Homelessness in other countries

Is the homeless problem unique to America?

I don't read about other countries having the same problem we are, unless there's war, famine etc.

If in fact we're pretty much the only one, I have to ask "Why?"

Why are so many people unhappy and unsuccessful in our society today?

What the hell is wrong with us?

Quote: missedhervee

Is the homeless problem unique to America?

I don't read about other countries having the same problem we are, unless there's war, famine etc.

If in fact we're pretty much the only one, I have to ask "Why?"

Why are so many people unhappy and unsuccessful in our society today?

What the hell is wrong with us?

Not at all unique to the USA. Take a look at the slums of Brazil. Or refugees all over Africa.

The thing is the media drags out the homeless when they need a story to fit a narrative. There is also a homeless-industrial complex in cities like San Francisco.

Years ago America had hobos. But those guys were usually drifting from place to place to find short term work. At some point it changed from that to today where bums want a handout for nothing.

Quote: AZDuffman

Not at all unique to the USA. Take a look at the slums of Brazil. Or refugees all over Africa.

Homelessness iis a condition wherein people lack "a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence" as defined by The McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act.)

The United Nations Human Settlements Program estimates that 1.6 billion people live in inadequate housing, and the best data available suggest that more than 100 million people have no housing at all. Many people who live in slums go home to the same place every night, but it is still inadequate housing.

Would it be unconstitutional to have a law, "$100 fine to give panhandlers money"

"List of countries by homeless population"

US 580K - 17.6 per 10k
UK 365K - 54 per 10k
France 300K - 45 per 10k
Colombia 4.9 million - 971 per 10k
Honduras 1 million - 1235 per 10k
Egypt 12 million - 1200 per 10k

Quote: rxwine

Would it be unconstitutional to have a law, "$100 fine to give panhandlers money"

Yes

Quote: rxwine

Would it be unconstitutional to have a law, "$100 fine to give panhandlers money"

I wouldn't want to enforce a law like that. Can you imagine fining someone $100 for giving a dollar to a street person? If you are a DA you better give up all hope of a political office.

Some business districts in dense urban cores have signs imploring people not to give money to street people as it tends to destroy business,

Quote: Pacomartin

I wouldn't want to enforce a law like that. Can you imagine fining someone $100 for giving a dollar to a street person? If you are a DA you better give up all hope of a political office.

Some business districts in dense urban cores have signs imploring people not to give money to street people as it tends to destroy business,

Well, maybe instead of a fine, penalize the person to picking up garbage in homeless areas. Sweeping the street. Emptying trash bins. Shoveling up human excrement.

If they want to help the homeless so much, then that's what they should do when they encourage them to stay there by giving them money.

What do you think of that MrV?

No one is helping a person by encouraging them to live on the street.

Quote: rxwine

Would it be unconstitutional to have a law, "$100 fine to give panhandlers money"

You could probably ban panhandling by classifying it as "commercial speech." What is upsetting me is just how much more of it I keep seeing. At traffic light after traffic light. Collecting rent from them would be a nice little scam for an aspiring mafia member. I do not go into the "downtown" district so no idea how things are on the streets. I cannot imagine how it is in cities known to have larger panhandling issues.