Homelessness // Current

Since We Know Better

A video I created to a song I wrote and performed that is a cry for change and hope for our future. I ask that we come together... more

guitback
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Why a disabled lesbian feminist might vote McCain-Palin

A few months ago, I received the email about Michelle Obama's allegedly "militant" university thesis which is debunked in the link above. Actually, it arrived in my fiancee's inbox, as do most of our personal emails.

One of the striking things about our acquaintance, whom I'll call "Sukie," forwarding that particular email to us (it's the only election-related "important story not in the news!!" type email we got this year, thankfully) is that my fiancee is African-American.

Sukie is hardly the stereotypical or even typical McCain-Palin supporter. She said yesterday that she was still undecided, in reassuring us that she did plan to vote -- though neither my fiancee nor I are registered as Democrats, we do both support Obama, and as we do every year, we've been reminding everyone we know to vote, regardless of which candidates they support. Still, taking her at her word that she remains undecided, and adding up: her considering the baseless, racist Michelle Obama smear worth forwarding; her periodic statements about immigrants and Hispanic Americans needing to speak English in public, which I always gently correct; and her claim to still be undecided at this late date; she seems more likely to vote for McCain or a third-party candidate than for Obama.

Like my fiancee and myself, Sukie is bisexual, and currently in a lesbian relationship. She was previously married and has adult children. She's lived in the West and the Midwest, and in Alaska. She currently lives in subsidized housing in a seaside New England town, after spending much of 2008 homeless after her multiple disabilities and low employability led to an eviction. She is a military veteran. Her girlfriend was recently diagnosed with cancer. She and her partner have been involved with feminist causes, including regular breast cancer fundraising events. She and her partner are both white.

(As mentioned above, my fiancee is African-American. She also has Native American, Chinese and European ancestry, all from several generations back. I'm of mixed European and Native Canadian descent; being 1/4 Sicilian, I may have had some African ancestors 1000 years ago.)

From my perspective, Barack Obama is the obvious choice for someone in Sukie's position, and McCain an untenable one. Both campaigns have said they prefer civil unions or domestic partnership to allowing same-sex marriage, though all four candidates have stated or acted on somewhat different positions at different times; I don't know whether Sukie and her partner of ten years "Betty" want to get married, but that doesn't mean the issue doesn't affect them. Veterans' benefits have long suffered from underfunding and poor quality of care, and this situation has only worsened over the last eight years; Senator McCain's record on supporting veterans' benefits has been abyssmal despite his own military service, while Senator Obama has voted to maintain or increase funding for VA programs time after time.

Perhaps the issue of most immediate importance to Sukie, though, is health care. Betty is an hourly worker, and while her direct supervisors at the chain store where she works have been supportive so far, they could be overruled at any time, especially as she needs to take increasing amounts of time off for surgery and chemotherapy. Should she lose her current coverage, she will have virtually no options for replacing it if insurers continue to be allowed to deny coverage for "pre-existing conditions" -- potentially putting her in much the same situation Barack Obama's mother faced during her battle with cancer. Betty would probably be eligible for Medicaid coverage, but Medicaid payouts across the country were already so low most doctors won't accept Medicaid even before the economic crisis led states to cut their budgets. And while Betty might be eligible for Social Security disability if she becomes unable to work, by the time she could get Medicare she'll likely have either beaten the cancer or died.

[cont'd]A few months ago, I received the email about Michelle Obama's allegedly "militant" university thesis which is... more

the_Jack
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2 responses

20 days ago

Homeless given the greenlight to VOTE

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A federal judge in Ohio has ruled that counties must allow homeless voters to list park benches and... more

wiredbirds
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53 responses

20 days ago

Homeless guy finds Paul McCartney's head, makes £2000

A homeless man has bagged a £2000 reward after finding the waxwork head of Paul McCartney in a bin. The head was lost on a... more

richjm
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14 responses

26 days ago

New figures show drop in homelessness

The number of homeless people in Scotland has dropped by 5% in a year, figures have shown. In 2007/08, a total of 56,609... more

JanaPokana
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0 responses

1 month ago

Seattle homeless camp cleared out

"Seattle city officials Friday ordered a homeless encampment named after the city's mayor to pack up and move out. An... more

regjoeschmo
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24 responses

1 month ago

Flashback, 2002 - Bush set the minorities up

In a speech in 2002, Bush promised that 5 million poor families will own their own homes - nice homes, not crappy homes - by the... more

Vierotchka
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14 responses

1 month ago

Tent cities spread in US as economy sags

"A few tents cropped up hard by the railroad tracks, pitched by men left with nowhere to go once the emergency winter shelter closed for the summer.

