"Care Not Cash"

I don’t care what anybody says, there’s nothing wrong with tossing a couple of bucks to someone who is down on their luck.

The problem is what if the care they receive is poor? Then they don't have cash, and they are getting poor care. How bad would that be!

there is sooo many homeless people there!

Funny, but that's what the ex said...and I was the one who ended up homeless.

I know this is the program, but I doubt its success. The homeless usually have a medical or behaviorist problem, and need more than just a place to flop.

This controversial intiative did get rid of all the free loaders who didn't even live in SF - or even were homeless - but who would bus into town once a month to collect their little check

When the city of San Francisco stopping giving free money to vagrants, the homeless population suddenly dropped abruptly! Apparently leeches from all over the state were registered here and would come twice a month to get that free $400.

The idea behind Care Not Cash is to spend the same amount per homeless head, but instead of giving cash - which often turned into drugs / alcohol - give services. Stuff like shelter, counseling, clothes. Apparently it's been successful here in San Francisco, but I haven't seen any decrease in the number of homeless.

Most the homeless are those suffering from long term mental disorders. I work in a mental health facility and I would venture to say that almost all of these people would be homeless without government assistance(SSD OR SSI MONEY). Working can be a very effective form of therapy for some of these folks;TRUE; provided that their job does not involve a lot of stress and allows for them to take time off when they get really sick. Problem is that very few employers are this understanding and willing to hang on to a person that sometimes just cannot work for periods of time( sometimes weeks at time). Those with mental illness have a hell of a time keeping jobs and there are times when they cannot work. The jobs these people get don't pay crap so even if their employer gave them time off when they are ill; I highly doubt that they would get paid for that time off; so how do you propose those people pay for things like rent,utilities etc.... Government assistance for things like this are... Read more

Sy's comment, while undisputably only showing one point of view, very much seems to show what happens when you only focus on one part of the problem. And actually, in this case, you're really focusing on one part of the solution. Unless the care involves dedicated housing, and therapy and rehabilition, and some job training, the homeless are being set up to fail under this kind of system. Care doesn't pay the rent, or the utilities, or buy food. That takes money, money that, realistically, a recently homeless person isn't likely to have for some time. Without some form of government assistance, they are almost destined to miss a rent payment and end up back on the streets, placing even more burden on an already burdened system. This approach doesn't seem balanced, and I can't support it.

This is exactly what needs to be done. Homeless people have the idea that they can use welfare and charity to eek out a living. By taking those benefits away, they will realize they have no choice but to shapen up. This problem cannot be solved by just throwing money around.

Care Not Cash Fact Sheet Proposition N (Care Not Cash) was passed by voters in November, 2002. It cut public assistance payments (CAAP) to homeless adult welfare recipients by up to 85% in exchange for services offered by the City. It was implemented May, 2004. We have been monitoring the implementation through data gathering, surveys of homeless people, and interviews with service providers. Result One: Care Not Cash Recipients Primarily Warehoused in Shelters Under Care Not Cash (CNC), the County may reduce the individuals check by up to $348 simply by offering them a shelter bed. That bed is reserved for them up to 45 days whether they show up to sleep there or not. Most Care Not Cash recipients are offered shelter, not housing as promised in campaign literature. Result Two: Empty Shelter Beds This system results in 60 80 empty shelter beds a night (Shelter Directors Meeting 9-20-04.. Homeless people who are not receiving CAAP, such as those receiving veterans or disa... Read more

Care is important, but cash can be an awfully good way of caring. I know I feel cared for when somebody gives me money when I need it, so I'm sure the homeless definitely feel it.

The SF homeless used to get $400+ per month from the government. Generally this was used to buy crack - the dealers would be right outside the door for the homeless to spend all their money on drugs. Mayor Gavin Newsom was elected primarily because of his plans to significantly reduce the homeless problem. His idea of Care Not Cash cut this check down to $70/month and instead used to money to turn some of the sketchy hotels in the Tenderloin into homeless shelters. I think this is a positive alternative. It gives the homeless a better chance to get back on their feet and gets them off the street, at least part of the time.

Caring for them would be a good thing. I've given cash to the homeless before and sometimes they bought food and clothes; sometimes they bought alcohol. But what can you do? Life's not made to be fair.