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How many without a roof?
Author: Raine    Date: 02/05/2015 14:34:29

The Obama Administration will delay its deadline to end chronic homelessness — because they don't have the money for it.

The Obama administration said Monday it has pushed back by one year its goal for ending chronic homelessness among the general public. It's maintaining a goal for ending veteran homelessness by the end of this year.

The Obama administration had set a goal of ending chronic homelessness for 2016, but Housing and Urban Development Department officials said during a budget briefing the goal had been pushed back to 2017 because of budget constraints. Tens of thousands of people still fit the definition of chronically homeless, which means they've been without housing for more than a year or have experienced four bouts of homelessness in a three-year period.

Officials initially said the goal for ending veterans homelessness had been pushed back a year, but then corrected that description to say they still hope to end homelessness among veterans this year. However, the results won't be known until surveys are taken in early 2016.
So while the GOP is talking a great game about being so concerned about income inequality, this administration is actually working on DOING something about it. And what is barely mentioned, is that gains have been made. Last Thursday evening, President Obama sent his Chief of staff to San Fransisco — to help count the number of homeless in the city.
President Obama's chief of staff ventured onto the San Francisco streets alongside Mayor Ed Lee and Trent Rhorer, director of the city’s Human Services Agency, SF Gate reported. The trio were volunteers for the city's biennial survey that counts how many people are homeless and breaks down the figure by demographics, like age and gender.
(snip)
In January of 2014, nationwide surveys for HUD, often referred to as point-in-time counts, found that there were 578,424 people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. Of that figure, 216,197 were people in families, and roughly 9 percent were veterans.

While those figures are hardly worth celebrating, annual data tracking homelessness has shown progress consistent with the country's climb out of the Great Recession. As The Washington Post reported in October, there's been a 10 percent drop in homelessness since 2010, when Obama launched an initiative focused on ending homelessness among groups that are disproportionately affected by the issue.

There's been a 33 percent drop in homelessness among veterans -- one of such populations -- in the same span of time.
There is so much more to be done.
Some cities have made significant progress: Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and New Orleans have ended forms of homelessness among veterans.

Efforts to end homelessness could move much faster if there were significantly more money for affordable housing. In 1970, when mass homelessness like we see today wasn't yet a problem, there was as a surplus of 300,000 affordable housing units. By 2009 there was a 5.5 million shortage. The government just took a tiny step forward on that front by allowing money from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, an estimated $325 million in grants, to flow into the National Housing Trust Fund starting in 2016. While the sum is small, it’s the first time money has been put in the fund, which was created in 2008, to help finance the construction of affordable housing.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could convert some of these buildings to help shelter people, and reduce the number of those without a roof over their heads? Sadly, It's not that easy. The upside is that it's not impossible, and with the President sending a member of his administration to see what is actually happening out there, this could be a hopeful sign for progress.
Sen. Tom Carper, a Democrat from Delaware, is one of the lawmakers pushing to get a clearer picture.

"We don't know how many properties we have, we don't know which ones we own, which ones are leased," he says. "We don't know whether we ought to be building or buying instead of leasing."

But Carper says that even when an agency knows it has a building it would like to sell, bureaucratic hurdles limit what it can do. No federal agency can sell anything unless it's uncontaminated, asbestos-free and environmentally safe. Those are expensive fixes.

Then the agency has to make sure another one doesn't want it. Then state and local governments get a crack at it, then nonprofits — and finally, a 25-year-old law requires the government to see whether it could be used as a homeless shelter.

Many agencies just lock the doors and say forget it.
(snip)
A panel made up of the Office of Management and Budget and other agencies is trying to tackle the problem. But the keeper of the property database is the General Services Administration.

Dan Tangherlini inherited it when he took over as GSA administrator two years ago. Tangherlini says he wants to see an accurate list so agencies don't wind up leasing space when they could use an empty government office somewhere.

"We're not arguing that the data can't be better and [that] it shouldn't be better. In fact, we're working really hard to make it better," he says. "But we're really interested in making it useful."

It's not like it can't be done. It starting to happen around the country.
Converting empty buildings and lots into homeless housing has been done before.

According to Picture the Homeless, a grassroots organization for homeless advocacy, dozens of cities in the United States have reconstructed abandoned housing into usable housing.

In San Francisco, for example, the city passed the Surplus Property Ordinance in 2004, which gave the Mayor’s Office for Housing the jurisdiction of vacant lots so they could be developed into shelters for homeless people.

