However, another problem presents itself; where would the space for homeless shelters come from? This is a big problem that I think needs to be considered by the government and is fundamentally a key to solving homelessness.
word count 67
The problem of homelessness can be hard to deal with. I think we can redistribute parts of the government budget to fund welfare programs designed to help the homeless. For example, we can take money out of the military budget and redistribute that budget to help with homelessness. In a more extreme case, we can tax those whose earnings are in the top percentages of the country more and use that tax money to create programs that can help homeless people. Currently, I do not think we are doing enough to deal with the problem. The government more or less ignores the problem instead of trying to actively fix it. They will use strategies like anti-homeless structures to prevent homeless people from staying in big cities so that they are not seen in public. However, in reality, homeless people still exist. Instead of using anti-homeless structures, the government could use some of the tax money to create job counseling centers that provide free clothing and toiletry to help homeless people look presentable for job interviews, and then provide guidance that can help them get employed. Moreover, governments can offer more temporary housing for the homeless for until they have landed a job and can get back on their feet.
word count 209
Yes, I think it's very important to invest in helping homeless people find employment. I agree that that's a better solution than trying to hide them and ignore the problem. I think creating programs to support homeless people getting back into the workforce is also a better solution than just providing homeless shelters because while homeless shelters are helpful, they don’t directly aid people in transitioning out of homelessness.
69 words
Hi, Sophia
I agree we do not do enough to fix the homeless problem. I agree we should even distribute money, like taking some from the military and using that money instead of making an anti-homeless structure. There is no easy fix to this problem, and everyone is not sure what to do, but the first step is acknowledging this problem and findings its reason.Word count: 65
In my opinion, homeless is a serious in California. Especially in Bay Area and Los Angeles downtown area. Homeless affect the society a lot and my the city become dirty and unsafe. In the current situation, I don't think the government in California wants to deal with the problem homeless. I know the government offer some job to the homeless people and paid for them like $20 per month, but it seems not enough homeless people get benefit from them. Also I know the government did provide some affordable house for homeless people in the SF downtown. I still think they can do more for the homeless. On the other hand, I think company can think about homeless people first like offer them a job in grocery store or like in a fast food shop. so that they can have a stable income first and stop being a homeless.
word count (154)
- I agree with your statement because I believe the government has not offered enough opportunities for homeless people to be able to receive equal pay or job opportunities to help them have a chance at life. Homelessness in the Bay Area and in Los Angeles is huge and the government doesn’t help anyone in the situations by being quiet.WC:59
I believe that homelessness can be dealt with by lowering prices of living and increasing salaries to help benefit those homeless people to be able to afford a place to live. The Bay Area has become the most expensive place to live in California. I would also recommend building more homeless shelters so that the streets can be clean and rid of homeless people, plus if you give them a warm place to stay at night that feeds them; it helps the overall community from poverty and helps keep the city safer. I feel that we can do better as a country to address poverty and focus more attention to building shelters and helping those homeless people by giving them a place to live. We as a country aren’t addressing the problem of poverty and are allowing it to get worse. The solutions I listed above is how I would help the problem and give people a chance to pick themselves off there feet.WC:164I do think that homelessness is a big problem plaguing the world we live in today. However, dealing with homelessness is a massive undertaking, and something that cannot be done easily. I know that the government is trying to help out homeless people, and that there are many charities that are trying to do the same, but I'm not sure if that's enough, seeing as the problem has not gotten better. From what I've heard, the government is giving money to homeless people, but the money is either not enough to get them out of their situation, or they have dependencies they pay for, such as drug addiction, etc. Another problem that I think adds to the homelessness problem is how competitive it is to get a job, thus making it nearly impossible for homeless people to get a job, even with the money they received from the government, and so they aren't able to get a stable amount of income. To me, it seems that the homelessness problem stems from several other problems, thus if we target those to fix, we might be able to fix, or at least lessen, homelessness.
