Earlier quoted context omitted.
> How many homeless people have you talked to? Quite a few. Maybe close to 50 over the years, a decent sized sample. Some of them I got to know very closely. One of them did get an SRO room (I was really close to him), I helped him get settled in. Of course, about 2 years later he was back on the streets, because he wrecked his room.
> Of course, about 2 years later he was back on the streets, because he wrecked his room. Do you have any insight as to why he would do that? This is a complaint I've heard many times and never understood why someone would wreck their own place they live.
Since I was close to him, here is how it went down. Initially, he was good: we provided him with curtains, sheets, clothes, etc. Then slowly, it started to go downhill: first he started eating in his room. This left crumbs, etc., which attracted cockroaches, etc. Then, despite a ban, he started occasionally smoking in his room. Then he started storing food, which attracted more insects. And since he didn't have a fridge, the food would rot. Finally (the last straw, from what I heard from the SRO manager), he set up a hot plate (an electric cooking stove) in his room; which, given that it was carpeted, was a _very_ bad idea. After repeated admonishments, he was eventually kicked out.