Additionally, in Seattle, a homeless grassroots group called Operation Homestead re-opened abandoned apartment buildings and turned them into affordable housing for formerly homeless people.

Quietly - even with its delay, the president's program is working, if only this Congress had the fortitude and commitment to want to end chronic homelessness in this nation. Instead, they want to cut the social safety nets that could help them not become homeless in the first place. You know what would be fiscally responsible and save the entire nation? Making headlines like this go away forever. Leaving Homeless Person On The Streets: $31,065. Giving Them Housing: $10,051.
Even if you don’t think society has a moral obligation to care for the least among us, a new study underscores that we have a financial obligation to do so.

Late last week, the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness released a new study showing that, when accounting for a variety of public expenses, Florida residents pay $31,065 per chronically homeless person every year they live on the streets.

The study, conducted by Creative Housing Solutions, an Oklahoma-based consultant group, tracked public expenses accrued by 107 chronically homeless individuals in central Florida. These ranged from criminalization and incarceration costs to medical treatment and emergency room intakes that the patient was unable to afford.


Bootstraps are great, but - without a roof - they really mean nothing at all.

and
Raine
 

39 comments (Latest Comment: 02/06/2015 01:11:54 by livingonli)
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Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2015 14:32:23
Morning


I now have this image on Raine hunched over ye olden desk with a quill and ink bottle scribbling hastily on aged parchment.

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2015 14:38:11
Quote by wickedpam:
Morning


I now have this image on Raine hunched over ye olden desk with a quill and ink bottle scribbling hastily on aged parchment.

I love that image!

Good Morning!


**** BLOG POSTED ****


Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2015 14:56:02
I have a new web design hero.

a little bit of something

You are not a web designer.
I am the web designer.
You wouldn’t tell Mr. Branston how to make pickle or Mrs. Audrey Audi how to build motor cars, would you? So please, Sir/Madam, don’t tell me I should “bevel” things. Get back to doing what you do best and let me do the web designing.


Comment by Scoopster on 02/05/2015 14:56:41
Mornin' all..

I've taken up a new career path for my FF online character - Fisherman. It's quite relaxing, and they did a great job making the experience realistic.

Now if I can just find a place to stuff all these damn herrings......

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2015 15:18:56
Quote by Scoopster:
Mornin' all..

I've taken up a new career path for my FF online character - Fisherman. It's quite relaxing, and they did a great job making the experience realistic.

Now if I can just find a place to stuff all these damn herrings......



Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2015 15:42:21
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Scoopster:
Mornin' all..

I've taken up a new career path for my FF online character - Fisherman. It's quite relaxing, and they did a great job making the experience realistic.

Now if I can just find a place to stuff all these damn herrings......



So jealous that your playing FF - still stuck in one fight at the start of FF XIII


Comment by Scoopster on 02/05/2015 15:46:14
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Scoopster:
Mornin' all..

I've taken up a new career path for my FF online character - Fisherman. It's quite relaxing, and they did a great job making the experience realistic.

Now if I can just find a place to stuff all these damn herrings......


So jealous that your playing FF - still stuck in one fight at the start of FF XIII

Oh which fight? I looooove 13 the battle system is so strategic and unique!

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2015 15:48:29
This is interesting:

Few individual investors have quite as much capital to deploy as Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal of Saudi Arabia. Through his Kingdom Holding , he holds significant stakes in companies including Citigroup C +0.6%, Twitter TWTR +3.83% – and, until recently, News Corporation.

The Prince hasn’t sold out completely – he still owns about 1% of the company, as well as a separate 6.6% shareholding in 21st Century Fox Inc which in itself is worth about $1.7 billion – but he previously also held 6.6% of News Corp NWSA -0.13%, or a total of 13.184 million class B shares. He’s shed all but two million of them.

The sale, which Kingdom Holding disclosed in a statement today, actually took place during a portfolio review last year and was largely completed in the first half of 2014, but has only just been made public. The sale generated US$188 million which the Price and Kingdom Holding will now deploy elsewhere.




Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2015 15:56:33
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Scoopster:
Mornin' all..

I've taken up a new career path for my FF online character - Fisherman. It's quite relaxing, and they did a great job making the experience realistic.

Now if I can just find a place to stuff all these damn herrings......


So jealous that your playing FF - still stuck in one fight at the start of FF XIII

Oh which fight? I looooove 13 the battle system is so strategic and unique!



Its way back at the start when Snow first fights the Shiva. Got frustrated and stopped so I haven't mastered the system yet.

Comment by Scoopster on 02/05/2015 16:13:48
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Scoopster:
Mornin' all..

