Straight Talk from Al Jacobs

 

VIEWS OF THE HOMELESS

 

As perceived by California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, candidate for governor, there’s a “lack of leadership” in addressing homelessness at the state level. He vows he’s prepared to “get deeply involved at a granular level where most governors haven’t in the past.”  He added that “I want to be held accountable on this issue, and I want to be disruptive of the status quo. I’m willing to take risks. I’m not here to be loved. What’s going on is unacceptable, and it is inhumane.” As part of a broad strategy he took as San Francisco Mayor, he pledges to end chronic homelessness by developing housing and family reunification programs for those living outside the longest.

 

Through the eyes of State Senate Pro Tem Kevin de León, candidate for the U.S. Senate, California must adopt a philosophy for treating homelessness he refers to as “housing first” – a recovery-oriented approach to end homelessness centering on quickly moving people experiencing homelessness into independent and permanent housing and then providing additional supports and services as needed. His support for a homeless housing program originated in January 2016 when he proposed a $2-billion bond to finance new and rehabilitated housing for mentally ill people living on the streets. As he said, “It makes no sense to provide social services, only for them to go live behind an alley or in a cardboard box.”

 

As seen by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, presidential hopeful: A “shelter crisis exists today,” he claims, “for the estimated 25,237 unsheltered homeless who call the city home.” He claims the city will ease or eliminate restriction on homeless shelters, allowing them to be quickly built on land owned or leased by the city. The mayor also announced the inclusion of $20 million in his proposed 2018-19 budget to help fund new shelter facilities. As Garcetti said, “This is the right thing to do. It’s the moral thing to do.”

 

As viewed by Jon Johannessen, a local resident who must live in the beleaguered community of Venice, California: “Boo [to them all] for failing to understand. There is no ‘homeless’ problem. Instead there are mentally ill people listlessly wandering the streets in rags. There are drug-addled screamers raging at life day and night. There are ‘street people’ who accept money and services from our government but have no intention of ever working. This cannot be solved with temporary shelters.”

 

 

Al Jacobs, a professional investor for nearly a half-

century, issues weekly financial articles in which he

shares his financial knowledge and experience.

You may view them on http://www.roadwaytoprosperity.com