Knowledge is Power

*coyote howl*

I remember being a little gurl and hatching all sorts of great ideas to do all sorts of wonderous things. My Dad would listen carefully to my Big Planz and ask a question or two like, “where ya gonna get the water?” or “what happens next?” Frustrating as that was at the time, it was a great introduction to the Real World.

Shame that many people didn’t have that same advantage.

More than 2,000 people in King County live in vehicles — some of them dilapidated RVs that are hazardous and even inoperable.

hm… I would think the reasons that people living in parking places along the streets may be …shallwesay, unworkable would be obvious.
[*cough*sanitation*cough*other people's property*cough]

…a practice known as “car-ranching,” where a “predatory landlord,” according to the city, will buy a towed vehicle at auction for cheap, and rent it to a homeless person or family.

…53 percent of the RVs and vehicles that were towed — 60 vehicles in all — reappeared on Seattle’s streets.

…The city is aware of “several” car-ranchers who own 10 to 12 vehicles each…

First — using the term “ranchers” is cultural appropriation. I hereby lodge an Official Offended Cowboy Protest™ and will have my horse kick your unicorn’s ass.

Next, the maths: approximately 115 vehicles in all and less than 10 “car ranchers”? [again, Cowboy Protest™] hm…

Apparently the “predatory landlords” [what they have done to qualify as *predatory* has yet to be revealed] go down to the auction and re-purchase the towed vehicles and rent them out again. Are there no tickets or fees? How profitable could this even be?

[Seattle Mayor Jenny] Durkan said in the news release. …“We have an obligation to protect public health and ensure that our neighbors are not living in inhumane conditions. And we will hold accountable those who prey on vulnerable people for profit,”

I’m down with the whole protection of public health thing; one of the hallmarks of Civilization, sanitation. Ensuring that other humans aren’t living in “inhumane” conditions is also A Good Thing — depending on one’s definition of “inhumane” and the consequent use of the power of the state.

Given the demonstrated record that hi-dollar, taxpayer-funded handouts to the “homeless” does little but attract/create more “homeless” — many [most?] being of the ‘I just wanna be a junkie’ variety — seems like most West Coast cities are doing their best to ensure that people *do* live in “inhumane conditions.”

Attracting bums / Knights of the Open Road / Crustifarians / junkies to your city with hand-outs that make it easier to “live rough” and slam drugs makes is a sure bet that more people will be living in “inhumane conditions.” Is that hard to grasp?

I do get the sense that the very concept of someone — 10 someones — making a profit by renting crappy RVs to people who would otherwise be camping under a bridge maaaay just be the Proggie Sin™ and primary motivator for all this kerfluffle. Call me jaded.

What causes most of the problem is focusing on the people – their Identity as “Homeless” – and not focusing on the behavior. Other places focus on the behavior: no one is allowed to camp under the freeway or anywhere else without proper sanitation. Period. Negative consequences are dealt every single time. Which is why people whose lifestyle™ involves “urban camping” are all moving to the West Coast cities.