Then others appeared - people who had lost their jobs to the ailing economy, or newcomers who had moved to Reno for work and discovered no one was hiring.

Within weeks, more than 150 people were living in tents big and small, barely a foot apart in a patch of dirt slated to be a parking lot for a campus of shelters Reno is building for its homeless population. Like many other cities, Reno has found itself with a "tent city" - an encampment of people who had nowhere else to go.

From Seattle to Athens, Ga., homeless advocacy groups and city agencies are reporting the most visible rise in homeless encampments in a generation.

Nearly 61 percent of local and state homeless coalitions say they've experienced a rise in homelessness since the foreclosure crisis began in 2007, according to a report by the National Coalition for the Homeless. The group says the problem has worsened since the report's release in April, with foreclosures mounting, gas and food prices rising and the job market tightening.

"It's clear that poverty and homelessness have increased," said Michael Stoops, acting executive director of the coalition. "The economy is in chaos, we're in an unofficial recession and Americans are worried, from the homeless to the middle class, about their future."

The phenomenon of encampments has caught advocacy groups somewhat by surprise, largely because of how quickly they have sprung up.

"What you're seeing is encampments that I haven't seen since the 80s," said Paul Boden, executive director of the Western Regional Advocacy Project, an umbrella group for homeless advocacy organizations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Calif., Portland, Ore. and Seattle.

The city of Santa Barbara, Calif., has given over a parking lot to people who sleep in cars and vans. The city of Fresno, Calif., is trying to manage several proliferating tent cities, including an encampment where people have made shelters out of scrap wood. In Portland, Ore., and Seattle, homeless advocacy groups have paired with nonprofits or faith-based groups to manage tent cities as outdoor shelters. Other cities where tent cities have either appeared or expanded include include Chattanooga, Tenn., San Diego, and Columbus, Ohio.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development recently reported a 12 percent drop in homelessness nationally in two years, from about 754,000 in January 2005 to 666,000 in January 2007. But the 2007 numbers omitted people who previously had been considered homeless - such as those staying with relatives or friends or living in campgrounds or motel rooms for more than a week."

Associated Press"A few tents cropped up hard by the railroad tracks, pitched by men left with nowhere to go once the emergency winter shelter... more

JohnA
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47 responses

1 month ago

Capitol Strives to Define ‘Homeless’

WASHINGTON — With unemployment and foreclosures rising and growing numbers of families struggling to find affordable... more

sofaslug
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0 responses

2 months ago

Humanitarian Day Detroit 2008

Discusses homelessness in Detroit, a very major issue not talked about or dealt with nearly enough. It also documents the annual... more

Sumaya
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0 responses

2 months ago

the travelers guide...

i am going to tell a story , about my search to find truth,and my travels as a homeless person over the last four years, the... more

gentjim
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4 responses

3 months ago

Help Each Other Out

What happened to lending a brother/sister a hand?

