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Georgia Takes a Stand on Homeless Policy
City Journal ^ | 5/5/23 | Joe Lonsdale

Posted on 05/07/2023 12:29:13 PM PDT by CFW

The United States has a homelessness problem, but we have an even bigger homelessness-policy problem. It is an issue at the federal level—HUD spends nearly $10 billion annually to create bad incentives that reward destitution—and at the state and local level. This week, two widely divergent state approaches to homelessness were on display.

In Oregon, state legislators sought to grant the homeless a right to camp on public property and to sue for up to $1,000 if their tents are disturbed. This may strike some as an extreme example, but it’s unfortunately typical for homeless policy, which is largely controlled by a national activist movement. Made up of thousands of service providers, this movement has become unaccountable and has failed to make meaningful improvements in conditions for the homeless, all while docking taxpayers more and more money. In some cases, these groups have become urban political machines in their own right, with incentives to see more homeless on the streets because it means more public funding for them. States like Oregon are happy to play ball.

The State of Georgia, however, is not. On Wednesday, Governor Brian Kemp signed SB 62 into law, which will upend the status quo on homelessness policy in the Peach State. Passed with bipartisan support, the law is based on model legislation developed at the Cicero Institute, which I founded.

(Excerpt) Read more at city-journal.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; US: Georgia
KEYWORDS: ciceroinstitute; georgia; homeless; policy; publiccamping
I was happy to learn that Governor Kemp signed SB62 into law. The homeless activists lobbied hard against the bill since the liberal counties get a lot of money to create programs in which a committee meets monthly, one of the activist presents a powerpoint presentation complete with all the virtue signaling slogans, and someone else is tasked with the job to write a grant proposal for more money from tax-payers. Don't be fooled by "grants". Most come from tax-payer dollars no matter what those groups try to tell you. And, little of the funds they receive actually go to improving the life of those it's supposed to assist.

This is a good article by Mr. Lonsdale and in it he sets out how the leftist groups actually implement policies to increase homelessness rather than prevent it.

1 posted on 05/07/2023 12:29:13 PM PDT by CFW
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To: CFW

I think the writer Mr. Longsdale is trying to out-intellectualize us. Just my 2 cents.


2 posted on 05/07/2023 12:34:36 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: CFW

government hating American producers and rewarding non-producers


3 posted on 05/07/2023 12:39:38 PM PDT by no-to-illegals ( The enemy has US surrounded. May God have mercy on them.v)
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To: CFW
demsolutions
4 posted on 05/07/2023 12:47:22 PM PDT by cuz1961 (USCGR Veteran )
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To: DIRTYSECRET

I hate it when I get out-intellectualized.


5 posted on 05/07/2023 12:48:57 PM PDT by BipolarBob (I was going to start procrastinating this year, I just haven't got around to it.)
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To: BipolarBob

“I hate it when I get out-intellectualized.”

Same here. What’s worse is when others point out that I’ve been “out-intellectualized”.

Such are the woes of Freepers! And, we suffer in silence as no one knows the troubles we’ve seen.


6 posted on 05/07/2023 12:56:06 PM PDT by CFW (old and retired)
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To: DIRTYSECRET

Get up to speed Joe.....it’s ‘unhoused’, not ‘homeless’. Sheesh!


7 posted on 05/07/2023 1:04:51 PM PDT by Right Brother (Democrats are 💩)
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To: CFW

What would happen to the homeless if they were not given a penny of aid, and driven from the streets and parks?


8 posted on 05/07/2023 1:06:26 PM PDT by ConservativeInPA ("How did you go bankrupt?" Bill asked. "Two ways," Mike said. "Gradually and then suddenly." )
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To: DIRTYSECRET

? Do you mean you didn’t understand his points
Not sure what you mean.


9 posted on 05/07/2023 1:07:48 PM PDT by RWGinger (LGB)
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To: cuz1961

And that’s just after the first round. The one on the right grows exponentially the longer the left is in power.


10 posted on 05/07/2023 1:12:23 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (The politicized state destroys aspects of civil society, human kindness and private charity.)
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To: CFW

“camping on sidewalks and in public parks should not be permitted—much less protected and encouraged, as Oregon legislators are moving to do.”

Homeless camps are the primary source of ballot harvesting which is why Oregon does not have free and fair elections.

At this point, voters can no longer course correct because the correct number of ballots will always be harvested to ach3the desired outcome to maintain dem control.


11 posted on 05/07/2023 1:34:26 PM PDT by Valpal1 (Not even the police are safe from the police!!!)
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To: Right Brother

You’re both wrong

Vagrant is much more appropriate


12 posted on 05/07/2023 1:44:51 PM PDT by Manuel OKelley
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To: CFW

The only money that should be spent on “homelessness” is CCC style camps far from cities, for those convicted of vagrancy.


13 posted on 05/07/2023 2:17:54 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: PGR88

This law basically states that counties cannot allow the homeless to set up camp on public sidewalks and in public spaces such as parks. If counties wish, they can build an organized and controlled “homeless” camp in their county that is monitored and through which the drug-addicted are given counseling and addiction services.

Georgia is trying to prevent our state from having homeless camps on the sidewalks and parks much as you see in Portland and San Franciso. I believe the bill was introduced to stop the homeless encampments which have been growing in cities such as Atlanta, and to a lessor extent Athens, Columbus, Savannah, and Augusta (all Georgia cities governed by democrat majors).

Or, at least that’s what I understand from my reading on the issue.


14 posted on 05/07/2023 2:27:33 PM PDT by CFW (old and retired)
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To: ConservativeInPA

“What would happen to the homeless if they were not given a penny of aid, and driven from the streets and parks?”

How about “what used to happen ...”


15 posted on 05/07/2023 3:06:15 PM PDT by cymbeline
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To: CFW

Either pack up your tents and all your other crap. Or we’ll do it for you and put it in the landfill. Simple solution.


16 posted on 05/07/2023 3:10:16 PM PDT by Vaquero (Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you. )
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To: Vaquero

“Either pack up your tents and all your other crap. Or we’ll do it for you and put it in the landfill. Simple solution”


It’s not as if these people have not been provided every opportunity to get assistance, not only in their housing but in their drug addition as well. And, it’s all on the tax-payer’s dime. In places such as California, their monthly benefits and “freebies” are probably more than my monthly retirement income after working for 40-plus years.

In addition, the reason they are on the streets is because they have burned every bridge with family members and friends who tried to help them to get “back on their feet” with a place to live, job offers, etc.

I’m so “over” it! The left enables and encourages such behavior. Then they make money off the problem they have created.


17 posted on 05/07/2023 5:38:01 PM PDT by CFW (old and retired)
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To: CFW

A link to the five page bill for anyone 3kse curious...

https://legiscan.com/GA/text/SB62/id/2762609

Looks good to me.

I’m stunned that the same state that refuses to secure its elections would pass this.

Throwing voters a bone...?


18 posted on 05/07/2023 5:44:06 PM PDT by mewzilla (We will never restore the republic if we don't first secure the ballot box.)
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To: ConservativeInPA
What would happen to the homeless if they were not given a penny of aid, and driven from the streets and parks?

If you were old enough you wouldn't have to wonder, you would know because that was he way it was when we were a sane country.

19 posted on 05/08/2023 11:22:30 AM PDT by itsahoot (Many Republicans are secretly Democrats, no Democrats are secretly Republicans. Dan Bongino.)
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To: ConservativeInPA

They’d go to jail, or to a work camp, or to the local church for aid, or friends and relatives. This is how it always used to be.


20 posted on 05/08/2023 11:40:37 PM PDT by dinodino ( )
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