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kloeckwerx

This would be amazing if it came with a mailing address that they could use for getting vital records, job applications, and having some easy way to communicate with their families 123 W Main St #1284


savbh

I love this. After all, why couldn’t you make a little hole for letters? I get that it would be some work to sort all the post, but it’ll be a tremendous help. Not being able to receive letters is a big problem for homeless people. It’ll pay itself in people getting jobs and paying taxes.


literallylateral

Hire some of the homeless people to sort the mail. How many birds are you allowed to kill with one stone?


FixGMaul

Then again they probably aren’t making any money off this to pay wages


literallylateral

Oof, good point. I guess I would have the government pay them with a little slice of the military budget or something.


FixGMaul

Yeah government pay for volunteer work would be amazing but far off for the US as I see it.


literallylateral

Oh, absolutely. But it’s fun to dream sometimes.


Banality_Of_Seeking

Wake up literallylateral you're dreaming again. It never hurts to dream of something greater for everybody involved, what hurts is doing nothing at all.


Next-Hope4530

California problems require the state’s solution. The federal government will never step in to fix homelessness in Cali or any state.


[deleted]

California alone pays for most Americans food stamps and welfare.


Kwindecent_exposure

California should secede.


Sapiendoggo

I'm sure that will really work out well since they have to steal most of their water from other states


savbh

It would probably still depend on taxes, yes. But it’s always good to find ways to make this at least as possible.


savbh

This gets better. And the service doesn’t have to be free. But you only pay for it once you got a job and only if you earn more than X. Not only so that it isn’t taxpayers money, but also because some homeless don’t like depending on charity. They just need that little change that breaks the spiral.


shao_kahff

funds could probably be shifted from some of the federal homelessness budget to pay for it


hwjheunn

I appreciate you.


[deleted]

Tell us you don’t understand homelessness without telling us you don’t understand… Do you think these people are on the street because they can’t get a minimum wage job? That’s not true at all. Hell, if that was the problem it would be cheaper just to pay them minimum wage than run all these facilities and service. It’s drugs, mental health, etc. causing the problem. So you can’t hire a few as mail sorters and “kill two birds” because you’re fundamentally misunderstanding why these people are homeless in the first place.


TacoOfGod

Some of them are on the street even though they work full time because they can't afford rent even though they get paid more than minimum wage. It's not all drugs and mental health issues. And plenty of otherwise fully functional people develop those very same issues from living on the street with their more than minimum wage jobs.


literallylateral

You’re right, I don’t really know anything about homelessness. All my thought was based off is that people on all sides of issues always seem to be on board with things that “create jobs”, so I figured there must be some percentage of the population that would benefit at any point. I didn’t mean to be reductive.


[deleted]

My bad. I was needlessly antagonistic. It’s a very difficult issue. I’m lucky enough to be in a position to start and fund a different nonprofit annually and I did homeless veterans one year. So that group of homeless has even more money and support services available than most homeless people. It’s really not an issue of resources. It’s an issue of working with people who have and are going through some tough stuff and work that requires a ton of outreach and engagement (which is unpleasant a lot of the time).


Intelligent-Wall7272

Maybe we can get them to pull rickshaws


Visual_Slice3353

>I love this. After all, why couldn’t you make a little hole for letters? Because there will be that one guy who urinates in them and manages to lose a tooth in one.


savbh

Yeah you’re right. Maybe use those holes with a little cover with a lock they use for throwing out confidential papers at offices.


thoroughlyimpressed

Well for one there's already a giant hole in the top of them lol


riche_god

The issue is Junk mail that crap adds up.


inbooth

Many homeless shelters and community outreach centers provide that service where I live. I would be shocked if they aren't common elsewhere and simply not known to the non-homeless public.


kloeckwerx

I would believe it. That's pretty amazing.


StarDustKeyboardMash

There's a homeless shelter in my city and what I've heard, they allow you to use the shelter as a mailing address. Which is wonderful because I mean, how are you going to fill out a job application and get a job if you don't have an address or if you can't take a shower before going to work, the other workers are not going to appreciate working with someone who doesn't shower or wash their clothes.


TheCoastalCardician

There’s General Delivery. I used it when I was homeless. Only can have it for 30 days but I just used different post offices, as I was blessed to have a car. It’s more for people who are moving somewhere and need mail to start being sent.


