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

Understanding Atlanta's Homeless Count (midtownatl.com)
Understanding Atlanta's Homeless Count (midtownatl.com)

It may not always seem apparent, but progress is being made. While nationally homelessness is trending upward and other cities have seen sharp increases in recent years, the City of Atlanta has seen a 25 percent decrease since 2015.

There are a wide range of homeless people. Some are hopeless junkies that have no goal beyond staying high until they die, but others are just regular people. Hell, I've technically been homeless twice when I was between apartments for month, and you'd have never known it unless I told you. I was employed full time, I had a car, a PO box and a storage unit. Nobody at work knew. I just went on about my life as normal. For sleep, I would sneak into a campground after dark and sleep in my car. Then I'd use their shower in the morning, and show up to work on time and freshly showered. No one suspected a thing.

For sure. But a job and food security are really important, and you had those.

When you have an ongoing, consistent % of the population without housing, it makes me think the term "down on their luck" is BS and it's a major, systemic problem.

From my almost daily interaction with the homeless in my own neighborhood, nearly every tough-love conversation regarding the growing homelessness problem in especially our Pacific Coast cities should begin and end with a reality check regarding their widespread drug abuse. To quote a certain homeless advocacy group: “Substance abuse is well documented as a contributor to homelessness, but it’s also established as a byproduct created by the trauma of living on the streets.“

Housing is one piece of discussing the puzzle but unfortunately, in too many cases, moving a homeless addict into housing services simply means their glass pipes, perc 40s, coke grinders, and drug debts move from the sidewalks and continue indoors.

Drugs play central role to the major, systemic problem.

For sure. But a job and food security are really important, and you had those.

Yeah that's what I'm getting at. A lot of folks think that all homeless people are like the junkies in Skid Row, and they propose solutions accordingly.

The reality is that there is a wide range. Some are employed, but need a month or two without the burden of rent in order to get their finances in order. Others are willing and able to work, but lost their job for whatever reason and need a safety net while they look for a new job.

I don't think a shelter that resembles the county jail is a very good "one size fits all" solution, but that's what we have.

Screw Golf Boy. I got this.

How do you know what he does with his putter?

"suicide prevention" is kind of a funny concept.

The only person that has the ability to prevent it is the victim.

We shall not let people say black lives matter!