smokeythemechanic t1_j7qjldh wrote on February 8, 2023 at 6:27 PM

Reply to comment by Stevo2979 in Vermont’s rates of homelessness are (almost) the worst in the country by DaddyBobMN

So what's your idea to fix it? I'm all ears, it's not fair to me or anyone else making it work, to have to suffer injustice at the hands of those that won't better themselves. You say that those programs stopped people from the ability to better themselves, I challenge that with less than 10% of those that choose homelessness ever better themselves even briefly even when handed the tools with instructions on how to do so. And it is a choice.

Stevo2979 t1_j7qsulz wrote on February 8, 2023 at 7:26 PM

Yes there are a few that choose to be homeless for various reasons. but like you said its no where near the majority. I would argue that nearly 60% of Americans are one paycheck away from losing their homes and that's not even touching on those who are forced to be homeless due to discrimination. So no, it's not always a choice nor is it "fair" to those who are put into that situation.

The way to fix it as many others have pointed out in this comment section is to provide affordable housing, decent paying jobs, and strict anti-discrimination laws to help prevent the problem in the first place. Along with providing programs that assist those who are homeless to be able find sustainable housing, work, and substance abuse treatment if needed. Such programs and organizations do exist both in Vt and nationally. but a lot of times they have to run on a shoestring budget, deal with convoluted bureaucracy, and face discrimination by those who are ignorant of the problem or choose to ignore it.

smokeythemechanic t1_j7seeld wrote on February 9, 2023 at 1:48 AM

So making the homeless take food, shelter, life skills/technical training and making them stay sober because they can't seem to figure it out on their own in a centralized location is wrong because other people abused the system before?

That's exactly why we have literal crazy people everywhere now, the aclu pushed for the deregulation of the mental asylum system till it happened in 1976, because the aclu decided it would be better to have no mental healthcare for anyone beyond private, than to install checks and balances in the mental health asylum system where abuse had occurred.