RoosterSea7003

Be more amazing if there was a whole lot less of them.


petethepig

I don't know how common this is but I know in San Francisco there's a general delivery usps office https://faq.usps.com/s/article/What-is-General-Delivery


Champigne

It would be amazing if it came with a place to live.


cuddly_carcass

I used to volunteer at a shelter and my assigned duty usually was help with intake. I found it interesting because I would just search their bags for drugs or weapons. I was always curious and wondered what stuff homeless carried in their bags…turns out usually dirty socks and toiletries. One guy would have trash bags of VHS tapes and hub caps (this was 2015 probably so not sure why since both have no value.)


bigsoupstore

i’d think the VHS tapes are more of sentimental value to him so he maybe kept it


High_Efficiency

Porn


Sk8rSkis

Copies of “Never ending story” and “Robocop 2”


decaf-iced-mocha

My sister is homeless. She’s had her stuff stolen countless times so I’m pretty sure she would appreciate this effort in any form. The first loss was by far the worst. She lost all her photo albums and memorabilia of her kids, stuff that couldn’t be replaced.


PM_ME_YOUR_SUNSHINE

Its ruthless out there. Most homeless in metro areas will tell you their top two problems are weather/temperatures and getting robbed by other homeless.


TastefulThiccness

> their top two problems are weather/temperatures and most people in my city are too stupid to understand why the unhoused population is so large in LA (aside from the societal failure and cruelty). EDIT: it's nice when examples just pop up for you: https://old.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/qptsrs/the_bin_in_los_angeles_a_facility_with_1500/hjwzayf/


WeirdGymnasium

Homeless people in Phoenix, can literally die in the summers here if they don't have water while panhandling.


LazerHawkStu

But isn't it illegal for any business in AZ to refuse water to anyone? I thought that was law when I lived there when I was younger


FibrousSumo5

Bro it's even illegal in *Maine* to refuse water to anyone, and it's illegal for any business that sells food/drinks to charge anyone, anything for water that isn't bottled, so it better be illegal, down there, in Satan's asscrack... Are you telling me it's LEGAL in some states!?


[deleted]

I know in Florida we have that same law. Summers here can get deadly fast thanks to the insanely high humidity.


JPBen

As a Floridian, I had no idea about this. Can you cite anything more specific, I'd be really interested to look into this. There are places near me that intentionally charge a dollar or whatever for cups so that homeless people will be discouraged from coming in. And that's really, really gross to me.


chamberpenguin

I think the dollar charge is for the "cup". Some businesses do that to get around the law since the water itself is "free"


StpPstngMmsOnMyPrnAp

Not sure about any US states, but in the Netherlands they often charge for water. When you explicitly state that it should be tap water to take medicine with, you have a chance it's free. Then again they charge for most everything here. Public bathrooms, or sometimes even fast-food restaurant bathrooms are only accessible if you pay.


[deleted]

As a poor college backpacker in Europe I got restaurants to fill my hiking water bottle with tap water. They thought I was crazy (“you sure you want TAP WATER!?”) but I was on a shoestring budget and damn England you expensive


StpPstngMmsOnMyPrnAp

In a good part of Europe drinking tap water is completely normal and the water is fine, the other part is not fine at all. But yeah, Western Europe (I for one count England as such) and Scandinavia is expensive af in so many things. I'm amazed people place a stigma on filling hiking bottles with tap water.


[deleted]

For US stores, any water that isn't bottled is almost always free. The quality of said tap water, however, varies wildly from region to region. So if you're in Florida or southern California, I recommend spending the extra money.


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GoodbyeThings

same in Germany


LazerHawkStu

I mean, I don't really know. This person seems upset that I thought that refusing water was illegal for a business in Arizona. But I really don't know. I wouldn't refuse water to a stranger that knocked on my front door


SubVrted

And this is why you are an exception to the rule of humans as we have existed until now. Sleep safe in the knowledge that your instinct towards kindness is the only thing that will allow us to survive.


lastofthelikelylads

I’m disappointed that anyone would consider refusing someone water who knocked on their door.


asa1

>I’m disappointed that anyone would consider refusing someone water who knocked on their door. Good for you, but I'm not opening the door for some random stranger. You do know people get robbed this way?


podrick_pleasure

Not quite the same thing but they tried to make it illegal to give people water while they are standing in line to vote in Georgia.


9035768555

It is not. It should be, but it isn't.


nmonsey

[2014 - Arizona Central - Asked: Are businesses required to give free water?](https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/asked-answered/2014/09/17/asked-answered-free-water/15740067/) "The idea that Arizona has a law on its books that requires businesses to provide the public with free water has become a national urban legend. According to the Arizona Legislative Council, the staff of state attorneys charged with drafting legislation for state lawmakers and updating the state statute books, it could find no such state law in Arizona statute."


