This module will be addressing what the causes and blocks that exist and potential breakthroughs that are possible. It will be made very clear that this is a very solvable problem that requires a few fundamental changes to have this occur. We will also be attempting to address the many myths that exist about the homeless, and that even categorizing this group is an injustice. We will break the unhoused into at least a dozen different parts of our population each of which are created from different causes and require different solutions. A large part of what The Global Bridge Foundation (our non-profit organization), has been involved in is deeply addressing these issues with programs especially throughout California. There is a consensus by the CEO’s of the major programs as to what is needed, however they are left with limited power because of the guidelines or lack therein by the powers that be and our society as a whole.
It will become clear as you enter this section that one of the central problems that won’t change unless the laws are changed is that local political leaders will very rarely support local building of major homeless facilities in their city or country. If they were to do this, then they wouldn’t be re-elected, which shows the shared responsibility of the leaders and most of us as citizens.
This is going to require either the governor or the legislature to require each county that has a homeless problem to divide the programs to be proportionately within the cities contained therein. There has been plenty of money spent in the last few years in California where the problem could have been solved. The problem is that the money has been spent on temporary solutions that ultimately result in a large percentage of the population returning to the streets. We will elaborate on how this could be done and other alternatives.
A second major area of change is that there are absurd and impractical restrictions in most counties and cities that require the minority of programs that focus on permanent housing to be 1 bedroom units. This greatly increases the cost, rather than having 3 or 4 bedroom units. Each unit is required to have a kitchen, which is astronomical in its cost. The average cost of a 1 bedroom unit being built in 2023 or 2024 in California is approximately $800,000.
This is just a beginning of what we will explore along with the realistic solutions that require us to deal with the real estate lobbies, political nepotism, contractor payoffs etc.
We will discuss alternative types of quality housing that have sensible comfort and space that can be built for a fraction of the cost. We will also talk a good deal about how the addiction to wealth creates a block that requires delving into the issue more deeply to see how this works. We hope that this will inspire change.