Has homelessness in your area become an issue yet?

[gatorsmom]

I complained in a couple of other threads about people protesting government shut-downs but our area has had no deaths from COVID19 and very few cases. I get it- we have 50 Icu beds in our town. We had to shut down. But now talk is of the jobless, homeless rates. It will be a serious problem for us. My friend and her Dh own a 900-head dairy farm. She said she’s never seen so many people coming by asking about a job. What can we do now to fight this?

This a quote from the head of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Homelessness: “Think of it: One in five Wisconsinites are out of work and all but the most starry-eyed believe that many of those jobs will come back any time soon, and it is still possible that we could see another wave of the virus in the fall,” coalition executive director Joseph Volk said. “I think Wisconsinites are going to be horrified at what they see in terms of visible homeless. They will see homeless camps populated by families with children, and I think the public pressure for the state to act will be tremendous.”

What can we do to bring back jobs? I was thinking of how our industries helped the US climb out of the Great Depression. Dh is a successful entrepreneur who has created and large companies and said that with the laws and regulations in place, it’s too hard and too complicated to create industries that could provide jobs. He said, the only way new jobs will happen is if Trump is in office and keeps the regulations down.

I don’t mean for this thread to become a politicized, finger-pointing match. Our country had to close down to prevent the spread of a virus we didnt understand (and still don’t) killing all across China and spreading rapidly to other countries. Now it’s time to move forward together and prevent more suffering. How can we do that? Ideas?

[legaleagle]

Useful chart on job loss sectors - the leisure/hospitality jobs are definitely not coming back any time soon.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features...oyment-crisis/

[StantonHyde]

The key is not large industries. It is small, locally owned operations that are nimble and respond to market needs. Businesses owned by women are amazing at this. We need SB loans that actually go to SBs, not large ones using loop holes. The LAST thing we need is fewer regulations on environmental impact etc. Trump has trashed the EPA. Again, small businesses can do their jobs well.

And we don't need to start new businesses, necessarily. Just get the ones we have up and running. My city already has a sizable homeless population. The key for our area is the high cost of rent. We need low cost housing. We had plenty of jobs, lowest unemployment numbers in years, etc. But you have to look at the quality of those jobs. Big corporations, like Walmart, hire people at very low wages and make sure they don't get benefits. One of the biggest drivers for homelessness is medical debt. We need health care that is not tied to employment.

[ezcc]

I think this would be an excellent time for us to try a form of universal basic income- a lot of these jobs are not coming back soon and people have different needs - some need housing, some basic necessities. Those who aren't in such dire situation can use extra income to support local business.

[Kestrel]

At least where I'm at, they have got to staff the unemployment insurance & job assistance offices better. I was on hold for hours at the state job assistance office to get a _required_ reference before I could continue to apply for a specific job. For those eligible for unemployment (not me), there is huge amounts of fraud right now, so all payments are delayed/late.

Homelessness will increase. We are very rural, so not as much of a problem for us. Plus, honestly, those homeless traveling looking for work are not generally a problem - it's the ones who don't want to work that are a problem. The very best thing we can do is to help those who want to work, to get jobs.

Until more businesses are open, things won't improve.

[niccig]

The key is not large industries. It is small, locally owned operations that are nimble and respond to market needs. Businesses owned by women are amazing at this. We need SB loans that actually go to SBs, not large ones using loop holes. The LAST thing we need is fewer regulations on environmental impact etc. Trump has trashed the EPA. Again, small businesses can do their jobs well.

And we don't need to start new businesses, necessarily. Just get the ones we have up and running. My city already has a sizable homeless population. The key for our area is the high cost of rent. We need low cost housing. We had plenty of jobs, lowest unemployment numbers in years, etc. But you have to look at the quality of those jobs. Big corporations, like Walmart, hire people at very low wages and make sure they don't get benefits. One of the biggest drivers for homelessness is medical debt. We need health care that is not tied to employment.

Yes to all of this. It’s complicated issue that isn’t solved by creating more jobs. Housing costs are too high, so even if you have a job, you may not be able to afford rent. So you’re homeless with a job.

And it’s a catch-22. You need affordable housing to get and keep a job. I volunteered with an organization that was on skid row in LA. They had to get people into stable housing first, then they could get them a job. You need a safe place to sleep and shower, so you can keep your job. Otherwise they had people getting employed, but losing the job as they couldn’t get there on time (sleeping on streets isn’t safe) and no where to wash self or clothes.


Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains

[hwin708]

For the record, homelessness was declining for many years, before rising under Trump. So no, I would not paint his reelection as somehow a humanitarian move to save the homeless...

As for the theory that large companies respond to fewer regulations with more jobs - bull. Large corporations have had soaring profits for quite some time. They respond to it with higher returns and bonus packages for top execs, while slashing costs - i.e. benefits, wages and jobs - for the lower ranks even more. I will never understand how people have convinced themselves that companies become MORE benevolent when given the CHOICE.

[Jeanne]

For the record, homelessness was declining for many years, before rising under Trump. So no, I would not paint his reelection as somehow a humanitarian move to save the homeless...

As for the theory that large companies respond to fewer regulations with more jobs - bull. Large corporations have had soaring profits for quite some time. They respond to it with higher returns and bonus packages for top execs, while slashing costs - i.e. benefits, wages and jobs - for the lower ranks even more. I will never understand how people have convinced themselves that companies become MORE benevolent when given the CHOICE.

Echo! Lost a bunch of coworkers this week because executive greed is the top priority. CEO took a staggeringly obscene bonus last month but dumping thousands of people on the unemployment line during a pandemic was the responsible and moral choice.

[TwinFoxes]

For the record, homelessness was declining for many years, before rising under Trump. So no, I would not paint his reelection as somehow a humanitarian move to save the homeless...

As for the theory that large companies respond to fewer regulations with more jobs - bull. Large corporations have had soaring profits for quite some time. They respond to it with higher returns and bonus packages for top execs, while slashing costs - i.e. benefits, wages and jobs - for the lower ranks even more. I will never understand how people have convinced themselves that companies become MORE benevolent when given the CHOICE.

I completely agree.

As for homelessness, let’s give money to people to survive. Canada is giving their people stipends. $1200 was a joke.

[marymoo86]

For the record, homelessness was declining for many years, before rising under Trump. So no, I would not paint his reelection as somehow a humanitarian move to save the homeless...

As for the theory that large companies respond to fewer regulations with more jobs - bull. Large corporations have had soaring profits for quite some time. They respond to it with higher returns and bonus packages for top execs, while slashing costs - i.e. benefits, wages and jobs - for the lower ranks even more. I will never understand how people have convinced themselves that companies become MORE benevolent when given the CHOICE.

But how much of that is due to increase California and New York? Why is this a federal issue and not state to resolve?

Adding - our company had a restructure pre-COVID, I was one. They extended an already generous package from from end of March to end of May and now extended to end of July so folks would have pay (without work) and benefits. Allowing time for people to be rehired into other roles (thankfully I was) inside the company or out.

Not all companies are savage so yes companies CAN become more benevolent.