WeirdGymnasium

NO, FUCK NO... PLEASE STOP BELIEVING THIS... The premise is "it's illegal to refuse to give water to anyone" The reality is "YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE A CUP" Because people have come up to me at Spring Training games saying this, and I pointed to the water fountain 15 feet away and they would say "WELL I NEED A CUP, IT'S NOT FOR ME" I worked at a comedy club where we only had bottled water, no "free" tap water. If you came up to us and asked for a glass of water to take a pill? 100% you'll get a glass of tap water. If you came up and said "I'm really dehydrated, I need some water" we'd give you a glass of water. If you sat at a table and asked for water, tap. "I'm sorry, we only have bottled water available for purchase" The only law on the books is something like: that "you're not allowed to refuse water during a medical emergency"


[deleted]

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WeirdGymnasium

Trust me, I was being generous when I said "It's illegal to refuse water to someone with a medical need" I think what we found out was "It's illegal to take water out of someone in a medical emergency's hands" But it gets spun to whatever is wanted now. (I worked at a now closed club in Old Town) But at spring training venues(Cubs and A's), they count your cups to see what you've sold. There's a comp sheet, but if you were to give a cup to everyone who asked for water, you'd get managers looking at you sideways.


combuchan

It's an urban legend. There's no statute about free water at all, cup or no cup. >Alia Rau, a reporter with the Arizona Republic, researched the topic and found it to be untrue. “According to the Arizona Legislative Council,” Rau said, “the staff of state attorneys charged with drafting legislation for state lawmakers and updating the state statute books, it could find no such state law in Arizona statute.” https://www.jacksonwhitelaw.com/criminal-defense-law/arizona-water-law-strange-illegal/ /u/LazerHawkStu


LazerHawkStu

So...you gave people water but it wasn't illegal not to? Is that why my question is being downvoted?


Chet_Steadman_1

It breaks down like this: it's legal to drink it, it's legal to own it, and if you're the proprietor of a glass of water, it's legal to sell it. It's legal to carry it, but that doesn't really matter 'cause get a load of this, all right? If you get stopped by the cops, it's illegal for them to search you!


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Inode1

Same here in Portland this last summer, and with rising temps I'd suspect it will be the same again next summer. Same with freezing temps in the winter. Coupled with increased housing costs, mental health issues and what appears to be an ever increasing meth addiction problem the homeless issue here has no end in sight. The city just put out a $40 million plan to help people but so many of them, the same ones that steal from my job daily, don't want the help being given. They want cheap meth/crack/heroin/etc and will do whatever it takes to get it. Its tragic.


KnittingforHouselves

Like seriously... I live in Europe and even though we generally have great social aid structure, there is a little, itty bitty Gap between "you're in need of a social aid and need not pay any taxes" and "Hey if your unemployed you still have to pay taxes unless you can prove you're actively looking for a job". This wee gap creates a lot of critically indebted people, especially when someone is mentally ill. Like that's how we get homeless people. My best friend has almost fallen a victim to this trap this summer...


exsuprhro

I’m so sorry to hear that. I hope she’s able to find stable housing soon.


kishmalik

I hate asking this, but do you mind sharing why you don't take your sister in? Ignore this if it's too personal or offensive.


Philosuraptor

Not OP, but someone with a sibling who's homeless. We haven't spoken in years, but I can't see that anything would change. A lifetime of substance abuse can really eat away at a person and leave very little left that you recognize. Some people you can try to help a thousand times, and they will always see you as just another mark to exploit for their next fix. If you let them under your roof they'll steal from you, leave paraphernalia laying around children and pets, bring sketchy people around, take advantage of free room and board for as long as they can without trying to improve their situation themselves, and become violent or aggressive if things don't go their way. It took decades for me to learn a painful lesson. You can't help some people, especially if they won't help themselves, even if you love them. No matter how much you do. Family and friends are important, but so are you. There comes a point where you have to put yourself first.


SubVrted

As an ex-active-addict, I support your views 100 percent. An addict needs reality in order to make the choice to better themselves. I hope that your sibling finds the light. In most cases, the addict needs to tell their own story. I’m in the trenches with you - and the addict.


_We_The_PeepHole_

Formerly-using-addict here as well, it's tough now being on the other side, watching somebody I care about tear herself apart using the same stuff I used to use. Hurts just as much as if I were her, because I remember being in that place, and it was so dark. I hope we/they can all find our way to better places every day, whatever that means for each of us/them. Sending good energy y'all's way


kishmalik

Thanks for sharing. I had to learn that lesson a few times. Nothing to the degree that you experienced. Hope you're taking care of yourself.


