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Why are there so many crazy bums on San Francisco streets?

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Re: Why are there so many crazy bums on San Francisco streets?

#3

Post by brandur »

Don't forget Greyhound Therapy either! (Over which SF is currently suing the State of Nevada)

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/23/nevada-sued...

The history in this article is very interesting, but I always figured that the answer was more simple: (1) generous social programs compared to the country's norm, and (2) mild climate.

Re: Why are there so many crazy bums on San Francisco streets?

#4

Post by theorique »

One answer that I had heard was that it's been standard practice for various municipalities to buy vagrants one-way tickets to SF. (Don't know if it's true or apocryphal.)

(edit: TIL it is called "greyhound therapy" as described in brandur's comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6830558)

That, combined with the mostly hospitable climate for homelessness, and the municipal tolerance for ... unconventional ... lifestyles, would explain at least part of it.

Also, it's where the 60s "happened", so at least some of the head cases can be attributed to taking too many strange drugs.

Re: Why are there so many crazy bums on San Francisco streets?

#5

Post by pstuart »

My mother was one of those "crazy bums". She spent the last 3 years of her life on the streets there.

She lived in the East Bay before, so when she finally lost it it was natural to migrate to the nearest large city where she could "live in peace" on the streets.

I think a key problem is not just that the mental institutions are closed, but that it's now impossible to detain them unless they are an immediate threat to themselves or to anybody else. So you can be very sick but if you aren't lying in a pool of your own blood or waving a knife or gun then you are free to do your own thing.

The way I would like to address this would be to build micro communities out in the sticks, fashioned as quasi-monasteries. The energy of the city is not healthy for these people and the programs eat up a lot of cash. My understanding is that SF spends ~$200M/year on homeless services.

Re: Why are there so many crazy bums on San Francisco streets?

#10

Post by ams6110 »

pstuart wrote: post #5

My mother was one of those "crazy bums". She spent the last 3 years of her life on the streets there. She lived in the East Bay before, so when she finally lost it it was natural to migrate to the nearest large city where she could "live in peace" on the streets. I think a key problem is not just that the mental institutions are closed, but that it's now impossible to detain them unless they are an immediate threat t…

Why did you let your mom live on the streets?
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