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Microsoft Co-founder Pledges $30 Million To House Seattle's Homeless (cnn.com)
Paul Allen, a founder of Microsoft has pledged $30 million to house Seattle's homeless. From a report: Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said Wednesday the city was partnering with Paul G. Allen's family foundation to build a facility to house homeless families with children. Allen's foundation will provide $30 million toward the development of the facility, while the city of Seattle has pledged $5 million for its maintenance and operation. It will be owned and operated by Mercy Housing Northwest, a nonprofit housing organization. Seattle is in King County, which has 1,684 families that are homeless, according to the mayor's announcement. More than 3,000 homeless children were enrolled in Seattle's public schools during the 2015-2016 year, it said.
This is insane. It is never wrong to help homeless children, especially in a country as rich as the US and a city as rich as Seattle. The risk of accidentally helping some homeless children that also don't have the right papers is an especially dumb reason to not help homeless children.
"It's actually cheaper in the long run to house homeless people than to leave them on the streets. And seriously, the rich are always going to find tax loopholes or tax breaks. Why shouldn't they do something that helps other people instead of just using some loophole that other benefits them?"
I can't speak to the rest of the country but I can about Los Angeles. If someone is homeless and doesn't WANT to be homeless they WONT be homeless for long. There are numerous opportunities to get them in to housing, food, work, and additional assistance as needed.
The PROBLEM is there's a gray area for those with mental problems who refuse assistance as well as drug or other substance abusers. Begging on the street is the fastest way to get money for booze, meth or whatever floats your boat. Any money goes to that -- including rent and food money. They also refuse assistance or refuse to pay for anything the moment they get cash. Things like rent or food or clothing. Either begging or theft.
This is where we need to come up with better terms for "homeless". Like "homeless" vs. "transient". The "homeless" issue has a workable solution in my area. The "transient" solution does not -- and I'm unsure there is a workable solution.