patrick.net
An Antidote to Corporate Media
1,364,645 comments by 15,736 users - Ceffer, Misc online now
Comments 1 - 1 of 201 Next » Last » Search these comments
1
Peter P
@
2008 Feb 19, 3:42am
Peter P
@
2008 Feb 19, 3:42am
Homelessness is not a housing issue. Nor is it a social issue. It is a mental health problem.
I am against public housing of any form because it causes market distortions.
As a society, we should encourage more housing units to be built. We should view zoning and NIMBYism as violation of property rights.
Welfare is not the solution.
Comments 1 - 1 of 201 Next » Last » Search these comments
*pun courtesy of CalculatedRisk
Intractable social problem: meet opportunity.
Some homeless turn to foreclosed homes
There have been several posts from yours truly contemplating this very idea, and now it looks like the word is out on the street and being put into practise. Could there be a more perfect, complementary "market-based" solution to the twin problems of: a) homelessness, and b) housing bubble oversupply?
Personally, I wouldn't object to having some of my tax dollars diverted to formalizing the "Bandos" into a legitimate form of public housing (with appropriate oversight by law enforcement and building inspectors, of course). It sure beats maintaining the status quo on both fronts: skid row/downtown areas overrun with stinky homeless people urinating, shooting up, and prostituting themselves in public; and depopulated suburban Specuvestor cities replete with mosquito-infested swimming pools and McMansions being turned into gang 'safe houses' and crack/meth factories.
HARM
#housing