Word Count: 194From a sociological point of view, homelessness is caused and perpetuated by social processes and institutions, not just individuals. I don’t know a lot about what’s being done to combat homelessness, but I think that we shouldn’t just look at homelessness itself. Lately, it seems like people are focused on building more homeless shelters and soup kitchens. This is a good way to support homeless people, but ultimately it is only a band aid fix.
To solve homelessness, we should, in addition to the actions above, look at the social constructs and processes that cause homelessness and invest money in reforming social institutions involved. For example, the spike in unemployment that occurred when companies offshored factory jobs to countries with cheaper labor (mainly, India and other southeastern Asian countries) led to a lot of homelessness, particularly along the rust belt of the United States (like Lansing, Michigan). A potential solution to this might be to have companies invest in expanding into regions with high unemployment, which could provide jobs and reestablish a stable stream of income for citizens.
178 words
Hey Amanda, thank you for your response. I really liked your comment about how homelessness isn't caused by an individual but instead through social processes and institutions. As per may experience I have always seen people talk bad upon homeless people and say things like "they did this to themselves" which isn't right and if we want to help we first need to realize that that isn't the case.
Word Count: 69
I have lived in the Bay Area majority of my life and although homelessness is a big issue all around the global. I think it's also very bad in the Bay Area. This is an issue which needs to be dealt with as a whole community, one person alone cannot solve this issue. And to do so we all need to be one the same page and agree to the solutions. For example some people think giving away money to homeless people is the right thing to do. Although we might think that we are helping them out but in reality giving away money is not a long term solution. Instead we should be thinking about which resources can we give away to help people get jobs so they can start providing for themselves and eventually get off the streets. I also think this is an issue which hasn't been getting enough attention for the media or the government and it should be. Yes, homelessness has always been around and I think we have in a way normalized it, but that should be the case and as humans we should help each other out.
Word Count: 194
Hi Jaspreet,
I agree that giving money to homeless people is not an ideal long-term solution since they will use that money to buy drugs instead. This is one of the most challenging issues for the government to find a solution to since it also involves funding for potential programs or spaces for homeless people.
Thank you for sharing,
Teddy
Words count: 60
I think homelessness is a big problem in our community because for me, when I look outside or go down the street you can see signs of homelessness all over the place. From looking down bridges or around exits of freeways, so many people are struggling out on the street. With all the money in the world that is being thrown around for every reason but to help people who are stuck out on the street. I have heard of some shelters around but seeing all these people out spending their cold nights looking for somewhere to sleep is concerning. I do think there are much better ways to approach versus shelters but even to look into something like housing or opportunities to help them get work or food. There are a lot of people in the world that really need the help and there are a lot of others that take advantage and go straight to drug abuse, which should be helped in a different way.
word count 168
Homelessness is one of the most critical problems in the Bay Area. Many people could not afford the rent with the high rate of living expenses, and many people had to move out to live in their car or at the shelter. However, there are not that many shelters in the area that could hold all of the people in need due to the lack of funding.
The government needs to create more shelter places and job opportunities for the people in need. Especially the rehab program for drug addicts to get clean and a job to make a better life rather than spending all of their money on drugs. Although this will be a long-term project for the community and the government, we all join hands; I believe that we could address this problem better than it is right now. People may not have to spend a night out on the road or under bridges in the future.
Words count: 159
Hi Teddy,
I agree with your post, it will be very beneficial if the government provided more funding for shelter spaces so people can have a safe shelter to live in. We have rehab programs, but they are often not accessible to anyone in need because of affordability and healthcare issues. I think having a safe place to live, clean water to drink, and some food to eat, are all things that should be considered fundamental human rights.
(78 words)
Homelessness is a major issue in California and all over the world. I think there's not enough that's being done about this issue because we can see that homelessness exists in every city that we are in, and people are dying from malnourished, drug overdoses, violence, and overall lack of resources. A possible solution to help with the effects of homelessness is for grocery stores or restaurants to donate any foods or supplies that are still edible to shelters or organizations that help bring supplies to the homeless. Most of the time, grocery stores throw out foods that are still edible and get rid of things that they have too much of, which can be given to the homeless that are deprived of food. I also think there should be an incentive for people to work in organizations that help out the homeless, such as high-paying wages for people that help out the homeless. By helping out the homeless, more people can be given opportunities to restart life, work a good job, and contribute to the economy.
