Update To Dumping The Homeless.
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And The Situation Continues.
Not too long ago I wrote a hub about dumping the homeless. I had promised to do follow ups to this hub. This is one of those follow ups.
It seems New York in a cost preventative measure to save the city some money has started to ship out their homeless. According to a Mayor Bloomberg plan, the homeless are being given one-way tickets by plane, train or bus to anywhere they want to go as long as they leave New York.
Bloomberg figures the program will save the city an enormous amount of money. He goes on to say that it costs the city about $36,000 a year to provide shelter for a homeless family. The average stay in a shelter has been running about nine months.
Tickets To Anywhere.
It has been reported that the free ride is part of a $500,000 a year Bloomberg program to keep the homeless out of the shelter system, which I stated earlier costs $36,000 a year per family.
So far over 550 families have left for destinations in 24 states and 5 continents. Since 2007. City officials have said there are no limits as to where a family can be sent. Most of the places they are being sent to are Puerto Rico, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.
But here is the kicker, supposedly the only way these families can get a ticket is if someone at their destination can take them in, such as a relative.
Now what I don't understand is if these people had families willing to support them, why were they on the streets in the first place.
Can someone tell me what makes Mayor Bloomberg think that any of these other destinations are any better equipped to deal with New Yorks homeless then they are? The fact of the matter, I don't think the mayor could care less, as long as they are not in his city.
OMG! Florida Is Doing It Too.
Well this is a good one. While doing research for this follow up, I discovered Florida is busing their homeless out too.
According to county records in Broward and Palm Beach counties, the Homeless Service Administration has been sending homeless on one-way bus trips out of town since 2000. A total of 1,627 clients have received the services since 2006.
In Palm Beach County, they have paid more than $65,000 for bus tickets and food to send more than 600 people out of town since 2002. And I'm sure the numbers are even higher as the economy tanks and more families are forced on the streets.
They continue to say they send them to family members that are willing to help.
You have to remember that these are human beings, our fellow human beings. If it is true that they are being sent to family members that are willing to support and help them , then it does make some sense. But I have to wonder if it is really true. Sometimes I feel that our city officials are just saying what we want to hear, pacifying us.
You have to remember also that many of these homeless are mentally ill and addicts, and family members may not be prepared to cope with such problems. Then what happens? The homeless cycle starts all over again with them on the streets, only this time in a different city.
I really don't know what the answer is for these people. More and more families are losing their jobs and homes, Veterans are returning from the Middle East not being able to cope. I think that our leaders need to come up with something other than one-way tickets out of town.
Passing the homeless onto other cities to take care of their responsibilities to begin with is not the answer.
In a future hub I will be writing about one mans attempt at helping the homeless from Vancouver.
Not to be forgotten, but to be continued.
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Thanks for stopping eovery, I think we have to support the homeless they need to have a voice too. Right now they are just being passed around. I do think that there are homeless that choose to be homeless but our veterans and our children are another story. Thanks K.
This is nothing new in NYC - the previous mayor did the same thing. What we seem to forget - is when we disfranchise so many people - well, they have absolutely nothing to lose so how can you expect the homeless to obey the rules and laws of this society. They are not a part of it. Thus crime continues to run rampant.
We just don't get it.
Disgusting, but typical. I recognize that the politicos are only doing something the average joe in their communities agree should be done, which demonstrates a total lack of empathy for our fellow man in society today. Depressing.
Great post, though.
Interesting hub. This is such a big problem and with unemployment, I imagine the problem of homelessness is growing. You'd think those with family willing to help that this would be a good thing, but I don't think most homeless people have help or they wouldn't be homeless. There must be some way to help those that want a new start in life. It is a very sad situation.
Thanks for the update on this important and disturbing problem. It is a REAL problem but some cities are addressing the issue in a more civil way.
