Not sure I fully wrap my mind around what this guy said:

[The Straight Story]

"We do not want to create an environment where we become the homeless capitol of America because we're doing such an effective job," said Johnson.

City Task Forces Begins Hammering Out Tent City Plan

No solutions were devised on Friday, but ideas were, such as expanding shelter capacity and helping people find permenant housing.

"We're going to have to figure out a way to pay for it, find places for people to go, and then there's people that don't want to go, what will we do with them?" asked Johnson.

Kraintz said that he would like to stay.

"I've had neighbors like otters and beaver," said Kraintz, "and I don't want to make it sound too good or I'll have a lot of company down there."

That's exactly what the city is trying to prevent.

"We do not want to create an environment where we become the homeless capitol of America because we're doing such an effective job," said Johnson.

The mayor says he will consider the possibility of allowing the installation of toilets and running water in Tent City, but that it seems an unlikely solution.

http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=56285&provider=top

Maybe he should have said "We need to do a poor job and make life harder for the homeless so less come here and they go somewhere else."

I wouldn't mind my city doing a better job with the homeless and having more here - because it is not about what I don't like to see it is about helping those who need it the most.

The better job we do for them the better off we are as a society.

Homeless people are just people - without homes.

There are car-less people too, do we want them come to our city on their bikes and such ;)

[The Straight Story]

1. kick for afternoon crowd(nt)

[Motown_Johnny]

2. He seems to be saying that he does not want to encourage people to live in the tent city

[Robbien]

3. One bad thing about making a safe haven for the homeless

is that other cities/counties in the area hear about it and start rounding up their homeless and start dumping.

Without a statewide/federal program, any city which makes life easier for the homeless run the risk of other areas taking advantage of the situation.

But help for the people has to start somewhere.

[The Straight Story]

4. Which I think comes down to a simple point - homeless people are not wanted

Folks see them as a plight or a burden, which dehumanizes them.

When we start treating them as what they are - fellows humans - maybe the problems they face will be more easily dealt with by them.

[alarimer]

5. It would be better if they had actual houses or apartments.

There is a lot of vacant housing in many places; why not let the homeless live there? They'd have an actual address for employment purposes and it would be safer than a shelter. Empty building are bad for neighborhoods. I am not talking about simply squatters. I am talking about rehabilitating empty houses for the homeless. They could share but it would not be nearly as crowded as a shelter. There would have to be some kind of supervision, I suppose.

[boppers]

6. Having a "great homeless environment" should not be the goal?

Having a great environment to get people into homes and jobs, that seems like a better goal.

A metaphor might be having the biggest, best, hospital waiting rooms in the country.... rather than actually treating people so they aren't stuck in great waiting rooms.