(177 words)
Hi Kelly,
I agree with your idea of how to help the homeless by giving them supplies that have not been used. There are a lot of restaurants that have policies that force the workers to throw out food after each day which ends up with a ton of food waste produced instead of just donating them. Obviously they have their reasons to prevent theft and etc but comparing it to the money lost in the trash, it doesn't seem like it doesn't change the amount of money they are losing.
(91)
There are homeless people in every city, they sleep on the streets, wrapped in rags, and America does not force the eviction of homeless people, so they can be seen everywhere in big cities. Homeless people cannot afford rising rent prices, or they are addicted to gambling or drug addiction, I think providing housing can help the homeless quickly, and many communities are already doing it, but it does not fundamentally solve the problem. In the United States, most homeless people are strong young men, not old, weak, sick, disabled women and children, there is an old Chinese saying that gives a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Although America's public resources are mainly for the poor, if the government keeps giving money and homeless people do nothing, it will be a bottomless pit, the key is to have the ability to make money. I think can increase more employment opportunities.
167
Hello Yuqing,
I was not aware of the fact that many homeless people are young men who are more than fit to work. This just comes to show how many people can be utilized to help build this country further and give them an opportunity to get there life back together. If we can get these demographic of people working I think it could potentially help the economy a lot.
word count: 70
In the last three years, the number of homeless people has increased. The government attempted to solve the problem by distributing funds to homeless people. It is not a viable solution to the problem of homelessness. It may help them in the short term. They can spend the money on food and medication, which are both physiological needs. It cannot, however, solve the problem. The government can collaborate with non-profit organizations and social workers. They can organize a program for homeless people that includes basic physiological needs help and support, free medical care, and educational or career training. They can also have a rehabilitation center (for drug or alcohol abusers). Most of them become homeless because they have spent all of their money on alcohol or drugs and are unable to pay their rent. A rehabilitation program can assist them in overcoming their addiction to drugs or alcohol. They can also learn different skills that will help them get a job during their education or career training. They no longer need to be homeless because they have a job. Even a year after they start working, the government can provide them with psychological services. They haven't worked in a long time, and when they're homeless, most of their friends are also homeless. It could be for them when they try to get a new job and rebuild their social group. It may keep them from becoming homeless again.
Word count:238
Homelessness is a huge issue in California, as well as in many other states in the US. I honestly do not think the government has done enough for homeless people. We see homelessness practically everywhere we go. It is truly saddening to see homeless people struggle throughout the changes in weather and wondering how they'll adapt. Nowadays I feel it is difficult to just give homeless people money because we do not know their history or if they have any sort of past or current addiction. Homelessness is a growing issue that we cannot seem to get under control. I think an issue is that although there are shelters people can go to, it is not something they can often rely on because they typically can only spend a certain amount of time in there. With that being said, I think we should build more shelters so homeless people can have somewhere and something to rely on in order to get back on their feet. We should also build programs that offer a rehab, healthcare, etc. anything that will provide homeless people with some sort of hope. I also believe it isn't just up to the government to fix these issues. We as the people have a voice so we should use to help this cause. Whether that be rallies, creating a blog, or simply just posting on a social media platform on how big this issue is, so we can be their voice.
244 words
HI Aliyah! I 100% agree that we people could also do more to help those in need. You don't always have to offer them money. A meal, water, blankets, jackets could also help them stay warmer during the cold weather. I also agree that there should be more programs to help with mental illness, financial advice, and even small tutoring events to help with basic learning.
Word Count: 83
Hi Aliyah,
I totally agree with you that the government does not really do much to actually help homeless people overall and help them get back up on their feet. I believe that building more communities homeless people can live in would really help the situation and that we need to build more resources such as helping those people in those temporary housing environments get back up on their feet and get jobs to save money and get back into a financially stable living situation.