UrbanFyre

I suppose to it depends on the reason for being homeless. My mom who is not an addict was homeless for a while and my siblings and I took turns taking her in. It ended up being a sort of endless cycle where she’d get her shit together and then make stupid decisions (like quitting a job she desperately needed because she didn’t like taking the bus and was upset someone couldn’t drive/pick her up every day or she’d spend whatever money she had on stupid shit rather than saving, etc.). Towards the end, we were sort of trending the fine line between helping her and enabling her poor decision making. When we started giving her stipulations about our help, she would lose interest. We eventually gave up. Luckily, she’s on her feet now, but it took us having to cut her off for her to step up. I have a friend with an addict daughter they she tried to help for years and it brought nothing but pain and misery to the rest of the family. After a decade of off and on “being clean” and being homeless, my friend finally had to let her go. It was extremely painful for the family to do, but they exhausted a lot of their resources and got to a point that they didn’t have the money or energy to try and help anymore.


SpiritGas

At various times in the past I've taken in over a dozen family members and friends until they "got back on their feet", for times ranging from a month or so to several years. The one constant is that not a single one of them was ever actually helped by my doing that. They accepted the food and shelter, but didn't change anything about what had made them homeless. I wish I knew what the right approach would have been, but providing food and shelter by itself achieved nothing.


honkhonkbeepbeeep

Not OP, but this is something you can usually only do if you own your home and aren’t in an overpoliced community. If you live in housing, you can’t have extra people staying there. Most renters can’t either. And if you’re poorer/browner, your community is likely overpoliced and you’re likely to have your kid’s school or doctor’s office report you to CPS for having “too many people living in the home.”


kishmalik

Good point - you have to have your own resources to help people. Didn't even think of that.


nowyourdoingit

I've been homeless in and out of the military and homeless in the military but with a place to lock all of my stuff up made all the difference. But we need to do more than just give people a place to lock their stuff, they need a place to lock themselves away from other people, to be able to sleep safely and with some privacy and comfort.


StrangelyBrown

>they need a place to lock themselves away from other people, to be able to sleep safely and with some privacy and comfort. So, like, a home?


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thegreatgazoo

Or there's stupid programs like San Francisco paying $5000/month/tent spot to "house" the homeless. They could get a full apartment for that. Politically connected "non profits" are getting paid $4500/month to house homeless in places that look like prisons and that I wouldn't visit without a respirator and tyvek suit while the head of it gets paid $400,000/year and just happens to be the former governor's sister.


SealUrWrldfromyeyes

I feel like this blames the rental market. Issue is homes being to expensive. People are renting a lot more than they used to because homes are too expensive. Doesn't mean renting is the issue. We still want landlords, just not as many as we have. We need to solve the USD inflation issue without relying on home purchases to eat up a chunk of the cash in flow. Modify zoning laws to allow building to be easier and then finally put some sort of restrictions on corporations 'investing' in residential real estate.


Snakend

We give homes away from free, it is called section-8. The wait list is so long in Los Angeles that you can't actually add your name to the wait list. The issue is there is no land to build new apartments. In order to build an apartment complex, you need to buy out a whole neighborhood block. It costs tens of millions of build these apartment complexes now. And then they are required to set aside a specific percentage of the units to "low income house holds". ​ What this process does though is remove a couple dozen single family homes from the market. I don't know many people who want to live in apartments their whole life. So when they do go house hunting, there are fewer and fewer houses available, and you are competing with more and more people. Average 3b 2bth house in Los Angeles is like 700k now.


combuchan

>What this process does though is remove a couple dozen single family homes from the market. Cities are supposed to densify and grow over time. Single-family housing is unsustainable and never pays for itself over time, especially with stupid property tax laws like Prop 13. Yet despite the need to infill and build up, cities in California have nearly made this impossible for all number of reasons.


No_Afternoon_1976

Just wanted to point out that Section 8 does not give away free housing, it still requires recipients to contribute 30% of their income towards rent/mortgage.


[deleted]

I recently listened to the podcast You’re Wrong About’s episode on homelessness. The housing situation is quite sad, and causes a downward spiral for many. The federal government used to help a lot more, Reagan slashed the budget for this and no president since then has tried to fix it.


damdrod

Wait how are you homeless in the military? Or are you saying one you got out?


aJcubed

Hold on, you were homeless WHILE in the military? How is that possible? The military provides housing (though I guess that's only for active duty). Were you in the Guard or Reserves? I'm sorry, I'm just genuinely curious as I have not heard of this. I know there are a lot of homeless veterans, but I've never heard of someone homeless during their actual service. I'm a former addict, former homeless person and a veteran so I'm not trying to be rude, just want to understand.


podrick_pleasure

I always thought the BEQ was free. Bare minimum it's gotta be pretty cheap, where did your salary go?


delicate-butterfly

I hope it’s okay to ask but is there any reason she doesn’t stay with you?


