Greetings from Mississippi - I have a question for anyone in SanFran

[SalParadise]

A freeper at work yesterday smugly told all of us that the homeless in the city get a laundry list of things from the city, such as a post office box, money, and a cellphone. Of course, the inference here is that the homeless have it just as good as you & I.

I did some googleing on this & found something about some homeless getting a stipend (the cash), but that's about it. I could see some kind of mail drop being given, but the cellphone seemed a little like a stretch.

Of course, my question is, what are the homeless in the city being given as a matter of course in the city?

Thanks.

[trumad]

1. They also get season tickets to the Niners and the Ballet.

[Derrow]

2. Where you at in Mississippi?

Hey Sal...

I used to live in Hattiesburg. My ex-wife's family lives in Pascagoula. :)

[SalParadise]

3. Go to USM?

My sister went there.

I'm in Madison.

[newyawker99]

6. Hi Derrow!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

4. Here you go:

I do volunteer work in the shelters here and, I can tell you first hand, even the best of them is no picnic. They often smell badly, the vibe is decidedly scary, and they are often depressing as hell. And the clientele can be very "interesting". As broke as I have ever been in this town, the LAST place I would want to be is in having to slog my way through that system.

From the SF Department of Human Services:

CAAP Benefit Package

snip...

Under CBP, homeless CAAP clients are offered housing (including utilities), or shelter (including utilities) and meals as a portion of their benefit package (i.e., the in-kind value of the services offered is considered part of their cash grant). Funding that would have otherwise been used for cash aid payments will be used for expanded services to homeless CAAP individuals, including the development of affordable housing opportunities, and access to mental health, substance abuse, and other support services.

Homeless CAAP clients will be given up-front direct access to permanent supportive housing whenever possible. Once in housing, wrap-around supportive services will help clients avoid a recurrence of homelessness. The emergency shelter system will focus on temporary stays and connecting clients to permanent housing, services, and treatment, so they can successfully transition out of homelessness.

http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/site/dhs_index.asp?id=13701


Cell phones? Don't think so. In some of the old Matrix shelters there were (are?) PO boxes made available -- which is damn smart. You need an ADDRESS to apply for many services and to establish yourself as something other than "homeless".

A good number of the folks coming through the shelters are also dealing with addiction problems, so I'm thrilled they provide those services as well.

For several years San Francisco was the most expensive city to live in in the entire country. It's not a heck of a lot better now. You can share a house or flat in a nice neighborhood with a couple of other people for $600-700 a month. Which mean you have to be making a couple of thousand a month to do moderately well here.

And even with the mild weather here, we still lose folks on the street ever winter.

[SalParadise]

5. Thank you.

I asked this question not because I thought there was any truth to it, but so I could deal in facts with the guy - something I know he's unfamiliar with.

Completely O/T:

Anyone reading this know Buddy Stallings? He was out there for a couple of years working for a non-profit org (I forgot which) - he's since moved to New York.

HELL of a guy.