Right now I personally think there aren't a lot of good things being done to help homelessness. Such as in big cities lots of money is being funded to get rid of homelessness but the problem is still happening and it isn't being removed. Instead, cities are developing ways to stop homeless people from littering the streets and getting them to be hidden from view. I have seen in person and in pictures where benches have little spikes and bumps that have been placed to stop homeless people from sleeping on them. Instead of focusing on the issue itself, they have tried investing money into the appearance of the problem making it more hidden from spectators without actually fixing the issue. A solution could be to build an orphanage or an apartment for the homeless to live in. Giving them at least a shelter and minimal food so they at least have a home and shelter to get out of homelessness. Separating them might give them more inspiration to work harder to escape while giving them the opportunity to have a chance to work.
Word(185)
Hi William,I like your point of how many cities solution is to just develop new ways to hide those unhoused. Just because they move these people out of the public’s eye, it doesn’t help or eliminate the issue. Your solution for creating an apartment seems great, it gives them enough space to feel independent, and it’s close enough for them to feel apart of a community.(67 words)Hi William,
I enjoyed reading your post. Your comment about the spikes on the seats do not only deter homeless individuals, but anyone who would like to sit. I agree with your point of the cities getting the homeless individuals out of sight and not fixing the root of the problem. There are some homeless shelters around, but definitely not enough to house all of the individuals that need assistance.
(Word Count: 73)
When dealing with homelessness we should take into consideration that a lot of these people cannot work because they are not allowed to, whether it is because they have no SSN/TIN number or because of crimes on their records over small things. I do not think people are homeless just because they are lazy in most cases the system is failing them. About a month or two ago I learned that in LA they created a “shelter” and in this shelter, if you are homeless and consume drugs that require needles and other supplies, they will provide a room, clean sanitized tools, and they are allowed to stay there while they do what they have to do with their drug. In my opinion that is a terrible way to deal with this problem. The money used for needles and supplies that they provide could’ve been money used to turn it into a real shelter where they have a place to live and relax and be safe. Yes, it allows those factors but only if you are consuming drugs.
A building where homeless people could go inside and get cleaned up, could get a haircut, get a job, childcare and groceries is a much better way to spend the government’s money while also allowing people to try and better themselves to get a job, and become more social, get help with mental illness, and career help.
word count: 236
Your example about the LA shelter is something that I touched on in my post. I didn't have any previous knowledge of how they are really conducting shelters but this example is exactly my point that homeless shelters while providing a roof over their heads is also providing a false sense of security where they aren't pushed to grow or come to a place where they don't have to rely on shelters. I feel like a tax incentive for businesses to hire homeless could be helpful.
86 Words
Hi Maria,
I like it that you considered the problems that homeless people may face in order to find a job, however; I think the kind of shelter that you mentioned in LA is not completely useless. I understand your concern about the waste of money which can be used in better places but providing needles and safe environment for addict people can save them from death. On streets, they may use shared needles which can lead to sever disease like Aids or they can simply become overdosed and die. When they have access to sterile, individual needles and they do the injections in a place where first aid is available, the dangers would be lessen. (116 words)
Homelessness has been an ongoing issue in the Bay Area and places around, and most of the solutions politicians create seem to be making it worse. When shelters are created most of the time they have strict rules in place, you must be out from 10am to 7pm finding a job, must provide proof of active searching or you will be kicked out. People need a safe place to recoup and gain energy back to get back on their feet. Those who are homeless with children in these shelters have no choice but to leave due to the rules, being out almost 10 hours a day job searching and taking care of a child can be exhausting. Living on the streets is already hard mentally, these shelters with strict ruling rarely lift the burden off them. There is also the issue of safety, many of these shelters are communal living with no privacy, where many fights can break out and people’s personal items can be stolen or they can be physically harmed. I think to fix this problem it needs to be approached with more compassion, there’s more to just providing a roof over someone’s head. Shelters need to be safer, with separate rooms for different parties that they can lock their belongings into to feel more secure. These shelters should also give them basic amenities so they can shower, shave, and get themselves together before job interviews. I believe the publics idea on unsheltered people should change, some see them as a nuisance and just think they dirty the street. Many of these people faced difficult life changing events and mental illness that put them out, they just need a helping hand.(283 words)I think one of the largest issues with homelessness is the stigma behind it. Homelessness is like a status that is gained when people reach a place where they can't afford a home anymore. This makes them into an outcast of society. Someone who doesn't fit into them mold and cant afford a space that everyone is expected to own if they work for a living. This status puts someone who is already at a hard part of life into a nearly impossible climb back up. This is a major problem in homelessness. Its similar to how previous convicts cannot find a job. How do we expect to fix a problem of those who are struggling to make it in society if they are shunned and avoided like they're to be forgotten about. Once reaching the point of homelessness there is very little options to realistically make it back to a point of financial stability and there is no support for helping people reach this instead there is support to just let the homeless live as homeless. I'm not saying that homeless shelters are a terrible concept and shouldn't exist (although they are very lacking in resources) but the saying goes is give a man a fish and he can eat for a day but teach a man to fish and he can eat for his whole life. I think this would be a good change in mindset to help support homeless out of homelessness.