I am a supporter of Hope Atlanta, an organization that cares for and relocates homeless people. During the Olympics in Atlanta, Shirley Franklin and the Regional Commission to End Homelessness were accused to shipping the homeless out of the city to outlaying areas of town and to other cities in the US. So now in Atlanta we have what is known as The Reunification Program, funded by both United Way and the Regional Commission to End Homelessness. This Program provides bus tickets (Greyhound only) for people to be reunited with family or friends that are willing to let them stay with them for up to 6 months and are willing to take part in the Program - people can not be sent to another city unless they have somewhere to stay. There is a lot of follow up with both the person that is sent and the people that they are staying with - you can not send somebody to a shelter - the only exception to the rule is sending somebody to a domestic violence shelter.
The unwritten rule here in Atlanta is that you can not send somebody to another city to be homeless. But here's the rub..
Greyhound sends people that arrive in Atlanta and have no where to go to the HOPE ATLANTA office on a daily basis !!
Relocating 550 families in three years is a drop in the bucket to the overwhelming numbers of people still on the street. Everyone on the street is not there by choice and the mentally ill are at times dropped on the streets by hospitals who have reached the end of their ability to care for them. There is no easy solution for this problem.
However, society needs to get past the belief that most people on the street are there by choice and could get out if they were willing to work.
Just a thought.
It was sometime in the 80's when I heard there were huge spending cuts made that reduced monies available for caring for the mentally ill. When the government (federal or state) make cuts, something has to give and care for those with mental illness are an easy target for cuts. Anyway, it was predicted that the number of mentally ill living on the streets would grow tremendously. I believe it has. I think the intent to get these people back to families to care for them may be good, but reality is, you are right when you say families probably aren't capable of it in many cases.
Hey Bk, thanks for the comment. Seems more and more states and cities are doing this. Still don't know if this is the answer either. K.
Hi Carolina, how you been? Thanks for stopping by. I agree,total lack of empathy! Thanks K.
Hi Pam, you're right, this is an on going problem that is growing leaps and bounds! How to resolve it is the question. Thanks for the comment. K.
Hi Green Lotus, thank you for the wonderful comment. And thanks for all you do to support the homeless. It's nice to see they have a voice in you....K.
Smireles nice to see you here, thanks for the comment. I agree not all are on the streets by choice, some are though. The majority of those on the streets are on the streets by no choice of their own, when the states started closing the mental health facilities, and turn them away for help is where allot of them come from. Now the communities are scrambling to ship them out to other locations...sad! Thanks K.
Mulberry, how are you? Thanks for your comment too, I agree the amount of homeless has increased and sad to say it's not just the mentally ill, but families with children. And veterans who have served our country. That's the real sad part of all of this too. Thanks K.
Interesting good reading
K, shit I have tears in my eyes like shipping our waste to empty dump sites in another place. When did we stop caring? When did we start wanting more for everyone? When did we start thinking we were better than someone else? When did this solution enter some asshole's head that he presented to a board in such a way that when they saw the bottom line they all got excited and couldn't wait to execute the clean up plan? I amCanadian, we have homeless but we take care of them and Vancouver is doing wonders in this area as well as for Heroin addicts and prostitution. I just want these people in control to stop for one second and think, gee, I wonder if they were forced into these situations for reasons beyond their control, let's look at those issues.
Im so sorry K, this Hub touched me very much and bless you for writing it - I look forward to the continuation and am off to read the prior one now.
It all starts with awareness and hope many many people read this because you are alerting this message, in a very special way, I may add
Sorry to ramble
Thank you
Kimberly
Hey entertainment, nice to see you here. Thanks for the comment.
Hi Kim I'm honored that you stopped by. Your comment really says it all! And BTW my next hub on this will actually be about a gentleman from Vancouver and what he is doing about the homeless ther. Thanks again K.
Hi K, I am happy you are really back. I dont know the reason why they need to do this. Its a fact that people will always go for example in NY or Florida because of opportunities (perceived etc), so if they are sending out people, other people are just arriving, it is a cycle, isnt it?
