Cities Deal With Surge In Shantytowns

New York Times:

FRESNO, Calif. -- As the operations manager of a outreach center for the homeless here, Paul Stack is used to seeing people down on their luck. What he had never seen before was people living in tents and lean-tos on the railroad lot across from the center.

"They just popped up about 18 months ago," Mr. Stack said. "One day it was empty. The next day, there were people living there."

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[helonias]

What would Jesus think about this?

Such a thing happening in the most powerful, bestest, Jesus liking country on earth for ever and ever

[bluessss82]

Rethugs have so distorted his image that they now see him like this.

http://toddanthonydirect.typepad.com/the_bullshit_observer/images/2008/09/18/jesus_20080917174842_r.jpg

So...to a CONservative Rethug, Jeebus would be all right with it. Sad but true!

[formerprosecutor]

Wasn't Jesus homeless?

[Puffin16]

The goal of the neo-cons is to stop all social services and keep the money and power at the top. They don't want to spend one nickel helping the less fortunate. And then they proclaim that they are Christians, and God tells them what to do, and they are pro family and their morals and ethics are what the rest of us should aspire to. It's like the martians in Mars Attacks, running through the streets with their ray guns screaming "stop, we are your friends!"

[slinkymom]

Very well said.

[helonias]

Which god though?

[athomas04]

This is ridiculous. If Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac owns your mortgage and they are recouping their losses from the government, there should be a mandatory freeze on foreclsure proceedings across the board. All lenders should be mandated to renegotiate terms of repayment for individuals who find themselves unemployed. With all of this stimulus spending why can't the government purchase some of these over developed housing sites across the country and use them as temporary public housing? There's no explanation for why we have abandoned and bordered up homes but people living under trains in tents. This is a sad reflection of our priorities. In some cities they're using the stimulus money to complete construction on stadiums while homeless rates are increasing. I guess it's not enough that people are losing homes, retirement assets, jobs and healthcare, now they must lose their very dignity.

[DodgeCounty]

Word.

[SamKnause]

Well said. There is no rational explanation for why this is not being addressed and stopped. There should be no empty homes as long as their are families and children who need a home to live in. I just don't understand the mindset for this. I wish I was rich and could help these people. I don't know how rich people can sleep at night with so much poverty in our own country.

[formerprosecutor]

co-sign
I have been "oreaching " this for months

[EllisWyatt]

Liberalism run amok. In California, they are actually considering outlawing autos and trucks painted black. How far will the loonie on the left tilt? You can't make this stuff up folks.

http://wardsauto.com/commentary/cool_paints_ugly_090324/

If California regulators get their way, auto makers may soon be forced to rewrite a cliché from the Ford Model T era and start telling customers they can have any color they want as long as it isn’t black.

Some darker hues will be available in place of black, but right now they are indentified internally at paint suppliers with names such as “mud-puddle brown” and are truly ugly substitutes for today’s rich ebony hues.

[Tabasco]

It looks like the end is nigh when we have to paint our autos 'almost black' onstead of 'real black'. I'm sure it's all just a Socialist plot to enrich the poor at the taxpayers expense, right?

[BlueStateMan]

Nonsense.. but you know it & you submit it anyway.

How S.ICK is that, Shortbus?

[EllisWyatt]

Have a problem with reading comprehension?

[bluessss82]

Ellie, ly!ng and chump-change chasing tr0ll that he is, lives in his own little alternate reality.....I believe it's called the Twilight Zone.

[hjfraser2002]

It says nothing in there about liberalism. You will link anything to anything. You get more pathetic day by day.

[rblaquinta]

The homeless population has been growing for years... Proverty in the United States is the dirty little secret...Now it becomes a big deal!!!!. 15 million children are homeless. We have are little Mumbais all over America...we just wish to close our eyes when times are artifcially good!!

[EllisWyatt]

Depends on how you define children. If the operative age is under 18, then your figures would be bogus.

[BlueStateMan]

Care to back your rebuttal up with some EVIDENCE?

Didn't think so.

[hjfraser2002]

How do you live with yourself.

[bluessss82]

Con Rethugs are very, very good at closing their eyes to reality. They are much better at obfuscation and distortion.......and, of course, ly!ng.

[Spud777]

These Shantytowns’ should be called Bushville’s after the person most responsible for the horrendous condition of the US and the World. Bet there is no pot’s or chickens in them

[littlepuffycloud]

Seattle's tent city is called Nickelsville; after Seattle mayor Greg Nickels...

[exhale09]

Yes one thing George Bush was great at is creating REFUGEES. refugees in Iraq, and now refugees right here in America....economic refugees.... thanks to George Bush and the Republican economic agenda.

[helonias]

BUt the top 1% did so well in the past 8 years so things even out.

[Gunga-Din]

The new Banana Republic

[DaveyDavey]

Bushville, USA - coming to an overpass near you.

[rampage]

Ellie, how much did your wealthy parents have to pay-off school administrators to get you graduated?
Just curious.

[EllisWyatt]

Unlike your parents, my parents dug deep into their pockets to give me and my siblings a fine private school education.

Parents who can afford to send their children to private schools, but would rather send them to public skwewels so they can drive fancier cars and live in bigger homes, are guilty of gross child neglect.

[slinkymom]

So that's where you were brainwashed into your current idiology. No surprise there.

