Will Socialism save Seattle? City advocates struggle to find solutions as homeless, drug addicts flood streets

San Francisco has well known homeless issue.Mostly in one area.With others small groups throughout the city.Aguements between politicians and homeless activists.Results dead ended.I agree with all Candy has stated.Took the words out of my mouth.

San Francisco has a "homeless issue" for the same reason Seattle does: year-round mild weather. It's a desirable place to be in general, so the homeless folks don't want to leave.

The real solution to homelessness is to stop painting it as a crime. And yeah, that means that homeless people will be driven out of hostile red state cities and will wind up in Seattle and San Francisco. 

What do we do with people who lack the skills, abilities, resources, or inclination to survive? I haven't heard an answer to that simple question.

Kevin you hit it on the head with the weather angle, and definitely with "inclination" to survive.  For whatever reasons. 

My southern 'red' city (or was last election) doesn't criminalize the homeless.   We do get a lot of heat in the summer, and it is NOT a dry heat.  Maybe that's right, Kevin.  Not as desirable to live there as Seattle.

We have/had "the van" organized to pick up and drive homeless around to get/keep work, apply benefits, etc.  Actually it was one guy who got it going, presented it to the city, ran it, etc.  Unfortunately last I read the guy is now sick and can't drive the van, nobody stepped forward to do that thankless job.  Also more costly than initially proposed, now high gas cost, van maintenance, rent, etc.  How much funding he got from the city (or state, or fed?) I don't know.

One of our churches got a grant and fixed up two camper type vehicles each with two washing machines and two dryers, to help people wash/dry clothes for jobs, job interviews, etc.  I'm not describing it well but it was said to be a help to certain homeless, the motivated ones.  I haven't followed up to see how it is working.  But a good idea at its base.  Need this type of initiative X 10 million, plus the buy in, spend money on good instead of throwing it away at bad.

A huge, complex problem, homelessness.  I'm sure every city has its share.

I am native to San Francisco.Sad to see,so far no answer.

Well, what would constitute an "answer"? Housing for all? In a city where a studio apartment rents for $3000?

There's a lot of unused, empty land west of I-5. Why not build a huge homeless shelter there, similar to an army camp? Offer people the option to live there, provide transportation to and from, use SNAP benefits to pay for food (communal). Set up a free medical clinic. Job training for those who want it. Et cetera.

Expensive at first, but much cheaper in the long run than trying to find housing in The City.

I have a friend that has 2 drug addicted sons that live in  seatle because they have many more free services.  Since they can't ever keep a job , the free stuff is more important than the weather. And I think the soft on crime policies are also much better for them in Seatle

Oh, for pity's sake. That "soft on crime" bleat is a tiresome MAGA shibboleth. How is Seattle "soft on crime"? Do you have comparative stats? Anything showing that studly red state cities are "tough on crime" by comparison? 

I don't have any stats.  All I do know is what their dad says, and the fact that whenever they come home they always seem to get arrested for drugs or theft.  Last year they missed the funeral for their mother because they were in jail.  If Seattle wants to foot the bill for these kinds of people more power to them.  I am just happy when these 2 are not in our town

  Seeing is believing. When Lewis is faced with the reality and facts concerning Socialistic govening- he refutes the reality with a straw man arguement.

That's a lovely plan.  But...look at how many "free clinics" there are in any city.  I know of one here, run by one paid administrator, a volunteer doctor and a few volunteer nurses and others who rotate working it a few days a week.  And a volunteer dentist or two who work it a few days a month.  Their own practice schedules are full.

Compare that to the number of fee-for-service clinics in any city.  Hundreds, made possible by insurance, Medicare, private pay, etc.  The money to run Kevin's wonderland has to come from somewhere, and homeless generally aren't paying anything into the system.  And lack the inclination to take the 'windfall' of a decent place to live, get cleaned up, find work, find training for better work, and so on.  Like Brent Kline's friend's sons...no inclination.   

Candy