Episode 996 • • 2:48:11 - 2:52:25
996: Rats on a Plane
History of Homelessness, De-institutionalization Policies
The modern homelessness crisis is traced back to the 1970s "de-institutionalization" movement, which closed state mental hospitals in favor of civil rights for the mentally ill. While Ronald Reagan is often blamed for these closures as Governor of California, the policy was a "buy-one-get-one-free" for politicians who could appear as social justice heroes while saving hundreds of millions in state funding.