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#1
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After decades of manini progress towards truly helping those out on the streets, or in the hills, or on somebody's couch, it's time to bypass the political and hidden BS and get'r done no matter who doesn't like the bottom line. You can't say homeless without saying home, and free sensible housing starts addressing many of the problems for those afflicted, those who want to help, and those who are merely sick of seeing a bum distorting their picture of paradise.
Emphasizing warehouse style shelters like our own IHS and Next Step, is not benefitting the needy to the correct degree, it's more often part of (shall we say...) a scam by organizations who profit from it, and maybe worse, these places are disgusting. Most use them because they fear the dangers and bad weather, not willing to risk sleeping out in the open and being vulnerable like many others do. The 'home' in question is nothing that anybody would accept unless the person considering it was without shelter, even with the accomodations made available to allow a person to utilize towards bettering their life. The State needs to allocate land and the personel to oversee all phases and needs, build maybe 1000 one person 10'x10' living cubical w/bathroom extension shelters that are virtually abuse proof and include electricity and wireless connections. Hard core rules would need to be strictly adhered to, incoragibles and mentals do not fit this scheme, it's for those who can maintain themselves within ristrictions and parameters. There are thousands who will use the availability, many may live out their lives on the dole, but many will also take advantage of it for the right reasons. Yes, it costs $$$, but it is about dignity and respect due every individual, and providing avenues for those down to better their situations, this only helps a community and thus our Nation become stronger. This will not solve the multifacted homeless problem, but it will give a viable opportunity to those who otherwise will never use typical services/shelters or want to upgrade from them and get the majority out of the public eye and off property unsuitable for habitation. The public eye angle is one the community should be able to all get behind, most of the homeless hate is because they have to see and smell their daily existance. There are many other bennies to starting such a project, some we may not realize until a year or more into being. The mass aversion to giving someone something valuable for nothing rubs many the wrong way, too bad, lucky them that havn't yet incurred the need. They'll change these worthless and damaging attitudes should they find themselves in such a pickle, suddenly glad a project like I envision exists. The State started something similar in Haleiwa long ago, put in plumbing and wiring, then abandoned it due to public outcry! Now those same crybabies are still crying about the homeless they helped create. If it becomes successful there will be many who now have rented homes/rooms that will leave for the free pastures, and that's OK too, it opens up options for those who want to replace them in our resonable housing shortage island. The goal is to improve the pathetic situtation, and no idea will be 100% perfect, but things need to start changing for the better, our high and low mukas ain't doing it. I'm putting together a plan to submit to the powers in charge so they know there's better alternatives to their ways, and if they turn away from it then the homeless numbers need to unite and use civil dis/recourse to pressure the issues. Any input towards furthering this plan's outline is welcome.
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https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/ |
#2
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I don't see a way of dealing with the problem of drawing more and more people here, to enjoy this relatively more decent life you propose to give them. I am not totally unacquainted with the problem, since back when I was in high school, my father was county welfare director of Allen County, in Ohio. Our county wasn't rich, but it was prosperous compared to impoverished areas in southern Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky. So it was a magnet for many seeking a better life, and the welfare system would have been swamped unless some countermeasures were taken. You can't deny welfare payments to non-natives, but you can pay them to go away and seek welfare elsewhere, so that's what was done. Free bus tickets to head back home.
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Greg |
#3
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I'm sorry, Greg, I'm not understanding your statement. I'm not proposing "drawing more people here", we don't need more, and restrictions can be imposed to sway freeloaders from coming here for a cozy ride.
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https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/ |
#4
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Can they? This is not obvious. For one thing, if you use money from federal programs, you may find that residency requirements are not allowed.
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Greg |
#5
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What you both don't understand is that a majority of homeless people have mental health issues. I have worked with the homeless both directly and indirectly for the last 45 years. It is not their choice to be homeless, it is their fate. At one time, prior to the compassion-less Reagan administration, we took care of our citizens who did not have the skills to cope with life. Thanks to Ronnie, you received a Federal tax cut by throwing mentally ill people out on the street (homeless) so you could buy a new car.
We can care for our mentally ill again but it is going to cost money, - lots of money. Do we have the will as a nation to care for those who are incapable of surviving on their own? Unfortunately we have evolved into a nation that is self-centered, self-absorbed, and self-gratified. Stop worrying about whether someone is going to come to Hawai'i just to get free services. Start worrying about those who really need help even if someone might abuse that system along the way. Take care of those who are less fortunate than you and karma will take care of you. Where is your Christianity? I favor cutting the US military budget by 50% and using that money for mental health services and providing for the needy.
