Their Sanctuary City progam isn’t exactly a stellar performer, either.

None of these people should be given money or a shelter at tax payers expense. Those who are in need of psychological assistance should get it, but in an asylum, where proper care and assistance will be put to good.

Giving handouts is another stupid social engineering attempt, gone awry (surprised?) due to stupidity on the governments watch with people who probably are not experts in the matter AND are not in the business to watch the budget.

If it truly is societies goal to end this problem, more measures are required to insure the right people are at them helm AND that the budgets applied should SHRINK every year. If we are to rid this issue, the goal should be to remove people from this situation, reform those with a chance and SHRINK the pool.

They were homeless because unlike most people their first priority wasn’t shelter, it was alcohol in one case and drugs in the other.

Seldom have I met people so skilled in getting money and help from others. In the time I knew them the alcoholic managed to get a desk top Macintosh from a social service agency and then later a Powerbook like mine, which he gushed would give us something else in common. And his wardrobe included a Ralph Lauren denim jacket.

What I noticed is that people like this are a bottomless pit of need. They buy at 7/11 which is more expensive than a supermarket. They lose their glasses, and whatever you give them: blankets, duffle bags They always need MORE! Especially more MONEY!

Where did this couple sleep? Under a bridge.

The young man was not dumb, but alcohol had so completely destroyed his memory that he had to write every instruction down or he’d forget it.

His upper-middle class family wanted nothing to do with him after decades of being lied to and being taken advantage of.

I know that at the beginning of the month, such people in San Francisco are given a stipend of $400 or more. They usually go on an alcohol or drug binge with the money. Better to give them no more than a few dollars for incidentals at a time.

Money would be better spent on soup kitchens and nutritional supplements (B vitamins would make staying off alcohol easier).

Iince, I wouldn’t wish a night in a homeless shelter on anyone, it makes sense to remodel old hotels with bathing facilities and clean used clothes made available to them, and a switchboard that could take messages on jobs, with AA and Narcotics Anonymous meetings on site.

For the addicted and mentally disturbed, halfway houses where someone could make sure they take their meds If they show that they are willing to give up alcohol or drugs then more services should be made available to them.

The technology of pendants or bracelets that when pressed bring the paramedics to one’s home should do away with another social atrocity: nursing homes. The only one I’ve ever heard good things about was run by nuns. I’m sure the elderly would much rather stay in their homes and have part-time attendants do their shopping and cleaning and sometimes cooking. Much cheaper than a nursing home where doctors frequently charge thousands of dollars for five minute visits. The agency involved: the Department of Health and Human Services is doing a terrific job. Why not do as the private sector does and reward a great job with more responsibility such as the totally corrupt and incompetent Department of Housing and Urban Development? Would save the taxpayers huge amounts of money and would greatly help the elderly and disabled. And did you know that Barack Obama’s housing for the poor project when he was a community organizer is falling apart?

In semi-socialist Denmark, some “homeless” people are actually building careers on belonging to this ill-defined group. Receiving welfare stipends while actually having places to live, often spacious subsidized apartments in the suburbs, selling their “homeless magazine” in the streets and, whenever possible, appearing in the media as the poor, wronged victims of society.