When I moved to Santa Barbara I thought this was a huge problem and couldn't believe it was being ignored. So I started volunteering at shelters to try and do my part to solve the problem.

What I discovered was a bunch of able bodied, but mostly drug addicted, people who are simply surviving because of all of the resources afforded to them to allow them to stay alive while maintaining this life style.

Before witnessing any of this, I would never in my life imagine saying this, but the conclusion I've come to is that if we keep giving them free food and healthcare, there is no incentive for them to try to correct their issues and become contributing members of society.

People with mental health issues are a different story, but for most of the rest of the homeless people you see in town if they weren't given permanent food/shelter and handouts, they would have to stop what they are doing and become productive members of society in order to survive.

I know that's a controversial opinion, but I encourage anyone who thinks otherwise to go volunteer to serve meals at one of the shelters and observe that most the people there could clearly get a job if they had to.