Just in time for snowbirds arrival - a homeless encampment by Chitty Chatty Bridge

[golfing eagles]

Really now. I believe nearly everyone is sufficiently altruistic to want to assist the truly needy who for whatever reason have fallen on hard times and are unable to support themselves temporarily or for the remainder of their lives. IMHO this group comprises a relatively small fraction of the current homeless population.

The vast majority of the homeless in today's America are people who choose of their own free will to live parasitic lifestyles leeching off the resources of responsible citizens through multiple means. Frankly, I have no sympathy for them.

First group, of course.
As far as the majority goes, they deserve a degree of sympathy as well, most are mentally ill and lack treatment. They used to be taken care of in institutions until the bleeding hearts decided that their "rights" were being violated and their "freedom" taken away. So now they are on the streets, in the forest, at the train and subway stations. The Staten Island Ferry terminal is loaded with them. Even 40 years ago there were homeless living in the 3 levels of sub-basements at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn---and since the neighborhood was bad the pathology building where the blood bank was located was locked at street level after 5 PM. The only way to get blood for the ER was to walk through a basement. The stench alone could kill you---and many colleagues would only go down there armed.

I do like Orange's idea of trying to solve the problem rather than shuffling them around, as long as it is done far from here, as well as recognizing it might not be possible. Very difficult to help people who don't want help.

[coffeebean]

All this over one homeless dude...

The original post states there is an "encampment". AFAIK, one person does not make an encampment. This is more of a concern than just "one homeless dude".

[brianherlihy]

thay all steel

[coffeebean]

The problem with providing the homeless with a nice shelter or hotel room, and food, etc., is that it will attract more homeless people to come here. They may sleep in the shelter, but they will be roaming the streets during the day. This would cause a lot of people who came here for a quiet retirement to feel uncomfortable and unsafe. If that situation were to happen in The Villages, I, for one, would move somewhere else. I have a lot of options as to where I can live. But, I am not in favor of making The Villages area a homeless friendly place.

Totally agree. Bus the homeless to the Ocala National Forest. There is plenty of room there.

[coffeebean]

Maybe I missed more than one being reported?

Certainly no evidence of an encampment as sensationalized by the OP.

I saw law enforcement at the bridge two days later and no reports since.

Oh, so the original post was hyperbole? Ya just can't believe anything posted on this forum.

[billethkid]

with all the "help shortages" and help wanted signs that seem to be in abundance......

maybe they could get a job!!!!

__________________________________________

:censored:

[golfing eagles]

with all the "help shortages" and help wanted signs that seem to be in abundance......

maybe they could get a job!!!!

__________________________________________

:censored:

They either don’t want a job or are incapable of holding one

[Caymus]

with all the "help shortages" and help wanted signs that seem to be in abundance......

maybe they could get a job!!!!

__________________________________________

:censored:

Drunks and drug addicts tend not to show up for work.

[golfing eagles]

Drunks and drug addicts tend not to show up for work.

They would in a liquor store 😂😂😂

[ElDiabloJoe]

thay all steel

In this case., they stole the "a" from your world, steal.

The original post states there is an "encampment". AFAIK, one person does not make an encampment. This is more of a concern than just "one homeless dude".

Disagree. If I set up my tent all by my lonesome, that is my encampment. If a homeless guy has set up their tent, and made little milk crate tables and dragged a thrown-away lazy-y boy over and put it out front, and set up a little rainfly tarp, then such would generally be considered an encampment, no?

[golfing eagles]

thay all steel

In this case., they stole the "a" from your world, steal.

Yeah, but they gave it back in place of the "e" in "they". The also gave a bonus "l" to you in "word":1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl: (Glass houses, and all that)

[vintageogauge]

with all the "help shortages" and help wanted signs that seem to be in abundance......

maybe they could get a job!!!!

__________________________________________

:censored:
Most employers today require a drug and even an alcohol test before hiring.

[Escape Artist]

UPDATE: The Villages has now signed the no trespass order needed for local law enforcement.
In the last 72ish hours multiple calls have been made by residents to the Sumter Co. Sheriff’s office and Wildwood Police (who have been timely and compassionate in their responses) regarding ongoing sightings of homeless persons (with and without shopping carts ) crossing the Chitty Chatty bridge at various times of the day and night, wandering the streets of The Village as well as the MMP along Chitty Chatty and Bradford. Last evening’s observations included one of the individuals discarding empty liquor bottles as well as an empty Rx bottle in the streets as well as frightening a woman walking her dog. Both law enforcement agencies have told residents that the area near the bridge where it appears the persons are camping is owned by The Villages and therefore is private property. By law, the authorities must have a no trespassing order on file from TV in order to take action. They do not currently possess such an order. Calls to Community Watch and Community Standards have ended with, “it’s not our jurisdiction.” The CDD is now engaged and looking into who is responsible for the area around CC bridge and the woods/preserve. So for all those who paid a premium to live near the preserve, lucky you to get a front row seat of a homeless encampment as well as having these individuals who clearly need mental health support roam the streets of your Village making the residents and guests feel unsafe and (presently) twisting in the wind and unsupported by The Villages. Godspeed…

Is a No Trespassing order a permanent thing or on a case by case basis? In other words, wouldn’t the areas of private property within the Villages already have a no trespassing ordinance?

