Count reveals over 166 homeless including children in Harford County

[RalR]

It's very possible that the number may be underreported.

A one-day count revealed 166 homeless people in Harford County, officials said Wednesday.

Of those 166 without homes, 98 are adults and 68 are children, according to a news release from Harford County. The count includes a three percent margin of error, the release stated, "due to the transient nature of homelessness."

By holding the count, the county is now eligible for federal and state funding.

http://havredegrace.patch.com/articl...harford-county

[overtaxed]

"eligible for federal and state funding?" So that means more of my money to support some probable drug addict and its spawn.
Sounds great, except the tax well is dry.

[TheResearcher]

"eligible for federal and state funding?" So that means more of my money to support some probable drug addict and its spawn.
Sounds great, except the tax well is dry.

The lyberal politicians of MaryLand will just keep raising taxes on the hard-working to keep the welfare bums voting for them.

[pepper]

With a population of about 250,000, 166 homeless is probably in line with any jurisdiction of that size, in a suburban area.

If you take away the chronic drug abusers, that have destroyed family relations and will not respond to help, that number drops significantly. Then subtract the mentally ill that will not be easily helped, in no small part because they refuse it.

As a society, the social safety net is critical. But there will always be folks that can't be reached. 166 out of 250,000 is not representative of a problem, as much as it represents Human Nature.

[RalR]

The countywide event allows Harford County to secure the federal, state, and local funding necessary to serve the most vulnerable population and may assist in gaining expansion grants.

The Department also helps divert individuals with mental health issues away from the criminal justice system and into treatment, which reduces recidivism and increases stability.

http://www.daggerpress.com/2013/02/0...arford-county/

[pepper]

http://www.daggerpress.com/2013/02/0...arford-county/

I'm an admitted cynic when it comes to government...IMO, "to secure the federal, state, and local funding.." means that tons of tax dollars will be wasted with no real effect.

[russ498]

Should take the kids away from the parents if they can't provide for them. Don't breed em if you can't feed em!!

[demopublican]

That is very small compared to 2009 estimates for liberal places like PG, Baltimore, & Montgomery Counties and similar to Howard

http://ellicottcity.patch.com/articl...t-acceptable-4

Each year, counties like Baltimore, Carroll, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s hold Point-in-Time surveys, a sort of one-day snapshot to document the number of sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals.

Overall numbers in these counties have fluctuated in recent years. In 2009, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties documented 1,194 and 853 people respectively. In 2010, the numbers dropped to 1,064 and 789.

Baltimore County estimated between 800 and 1,200 homeless people in 2009 and documented 890 in 2010. Carroll County documented 144 in 2009 and 129 in 2010, while Howard County documented 174 in 2009 versus 221 in 2010.

[Spot72]

Harford County may need to open another shelter to properly address this issue. It's a shame that children are homeless out there.

[musicmd]

"eligible for federal and state funding?" So that means more of my money to support some probable drug addict and its spawn.
Sounds great, except the tax well is dry.

You will be dead, and gone when that happens.

[musicmd]

Should take the kids away from the parents if they can't provide for them. Don't breed em if you can't feed em!!

Well that is not going to happen.

[The Eternal White Belt]

Should take the kids away from the parents if they can't provide for them. Don't breed em if you can't feed em!!

OK... so you're willing to house and feed them?

[overtaxed]

You will be dead, and gone when that happens.

Maybe I misread something, but isn't the debt over 16 trillion? That number seems like a pretty empty well to me.

[demopublican]

Harford County may need to open another shelter to properly address this issue. It's a shame that children are homeless out there.

Yes. 166 homeless in a county of 250,000 people. That is 0.0006%.
Montgomery County has 0.0012% (twice the rate), PG County has about 0.0009% and Baltimore County has 0.0010%. So I would say that 166 homeless people is a lot of campers but as a percentage Harford County is not the problem area in Maryland.

In a lot of these cases I don't this a lack of housing is the issue. It is addiction and/or mental illness.

[pepper]

OK... so you're willing to house and feed them?

Other than those living in the woods, all of us are housing and feeding lots of people at an incredible cost, and it's not working, except to create a generational dependency on government.

Other ideas should certainly be on the table...

For those folks living in the woods with kids, obviously those kids should be removed from that situation.

I agree with demo, the issue is probably not so much a lack of housing.

[musicmd]

Maybe I misread something, but isn't the debt over 16 trillion? That number seems like a pretty empty well to me.

The local debt is 16 trillion? Like I said, You will be dead, and gone when that happens, and I really don't care about things, I can't change. You deal with it, or blame it on Obama because we all know Bush left the country in good shape.

[musicmd]

Yes. 166 homeless in a county of 250,000 people. That is 0.0006%.
Montgomery County has 0.0012% (twice the rate), PG County has about 0.0009% and Baltimore County has 0.0010%. So I would say that 166 homeless people is a lot of campers but as a percentage Harford County is not the problem area in Maryland.

In a lot of these cases I don't this a lack of housing is the issue. It is addiction and/or mental illness.

Statistics really come in handy. We are talking about people not a ratio.

[overtaxed]

The local debt is 16 trillion? Like I said, You will be dead, and gone when that happens, and I really don't care about things, I can't change. You deal with it, or blame it on Obama because we all know Bush left the country in good shape.

The article said federal and state funding. Also, if enough people complain that they are tired of their money being pissed away. Our representatives may actually do what they are paid to do.

[demopublican]

Statistics really come in handy. We are talking about people not a ratio.

Yes, and statistics would help people focus efforts on the places where the most people could be helped.

But this thread si not about people. It is about a poster trying to defect attention from the failed urban areas of Baltimore by pointing out what everyone already knows and acknowledges: The crime, poverty, drug/alcohol abuse and mental illness exist in every area and in every demographic.

[The Eternal White Belt]

For those folks living in the woods with kids, obviously those kids should be removed from that situation.

I don't think it's obvious at all. Living in the woods does not necessarily mean a bad living situation. I'm not saying it's a good living situation, but it's certainly not a "round them all up and put them in foster homes" situation either.