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Peace, Love, and Local Grindz People who form FIRM opinions with so little knowledge only pretend to be open-minded. They select their facts like food from a buffet. David R. Dow |
#6
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I'd say it's 50/50, that leaves x thousands mentally sufficient for inclusion in this project. The State needs to step up to the task of handling the infirm, this plan is for those who can maintain.
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https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/ |
#7
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What a wealth of input HT is... NOT. Suprisingly, over 1,250 views, not suprisingly... essentially nada for worthy input on a serious issue. American Idol, anyone?
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https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/ |
#8
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I was thinking of how there are various 'homes' for different groups of people like...
runaway children, offenders recently released from jail, battered spouses. Any others like that? Those different categories have one thing in common, they're homeless. Wonder if more programs could be created to take in more homeless along these styles of housing?
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Life is either an adventure... or you're not doing it right!!! ![]() |
#9
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Ron, while it is an admirable idea, I have to agree with Greg. Once you put out the free food, the birds will flock from all over.
Second item to consider is wasn't the temporary shelter that Lingle set up on the West side of the Island not completely full with many people still choosing to live on the beaches and parks, with the reason being too much restrictions with living in the shelter? I would think we would need to stop attacking issues piecemeal and slowly start to attack the source. Homelessness, jobs, personnel finances, etc are all related. Then to do so without allowing a free ride for abusers to any programs. Things to possibly consider: Instead of building housing for individuals to live for free, build cheap housing for them to afford, so they have ownership, thus the restrictions may be lessened. To qualify, they will need to meet with a financial manager who will look at their income sources and how to budget that income(should not be buying a luxury car when their finances cannot support it, even consider public transportation). If they have no income source, then they will need to be placed into a program to learn or better a current skill that will place them into the workforce. If that cannot happen because of current economy and lack of jobs, place them to work for the state in some temporary job that they qualify for (answering phones, assist in licencing divisions, etc.) If these individuals have kids, another program should be checking on the kids, to make sure that they are being taken care of and the money that is intended to be allocated for their use is not being spent in other fashion. This will open jobs within the state (I would rather grow the Govenment instead of taking the same dollars and giving it away to welfare and unemployment). Progrrams for the mentally incapacitated will also kick in to assist those that fall under this category. And yes I would advocate for Drug testing to stay on this program. All of these programs must be working together wholistically and not just on thier own agenda. I know it is a large wish list, but hopefully, you take care of those that want to get back on thier feet and weed out those just along for a free ride. If the program is successful, it won't solve Greg's initial concern of people coming in from other areas outside of Hawaii. I know that this is not a perfect plan but I believe we need to be heading towards this direction.
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Whoa, Mista Buss Driva, eh, you can stop the buss o wat? |
#10
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Also, if you need aid to support your dependents, having another child should not increase your aid, but remain the same. We can't stop paying freely for people's bad decisions.
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Whoa, Mista Buss Driva, eh, you can stop the buss o wat? |
#11
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Even the Kakaako shelter is said to have 30 or so spaces usually available. But a culture of outdoor survival has been nurtured over these last decades to where people know they can live in a lowest level existance doing as they please without the restrictions of a shelter. If they can't smoke their ciggies/drink/drug/party/come and go where/when they want to then many will opt for the great outdoors of freedom often without due respect for themselves or others. We will never get all the sane people to agree to even a few rules, but many will, and it's the salvageables that I'm focusing on, whom do deserve the offer and can better everybody concerned with a little free help. There are already transitional programs, my plan bypasses the hindrances of transitionals which many don't need or are adverse to. It goes straight to the first hand problem... a safe long term home, other issues can be dealt with afterwards if needed. The available shelters already do the financial mgr. aspects for those who want that, but most people will never take on a flunky job so they can then hand over their paltry hard earned cash to a mgr. so they can transition to rental housing that will probably end at some point and then return to the street. I've been there too often with being norbal and paying rent, it doesn't last, you can't truly call it home because it's temporary. I've found various ways around that delima, but most can't and will be subjicated to an endlessly depressing cycle that leads back to the streets. And, my plan is for singles only, no families, no shacking up, no collective fun, 1 home for 1 person and no visiting another's shelter. This rule helps keep problems under control and riff raff out. I'd be more for booze testing. Drug testing means if someone smokes a bit of pot then they're left out in the cold. Not helpful. The job market is already greatly diminished for millions because of this aspect.
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https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/ |
#12
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Sounds a little too exclusionary/agenda-specific for a benefits program that is to be funded by taxpayers. There are boarding houses/apartments out there for singles w/o families, y'know. Tenants gotta pay for their own rent, though. Which is the way it should be.