[BlueStateMan]

I'd say... judging by your character & your values.. your parents might JUST well be the biggest FAILURES in history.

[MESGAIN26]

Against logic there is no armor like ignorance."

[Badfickle]

So the answer to his question is your wealth parents paid a lot to the school administrators.

[rampage]

In my hoetown of Miami the matricul;ation from our top public highschools is better than that of our top private highschools. (my daughter has been in the best private schools since she started)
That is one of the reasons I am having my daughter go public next year as she enters highschool.

[EllisWyatt]

Meanwhile, back in the United States Senate, as Rome is burning, there are pressing issues to deal with,

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9759GG00&show_article=1&catnum=0


You elected these people.

[kdublya]

Shortbus Playook #33:

"I've been exposed for the a$$hat that I am. Time to change the subject. Rinse. Lather. Repeat."

[bluessss82]

As Ellie the L!ar and his ilk did THIS one and his congressional toadies and tr0ll-like minions.

http://www.hoffmania.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/07/15/bush_nero.gif

[hortonhearsawho2]

ur family wants u home...less.

[BlueStateMan]

Yes.... I'M SURE that this is the only thing that's going on in the Senate.. unlike the "FREEDOM FRIES" sessions while we were trying to coax the world into a WAR.

[Spesabsquemetu]

DEAR PRESIDENT OBAMA:

Would you please consider summoning Dr. Bzrezinski to serve as a U.S. ambassador of GOOD WILL both domestically and internationally on behalf of the USA?

You can model greatness as a leader by summoning the wealth of wisdom that Mika's father has to offer to this country, and create a new role for a place in your administration for the WISDOM of THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US, WHO MODEL ETHICS, INTEGRITY, AND A SENSE OF COMPASSION FOR THE HUMAN SPIRIT, AND THE CRITICAL NEED FOR US TO ADDRESS HOW WE ARE GOING TO INSURE THE PRESERVATION OF SOLIDARITY AMONG NATIONS....AND THUS PEACE.

Is there a place in your administration for the wisdom of leaders from our past - REAL LEADERS ( not DIVIDERS, NOT OBSTRUCTIONISTS - BUT LEADERS), who can inspire us, teach us, and summon greatness from within this nation, summon us at a national level and on an international level to unite in our efforts to achieve a sense of peace and proseperity, a sense of stewardship for one another both at home, and on a global scale, that can contribute towards global peace and solidarity among nations? How is the United States tapping into the WISDOM of our elders? HOW are we tapping into the BREADTH OF GIFTS that Dr. Bzrezinski has to offer to this country? HOW ARE WE TAPPING INTO Brzezinski's breadth of gifts, AND USING THEM TO BUILD THE KIND OF FUTURE FOR AMERICA THAT YOU ARE POINTING US TOWARDS?

[PATina]

I hope you plan on attending his online town hall meeting. That is a good request.

[gladys46]

Co-sign !

[DinahMoeHum]

Rather ironic, that in places like Sacramento and Fresno, there are tent cities for the homeless - meanwhile, more and more houses out there are PEOPLELESS. Something's wrong with this picture.

[PATina]

That's what I suggested a couple of pages back... and then got attacked by a selfish greedy person that can't stand to see someone else get something they didn't.

But I agree. We could kill three birds w/ one stone (dry up the surplus housing, stop the decline in neighboring home prices as these vacant homes are occupied and curb homelessness).

[slinkymom]

Great point. BTW, love your screen name - haven't heard that one in a long time!

[BlueStateMan]

Frankie Z!

[lecraftygirl]

i think this is a time of crisis and as we, Americans all pulled together during 9/11, we should do it again. we should all pull for solidarity and reach out to those less fortunate. i am not wealthy (by a long stretch), but i have job and a home that i am grateful for.
there should be a nationwide effort to collect food/clothing for these people,lend a helping hand. a way to show thanks for the things we do have and let them know they are not alone in this struggle.
where is the compassion for humanity? especially in our own country.

[gladys46]

Isn't it strange how the damn near poor are usually the ones who help the poor ... what exactly does the 8% who pocket most of America's wealth do ... how many homes does Mc own and live in .. or Romney, or, or .... !!??

[PATina]

Depends on how much of their donation they get to write off on their taxes. They are whining about how they will stop giving if the amount they can write off decreases.

Seriously though... I work at a law firm and the managing partner had to actually make it mandatory for the associates and partners to give a minimum amount to our the firm's charity because the lower paid staff actually out gave the attorneys to such a degree he was embarrassed. Same w/ giving blood (something that doesn't cost anything). We have quarterly blood drives right here in the office and very few of the attorneys will donate.

[BlueStateMan]

It comes with the intimate knowledge of suffering.

Something the "devout" right wingers never seems to conjure.

[helonias]

Its the trade off for not getting into the kingdom of heaven

[bluessss82]

These pictures along with reminders of George "Hoover" Bush's stunningly inept handling of just about every phase of the country's economic, social, political and military ventures during his aberration of a Presidency should assure Democratic victories in 2010, 2012 and beyond. Never, ever let these buzzards forget the catastrophic results of the Cons' and Rethugs' deregulated and greed-is-good nightmarish policies.
Put the GOP on the tr@.sh heap of history , a place it has richly earned.

http://cache.thephoenix.com/secure/uploadedImages/The_Phoenix/News/News_Stories/TOTE_BushHoover_Zammarchi.jpg