Why not point out why you disagree instead of just insulting someone? If you want to change minds, or even be tolereted in conversation, this is not the way to do it.
Such opinions only come from out of touch rich people. They don't come from people whose minds can be changed about them with a reasonable effort. It's simply not worth even trying. These people are extremely rare anyhow, except for on venture capital forums like this one.
I have family that works on a Reservation. I have family that have been homeless not just almost homeless. I have relatives in the service and friends who have been assaulted even murdered on the street. I have relatives on disability and relatives on food stamps. I have relatives who can never afford to retire and relatives who live in government housing.
Am I personally rich? Now yes but both my parents died before I finished college and rather than any kind of inheritance, their final proceedings cost me my life's savings.
I lived in someone's livingroom and in someone else's dining room to avoid being homeless myself.
I rode a used bike to work even in the SF rainy seasons as I could not afford an alternative.
I feel I have a good sense of the cycle of poverty and dependence from my personal lived experiences.
Saying lack of housing causes homelessness is like saying lack of life causes death. It is a tautology that glosses over the real issues. If we shipped homeless Californians to Detroit where houses can be purchased by bartering a phone or sit abandoned are you suggesting the housing crisis would be solved?
I'll give you four examples from my family two who ended up homeless and ultimately dead as a result and two who did not.
My dad and his brother both served in the Vietnam War. His brother came back with mental health issues that lead to substance abuse issue. My dad did not. We tried for years to get my uncle off the street including paying for apartments. He would live in one about two weeks before walking away from it declaring that when he stayed put for too long, the government would be able to find him. He ultimately died in a fight over a lighter.
My wife's parents were both teachers with masters degrees however her mom had substance abuse problems and ultimately they divorced over them. Not long after, she was fired for being drunk in the classroom. We moved her anyplace she wanted to live in CA, AZ and TX paid for her housing and gave her an allowance. She was unable to quit using and unwilling to go to treatment. She could not hold down a job and was constantly being evicted for her actions including building a campfire inside her apartment. Again, we paid all the bills. She ultimately ODed.
Two sets a relatives with similar experiences. Two sets of dead homeless family members who had essentially free housing.
Without addressing what I believe are the true root causes of homeless, substance abuse and mental health we cannot solve the homelessness crisis.
I want to be clear, I know there are some people who are homeless or essentially homeless and just need a safe reliable bridget to self sufficiency and that bridge housing could be an important part of that. My wife being a perfect case.
The chronically homeless need much more than more affordable housing.
When people suggest me me that all the homeless need is for us to build more affordable housing it makes me want to vomit frankly.
The chronically homeless can have trouble keeping a phone let alone an atm card or a bank account, a job or even a PO box. They are never going to assemble the down payment for even a used mobile home.
