KFOR - OKC's expensive homeless problem

[BBatesokc]

Saw this report last night - if accurate is staggering.

http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-...0,466156.story

[Platemaker]

I believe it... I can tell you that in just the last year I had four homeless people come into my place of business... tell us something to the tune of 'I'm crazy... I might kill someone... please call the police.... I'll be waiting in the lobby" just to get to sleep in a bed if the shelters are full. Pretty smart if you ask me, but it does cost the city A LOT!

We need t put them to work... Labor Omnia Vincit

[u50254082]

Just strap a rickshaw to 'em and let them carry people around bricktown.

[Easy180]

Just strap a rickshaw to 'em and let them carry people around bricktown.

Probably only work if Bricktown visitors need to go to the nearest convenience store for a 40

[Bunty]

I believe it... I can tell you that in just the last year I had four homeless people come into my place of business... tell us something to the tune of 'I'm crazy... I might kill someone... please call the police.... I'll be waiting in the lobby" just to get to sleep in a bed if the shelters are full. Pretty smart if you ask me, but it does cost the city A LOT!

We need t put them to work... Labor Omnia Vincit

Probably the majority of them are mentally ill and need treatment. I can understand why the Oklahoma County Jail has been called the states biggest mental health facility.

[bluedogok]

Probably the majority of them are mentally ill and need treatment. I can understand why the Oklahoma County Jail has been called the states biggest mental health facility.

It's not just OKC, it is an issue everywhere as states have closed mental facilities because of budget issues and historical problems of those type of facilities. My wife worked at the Austin State Hospital while she was in grad school and saw the pathetic state of mental health care.

[dankrutka]

Bingo. The poor state of mental health care costs taxpayers a massive amount. Over the years people in the U.S. got cheap and refused to put public money forth to help people that really need it. So instead we spend a ton of money and still don't fix the problem. The real root of the problem is that people are short sighted when it is imoortant to look at problems like homelessness holistically. You can be compassionate and help the homeless people that are mentally ill (which is a high percentage) and solve the problem at the same time. But all people say is "I don't want to pay taxes for no homeless people" and then we end paying way more... It's inhumane and fiscally irresponsible.

[Bunty]

Meanwhile, are closed and decaying mental health facilities like Oklahoma Eastern Hospital really obsolete?

http://www.abandonedok.com/eastern-state-hospital/

[mugofbeer]

Probably the majority of them are mentally ill and need treatment. I can understand why the Oklahoma County Jail has been called the states biggest mental health facility.

BINGO!!!!! That's one of the most accurate and truthful things I've seen from you in SO long! The VAST majority are mentally ill, physically challenged or substance addicted. With the economy as it is, more people are simply very, very out of money now so its different than it was 3 years ago. Unfortunately, (and maybe some of our lawyers can chime in), I believe the Supreme Court ruled that you can't force people into substance treatment or force them to take their meds. If they choose to live on the street - which many of the homeless do - no one can stop them. If you recall, one of the OKC TV stations did a sting on some of the street corner beggers and found many to not be homeless but, instead, beg because they can make more money doing that than having a real job with all of the deductions taken from their checks.