A View from (Under) the Bridge

by Shannon Moriarty

categories: Hiding the Homeless, Research, Stories from the Streets

Published November 07, 2009 @ 05:42AM PT

On paper, Leonard Grant might say that a combination of unemployment, addiction, and mental health caused his homelessness. But that's not the whole story. Even these reasons for homelessness can have their own causes.

You see, Grant tragically lost his son in a car accident, which sent his world spiraling out of control. His depression turned into drug use, his drug use made him unemployable, and without an income, he lost his home.

Grant calls the past three years of his life "dead time." This is how long he has lived under a bridge in Knox County, Tennessee - homeless. He's trying to piece his life back together, but it isn't easy. He's working to gather the legal documents he needs to apply for housing and social security. His biggest hurdle? Getting a copy of his birth certificate.

This is the story behind Grant's reasons for homelessness. It's one example of a story that could never be captured by research or statistics as they are currently reported. This is the human element of homelessness, the kind of story we might be more likely to identify with, the kind that might allow us to feel someone else's pain.

It's so simple, but so easy to forget: nobody ever plans on living under a bridge in Tennessee.

Houston Metro to Homeless: Stay Off Our Trains!

by Shannon Moriarty

Published November 06, 2009 @ 01:03PM PT

Is Houston creating a public transportation caste system?

Yesterday, at a public hearing in Housing, Metro Vice President Todd Mason made it abundantly clear that homeless people in Houston should take the bus rather than the area's light rail system. Hair Balls, the Houston Press Blog, transcribed the banter between Mason and Anthony Love, president of the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston:

Mason: The bus transit system provides more connectivity for the homeless...Metro is not in the business of attempting to put the homeless on the train. That's the signature service downtown.

Love: Is that the official position of Metro?

Mason: The board isn't going to adopt an official position.

Love: Then whose position is it?

Mason: Today it will be my personal position.

There is no indication that Houston law enforcement is forcing people of the train for being homeless (fare-hopping, though, is another story). According to Houston reporters, Mason's ignorant position has not been adopted beyond the confines of his (limited) worldview. Thank goodness.

Still, Mason's comment has advocates fuming. This remark marginalizes an entire segment of the population - not to mention members of Mason's constituency. Transit systems are public-run entities designed to serve the transportation needs of the public. For low-income individuals - including the homeless - trains and buses are often the only transportation options available.

While it's tempting to write an angry letter or leave a colorful voice message for Mason, it's important to take a step back and realize that this is an important learning opportunity. There's an important link between public transportation, housing, and improving the quality of life for the poorest among us. Mason's ignorant remark is an important reminder that we, as advocates, must take advantage of every opportunity to spell out these linkages and help others see that - like it or not - we are all connected.

Jobless Rates Soar to 10.2 Percent

by Shannon Moriarty

categories: Government, recession, Trends, unemployment

Published November 06, 2009 @ 10:41AM PT

The number one cause of homelessness has gotten worse, according to October unemployment numbers. For the first time since 1983, the jobless rate in the U.S. has reached the double-digits. Although experts claim that the recession has ended, the trickle-down effects of our economic woes are far from over. As more Americans lose their jobs, they will come closer to losing their homes.

Many of the jobs shed over the past several months are in industries that tend to be lower-paying, such as service, manufacturing, retail, and construction. In other words, job losses are affecting those who were probably living paycheck-to-paycheck.

The cause-and-effect relationship between unemployment and homelessness has been well-established by the upward trends in homeless numbers over the past year. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, unemployment remains one of the most frequently cited reasons for homelessness. Thus, it may be simply a matter of time before those without income to pay for housing run out of options.

At the community-level, it's likely that service providers won't have time to bat an eye at these new numbers. Already, shelters are scrambling to meet rising need for services, which many predict will become even worse when temperatures dip.

So many grim numbers, so many things to be concerned about. But here's what worries me the most: it's throwing the "economically-challenged" homeless into the same pool as the "chronically homeless." I worry that the easier-to-serve individuals will be brought to the front of the line, while those who are most vulnerable - but also the most expensive and challenging to serve - will be forced to wait.

Although homelessness tends to make the news when the economy is bad and unemployment numbers are high, homelessness is not a new phenomenon. While we scramble to meet the needs of those impacted by the economy, it is imperative that we do not forget about those who were suffering on the streets while our economy was thriving. These are the individuals who are most vulnerable to being lost in the shuffle as demand for services continues to rise.

Real Story: Meet Pam

by Mark Horvath

categories: Stories from the Streets, Tent City Tour

Published November 05, 2009 @ 05:41PM PT

I met Pam while passing through Cleveland, Ohio. She is mother and a grandmother who never thought she would become homeless. Many people think that if a person has close family members, they can just go live with family when all else fails. But for Pam and many others, it's just not that simple.

Pam wished for a home; I hope she finds it.

Pam from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.

