• Track_Shovel@slrpnk.net
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    1 year ago

    This is a cool idea.

    I think we need to take it one step further and have these dying malls turned into affordable housing for homeless people.

    While you don’t want to start a slum, or shuffle homeless people to be ‘less visible’ you could have these malls have services to support them. For instance, addictions counseling.

    Something as simple as a safe place to sleep, and access to regular food and water can really help people get back on their feet.

    • poVoq@slrpnk.netOP
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      1 year ago

      These malls are often hard to reach by anything other than a car, thus if you don’t have a thriving community within its not going to be very attractive even for homeless people that usually still try to find jobs or otherwise partake in social life.

      I could imagine old malls being used as elderly care homes though.

      • kool_newt@beehaw.org
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        1 year ago

        I think if you convert the parking lot into farmers markets and gardens and parks, and swap meets, they people might not need to leave much.

      • Track_Shovel@slrpnk.net
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        1 year ago

        That’s another good use.

        While I read the text in the link that mentions the access issue, I don’t agree. My city is notoriously inaccessible to anything but cars, but this doesn’t stop homeless from congregating wherever is suitable to them (often green spaces). I think a ‘if you build it they will come’ approach would probably work.