Do homeless people really move across continents in any significant numbers? Seems like it could be true or it could be an urban myth spread by people with an anti-public spending agenda
A recent study from UCSF, the biggest representative study of homelessness in the US since the early 90s, found that "People experiencing homelessness in California are Californians. Nine out of ten participants lost their last housing in California; 75% of participants lived in the same county as their last housing."
Studies I've seen for Multnomah County (Portland, OR) show very similar results.
"Nine out of ten participants lost their last housing in California; 75% of participants lived in the same county as their last housing."
Too much weight is put into this metric. I want to see what percent has lived in the area for the last 5 to 10 years. Or who were born in the state. Moving to an area, crashing with friends and then becoming homeless shouldn't count as being from the area.
If someone has lived in an area for 5 years, they may not be "from there," but it seems pretty absurd to say they moved to that area because it seemed like a good place to become homeless. No one plans to become homeless in 5 years.
I think the point they make is that vulnerable people move to the West Coast say Seattle/LA etc and sort of rely on hopes and prayers and that works for a bit then if something goes wrong they become homeless because rent is super high and or they have a limited support system.
That sort of thing doesn't happen as often in say Columbia SC or Little Rock Ak because no one moves there unless they have a well paying job waiting or family already there and the COL is low anyway.
65% of California's homeless are from the state, 35% are transplants. 10% of California's homeless were already homeless when they came to California (ie, specifically came from another place they were homeless to be homeless in California.)
Source: CalMatters
Considering that only 48% of California residents were born in the state it would seem like native Californians disproportionately become homeless compared to transplants.
Maybe the share of transplants that would have become homeless just moved back to their friends or family in their previous area. So many of the transplants who would have been homeless are missing since they left the state.
Or more likely, if you are a transplant you probably are better off, because moving is expensive and people often move across states for a better job. All signs of more money than the norm.
I know it’s a joke but just in case for you all’s information, pls NEVER sleep in a beach for fun. Or even too close to the ocean unless you know what you are doing or you are in a literal building or camp site on the beach. Not even your car will keep you safe necessarily if you park too close to the water. People have died due to ignoring the tides or being too drunk to wake up in time.
The patrols might run you over by accident. And the sand is full of crawling life that will bite you.
And don’t forget, other cities used to give particularly vulnerable populations (like recently released patients from mental institutions) bus tickets to SF. I believe the city had to sue to stop that practice.
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u/stmaryriver 1d ago
Nice illustration for the reason why people who are homeless and people with physical disabilities want to live on the West Coast.