Wednesday show Ana asked for information that maybe able to better inform her opinion on the topic.
I don’t know where such information could be found. I have enough direct experience I could help point others in the correct direction.
There are myths that need dispelled first:
Those without a home and destitute are the same. This isn’t true ironically many under homed experience a community stronger than others in normal society. This isn’t the same for the destitute or others that are doing everything to hang on to their current housing. This is due to the fact that the destitute are working at jobs or looking for work that activity largely takes their time up.
Some may question that there is such a strong community considering the drugs and the violence. I would counter the argument with the atheist foxhole argument. There are no atheists’ in foxholes due to the idea of the horror of the experience forces you to contemplate a higher power. Veterans of wars find a family with those they fight with. This codification of community is exactly the same in the streetfolk communities.
Everyone is against them the police, criminals, polite society, business, and other factions of streetfolk sometimes. This crucible forms a community that is actually often times hidden but beautiful. This misconception is the single biggest sticking point in models that attempt to house them.
The next is that they are static. This isn’t true. Many travel often they can afford a car but not a home. Many know others with vehicles and have friends that help them out with a ride or bus ticket. Many streetfolk will train hop as well. They also stay with housed people (especially in the north west) more then you may expect.
The next aspect is many fall in and out of street living more than you may expect. Sometimes there maybe a seasonal aspect to it as well. Sometimes those that get out of the streets wish to keep a toe in that community due to the bonds that were developed.
They also have culture you wouldn’t understand this until you spend time with them but they have regional jargon and a hobo cant. This consist of signals signs and obsequiously concealed graffiti that is meant to signpost danger and resources to other streetfolk.
You must understand that any effort to house them must look at them in the manor I outlined above. Then make housing that reflects the communities needs. They must be transplanted with their consent in pods that reflect their streetfolk family. At the same time you must provide an avenue for income and a standard of expected conduct.
This model has been done before found here:
The part I found to be the best model seems to be found in the video above start at 12:50.
DIY tiny home villages, Mark Lakeman from Urban-placemaker. Read more about his approach here:
Notice how there are many common areas, self sustaining, and self governing. There is economic access through recycling infrastructure. Access to computers and help with selling things on Ebay and similar platforms. Notice how they grow food and do many small things that aggregate to a fabric of support.
We are in a situation where we want to shift the burden away from us but we must look at things with an self critical eye that could be turned inward. We must be willing to be critical of our own opinions.
It is very sad Ana witnessed a man that had overdosed in a cove of a building.
Know that he didn’t want that for himself. Just like a chicken yard if one chicken gets injured that chicken will be murdered by the others if not isolated. It isn’t that the chickens are evil it is that they don’t see a problem culling the weak.
Our natural state is this in many ways so if we wish to overcome this fact of nature we must make efforts to operate above our basic instincts. The streetfolk have value and we are worse off for allowing them to be mistreated in such a manor. For instance I know a couple musicians that could have been set on a path to sell out stadiums but instead they play bridges.
I would say that John was looking for a long form topic and maybe this could be it? There
is a large under homed community by the name of Slab City. It is closer to you guys down there and has many aspects as described in this text above.
Know a couple things. Don’t go without a liaison or a handler. Don’t go with cameras and a agenda to make a film without befriending them first. Be careful but don’t be tense try to relax they are people like anyone else.
Their voices desperately need to be heard by the rest of the country, and our elected officials need to be held responsible for the lack of empathy and action involved. The difficulties these individuals face are many. They also are not given the opportunity to vote since that’s often tied to providing an address.
Thanks @enduser for broaching this subject.
Just know when I propose things there are three things to know. There is a critical path the so called next step. There is the meta which is everything is always changing. The third is the ideal frame which is the ethos dissolved & inlaid within the concept.
