# Are homeless people not given housing in the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 13, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-homeless-people-not-given-housing-in-the-us/634627 "2012-09-13T20:49:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-homeless-people-not-given-housing-in-the-us/634627/61 "2012-09-17T14:46:58Z")
yes, this is the biggest problem. years ago, people who could not cope lived in institutions, with a warm bed, maid service, orderlies to handle their worst epidsodes, and herded to the cafeteria for meals. (Think _One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest_) Then the great dumping occurred. The people still could not cope, but well-meaning social science types conspired with cost-cutting bureaucrats to “free” these people. Unable to cope anyway, the people quickly failed to maintain a normal lifestyle, could not handle income or maintain rent or avoid behaviour that got them evicted. This was compounded by some places where rules required a fixed address for welfare, so now the person was disturbed, homeless and penniless and probably incapable of obtaining meds. In that situation, you build a cardboard home under the bridge and wander the streets raving nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-homeless-people-not-given-housing-in-the-us/634627/62 "2012-09-17T14:49:06Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > yes, this is the biggest problem. years ago, people who could not cope lived in institutions, with a warm bed, maid service, orderlies to handle their worst epidsodes, and herded to the cafeteria for meals. (Think _One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest_) Then the great dumping occurred. The people still could not cope, but well-meaning social science types conspired with cost-cutting bureaucrats to “free” these people. Unable to cope anyway, the people quickly failed to maintain a normal lifestyle, could not handle income or maintain rent or avoid behaviour that got them evicted. This was compounded by some places where rules required a fixed address for welfare, so now the person was disturbed, homeless and penniless and probably incapable of obtaining meds. In that situation, you build a cardboard home under the bridge and wander the streets raving nonsense. Wow, you manage to assume that all homeless people are mentally ill AND misrepresent the history of deinstitutionalization. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-homeless-people-not-given-housing-in-the-us/634627/63 "2012-09-17T15:02:10Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > When there’s a severe cold alert in Toronto, there will be emergency beds available and people driving around in vans encouraging the homeless to use those beds. Nevertheless, some people will still stay outside, perhaps making a little tent over a subway air vent out of cloth or cardboard to capture the escaping heat. Those few might get a donation of extra socks, extra sleeping bags, etc. to keep them warm. Chicago is very similar. Emergency warming shelters during particularly cold stretches, workers out there trying to get the homeless to use said shelters, and those who choose to stay outside wear a _lot_ of layers. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-homeless-people-not-given-housing-in-the-us/634627/64 "2012-09-17T15:08:25Z")
> [@Molesworth\_2](#): > > Seriously, I just don’t get people like you. Surely you’re trolling. Poe’s Law and all, sometimes I can’t tell. [Moderator Note] **Molesworth2** , accusations of trolling are not permitted outside the Pit. No warning issued, but don’t do this again. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-homeless-people-not-given-housing-in-the-us/634627/65 "2012-09-18T00:41:17Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Let’s remember that the U.S. also has public housing and housing assistance. This keeps many people from being homeless in the first place. Oh, yeah, that’s right… You know what? The waiting list for public housing in my area in _ten years long_. I don’t know what the bleep people are supposed to do in the meanwhile. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-homeless-people-not-given-housing-in-the-us/634627.md?page=3)