245 Words
Homelessness is a great ordeal in the Bay Area, but I also see homeless individuals when I visit my hometown as well. I think it is safe to say that homelessness is a worldwide issue. When thinking of homelessness, I know many peoples' minds go directly to drug addiction as the dilemma, which I do agree this to be a major factor. On the other hand, what about individuals who left a marriage that resulted in minimal finances? The government is not supplying enough funds to get by with prices of gas, food and housing. Maybe they have children and this money they get from the government goes towards the children's needs. I do not believe enough is being done to solve these issues. In my opinion, I see America helping other countries during natural disasters. These funds are being sent overseas when people in our very own country could benefit from more resources if the government would invest in them. To be clear, I do agree we should help other countries, but I also think more resources should be available to our citizens before helping other countries.
(Word Count: 191)
America could benefit from more societal measures to help people who are in need of basic necessities. However, I think that simply giving people money will not be enough to fix homelessness. I think that coupled with these additional resources, we need to fix issues with mental health and drugs and educate people on how to achieve financial stability.
(60 words)
Anyone who come to California would notice the homeless people on streets. Wherever you go, you may see a homeless man or woman, a young one or an elderly one, who is living on streets and trying to survive. I know that the government and different NGOs has tried to make the conditions better for those people but it seems that the number of homeless people is arising or there is not much changes have been made to this problem. I know that there are shelters for theses people but not all street people want to go to these temporary housings. It could be for different reasons, their strict rules can restrict the life of residents; some don't let people to stay during the day; some people have issues on safety in these shelters, and etc.
I believe to solve this problem first we should find out the root causes, the main causes that make people go homeless and put more focus on those issues. For example, for people who live paycheck to paycheck, losing their jobs can easily lead to losing their house since they cant pay the rent or the mortgage. Maybe, there could be some financial aids from the government to pay the rent until the person can find a job or the banks can postpone the mortgage due in order to save someone from becoming homeless. Maybe, the government can make the rich people to give money for housing and sheltering these people. The shelters which can accommodate people 24 hours not just for nights. Maybe we should look at countries which don't have this problem as big as the U.S. and learn what they do and consider if it is applicable in the America. (289 words)
I believe that you're correct in your stance on America and other countries. We definitely need to look outside to other countries and see what they're doing to address their social issues and take whatever is good from them. I believe however that America has unique cultural values and laws that may not perfectly match other countries. Regardless it can't hurt to look at other countries and to consider them.
