The solution is cheap and simple: As cities see their homeless populations grow, many are buying one-way bus tickets to send people to a more promising destination, where family or friends can help get them back on their feet.
One aspect of this, is that many of these homeless have “burned their bridges” with family and friends who have already tried to help them. Their addictions or mental illness can make it impossible for well meaning family and friends to help them get back on their feet.
Theoretically, all of us can say, of course, we would let Uncle Ted or cousin Jenny stay in our spare room while they get their life in order. But if the abuse the privilege, by bringing drugs or drug dealers or strange men home, creating chaos in our household, then we will all have second thoughts. And in the worst case, kick them out.
“...that many of these homeless have “burned their bridges” with family and friends who have already tried to help them....”
Been there, done that, got the scars to prove it.....NEVER again.
The point being that continuing to enable them in their filthy habits will not work, so try something else.
Agreed. It can and does happen. There are two people in our extended family that I will not help, will not associate with at all. One is dangerously bipolar and refuses to take medication - which had put her on an even keel. But another family member convinced her to try natural remedies and now she is delusional to the point I literally would not open the door to her, and if I ran into her someplace I would not turn my back on her. That level of delusional. The other family member I’ve written off has shown herself to be a mean, petty, manipulative liar. She did some things a few years back that hurt some family - just playing a power game, because she could and she wanted everyone to know it. She’s not family anymore as far as I’m concerned. I’d help a complete stranger before I’d help her. I would not spit on the sidewalk to save her life.
“Theoretically, all of us can say, of course, we would let Uncle Ted or cousin Jenny stay in our spare room while they get their life in order.”
The key word there is “theoretically”. Nephew Jeremy gets the hollow end of my shotgun if he shows up here after getting out of prison, which he went into for the second time at age 37.