Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Mobile showers for San Francisco's homeless

bbc.co.uk

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–58 of 58 posts

Re: Mobile showers for San Francisco's homeless

#51

Post by pm90 »

soneca wrote: post #32

There is great complexity in helping homeless people in all their diversity. I was called out as cynical in another thread of social projects, so I will try to be more clear here. Social projects like this one have just as much risk as a regular startup. Most will fail, just as most startups will. But this is no reason not to start a social project, just like with startups. I have the impression that people have two…

That idea is brilliant, btw. To have people be clean to get food.

Actually food is cheap enough that it should, in theory, be possible to provide it to every person who needs it without high costs.

Re: Mobile showers for San Francisco's homeless

#52

Post by Hurricane2K5 »

What do you think of these proposals? Is it too controversial?

#1a - Proposed Ad Photo - Are You Feeding The Homeless? Or, Are you feeding the Addiction? http://tinyurl.com/lajnco5

#1b - Did Jesus say, "Feed the Poor"? Or, did Jesus say, "Feed the Addiction"? http://tinyurl.com/mk8s3vq

#2 - Tulane Ave and Broad St Revitalization Proposal - link: http://tinyurl.com/kv684yc NOTE: Please see the follow up comments in regards to moving the Homeless Shelters, etc.

#3 - Long term plan to "Break the Addiction", Use Bread Crumbs http://tinyurl.com/nrvnxp9

#4 - You can't criminalize being Homeless (How can you get a job if you are criminal?) http://tinyurl.com/mexjapx (same page in #1a above, but direct link to section)

#5 - WHERE ARE THE FAMILIES and FRIENDS of the HOMELESS? If these "homeless" are just one (1) or two (2) paychecks from homelessness, why can't these homeless sleep on the couch of their family members or friend(s) for a few months? http://tinyurl.com/o92f4oc (same page in #1a above, but direct link to section)

Re: Mobile showers for San Francisco's homeless

#53

Post by comrh »

DAddYE wrote: post #33
lpsz wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thank you for sharing. Would you be willing to share more of your story: how did you become homeless in SF, and how did you eventually change the situation? Are you in the tech industry? In my (probably limited) view, SF homeless are primarily the folks around Tenderloin that seem unfortunately abandoned by the society. As I'm sure many of us would like to help the overall situation (even if it's by donating to the r…

In my (probably limited) view, SF homeless are primarily the folks around Tenderloin that seem unfortunately abandoned by the society. Couldn't be more wrong IMHO. I lived in the tenderloin for a year, most if not all are by choice. I had also the opportunity to talk with few (the friendly and not too crazy one) and they wouldn't take back a "normal" life. I'm not saying that for ALL is the same, but from my experien…

I have a friend with a lot of homeless experience in a ~55k person city in NJ. He told me there are some people who feel a social bond, the homeless have de facto leaders and people with social capital within the population. My friend said one of the people told him he would never go back because he felt like it was going from a place where he mattered to a complete nobody.

Re: Mobile showers for San Francisco's homeless

#54

Post by ams6110 »

runarberg wrote: post #36
lpsz wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thank you for sharing. Would you be willing to share more of your story: how did you become homeless in SF, and how did you eventually change the situation? Are you in the tech industry? In my (probably limited) view, SF homeless are primarily the folks around Tenderloin that seem unfortunately abandoned by the society. As I'm sure many of us would like to help the overall situation (even if it's by donating to the r…

Well, I was immigrating to USA from Iceland to live with my girlfriend who was studying at SF-State. She had only a room that she was renting, and her landlord didn't want an extra person staying there. We decided to by a VW van simply to avoid paying rent. It was a really good decision. We didn't have much money, but had enough to live comfortably. In fact it is really easy to live in San Francisco without spending…

Fascinating story. The one "homeless" person I know firsthand is also doing it by choice. He's employed, and simply chooses to be homeless because it's not a very difficult life for him. Meals at the community kitchen or the restaurant where he works as a cook, showers at friends homes, or the local university student rec center, sleep with friends, in the park, or at one of the many university buildings that are unlocked 24x7.

Re: Mobile showers for San Francisco's homeless

#55

Post by ams6110 »

yardie wrote: post #50
jwilliams wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure I follow. You're calling this a simplification, but your synopsis isn't that much more complex. Plus, you think that most are by choice. However, you also point out lack of support for mental issues. I personally find this a contradiction – if you've got serious mental issues and no support, then the ability to choose is basically void.

See, they choose to be homeless in San Francisco. They could have chosen to be homeless elsewhere.

Homeless tend to flock to where it's easiest to be homeless. Definitely seen this where I live, over the past 10 years the city has devoted considerable resources to "homelessness" and during the same interval our homeless population has exploded. Used to be able to walk around downtown and never be bothered, now panhandlers are everywhere and even assault and robbery (previously almost unheard of) are more regular.

Re: Mobile showers for San Francisco's homeless

#56

Post by peterwwillis »

DAddYE wrote: post #33
lpsz wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thank you for sharing. Would you be willing to share more of your story: how did you become homeless in SF, and how did you eventually change the situation? Are you in the tech industry? In my (probably limited) view, SF homeless are primarily the folks around Tenderloin that seem unfortunately abandoned by the society. As I'm sure many of us would like to help the overall situation (even if it's by donating to the r…

In my (probably limited) view, SF homeless are primarily the folks around Tenderloin that seem unfortunately abandoned by the society. Couldn't be more wrong IMHO. I lived in the tenderloin for a year, most if not all are by choice. I had also the opportunity to talk with few (the friendly and not too crazy one) and they wouldn't take back a "normal" life. I'm not saying that for ALL is the same, but from my experien…

Anyone who is left to openly suffer under an addiction, mental [or otherwise] illness, or who is left to believe that being homeless is somehow a better life than they might have otherwise, is being abandoned by society.

Addiction is not a choice. Mental illness is not a choice. And having your soul crushed to the point where you find it less humiliating to remain homeless, is not a choice.

In my experience, the only people who truly choose to be homeless are people who have advantages that they give away due to some ideal that they think they'll achieve by living a humbler life. These people might not have a home, but they also aren't disadvantaged the way other homeless are. Making this distinction is important, as it cuts to the heart of real homelessness: an inability to help oneself. And that's why society is supposed to help.

Re: Mobile showers for San Francisco's homeless

#57

Post by ommunist »

Jesus, what a poor city Frisco. The poorest country in the EU - Latvia in its poorest region - Latgale, in the poorest city of Daugavpils (around 75 000 ppl now with many homeless) has 4 (!) public bath houses.

This situation is grave. Like @pstuart mentioned below city bath houses were closed in SanFran, and restrooms on stations were also never reopened. How can a civilized man live in such a city?

Re: Mobile showers for San Francisco's homeless

#58

Post by toomuchtodo »

runarberg wrote: post #36
lpsz wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thank you for sharing. Would you be willing to share more of your story: how did you become homeless in SF, and how did you eventually change the situation? Are you in the tech industry? In my (probably limited) view, SF homeless are primarily the folks around Tenderloin that seem unfortunately abandoned by the society. As I'm sure many of us would like to help the overall situation (even if it's by donating to the r…

Well, I was immigrating to USA from Iceland to live with my girlfriend who was studying at SF-State. She had only a room that she was renting, and her landlord didn't want an extra person staying there. We decided to by a VW van simply to avoid paying rent. It was a really good decision. We didn't have much money, but had enough to live comfortably. In fact it is really easy to live in San Francisco without spending…

> We moved to Reykjavík before I had overstayed for too long

What was the immigration situation like for ever going the other way? Less painful than the US process I'm assuming?

Post reply on HN