Homeless to have tents banned

[dubsie]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/nov/04/suella-braverman-says-rough-sleeping-is-lifestyle-choice

No one wants to see people sleeping in tents in cities but what are homeless people meant to do. Given the choice I think I'd choose a tent over a shop door way or a park bench...and I don't think many people choose being homeless ....not a lifestyle choice for most people.

I think this is more the fact that people like this minister can't stand the sight of homeless people, it reminds them that their decisions have consequences

It's a managed facility where people will have access to sanitation and are provided with secure warm dry facilites, food and medical and dental treatment. Hardly a free pop up tent in a park.

You mean the ones who make a lifestyle choice? They have the choice of support, money, accommodation and treatment, and they choose their status quo instead?

You mean the ones who make a lifestyle choice?

And who are these ones?

With millions £££ of public funding. No idea how they secured it, but really can't see that much money being freed up anywhere. What's the cost per head, and how does it compare with, say, expensive medical treatments? How, also, is it fair to spend so much, as always, on those who often don't want it and fail time and time again, as opposed to those who would thrive with more investment?

You mean as opposed to letting them make choices about their own life? A lifestyle choice, one could term it as?

It might not be a straightforward choice, but there is always an element of choice. Have a conversation with an addict, they are often aware that their behaviour is destructive (both to themselves and others) and know they have options, but they choose the path of least resistance.

Have you actually read the full thread? If you had, you'd find examples of actual people with experience telling you that even when support is in place, some people don't accept it and prefer what they are used to. I volunteered in a homeless shelter and it was referral only due to numbers; we'd frequently have a lady come looking for a meal and a bed who hadn't been referred so we couldn't accommodate her, and she would sleep nearby in a doorway. She had a secure single room in a half-way house but many of her friends were still rough sleeping and she preferred to spend her time with them. One young lady with mental health issues lived in supported living with help in place, but regularly left and ended up on the street when her latest "boyfriend" booted her out. It's not black and white, no matter how much you wish it to be.

"I was in the very area yesterday and encountered the 16 or so rough sleepers who resist help. No tents. Sleeping bags." Making the choice to resist help isn't a choice?

So who are the ones choosing this as a lifestyle according to you?

The one's who are kicked out of housing due to their domestically violent/criminal/antisocial behaviour. Or the fact they are migrants, not refugees, that have no recourse to seek asylum or any kind of assistance from the UK.

So they're offered night shelters but choose the streets where they don't have to abide to any kind of even loose rules.

There are plenty of drug-using hostels in many cities collaquilly called 'wet houses' where people can be housed full time and drink and use drugs and it's accepted as serving the most vulnerable demographic and putting a roof over their head but it still doesn't suit some people as there have to be some rules in place about theft, violence and sexual assault on staff and other residents being unacceptable.

To access a lot of those kind of places, the individual has to have been referred by a council homelessness worker or mental health or addiction worker.

MN seems to think it's the tragic homeless victims of Tory policy that have been let down by the system that Braverman is going on about.

I don't think she is, she's quite clearly talking not about victims of a very clear housing crisis, but another demographic.

I call bollox on this... i live nr Plymouth, my partner lives in Plymouth and there is zero issue with tents in the city centre, yes there are beggars and a few tents (about 6 on the Hoe) but the council acted and removed them/offered housing.

Anyone who has been up on the Hoe in one of the very regular storms that sweep in from the channel, knows full well a tent wont last long up there.

Yes and i did google plymouth too, it was the Daily Express... which is good only for cleaning up seagull shit.

If people are now forced to live in tents, then thats down to the Government, the Tories.

You are aware of the biological aspect of addiction, right?

I don't think we're at odds with other. My multi tasking isn't fully up to speed today.

The help I was referring to is the help that goes some way to preventing these crisis occurring in the first place and that have been decimated by 16 years of Torry government. Sure Start, family support services, young peoples services, support for care leavers, service leavers, support for carers, mental health.

For all those who think homelessness is a lifestyle choice please read: Stuart: A Life Backwards by Alexander Masters. It's on Amazon for £3.57 including delivery, used.

Or the fact they are migrants, not refugees, that have no recourse to seek asylum or any kind of assistance from the UK

To access a lot of those kind of places, the individual has to have been referred by a council homelessness worker or mental health or addiction worker

MN seems to think it's the tragic homeless victims of Tory policy that have been let down by the system that Braverman is going on about

Have you any idea of the waiting lists for these people to make assessments?

Who do you think is responsible for the 100s of '000s of migrants awaiting decisions on asylum cases? & then fails to deport?
Who has failed to stop migrants coming to the UK?

Any ideas?

Not in the middle of Birmingham but a mile or so outside the centre. There's loads around Bordesley Circus and surrounding areas.

There are plenty of liberals who hold this view.

There's no law against being wrong. The risk of embarrassment usually prevents people from being wrong so publicly, though.

Correct and what's more this situation has spiralled out of control since downgrading cannabis.

Presumably you can back all this up @fetchacloth and @usernamealreadytaken ?

I live in Illinois.

'Tent cities' is a huge stretch. 'Extensive tent cities' is utter nonsense.

Same goes for all the rest of the colder, northerly states on your list.

The vast majority of people counted as homeless in Illinois in any given year are not living on the streets/ in tents. They are doubling up with relatives or friends.

Sheltered or unsheltered homeless people in cold climates are a very small minority of the homeless total.

I'm pretty sure I saw that Kemi Badenoch was likely to be the next Tory leader.

About time someone did something about it.

Many of these people do choose to live this life, in these kinds of pop-up communities. I worked near a place (high rise with windows) where they would regularly shoot up and crap on the floor in full view. They had a row of tents that they would regularly return back to with their stolen shoplifted goods. One of the homeless men actually had a council flat but gave it up as he preferred the tent community.

We would have to walk past these people in the dark back to our cars which was terrifying, a few people were mugged. Some of these homeless would smoke crack or shoot up in the same multi story car park, piss all over it and you'd sometimes have to step over men to get down the stairs.

Nobody wants to see or be near this, it's disgusting. These people have had chance after chance after chance. I don't care what they do with them, but this softly softly approach helps nobody. Harsh punishment for these absolute ghouls plaguing our streets.

Yes, it must be terribly inconvenient having to step over them when you come out of the opera

And it's rare for a Tory to put American down as a warning sign (rightly in this case).

Usually they can't wait to copy everything they do which funnily enough is a big part of the mess we're in. Even part of the Brexit mentality amongst Tories was a dislike for Europe and a love for America.

Can you elaborate on the "chances" these people have had?

I'm stepping over them to get out of the car park and into work. Which is probably what they should be doing, instead they're having a lie in.