Not quite. I’m failing to understand why redistribution is a hangup for you. From each according to ability, to each according to need— everyone needs housing, no one actually needs to own a second dwelling, especially left unoccupied. Rent control could also do a lot of good. Our society has failed the most vulnerable of us. Redistribution, while only one idea, does not seem like a bad one at all.

I’m not either. Maybe it’s the people who own second, vacant dwellings?

Can you please explain why, to you, housing is a privilege? Here was my line of thought with my last comment: you believe housing is a privilege and believing redistribution of housing is a “bad idea”, ergo by that logic, you think housing everyone is a “bad idea”.

How is every person having housing a “bad idea”? Housing itself is a human right.

I thought I had been encompassing, maybe I had not made that clear.

I’m aware of this. Those who are unsheltered are typically unhoused, I thought that was evident.

You’re exactly right, why not? What I was doing was responding to the hypothetical you posed. As far as what I’m proposing— what I’ve been proposing here is housing the homeless. That’s not all I’m proposing, though it’s all I’ve mentioned. Of course we need to address the root causes of homelessness. So many are unsheltered because the state and the system are broken and have failed them. Housing them is one of myriad issues contributing to it. I fully agree with taxing secondary homes and building more affordable housing projects in places like Burlington.

Those are fair points. I’m not saying ending homelessness is a simple issue with an easy answer, and I do not claim to hold the solution, but again, if we put people’s lives over dollar amounts, it’s possible. Complex, difficult, but possible. For example, lack of public transport can be addressed. If people get homes/shelter, then they are far more likely to be able to save money and therefore patronize local businesses. Since realistically not every houseless individual or family would be given housing in stow, that would allow for certain dwellings being allotted for tourism, and wealthy patrons would still spend their money there.

Can I ask you to elaborate on why we simply cannot repurpose the condos in Stowe? If we were putting people and their inherent value over making a profit there’s no good reason not to repurpose units such as those is there?

https://www.self.inc/info/empty-homes/

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/10/realestate/vacancy-rate-by-state.html

Here are two sources. Apologies for not including them sooner. To clarify: I am by no means claiming solving homelessness or mitigating the rising rates of homeless people is a simple fix. There are many moving parts. That does not take away from the number of vacant dwellings vs. number of homeless people being a huge piece of the problem.

Okay, you’re right, the name was unnecessary and I apologize for that. “How many accounts have I been through” following the question of if I can have discourse like an adult would have me as you the same of whether you can also have discourse like an adult.

Do I think the numbers we’re given of homeless people reflect the true number of homeless individuals? Nope. But I also am not just pulling the statement of “more empty homes than houseless folks” out of my behind? Also nope. The research done, while impossible to perfectly quantify given how much situations fluctuate person to person, shows what it shows. I’m curious though why you seem to so firmly believe there aren’t actually enough homes to end homelessness since still no evidence has been shared to back up your point. Could you please cite your sources? Not asking as a “gotcha”— if I’m wrong, I’ll gladly rectify my stance. Believe it or not I am actually open to learning.

Oh boy. It’s not a matter of belief, it’s a matter of objective reality, but I’m curious so I’ll humor you— where’s your evidence or any evidence at all to the contrary, DadBob CondescendingPants? And where is it you recommend I find an answer that lines up with your statement?

The problem is not lack of houses. There are more empty homes than there are homeless individuals in this country. The problem is the barriers in place to obtaining housing.