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Re:Iowa City made its buses free. traffic cleared, and so di... by gnarlouse on Sunday November 23, 2025 @09:41PM (#46029791)
As somebody who grew up in the area, Iowa City has a near-nil homelessness problem.
Re:Iowa City made its buses free. traffic cleared, and so di... by bluGill on Sunday November 23, 2025 @09:58PM (#46029879)
I live just down the road in des moines and there is a homeless problem. It is mostly out of sight but it is there.
Re:Iowa City made its buses free. traffic cleared, and so di... by gnarlouse on Sunday November 23, 2025 @10:44PM (#46030145)
Have delivered food to those homeless. This thread makes me sad.
Re:Iowa City made its buses free. traffic cleared, and so di... by bluGill on Monday November 24, 2025 @08:48AM (#46034059)
The homeless do make me sad (except for the one rich guy who chooses to live that way - but he is an outlier - 1 in 1000 perhaps)
Re:Iowa City made its buses free. traffic cleared, and so di... by mmooss on Sunday November 23, 2025 @10:09PM (#46029943)
What is your point? The assumed demonization of people because they lack homes is a false assumption. I've spent plenty of time around people who apparently lack housing (I don't ask), including on public transit. I don't find they behave better or worse than others, on average.
Re:Iowa City made its buses free. traffic cleared, and so di... by olalonde on Sunday November 23, 2025 @10:27PM (#46030050)
Homeless people have higher rates of substance and mental-health issues, and, unsurprisingly, less access to showers and laundry facilities.
Re:Iowa City made its buses free. traffic cleared, and so di... by nobody9999 on Monday November 24, 2025 @01:20AM (#46030915)
>Homeless people have higher rates of substance and mental-health issues, and, unsurprisingly, less access to showers and laundry facilities.

As someone who was homeless (for less than a year, thankfully!), my experience was that many people with nowhere to go (myself included) become incredibly despondent that they have no roof, no shower, no place to keep (let alone wash) their clothes and turn to drugs as a way of (temporarily) ameliorating their suffering.

Those with mental health issues often can't hold a job as they're suffering from debilitating mental illness (duh!) and those with no place to shower or keep clean clothes have a hard time getting, keeping jobs too.

The latter group mostly just needs the opportunity to present themselves for job inquiries bathed, reasonably well rested and in clean clothes.

The former group needs the same plus mental health services including supervision and treatment.

Don't forget that more than half of Americans are an unexpected $600 emergency away from being unable to pay for food, rent, utilities, etc.

But most folks ignore that and instead just want them gone. They don't care where -- in jail -- in another city -- just as long as they don't have to look at them. It's disgusting.

Re:Iowa City made its buses free. traffic cleared, and so di... by mmooss on Monday November 24, 2025 @02:11PM (#46037891)
> less access to showers and laundry facilities.

Really, the land of the free is going to enforce showering laws? If our standard for freedom is that low, I'd lock up all the people spreading fear - they do far more damage.

Re:Iowa City made its buses free. traffic cleared, and so di... by olalonde on Monday November 24, 2025 @08:55PM (#46041568)
I didn't suggest that. I was only addressing the question of whether "they behave better or worse than others, on average," and the evidence clearly leans toward "worse."
Re:Iowa City made its buses free. traffic cleared, and so di... by gnarlouse on Sunday November 23, 2025 @10:44PM (#46030149)
Honestly, I’m not sure I have one.
Re:Iowa City made its buses free. traffic cleared, and so di... by echelon on Sunday November 23, 2025 @09:58PM (#46029880)
It's 23 deg F in Iowa City in a few days. It's not even winter yet. I think this has everything to do with it.

Meanwhile it's 70 deg F here in Atlanta. California and Florida have even warmer temps.