People prefer to think of it as a moral failing, that they just aren’t trying hard enough, or made bad choices, or didn’t respect people. They don’t like to think that life is actually not at that inside our control sometimes, and a few bad decisions, or genes, or upbringing are it takes to leave someone in such a position that they see their best option as living on the street.

I used from ages 13-25, opiates. At 25, was using heroin, lost my job, my car, my girlfriend, and my apartment. What sane person would continue making those choices after losing so much?

Got into rehab, sober house, got a job, a new (read: healthier) girlfriend, and we just bought a house.

So no, when I see homeless people I don’t think “They just need get out of my neighborhood” I think “my city is failing these people.”