Topic: Homeless

[thejbs]

I was talking to an North American guy I sold some books to earlier in the year and he was asking if I had been to the US. I replied that I had only been to San Francisco, in 2003, and that it was one of the greatest holidays of my life. He said I would not like it as much now as the homelessness has made it less pleasant, i.e. streets used as toilets, people begging, accommodation prices through the roof. My neighbour said the same about finding the amount of homeless people in Worcester upsetting, seeing someone in so many doorways, even on these cold nights. She came here from Bath. Less than 2 years here and they want to move west again. I am convinced the right wing governments of the 2 countries make things worse. I just wonder though, is modern life much harder?. I can barely stay afloat myself, and I have 4 dependents.

What's really upsetting is when you talk to people that talk about how 'scummy' cities look now because of the homeless. Or how beggers are really annoying. I've had to shut that conversation down a few times over xmas - and most times it was Jesus-loving Christians saying this.  I don't know how someone can look a destitute human being in the eye without feeling immense sadness.

[Mutton Geoff]

What's really upsetting is when you talk to people that talk about how 'scummy' cities look now because of the homeless. Or how beggers are really annoying. I've had to shut that conversation down a few times over xmas - and most times it was Jesus-loving Christians saying this.  I don't know how someone can look a destitute human being in the eye without feeling immense sadness.

i take your point but they don’t people feeling sad for them , they need people to get off their arses to help them, sympathy and platitudes wont help them stay alive especially in the winter

[Son of Spion]

The scale of the problem is so big and so complicated now. We had a long conversation with a lovely guy last night. Homeless fella with only one leg and sat in a doorway on Lord Street. What an amazing human being. Lots of self-awareness, not an ounce of self-pity and takes responsibility for the mistakes he said he'd made in his life. Very articulate and some real perspective on life.

It was a privilege to have spent half an hour or so talking with him. I hope he manages to get the help and support he needs to turn his situation around this year.

My partner and I always wish we could do more, but you know what, he was just chuffed that someone took time out to talk with him and listen to him. It must be horrible not only being homeless, but seeing people walk past you like you don't exist.

[AlphaDelta]

I don't know if its me being cynical, but there seems to be a massive rise of people on Social Media telling how they've bought this, give that, done this, for homeless people.
Its almost like they are craving the attention of doing a morally decent thing.

Part of me feels guilty for even thinking that, because ultimately they are actually doing a decent thing, but then the other part of me thinks, why do you have to promote yourselves like this? I've you've bought a homeless person some food, great, but keep it to yourself.
I guess its just a part of society these days that have a desire to be liked and feel good about themselves.

I work on Old Hall Street and my walk from the bus stop to work of a morning is heartbreaking, there is numerous homeless people in tents, doorways etc, more than I have ever seen before in all my years of working in the city.

I speak to a guy who sits outside Tesco, Old Hall Street quite often, his name is Mark, he's only 34 and tells me he used to work in a shipping company and play guitars in pubs of a weekend, he's a sound lad, really genuine, but circumstances have brought him to the streets.

 

[Son of Spion]

I don't know if its me being cynical, but there seems to be a massive rise of people on Social Media telling how they've bought this, give that, done this, for homeless people.
Its almost like they are craving the attention of doing a morally decent thing.

Part of me feels guilty for even thinking that, because ultimately they are actually doing a decent thing, but then the other part of me thinks, why do you have to promote yourselves like this? I've you've bought a homeless person some food, great, but keep it to yourself.
I guess its just a part of society these days that have a desire to be liked and feel good about themselves.

I work on Old Hall Street and my walk from the bus stop to work of a morning is heartbreaking, there is numerous homeless people in tents, doorways etc, more than I have ever seen before in all my years of working in the city.

I speak to a guy who sits outside Tesco, Old Hall Street quite often, his name is Mark, he's only 34 and tells me he used to work in a shipping company and play guitars in pubs of a weekend, he's a sound lad, really genuine, but circumstances have brought him to the streets.

 

I don't go on social media so I've not come across the kind of stuff you've read.

There are probably a multitude of reasons why people mention it, and I'm sure self promotion comes into it with some, but I'm just glad the issue is spoken about and visible. Particularly in times when most want to ignore it and sweep.it under the carpet.

Hordes of people sleeping on cold, wet streets is glaring evidence of a failed society. It's the elephant in the room that far too many like to ignore. Seeing the way society is going with its Social Darwinism I'm just glad there are some people out there who still give a shit and care, even in some small way, about others.

Far too many people wear their ignorance, nastiness and lack of giving a shit like a perverse badge of honour. They get off on it. With that in mind, my personal take is that if people want to show they give a shit, then all's good. If it helps some feel a little better about themselves in the process, then fair dos. The more people who give a crap, and are seen giving a crap, the better for me because it has a knock-on effect. Although I totally get and respect your point, I'd rather people demonstrate care than hide it away. Too many people these days are too scared to be seen to actually care. We live in a horribly selfish world, unfortunately. I'm not saying people should make a song and dance about it. Far from it. I'm just saying good, positive actions need not be hidden away, and the more that's done and is seen to be done, the better.

