Our fellow citizens are dying on our streets while we too often walk over them as if they were trash. Let us point out one key fact most of these individuals have put themselves by poor decisions they’ve made (use of illicit drugs, untreated mental health issues, petty criminal record etc) yet society should give them a step to get out ASAP. Here is my proposal to end homeless (below). It combines compassion with tough love.
(1) LEGISLATION- Pass laws that make it nearly impossible to be homeless (ex no sleepy on pubic streets, anti loitering laws etc) along with funding needed to solve this problem once and for all.
(2) SELF HELP FACILITIES- Incentives will be given to private sector facilities (based on their success) to run locations that would help homeless individuals become productive members of our society. These facilities would be closely monitored to insure that abuse is not a serious problem and to insure their producing the desired results.
(3) ACTIVE HELP- Trained mental health professionals with the ability to protect themselves will go out on the street in order to bring such individuals to self help facilities (above) that can help them get their life in order. Those who refuse such treatment openly might be forced by court order to get this help. These facilities will be in competition for government funds based only on the success of helping such individuals in the short and long run and therefore must continue to provide counseling to those in need.