Todd this is a great post.  I am loving your button, please share.

Now back to the homeless.  I like the concept of helping, not sure about the cellphone.  Well, maybe if it is a MetroPCS (Unlimited calls local and long distance and throw in the text messaging).

Unfortunately if we could all get what we needed without working, most of us would choose not to work.  That's human nature.  Capitalism has survived because manipulating scarcity and creating desire promotes productivity.  We get out of bed and go to work because we need and want stuff.  I don't advocate throwing people away, but the soft bottom has to come with conditions and a practical exit strategy.  Give food and clothing by all means, but never, ever give money.  Recreational income must be earned.  Things like electricity, telephones, air conditioning, cable television, and the internet are not inalienable human rights, they are luxuries.

Todd, Interesting post. I really feel that there are some people that have given up on life and wind up in villages like you just described. As far as the cell phones? Most carriers have cell lines just dedicated to 911 calls. If you want to give them phones, give them a phone for 911 purposes. Let them do something they are not used to and that is work if they want phone sex.

One mark of a civilized society is how we care for those less fortunate. You should be proud to be  a resident of Portland.

Charity is always a sticky wicket...how much  is too much?? Who decides who really needs shelter and who doesn't?? Who gets to eat and who doesn't??   Portland may want to rethink their policies.  Unfortunately there is always someone who abuses the system.  Creating a village like this has many negatives, even though the concept of caring is good.  Maybe you should run for public office, Todd, and help correct this misguided charity.

Todd, Arlene and I agree with you completely.  We donate money every month to charities that help the homeless.  However, those that take advantage of the system shouldn't recieve the benefits.  We don't want our donations or our tax money going to people who are able to work but choose not to.   We believe in helping those who are less fortunate, but not those who only "act" less fortunate.

It is a double edged sword - no question about it.  We have a lot of homeless in DC.  Many have no want for anything but a buck for a Beer. 

While you can't deprive those less fortunate from receiving help - there needs to be checks and balances.  But then who pays for that?  With Government spending - comes waste - and a whole lot of it!

My hat's off to the city of Portland...Las Vegas does all it can to NOT help the homeless.  I think it's disgusting.  I use to work helping to feed the homeless...these people are not looking for housing on the most part, or a job or money....although a few are.   Most are just trying to keep from having an empty stomach.  MANY of them are mentally ill, a lot of them are Viet Nam vets....give these people a break.  God made them too...they may have made wrong choices in life but they are human beings.

Todd- well, you have certainly sparked some different views here :) giving cellphones for sex is one thing, giving cell phone access for survival, job, anything to do with humanity......well, I could see some type of service for that...... hey, Ask Sally what they did in Hawaii for the Homeless.........

Todd - I like the concept of "Dignity Village", but it sounds like it could use some help, although that would cost more money.  As for the sex line thing, that is patently ridiculous.  I feel bad for the homeless people who are really just untreated mentally ill folks, but those who choose a life of "freedom" at our expense make me sick, frankly.

Todd, my husband did some work recently at one of our section 8 rentals. The thermostat was set on 85 degrees and he asked the tenant how much it cost to heat the house if she kept it that hot. Her response? Oh, I don't pay for oil, the city fills the tank three times a year! I'm all for helping people, but there has to be some personal accountability and responsibility.

If people receive it free, they take it for grnted and don't ever learn to appreciae the value of money.  I totally agree with you, Todd!  When giving, there is a line, and it looks like Portland has crossed it!

There is a critical difference between "help" and "enable."  I think Todd is expressing frustration with a system that seems designed to foster perpetual dependence.

Todd, it seems like a community should get someone help to get a job so they could have a home, and then discretionary income to spend it wherever he wants. I would think the first priority of this person is to stop being homeless.

It is interesting to get your perception of Dignity Village, as a member of the community. 
My community, Olympia and greater Thurston County, has similarly been considered as friendly to homeless people, and truly, there are a lot of ways my community tries to find solutions. For example, the now nationwide "Homeless Census" was started here, and there is a similar "Village" called Camp Quixote. The Mayor and Councilmembers actually visited Portland to learn about Dignity Villlage and its successes and failures in preparations for issues with the Camp.

This is a growing issue. I would love to see REALTORS be at the forefront of the solution-geared thinking.

...One of my first blogs I ever wrote was on the subject. I may need to revisit that post.

Todd, I have found over the years that the homeless flock to the communities that are the most homeless friendly so clearly your community is making a special effort to help.  I think the biggest problem is that such a huge percent of the homeless are mentally ill and/or alcoholics and addicts.  The question is how do we help these people to bring them back to society? 

BOY I STIRRED THE POT ON THIS ONE DIDN'T I?

Rosemary - I used http://www.aaa-buttons.com/ to get those buttons on my blog. The cell phone thing was to point out that the city here is just going to far with giving things away to the homeless and I was surprised that they haven't started doing it yet.

Frank - I agree with the give cloths and food, but enabling them like they seem to be doing is foolish! I can tell you they have the electricity, A/C, Television and other luxuries that I would have loved to have had in college.