This is th ear that people dont care anymore and I am sad about it, It is cold, and they are homeless, tsk, tsk,,,
Happy Sunday K< take care, Maita
Hello Maita, nice to see you here again. Yes it is a terrible cycle, that will continue as long as communities are shipping their homeless all over to different places. Instead of addressing the issue in their own communities. Thanks for taking the time Maita. see you on the forums. Kerry
You can add the city of Las Vegas to those cities that provide a bus ticket to get rid of their homeless. While I do not know all the details I do know its ran through the police department and one of the social service groups here. Your supposed to have some place to go to qualify. Basically if they can reach someone on a phone who will say you can come stay with them you get a ticket. Is there any follow up? I seriously doubt it. Las Vegas just wants to get rid of their homeless and purposely makes its very hard for those living on the streets. I do know where to go for more details if you would like them.
I have been homeless here in Las Vegas before so I do know of what I speak. I have been homeless multiple times in my life and each time, with the exception of this time, pulled myself back up on my own by getting a job and an apartment again. While its not easy, it can be done once a person figures out how its done. This time things are more complicated due to the horrible economy, especially here in Las Vegas where we are #1 in home foreclosures nationwide and have a rather high unemployment rate. I know its well over 10% and rising.
While I do not wish anything bad on others I had hoped that since so many people were losing their homes and jobs here in Las Vegas the attitudes and lack of help here would change for the better. I believe for the most part it hasn't. I better stop here because I could go on forever about this subject....
I am really hoping that HubPages.com will earn me enough residual income eventually so that I am never homeless again. I love working from home on my computer. This is my dream job. :)
MyWebs, thanks so much for stopping by. And I wish you all the luck on HubPages. You should be very proud of yourself. It's sad that the attitudes towards this has not changed. I'm with you I thought with the employment in the toilet and foreclosures that it would change and there would be more compassion, but there isn't. I believe people have adopted the everyone for themselves attitude. Yes send me more about this you can e-mail me please. Thanks again and good luck. K.
WOW! I am going to need to do some homework here........... homelessness, I am well acquainted with that topic, but this type of relocation........... I am admittedly ignorant to this problem. Well, maybe not quite as ignorant now!
Thank you,
Kaie
This is unbelievable. If these people really had family elsewhere willing to take them in, those relatives would have already enabled them to make the journey. I've never been homeless, but I remember the awful fear and insecurity when my parents were kicked out of one rented apartment when I was 13. This cannot compare with the fear and insecurity felt by someone who really is homeless, and this is what the bureaucrats are preying on.
Hi Kaie, thank you for stopping by. Glad I maybe cleared up any confusion you might have had. Yes it is unbelievable. Thanks K.
WA Thank you for your comment. I agree where were the families before and when these people became homeless? I've never been homeless either, that's why it is so hard to believe what these people are going through. Thanks again and keep checking back for updates. Kerry
This sure is a thought-provoking hub. It seems the adage of out-of-sight out-of-mind may work well for the mayor of New York. I know late last year here in New Zealand in Auckland (as it prepares to become a super-city) these issues were abounding in our news - similar suggestions were being made - even giving those living on the streets some kind of get caught 3 times and you're off to jail - where's the humanity in these solutions!
I came to be nosey as I noticed you started following me - and am glad I did - great work :)
hey thanks I have been waiting for this. What a shame. I have been watching the homeless tent shanties under the over passes whenever I am in New Orleans and they never seem to be dwindling. I still don't believe they are sending these folks to family who can help. They are sending them out so they don't have to deal with them. Who do they think they're kidding. I am off to read your new article about the guy in Vancouver. Thanks again for the follow up.
The greatest evil is dumping people to save money. I think they want to save face too. To them, the homeless says too much about them and they want to cover up the facts. I pray for the homeless and give as much as I can. No wonder America is not so blessed anymore.
Great hub.
Thanks a lot theawww, for the wonderful comment. I do agree I think most communities seem to have adopted the out of sight out of mind attitude. It also seems people have forgotten these are human beings we are talking about here. Thanks again K.
Tammy you are welcome! Thanks for stopping by. I can't believe that there are still people homeless from Katrina for gods sake! We need to take care of our own for sure. K.
Hi Deborah, nice to see you again. Thanks for the comment. You are right, they need to save face I guess. And thank you for giving what you can. America may not be as blessed but you are. Thanks K.
