Viewing 18 posts - 81 through 98 (of 98 total)
  • Homelessness in Cardiff, and other cities
  • corroded
    Free Member

    To get an idea of what it could be like here after a hard Brexit as the associated job losses and cost increases, see the US. As above, San Francisco is an eye opener, with shanty towns under many bridges.

    monkeycmonkeydo
    Free Member

    `Same old tories

    cycl1ngjb
    Free Member

    So in Milton Keynes based upon my observations there has been an increase in the amount of homeless people here

    I regularly travel through the centre by bike and there are often tents pitched in the underpasses – I also saw somebody living in a bus stop

    Just recently one of the main spots where I used to see a number of tents has been vacated – I don’t know if the people have just moved to a different location or whether they have been provided with accomodation etc.

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    alanl
    Free Member

    I work for a social housing provider in the East Midlands.We also have a number of hostels and homes for people who are really down on their luck.
    I see people in doorways any time I’m in Leicester, yet, there are always beds available at our homes if people seek them.
    Many who sleep rough are mentally ill,or, more usually, drug or drink addicts, and would rather be on the streets, having no regimentation to their lives.
    Only occasionally are homeless people thrown out of our homes due to them being abusive to staff and smashing up premises.If I was the boss, I’d be throwing them out immediately, but it isnt the policy to throw them out if they smash the windows, or kick down a door when have lost their keys.And it happens regularly, such that it is clearly not worth us carrying on doing it as a business, but, we do it as charitable help.
    And , it is 99% men, genuine homeless women tend to get a room somewhere. I was in a womens refuge yesterday, only 4 of the 7 rooms were occupied.

    mooman
    Free Member

    The issue is complicated for sure.

    Very often the people we see being referred by GPs or police have been previously housed by local authorities, and then for a variety of reasons have lost their tenancies for typically anti social behaviours .. this could be related to the people visiting the address or for failing to keep the place in a satisfactory condition; we have a person who hoards … and as such cannot keep the accommodation in a safe and satisfactory condition as agreed in the contract … so is about to be evicted .. even though this is illegal because hoarding is a mental disorder, so falls within the Equality Act etc.

    Once the person then loses their home they are unlikely to be offered another local authority tenancy .. so private rental is only route; and whilst bond schemes are often available – often the homeless person will not have a guarantor to secure it at the final stage … so is homeless.

    And in most places I work, the homeless person needs to register at a police station before being able to secure emergency shelter in places such hostels or churches etc … and for whatever reasons .. a lot of homeless people are very reluctant to register with police!

    With the snow forecast this evening we had an increase in requests from the police for MHA assessments on homeless people presenting themselves with suicidal ideation …

    votchy
    Free Member

    I saw a documentary last year showing that government spending on homelessness had halved over a period of years and during the same period homelessness had doubled!!
    As the OP noticed, I regularly visit Cardiff and am amazed by the amount of people sleeping rough there, I do not know what the solution is, because as mentioned previously, there are so many different factors involved.
    We donate to Crisis to help in some way and also buy warm food and or drinks for some when we are out. I feel for these poor buggers whatever their situation is, especially the youngsters who are similar age to my kids.

    BigButSlimmerBloke
    Free Member

    Years, well decades, ago I lived with my partner in a multi. On the floor above was a couple of junkies and I regularly saw him out begging. So begging and living in a house aren’t mutually exclusive. They fought a lot and we could hear them screaming at each other. One night the noise woke my step-daughter and scared her. So I went upstairs to “sort them out”. The door was open, so I stormed in, straight to the living room where I found Nothing. No chairs, no carpets, no pictures on the walls. Nothing. Just a bare mattress in one corner. The bloke was nearly in tears because she’d locked herself out on the balcony because he’d sold the telly and he was begging her to come back in. He was so out of it he wasn’t even aware of me. I though **** it, I can’t make these people’s lives any worse than they already are and left. Still, they had a home and I’m sure if I had a fictional copper friend he’d be telling me that there was an Aga in the kitchen, a gold-plated toilet and a 4 poster in the bedroom

    alanl
    Free Member

    Case in point today. Called to do some work in an Ex-offenders hostel. The word hostel seems to leave a feeling of a grim place to live. This one isnt. Its a Victorian detached house with room for 7 men (men only). They get their own room, have to share bathrooms and kitchens. The place is better than some B&B’s I’ve been in (one in Ebbw Vale last September was worse than this hostel).
    Anyway, this guy seemed to be getting back on his feet, he had a TV, CD player, his room was tidy, he was a little bit scruffy, but not unkempt. (probably like me!)
    On the way out the Warden shouted up to him ‘make sure you pay your rent’.
    Then said he’s going to be evicted if he misses his rent again.
    He said the rents used to be paid direct to the Landlord, now it goes to the Tenant, who should then pay the LL. But, many of the receivers of the housing benefit then go and spend it on something else, thinking they can get away without paying rent for a few weeks.
    This undoubtedly leads to more homelessness.
    I’m not sure the government have this wrong, it’s clearly been put in to make people more aware of their debts etc, and make them aware they have to pay things to live, rather than relying on the state to do everything for them, but, if they have a drink/drug problem, it isnt helping them much at all.

