One of the issues in dealing with homelessness is the concept of rapid rehousing. A family finds itself, due to circumstances (like being laid off) with no housing. This solution could provide the shelter, if only there was land upon which to put the structure. Not ideal, but still, workable.
Thanks to Charlie Spika for this video link.
Regards — Cliff
In the past, communities provided a communally supported refuge for folks in their midst who were down on their luck. It was euphemistically called "the poor farm." In essence, families and individuals were provided a basic place to sleep along with basic nutrition. Maintenance of the "farm" was provided by resident labor. The term "farm" derived from the fact that the residents grew their own food to supplement those food items provided by various churches and other support agents.
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone was thrilled about living on the poor farm and I would surmise that most used their time as a resident to find a way back into "mainstream" society.
It was a humane gesture on the part of communities to do what they could for their own. It was NOT intended to be a source of comfort and self respect for its residents. There was just enough stigma to encourage folks to move on as quickly as possible.
Perhaps these concrete shelters would serve as a low cost means of providing housing to folks on modern day poor farms provided at minimum cost by communities.
It HAS to be a better solution that giving "poor folks" an EBC that can be used to dine out in name restaurants, purchase lobster at the grocery, and otherwise live on par with their otherwise hard working neighbors...all of course at their working neighbor's expense.
Next to borrowing $1T from China and then giving a large chunk of it back in the form of foreign aid to China, the American welfare system is one nutty way of running a society.
There was such a "poor farm" in Lowell many years ago, located off Chelmsford street near the current Lowe's parking lot.
ReplyDeleteNever got close to the place, but it was a constant warning from my parents that we would end up there if I wasted their money.
Of course it was "State" run, an approach that some may disagree with.