https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-09-14/california-homelessness-epidemic-licensed-tent-villages

The camps are managed by Urban Alchemy, the San Francisco-based nonprofit that has rapidly grown into a multimillion-dollar street services enterprise and embodies an elastic philosophy of shelter.

Aggressive marketing aligned with rising public discontent over homelessness made for a winning strategy. By 2021 it reported $51 million in revenue primarily from contracts for street outreach and shelter operations in San Francisco; Austin, Texas; Portland, Ore.; and Los Angeles.

  • Elon_Musk [none/use name]69•9 months ago

    Lets just cherry pick a few lines

    the ambiance of an Army field base.

    guards are on duty around the clock.

    some people preferred tents

    Tents also “allowed them to keep the familiar environment

    Aggressive marketing aligned with rising public discontent over homelessness made for a winning strategy.

    $44,000 per tent

    $44,000 per tent

    $44,000 per tent

    $44,000 per tent

    $44,000 per tent

    $44,000 per tent

    $33k ANNUALLY per tent

    • PosadistInevitablity [he/him]54•9 months ago

      33k annually. I hate Capitalists so fucking much it’s unreal.

      More than a luxury apartment holy shit just give the homeless the money

      agony

      • Ildsaye [they/them]4•9 months ago

        Never doubt that a small group class of thoughtful, committed, citizens ruthless exploiters can change the world ensure that nothing will fundamentally change. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. gui-better

      • UlyssesT [he/him]35•9 months ago

        DAE PRIVATIZATION MAKES EVERYTHING CHEAPER AND BETTER so-true

    • GarbageShoot [he/him]10•9 months ago

      There are some "managers" making a goddam killing billing those funds.

    • @coffee@lemm.ee9•9 months ago

      That's taken the opportunity cost into consideration for using a field that could otherwise be sold for a profit. It doesn't cost a fraction of the money to simply put up a tent and hire some supervisors.

    • ratboy [they/them]3•9 months ago

      Ah but you forgot this gem

      Miles to the east in South Los Angeles, more modest camping tents — like one might buy at a sporting goods store — line the parking lot of the shuttered Lincoln Theater, evoking something more like a Boy Scout jamboree.