Originally Posted by Altavia (Post 2151297)

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.

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2151291)

While I applaud your empathy for these people, I still think The Villages cannot be the place where society figures out how to handle the problem. By doing so it would create a Mecca for the homeless. Personally, I am in favor of dumping them on the doorstep of those who created the problem, but naturally I cannot state who they are on this forum. I also think that as a group they are a LOT more mobile than you think----Many migrate north-south with the seasons. Just think how many gathered in Denver or Portland with changes in the marijuana laws.

I am not referring to those who are temporarily homeless, had jobs that they lost, and are looking to find another and re-enter normal society. I am referring to the hardcore professionally homeless who embrace their lifestyle. And the last thing we need here are a gaggle of social workers, do-gooders, and other assorted bleeding hearts.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2151279)

Yes. The next spot. Do you know where that next spot will be? This all stems from the mentality of "I don't care where they go, as long as they leave where they are."

That is a common thread, in this thread. They just want them gone from Location1. They don't care where Location 2 is.

And my argument is that it's a really really myopic perception that leads them to this opinion.

No, they won't be going to Portland. They can't afford it. If they could afford the trip to Portland they'd be living in a rented apartment right here, and not be homeless.

They will go wherever their feet can carry them. In Location 1, and even at the local police department where they're let out of jail and told to seek residency elsewhere, there is no mass transit. There's no Greyhound, there's no city bus, there's no airport, there's no shuttle. They don't have their own cars.

They will be staying in the area, whether they're in Location 1 or Location 2, or Locations 5-27.

They'll go somewhere local, stay a few days til they're kicked out, and move to ANOTHER somewhere local.

As long as people continue to insist that they don't care where they are, as long as it's not "here." - the homeless will continue to do that. At some point in time, that "Location X" will be in your neighborhood. Right now they're in the Chitty Chatty area. Next, they'll be in Fenny. After that, maybe they'll move northeast and end up in the Rohan area. Could be this time next year they'll be hanging out under the water oaks at Lopez Legacy CC.

And that's all because people "don't care where they go, as long as it isn't here." I care where they go. I don't want them in MY neighborhood. I'm willing to help, in my limited budget way, to get them some SPECIFIC place where they can be safe, not a nuisance to anywhere else, with the ability to shower, find clothing, food, shelter, SAFETY (remember a lot of these homeless are stark raving bonkers - if you were one of the unfortunate sane people who ended up on the streets, would YOU want to shelter with the dangerous addicts? Or would you rather take your chances in the woods?), and resources to get themselves back up on their feet and contributing to society again, getting jobs, paying rent, buying things with earned money, and thus improving the economy.

Even converting one of the older motels in the general area into some kind of halfway home, with a social worker on premises, would be better than forcing them into shelters or to some wooded area down the road from where they were kicked out.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2151353)

I don't think they need to be housed in the Villages. I was actually thinking more on the order of the Ocala Forest, where there's already a large community of homeless people. I think that community should be better supported. Taught how to be self-sustaining, provided minimal provisions - solar showers, timber and other materials to build their own modest homes, social workers and basic medical care to prevent the spread of disease, maybe dentists who typically do pro-bono work every year could target the Forest as a rotating service destination. The ones who show interest can be taught agricultural techniques to grow their own fruits, vegetables, legumes, using water barrels, rain water and koi ponds to create fertilizer and more food. This is mostly prepper stuff, but it would work great for *organized* homeless encampments.

They could ultimately create their own self-sustaining village, an eco-village. There are such communities in the country, some work better than others.

But I think the concept is great and it'd get these homeless folks away from us, without pushing them into the gutters (or your neighbor's back yard).

Originally Posted by jimbomaybe (Post 2151354)

You keep coming back to solutions that people who have had the closest contact and experience with the problem have said it doesn't work, their problems, mental, personality disorders, drug dependence are beyond the ability to change, they have burnt out help from family and friends.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2151357)

Well then the only solution is to shoot them. Clearly you won't want taxpayer dollars helping them, you don't want them in your neighborhood, no one else wants them in their neighborhood, and jails = taxpayer dollars so that's out too. All those undesirables. The infirm, the addicted, the drunk, the unwashed, the insane, the old folks living off social security and medicare, anyone on food stamps, and hey - get rid of the senior discounts while we're at it. We need to stop mollycoddling each other. You work for what you have, or you have nothing and can just die. But not in the graveyard, that's for people who can afford to PAY for the hole in the ground.

There ya go. Problem solved. Just shoot everyone who doesn't measure up to your expectations. I'm sure you'll end up with only the finest, highest-quality servers at McDonald's in no time.

Originally Posted by Caymus (Post 2149893)

Are you one of the people who left a high tax state for a low tax state?

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2151357)

Well then the only solution is to shoot them. Clearly you won't want taxpayer dollars helping them, you don't want them in your neighborhood, no one else wants them in their neighborhood, and jails = taxpayer dollars so that's out too. All those undesirables. The infirm, the addicted, the drunk, the unwashed, the insane, the old folks living off social security and medicare, anyone on food stamps, and hey - get rid of the senior discounts while we're at it. We need to stop mollycoddling each other. You work for what you have, or you have nothing and can just die. But not in the graveyard, that's for people who can afford to PAY for the hole in the ground.

There ya go. Problem solved. Just shoot everyone who doesn't measure up to your expectations. I'm sure you'll end up with only the finest, highest-quality servers at McDonald's in no time.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2151357)

Well then the only solution is to shoot them. Clearly you won't want taxpayer dollars helping them, you don't want them in your neighborhood, no one else wants them in their neighborhood, and jails = taxpayer dollars so that's out too. All those undesirables. The infirm, the addicted, the drunk, the unwashed, the insane, the old folks living off social security and medicare, anyone on food stamps, and hey - get rid of the senior discounts while we're at it. We need to stop mollycoddling each other. You work for what you have, or you have nothing and can just die. But not in the graveyard, that's for people who can afford to PAY for the hole in the ground.

There ya go. Problem solved. Just shoot everyone who doesn't measure up to your expectations. I'm sure you'll end up with only the finest, highest-quality servers at McDonald's in no time.

Originally Posted by manaboutown (Post 2151410)

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.

Originally Posted by Altavia (Post 2151128)

All this over one homeless dude...

Originally Posted by retiredguy123 (Post 2151289)

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.

Originally Posted by Altavia (Post 2151297)

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.