What are people's thoughts on the latest stories about 'homeless spikes'

[EnglishRose1320]

www.channel4.com/news/londons-anti-homeless-spikes-criticised

www.telegraph.co.uk/property/propertynews/10883541/Homeless-spikes-installed-outside-London-flats.html

Surely there are much better ways to deal with this, helping and supporting them for a start?

When I was homeless and on the streets at eighteen, I was offerred a bed in a hostel.

My support worker advised me not to take it as 'they couldn't guarantee I wouldn't get raped'.

Some choice.

I think it's appalling that somebody whose only bit of shelter is a doorway has even that taken away from them, particularly in public places and town centres. I do have some sympathy with residential areas and can see why they'd be used there.

Probably a dumb idea, but they should have camp sites or something.

There is lots of help available for addictions and it is offered - it's up to the individual whether they accept it. I have come across so many people who have had lots of help with their problems. After a lot of effort the team manages to get them a rare flat... then a couple of weeks later we can't find them. The flat is abandoned and they are sleeping rough in the town centre. You can only do so much for some people.

CCR I don't know how long ago that was but there is lots of female only accommodation in my area now.

Opinions like those of Percephones are so depressing.

'Choice' implies options.

None in mine still, and this is going back nine years.

Homeless provision varies greatly IME.

I think they are a fairly rational response to a problem. Horrible yes, but if I was living in an apartment and homeless people were sleeping in the door well I'd be complaining to the management company daily until they made me feel safe and comfortable in my home.

It's an issue for society as a whole to deal with, not just a handful of residents who are surely entitled to quiet enjoyment of their homes.

I do think that attitudes have somewhat changed on this whole subject. I think that people now understand that there is help and places available for people to use if they choose too.

I'm afraid I like most other people would not like someone sleeping on my doorstep every day. Most of us believe in the rule of law and private property.

As know there are good reasons many on the street choose not to use hostels but that does not mean they should be free to sleep on door steps of others. I would not expect to be allowed to take my sleeping bag and pick an entrance to local homes and sleep on that private property.

If you are suffering from post traumatic shock you might find it very hard to be in a crowded hostel/shelter- some people can not cope with mixing with other people and end up staying on the streets- I wouldn't want to treat someone in that state of mind as vermin, I would want to show them some respect.

I understand that private properties have residents that might feel vulnerable but I don't think putting spikes down to prevent someone who is much more vulnerable from having somewhere to sleep is the right answer and I don't think places like Tesco have got any reason at all for having them.

You can see any reason for places like Tescos having them EnglishRose ?
You would be happy with people sleeping in the doorway of your local supermarket, vomiting and peeing up against the wall? Leaving needles and glass bottles in the entrance? And then hundreds of people walking through that door into the supermarket where you buy your food? Where little children go with their parents on a regular basis?
Why should supermarkets have to pay to clear up the mess? How would they get rid of them when open (assuming they are shut at some point) and stop them begging and harassing customers?
I know not all homeless people behave in this way, but as others have said, it is generally those that do that can't/won't get places in the hostels/B&Bs. In an ideal world there wouldn't be a problem with homeless people, but while there are those abusing all sorts of substances, I think it likely that it will continue to be a problem.

There's an astonishing lack of compassion in some posts here

I've made some shit choices in life. Fortunately none that left me homeless, but that really was down to luck. I doubt any person could truthfully claim to have only ever made good choices. Sometimes the consequences of poor decisions are vast, and those people end up in a downward spiral. You can't help someone out of that by judging them.

I cannot even comprehend how sad and shit life on the streets must be. As horrible as the mess left by sleeping rough is, I would far rather the government, local businesses and residents focused on helping people find a home than writing them off and trying to pretend they don't exist.

As I came across this, there was a FB post above, actually proposing an inventive way to 'get real' with a way to help homeless people (in Amsterdam).

Needless to say, this post below is a contrast!

Mannequin families with 'piggy-bank' heads.

www.lostateminor.com/2014/06/11/get-homeless-people-streets-amsterdam-badt-put-people/

Who ever invented this is missing a serious chunk of their soul.

Fucking horrible.

Some up to date facts and figures re homelessness:
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/286786/Statutory_Homelessness_4th_Quarter__Oct_-_Dec__2013_England.pdf

I have the same compassion as I used to have . Probably more.
But I think that know I am older, I can see that there already are facilities and charity and help available.

"Homeless spikes" reduce people to pigeons.
Awful and an indictment of the values our society appears to hold dear.

Do lets not address the issue, but put a sicking plaster on it.

and some practical ways to help ... www.justgive.org/donations/help-homeless.jsp

I think its disgusting,what is this country becoming.you also have to consider if children are playing near them and was to fall on them it would seriously hurt them...there's other ways to go about it,this way is the wrong way

I think its disgusting,what is this country becoming.you also have to consider if children are playing near them and was to fall on them it would seriously hurt them...there's other ways to go about it,this way is the wrong way

I am sure everybody on this thread who wants rid of the homeless is generously giving to Shelter

Quivering. I know someone who is the manager of a homeless shelter.

Awful This money could have been better spent