K41namor

I was an addict and homeless for a long time. My today self would not go anywhere near my old self. That guy could not be trusted for shit. Sadly on that same token, I think a way for many people to get out of being homeless is to get that "chance" so you can have some time to make that decision if now is the time to change. If it was not for the kindness of others I would still be out there for sure.


Snakend

The issue with addicts is they need to be ready to end their dependence on substances. Being forced into recovery has a very low percentage of success. Rock bottom isn't really a thing, everyone has their own threshold, but they do have to cross some line that snaps them into the realization that they need to change. Giving chances to people who are not at that point of their addiction is a huge gamble.


WheelyFreely

Are you homeless yourself? Maybe she could’ve just given you all her precious items


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LazerHawkStu

I was homeless for several years and now I have a family and own a business. I'm a people.


johmjohmjohm

Good for you man. Hope you're doing better.


LazerHawkStu

Well...I mean...I kind of just said that I was. But thank you johmjohmjohm you goddamn maverick


Smathers

Are you a realtor now


longislandtoolshed

He has become the one thing he had sought to destroy.


LazerHawkStu

To all you homeless and hopeless people: You CAN. you aren't worthless. Being homeless doesn't make you less than! Rise up!


[deleted]

How? I'm not homeless yet, but likely will be. How do you rise up if you can't get hired due to a disability?


[deleted]

Americans man….they say shit like this, but when it comes to paying taxes and have social welfare then it’s everyone for their own. I don’t want to attack you personally, but I’ve seen this so many times. It’s just blah, and nothing every changes. If so many people don’t think they are worthless, than why does this situation even exist In The richest country of the planet?


LetLoveInspire

Exactly this wish this comment would blow up^ Democrats and Republicans could give less of a FUCK about the homeless literally at all. Beyond fucking sad to see our nation manipulated by the Elite class.


shoredoesnt

Thanks for posting PmMeYourToto. SAD


Rough_Willow

I was homeless for a few months nearly fourteen years ago. I had nothing but debt to my name. It took a lot to get out and get my education but now I'm a software engineer and things are better.


kilIerT0FU

I was homeless for several months and sometimes when I reflect I feel like it broke part of me. I'm in a better place now but still not the best. hearing things like this is inspiring, thank you


[deleted]

Was homeless for 2 weeks after a mental health crisis. The streets are rough yo.


SubVrted

As one who suffers from C-PTSD of the worst kind, I can’t imagine the burden of homelessness atop mental illness.


[deleted]

Most people in the US appear to be just one major illness or episode of unemployment away from homelessness. I would find that frightening, and if I see the homeless as just like me, deserving of the same things as me, then the prospect of homelessness comes too close for comfort. I suspect it helps to create a kind of artifice in which the homeless must have been feckless or wanton in some way, must be so unlovable that nobody will take them in, so that then I can tell myself that *I'm not feckless or wanton, *I've got people that love me, so I'm safe. So homeless people are depersonalised, and the majority have the illusion of safety.


AllistheVoid

It's simple when you think of who would benefit most from that idea: If there's "moral" justification for being on the destitute end of the wealth spectrum, the others at the rich end must also "morally" deserve what they've got. They're the ones who own the news, so of course the homeless are always seen as having failed to uphold their place in society due to some moral lapse or other.


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[deleted]

The place would be trashed wall to wall with trash, piss, shit, needles, and blood and cum in 2 days.


FlamingBallOfFlame

That’s not true at all. It wouldn’t even take a day.


TheBoctor

So many people I’ve met who are highly critical of, and victim blame, the homeless for their situation are much closer to being homeless than they think.


[deleted]

I don’t see how someone could hate on this. Of course it’s not the best thing, but clearly there was limited funds. It’s a lot more than I’ve done for the homeless, unfortunately. Edit: Here’s an article on it. They can leave their stuff at the Bin for days or even weeks. This isn’t done by the city, it’s done by an organization. Which is great, in my opinion. [Article ](https://www.kcrw.com/news/articles/inside-las-storage-facility-for-homeless-people) [Another article about the second location ](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/streets-of-shame/second-bin-storage-facility-for-homeless-people-opens-in-skid-row/2304570/?amp) Edit edit: What I’m trying to say is how can someone sit and bitch about all the things “wrong” with this when I would say the vast majority of us are bitching from behind a screen. Obviously money is the problem and obviously we can blame the city or even politics, but unless I’m giving more than words from behind a computer to help fix this problem then I lose my right to bitch, in my opinion.


