Dealing with the Homeless Crisis starter pack META

324 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

-16

It's called Homelessness is a housing problem

Weird, if it's a housing issue, why are they come from across the country to live in a tent here? why didn't they just stop in a cheap housing state?

27

u/TormentedTopiary Aug 04 '22

The persistent myth that "homeless people move here to take advantage of our generous social services" has the slight problem that it's not true.

But it's a very Eugene thing to build up a self-image of "Oh, we're so kind, and generous and people take advantage of us Soooo Much!".

And as a group we want to be seen as kind and put upon, rather than say arrogant and clueless, or judgy and tightfisted. But that myth is an excuse for not solving the problem at the root.

Which is to say building a lot more housing. Build enough housing that 20% of a full time salary on minimum wage is enough to rent an efficiency apartment. Enough that the rental vacancy rate is 10% of available units on October 1st. Enough that commercial landlords are putting up billboards saying there's too much housing.

-14

u/2peacegrrrl2 Aug 04 '22

So. We need to destroy every tiny bit of green left in this f ing town for new people who desperately need housing and free stuff?

7

u/pirawalla22 Aug 04 '22

Oh yeah, we are definitely in danger of destroying "every tiny bit of green left" in Eugene.