Gov't estimates 754,000 homeless people

[antigop]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070228/ap_on_go_ot/homeless

>>
The nation has three-quarters of a million homeless people, filling emergency shelters through the year and spilling into special seasonal shelters in the coldest months, the government said Wednesday.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated there were 754,000 homeless people in 2005, including those living in shelters, transitional housing and on the street. That's about 300,000 more people than available beds in shelters and transitional housing.
>>

This is a disgrace. What kind of a country do we live in that would allow this?

[rodeodance]

1. We live in a country that for the most part tries to make these people

invisible.

[antigop]

2. Yes, I think so....... n/t

[rpannier]

3. I think HUD has lowballed that number

From what I've read I'd put the number at about 1.5 million.

You are right however. It's a disgrace.

[Cobalt Violet]

4. A country that doesn't care.

While a few people do collectively we don't. Most people would rather pass moral judgement on the homeless than demand something be done to help them.

[sweetheart]

5. does this mean the million++ in prison all have homes?

Surely a prisoner that has nothing, certainly does not have a home,
and really there are, if prisons and migrant illegal workers included,
farm workers who bunk in field and friends house, near 1% of the population
without a home. But if renting a home that you will lose if you miss 1
month's rent, is not really having a home, its borrowing a space.

But if you own a home, and you can't keep up with the treadmill of
the property tax, then they take it away, and you are homeless too,
so who is really not potentially homeless? Those who have no mortgage,
and no plantation lien, no unreasonable ground tax, who own their own
dwelling places.

By that standard, how many are homeless?

[zulchzulu]

6. There are much more than than...

There are that many in the Bay area.

[Sapphire Blue]

7. Did HUD leave the more than 800,000 homeless children & youth behind when they counted?

From the US Department of Education...

Each year, over 800,000 children and youth in the United States experience homelessness. Title VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is intended to ensure that homelessness does not cause these children to be left behind in school.

http://www.ed.gov/programs/homeless/index.html

[bobbolink]

8. I *know* I wasn't counted, so how do we know we can believe this figure????

I"d just like to share what happened to me, when I wanted to be counted in the homeless census.

I had known about it, which I'm sure a lot of homeless people didn't, and found where to call.

Heh... there was NEVER any answer at the number!! It said to leave a message and someone would return the call.

Soooooo, homeless people are supposed to be able to call at all times, and BE ABLE TO RECEIVE MESSAGES!!

Truly amazing.

I wonder what genius thought that up?!

So, after 3 or 4 calls (during normal business hours!), I gave up.

Clearly, they weren't interested in counting ME.

So, I repeat... how do we know their count is any where near accurate?

[Forkboy]

10. It's not even close

And your post perfectly illustrates the kind of disconnect the system has towards homeless people.They truly don't get it.

[Jim Warren]

9. Double that

at least. People living in vans down by the river.

[butterfly77]

11. They can't hide it so they are...

putting down the least number possible. I believe that it is triple that number...