The homeless in Anaheim and Harbor Boulevard

[DLgal]

I actually am in 100% agreement that this is a good financial move. Too many folks think homeownership is the end-all-be-all financially, and will fall off a cliff pursuing that ideal.

I’ll slightly revise my statement for details, but I stand by my $250k number. For a family of four in South OC, to afford a median priced home of $750k-$1M (20% down), full time childcare for 2 kids under 5 when both parents work, no other debt to service, and to meet maximum savings goals to the limits provided by the IRS, $250k would be my personal target. Possible on less? Yes, especially if one parent stays at home and you nix the child care costs.

It’s a complicated/personal number!

Once you take buying a home and childcare out of the equation, the necessary salary takes a nosedive. We are a one earner household by choice, so childcare has never been part of the equation.

 

[DLgal]

Maybe I am just assuming that California is more expensive than Seattle. We live in an average neighborhood for Seattle and every single new person moving in works in tech. They are making $200 to $300k. I told my daughter who just graduated college should would be crazy to stay in Seattle so she moved to Orlando. The cost of living is more reasonable.

Maybe you're also assuming everyone owns a home. Close to 50% rent down here, which is FAR more reasonable than buying in almost all areas.

I know some people who make over $500k, but I know WAY more people who make well under $200k and do just fine down here. My best friend is single and makes under $100k and she owns a condo in San Diego. She has plenty of money for the things she wants.

 

[MillauFr]

Maybe you're also assuming everyone owns a home. Close to 50% rent down here, which is FAR more reasonable than buying in almost all areas.

I know some people who make over $500k, but I know WAY more people who make well under $200k and do just fine down here. My best friend is single and makes under $100k and she owns a condo in San Diego. She has plenty of money for the things she wants.

Isn't A 400 sq foot studio $3k per month down there?

 

[PirateBrigade]

Isn't A 400 sq foot studio $3k per month down there?

541 sq ft studio about $2100/mo to rent
Source: Now Leasing Available Apartments at Harborview in San Diego (irvinecompanyapartments.com)

That's not bad, that's like $500/mo cheaper than a similar apt. in SF.
Source: 399 Fremont Apartments - San Francisco, CA 94105 (apartmentguide.com)

 

[PirateBrigade]

And here I just realized this is, in fact, the "homeless in Anaheim" thread and we are discussing how rent/affordable is definitely affordable in San Diego and OC for those making under $200k/yr.

 

[DLgal]

Isn't A 400 sq foot studio $3k per month down there?

We rent a 1900 sq ft 3bd/2.5 bath house for $3700. Studio apartments are notoriously overpriced everywhere.

 

[MillauFr]

And here I just realized this is, in fact, the "homeless in Anaheim" thread and we are discussing how rent/affordable is definitely affordable in San Diego and OC for those making under $200k/yr.

I can't think of a better thread to devolve into useless nonsense without substance

 

[jknc]

There are a lot of homeless people in my town. Sadly, many of them have serious mental illness /addiction problems. Their behavior can be unpredictable and aggressive at times. I think that's what makes people leery.

Many? How do you know this?

 

[Piglet99645]

Responding to the OP:

It’s a multifaceted problem and I think different parts of the US have different reasons. I’m in Alaska. We have a terrible homeless problem in Anchorage. Here we have people who can get to anchorage from outlying areas off the road system, then can’t afford to get back. As many of those folks are from the native population, that creates its own problems. (Racism, indigenous women going missing).

 

[DizMe]

Many? How do you know this?

Ah, getting called on the carpet, am I? LOL. Well, I think you have a point in that there are a number of homeless who fly under the radar--they're not the ones we really notice and we tend to think of the in-your-face people as indicative of the whole. But drug abuse, addiction, mental health disorders and homelessness are all linked. Not saying all addicts are homeless or all homeless are addicts or mental health problems are guaranteed to accompany either of those first 2, but there is a very strong link nonetheless. I've spent most of my adult life working with the disadvantaged and have been involved in community-based outreach support for many years. I have never seen the kinds of issues we're currently dealing with on such an extreme level.

