Florida has been relatively open for a long time. There are spikes with the young ppl once in a while, but overall the state is doing well. I go out to the beach and other outdoor spaces and social distance. When dining indoors, we wipe the entire table and chairs on top of what the waiters do and wash our hands. I miss traveling a lot!! So, instead I bought an epi NeoNoe with blind optimism that I will get to wear it in another city late this year!!
Anyone else still on a "Lockdown"?
- Thread starter vinotastic
- Start date
It seems for the outsiders looking in that in LA no one has an ounce of social conscience or even empathy for their fellow humans. Last time I traveled there a couple of years ago was my tipping point with the heartbreaking homelessness and so many ppl in obvious trouble. What happened there?
California is full of homeless people because the state basically stopped building housing in the 70s and the population has basically doubled.
Housing is barely affordable to middle class people - so anyone on the margins is at risk of becoming homeless with any lose of income or adverse circumstances. It also costs around 500k to build one unit of affordable housing and there is no funding to make a dent in the below market rate housing needs.
That’s so sad. I think California is the most beautiful state in the nation, but I don’t think I can’t get myself to go there again. I wonder why ppl don’t move in larger quantities if it is so expensive there. Also, I do not understand why a low income unit is so expensive to build. Regulations? Shame. Hope it changes.
The combo of land prices, regulation, materials and labor costs all tick up the prices. But mostly construction labor is in decline after the Great Recession - so it is hard to get workers to focus on a project so it may take 2x longer since they have so much work.
Moving is very expensive, especially the start up costs of leaving. And that neglects any community ties you already have. These days it isn’t uncommon to have 3 generations living in a 1 bedroom apartment in lower income areas.
In larger cities in California a basic one bedroom apartment is $2000+. In some areas it is a lot more. While we have higher minimum wages, housing costs still are very expensive and many people spend half of their pretax income on housing costs.
While California seems to be an outlier, this is true across the entire country. Just homelessness isn’t as concentrated. Housing costs have escalated far beyond incomes everywhere. The lack of affordable housing isn’t just a local problem. It requires national solutions. There needs to be a predictable funding source for affordable. The federal government eliminated most programs leaving it up to states and also never properly maintained the housing they created. As a result our nation has a stigma against public housing because we created terrible public housing. Many other countries have a majority of people people living in public housing that is nice and well maintained. We need to figure this out because this issue is spreading.
Other states also sent/send their homeless people to CA. Don’t forget that. Not to mention many homeless are veterans, mentally ill, or are dealing with substance abuse issues. I have been attacked by mentally ill homeless people in broad daylight. It’s not just the housing shortage at work. We need to return to creating facilities for those who cannot live independently but I don’t know how we’ll find the funding.
I agree, something has to happen. I have never felt as unsafe as I did at 9am in San Francisco because I took a wrong turn. Really thought I was going to die, and I have travelled the world and been in what’s not supposed to be safe places. So, don’t consider myself a weakling, but, boy, there were so many of clearly disturbed ppl. This has to be a major focus of any policy. We can’t continue like this. And I agree it will keep spreading.
I think that back in the day governmental mental institutions were shut down because there was so much abuse among other things. But I think with technology now we should be able to monitor patients and the staff. We wouldn’t let dogs live in the conditions some ppl are living now. I hope California can get it together, this affects the whole country. It’s like that cartoon, some states are happy because they are at the high end of a sinking boat because they are not yet in the water, but the whole boat is going down!
You would think they would close Dublin airport it’s heaven for covid rule dodgers
On a “plus” our new cases are now around 20,000 a day but hospitals are still overwhelmed - people in their 20-40 s taking up scarce hospital beds oxygen and nurses by their own sheer ignorance and stupidity - resources needed for the elderly and vulnerable who have been following the law - so again these selfish bar stewards are causing the deaths of the elderly by their actions
I feel your pain it is almost exactly a year since I have been to travel to see my elderly mum - she is in Ireland I’m in England - I decided not to travel at Christmas as I didn’t want to risk infecting her - I’m so glad I didn’t - England is never going to be free of this virus - we are meant to be on complete lockdown but only 52% are complying with the law - actually I fear it is much lower but that is the official optimistic number - my much younger neighbours on both sides of me and behind me have car loads of family and friend staying all the time every night - they don’t give a damn about anyone else - disgusting excuses for human beings - how can we ever combat this disease with people like this ? I want to move back to Ireland
Sadly we have never had one proper lockdown too many people out “exercising “ and shopping every dayHere in the UK, we are entering a 3rd national lockdown!
People here don’t even pay the paltry fines. Yesterday 2 people went camping in a beauty spot!! Storm darcey arrives one gets chest pains - volunteer mountain rescue get called and one of the rescuers plunges 150ft trying to get to the covid rule breaker - guy has serious spinal abs head injuries life changing - covid dodger ? Not I’ll at all and gets a £200 fine!!!’
Well said
We are coming out of a lockdown that came into effect December 26, with stay at home orders issued except for absolute essential reasons. This is being done for the economy despite double digit increases. The roads were teeming with cars when shopping for food and all the retail parking lots were full. All this messing around will only prolong the misery. We are not vaccinating many because of delays and shortages.
It’s so depressing when you are trying to do the right thing and sacrificing so much for a whole year but selfish people do what they want and spoil all our efforts
I know what you mean. We haven’t gone anywhere except food shopping and taking food to a relative who lives alone since March. For so many people it seems to be life carried on as usual with no concern or regard for anyone else.
Wow, our lives in Ontario could not be more different than South Florida. Everyone wears a mask, we are locked down. though things start to loosen up in parts of the province next week.
Upstate NY - no lockdown since May and our numbers only spiked slightly around the holidays. They went back down after the holidays.
Also I’m a public school teacher and our school has been open for in person learning since day one - without closing at all. That is the case for the entire region I live in.
Also I’m a public school teacher and our school has been open for in person learning since day one - without closing at all. That is the case for the entire region I live in.