Anyway, all the best, mate.

[norecat]

Was listening to BBC 5 Live the other night and Lou Macari was interviewed. Have to say I have great admiration for him setting up the Macari Centre to help the homeless in Stoke. He would have been in his late 60s setting it up. That’s no mean feat. It speaks volumes about him as a person to have set up a centre for the homeless. I tip my hat to him from Ireland.

[BarryCrocker]

Disgusting that they only offered £10m when £40m was due. It means the council can only 20% of the accomodation required for people desperately waiting for affordable housing.

UK’s richest people avoid social housing rules in £1.2bn London flats project

Exclusive: Westminster gave exemption for Hinduja brothers’ Old War Office development in return for £10m payment.

The UK’s two richest people have been allowed to avoid planning rules that should have required them to build 98 affordable flats for key workers and low-income workers at their new £1.2bn luxury development in London.

The Hinduja brothers, named by the Sunday Times as the wealthiest people in Britain with a £28.5bn fortune, won approval to develop the historic Old War Office near Downing Street into 85 luxury flats and a 120-room five-star Raffles hotel.

The Guardian can reveal that the OWO development – in which one four-bedroom flat has sold for more than £40m – should under planning rules contain 8,000 square metres of affordable housing – enough for 98 flats.

However, Westminster city council agreed to allow the Hindujas to develop the building with no affordable housing after their agents claimed that it would “not be economically feasible” to do so.

They were given the go-ahead despite more than 4,000 families being on the borough’s affordable housing list, many of whom have waited more than 10 years for a home. There were until recently thousands more people in the queue, but councils across the country drastically cut their waiting lists by increasing the eligibility requirements.

Under planning policies designed to help tackle the housing crisis, all new residential developments should be made up of at least 30% affordable housing.

“The applicant is providing no on-site affordable housing in this instance stating that such provision would not be practical or viable,” planning documents show.

The council’s planning policy states that if it is not possible to provide affordable housing on site, developers must provide affordable housing elsewhere in the borough or make a payment to the council’s affordable housing fund.

The documents show that the OWO development on Whitehall has a “7,870.75 sq m shortfall in affordable housing” and “the policy-compliant payment generated by the scheme is £39.6m”.

However, the Hindujas’ agent offered only a “£10m contribution” to the affordable housing fund. At the time of the application in 2017, the then Conservative-run council’s “viability consultant” said the suggested donation was “generous”.

Labour took control of Westminster council for the first time at the 2022 local elections in May. The council said it could not retrospectively change the planning ruling.

Labour councillor Geoff Barraclough, Westminster city council’s current cabinet member for planning, told the Guardian: “According to Westminster council’s own policies, the Old War Office should have provided almost 8,000 square metres of affordable housing, enough for 98 flats.

“The planning committee at that time accepted the developer’s viability assessment and its conclusion that the requirement for on-site affordable housing could not be delivered and therefore received a £10m cash-in-lieu payment.

“Looking forward, we believe it’s vital to provide affordable homes in central London for the key workers that do the vital jobs that make our city a success. We have a strong commitment to ensuring new developments comply with the council’s established planning policies.”

The council is now trying to buy back former council flats in order to increase its housing stock. The average cost of an ex-council two-bedroom flat in the borough was about £500,000. That means the £10m could buy up to 20 flats. If the developer had paid the expected £39.6m, it would have bought about 80 flats.

Freddie Poser, director of PricedOut, a campaign group calling on the government to increase the supply of affordable homes, said it was outrageous that the council had allowed the development to go ahead with no affordable housing. “It’s always disappointing when councils don’t push for an increase in the supply of affordable homes,” he said. “Decisions like this are making the housing crisis worse.

“One of the great things about London is that all sorts of people live next to each other. It’s a real shame when really large developments get away with creating exclusive areas on an iconic streets.

“It’s disappointing that developments of such a clear commercial gain are only providing such a small amount to regular Londoners. Such developments should come with significant support to Londoners struggling to pay rent in our city.”

Srichand and Gopichand Hinduja, who own a vast conglomerate of assets across the world, did not respond to requests for comment. Westminster Development Services, their company developing the site, declined to comment.

The brothers bought the OWO building – where Winston Churchill served as secretary of state for war – from the Ministry of Defence for £350m in 2014.

In promotional material for the development at the OWO – where Ian Fleming set several James Bond novels and which appeared in 007 films including Skyfall, Spectre, Licence to Kill, A View to a Kill, Octopussy, and No Time to Die – Gopichand Hinduja is quoted as saying: “The OWO is my greatest legacy to London for future generations to enjoy.”

Residents of the serviced apartments at the development, which is due to open early next year, can use an underground swimming pool, a 16-seat private cinema, gym, three workout studios, spa and treatment room and underground parking with number-plate recognition.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/oct/02/luxury-flats-richest-people-social-housing-hinduja-old-war-office