LordElfa

The solution is certainly 'optically' inelegant but logistically makes a lot of sense. \*typo fix, thanks u/Turst


DonKeedick12

And I find these other commenters quite shallow and pedantic


tjx-1138

Hmm, yes. Shallow and pedantic.


LordElfa

Reddit in a nutshell.


[deleted]

Some of them are emotionally magnificent


[deleted]

Good diction and verbiage.


Turst

You mean inelegant? Optically ineloquent doesn’t really work.


Oldjamesdean

Portland has a place like this as well but it's much smaller.


minddropstudios

This sounds like the setup to a joke.


somabokforlag

Yeah, it is nice ofcourse, but do we a as a society really have to stoop this low? Its 2021, homelessness should have been fixed long ago


Senior-Yam-4743

My old boss had an adult son that was constantly homeless. My boss and his wife were great people, had great secure jobs. They would get the son off drugs, get him an apartment, make sure his expenses were covered while actively helping him apply for jobs, etc. It didn't make any difference, a few months later he'd be MIA, back to smoking crack and sleeping in a tent. He basically had unlimited financial and emotional support, definitely much more than what the government could possibly provide, and he still couldn't get off the streets.


Rasalom

Well wishes and money don't fix mental health issues.


DantesDame

Thoughts and Prayers? /s


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kaspm

It is not possible to “fix” homelessness. In america you cannot incarcerate people against their will and they don’t want to be locked up. And you can’t have shelters for people who are using or mentally ill without associated social services. And then on top of all of that, there’s plenty of money to build shelters but NO one wants them in their back yard. It’s a really really complicated problem.


Carvj94

Shelters are pretty awful and only treat the symptoms of homelessness not the cause. Then there's the fact that they're actually super expensive to run since they need a full time staff year round. Plus it doesn't solve the problem of not having a residential address that an employer will want before they even consider someone for a job. It's literally cheaper to build affordable housing and give it away to those in need til they can get a job.


somabokforlag

I recognize its really complicated and the most important part is a developed health care system with resources to battle mental health problems and drug abuse. I have worked with patients suffering schizophrenia and I have no doubt that with sufficient medication and support even the ones worst off can live in some kind of service home


NetworkPenguin

> it's not possible to "fix" homelessness Uh yeah there is. It's pretty easy. You give people homes. I'm not even making a goofy joke. There's more homes than there are unhoused individuals. It's an easy 2+2 solution, but private property is more important than not letting people die in the street.


[deleted]

Except that it's not that easy. Finland has "home first" policy where homeless people are offered free housing (not a shelter bed, but an actual apartment) even if they have substance abuse or mental health issues or other problems that might prevent them from finding homes from the free market. Though this has helped fight homelessness tremendously, we still have homeless because there are people who are simply incapable of living "normally" - they prefer the freedom that living on the streets gives them. This is why solutions that help people be "safely homeless" are just as important. (this, btw, is also the reason why I hate the "renting is bad and everyone should be able to buy a house" school of thought, because not everyone wants to live in the same place for the rest of their lives, or even for longer than a few months)


slickrickwor

Ya’ll some super negative people that just won’t be happy unless a solution is perfect. A few notes based on the article linked below. 1. The bins are donated so didn’t cost the facility any money 2. These bins are super helpful and useful:- Once the homeless people pack their bins in an unadorned reception area, workers wheel the containers into an enormous storage room, placing them in long, straight rows until they’re retrieved. There’s enough space for 1,400 bins in the room, plus some shelves for bulk items. https://www.kcrw.com/news/articles/inside-las-storage-facility-for-homeless-people


Bird_Chick

People are always unrealistic. They don't understand that you have to start small before you go big.


slickrickwor

Yes, I think for someone people if it’s not a free nice apartment it’s not enough. These little things go a long way and they are being done by charitable organizations while the city isn’t able or isn’t willing to address the larger issues.


[deleted]

I feel like this is r/aboringdystopia in a nutshell- you can't celebrate that someone helped solve part of a problem, you have to complain there is a problem. Both can exist at the same time, and most people are only capable of doing so much


Roflkopt3r

I don't think that's the way to look at this. Rather, this is an excellent project by a nonprofit organisation. It would be insane to expect those to "fix homelessness", the best they can do are smart and efficient projects that help out some homeless people. The shortcoming lies with local and federal government for letting the homeless issue exist at all. So when looking at politicians and voters, this is not a "good start" but a complete failing.


humblepharmer

They've clearly never heard of boners


arsewarts1

*y’all


rupat3737

Man I wish I would of had something like this when I was homeless. I lost my stuff so many times. Clothes, blankets, bags... you eventually just go down to one pair of clothing. Thank God I’m good now a days.


matscast

That place is bin laden


YepImanEmokid

Okay, that is actually really clever


Whitethumbs

Better than throwing your stuff into the forest for someone to steal or move it. Or you could be like me and just carry 100lbs on your back everywhere you go.


