[DesertRhino]

Mental illness released to the streets accounts for some. But most are dope, drink, laziness, and bad character.

[Cobra64]

I agree. If we ever got a handle on addictive drugs, the situation would gradually be self-correcting. As for the mentally ill, they need institutional help which apparently many mayors and governors have eliminated.

[LouieFisk]

“Mental illness released to the streets accounts for some. But most are dope, drink, laziness, and bad character.”
—
What’s presented in this particular read it seems is mostly the problem of people being priced out of their homes, with rents escalating at breakneck pace. Cheap housing isn’t abundant as it was way back when.

I recall my dad renting one house back in the day for $285/month (in today’s dollars, about 40-50 bucks then), I don’t know how a families get by today.

[mrsmith]

That’s always been true.
Yet when workers were paid more the family could take care of their bad sheep, mostly.
Homelessness was just a problem in big cities.

Had a cousin: crazy and a crackhead.
Thenks to his mother’s paid-for house and generous pension and SS he got by. It was heart-breaking, but he got by.
Because his father made enough to sup[port a family.

[Alas Babylon!]

But most are dope, drink, laziness, and bad character.

In other words, mental illness...