This infuriates me. I have seen it up close and personal. There's so much red tape to go thru to get off the streets once you've lost your place to live, that it's nearly impossible to do so. So we're just going to starve them to death now, is that it? That's absolutely absurd. I realize things are different in the States, but it can't be all THAT different.
Imagine you're homeless. Imagine you are homeless and mentally ill, possibly severely depressed. Imagine that you simply have fallen on hard times, as many of us have, and got in a rut you couldn't get out of. Imagine you decide you are going to try and get a job.
Ok, things to think about:
How will you get a shower/cleaned-up?
What will you wear?
How will you get to where you need to go to put in your applications?
How will you get copies of your resume, provided you have one? Go to the library and print them? Ok, fifteen cents a page, not to mention, how in the hell are you going to get to the library?
Most employers will legally require proof of identify, and in the States, your Social Security card and address.
Ok, so you are going to go get an ID. Go to the DMV and try and get one. They will tell you that you need a copy of your birth certificate, Social Security card, and two proofs of address from a list of acceptable documents. Well, you don't have an address, much less proof of one. Not to mention, who carries around a copy of their birth certificate and SS card? So you go to the Social Security office and request your SS card. They ask you for your birth certificate and picture ID. And forget getting a copy of your birth certificate. It takes weeks, requires a credit card, and an address, and costs anywhere from $20-$50, and extra if you want it expedited. But don't forget you don't have anywhere for them to send it, unless you happen to live in the state in which you were born, in which case you can find a ride (?) to the Bureau of Vital Statistics and request one in person. Should only be about $20, which you don't have.
How will prospective employers contact you, smoke signals?
Or let's say you're homeless and by some miracle, you have all the documentation you need to get a job legally. Then the real problems you have to face are:
Again, how will you get cleaned-up?
What will you wear?
How will you GET where you need to go to work, provided you can even find an open job and manage to get hired, despite the fact that employers still have no way of contacting you?
Where will you sleep at night, so you have enough rest to wake up and work everyday?
Then there's the whole problem of mental illness to consider. Even financially stable persons have a hard time facing everyday tasks when depressed.
Unfortunately the system works to keep homeless people homeless. There are non-profits that focus on helping homeless people, and trying to get them out of these ruts. In the winter, they go pass out blankets to those sleeping on the streets. They try to find and secure housing and help find addiction rehab and mental health services for those in need. The problem is, there are thousands of homeless people, and only a few people with enough compassion to go out and try to help them. The system for dealing with the problem of homelessness in America is broken, and clearly it doesn't end here.