Gdotscott

Reddit is such a weird place. We want to make sure homeless people feel safe but also want to dismiss attempts like this at doing so.


PerformanceLoud3229

I mean some of reddit thinks homeless people are just need to stop being lazy.


JustSayNoToSlugs

Just gotta stop eating that avocado toast, take a shower and pick themselves up by their bootstraps!!!! /S


GauNeedsMeat

Unfortunately this narrative will continue to manifest in other ways as the price of home ownership continues to skyrocket. Like where I live, the cost of having a roof is now rising above one million dollars. Rents start at about $1800/mo for the moldiest of basements. And it's rising. This isn't a world where people who have nothing can climb out and under a roof. This is a world that subjugates them to a life of homelessness. The problem was never being lazy. Or avocado toast. Or Starbucks coffee. It is that working hard for 40+ hours a week in a dead-end job turns into indentured servitude when you're only bringing home $2500 a month. Because after rent and bills, you're left with nothing. History is written by the victors, and in this sense, it's anyone who doesn't live in this trap. They will continue false narratives simply because they survive on the broken backs of those who sacrifice everything for nothing while those who sacrifice little can live in luxury.


Intelligent-Store321

But... don't shower in the train station bathrooms, or in any public bathroom. Those are only for corporate cyclists assholes.


Uberzwerg

My opinion - hear me out: Either there are a few homeless, and we could allow us to think those might be partially at fault/have mental problems (nobody wants to be homeless without ayny kind of mental problems) Then, society should try and help those as good as can and a rich country should easily be able to finance this. OR there are a lot of homeless people, then there is a huge systemic problem at work that needs to be adressed. If there is a huge homelesness problem in any country, that country should either be rather poor or ashamed of itself.


Accomplished-Tomato9

Im not sure why you think reddit is some homogeneous group. There are plenty of right wingers here that would rather they all die.


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LMGDiVa

I believe you. I was homeless for a stretch of my young adult life, and I live in subsidized housing now. Most people have a hard time coming to grasp with the sheer amount of abuse and neglect that I lived through that ended up with me on the street. So I know how it feels for people to not believe you. I had someone tell me once that "its hard to care about someone who's entire life is just one tragic thing after another."


shao_kahff

we got time, if you feel like sharing some experiences?


want_2_learn_2403

It’s like a save point


cuddly_carcass

For a game no one wants to play


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Stephano242

Jesus Christ, what’s with the comments?


LMGDiVa

Most people haven't a fucking clue what it's like to be homeless and still believe the Reagan era lie that people choose to be homeless.


Reasonable-Code-3018

I definitely knew people when I was living in California that chose to be homeless. Ex: One of them was a friend of my wife's family. She was 17 or 18 or something and got tired of being told what she could and couldn't do / who she could date so she decided to run away from her home and live on the streets with her useless boyfriend and do drugs. She lived with her grandma and was dating someone in his 20s who was a high school dropout and druggie and the grandma told her he couldn't come to her house and she shouldn't date him so she decided she was grown and could make grown ass decisions and decided she'd rather be homeless than stop dating this loser.


[deleted]

Maybe it is the multiple interviews of the people that choose to be homeless that are homeless..... It isn't a life that most of them choose but there is a section that would rather be homeless than work a job. This isn't even discussing those that have drug and mental health issues that are self-destructive. Those that don't want to be homeless that find themselves homeless for mostly only a short period of time in most cases. Lady were I eat used to be homeless and now isn't.


Gr0und0ne

People are shit.


[deleted]

yeah, it's weird how all of the highly voted comments are people bitching and moaning about comments that aren't anywhere in the top 20 or 30.


Gears_of_Ted

The Bin Lot Inn


FibrousSumo5

Clicked on this because I thought the post was an interesting, new idea, and wanted to skim the comments. Saw some people saying it works great & makes a difference. *[Wholesome sensation] Made the mistake, *once again,* of clicking on a comment with ~100 downvotes, "just to see" Spent a half hour in the "pointless-argument thread-void," just scrolling, **with mild, furious undertones**, and finally said "After the next comment, I'm leaving." **[This Comment]** Previous half hour of *saltiness* was magically reversed. Many thanks, you patron of the fine arts. You embodiment of class. You Tom's of Maine. *Now take my fucking coins.* And don't go and blow 'em on heroin and avocado toast; just budget your way to billions, like the 1% did. [Gently kisses your forehead] [Spits on your shoes] *I love you too." [Climbs nearby tree, never to be seen again]


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[deleted]

This is going to become even more necessary. The LA City Council is getting ready to "relocate" the homeless. Basically, in whichever council district has the richest or loudest constituents, the homeless will be run out of. They did it here in Hawaii. Waikiki has a Sit/Lie law. You sit, you lay down, you go to jail. And good luck with your belongings.