 

[jknc]

I'm sorry, but I don't really understand your question.

you said many have mental illness and addiction issues. Just curious how you know this?

 

[nicole88s]

Just back from my trip and I didn't see a single homeless person. We stayed at the Element and walked 3 separate times.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

you said many have mental illness and addiction issues. Just curious how you know this?

Prejudice and assumption.

I said earlier in the thread I was homeless for a while and now live in a gated community. I know more people with addiction problems and mental illness issues now than i did on the street. They just have better resources and hide it better.

And usually have better drugs.

 

[DizMe]

you said many have mental illness and addiction issues. Just curious how you know this?

Please read my amended response above.

 

[DizMe]

Prejudice and assumption.

Just maybe prejudice and assumption goes both ways?

 

[OhDannyBoy]

Just maybe prejudice and assumption goes both ways?

I'm not sure I understand your reply.

Is assuming someone has a mental disorder or is high because he is homeless not a prejudice and assumption? What exactly is the "both ways" part of your statement?

EDIT: reading your amended reply clarifies a bit. Thank you. I didn't see this response before, so my apologies.

And no I don't think it goes both ways. It's still prejudice and an assumption to believe someone is likely an addict or mentally unstable even if your assumption comes from a place of experience and education. To me it's on par with a cop assuming someone is a gangbanger because he has a neck tattoo and dresses the part. Even if he is right, that is the definition of assumption and prejudice.

So to be fair, the quoted response did say "many" and not all and you make good and valid points. Not an assumption on my part, just confusion on the edited response.

 

[DizMe]

I'm not sure I understand your reply.

Is assuming someone has a mental disorder or is high because he is homeless not a prejudice and assumption? What exactly is the "both ways" part of your statement?

EDIT: reading your amended reply clarifies a bit. Thank you. I didn't see this response before, so my apologies.

And no I don't think it goes both ways. It's still prejudice and an assumption to believe someone is likely an addict or mentally unstable even if your assumption comes from a place of experience and education. To me it's on par with a cop assuming someone is a gangbanger because he has a neck tattoo and dresses the part. Even if he is right, that is the definition of assumption and prejudice.

So to be fair, the quoted response did say "many" and not all and you make good and valid points. Not an assumption on my part, just confusion on the edited response.

Thanks for your reply! I do agree that it's easy to make assumptions about people without knowing the full story, and that doing so is prejudicial. It's very evident in the way many people talk about and react to those in desperate straits without knowing their background. I probably should have said from the beginning that I see it first-hand where I live (as one who tries to help), and the escalation is frightening. While I can't say this absolutely, from what the social workers and medical personnel tell me, it's definitely not isolated to my town. There appears to be an escalating trend of addiction, mental illness, and poverty/homelessness. I leave it to others to figure out why, and there are many legitimate sounding possibilities, but that's out of my realm.

Edited to add: I'm sorry for your past experience with homelessness. What a different place you're in now! It's always so gratifying to me to hear about successes.

 

[AndrewC]

I'll admit that the homeless is part of the reason I always pony up and stay on site (or drive and pay parking and fight traffic and stuff). I'm a little surprised Disney hasn't flexed it's influence and pushed the bubble out a couple blocks/streets deep around it and made sure it was clear of homeless in these areas. That area probably is better than a lot of places, but I still don't want to be walking by homeless people at midnight or 1am (well, I guess the parks close earlier now, but pre-covid I often didn't get back to my onsite hotel until midnight or maybe even 1am if I ducked into DTD shops). This is especially true if I'm solo or have a lady with me, it's just not something I want to experience when I'm paying so much for getting down there and the day in the parks and honestly the price difference between the onsite and offsite hotels is sometimes only like $150 or $200/night. I get that the difference is a huge amount, but at the same time for shorter walk and NOT having to deal with maybe a drunk or mentally unstable homeless person to me that's well worth while.

