Homelessness

[grandmoon]

I have been to a meeting with other welfare group and we were discussing homelessness, and how we could solve the problem  I found it very interesting as there area number of reasons for people being homeless.

Each of the groups were representing the own group and had ideas of how to solve the problem that their clients have.

I have been sitting here trying  to come up with ideas to take to the next meeting.

Any ideas please.

[*mrgrizz*]

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@bright.ton42 wrote:

you can't even donate now to charities if something has any marks on it. The salvos in particular come and inspect the goods like mattresses and lounges etc and if they have slight marks on them they will not take them. So they would rather the poor go without. That's why I will never give to a charity like them.

A lot of that is due to the possibility of suing.    I was told a good couch I wanted to donate wasn't acceptable because it was a bit saggy and if a buyer hurt themselves on it they could sue, not me but the Salvos.  .    It's just ridiculous.  I can understand with mattresses and bedding as

they could have bedbugs.

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n?wonder how hotels get on thewonder how hotels get on then?

[cherry*135]

Yes, lloyds/DEB. The more the charities earn the more funds they have to help those who need it.

The Salvo's run homeless shelters in big cities. Where those on the street can get food and a bed for the night.

Churches run food banks. Thrift shops which, as anove give them money, to assist others with.

If prices are high in OP shops = more income to support needy people.

[cherry*135]

"There were very few suggests made except for more public housing. The suggest that housing branch should force people who are in 3 or 4 bedroom homes, who family have moved out to be given 1 bedroom flats.. "

That already applies here (Houssing NSW).
Vacant bedroom charge.
The tenant can decide to relocate to a smaller house offered, if they don't accept that offer they have to pay more rent ($20-30) per week to stay in their current house.

[bright.ton42]

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@para-slights wrote:

Provide more mental health clinics, hospital, programs instead of closing them down and creating homelessness/hopeless for people incapable of self care

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Yes, spot on.  It was called (gawd I can hardly spell it let alone say it ) de-institutionalisation  ....  where many facilities for those with mental health problems were closed and they had to fend for themselves.    There was assistance for them .... where I worked anyway .....   but so many were just not capable of knowing what was good for them.    And they didn't take their meds. That was the biggest killer  .   It was heartbreaking to see.  

[grandmoon]

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@am*3 wrote:
"There were very few suggests made except for more public housing. The suggest that housing branch should force people who are in 3 or 4 bedroom homes, who family have moved out to be given 1 bedroom flats.. "

That already applies here (Houssing NSW).
Vacant bedroom charge.
The tenant can decide to relocate to a smaller house offered, if they don't accept that offer they have to pay more rent ($20-30) per week to stay in their current house.

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That interesting I wasn't aware of that.

[punch*drunk]

There definitely needs to be more public housing and more checks on those rorting the system. And certainly people should be moved on to make room for families.

I also think public housing should be scattered around rather than putting all the lower socio economic people in the same area. My sister will likely end up in Dandenong, and any Victorian here will tell you its not a place they'd like to live. Possibly one of the highest crime and drug areas in the state.

They also need more housing for bigger families, waiting for 3 years plus on the highest priority is way too long.

[cherry*135]

The cost of private rentals is so high and dole benefit (Newstart) is so low $250 p.w approx. This affordability of housing problem is going to get worse.

[harley_babes_hoard]

mostly blow it on paying wages

[lind9650]

1964 I was left with fve children, homeless and not a penny to my name. I was a city girl, born and bred.

Housing Commission ofered me two options. One, a three bedroom flat in a High Rise building in Prahran, Vic. But I would have to wait about 12 month to get one allocated. That would have made me homeless and nowhere to go. Or I could have a three bedroom house with a bakyard in Lang Lang, Vic. that was vacant and available.

I had no idea where Lang Lang was, but the dread of raising five children without a father in one of those High Rise buildings made me accept the house in Lang Lang.

A house with a backyard for the children to play in and me being able to keep an eye on my brood was worth it for me to leave the City and move to a small country town.

Whatever happened since then, I never regreted. I have turned into a country girl over the years. Nothing has a closer community and more caring people than a small country town.

If more homeless people would venture out of the city circle and are willing to work on a farm or Market Garden, they would find accomdation and most likely make friends with the locals.

There are lots of reasons people are homeless, but there are lots of resolutions to better the situation.

You want to stay in the city and sleep under the bridge, that is your choice. Don't blame me.

Erica

[channys_mum]

My brother is 71 and intellectually disabled. I have a lot of trouble finding respite accomodation for him so that I can have time out, and it's going to get a whole lot worse.

If he had varying degrees of dementia or Alzheimers it would not be anywhere near as difficult, because a fit healthy intellectually disabled person doesn't sit in a chair over there with his sippy cup and tv. He wanders around invading peoples space wanting attention and wanting it now. 

These people quite often upset the routines of nursing homes. They don't fit the criteria of supported group houses because they not just intellectually disabled, they are old intellectually disabled. There no facilities these people

So if they do not have family willing to take them on, where do they go. On the street where they can't take care of themselves, there is no-one to make sure they get their meds. They will find soup kitchens etc, but that's about all.

I have been strongly advised to find somewhere permanent for my brother now as it will soon become impossible.

He has gone to a place for a weeks trial, but that's just for respite. The arrangement is that if he doesn't fit in I have to go and pick him up straight away. So far 6 places have declined to take him for even just a week.

It is going to get worse, now that's scarey.