The last year has not been easy for anyone. Before the start of the pandemic, America already was facing three straight years of increased homelessness within the nation’s Point-in-Time (PiT) Count. One of the biggest realizations that came from COVID-19 is noticing how wildly unprepared we were as a country to handle a global virus outbreak. The reason issues such as homelessness increased so rapidly is because it has been a huge issue for centuries. Joe Collins, the Congressional candidate from California, and Ryan Adams, the co-founder of HZQ Consulting, sit down with Bold TV’s very own David Grasso to discuss how cities have been handling homelessness in a pandemic.
Cities handling homelessness
Approximately 567,715 United States citizens were experiencing homelessness before the pandemic, with an estimated 250,000 people joining them by the end of 2020. Cities all over the country have been failing their citizens. Adams firmly believes that there is a way to combat homelessness that is cheaper and more effective than how it is being handled now. However, Collins, on the other hand, thinks there is a biased “liberal mindset” around the finances that surround finding a solution to decrease the rates of homelessness. Since California itself has spent billions of dollars on government programs to decrease homelessness, he feels as though they are ineffective. However, there must be a middle ground and a solid plan to fight homelessness.
What we can do
Regardless of pre- or post-COVID, we have a serious issue on our hands. Cities are putting spikes on park benches and blocking off places that are typically places for the homeless to sleep. We are turning our backs on them in a time where they need all the support they can get. We need effective and realistic solutions to this problem.
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