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This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome. Last edited by Frankie's Market; December 20th, 2012 at 05:12 PM. |
#13
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Many women may not have choosen to get pregnant. I suspect also that there are many women who were raped, and if you are homeless and female, you're an automatic target for any predator. Is the child to be punished under those cirucmstances?
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#14
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One thing the city could do is something I saw in Atlanta. They have these meters where you can put money into them and they go to the city's homeless or welfare programs. That way you can help them without giving directly to the person (where you might worry that they are going to spend it on booze or drugs).
I know that there is a big homeless problem here, and it is worse than many other cities. However, I do want to say that the homeless here are very mild compared to other big cities that I've visited. They hardly ever beg for money or anything. They mostly just lie around or sit around (sometimes they're saying crazy things). They don't bother me when I walk by. They can be quite aggressive in other cities, not to mention dangerous. Just sayin', they're not that bad compared to other cities I've been to, at least as far as I can tell. I live here, just moved here in August, but we live downtown so we see them a lot. I'm originally from San Diego. They didn't have many homeless there when we lived there in the 70's, but we've visited a lot since then and I have many relatives there. The homeless there and other cities we've been to like San Francisco, Atlanta, and New York, bother passers-by, including tourists, much more than anyone I've seen here. And those cities are a lot less safe, too. I don't like the smells or the things I see any more than anyone else, but I also feel a lot of sympathy and sadness for the poor and homeless here. There are a lot of poor people here, and many of them are working poor (and there are working homeless, too). I feel, there but for the grace of god go I. Not every homeless person is a drunk, or drug addict, or crazy, but even so, that's not a good reason to be homeless. When I was growing up, no one even used that word "homeless". There may have been a few "bums" or "hobos" but no one ever knew any. That didn't happen until the 80's. America used to be a better place and took care more of its people. I come from a poor family, and my dad was an alcoholic. Without his air force pension, he would have been homeless in his later years. I have two brothers that barely make a living and are one step from being homeless. I have other relatives that are very poor and at least one was living in her car for a while. Who knows what might have happened to me, with different choices? So this is why I feel compassion for anyone who is poor or homeless. I think there are plenty of people who feel this way but also plenty who don't want to have homeless people around to scare off the tourists or because they don't like seeing them. Either way, there has to be a way to solve this problem nationwide and not just ship them off to another place. |
#15
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YAY!
Too bad the $ donated would be misdirected and wasted (at best) for the most part, but the sentiment is needed. While navigating various human debri around ChiTown recently I heard 2 mega bums mention the possibility of The City ever having the basic common sense and deceny of providing portable toilets around the area and (OMG!) maybe even putting in showers at nearby A'ala Park. While some will never care and always corrupt our senses when out and about most road scum would like to take better care of themselves and not live in their communal cesspool. I know I'd like to worry less about poopbombs along the trail. Another POV was expressed in the Op-Eds this week by a re-visiting couple enjoying their Sunday stroll downtown and eventually having nature call only to discover NOTHING available anywhere, not even the Fort St. McD's (whom BTW will still not be providing restrooms when they finish recon... thanx for nothing!). They stated they'd not be back. Well played City/State jackholes! Brings me to another point of how the treasure of Down/Chinatown is being absolutely disregarded, ingnored, and being wasted instead of heavily focusing on it ala Bourbon St. in N'Orleans and creating an awesome place to visit repeatedly, it's just STUPID. I'm in awe of the place and equally awed at how it's mostly stagnating when it could really thrive. Shameful. The issues of homelessness here are mostly an easy fix even if short run costly, but nobody in power wants to actually solve the problems, if they did it would have been done long ago, even in Abe's admin. with his homeless czar. They only squeeze and squeeze the most vulnerable and never access viable alternatives or other improvements. We now have a head of public health (Oshiro) on a campaign against what he admits has never even shown to be a problem and will propose shutting down churches and such from providing meals in public under the guise of caring for public safety. I'd suggest it's pressure from the State Capital to continue efforts of eliminating any and all options the poor have in basic feeding except at Gmt. associated human warehouses where rogue managements corrupt the environments and anything goes except much good. People are suffering and our bigwigs are dumping on everybody but their pals.
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https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/ Last edited by Ron Whitfield; December 6th, 2013 at 03:27 PM. |
#16
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Sometimes, when you see a healthy looking younger person who is "homeless", it becomes easy to blame them for being lazy and/or choosing that way of life (with contributing factors being drugs and alcohol ... another "choice" they've made).