(72 words)
I know that homelessness is not just a big problem in the Bay Area, but all around the world. Especially in times like this where it’s freezing and raining you really feel bad. Something I’ve noticed is that the same people that feel bad about the homeless are also the same people that complain when shelters are pout up near they’re neighborhood. Coming down to it no one will really understand or put the necessary amount of effort to fix a problem like this until they’re put in it. Although it’s not realistic lowering prices of living would be efficient, but that’s obviously that’s not how it works, and handing out money may help for a day or not at all it’s definitely a short term solution that may or may not help it may even feed into a problem them got hem into that situation in the instant place. I’ve also seen plenty of cases where people even pretend to be homeless and play the act just to get money out of people. - 174 words
I believe that the issue of homelessness stems from a failure of American society to address mental health and socioeconomic issues. I think many homeless people struggle with issues of addiction, and mental health. This coupled with the high cost of living in many areas results in homelessness being an issue. I believe that American culture has this belief that you're able to "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" and that you can succeed through sheer effort alone. I believe that this is flawed and is one of the reasons why homelessness remains an issue. If you have mental health issues or an addiction problem, then no amount of simple "effort" will likely help you in your case. If you're unable to afford the help that you need then it does not matter what job you hold as you will likely fall behind and end up homeless anyway. To fix these issues, I believe that we need to fix problems with American healthcare, address the high cost of living in certain areas, and address the drug and mental health crisis that is plaguing America.
(184 words)
Edited by Brian Ta on Nov 6 at 8:42pmHi Brian, I do agree that the institutions America has to deal with psychological problems are inadequate and often lead to the population suffering. Addiction is one of the many problems that homeless people face and can often be the factor leading into it in the first place. Pulling by our bootstraps as you say is not viable for many people, and many need the support infrastructure in order to even live.
Word Count: 72
Homelessness is increasing after the covid pandemic in the Bay Area area. After the economic crisis occurred at the same time, it caused situations such as the loss of jobs, families, loss of loved ones, etc. The government can only offer the best solution to protect the people's interests to compensate for these losses. But more and more situations like looting, break-ins, and even threats with weapons by the homeless are increasing daily. The government should devise a better proposal to completely solve the problem. this. Like opening a vocational training and future-oriented center for homeless people so that they can have stable jobs. For those who have completely lost the consciousness of an ordinary person, we should help them and treat them like ordinary people. Because only by reaching out to help them America will be more and more developed in the future. No one wants to go out on the street and accidentally run into an "unusual" person screaming in the middle of the road, which has become an everyday thing in this free country.
Count Words: 177
Greetings Thuy!
I agree, we as a community here in the Bay Area and San Jose specifically have seen an increase in crime by the homeless community. Rather than fostering change it seems that we would rather turn away as we pass someone who might be experiencing homelessness. We need to start from the ground up and create programs that will benefit our homeless community such as expanding the number of beds in our homeless shelters, funding mental health and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs and career training. Most programs that have been implemented in the past have been Band-aids that temporarily aid, we need long term solutions in order to see true change.
Word Count:114
Hi Thuy, you're absolutely right, homelessness got a lot worse after the pandemic. This crisis shifted many lives and some were not able to support themselves. I think that the solutions that you provided have a lot of potential and could make a difference. Providing people with education and resources to be more successful in life is of great value.
Word Count: 60
Here in San Jose, there is absolutely a problem with the amount of homeless people. Frequently, you can see people sleeping near roads and under bridges which is terribly dangerous and irresponsible on the government’s part. The city has had this problems for decades and is not doing enough to solve it. Whilst I do not know of the current efforts put forth by the city, it does not hurt to add more. One of the first things that come to mind to me is the problem of rent and housing prices. It is no secret that we have some of the highest prices for homes in the country, and we should alleviate that by building more homes and apartments rather than getting bogged down by zoning laws. After building more homes, another optional solution would be to stipulate a universal basic income. Something large enough to afford a small apartment, but small enough to not put too much strain on the budget. Although these are band aids to the issue of homelessness, they should at least be implemented even if it only helps some because helping no one is not a viable solution.
