A New Study Paints a Different Picture of Homelessness in California
nytimes.com
nytimes.com
> High housing costs and low income left participants vulnerable to homelessness. In the six months prior to homelessness, the median monthly household income was $960. A high pro- portion had been rent burdened. Approximately one in five participants (19%) entered homelessness from an institution (such as a prison or prolonged jail stay); 49% from a housing situation in which participants didn’t have their name on a lease or mortgage (non-leaseholder), and 32% from a housing situation where they had their name on a lease or mortgage (leaseholder).
tl;dr Nimby housing policies (and regressive property taxation) have driven this crisis.
At the same time I also recognize there's a good chance it wouldn't work because Americans, as a rule don't give public infrastructure respect it deserves but instead would degrade or tear it down then bitch about the taxes it takes to maintain it.
One difference I really notice between Scandinavians and Americans on the issue of public infrastructure is they tend to be more willing to pay higher taxes because they clearly understand the benefit they get. Just on roadways, I don't remember any potholes as we drove some 4000 km on our trip. We saw a handful graffiti tagging (only in Helsinki). We stayed in a hostel that I believe also doubled as social housing and it was clean, kept in good repair. the people were polite and the usual Scandinavian reserved. Don't get me started on the difference between US (Third World light) and European airports.