Vacant Homes and Homeless People in America

It is important that everyone works for what they get. The pilgrims experiment with socialism is a great example of why that is the case.,

But, as things are right now, it is more like a big natural disaster.

So many are out of work. And it is mostly due to bad decisions, union labor prices itself out of the jobs, make everything in China, ect... Some people who had to implement those policies had no choice.

I do not have a good answer. But I can tell you that what is going on at present is not sustainable. At some point, like a house of cards, it will all fall down.

I remember looking at these big houses they were building around Milford on my way to work in Farmington Hills, Michigan. I wondered who could afford such a house? I had a small house.

And when I went to work for a big company, people were asking me, are you not worried about being layed off. No one I knew had been layed off there. I made it through about 7 years. Then was layed off. In fact they paid thousands in tuition assistance to put me through engineering school and then layed me off less than a year after I graduated. It made no sense.

Layed off in November, found a new job as an Engineer, back to work in January. That one lasted almost 4 years. Layed off again.

This time employer found me, but they were in CA not MI. They found my resume which listed my old technician skills and really needed that exact skill set. Layed off in November, back to work, this time in CA, in January. Have been out here 2 years now.

I have a degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET accredited school. I a working, doing technician work as I did 20 years ago.no employer seems to have any interest in me as an engineer.

So I have a rental place now. Left Michigan behind for California. The new hires at work are mostly relocating from other states to come here and work. Same story.

But I think, had I stayed in Michigan, or insisted on an Engineer job, I could easily be homeless right now. It was luck, and flexibility that keep me off the street. The system is hosed up.

Thank you everyone for posting your thoughts and sharing information. It is clear we have the argument that the homeless are homeless by choice and the other side of the argument that believes the homeless are homeless by virtue of a variety of reasons that do not always include choice.

What is clear to me is - empty homes in abundance and homeless people in abundance. The reasons why there are homes empty is clear - banks (in concert with the government) making it impossible for a family to retain their home because they missed as little as several payments - as opposed to months and months.

Why don't banks have contingency plans for mortgages - people who are in front can default to another system and people who have maintained their payments and fall behind default to another system? Banks don't want people to stay in their homes - it is simple - the banks want money. Why? The banks and government do not operate with any type of Spiritual connection to the very people who have funded their banking institutions.

Why are people homeless - many reasons - no employment - losing employment through no fault of their own - relationship breakdowns - addictions - mental health - misfortune - illness - you name it anything can happen unexpectedly and you lose your foothold on what was a stable life. It happens - for those of you who believe homeless people choose to be homeless - you must have lived a very blessed life and until misfortune upends your life I don't expect you to understand - nevertheless I respect your point of view as it is based on your perspective.

The government needs to stop governing for the love of power and needs to start governing for the love of people. When a government ceases to care for the people - it ceases to be productive. People can only take so much and eventually their Spirit conceded defeat - everyone has their breaking point - at which they give up the fight and just get through every day as it comes. If I had my Spirit completely broken I might live on the street and opt to drink a way the pain or drug away the pain - I am not going to judge.

If the government can provide the support that has been mentioned - food stamps - places to eat - places to stay - medical - why isn't it enough? It is only temporary and does not provide what they need - a home and employment and permanent assurance that their efforts will not be wasted.

When the government and the banks are serious about creating homes for the homeless - the first thing they need to do is stop removing people from their homes in the first place. Think about it in uncomplicated terms - if a person is homeless - this suggests they had a home to begin with - why would anyone choose to be homeless when they have known all that a home provides? Why would a government allow the numbers of homeless people to rise and rise and rise - because they do not care and never did.

As for the working class who fund all the tax revenue support that is provided for the homeless - you are being used just as much as anyone else in this picture - you just cannot see it. I often wonder at charities and I only ever have one thought - why are the citizens providing money for the charities when the government should be providing help for people who need it - because - the government are not going to provide anything as long as the people can do it for themselves. Anything the government does not do is because they could not care less - let the working class provide the taxes and provide support by way of charities - less for us to do - let's just hope they don't notice!

Much Peace...

reply to post by Amanda5


If the homeless are allowed to stay in a vacant home for free just because they're homeless and the home is vacant...

Why should I work to pay my mortgage?

I shouldn't. Homeless get a free home, I get a free home.

In the end there would be no society, a breakdown of law and order, complete chaos in the streets... if we all just did what we wanted to without having to work for it. Stupid Liberal utopian ideologies.

reply to post by Rockpuck


Where did I say that homeless people get to stay in a vacant home for free? I did not say that at all.

What I am suggesting via this thread is that deeper thought is needed to realise the enormity of this situation. I am interested in exploring this topic on a deep basis - not just looking at what we see - I am asking why it is happening and how do we go about changing what is happening. I want someone to be accountable.

As for working and paying a mortgage - why should anyone undertake the responsibility of a mortgage just to have their home taken away - for any reason let alone missing a few payments? No one should ever be kicked out of their home for lack of payment - there has to be a way to protect people when life situations change.

Much Peace...

reply to post by Amanda5


There are many factors as to why it is happening. The economy took a dive, people lost their jobs, and more than a few people where given mortgages that they could not realistically pay back. Others may have intentionally defaulted when faced with having a mortgage that greatly exceeded their home value. I think each individual situation has different scapegoat onto which to place the blame.

Everyone deserves simple shelter, food, and water, in my opinion, but I believe it is still survival of the fittest.