Word Count: 194
Coming from the a small town of 5,000 people in the Central Valley, homelessness had never been an issue or something that came across my mind until i had moved to San Jose. Addressing and creating a solution around dealing with the Homeless community is a tough issue to solve/grasp. But, for starters some short term solutions that may aide and create a base/starting point would be expanding the number of shelter beds in heavily impacted areas, funding mental health and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs and career training. As of recent i have read news articles where the City of San Jose has been clearing homeless encampments, as it stands I don't agree that simply clearing the encampments is a beneficial steps towards resolving this issue. There is also multiple non profit groups who are providing resources such as headlights, fire extinguishers, Narcan and others essential items for our homeless here in San Jose. While I don't believe this is a long term solution, it is heading in the right direction towards creating change.
Word Count: 177
Homelessness has always been an issue since I have been born and I don't see the issue going away anytime soon. With the middle class being killed off and the wage divide becoming larger and larger more people are becoming homeless. One of the biggest problems I have with the current ways the city of San Jose has been dealing with the issue is through the creation of tiny homes or communities for the homeless. The problem with this is that you have simply moved these people away from the public eye with no future plan for them. Many of them are drug addicts and don't even want to leave the streets. If we can find a way to employ as many as them as possible and help them afford their own housing, that is the best way to help them instead of giving out freebies that will only make them lazier.
word count: 152
Edited by Sagar Tomar on Nov 6 at 10:44pm- Hi Sagar, while I agree with most of your points, unfortunately most homeless are able to get a job but unable to keep it due to not having a home they are unable to fully keep up on hygiene and usually end up getting fired. While that is extremely unfortunate, that is the sad reality and I feel there needs to be legal protection for homeless employees.(67 words)
Word Count: 353
In the bay area especially because it’s a super big city in general we really struggle with the homeless population and dealing with it. My parents just came back from England one week ago and what they noticed about London despite it being one of the biggest cities is that they didn’t have nearly as many homeless people. They were able to control it and manage it super well. I believe this is because they have better resources and more motive to help the homelessness rather you see here with the prices and everything going up we don’t do much as a community to help the homeless people in effective long term ways. I believe the government needs to do some sort of program where we build more housing for homeless people who want to stay clean and live in a nice housing environment that helps them find new job opportunities, apply for credit and restore their life in more secure ways so they can get out of the homeless situation and be financially stable. For the homeless people who cannot stay sober and clean and will not be able to stay in those homeless house shelters we need to have some sort of free program they can attend for a certain amount of time to help them stay clean and have no access to any sort of harmful substances they can use or temptations. The group of homeless people that are violent and harmful to people such as sexually harassing people, trying to physically harm people, and other ways I believe just need to be put in jail for a certain amount of time since they are harmful to society. I believe what we were doing wrong is we are not really trying to help them. people definitely do a lot to try to help them in ways such as donate resources and food but there are no programs that really help them and show them how to get back up on their feet and start a new life where they can be financially stable and work their way up to that.
Hi Kayla!
I totally agree with how their is a drastic change with homelessness as you look at different countries. London is also a great example because it is such a dense and populated city, which still has a problem with homelessness but it is no where near as bad of a problem with what he have here. Looking alongside highways you can see how their are even encampments of homeless people who are hiding from society,
Word Count: 77
Homelessness is linked to the housing market being so high, poverty, and low wages. Minimum wage is very low and people are unable to support themselves, let alone a family. Many are unable to even get a job whether that be because of lack of experience, schooling, or a language barrier. Homelessness can also be linked with drug abuse. In order to help this issue different counties can provide jobs and services to the homeless. Instead of building homes and apartments for people to buy, the county can bring in funds for those housing structures to be provided for the homeless. It doesn't seem like much has been done to help decrease the homelessness. Police would have to make homeless people move out of certain public places, however, the issue isn't being addressed to solve it. This issue is very complex, and a lot of times the solutions brought up is easier said than done. However, I believe with effort and persistence we can make a difference.
Word Count:167
Hello Natalie thank you for your insights and thoughts on what you think about homelessness I totally agree that majority of homelessness is linked with drug abuse or inflation of the area they were currently living in. Sometimes others have family problems that led them to where they are now and what breaks my heart the most is some of these people gave up on life and choose the route that was less stressful and demanding. as our generations continue to evolve life and work is only going to get more and more demanding.