Homeless Web Trends That Need to Stop

by Shannon Moriarty

categories: Action, ignorance, new media

Published November 05, 2009 @ 04:00PM PT

The marginalization of people has perpetuated society and nestled its way onto the web. Twitter, blogs, and YouTube can be an excellent forum for confronting issues of poverty and homelessness. But they can also breed bad ideas, stereotypes, trends that hinder our progress towards combatting homelessness in America.

Here are three ugly web trends that need to stop.

1. "Homeless" as a derogatory term on Twitter

Search "homeless" on Twitter. I just did, and here's what I found (yes, I'm calling this person out): "@hannahhhp yep i definitely look homeless today."

Ignorant, right? This disparaging use of homeless is all over the Twittersphere, right next the the tweets of nonprofits holding coat drives or recruiting volunteers for Thanksgiving dinners.

"Homeless" (or #homeless) does not mean stupid or unkempt or drunk or any other kind of stereotype. If you're capable of jumping on the Twitter train, you can enlighten yourself about the causes of homelessness - including socio-economic disparity, mental health, poverty, PTSD, joblessness. If you're going to tweet about homelessness, try and help someone out instead of perpetuating ignorance.

2. "Funny Homeless Signs" Humor

This series of funny panhandler signs is constantly popping up on blogs and email chains. If features such classics as, "Ninjas killed my family; need money for ninja lessons," and "Why lie? I want a beer." One blog that featured these signs even began with this line: "We need more homeless people like this... lol."

Yes, homeless people are people. When you lost your home, you don't lost your personality. Why is it so surprising that people without a home can be witty, smart, and resourceful?

But more importantly - why do we get such a kick out of others' misfortune?

3. "Bum Fight" Videos on YouTube

Is the web be fueling the rise in violence against homeless people?  Brutal, violent acts against the homeless have increased exponentially in the past decade, to the point that national advocacy groups are calling for homeless hate crime protection.

But here's the disturbing part: as violence against the homeless has increased, so have online videos featuring violent acts against the homeless. In July, nearly 86,000 degrading videos of homeless people were posted on YouTube, 15,000 more than a year earlier. And since "Bum Fights" began gaining popularity on the web in 2001, over 6.8 million videos have been sold.

The people featured in these films need to be helped, not humiliated. This is another trend that needs to stop.

First Apartment After 45 Years Homeless

by Shannon Moriarty

categories: Health, Housing, Stories from the Streets, Veteran Homelessness

Published November 04, 2009 @ 02:53PM PT

Steve Sacre has been homeless for 45 years. His homeless stint included time in the Army, in prison, on couches, and on the streets. He learned early on how to hide his belongings so they're not stolen and how to watch his back so he's not hurt. But today, he can finally enjoy safety, security, permanence. Today he is living in his first real home.

Sacre's moving story appeared today in the Democrat Herald. Like many Vietnam-era veterans, his downward spiral began after he began using drugs to survive the horrors of the war. He came home - an addict - and became involved in burglary to fuel his habits, landing him in prison for 10 years.

It's heartbreaking to imagine living for 45 years without a sense of permanency. And for Sacre, this new home couldn't have come early enough. He has been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and doctors have no idea how much time he has left.

Though his new apartment is sparse, with just a few chairs and an old television, Sacre is grateful to finally have a place to call home.

VA's Bold Goal: End Veteran Homelessness in 5 Years

by Shannon Moriarty

categories: Action, Government, mental health, Policy, USA, Veteran Homelessness

Published November 04, 2009 @ 11:53AM PT

Yesterday, Secretary of Veteran's Affairs Eric Shinseki make a promise: to end veteran homelessness in five years. While many have been pessimistic about this goal, calling it "overly ambitious" or "over-simplified," we can all agree on one thing: it's about time.

It's all too easy to wear an American flag, put a "Support Our Troops!" sticker on your car, but then scoff at "bums" on the street. Few people make the connection: wearing the uniform actually increases one's odds of ending up on the streets.

Today, roughly 1 in 3 homeless adult men is a veteran, and 1 in 5 homeless adults have worn the uniform. Although veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan currently represent just 3 percent of homeless veterans, they are winding up on the streets at rates faster than vets from previous wars.

But perhaps the Obama Administration's bold commitment will reverse this unacceptable trend. According to CNN, the Secretary Shinseki's plan includes trying to leverage existing education and jobs programs, boosting the ability of veteran-owned businesses to compete for federal contracts, and spending an additional $3 billion on medical services and homeless programs.

While it's hard to predict if this infusion of money will amount to success, the most encouraging part of the VA's plan is that they are embracing new and innovative approaches. Rather than increasing shelter budgets, more funding will be directed towards homelessness prevention. The new VA plan increases its current homelessness prevention budget by $400 million, 85 percent of the funds benefitting health-care costs. This finally acknowledges that veteran homelessness is often the result of untreated health problems, like mental health issues and substance abuse.

"My name is Shinseki, and I am here to end veteran homelessness."

If the Secretary's opening line during his remarks to the National Summit on Homeless Veterans is any indication of his gusto, then we're off to a good start.