I've taken up a new career path for my FF online character - Fisherman. It's quite relaxing, and they did a great job making the experience realistic.

Now if I can just find a place to stuff all these damn herrings......


So jealous that your playing FF - still stuck in one fight at the start of FF XIII

Oh which fight? I looooove 13 the battle system is so strategic and unique!


Its way back at the start when Snow first fights the Shiva

Ahhh yea - Snow is primarily a Sentinel, so the sisters will want him to prove his worth that way. All you hafta do is block the attacks with Steelguard the whole time. Don't worry about your HP the other sister will toss cures.

Comment by Scoopster on 02/05/2015 16:19:01
Oh yea I can't remember if that's the first eidolon you fight, but if it is you want to hit X/Square to capture it as soon as the bosses meter is full. Otherwise you'll just die from the Doom countdown.

Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2015 16:26:54
Quote by Scoopster:
Oh yea I can't remember if that's the first eidolon you fight, but if it is you want to hit X/Square to capture it as soon as the bosses meter is full. Otherwise you'll just die from the Doom countdown.



Yep I think it is. I'll give that a try. Stupid doom countdown

Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2015 16:29:14
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Scoopster:
Mornin' all..

I've taken up a new career path for my FF online character - Fisherman. It's quite relaxing, and they did a great job making the experience realistic.

Now if I can just find a place to stuff all these damn herrings......


So jealous that your playing FF - still stuck in one fight at the start of FF XIII

Oh which fight? I looooove 13 the battle system is so strategic and unique!


Its way back at the start when Snow first fights the Shiva

Ahhh yea - Snow is primarily a Sentinel, so the sisters will want him to prove his worth that way. All you hafta do is block the attacks with Steelguard the whole time. Don't worry about your HP the other sister will toss cures.



I have yet to have her toss a cure, I must have something set wrong.

Dang it. Now I want to go home and play XD

Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2015 16:31:10
Quote by Raine:
This is interesting:

Few individual investors have quite as much capital to deploy as Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal of Saudi Arabia. Through his Kingdom Holding , he holds significant stakes in companies including Citigroup C +0.6%, Twitter TWTR +3.83% – and, until recently, News Corporation.

The Prince hasn’t sold out completely – he still owns about 1% of the company, as well as a separate 6.6% shareholding in 21st Century Fox Inc which in itself is worth about $1.7 billion – but he previously also held 6.6% of News Corp NWSA -0.13%, or a total of 13.184 million class B shares. He’s shed all but two million of them.

The sale, which Kingdom Holding disclosed in a statement today, actually took place during a portfolio review last year and was largely completed in the first half of 2014, but has only just been made public. The sale generated US$188 million which the Price and Kingdom Holding will now deploy elsewhere.





Wonder why.

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2015 16:35:58
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
This is interesting:

Few individual investors have quite as much capital to deploy as Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal of Saudi Arabia. Through his Kingdom Holding , he holds significant stakes in companies including Citigroup C +0.6%, Twitter TWTR +3.83% – and, until recently, News Corporation.

The Prince hasn’t sold out completely – he still owns about 1% of the company, as well as a separate 6.6% shareholding in 21st Century Fox Inc which in itself is worth about $1.7 billion – but he previously also held 6.6% of News Corp NWSA -0.13%, or a total of 13.184 million class B shares. He’s shed all but two million of them.

The sale, which Kingdom Holding disclosed in a statement today, actually took place during a portfolio review last year and was largely completed in the first half of 2014, but has only just been made public. The sale generated US$188 million which the Price and Kingdom Holding will now deploy elsewhere.





Wonder why.
The article is wondering as well and has no answers.


Comment by Raine on 02/05/2015 16:39:43
Comment by TriSec on 02/05/2015 17:15:46
So, it is February 5. Today is the first "TNT Day" I have not celebrated in some 32 years. This is where the term 'Your Loyal TriSec' comes from.

He whom I remained loyal to all these years was destroyed by pills. May God have mercy on his soul.

That is all.

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2015 18:03:29
Quote by TriSec:
So, it is February 5. Today is the first "TNT Day" I have not celebrated in some 32 years. This is where the term 'Your Loyal TriSec' comes from.

He whom I remained loyal to all these years was destroyed by pills. May God have mercy on his soul.

That is all.

I am so sorry that you are going through this, Tri.

Comment by BobR on 02/05/2015 18:36:48
Comment by Raine on 02/05/2015 18:54:22
This is just really sad. For all his faults, no person should have to bury his daughters wife and his daughter.

