Homelessness is caused by high rents. Far more than mental health or drug use or even poverty. Mississippi has the lowest homeless rate. While we need more social work support, building more housing is our strongest tool to make to the biggest difference. youtube.com/shorts/IxOGT... - ThreadSky

econchrisclarke.bsky.social • 60 days ago

Homelessness is caused by high rents. Far more than mental health or drug use or even poverty. Mississippi has the lowest homeless rate. While we need more social work support, building more housing is our strongest tool to make to the biggest difference.

https://youtube.com/shorts/IxOGTVXwvx0?si=XiEIwnYPwZ1aAuaP

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j-d-parker.bsky.social•59 days ago

Still, I think the low rent issue could be helped by increasing the federal minimum wage to match inflation and forcing it to go up with inflation every year. In high demand areas, apartment owners can raise rents every year by 3-4%, whereas wages don't go up that fast for low income folks.

econchrisclarke.bsky.social•59 days ago

Washington already has this. It is the highest state-MW on the country. Yet has a relatively higher homelessness rate.

j-d-parker.bsky.social•59 days ago

Interesting. Is government subsidized housing/rent the best option, or should the government encourage more low rent developments, or both?

econchrisclarke.bsky.social•59 days ago

All options make a difference. In other words, presently, any kind of construction is good.

j-d-parker.bsky.social•59 days ago

This article notes that supposedly HUD is spending money on affordable housing to no avail, and goes back to the issue of mental illness and drug abuse. It argues that TX and FLA are doing better by forcing drug addicts to get treatment or go to jail. Thoughts?
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/homelessness-report-department-of-housing-and-urban-development-2024-a150b1c7?st=cRZmSr&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

econchrisclarke.bsky.social•58 days ago

The opinion piece does not argue a counter factual. How much unsheltered homeless would there be without HUD funding? A whole lot more. As I said in my first video, the vast majority of the increase in homelessness were sheltered. TX and FL use HUD money, too.

stopburningthings.bsky.social•59 days ago

Of course Mississippi tops a lot of the lists of social dysfunction. #1 state for murders. Lowest life expectancy of any state. And good luck getting healthcare.

But homelessness is high rents.

profweinstein.bsky.social•60 days ago

Great video - as always. Reminds me of an analogy I read about how housing is like musical chairs. Fewer chairs than people means someone won’t have a chair and the person on crutches is going to be more likely to be left out (homeless). We need more chairs. From @compatibilism.bsky.social

econchrisclarke.bsky.social•60 days ago

Thanks and yes! That's the very book I got my charts from. (At least some online blogs that used those charts)

profweinstein.bsky.social•60 days ago

Well that makes sense why it reminded me of that analogy 🤣

compatibilism.bsky.social•60 days ago

Same charts! I just had to do ‘em up in greyscale for the book. :)

profweinstein.bsky.social•60 days ago

Great book! Sorry about the greyscale requirement. The color does make it even more exciting.

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