[Escape Artist]

I was in San Francisco for a week back in August, I barely saw any homeless people.

Not sure if they're cleared them away but it was very surprising considering all the footage.

A lot of the media footage you’ve seen has probably been from Los Angeles where the problem is on a much bigger scale. I don’t know where you were in SF, but as a major city it has always had a lot of homeless. Recently in California, they’ve been putting them up in hotel/motel rooms to get them off the street and provide them with shelter.

[Flyers999]

i wonder if a tiny-home community would work

Too easy to steal. If you’re talking public housing, you have to nail everything down.
The northeast city I was from, used to partner with a charitable organization, I forget the name. They would interview any new homeless, do a drug test and background check. If they were clean, didn’t have a police record and has a reasonable cry-story, they’d refer them to a network of friends who would temporarily give them shelter and help them back on their feet.
The others would be given to the “city services,” which included sleeping on a cot in a large auditorium or basement. Many didn’t like that situation and would rather sleep in the parks because they didn’t want to follow rules and have to deal with the other homeless.

[ThirdOfFive]

Too easy to steal. If you’re talking public housing, you have to nail everything down.
The northeast city I was from, used to partner with a charitable organization, I forget the name. They would interview any new homeless, do a drug test and background check. If they were clean, didn’t have a police record and has a reasonable cry-story, they’d refer them to a network of friends who would temporarily give them shelter and help them back on their feet.
The others would be given to the “city services,” which included sleeping on a cot in a large auditorium or basement. Many didn’t like that situation and would rather sleep in the parks because they didn’t want to follow rules and have to deal with the other homeless.
The key in the referenced post: "services". I assume that cot in the auditorium came along with a certain amount of sustenance.

It was on my first trip to Thailand, nearly 30 years ago now, when my wife and I went to visit the in-laws. I was fascinated by that culture and how it operated. Seemed as if half the population was selling something and the other half buying, but all busy. I saw almost no idle people, such as the panhandlers or obviously homeless as we see around here at times. Curious, I asked my wife what the welfare system was in Thailand.

Her answer?

"Simple. If you don't work, you don't eat".

Amazing, what a human being is capable of finding within himself when the alternative might very well mean starvation.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

with all the "help shortages" and help wanted signs that seem to be in abundance......

maybe they could get a job!!!!

__________________________________________

:censored:

First, they need a legal address. They need a social security number (and they need to know what that number is). They need identification and proof of citizenship - and that is true for ALL employees, not just immigrants. Full-blooded Americans, whose parents were Americans and their parents were Americans - need proof of citizenship and have to fill out an I-9 form. They have to have at least some manner of reasonable tolerable hygiene and access to clothes and shoes that fit them. They have to not be obviously diseased. They have to be sober and not actively in the throes of addiction. In many cases, they have to pass a drug test. They have to have reliable transportation (or be applying for a job where transportation is provided).

ALL of these things are needed of ALL employees in ALL jobs, and that's before you even check to see if they're qualified for the position. Many jobs these days require that you fill out the application online, they don't offer paper applications, or have job kiosks where you can apply on site.

Most homeless people lack at least SOME of these basic, minimal requirements that allow anyone to APPLY for (not even get) a job.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Too easy to steal. If you’re talking public housing, you have to nail everything down.
The northeast city I was from, used to partner with a charitable organization, I forget the name. They would interview any new homeless, do a drug test and background check. If they were clean, didn’t have a police record and has a reasonable cry-story, they’d refer them to a network of friends who would temporarily give them shelter and help them back on their feet.
The others would be given to the “city services,” which included sleeping on a cot in a large auditorium or basement. Many didn’t like that situation and would rather sleep in the parks because they didn’t want to follow rules and have to deal with the other homeless.

Yes that's definitely one reason for not wanting to sleep on a cot in a large auditorium or basement with other homeless.

Another reason is that some of those homeless are not mentally healthy. Some have PTSD - are untreated veterans who aren't able to communicate their needs - but are very cable to slit throats in the middle of the night when they have night terrors and think the guy sleeping in the cot next to them is the enemy infiltrator. Some are addicts who will steal your shoes, your pants, your belongings. Some are truly depraved and will rape you.

Shelters are not places of peace love and crunchy granola. And some people would rather sleep in the open air, where there's a chance they can escape the horrors of homelessness, rather than be stuck in a shelter with locked doors and volunteers/social workers/guards who aren't able to watch each person in there simultaneously, every moment that the shelter has occupants.

[Aces4]

Yes that's definitely one reason for not wanting to sleep on a cot in a large auditorium or basement with other homeless.

Another reason is that some of those homeless are not mentally healthy. Some have PTSD - are untreated veterans who aren't able to communicate their needs - but are very cable to slit throats in the middle of the night when they have night terrors and think the guy sleeping in the cot next to them is the enemy infiltrator. Some are addicts who will steal your shoes, your pants, your belongings. Some are truly depraved and will rape you.

