On: I will do anything to end homelessness except build more homes (2018)

[j-krieger]

Different sources say 40 to 50% of homeless have substance abuse problems. A lot of people don't want addicts as neighbours.

[UncleMeat → j-krieger]

A substantial reason why these people have substance addictions is because they are homeless and use substances to cope.

Reducing the price of rent can prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place.

[bitlax → UncleMeat]

What mechanism of enforcement do I have when this person continues to use substances in their subsidized housing? How do I prevent my young children from smelling this person's marijuana? How do I prevent my young children from interacting with these people when they play outside?

[UncleMeat → bitlax]

Poor people are people. "My child should never have to interact with a person living in subsidized housing" is a rather remarkable claim.

Is your plan simply to imprison all poor people?

[bitlax → UncleMeat]

> rather remarkable claim.

Mundane actually. I want my children to play outdoors without interacting with drug users. Your perspective is skewed.

> Is your plan simply to imprison all poor people?

No, and this doesn't follow.

[UncleMeat → bitlax]

I do not know any other mechanism to ensure that your child never interacts with a poor person except to imprison them all.

[bitlax → UncleMeat]

This is silly. You don't really believe this. My status quo is potless. We're discussing a policy change.

[UncleMeat → bitlax]

I really do believe this. And I hope it makes it clear to others why wanting to keep housing prices high to prevent your kids from smelling pot is an outrageous opinion.

[bitlax → UncleMeat]

I'm telling you it's obviously not true since I'm a walking counterexample. My children currently do not experience marijuana in any way.

[danaris → bitlax]

"What mechanism of enforcement"??

Well, maybe you should just give them judgmental glares until they realize that being poor is a bad choice and stop it!

Or maybe you should move, since you apparently have such stringent standards for what's "allowed" to be around you and your children.

[bitlax → danaris]

I have a better idea. I'll stay where I am and keep drug users away from my children like normal parents do.

[j-krieger → UncleMeat]

> A substantial reason why these people have substance addictions is because they are homeless and use substances to cope

My experience is the opposite, I have family who do streetworking.

[UncleMeat → j-krieger]

And the data is wider than your experience I suppose.

Yes, there are homeless people with pre-existing substance abuse problems. But so many people have this idea that somebody has their life together and then they try meth and then they end up homeless and that's how most homelessness works. This makes the "well, they deserve it and there is nothing to be done" position stick.

[j-krieger → UncleMeat]

> And the data is wider than your experience I suppose.

Not that I care much. Me and my children will live as far from addicts and the homeless as I can manage, thank you very much.

> But so many people have this idea that somebody has their life together and then they try meth and then they end up homeless and that's how most homelessness works

Usually people who are on drugs have their life fall apart, which ultimately ends in homelessness.