7 Things No One Tells You About Being Homeless - Cracked.com

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53. There are abandoned schools all over the country...

Obviously, a building that's been abandoned for decades without protection for the windows would not be a suitable place to put up homeless people. I merely mentioned Detroit as a place with a lot of abandoned schools. I'm sure there are abandoned schools in the south (since cold weather is an issue) I know of at least two right around where I live.

It isn't a question of "would it be difficult?" it's a question of "would it be possible?"

You're right, there are places in this country where it would be easier (out in the country for example). I'm familiar with what kind of restrictions municipalities (and homeowners associations) put on property owners because I'm a civil engineer so I deal with city planners and planning commissions all the time. I live out in the county a few minutes drive from an urban area, and I can build what I want on my property (within reason). I could buy 3 acres for about $50,000 a mile or two from where I live and put a couple of trailer houses on it without any kind of fuss from the government (it doesn't hurt that my wife is an attorney). I realize that's pretty serious money for a homeless person, but compared to trying to put a homeless shelter in an urban area it wouldn't present near the (zoning and building permit) problems.

There are places, there are solutions - one of the problems is that there are too many people sitting around saying "woe is me" (or resorting to drugs) instead of looking for solutions.

I don't claim to have 'the solution' but the answer is NOT to have all of the homeless people living in alleys in cardboard boxes - people need to utilize what resources they do have, and think outside the box.

There are a lot of people trying to develop innovative farming solutions from raising tilapia in Milwaukee (year round), hydroponics on the Hudson River and organic gardening on the White House lawn. There are also intentional communities intent on low environmental impact living. The knowledge is out there.

We should worry about the problem of homelessness before we become homeless ourselves (when it appears inevitable perhaps), that's all I'm suggesting: develop a plan, develop a place.

The guy in the OP was looking for something to do - gardening is something productive to do. As far as vegetarian living, chickens and fish (which are part of the aquaponics process anyway) require much less inputs (than beef) and could be incorporated into the gardening process, reducing kitchen waste and providing fertilizer. It isn't as crazy as you make it sound.

I never suggested it was free, I'm suggesting that there are less expensive (and more productive and dignified) ways of addressing the homeless problem than putting them all in homeless shelters in an urban area where they might get lucky and score a meal.

If you have better solutions: I'm all ears.

Note: Cucumbers require a lot of sunlight. There are plants that can be grown in extremely cold environments, cucumbers are not among them.