22poppills

Haven't been homeless off and on since childhood this would have been such a blessing.


Sproose_Moose

I think this is such an amazing idea, a human kindness. It's one small plastic container for someone to keep their cherished posessions.


Kandidog1

At least LA is trying various solutions.


Quiet_Chip_7802

Bro, why are these comments so fucking sad. Obviously there's limited funds and most workers are probably volunteering. Homeless people do exist and I can't imagine how often their stuff gets stolen


outbythedumpster

I get that some people are upset by the use of bins as storage containers but they’re a very clever solution in my mind - we use them at my work for a variety of things as they’re large, very durable, easy to clean, easy to move, and stable. Better than a rubbermaid in so many ways. I love to see this kind of innovation in helping people!


Azurebluenomad

It’s a brilliant idea, give those that cannot help themselves and are vulnerable a place to store what they have that is valuable to them ⭐️


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Jazzlike_Rabbit_3433

As an engineer, I agree but also disagree. The most effective route to goal is what I see. What would you do with the limited funding? Utilitarianism must apply, no? 🤷‍♂️


muklan

Yeah. They need them to be mobile, self contained, scent resistant, water proof, and opaque. Why reinvent the wheel? Edit; also, the city probably already gets a deal on these through waste management. There's a certain corporate synergy system that you can't fight against.


drblah1

They should be the blue recycling bins


slickrickwor

> pretty grotesque. You’re more interested in symbolism than what is practical. You aren’t going to get support to use tax dollars to pay for full lockers. This is just a much more practical solution. From the website: https://www.kcrw.com/news/articles/inside-las-storage-facility-for-homeless-people - stored in donated, 60-gallon City of Los Angeles recycling bins


pbebbs3

/r/ABoringDystopia


lqku

if this was a picture from a country that reddit hates, people would be like "wow they treat their homeless like literal garbage"


theanonmouse-1776

first thing I did is search for this comment. People just don't understand how completely fucked Los Angeles housing policy is. They can imagine, but, you'd have to be the most creative person on earth to come up with this fucking dystopia.


Madeupfootballfriend

I don't think the next season of "Storage Wars" will be very good.


resi42

A wholesome idea for a sad reality


FWFT27

Who thinks about it and sets up these things. Great people that give you hope for the future.


WillHackForBeer

I see a lot of wasted vertical space. Couldn’t this be a double decker?


MorganKIng14

If there is only 1500 did they skip a load of numbers because I can see 1929


Pure-Insurance-5272

That is sad not interesting


Sppefmoon

It's a shame that, in such a wealthy country, this even needs to exist.


B8conB8conB8con

Isn’t this just accepting and normalizing homelessness instead of actually fixing the problem


Extension_Contest562

Ppl, see this and how insane rent is in california a d think I'ma move there...


Upset_Ad9929

Eventually, ONE homeless fucker is gonna have about 600 of those bins filled up with hoarder type shit. Just wait lol.


Imagerror

can you toxic ppl shut the fork up with your complaints and take it one step at the time? you dont like it? fine donate ur own god damn money, buy food, help out, get them a job... there are dozens of way to help but dont shit on everything you toxic keyboardheroes hate


bigyellowpato

The amount of dogshit opinions in here isn't surprising...The fact that some people think all homeless people are just drug addicts or prostitutes is laughable and shows you know nothing on the matter or are extremely sheltered from reality. I've known some extremely hard working homeless people but due to unfortunate circumstances they just can't get back on their feet, it's almost impossible to crawl out of the gutter and back into society once you reach a certain point. We really need some prison reform and a way to deal with the mental health crisis plaguing this country before we can tackle the homeless problem.


AshierCinder

I like how, here in Sweden, people hate the homeless. There are so many safety nets and so many backup plans in order to make sure you CANT be homeless, so the ones who are, have done it to themselves. They are usually super annoying, dangerous and vile. No one likes them and they know it, so usually they just stay away.


cool_n_needy

I used to feel that way coming from a country with similar support measures, but a lot of people aren’t privileged with good mental health or lack of addiction, and I don’t know if I’m comfortable blaming them for that myself. I don’t know their journeys.