WC: 95
Homelessness is a serious problem in America and all over the globe. Some things I've noticed that we have been doing for these homeless people are homeless shelters. I feel like that is one of the best ways we can support our people by setting up more homeless shelters but that would cost a lot more money from the government to set up. I also feel that the sad part about homeless shelters are that they aren't allowed to stay for the rest of their lives and eventually they will be kicked out to make room for new ones. We are so focused on sheltering the homeless people that we aren't focused enough on how they got there. I feel like if we tackle the main problem of the many reasons why people become homeless we will then truly understand the solution to help these people in need. With tax going up and prices in California rising inflation will only cause more people to become homeless in the future this is a serious problem that needs attention upfront with the main reason why people lose life and fall victim to poverty.
WC: 193
Edited by Calvin Vu on Nov 6 at 11:17pmHomelessness is a critical problem in our Country and the Bay Area Specifically. I was not aware with how much of a problem we have with homelessness until traveling to different countries and realizing that their are a lot less people who are homeless in many countries I have been to. Homeless I believe can be caused by many different things such as drugs/personal problems, financial problems, housing problems. Currently in the Bay Area we encounter financial problems and housing problems all too much so this should be the first step to reducing the rate of homelessness. Another key change that we have to address is our mentality with the problem, currently it feels as if these people who are in unfortunate circumstances are treated as a nuisance or trash and just want to be moved away from the public eye to keep an illusion of a good society. This approach has to change as it is the core problem; we have to actually want to help these people and get their lives back on track as they are members of our immediate community.
Word Count: 185Edited by Edi Pelesic on Nov 6 at 11:19pmHomelessness is a very big problem, especially in California, specifically the Bay Area. I believe that there are many ways that can help homelessness and a very big one would be lowering the cost of living. In Santa Clara County I do know that there is a general assistance program that can help with cash aid, medical care, and employment help for people with no dependents and a seperate program for people with kids, that I unfortunately don’t know much about. Like I said before, a main issue is how expensive the cost of living is, causing people, especially without a support system, with no place to go and no way to afford a place to live. I believe that if they made more accessible programs and help with housing, it would give more people hope and confidence for the homeless to get back on their feet and have a stable living environment and hopefully a stable income and way of living as well.
(164 words)
I think that homelessness should be dealt with with heavy heart, the government should put more effort into establishing better living conditions for our local homeless who have most likely been pushed out due to the housing costs in the Bay Area the past few years. People have been camping out in tents, sometimes not in tents, in every single possible non inhabited spots in the Bay Area. It's painful to see the amount of homeless people when driving around the city and even more painful to see how and where they live- the local government has been trying to fund new homeless shelters but they always pick the wrong spots where people are already living so the plans for homeless shelters never go through. In addition the government does't put enough effort into moving the homeless to already established homeless shelters- you can literally see people from the city leaving without a second thought after suggesting to a homeless person to move into the shelters and they say no. I think cities should develop more areas to build a more habitable space for the homeless population and find jobs for them to do around the city so that they are able to start up their lives again. (208)
Homelessness is a major problem in the big city especially you can see a lot of homeless in the downtown area. Although the authorities prohibit the homeless people from setting up their tents and residing around the freeway area or train station , near the shopping center. Some homeless people are associated with psychological conditions , hoarding behavior. The government or organization should look into the situation and provide reasonable shelter for the homeless people in order to maintain general health and rehabilitation.
When dealing with the problem of homelessness I think it is important to question why people get into that situation. A lot of the cases it has to do with drug use. I think the government should put more money into rehabilitation centers to support the people that want to get back on their feet. The government is currently not doing anything to get to the root of the problem of homelessness. You can give homeless people money but that does not solve the real issue at hand. Investing in proper ways for them to get back to normal life is what should be done. Currently I don’t think we are doing anything right to deal with this problem. We are only putting a Band-Aid over this issue. I also think offering jobs could be a solution into the problem. This allows them experience in the work force to help them get back to society. 155 words
No comments:
Post a Comment