Shelters are not places of peace love and crunchy granola. And some people would rather sleep in the open air, where there's a chance they can escape the horrors of homelessness, rather than be stuck in a shelter with locked doors and volunteers/social workers/guards who aren't able to watch each person in there simultaneously, every moment that the shelter has occupants.

You have just made a case for mental illness in which cases PTSD patients need counseling, support, medication and even accommodations if necessary. They don’t recover on their own by “sleeping in the open air” with night terrors. They can be helped, it requires time, money and facilities.

Addicts need prison with rehab and people sleeping in the streets face the same dangers as in shelters. If there is no line in the sand, there is no incentive for a better life.

[coffeebean]

In this case., they stole the "a" from your world, steal.



Disagree. If I set up my tent all by my lonesome, that is my encampment. If a homeless guy has set up their tent, and made little milk crate tables and dragged a thrown-away lazy-y boy over and put it out front, and set up a little rainfly tarp, then such would generally be considered an encampment, no?

I didn't think so. Looked up the definition........

en·camp·ment
/inˈkampmənt,enˈkampmənt/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: encampment; plural noun: encampments

a place with temporary accommodations consisting of huts or tents, typically for troops or nomads.
"a Bedouin encampment"

The definition implies more than one person.

[Aces4]

I didn't think so. Looked up the definition........

en·camp·ment
/inˈkampmənt,enˈkampmənt/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: encampment; plural noun: encampments

a place with temporary accommodations consisting of huts or tents, typically for troops or nomads.
"a Bedouin encampment"

The definition implies more than one person.


Strange argument, here: An encampment is an abode such as a tent or unmovable structure, of one or more persons on public property or an accumulation of unmovable personal belongings that are present even when the individual is not.

[Pairadocs]

Maybe someone could contact their church and ask for help. A shelter may be available for homeless in the area.

Just a side bar for those who may be newer residents. Many of us here have been involved with those who live in the Ocala national forest, many villages churches do many wonderful projects there, and people are probably appreciative. But, all of the charity organizations here have found the homeless to be VERY opposed to moving into traditional housing, even when some churches have offered them.

Additionally, the villages is probably pretty much like our entire country...homelessness, regardless of your empathy for, or disdain for that state of being, is just totally out of control in our country. Once considered primarily an inner city "problem".. no more !

[Pairadocs]

[QUOTE=Pairadocs;2152118]Just a side bar for those who may be newer residents. Many of us here have been involved with those who live in the Ocala national forest, many villages churches do many wonderful projects there, and people are probably appreciative. But, all of the charity organizations here have found the homeless to be VERY opposed to moving into traditional housing, even when some churches have offered them.

Additionally, the villages is probably pretty much like our entire country...homelessness, regardless of your empathy for, or disdain for that state of being, is just totally out of control in our country. Once considered primarily an inner city "problem".. no more...it's everywhere and the numbers are not going down.

[ChrisTinaBruce]

with all the "help shortages" and help wanted signs that seem to be in abundance......

maybe they could get a job!

Coming from San Diego (downtown area) and a good friend who is a drug and rehab counselor you have to understand the majority of homeless people do not want our lifestyle. They are perfectly content existing without any responsibility. Many are mentally ill and although medication is available they do not like the numbing effect.

Sure there is a percentage who fell onto difficult times and want to recover but that is the minority. My friends doctoral thesis was a proposal to the County (San Diego) for a pilot program to develop a campus (far West County) with dorms, cafeteria, health support (psychology, dental, medical), vocational training, childcare, etc. All these services are free to the applicant and here’s where the City balked. The application cannot do any drugs (required testing), must attend daily (health support) appointments and vocational training. Unless on-site medical approved absence.

So tell me who’s really trying to help these people.

[ElDiabloJoe]

Yeah, but they gave it back in place of the "e" in "they". The also gave a bonus "l" to you in "word":1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl: (Glass houses, and all that)

Lol, good catch. At least my glass house is dual paned and beveled. I went with Pella over Home Depot windows ;)

[ElDiabloJoe]

I didn't think so. Looked up the definition........

en·camp·ment
/inˈkampmənt,enˈkampmənt/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: encampment; plural noun: encampments

a place with temporary accommodations consisting of huts or tents, typically for troops or nomads.
"a Bedouin encampment"

The definition implies more than one person.

Webster is outdated, in many ways. They now okay the pronunciation of the silent "T" in "often," and they accept "Chomping at the bit" instead of the traditional and correct "Champing at the bit" phrase. Likewise, the traditional term of encampment has been segued into more modern use referencing homeless. A single homeless person's large array of crap can be considered an encampment.

When an encampment is a single person and their stuff | Street Sense Media (https://www.streetsensemedia.org/article/public-health-cleanup-enforcements/)

[golfing eagles]

Lol, good catch. At least my glass house is dual paned and beveled. I went with Pella over Home Depot windows ;)

Pella or Andersen is the way to go!:beer3::beer3::beer3:

[Flyers999]

Lol, good catch. At least my glass house is dual paned and beveled. I went with Pella over Home Depot windows ;)

If your character and record were beyond reproach, you wouldn't need expensive protection. Mother Teresa used to use the cheapest Dollar store windows.