Until you read something like this in today's SA: Quote:
![]() And what type of person would kill an 83 year old homeless man? ![]()
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Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble. |
#17
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Suspect arrested. 18 years old. [Note: Not yet found guilty in a court of law]
Hawaii News Now: Quote:
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Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble. |
#18
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Homelessness is a complex problem with varied reasons (not just mental illness) and no easy answers. However, withdrawing funding at the Federal, State, and local level has not provided a solution. If you are a religious person you should ask yourself, what would Jesus, or Yaweh, or Mohammed, or whoever...do. Each of us is no better than the least of us.
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Peace, Love, and Local Grindz People who form FIRM opinions with so little knowledge only pretend to be open-minded. They select their facts like food from a buffet. David R. Dow |
#19
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#20
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I agree with all you're saying. I wonder why you think that I wouldn't, based on what I said, unless you only read part of it or misunderstood. At any rate, while of course it is a national problem, I think most of us are most concerned with just dealing with the local problems, which are worse than most cities from what I've heard. I'm not religious, but as I said, I feel very badly for all the poor and homeless. I wonder, since this is a blue state (i.e. Democrat and not Republican) why we don't take better care of people. I mean, we do have a great health care system, so why has no one raised taxes and provided funds to solve the problems of poverty here in Hawaii? This is paradise, right? It should be a liberal paradise as well. |
#21
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I think the simple answer is that everything "local" is political and therein lies the problem.
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#22
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As someone mentioned in the SA's op/eds today, why can't available portable showers and laundry vehicles used only for disaster relief be used to help the worst offenders in these times of social disaster? They don't even put portable toilets around so tourists can relieve themselves and bums don't have to crap all over town, even tho many still will now that it's become the norm. Chinatown is a trash covered gem being wasted and it's disgusting to watch our city devolve into a dump even as some try to improve the once crime/porno/hooker heavy area and worthy businesses attempt to make it there. It's absolutely stupid and inexcusable. Caldwell and Abercrombie deserve to be tossed out asap if they continue to refuse these most basic needs.
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https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/ |
#23
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Kathryn Xian, whom is running for Congress in Hawaii http://electkathrynxian.com/, say's Mayor Caldwell's latest flailing crackdown on the homeless will fail in the long-run and only succeed in wasting taxpayer dollars with his efforts, which will only succeed in shuffling around and traumatizing the most vulnerable of our society. As a community, we must not generalize a diverse population of homeless persons into one category such as "violent" or "drug-addicted" to further our mean-spirited agendas of pushing them out of sight via incarceration or arrest. With the rate of homeless families with children rising nearly 5%, an appropriate solution depends upon fully funding a Housing First program, creating more affordable housing, and reforming our regressive tax code to alleviate burdens on low-income earners. While I am not surprised with the Mayor's so-called "compassionate disruption," which is really a euphemism to describe a brute police-state enforcement of unconstitutional laws, I am extremely appalled with the reaction of IHS's Connie Mitchell. Her response is characteristic of a detached politician with no real experience of homelessness, nor any valid solutions to alleviate the poverty that creates homelessness. She, the city council, and the mayor are part of the problem not the solution. They are creating the same mistakes that other cities have made before us: fomenting support for abusive but cosmetic policy changes that give them short-term results for political ends, all at the expense of taxpayers. We have the power to oppose these bad policies by voting our conscience this election and donating our money to nonprofits who actually care about the population they claim to help. This is the true definition of "compassionate disruption."
http://www.civilbeat.com/2014/06/arr...less/#comments Sounds like somebody has got it right, and she's sounded good on all issues. She's getting my vote.
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https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/ |
#24
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DH and I took a drive this past Saturday. We were surprised at the condition of the Homeless population at Kakaako. It was never like that before when we distributed last year. We will be back this Saturday to give to the the homeless.
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![]() Philippians 4:13 --- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. |
#25
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That's kind of you, 1st, more citizens need to care as much. Too bad it's usually the least deserving that get the benefits of such acts instead of those that need it most. Generally, those seen squatting on sidewalks in tents are truly the lowest of the dregs who will never care to improve substantially/sustainably and always take gross advantage of every opportunity just thinking only of themselves while others who are often much better people and could really use the help miss out because they aren't as readily visible.
Odd and frustrating; HPD whine endlessly that there aren't laws on the books to allow them to move people off sidewalks and other very public areas, yet they've done just that for years and have done so in every instance around Oahu. At least once a month they roust campers from some place in Honolulu and tell them not to come back, which of course lasts a week at best and then the low life's are back for long stretches before getting chased away again. HPD's endless "we can't" excuse doesn't jive with the fact that they most certainly do, and will continue to do it but only when and where they seem to want to, never everywhere at once. And boy do they hate being questioned about any of this (especially higher ranking officers), but I'll be asking again today.
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https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/ |
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