Well, this really isn't what I had in mind. A billionaire just gave a couple mansions to some homeless natives of Hawaii. Before going into my scheme, I'd like to complain about this event. In my opinion, no one should live in a mansion. Those who can afford it probably inherited the money and don't deserve it (in my opinion). So I do like it when the rich donate to the poor. But I'm pretty sure the homeless families would have been happy enough with even a three bedroom house. And since though would be cheaper, he'd be able to help out more families. Plus, he's not even giving them houses, just letting them live rent free for, at most, ten years. (Which isn't bad at all.) But maybe the one neighbor was right about him just trying to lower the surrounding house values. However, that's a pretty dirty thing to say about the new ex-homeless families moving in. I don't think they'd really drop the values. The other mansion owners just don't like people, I guess. I am amused that the billionaire responds with, "The people who don't want to live near Hawaiians should move." I mean, it is Hawaii. The last thing that deserves comment is that people probably shouldn't have five children. I think overpopulation is going to be a very big problem.
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The similarity with my plan is only to help the homeless. Though for me, instead of giving them mansions or houses or renting them one, I'd build a giant shelter. Maybe it'd be like an apartment complex or just dorm rooms. I think I like the dorm room idea better since it provides more privacy than just a shelter, yet still has shared facilities (bathrooms, laundry, mess hall). I dunno. For a guy that was scared out of boot camp, I don't think I could encourage anyone to live in barrack conditions. (Of course, it wasn't the barracks that scared me.) But my goal would be rehabilitation. There would be "work-study" positions for everyone (or so that's my plan). The mess hall needs workers, as does maintenance, security, all that stuff. And there'd be large educational workshops where they could learn better skills. I think everyone should know how to use the internet.
But I don't know enough about the homeless to know if anyone would be interested in living in dorm rooms. I mean, they'd have to move to my location if they wanted to get in on it. Else I'd have to build the facility where there are plenty of homeless to benefit. From what I saw in Psychology, some homeless have mental disorders (schizophrenia for example), and those guys probably wouldn't want to live in such a social setting. I think they like being alone, or rather don't like being near other people. Also, I don't know how many are junkies, alcoholics, or gamblers. I wouldn't want those being spread to my other homeless.
But that's my pipe dream.
posted at 12:04 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
I'll point out that the guy "gave away" mansions that he already owned. Of course, I think it's pretty crazy that he owns 22 houses. And he's really only doing it to make his public image better.
Weird...I don't know if I like it very much. Sure, it sucks that the families are homeless, but they don't need mansions. I don't think anyone really needs a mansion though. He could have sold those mansions and then spent the money to improve living conditions as well as help them find jobs. I don't know.
Also, Doug, you need to sign on AIM more often...I want to talk to you sometimes, but you are never on.
There are lots of different conditions of homelessness. I did volunteer in a homeless shelter once a month for several years (this shelter was thin pads laid out on the florr of a church's common hall). Some people are homeless temporarily due to some major life catastrophe (lost job, need time to find one and re-establish themselves). Others are working jobs regularly, but aren't paid well enough to scrape together the money for security deposit/rent/etc (or they go other issues that they can't save the money - drugs, gambling, etc - or spend on stupid but legal stuff). There's a small percentage that actually prefer their life the way it is, and also some small percentage (some overlap) who are mentally ill (paranoid, schizophrenic, etc).
The dorm would work fine for those who just need a cheap place to live because they are working but at a low-paying job. Basically, the need for low-cost (doesn't HAVE to be free) housing is everywhere, all over the country. Even, maybe especially, Hawaii, where the real estate prices are insane due to the tourists and rich folks who buy up places, but you still need to house all the folks that work at those tourist places (maids, dishwashers, cooks, etc, etc, etc).
It ain't an easy problem by any stretch, but yes, a billionaire opening a dorm would help quite a few folks. It would also help some folks actually find a decent job -- it's not easy to apply for work if you have no address, no phone.
I don't think I've heard of a nobler pipe-dream. You build the dorm place, I'll help you run it!
As for the mansions... well, I wouldn't say no to a mansion if I was gonna be given one! Though I'd probably end up "flipping" it and selling it for the money. I can't imagine needing that much space, ever.
Also, I have to point out that property values drop and rise regardless of what people would want. The unfortunate deal of it all is that the word "homeless" is enough to make the folks in power cringe. You can't keep people from their prejudices, sadly.
And I have to second Matt's request, even though I'm hardly online enough to reap its benefits.
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