Michael - I would love to see them earn their keep. Most of these people can work and choose not to! I would love to see them do community clean up and stuff like that in trade for the electricity and the food. But, when an ex college professor who chooses not to work lives off the city for 10 years, we need to put a stop to it!

Ron - I have no problem with helping, but this has gone to far here. They get away with everything here including assaulting people in front of stores. You see we have what we like to call homeless protestors! They stand outside stores and assault the customers who come in to stores and pay the stores, so they can pay the taxes, so they can live for free. We have had some major companies leave the City of Portland because of this and we are talking some major tax contributors including Columbia Sportswear and Shumaker Fur Company.

Bonnie - I would love to see them trade the living for work, instead of having them sit around and smoke pot! They have seen this there by the way!  If they could trade services for the services they receive it could be a win-win. I would like to see them drug test in trade for living. If they have enough to spend on drugs, then they don't need my tax money.

George - Interesting hearing this point of view from someone who came from a communist country. I also believe in giving, but only to those who truly need it, not to people who are taking advantage of a system.

James - I would love to see a trade off for services that if you help the community in some way and are willing to take a drug and alcohol test in trade for services. I don't think my tax money should go to help pay for illegal activity!

Mary - I have no problem helping the truly needy, but most here are not that. They have lived in places that are in some cases better that what I lived in during my college years. (TV, Cable, A/C and a lot of alcohol) I just want to see some serious checks and balances before they spend my money in such a way.

Kathy - I will e-mail her today and ask... Thanks. I think they have phones there for the purpose of calling 911, but they didn't serve this guys needs apparently.

Jason - That is exactly what has happened with dignity village. It has become a place of abuse of the system. 10 years of wanting to live the simple life like this college professor is doing is just BS!

Debbie - I think in that case they should figure out what the average use should be and change the tenant for anything above and beyond that. I too often in section 8 see new cars and boats in the drive way because they can't afford to live? What is up with that, they need to put a clamp down on abuse like this.

Marlene - They have more than crossed it!

Frank - Exactly we are enabling these people to the point of bankruptcy.

Gary - I wish it was that simple here, but it has gone to point that I'm not sure we can recover from it.

Sarah - I'm sure the City of Portland showed you how wonderful it was while not showing you all the crime that goes along with it. I would love to see "TRANSITIONAL HOUSING" but it has to be exactly that - Transitional! 10 years is not transitional, that is giving people a home and everything they need to live a life of drugs and prostitution.

Todd, I'm with you. we live in an age where people think they are "entitled" to receive stuff for free at the taxpayers expense. They look at it as receiving from the government but it is you and I the taxpayers that foot the bill. There are programs for the poor and disadvantaged but I agree with you that if they receive utilities and a place to live tax free then they should "pay" by doing some kind of work in return. The people living there just to get a free ride...take away the "keys to the city" and tell them to get a job. The bleeding hearts are going overboard with political correctness to look "good" in the eyes of the world. I have compassion for those in difficult circumstances and have no problem helping them get back on their feet but there is a line that needs to be drawn somewhere.

Hawaii Residents Are Leaning Towards "Green" and my bottom line says it all for MY opinion. (thanks for the email wanting more info on our Hawaii Homeless.

Our homeless situation is still bad. They just arrested a lady who had a giant tent on the beach...dealing drugs and for real...had a store with stolen items.

Now...the rest are legitimate homeless who were displaced due to the housing market boom. In Hawaii prices are still up there...and still went up from last year. Problem is...no one can afford to rent...let alone buy .... 

They built huge shelters and a lot of the beach homeless are now productive and working again. Some were working from their beach tent abode. It is all up to the individual first. :)

You have to wonder just how these folks lost all faith in society to begin with. To be so disenchanted by it that they'd rather not lift a finger to give back to it. My compassion for all people runs deep that at times, I personally feel sick when I'm crossed by a homeless person. But not out of spite, but sorrow for their situation. Whether physically able or not, their mentally not all their and that's the heartbreaker. There are charlatans in the crowd and it burns me deep to think these able bastards exploit those who are truly misguided or straight-out incapable.

Great post - touchy subject.

Helping the homeless IS important but there is a right way and a wrong way to do everything. Being an enabler isn't the right way to do things. Maybe getting them into some sort of work education/placement type of thing would be more beneficial to them. I agree that there needs to be an overhaul of how we help them. Especially since we are working so hard to pay taxes and some of that goes to them. 

Sally - I think the difference is your government sees it as transitional housing instead of permanent enabling like our here.

Michael - I want to help, but they have to want to help themselves first before I am willing to give them anything! I think a lot are just gaming the system and pray on the people who with good hearts think they are helping by giving. Then they go buy drugs and alcohol with the money instead of food and shelter.

Rick - I agree there is a right way and a wrong way and I've determined not setting limits to how long someone can stay is the wrong way! It needs to be transitional housing not permanent housing like it has become.