Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

I mean, in a lot of places, they can arrest you for camping. Which would suggest that it’s not really a right.

You have a right to be mentally ill in the world without the government locking you up permanently. Atlanta just seems to be making policy choices there.

You can be arrested for camping on private property and public property that bans such things.  We don't have a right to "occupy" certain places.

This isn't something unique to Atlanta, the "rule" is nationwide.  

(The park here has clearly listed times when it is closed, and the police on occasion will enforce that by asking people to leave.  Where I see tents is in a very secluded location that actually isn't in the park I think but adjacent to it.  The tents are not easy to see from the trails in the park.  I don't know who owns the land there, maybe the "Beltline" association.)

Thanks. At least that's a starting point... Building what you want, on your own land, seems like this should be an American priority.

Here in CA, with our astronomical housing prices, there has at least been a decent amount of work towards reducing the red tape and zoning restrictions on additional dwelling units (ADUs), where for example someone can build a second small dwelling on their property. Often called "granny flats" to make them sound like it's just a place for family members, I know my brother was looking into building one on his own property as a rental. IMHO it's one way to get around one of the key issues with housing costs here--a lack of density. Like most of CA, they are screwing it up, but at least it's SOMETHING.

That said, there's a major problem here... The cost of building is only partially materials, gov't restrictions, and permitting... The biggest cost is acquisition of land. I told the story a little while ago here of one of the properties in my neighborhood. It's believed that the owner committed arson and blew up his house, and [if his neighbor is to be believed] he then committed suicide when the authorities were closing in. However, that's immaterial... What's material is that the house is a complete teardown, it's being sold as-is, and the buyer is responsible for all of the demolition--yet the lot still sold for... $588,000. When you're talking about the insane cost of housing--realize that it's the LAND that has way more value than the structure on it...

Now, they could afford to buy a piece of land in BFE, where they can't get to any reasonable job without an insane amount commute. And they could put up a 10x10 structure at whatever quality they want... And probably not be hooked up to water & electric utilities. Which would suck, unless they were truly the type who could survive off the grid.

This is why the question I posed to you is hard... The backup that you came up with is shelters. Well, we know from our current homeless problem that many of them don't want to be in shelters. Another backup is government constructed high-density housing. But anyone from Chicago knows what hellscapes the Robert Taylor Homes and Cabrini Green were...

Question for you BRAD.....how much per year does a person/couple have to make to be able to afford a typical middle class house in your area?  Because honestly, I don't see how ANYBODY can afford to live out there.  

$500,000 here would buy you a brand new ~2,000 sq ft home on one acre with a concrete driveway and probably at least a hot tub or swimming pool.  And a well and septic.  And up until maybe 10 years ago, $200,000 would buy you the same home here.  

Earlier OAM you asked if were were OK with people living under a bridge.  I'm not going to say that I'm OK with it, but you have to at least acknowledge that a lot of people that are homeless ultimately choose this life on their own free will.  Because they either have substance problems, or simply don't want to work.  

In America it's your right to live the way you desire, if you strive to be rich, or don't want to work, it's your path to pursue.  That's why it's called "pursuit of happiness", not simply "happiness".  Not everybody who is a bum is mad about it.  

Question for you BRAD.....how much per year does a person/couple have to make to be able to afford a typical middle class house in your area?  Because honestly, I don't see how ANYBODY can afford to live out there. 

$500,000 here would buy you a brand new ~2,000 sq ft home on one acre with a concrete driveway and probably at least a hot tub or swimming pool.  And a well and septic.  And up until maybe 10 years ago, $200,000 would buy you the same home here. 

I don't see it either

$500,000 would get you that here in Iowa, Nebraska, & South Dakota

The problem for many younger folks is:

Not enough downpayment available.
Credit rating may be low.
Credit card and other debt ...

So, they pay $3 K a month for rent instead.  You need at least $50 K to get a loan on a half mil property usually.

When I was younger, it was tough to get a credit card, much less one with a high limit.  I suspect today for DINKs making $300 K a year, they can run up a lot of CC debt which I could not (had I wanted to).  I also had zero student debt.  I recall starting my first job and suddenly earning WAY more than I had been and still living like a pauper.

We bought our first condo in 1981 with some help from the developer.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/732-Angus-Trl-Angleton-TX-77515/441825977_zpid/

New home for sale near me.  $540K, I bet you could get it lower, it's been on the market 3-4 months.