Oh boy....I hate to see stories like this...

[John Mercier]

But can we state for certain that those living on the streets are mentally ill? Or even that they entered that situation due to mental illness?

I was asked about the new ''market priced'' ''affordable'' housing that is slated to be built at the old LSS property. Would these help the housing situation in Laconia? My answer was no. It will simply create more opportunity for those coming from outside the area to move to the area at a less expensive rate than might currently exist.

The population in Laconia is roughly what it was in the mid-80s, the housing stock has expanded rapidly.

[jbolty]

Originally Posted by John Mercier

But can we state for certain that those living on the streets are mentally ill? Or even that they entered that situation due to mental illness?

I was asked about the new ''market priced'' ''affordable'' housing that is slated to be built at the old LSS property. Would these help the housing situation in Laconia? My answer was no. It will simply create more opportunity for those coming from outside the area to move to the area at a less expensive rate than might currently exist.

The population in Laconia is roughly what it was in the mid-80s, the housing stock has expanded rapidly.

the first step is to handle the easy ones. Go to any city and find a guy wearing ten pairs of pants who is in an argument with a stop sign and you have found your nut. Similarly, living under a dumpster and refusing any help. These are not the simple "between job" homeless but they are the ones where all the money is spent.

I was reading the other day (or maybe radio) San Diego, Portland, Seattle and a few others something like 50% of the ambulance calls in each city were regarding the same 10 or so bums over and over. Costing millions which would be so much better spent getting them into a locked room for a while.

the amount spent on this over decades has only the result of it getting worse because the wrong solutions are being used. Los Angeles is giving out hotel rooms with no drug testing or any other requirements except patting themselves on the back for "helping"

like most problems the solutions are not hard, if there is the will to act.

[John Mercier]

Did he start out on the streets wearing ten pairs of pants and arguing with a stop sign? Or did he evolve to that from the stress of being homeless?

That was my point.

Laconia now has lots of homeless... but the census population has remained the same for decades while the number of housing units has exploded.

The problem is not the lack of housing. And you can't make an open-ended sale of market priced housing - regardless of how cheaply I can design them - with the certainty that the local homeless or near homeless (having trouble affording their current housing) will be the ones to purchase them.

In fact, I can't even sell only to labor force housing... as we are allowed to only discriminate against younger buyers... not older.

So the solution we currently use is wait for them to be homeless, and see what other problems we can stack on to that.

[pondguy]

New Information. https://www.wmur.com/article/gilford...-1723/42424069

[Heaven]

Originally Posted by John Mercier

Did he start out on the streets wearing ten pairs of pants and arguing with a stop sign? Or did he evolve to that from the stress of being homeless?

That was my point.

Laconia now has lots of homeless... but the census population has remained the same for decades while the number of housing units has exploded.

The problem is not the lack of housing. And you can't make an open-ended sale of market priced housing - regardless of how cheaply I can design them - with the certainty that the local homeless or near homeless (having trouble affording their current housing) will be the ones to purchase them.

In fact, I can't even sell only to labor force housing... as we are allowed to only discriminate against younger buyers... not older.

So the solution we currently use is wait for them to be homeless, and see what other problems we can stack on to that.

To answer a previous question, homelessness does not cause the mental heath issues you described, although it certainly can cause PTSD and other issues.
As to the housing, it is true that constitutional rules prohibit who get to/has to be in housing. I think there needs to be local solutions. For instance, a project proposed for a location might be required to provide some amount of Workforce Housing development in proportion to a portion of their employment needs. Subsidies are unpopular, but perhaps local tax or State business tax relief can be proposed for those housing development that lease to a certain percentage of local workforce.
I just don't think we have expended the discussion about possibilities.
I read an article today about locations in Mass that had restrictive zoning (such as max 2 bedroom units) which limited family rentals. Local zoning has been target as "the bad guy" in this housing market in NH. From what I see, the opportunities to create housing are not restricted nearly as much as the article about Mass has suggested. There is a development problem, for sure.

[John Mercier]

In your example... the homelessness leads to the PTSD (mental illness), so the homelessness is the root cause - for those particular cases.

The ''problem'' of homelessness has been in the limelight for two decades in this area.

They have no problem with ''discussing the possibilities''...
They simply want to only ''discuss the possibilities''.

[John Mercier]

In your example... the homelessness leads to the PTSD (mental illness), so the homelessness is the root cause - for those particular cases.

The ''problem'' of homelessness has been in the limelight for two decades in this area.

They have no problem with ''discussing the possibilities''...
They simply want to only ''discuss the possibilities''.

There are zoning restrictions in the area. They do play a role... because their role was to increase housing values while attempting to lower tax expenditures.
But it is a bigger issue than just local. If one locality works on the condition, another locality can use it to benefit without the additional financial and social costs.

[Mr. V]

It used to be that family took care of their own.

If Bobby got in trouble, dad used the belt to correct him: worked well enough.

If he had mental problems his family usually took care of him.

But now half or more young people live in single parent homes, usually mom, and that ain't good.

Drug abuse only makes it worse.

I see no solution, only a further slide into social dysfunction, absent fundamental changes in both the law and attitude.

[fatlazyless]

Noticed while driving down Rt 11 in Gilford, the sign out front Fay's Ship Store building now says "May the force be with you Mischa".

It's been almost six weeks since Mischa's January 1 Gilford Police shooting death and the NH Attorney General has yet to release a public report or the video from the two police personal cameras, as the situation went down. It was something like two minutes time, supposedly, from start to shooting death.

[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Noticed while driving down Rt 11 in Gilford, the sign out front Fay's Ship Store building now says "May the force be with you Mischa".

It's been almost six weeks since Mischa's January 1 Gilford Police shooting death and the NH Attorney General has yet to release a public report or the video from the two police personal cameras, as the situation went down. It was something like two minutes time, supposedly, from start to shooting death.

..... oh well ..... today is May 15, 2023 ..... about three months since Fay's Ship Store first displayed their message "May The Force Be With You, Mishca" on their Route 11, Gilford business sign, as seen by car traffic from Route 11.

...... and still ..... not a peep of information issued publicly by the NH Attorney General about the January 1, Gilford Police shooting death of 17-year old Mishca Fay.

Well known singer, Rod Stuart will be returning to the Bank of NH Pavilion on August 28, so could be he'll sing a tribute song, in memory to the late Mishca Fay.

[TiltonBB]

A sad situation for everyone involved. Both officers are back to work.

https://www.laconiadailysun.com/news...3f5cb2bb5.html