Originally posted by hadriana
reply to post by Blaine91555

 

I've known a few homeless folks and they were none of those things - of course some were, but not all.
I used to work with the mentally ill and have volunteered at a homeless shelter, and this is just not my experience at all.

Then they made a conscious decision to not take advantage of what is available for their own reasons. You know that help is available for them.

Something I think is pertinent here is an experience I had when my wife recently had surgery.

Since we would be paying for it ourselves, we set up a meeting with a surgeon and the hospital to discuss the costs and payment. The surgeon immediately halved his price and we gave him a down payment. The hospital did the same without hesitation. When we paid more than we promised, faster than promised, the hospital forgave the remainder without being asked.

While talking to the hospital administrator we got into a discussion about the issues faced by the poor and uninsured. He told me that they had methods of getting anyone's medical paid for through grants, trusts and government programs. He tells me the problem is that many simply get the services and then refuse to fill out the applications or forms needed, sticking the hospital with the bills; which causes them to have to raise prices on the responsible people to survive financially.

I later found out that our hospital bill was forgiven as the Board that oversees one of the Trusts took care of it automatically because we handled ourselves in a responsible manner. They have a huge fund to help people who slip through the cracks like those with preexisting conditions. Oh, those evil rich people who pour the millions into that fund to help others

We clearly see the same when it comes to housing and basic needs. Anyone has help available to them, provided they are willing to take the steps needed to get that help. They choose not to and dump the burden off on others or lie and say no help is available, just like so many lie here and claim they cannot get medical care when they need it.

Right now we are sitting watching the catastrophe that socialist ideals lead to in places like Greece and other parts of Europe. Our "Bubble" was tiny compared to what is facing them right now. It's been made even worse because their people are conditioned to feel "Entitled". It's bad parenting on a grand scale, with governments acting as the bad parents.

I'm participating because there are way to many threads and articles full of lies about America and the American People as it is. Those in other countries reading here need to be exposed to the truth instead of the politically motivated lies.

Originally posted by Blaine91555
reply to post by Amanda5

 

You clearly have a wrong take on the United States. Anyone homeless here is homeless by choice.

I think many from other countries do not understand the abundance of resources here to help people. I think the reason is other countries do it all through taxation and the government is a genuine Nanny, while here we give and give and give privately. My Wife for instance hauls a truckload of food to a local food bank once a month.

Our homeless are mostly mentally ill who refuse housing along with drug addicts and alcoholics who also refuse housing.

As to the empty houses, why should people who choose to work pay and those who choose to stay in the streets because they are addicted to drugs or alcohol get free housing? Enabling them is the stupidest thing any society can do. You may as well stick a gun to their head and pull the trigger. Not to mention the unfairness of it.

There are millions of job openings at all times in the US. Problem is they are jobs the "Takers" refuse to do or to learn to do. Anyone going hungry is doing so by choice. There are food banks and kitchens everywhere. In the cities they can eat many times a day if they wish. On top of that they get Food Stamps and if they sober up they get subsidized housing. Subsidized out of our pockets of course.

It's a shame all the lies about America are out there and that so many self-loathing Americans lie to enforce them. Often those lying are the same drug addicts and alcoholics or from the I'll live in my Mommies basement until she dies crowd. The Takers.

Come visit sometime and see the truth. America is still a wonderful place were at least 80% of us are doing just great and in most cases better than nearly the entire world. If you need help, there is no better place to be than here or Canada for that matter. We as a people give and give until it hurts and have always done so. Not all of us have turned into Alinsky Progressives who want the State to do everything.

Two of my employees are handicapped. The gentleman who cleans for me is in a facility for the mentally ill and I make sure he earns enough to take care of his personal needs. I raised about $350,000 for charity last year. I am a fairly normal American. Please don't judge us by haters words and the spin you see in the news from fanatical Progressives. To call their spin lies is an understatement. As to those who don't live here who hate us, what can anyone say about that. They believe what they believe, because they want to believe it and we just happen to be who they picked out to hate.

edit on 1/2/2012 by Blaine91555 because: (no reason given)

I don't think most businesses are as quick to hire the handicapped as you. I also think you are not looking at the new picture. We have a business also and a small home with a small payment, yet business has gone down so much we barely make our necessary payments.
All it would take would be one missed payment to be on the road so many are on. Homeless, have you seen the tent cities popping up like in Sacramento? There are no jobs here at all unless for trained positions like nursing. believe it or not not everyone who wants to has the money or is smart enough to train for these kind of jobs that are still around. many jobs that could give our youth a start are taken by illegal aliens, millions still flooding in each year.
The abundance of resources you speak of go to help those who will get pregnant have children and refuse to help themselves even when offered a training opportunity...it is all wasted and never offered to those who really need it anymore! I went to college with the help of a gov program that paid almost everything for the first two years and i did not even have to repay it...that was the old programs that made people useful instead of paying them to sit on their backside like my neighbors with the 4 kids!
Yes our country is still in my opinion one of the best places to be but it used to be better. They closed the county mental health hospitals that used to keep the mental ill off the street along with the libraries, and we are headed to a land like so many others that will see children begging on the streets everywhere we go if we do not turn it around.

reply to post by Blaine91555


man blain you are tough on us homeless. i understand the med bill thing . when my dad, god rest his soul, got the big c the hospital did help pay it off. so maybe you are right and im homeless because i want to be ... but it doesnt seem that way to me.