Lifrit

How would a $1,000 dollars per month affected your life at the age of 19? Also, now that you have more perspective, how would a $1,000 per month for everyone affect the homeless population?

Yes and no. I have been thinking about how the only way to deal with homelessness currently is with socialism. However, if you have $1,000 per month you open the doors to capitalism solutions. I'm think of a high-rise with a Goodwill or Salvation Army on the bottom floor and 300 sqf room with shared bathrooms on each floor at something like $500 a month. Maybe a soup kitchen on the top floor. I have never viewed homeless people as people of poor character. It's just we don't have a system that can fully address the issue.

Yeah, I'm with you on the different reasons. But this is why I feel strongly about the $1,000 per month because a capitalistic approach is more flexible and faster moving then any social plan we can put in place. We empower the homeless with the ability to "vote with their feet" on how to fix themselves. Like you said, I'm not saying the high rise idea will fix everything. It's just one of many ideas that comes to mind when a you add a market incentive to the problem.

Another example idea i have. A training program with room and board for $2,000. 2 month program teaching general contractor skills, you pay $2000, living cost is provided, and after you are done you get a position at a location shop. Employers would like it as they save the cost of training and if you can stay in a program for 2 months it is good evidence that you are likely to be a good employee. For the homeless person its a good investment of 2 months.

I'm just shooting out ideas. But the thing is if we tried these ideas with the government running it, it would be under funded, people will complain about handouts (on both sides), and we will still be stuck with the same problems.