Strange take, but we currently have far more empty homes than homeless on a ratio of 6:1... Why create new homes and add to our cumulative carbon footprint?
I've commented previously that MintPress News is part of a network of extremely questionable sources. It's not hard to get a reasonably reliable and more up-to-date reference for a statistic like...
As far as the assertions in the link are concerned, "give the homeless vacant houses" makes a great slogan, but for the most part, vacancies aren't where the jobs are for working homeless people.
The problem is, they're not paid enough, and there's not enough remotely affordable housing stock in the vicinity of their jobs.
Because from my quick googling, a foreclosed house in Oregon costs $50,000, and a school bus costs $1,500. That's just pure costs to buy, not to renovate. If your goal is to help get as many...
Because from my quick googling, a foreclosed house in Oregon costs $50,000, and a school bus costs $1,500. That's just pure costs to buy, not to renovate. If your goal is to help get as many families into their own homes, then the option that costs 1/25th as much is the choice you go with.
That's a great question that I agree with. It is super fucked up. My point, which is better made by @JakeTheDog, is that society DOES put up with it, and this is a real solution that is able to...
That's a great question that I agree with. It is super fucked up. My point, which is better made by @JakeTheDog, is that society DOES put up with it, and this is a real solution that is able to help people right now that are currently living in this situation. I am an active member in groups for helping the homeless and for fighting for affordable housing in the city I live in. These are huge problems and its so heartbreaking and saddening how little society seems to care. If I could wave a magic wand and get @mike10010100's idea, all for it. But I don't have a magic wand, so this is the solution this woman has to help given her means and the world we exist in.
Quick edit: Refreshed the page after posting this and saw @vivaria had also made the point very eloquently. Wanted to give credit to another good comment.
Let's return to this argument if/when that happens. At least this is pragmatic—people are getting shelter now. Not in a hypothetical scenario. And who owns those foreclosed houses? Are the...
That's assuming we don't nationalize some of this surplus housing.
Let's return to this argument if/when that happens. At least this is pragmatic—people are getting shelter now. Not in a hypothetical scenario.
Foreclosed houses often don't require renovation. These busses do.
And who owns those foreclosed houses? Are the owners/banks going to be donating/subsidizing them to homeless people.
The article is describing what real solution that is happening at this moment. Arguing against it with hypothetical scenarios (or fantasies, IMO) is pointless.
Huh, I mean, I'm one of those radicals who think people existing in these kinds of desperate situations and not receiving help is ridiculous, that shelter is a basic human need, the nation should...
Huh, I mean, I'm one of those radicals who think people existing in these kinds of desperate situations and not receiving help is ridiculous, that shelter is a basic human need, the nation should organize to deliver that need to people like it does food or water, and that the land owning class should be evaporated. However...
This is really neat. I love these sorts of DIY projects of converting automotive platforms into a living space, whether it be buses, vans, or wagons.
I wonder though, do these buses have electrical hookups like recreation vehicles? Do they have functioning air conditioning?
I have, like most people I assume, entertained the idea of whether I could survive in a renovated van, but something I'm constantly worried about (being in Texas) is how air conditioning and electricity would work.
Living in a van or bus in Texas, I'd imagine that you pretty much have to keep the AC on 24/7 in order to maintain a comfortable temperature. Sure, you could (and probably should) turn it off when you're away from "home" (bus, van), but what about other things like a refrigerator or freezer? How does that work? Is there even a place to store food?
Although, I think I remember reading about people adding insulation to the interior of these converted vehicles, so they're probably more climate resistant than your average vehicle and that could help alleviate the need for climate control.
Another thing I'd be worried about is maintenance, especially with these large, old buses. With a van, I'd imagine the savings of not having to rent or own a home would more than make up for maintenance and fuel, probably even a catastrophic engine or transmission failure every couple of years.
These buses though, they get used a lot before getting dumped by schools or other institutions, don't they? Also, because they're such large vehicles, they require special shops with special setups to work on them, don't they? They're also nowhere near as plentiful as your average consumer vehicle, so how expensive are parts and maintenance for a bus compared to something like a van?
Can you even change the oil or other fluids yourself on a bus? What's the gas mileage like?
