Elmira's Homeless Problem Superthread

[Hal 528]

24 minutes ago, Pvt Snowball said:

Isn't that their job is to put out fires I thought 🤔 

Need to start reading the complete posts to get the intended context Pvt , don’t just cherrypick . Makes for a more informed discussion . 

[Buddy14904 16]

Elmira has everything that every place in new york does. Shelters and section 8, welfare, medical, food stamps and addiction services for everyone that wants the help. Even help finding jobs if your willing to work and pass a pee test.

Where else is a place you think isn't a heartless response? What city and what are they supposedly doing better than Elmira? 

Letting homeless do drugs in public and steal and damage property? I donn't know if there's a place allowing that, but you can't do that stuff if you have a home so why should homeless be allowed?

[command_prompt 281]

13 hours ago, Elizabeth Whitehouse said:

what fire? I seem to have missed  something.

...seriously? (And, even more seriously, are you alright?)

[Chris 2,985]

[Chris 2,985]

We have to differentiate between the people who are mentally ill or have hit rock bottom vs the people who don't want to live by society's rules and want to "live free."

The first two, I think we should try to help.

We did away with the inpatient mental health institutions because it felt good as well as because of the sins of the past. But in doing so, we turned a group of people loose onto the streets who simply cannot care for themselves. We need to find a way to bring back humane, inpatient institutions that allows them to live their best life, supervised, and in a way that they're not a danger to themselves or someone else. 

For the people who are down on their luck, there a numerous sources of help and I think those that want it, are getting it. 

It's that third group, the ones Mr. Brinn refers to as "voluntarily unsheltered," that are causing the most problems. The city has tolerated their encampments for far too long. Additionally, far too many people, well meaning people I am sure, are feeding into the problem by making their lifestyle choice more comfortable. I've seen campaigns to buy them supplies, I've seen people bringing them food, and while it's all with the best of intentions, it's also feeding into the problem. But if you say something to the contrary, you're a bad person because "they're homeless." 

Yes, and they choose to be. 

Let them do it elsewhere. 

[Elizabeth Whitehouse 22]

are you alright?

Yes I am thank you.

I do not live in Elmira, I live in Corning where I get my information from The Leader. I do not watch television. Somehow this fire passed my by. What is the last major event in Corning that you know about? (Trick question - the last major event we had was the flood!)

[Hal 528]

9 minutes ago, Elizabeth Whitehouse said:

I do not live in Elmira, I live in Corning where I get my information from

I don’t live in Corning , nor do I get the Leader or the Star Regret . So could you tell me please , does Corning have any bridge people , scratch that … voluntary homeless ?  

[Elizabeth Whitehouse 22]

18 minutes ago, Hal said:

I don’t live in Corning , nor do I get the Leader or the Star Regret . So could you tell me please , does Corning have any bridge people , scratch that … voluntary homeless ?  

Voluntary homeless? I doubt it.

[Elizabeth Whitehouse 22]

I know that there are some tent dwellers who have resisted going to shelters because of the rules and regulations associated with them. Not that Elmira has much in the way of shelters. So, if we accept that some people are happy living in tents, why doesn't the City designate an area for tent living? There are many unused/abandoned areas That could be used. Some of those areas might actually have bathrooms.

[Buddy14904 16]

1 hour ago, Chris said:

He usually says some dumb stuff. But I agree with him that banning the encampments of voluntarily homeless is the safest and most helpful idea. Unless someone can show another town doing something else that works and keeps them and the rest of the citizens safe.

[Hal 528]

13 minutes ago, Elizabeth Whitehouse said:

Voluntary homeless? I doubt it.

Really ?! How fortunate for Corning … 

5 minutes ago, Elizabeth Whitehouse said:

I know that there are some tent dwellers who have resisted going to shelters because of the rules and regulations associated with them. Not that Elmira has much in the way of shelters. So, if we accept that some people are happy living in tents, why doesn't the City designate an area for tent living? There are many unused/abandoned areas That could be used. Some of those areas might actually have bathrooms.

Okay , let’s call them “ tent dwellers “ then . San Francisco has tent dwellers as well and as you probably know they refer to them as homeless . So it’s safe to say Corning has homeless or voluntary unhoused or are we going to play the Word Game because , well … it’s Corning ? 
And as discussed hyperbolically here , there are a good number of shelters , nice shelters in Elmira , I have seen them . 
And I would leave you with this . I invite you to visit the riverside park area some evening , no not a drive through , actually sit there late evening . Or better yet walk on over to the parking garage stairway , please do , but have a spare pair of shoes for when you jump in your car to leave the area and get back to your wonderfully clean Corning ! 

[Chris 2,985]

40 minutes ago, Elizabeth Whitehouse said:

So, if we accept that some people are happy living in tents, why doesn't the City designate an area for tent living?

Because they live like pigs, with garbage strewn everywhere. One need only look at places like Ithaca’s “Jungle” or the various abandoned encampments that have been cleaned up along the Chemung River to see why that’s a bad idea.

[command_prompt 281]

1 hour ago, Elizabeth Whitehouse said:

Voluntary homeless? I doubt it.