I'm not sure about the homeless outside of the US, but my experience here is that they often have mental issues or are often on drugs. That kind of stuff worries me. While I don't enjoy walking by someone down on their luck and living on the street, I'm on edge if I walk by someone that I can actively see is talking to himself, yelling at others (people that aren't actually there), or clearly is still under the effects of drugs. Seattle is getting bad in areas and Portland absolutely looks like trash in spots, I've basically avoided Portland since the start of the pandemic and likely will until they clean up their streets.

I can totally understand the worry for a solo female, small group of women, or anyone with kids. The city should work hard to address this problem, but short of that, they should also work hard to keep that area empty and very safe feeling. Disney is a cash cow for them, it brings in a lot of people that are paying hotel room tax, renting cars, purchasing items, and dumping money into Disney. I highly doubt Anaheim would have even a 10th of the visitors they normally do if Disney wasn't there....

 

[AndrewC]

you said many have mental illness and addiction issues. Just curious how you know this?

I think the drug problem in America and especially in the homeless population is pretty well known as a general fact here in America. The mental issues... well, people don't often constantly look over their shoulder when no one is near them, yell and jester wildly at no one, or hold conversations with no one. I'm not saying all the homeless in Anaheim do that... but in my personal experience walking past homeless in other cities, I've got a 50/50 chance to see someone doing that... hopefully across the street, or so deep in their yelling fit with "someone" that they don't even notice me walk by.

Edit: The National Coalition for the Homeless has found that 38% of homeless people are alcohol dependent, and 26% are dependent on other harmful chemicals. Oftentimes, addiction is a result of homelessness.

So I've got a 1 in 4 chance the homeless person that I walk past is addicted to a drug or actually on a drug and a better than 1 in 3 chance they are alcohol dependent or drunk. Sure maybe there are high chances the general population I walk by inside Disney have substance abuse problems, but largely they keep those issues at home. Partly the cost of alcohol in the parks is such that I think it acts as a deterrent for public drunkenness. I also can kinda live in the false sense of safety that Disney has security and would be quick to act on a issue. Can you still run across a drunk and/or violent person inside the park or DTD, sure, but at least to me it's perceived to be far far less likely, and thus is something I don't really worry about.

 

[DLgal]

I'll admit that the homeless is part of the reason I always pony up and stay on site (or drive and pay parking and fight traffic and stuff). I'm a little surprised Disney hasn't flexed it's influence and pushed the bubble out a couple blocks/streets deep around it and made sure it was clear of homeless in these areas. That area probably is better than a lot of places, but I still don't want to be walking by homeless people at midnight or 1am (well, I guess the parks close earlier now, but pre-covid I often didn't get back to my onsite hotel until midnight or maybe even 1am if I ducked into DTD shops). This is especially true if I'm solo or have a lady with me, it's just not something I want to experience when I'm paying so much for getting down there and the day in the parks and honestly the price difference between the onsite and offsite hotels is sometimes only like $150 or $200/night. I get that the difference is a huge amount, but at the same time for shorter walk and NOT having to deal with maybe a drunk or mentally unstable homeless person to me that's well worth while.

I'm not sure about the homeless outside of the US, but my experience here is that they often have mental issues or are often on drugs. That kind of stuff worries me. While I don't enjoy walking by someone down on their luck and living on the street, I'm on edge if I walk by someone that I can actively see is talking to himself, yelling at others (people that aren't actually there), or clearly is still under the effects of drugs. Seattle is getting bad in areas and Portland absolutely looks like trash in spots, I've basically avoided Portland since the start of the pandemic and likely will until they clean up their streets.

I can totally understand the worry for a solo female, small group of women, or anyone with kids. The city should work hard to address this problem, but short of that, they should also work hard to keep that area empty and very safe feeling. Disney is a cash cow for them, it brings in a lot of people that are paying hotel room tax, renting cars, purchasing items, and dumping money into Disney. I highly doubt Anaheim would have even a 10th of the visitors they normally do if Disney wasn't there....

The area around Disneyland IS "cleaned up." You should see other parts of Anaheim...