Comment by Scoopster on 02/05/2015 18:55:44

I hafta say it - that's some pretty terrible 'reporting'. Syrian rebels fighting against the Assad regime's bullshit are not ISIS, yet this guy has no problem conflating the two over and over.

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2015 18:56:54


That is really really shocking.

Comment by Scoopster on 02/05/2015 18:58:51
Quote by Raine:
This is just really sad. For all his faults, no person should have to bury his wife and his daughter.

man that's hard..

Comment by Scoopster on 02/05/2015 19:02:31
Comment by Raine on 02/05/2015 19:03:34
SCIENCE!

And a really cool, inexpensive and simple way to reduce greenhouse gasses.

Comment by BobR on 02/05/2015 19:10:15
Quote by Raine:
SCIENCE!

And a really cool, inexpensive and simple way to reduce greenhouse gasses.

I always love when a cheap easy solution for a complex problem is discovered. I do wonder, though, what happens to the Na2CO3 beads once they've absorbed as much CO2 as they can?

Comment by BobR on 02/05/2015 19:20:13

I don't think Boehner and the rest of the selfish vengeful repukes are going to be very happy with what the Pope has to say.

Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2015 19:25:50
Quote by Raine:
This is just really sad. For all his faults, no person should have to bury his daughters wife and his daughter.



Yeah, I agree. I mean he's kind of a dick, but no one, even a dick should have to deal with that.

Comment by livingonli on 02/05/2015 19:44:22
Way overslept today. Feels like one of those days especially when the cold and ice have been keeping me housebound and very frustrated. At least I save on money by not going out.

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2015 19:45:51
Quote by BobR:

I don't think Boehner and the rest of the selfish vengeful repukes are going to be very happy with what the Pope has to say.
I hope he takes them the to woodshed when it comes to poverty.

Comment by Scoopster on 02/05/2015 20:04:32
Comment by TriSec on 02/05/2015 20:24:03
It's nowhere near International Hate Week, and it really needs to be. I suppose a Two-minute Hate will have to do.

Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2015 20:49:00



Scoop, that has nothing to do with the drunken and or drugged out, mostly naked, possibly felonious behavior that Florida Man is know for. Don't confuse of mostly criminal, venal state legislators with the institution of Florida Man.

Comment by Scoopster on 02/05/2015 20:50:39
Quote by Mondobubba:

Scoop, that has nothing to do with the drunken and or drugged out, mostly naked, possibly felonious behavior that Florida Man is know for. Don't confuse of mostly criminal, venal state legislators with the institution of Florida Man.

omg I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend the tender Florida Man sensitivities!

Comment by livingonli on 02/05/2015 20:54:51
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Mondobubba:

Scoop, that has nothing to do with the drunken and or drugged out, mostly naked, possibly felonious behavior that Florida Man is know for. Don't confuse of mostly criminal, venal state legislators with the institution of Florida Man.

omg I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend the tender Florida Man sensitivities!

There could be something about enabling a convicted felon by forcing his right-wing propaganda down everyone's throat especially when said felon has managed to dodge a prison sentence.

Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2015 21:29:53
Quote by livingonli:
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Mondobubba:

Scoop, that has nothing to do with the drunken and or drugged out, mostly naked, possibly felonious behavior that Florida Man is know for. Don't confuse of mostly criminal, venal state legislators with the institution of Florida Man.

omg I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend the tender Florida Man sensitivities!

There could be something about enabling a convicted felon by forcing his right-wing propaganda down everyone's throat especially when said felon has managed to dodge a prison sentence.


Rick Scott was never convicted.


Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2015 21:30:36
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Mondobubba:

Scoop, that has nothing to do with the drunken and or drugged out, mostly naked, possibly felonious behavior that Florida Man is know for. Don't confuse of mostly criminal, venal state legislators with the institution of Florida Man.

omg I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend the tender Florida Man sensitivities!


Florida Man and his partner, Florida Woman are what make Florida great.


Comment by livingonli on 02/06/2015 01:11:54
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by livingonli:
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Mondobubba:

Scoop, that has nothing to do with the drunken and or drugged out, mostly naked, possibly felonious behavior that Florida Man is know for. Don't confuse of mostly criminal, venal state legislators with the institution of Florida Man.

omg I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend the tender Florida Man sensitivities!

There could be something about enabling a convicted felon by forcing his right-wing propaganda down everyone's throat especially when said felon has managed to dodge a prison sentence.


Rick Scott was never convicted.

Unfortunately, yes, but D'souza was