How California Homelessness Became a Crisis • Hacker News Board

Re: How California Homelessness Became a Crisis

#91

Post by metalforever » Tue, Jun 08, 2021, 7:39 PM UTC

saas_sam wrote: post #33

metalforever wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in the Bay Area and I have multiple friends that are homeless so let me comment here. A lot of the homeless are on disability due to some physical issue that prevents working , or are seniors. The social security checks do not pay the bills and you need an under the table side hustle in the bay to afford a room and be on social security checks. The section 8 waitlist is years long and you have to “scam” yourse…

The interesting thing about your comment is it doesn't actually contradict what I said unless you are claiming your friends represent the majority of those experiencing homelessness. Is that what you're claiming?

It actually does in several respects. You didn't capture the homeless working class, the homeless social security / retirees, and the folks with physical disabilities (you only brought up mental illness). The comment you have made in my opinion vastly overstates the drugs and mental illness aspects and vastly understates the number of people that (1) work at regular jobs and are still homeless, (2) the number of seniors that are homeless, and (3) The folks with physical disabilities, for example chronic physical conditions.

Re: How California Homelessness Became a Crisis

#92

Post by metalforever » Tue, Jun 08, 2021, 7:41 PM UTC

kelnos wrote: post #64

metalforever wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in the Bay Area and I have multiple friends that are homeless so let me comment here. A lot of the homeless are on disability due to some physical issue that prevents working , or are seniors. The social security checks do not pay the bills and you need an under the table side hustle in the bay to afford a room and be on social security checks. The section 8 waitlist is years long and you have to “scam” yourse…

> The social security checks do not pay the bills and you need an under the table side hustle in the bay to afford a room and be on social security checks. I find this confusing because you seem to imply that having an income makes you ineligible for social security retirement benefits. But as long as you are 65, you're eligible without income caps. There's no requirement that you're not working. Social security disa…

In a lot of cases they are social security disability checks and the side hustles I see most frequently are table vendors or musicians

Re: How California Homelessness Became a Crisis

#93

Post by istillwritecode » Wed, Jun 09, 2021, 8:08 PM UTC

handmodel wrote: post #41

istillwritecode wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't buy the "just build more" approach. More market rate housing isn't guaranteed to make it affordable, and there is even evidence to suggest otherwise. The principle of induced demand seems to occur here. One way that supply and demand helps the problem is that some move elsewhere for better opportunity.

If the population of California were to grow by 35% in the next 30 years but only 5% more housing units were built - do you posit the housing prices would get more expensive or less? That is pretty much what has happened. It is clear building more lowers the average. Keep in mind that homeless people may not have even been in "affordable housing" five years ago! Imagine how much better financial situation someone who…

Another thing that will reduce prices is to reduce desirability. Growing the population by another 30% might be good for bar crowd, but will degrade the value of the bay area's natural areas for many. The increased traffic in the bay area has also reduced livability. Living is SF and commuting to Apple by bus is only sustainable if we get many more people to commute by bus (not just FAANG employees). I see almost nothing being done to solve congestion problems and this is intimately tied to housing and population growth. Unfortunately we are squandering resources on HSR.

Re: How California Homelessness Became a Crisis

#94

Post by gautamcgoel » Wed, Jun 09, 2021, 9:38 PM UTC

okareaman wrote: post #29

tombert wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not going to pretend I know a solution to this, but wasn't part of the reason it became hard to involuntarily commit people because it was being abused? Like, fathers were getting their daughters committed for being "too promiscuous"? If that's a serious risk, I don't know that the "solution" to this problem by committing people is worth it. That said, it's a hard problem. I know it's extremely hard for people wi…

> Like, fathers were getting their daughters committed for being "too promiscuous"? That's a really old-fashioned concern. It used to happen in the 50's and 60's, but patient rights have come a long way since then. The most anyone can do in CA is 5150 a relative, which is a 72 hour hold. That's not done more often because in 3 days and they're out on the street again, refusing to take meds. Mental health pros need to…

My gf has Covered California insurance and it is terrible. In particular, 1) very few doctors are in network, so she can't see the specialist she needs and 2) the customer service is a joke; when she calls she spends an hour on hold, and the reps never have any idea what's going on. Would not recommend (she is self-employed, so her options are limited).