I don't know, I can imagine that the cost of maintenance for these old buses isn't that bad, but for someone like me who can (and just might, soon) live in a $400/month studio, owning a bus like this doesn't seem like the better deal, but I'm just a single individual.
Strange take, but we currently have far more empty homes than homeless on a ratio of 6:1...
Why create new homes and add to our cumulative carbon footprint?
I've commented previously that MintPress News is part of a network of extremely questionable sources.
It's not hard to get a reasonably reliable and more up-to-date reference for a statistic like that, e.g https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/EVACANTUSQ176N.
As far as the assertions in the link are concerned, "give the homeless vacant houses" makes a great slogan, but for the most part, vacancies aren't where the jobs are for working homeless people.
The problem is, they're not paid enough, and there's not enough remotely affordable housing stock in the vicinity of their jobs.
Because from my quick googling, a foreclosed house in Oregon costs $50,000, and a school bus costs $1,500. That's just pure costs to buy, not to renovate. If your goal is to help get as many families into their own homes, then the option that costs 1/25th as much is the choice you go with.
Well that's why this lady does it, but the real question is why do we as a society put up with such an absurd situation?
That's a great question that I agree with. It is super fucked up. My point, which is better made by @JakeTheDog, is that society DOES put up with it, and this is a real solution that is able to help people right now that are currently living in this situation. I am an active member in groups for helping the homeless and for fighting for affordable housing in the city I live in. These are huge problems and its so heartbreaking and saddening how little society seems to care. If I could wave a magic wand and get @mike10010100's idea, all for it. But I don't have a magic wand, so this is the solution this woman has to help given her means and the world we exist in.
Quick edit: Refreshed the page after posting this and saw @vivaria had also made the point very eloquently. Wanted to give credit to another good comment.
That's assuming we don't nationalize some of this surplus housing.
Foreclosed houses often don't require renovation. These busses do.
Let's return to this argument if/when that happens. At least this is pragmatic—people are getting shelter now. Not in a hypothetical scenario.
And who owns those foreclosed houses? Are the owners/banks going to be donating/subsidizing them to homeless people.
The article is describing what real solution that is happening at this moment. Arguing against it with hypothetical scenarios (or fantasies, IMO) is pointless.
Because then you couldn't create Tiny Homes for Working Homeless Families. That helps AND others people.
Huh, I mean, I'm one of those radicals who think people existing in these kinds of desperate situations and not receiving help is ridiculous, that shelter is a basic human need, the nation should organize to deliver that need to people like it does food or water, and that the land owning class should be evaporated. However...
This is really neat. I love these sorts of DIY projects of converting automotive platforms into a living space, whether it be buses, vans, or wagons.
I wonder though, do these buses have electrical hookups like recreation vehicles? Do they have functioning air conditioning?
I have, like most people I assume, entertained the idea of whether I could survive in a renovated van, but something I'm constantly worried about (being in Texas) is how air conditioning and electricity would work.
Living in a van or bus in Texas, I'd imagine that you pretty much have to keep the AC on 24/7 in order to maintain a comfortable temperature. Sure, you could (and probably should) turn it off when you're away from "home" (bus, van), but what about other things like a refrigerator or freezer? How does that work? Is there even a place to store food?
Although, I think I remember reading about people adding insulation to the interior of these converted vehicles, so they're probably more climate resistant than your average vehicle and that could help alleviate the need for climate control.
Another thing I'd be worried about is maintenance, especially with these large, old buses. With a van, I'd imagine the savings of not having to rent or own a home would more than make up for maintenance and fuel, probably even a catastrophic engine or transmission failure every couple of years.
These buses though, they get used a lot before getting dumped by schools or other institutions, don't they? Also, because they're such large vehicles, they require special shops with special setups to work on them, don't they? They're also nowhere near as plentiful as your average consumer vehicle, so how expensive are parts and maintenance for a bus compared to something like a van?
Can you even change the oil or other fluids yourself on a bus? What's the gas mileage like?
I don't know, I can imagine that the cost of maintenance for these old buses isn't that bad, but for someone like me who can (and just might, soon) live in a $400/month studio, owning a bus like this doesn't seem like the better deal, but I'm just a single individual.