"Of all the families without homes in America, one-third are in Florida."

[raccoon]

This was said on "60 Minutes" last night.

Assuming it's true--I wonder why. Any thoughts? More construction workers in FL?

[Ian David]

1. Maybe homeless people move there to stay warm? n/t

[Le Taz Hot]

2. Purely conjecture on my part

but my guess is that the homeless can survive winters in Florida where they would not in colder winter areas. The West gets its share as well but Florida is closer to the cold-weather states.

[Fumesucker]

3. A climate that allows living outdoors all year with little chance of freezing to death..

Florida's economy is also highly dependent on tourism and jobs in the tourist trade are notoriously low paying.

Add those to the large number of retirees in FL many of whom will work for low wages because they are bored or need the extra money and it makes for a perfect storm of homelessness.

[Ineeda]

4. Volunteerism among the elderly,

wonderful on the face of it, also contributes by eliminating low-paying jobs. Hospitals, elder-care, and church-affiliated services are notorious for this.

[HockeyMom]

5. I worked with a disabled boy who was homeless

Yes, his father was in construction. During the housing boom in Florida, the family did well. When housing crashed, his father lost his job, lost his house, etc. Even though he applied to fast food places, Walmart, etc., he didn't get hired. People need to stop thinking that ANYBODY can get a low level minimum wage job. I know my husband couldn't. These people didn't want to hire him either. "You will quit when something better in your field comes along". Of course!

Anyway, when the family ran out of unemployment, and couldn't pay for a hotel, they lived out of their van. I cannot imagine how they were able to do this with their wheelchair bound teenager. The Dad found a construction job in North Dakota and they moved there.

[Pacifist Patriot]

7. I just learned about the North Dakota oil boom this weekend.

Fascinating, but I don't think it's entirely a blessing like the person on the radio described.

[Pacifist Patriot]

6. There are a lot of reasons.

Florida housing prices were seriously low compared to other areas of the country throughout the 1990s. We didn't start catching up until the early 2000s. Then we sky-rocketed in a compressed amount of time. I know in my area of Central Florida, housing prices in some neighborhoods practically doubled in under three years. Which meant when the crash came it wasn't just a collapse but a spectacular implosion.

Construction companies have been going under left and right for several years now.

We also have some of the highest unemployment rates in the country. The loss of the shuttle program has seriously impacted living wage employment in my area. As has moving technical jobs overseas.

The housing issue in the early to mid 2000s came with a great deal of predatory lending practices AND we're number one in foreclosures. I understand there have been foreclosure mills operating quite efficiently if not exactly legally here in the state.

We're also dependent upon tourist dollars and when others can't afford their annual trek to the Sunshine state our hospitality and service industry suffers.

I'm not as convinced it's homeless relocating to warmer climes as much as it is the result of an economy with an inherently unstable base that has disproportionately suffered after the shredding of the national (international) economy.

I wouldn't waste time looking for a single answer. It's a perfect storm of many causes and I've probably just scratched the surface with my guesses.

[Liberal_in_LA]

13. thanks for the answer

[denese]

8. because Florida is an awesome place

contrary to popular opinion here. If you had to be homeless, doing it here in Florida would be a good option because you are very unlikely to freeze to death, ever.
We have a terrible drug problem here, as everywhere, I'm sure. I personally know some people who are homeless because of that. I'm sure the death of the construction industry has a share of the blame. And the fact that there are no jobs.
Everywhere you go, there is empty house after empty house. it's depressing.
But really, if I knew I was going to be homeless and have my children living in a car or a tent or a box, I would want to be somewhere as warm as possible.

[HopeHoops]

9. Another puzzle: It seems another third have seven lawnmowers in the yard and no grass.

:shrug:

[jwirr]

10. Southern cities tend to draw the homeless because they are in a

warmer climate. That is even traditional - in the Great Depression hobo's would hit the rails in the fall heading for warmer climes. There could be one other reason - here in MN we tend to make sure that there is some type of shelter provided for the homeless we can identify in the winter. Police, social workers and others work together at to make sure no one is left out to freeze. Of course it does not always work.

[Liberal_in_LA]

11. i heard that too! thanks for posting this. WTF???

[Pacifist Patriot]

12. See #6. There are oodles of reasons why this would be.

[Atman]

14. Where would you want to sleep outdoors in the winter, the northeast or Florida?

Seems pretty obvious.

.

[shanti]

15. more than california?

really? we're a bigger state, shouldn't we have more homeless?

[lpbk2713]

16. There is more density of population east of the Mississippi.

It takes less gas to get to Florida, provided one has a vehicle and money to pay for gas.

[lpbk2713]

17. Read this excellent update.

This info posted this am around 11:30.

Link: http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2011/december/352150/Teens-featured-on-60-Minutes-to-get-Stetson-University-help?cid=rss

The Metzger kids have been granted a financial aid package by Stetson University and they will
also receive assistance to ensure their current needs in the public school system are met.


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