    locum76
    Free Member

    Lewis75 your first post on this thread is shameful, the last person to ask for a true understanding of homelessness is a *ucking police officer. Try asking someone who has been through it and what caused it for the real picture.

    locum76
    Free Member

    Actually, I’m not surprised at this thread. It represents the brutality and total lack of compassion that our society currently strives for. I worked for 15 years in a charity that tackles homelessness and the harsh views presented here are the kind of thing we fought against every single day. You’re all one pay check or a divorce away from life on the streets. Your judgement will be reflected on you.

    Sandwich
    Full Member

    good news that there’s a plan to inject £100m into homelessness. Unfortunately it cost Finland £262m over 10 years to get their homeless off the streets. So hopelessly underfunded. Sauce

    alanl
    Free Member

    You’re all one pay check or a divorce away from life on the streets.

    Actually, you are not. There are places that take homeless people. You need to seek these out, and maybe live a bit below of what your expectations are, but, it is better than living on the street. See my post above, my Employer nearly always has space at its places.
    That some people choose to be on the streets needs to be sorted, and those who cannot find these places to stay for themselves need help too in getting under a roof again.

    lewis75
    Free Member

    Actually I’d think that “a f*cking police officer” probably has a lot better idea about homelessness than most Tom, Dicks and Harry’s on here seeing as though they have to deal with them, and all the every day underlying issues that come with it.

    taxi25
    Free Member

     You’re all one pay check or a divorce away from life on the streets. Your judgement will be reflected on you.

    Honestly most people aren’t. If you don’t suffer from untreated mental health issues without support of family or friends, aren’t an alcholic, drug addict not seeking help, again without a support network. If you aren’t someone continuously incapable of living within the terms of tenancy agreement, if you aren’t repeatedly guilty of anti social, criminal behaviour ect, ect, ect its hugely unlikely you’ll become one of the few thousand rough sleepers currently in the Uk.
    Once on the streets its not easy, but there are pathways to permanent accommodation, but many choose to not take them. It’s hard for people to understand such people’s motivations but if people either through choice or circumstances become square shaped it’s hard to force them into societies round holes.

    Sandwich
    Full Member

    become square shaped it’s hard to force them into societies round holes.

    A caring society provides square holes to accommodate these people, it’s a mark of civilisation and basic humanity.

    mooman
    Free Member

    Here in Wales we have the Housing Act 2014 to help erase the oft used One Paycheck Away From Homelessness cliche.
    Problems arise when people, for whatever reasons, cannot abide by the rules/regulations. Liberty and freedom of choice is a basic human right. Although when it negatively impacts on people living around them then hard decisions are required.

    Whilst I empathise with people with mental health disorders; I also empathise with the person for example who lives next door to the person with a mental health disorder that hoards rubbish from skips. The fire hazard – the rats/insects/odour .. even house price depreciation.
    Anyone who thinks its an easy fix one way or the other is living in their own little world.

    lewis75

    Member
    Actually I’d think that “a f*cking police officer” probably has a lot better idea about homelessness than most Tom, Dicks and Harry’s on here seeing as though they have to deal with them, and all the every day underlying issues that come with it.

    In every STW thread – especially the Brexit thread!! – you will get some idiot who spins the line “My Friend Knows a Person …” or “I spoke to/know someone who ..” and theyll all be small minded ignorant stereotypes they have, and wish to convince other idiots who think the same and want some proof … fake or not!

    Poopscoop
    Full Member

    I live in the Medway towns in Kent.

    The homelessness have shot up over the last decade. It’s now common in all the town’s here. Even tents pitched on high street doorways etc.

    2 people died in the cold snap 2 years back. They died just a few yards away from families queuing to take their kids into a panto.

    Turns out the council could have applied for a government grant over the winter to help the homeless. The guy responsible didn’t bother. Even so, the head of the council said he had “full confidence” in the man. He’s still doing the same job as far as I’m aware. He should have had a day in court over that in my opinion.

    Goes without saying we have a Tory council and MP for our area.

    Scum.

Viewing 18 posts - 81 through 98 (of 98 total)

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