Solution to housing the homeless in Central Texas (San Antonio, Austin: sales, real estate)

[cheeva]

The 78207 zip code. Average sales price in that zip is 115K. There are 3 bedroom homes available for less than 100K. It's next to support services too. This is a lot cheaper than purchasing hotel rooms at 150K each. Why are these homes not being purchased by the CoSA or CoA

[CarnivalGal]

Why do you bring up these "solutions" to the homeless problem all the time? As has been pointed out to you each of those times, the homeless situation is much more complicated then just giving everyone a place to live. If it were that simple it wouldn't be a problem.

I hope the mods lock this thread, as it's the same arguement you re-hash over and over again.

[ashbeeigh]

78207 is a historical underserved area that is of cultural significance in San Antonio. Do your research.

[Need4Camaro]

Here is how I personally break this down…

Homeless Crisis — A legitimate issue caused by the break down of the social services structure of the country of which both Democrats and Republicans have had their hand in the pot in accomplishing over a course of several decades. Honestly this goes very deep and social services alone is not enough to fix this problem. I.E. We can throw as much money at this as we like but we will barely tickle the iceberg of this. This is more than just a social services problem. It’s very much a spiritual breakdown of this nation and this is only one of the symptoms.

Leadership Crisis — This is the part that exploits the homeless problem and makes the issue worse… and in some cases, even intentionally. They take a problem and propose a solution that seems as if it is addressing the issue, but is really intended for the benefit of personal interest. I.E. Mayor Alder’s wife is involved in real estate and they have real interest in properties throughout the Austin metro. They allowed camps to devaluate businesses and sought after them…and I am sorry, but I do not believe Steve Adler or the Austin City Council are truly ‘progressive’ as much as I believe they are employing solutions that benefit their personal cause…

https://indyaustin.org/sale/

As much as I dislike Austin’s leadership, the homeless issue is a more longstanding issue that is completely separate from the past solutions employed by the CoA. They do need help, but neither party are employing good solutions. One party wants to alienate the problem, the other wants to manipulate the problem. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that the problem isn’t real.

I personally think many of the homeless need mental treatment before any form of housing will do them any good. Throwing them in a house while they are still chronically ill will only ensure that the taxpayer will continue funding their whereabouts as they will not be able to hold a job in that state and the second that financial assistance is uprooted from them they will only crash again.

There also needs to be a way to sift those that are willing to be treated and get back on their feet versus those that just want to abuse the system. I’m entirely for helping people who want to help themselves but people who completely give up on themselves and only want others to carry them, I cannot support.

[DMChicago]

That’s a lot of feed for the troll.

[ashbeeigh]

When the city finds the funding to pay the mental health providers a fair salary will be the day my head explodes. They’re paying clinicians (therapist and social workers) directly working with the highest of high needs homeless folks a starting salary if $26 an hour. I just heard on tv that the starting wage for an EMT is $27 an hour. And recently read that Target will have starting pay UP TO $24 an hour. As a clinician, I’d be happy to provide these services if I was paid enough to live in Austin comfortably. And then, after paying us, they need to find places for us to send folks who are actively involved in their treatment. Housing 100-200 people here and there is not helping the problem. We need to help house the rest..who want to be housed.

[Need4Camaro]

I do wonder if the CoA is capable of paying more for these services, with the increase of property values as well as growth surely property tax revenue as also increased (although for Austin proper I believe there are caps?)

[cheeva]

Originally Posted by CarnivalGal

the homeless situation is much more complicated then just giving everyone a place to live.

you have to START with housing people, THEN you provide services.

https://endhomelessness.org/resource/housing-first/
"Housing First is a homeless assistance approach that prioritizes providing permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness, thus ending their homelessness and serving as a platform from which they can pursue personal goals and improve their quality of life."

Originally Posted by CarnivalGal

I hope the mods lock this thread

Hey if you're into censorship, that's cool.

[cheeva]

My top 3 favorite excuses for (D) not being able to solve problems:

1. "It's complicated"
2. "Everywhere has the same problem"
3. "It's always been like this."

honorable mention:

"If we make it legal, then it won't be a crime anymore"

[Need4Camaro]

If they must be housed before treating them then tent cities wouldn’t be a bad solution if they were not in the path of the general public. That would be the most affordable means of housing them and have onsite services in the vicinities to treat them… thing is we still run into the problem of how many of them actually want treatment.