Is ending homelessness a realistic goal?
Are members of your discussion group in support current National/regional efforts to end homelessness, or support a reduction of government efforts and criminalization of the homeless, or support the search and application of best practices in the courts/jails, medical care for the poor and foster care/juvenile detention, and why?
What was new for you to learn about the “other side” regarding the continuing efforts to end homelessness balancing against efforts to keep the homeless from overwhelming a community’s public space?
OPTION TWO
Dismantle the current hybrid system of private/ government programs and build a welfare system of “you work, you eat.”
The rise of city and state rules and regulations criminalizing homeless related behaviors has risen steadily since 2011. Currently, 24 states have state governments that are building on the limited resource of public assistance.
While these rules are seen as unproductive, even counter productive, they are given support from a general public as protection to property right owners, protection from the homeless taking over public parks and spaces, and most importantly, protection welfare cheaters, and those who should work to earn their living.
Compare the policies and practices of states of Utah (ending homelessness) versus Kansas and Maine (increased restrictions on welfare recipients
Can other practices such as community service work or increase shelter beds and affordable housing to improve the necessary integration of homeless into their host communities or working poor communities of their families and school?
The time limit restrictions match well with the estimated three-fourths experience of homelessness as short term. The greater costs are those who are “high consumers” either using the hospital emergency rooms for their primary care or spend most of their life in and out of the prison system. Both current practices are expense, and most of these “high consumers: are legitimate in their disabilities-physical and mental.
Can targeted programs to meet anticipated need of the next generation, children living in poverty-stricken communities, be enough to end welfare programs?
Trade offs
Ending public assistance (tax income) Increase difference between US
would keep government support out and other industrialized nations
of areas where churches and private spending on care for citizens.
organizations historically managed.
National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
Kansas, June 15, 2015 news blog. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/06/15/11-stunning-facts-about-how-kansas-treats-the-poor/
Utah, April 18, 2015 news report.
American history of welfare programs
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2015/05/poverty-and-welfare-in-the-american-founding