K - congratulations on what you are doing - this is a subject which saddens me greatly. I'm from the U.K. and where I live we don't have a massive problem, but to my mind one person is one too many - my worst experience was in LA, seeing people lying on the grass with their belongings in shopping trolleys, sleeping in shop doorways and eating out of bins. Five years ago and it's still a vivid memory. If everyone spoke up about it like you then something might get done about it. Many thanks, I feel a bit better knowing that there are people who share my feelings - Keep it up - Max :)
Thank you Maxvon for the kind words. I hear LA is one of the worst areas for homeless and relocating them. I agree people and politicians need to speak up more about this problem. They tend to just look away and it will go away! Thanks again. K.
Thank you for writing about this topic. Many people in this Country are not aware of how the less fortunate survive. As part of the High School curriculum I feel it would be benificial to have the students live and go to school in a third world country so that their eyes are opened up and that their generation will have greater feelings for the less fortunate. Thanks again. MayaMex
Thanks Maya, I will continue to get the stories out there. That would be a great idea for the students to get a first hand look at the situation. Keep up your good work too. Thanks K.
Great follow-up. Thank you for the revealing information. But what a sad situation here in the "land of opportunity"! With the economy in such sad shape, jobs flying out the window, and the housing industry falling apart, I expect more and more homeless to appear in the months and years just ahead.
Hi Cathi, you're right. With the economy the way it is I'm afraid the situation is just going to grow worse. Thanks for your comment. K.
How tragic a situation for the homeless and how crass of our 'leaders' to treat them like numbers instead of people! I was not aware of this and it is despicable! Let's hear about that guy in Vancouver - and find more like him!
Hi frogy, I agree we need more people here in the states like Mr. Reid, and Bon Jovi. Thanks and come back soon. K.
Great follow up hub! I used to hang out with some of the homeless guys in Nashville sometimes when leaving a bar on Music Row! Most people have no clue of the danger these people live in & the abuse they sometimes endure. I took 4 of them home one time & let them to take baths, made them a pallet in the living room, fed em', they stayed up playing cards & listening to music, the next morning I gave them some of my clothes & shoes & dropped them off on the way to work & I felt bad I had to do that but I figured 1 night was better than the street. My friends called me crazy for doing so....Most have mental problems due to war, drugs, tragedies, & etc. I seen one about a month after that & someone had beat the living crap out of him. Another one ended up dead by the river. Sad life!
Wow Michael, this could be a great hub too. You deserve a big thank you for doing what you did. Not many people would of done what you did. It is a sad life, they deserve better for sure. Thanks for sharing your story. K.
Thank you for your continued work on this subject, K. I wonder if there are any initiatives to combat these policies?
Hi GS, thank you. Policies and initiatives get shot down every day. Unfortunately they say the money isn't there. A lot of the resolution will more than likely have to come from ourselves. K.
It is inconcievable to me that anybody would want to be homeless. Of course there are those who would take advantage of the system, but for the most part, I don't think this is the case.
Many cities refuse to acknowledge that they have the homeless in their midst.
As for me, when someone needs help, I give it if I am able and I don't debate the whys and/or wherefores. I think the cause is worthy.
Hi mquee, thank you for your comment. And thanks for giving a helping hand when you can. The majority of these people do not choose to be homeless, unfortunately it chooses them...K.
Love this hub, very touchy subject in which I don't think I would like to take any side with.
Thanks GG for stopping by. It's hard to not feel something for the homeless. It's getting communities involved and discussion is the first step. K.
Thank you for the awakening of the lives of our homeless citizens, and thank you for providing us the ensights that are so crucial in understanding what is and what is not being done for them. God Bless You.
Hi stars, and thank you for your support on this tragic topic. I appreciate it. K.
Great work KP. Love your sincere focus on homeless issues. Valueable and honest info that needs to be heard. Keep on Hubbing. Blake4d
Hi blake, thank you for stopping by. And thanks for the kind words. K.
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eovery 2 years ago
It is a point, a harsh when, which I am not sure I agree with, but if you quit supporting the homeless, they will go away ot someplace else which is supporting them. Hard medicine, sad, but it is a truth.
Keep on hubbing!