An Unremarkable Event in the Tenderloin • Hacker News Board

Re: An Unremarkable Event in the Tenderloin

#101

Post by phil » Thu, Feb 28, 2013, 6:13 AM UTC

charonn0 wrote: post #63

dclowd9901 wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Local law enforcement has told us that, off the books, many East coast cities have actually paid to fly their homeless out of their areas into other parts of the country, California (namely San Francisco) because of their homeless-friendliness. People wonder what happened to all the crime and homeless in NYC? They were flown out west.

San Francisco does the same thing, only with bus tickets. http://www.sfhsa.org/79.htm

That program requires you have verified family/friends to take you in at the other end of the trip, which seems pretty legit.

Re: An Unremarkable Event in the Tenderloin

#102

Post by Finbarr » Thu, Feb 28, 2013, 6:15 AM UTC

mikebracco wrote: post #53

Sort of off topic but related... I wonder how the homeless will fair when we become a cash-less society. This may be far off but it's inevitable. While initially one might think the homeless will be worse off, I can imagine technology actually improving things. Imagine some sort of NFC chip or ID a homeless could obtain from a shelter that would allow someone to give money to them from their mobile phone...and then p…

This is interesting. What if all homeless people in SF were issued a cash card. The balance of the card would be controlled remotely and it could be (de)activated at any time. People who want to help the homeless could pool money together and the funds could be put onto the cards at the point of need. Perhaps retailers would be able to request the balance on behalf of the purchaser somehow - phone, web, etc. If people stopped giving cash to homeless, a system such as this could restrict the flow of money to drug dealers and liquor stores.

Re: An Unremarkable Event in the Tenderloin

#103

Post by nopassrecover » Thu, Feb 28, 2013, 6:17 AM UTC

From a non-American perspective, the Tenderloin and SF's poverty generally is baffling. As a caveat, I realise there are contributing factors to SF poverty (homeless from other states) - this is more about the personal experience.

I haven't traveled a lot (~18 countries) but I've not encountered any poverty in a first-world city that is comparable to SF. Sure there are homeless in other cities (e.g. Rome's beggars) but not with the same confronting mix of desperation and mental health issues that I encountered in SF (I've been told NYC is worse, but I haven't been).

What exaggerated this reaction was that SF was my first US exposure. From an outside perspective we're talking about a nation with the world's largest economy since the 20's that prides itself on being a bastion of success and freedom.

The social reaction was likewise confusing. Avoiding the center of a modern city because law and order cannot be upheld was an unfamiliar concept to me, but the fact no one (police or civilian) seemed bothered that there was effectively a "no-go zone" in the middle of their city was even more surprising.

Re: An Unremarkable Event in the Tenderloin

#104

Post by cpeterso » Thu, Feb 28, 2013, 6:18 AM UTC

I feel bad too, but I instead give my money to local food banks. I know my money is actually feeding people. Plus, the food banks' economies of scale multiply the value of my donation; the SF Food Bank claims "every $1 you donate we'll distribute $6 worth of food".

Re: An Unremarkable Event in the Tenderloin

#105

Post by joezhou » Thu, Feb 28, 2013, 6:20 AM UTC

Next time, perhaps talk to the guy?

Re: An Unremarkable Event in the Tenderloin

#106

Post by mehulkar » Thu, Feb 28, 2013, 6:20 AM UTC

djmdjm wrote: post #30

What's remarkable about this is how the poster finds these casual encounters with homelessness "unremarkable". No other western city that I have visited has the massive, in-your-face homelessness as SF. I don't know enough about the causes of this phenomenon in SF to suggest what can be done about it; I'm sure they are complex, multi-factorial and politically fraught, but the level of homelessness in SF and (almost)…

I find it remarkable that we're still talking about "western" cities.

Re: An Unremarkable Event in the Tenderloin

#107

Post by kevincrane » Thu, Feb 28, 2013, 6:22 AM UTC

enneff wrote: post #32

rosser wrote: post #11

This is just me, and my approach to the homeless or destitute, but if someone asks me for money, the answer is some form of no (if I even acknowledge the asker). Yeah, you tell me you're hungry or whatever, but I'm not going to risk participating in your next fix. If they ask me for food , however, it's always a yes, assuming I can do it right then (not late for something, have money or my card on me or whatever). Yo…

I tried to take this attitude a while ago, but after being abused and accused of mistrust too many times (the homeless aren't actually starving in Australia) I returned to ignoring such people. The worst was when a couple implored me to give them some money for accommodation, as they had been evicted. I said "Sure, let's go to a hotel right now and I'll check you in." They called me a bunch of expletives and stormed…

Same. A homeless guy walked by an alley near my house once and asked for money for food. I walked inside and came out with a half-dozen cans of tuna for him, and he started swearing and saying he didn't want "that cat food". I just stared at him, said "I eat this stuff. If you don't want it, then nothing for you." The guy just flipped me off and walked away. Good deed averted.

Re: An Unremarkable Event in the Tenderloin

#108

Post by sdqali » Thu, Feb 28, 2013, 6:25 AM UTC

bitcartel wrote: post #79

irollboozers wrote: post #33

I don't know what it is, but posts like this make me feel like HN is waking up and realizing the world isn't just 'social networks for dogs', and that there are real social problems out there needing to be fixed. There is a trend happening. This post is powerful because it's recognition. The act was powerful because it was recognition, which then led to real action. If judging by recent posts on HN, hopefully posts l…

I posted this a few months ago. Worth watching. VIDEO: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/social-issues/poor-k... San Francisco is the most expensive place in America to find a home, but that doesn’t deter the 400,000 people coming each year to the Bay Area in search of a new home and a new life. Eleven-year-old Sera, her sister and her mother moved to San Francisco in 2009. But when the economy collapsed, her m…

Thanks for that link.

Re: An Unremarkable Event in the Tenderloin

#109

Post by drstewart » Thu, Feb 28, 2013, 6:26 AM UTC

nopassrecover wrote: post #103

From a non-American perspective, the Tenderloin and SF's poverty generally is baffling. As a caveat, I realise there are contributing factors to SF poverty (homeless from other states) - this is more about the personal experience. I haven't traveled a lot (~18 countries) but I've not encountered any poverty in a first-world city that is comparable to SF. Sure there are homeless in other cities (e.g. Rome's beggars) b…

That's because it's a not a no-go zone. Maybe if you are extremely sheltered, which it sounds like you may be?

Re: An Unremarkable Event in the Tenderloin

#110

Post by akaru » Thu, Feb 28, 2013, 6:28 AM UTC

namank wrote: post #21

akaru wrote: post #3

I've been homeless. No one in SF is hungry. In a span of a few blocks a person could eat for free 5 or 6 times a day. Money is used for drugs or McDonald's. My advice: don't give anyone money or food. If you want to help, give your time.

In a span of a few blocks a person could eat for free 5 or 6 times a day. Care to expand?

Sure. I'm talking about "soup kitchens". They really are plentiful. I even know of one that only served vegetarian food, and always had a full loaf of bread you could take with you after your meal. There are four or five just in the TL. I found during my stint I would just walk from one to the other and sit for coffee and snack.