So... Corning is not hospitable to the less fortunate ones? 

What would Corning elected authorities, ditto for its denizens, decide to do if there was an unhoused encampment under the Patterson Bridge? Let's go farther; said camp burned down and put half of 352 out of commission for days, if not weeks; what's next?

[Elizabeth Whitehouse 22]

58 minutes ago, command_prompt said:

So... Corning is not hospitable to the less fortunate ones? 

What would Corning elected authorities, ditto for its denizens, decide to do if there was an unhoused encampment under the Patterson Bridge? Let's go farther; said camp burned down and put half of 352 out of commission for days, if not weeks; what's next?

That is not what I said. I think that the fact that the few homeless people we have are not visible speaks well of the City's hospitality.

It is very unlikely that there will ever be a homeless encampment under the Patterson Bridge, so your point is moot.

Edited August 1 by Elizabeth Whitehouse

[Adam 484]

5 hours ago, Elizabeth Whitehouse said:

some people are happy living in tents, why doesn't the City designate an area for tent living?

So those areas can soon look this?

 

[Elizabeth Whitehouse 22]

59 minutes ago, Adam said:

So those areas can soon look this?

 

If that is the worst you can find, you do not know Elmira very well. I have walked every street of the city (and the 5th district three times) and I can find you occupied properties, real houses, that are worse. A couple that third world countries would be ashamed of.

As I said, designate an area for tent people to live in dignity.

[Elizabeth Whitehouse 22]

6 hours ago, Hal said:

Really ?! How fortunate for Corning … 

Okay , let’s call them “ tent dwellers “ then . San Francisco has tent dwellers as well and as you probably know they refer to them as homeless . So it’s safe to say Corning has homeless or voluntary unhoused or are we going to play the Word Game because , well … it’s Corning ? 
And as discussed hyperbolically here , there are a good number of shelters , nice shelters in Elmira , I have seen them . 
And I would leave you with this . I invite you to visit the riverside park area some evening , no not a drive through , actually sit there late evening . Or better yet walk on over to the parking garage stairway , please do , but have a spare pair of shoes for when you jump in your car to leave the area and get back to your wonderfully clean Corning ! 

The key word here is "voluntary". I will bet my bottom dollar that there is no one in Corning who is unhoused by choice.

I would be very interested in visiting the "good number of shelters" that Elmira has to offer. I would be happy to contribute to their upkeep. Give us some details.

[Elizabeth Whitehouse 22]

Yes, heartless. What is your solution to the very evident homeless crisis in Elmira?

Spoiler

 

 

[command_prompt 281]

13 hours ago, Elizabeth Whitehouse said:

That is not what I said. I think that the fact that the few homeless people we have are not visible speaks well of the City's hospitality.

It is very unlikely that there will ever be a homeless encampment under the Patterson Bridge, so your point is moot.

Why doesn't Corning have an unhoused encampment, then? What's the secret of its hospitality? It's certainly not more left-leaning than Ithaca (or Portland, Oregon, with homeless popping up their tents everywhere, the last time I saw it). 

[Hal 528]

9 hours ago, Elizabeth Whitehouse said:

 

I would be very interested in visiting the "good number of shelters" that Elmira has to offer. I would be happy to contribute to their upkeep. Give us some details.

But would you “ be happy “ to visit the riverfront area as I outlined in my post above , no not accompanied by an entourage and at the times suggested ? Bet my bottom dollar you won’t/ wouldn’t. 
But if you wanted to see one of the shelters provided there is one very nice shelter across from St Joseph Hospital as one example . 
As to solutions to the homeless , the drug addled , destructive population infesting Elmira , maybe we could transport them and their ilk to your lovely Corning . You know , sharing the joy so to speak so you wouldn’t need take to your stump on Elmira’s problems . 
Moving along now , thank you . 

[Buddy14904 16]

Bridge and tent people in Elmira chase citizens away. Like everyone else is trespassing on THEIR property. What property should be designated for bridge and tent people to have free rein to control like they own it? Vacant property that someone else owns or public property where EVERYONE should be allowed to take a walk in peace and not step on turds or needles?

[command_prompt 281]

22 minutes ago, Buddy14904 said:

public property where EVERYONE should be allowed to take a walk in peace and not step on turds or needles?

SJWs will tell you that "if you don't like the way it* looks, don't go there."

 

*park, walkway, street, alley, parking lot/garage, etc.

[Elizabeth Whitehouse 22]

8 hours ago, command_prompt said:

Why doesn't Corning have an unhoused encampment,

It doesn't need one.  We have a population of less than 11,000 and ~500 subsidized housing units. In 40 years of living here, I have never seen a tent.

I might add that during campaigns for Mayor I have walked every street in Corning three times, and many of them more than that.

 

Edited August 2 by Elizabeth Whitehouse

[command_prompt 281]

15 minutes ago, Elizabeth Whitehouse said:

It doesn't need one.  We have a population of less than 11,000 and ~500 subsidized housing units. In 40 years of living here, I have never seen a tent.

I thought you were an Elmira resident? 

 

[Elizabeth Whitehouse 22]

I lived in Elmira for about a year, while running for the County Legislature.