kimrich09
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1 response

1 year ago

More homeless people expected to vote this fall

Among the record number of voters expected to cast ballots this fall may be an increase from an often-invisible population - the homeless.Advocacy groups and shelters across the country have stepped up efforts to register the 3.5 million people who drift in and out of homelessness in the United States."Just because we're homeless or low income doesn't mean we don't have an opinion," said Estelle Bearcub, who plans to vote for Barack Obama. "It's our right to vote. And it's our right to have our opinion count, too."The homeless have sometimes struggled to participate in the political process, in large part because of requirements in Washington and 39 other states that voters list a mailing address.Volunteers encourage transient voters to use the address of the shelter or soup kitchen they frequent in order to receive an absentee ballot. In states that require a physical address, voters can list a park or intersection where they sleep.Bearcub has an absentee ballot delivered to the soup kitchen where she eats lunch most every day."It works pretty well," she said, standing outside Bremerton's Salvation Army post, where a banner announcing a voter registration drive flapped in the breeze. "They keep it real safe. We've never had any problems."Inside the Salvation Army, volunteer Walter Washington acknowledged that some homeless people don't care about politics."But others, they know what's going on, and they have their views," he said.Michael Stoops, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, said his agency's efforts have been particularly effective this year because of intense interest in the presidential race."I've never seen it like this," said Stoops, who has been registering homeless voters since 1984. "We're going to see increased turnout across the board."In West Palm Beach, Fla., advocates registered more than 100 people in a week. Now they're scrambling to train volunteers to continue the work through September."Our main goal is to dispel the myth that because they don't have a roof over their head, they're not entitled to the vote," said Rita Clark, the county's homeless coalition director.In Portland, Ore., a recent drive by the Sisters of the Road homeless advocacy group registered more than 400 homeless voters, twice as many as the agency registered in 2004.Patrick Nolen, who organized the effort, said repeated visits by presidential candidates to Oregon heightened interest in registration among the homeless. But many homeless voters were also concerned with local races.Portland's homeless pay especially close attention to laws prohibiting sitting or lying on sidewalks between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Anti-camping laws prevent them from storing bedding on public property."I heard many a discussion about which city councilor supported the sidewalk and anti-camping laws," Nolen said. "Those types of decisions affect them a lot more than other voters."In Washington state, some government agencies even accept mail for homeless voters during election season. In Seattle in 2004, officials allowed more than 500 people to receive ballots at the county administration building, which runs a free shelter on its loading dock during the winter.Some officials worry about potential election fraud involving homeless voters.After studying data from the 2004 election, Milwaukee police in March reported a heightened risk of voter fraud among the homeless, because many of them were registered in multiple locations.Efforts to register homeless voters will continue throughout the summer, culminating in a 50-state effort slated for late September."It's their right," Nolen said. "There are very few reasons why you can't vote. In most places, it's only if you're incarcerated or if you're dead."Among the record number of voters expected to cast ballots this fall may be an increase from an often-invisible population - the... more

bansheewail
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41 responses

4 months ago

"current green team" the new topic for discussion

were conversations create solutions and ideas are our currency, a cyberspace penny for your thoughts....!!!!!!!!

gentjim
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9 responses

4 months ago

'Shocking' rise in homelessness among women

The number of homeless women has risen by nearly 80 per cent in five years, a new report has revealed. Tens of thousands of single women and children are being forced to live in hostels, sleep rough or rely on the goodwill of friends and family as waiting lists for council houses soar.

The use of long-term bed and breakfast accommodation for women and children has more than trebled since 2003, despite a government commitment to end the practice. The majority of adults in temporary housing are single mothers, according to new figures.

The report by the Conservative Party, entitled Women and Homelessness, will highlight the growing numbers of "hidden homeless". The Government has pledged to halve the number of people in temporary accommodation by 2010.

The report reveals 144,000 women are currently on council waiting lists – a rise of 77 per cent in five years. These figures are based on information obtained from 248 councils throughout England and Wales.

The number of women placed in temporary accommodation went up by more than 50 per cent between 2003 and 2007 to 24,428. That figure includes 1,328 women who spent more than six weeks in B&B accommodation – a 330 per cent increase from 2003.

Hostels and B&Bs are often in undesirable areas. One in five women become homeless to escape violence and many more have been abused in the past. Yet 170 out of 248 councils have no women-only hostels.

Homeless charities warn that the situation is worse than the figures suggest, as thousands of homeless women are turned away by councils and so remain hidden from official figures. Councils have narrowed their eligibility criteria as they struggle to cope with growing demands.

Women in temporary housing are at greater risk of violence and of suffering from poor physical and mental health. The problem is also known to have a detrimental effect on the health and education of children. Campaigners and opposition parties are calling on the Government to provide more help for homeless women, insisting that more social and affordable housing be built urgently.

What do you think that the government should do to help those women forced into homelessness and insecure housing? Is the issue of homeless amongst women a more serious one than for men? And what can individuals do to help homeless women and men?
The number of homeless women has risen by nearly 80 per cent in five years, a new report has revealed. Tens of thousands of single... more

LindseyIndigo
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21 responses

4 months ago

Houseless is NOT Homeless!!

Although I am located in North California, the following information and figures are proportionate throughout California:
In 1951 Santa Rosa's population was 17,000. By 2005 it grew to 170,000 (a 10 times increase in over 50 years). The newly increasing homeless population in Santa Rosa in 1994 estimated at about 150 inflated to 1,700 (that were known of) by 2005 (a 10 times increase in only 10 years). These depressing percentages are typical with the only difference being that some areas affected sooner or later (but eventual) and has worsened! Additionally, the resulting increase in housing costs of over 20 times during a period that wage earnings increased less than 20%!!! The striking observation was..... that all major cities throughout California simultaneously were chronologically equivalent - example: for San Francisco merely add a zero to each of those totals!!! Observation of this trend first became alarming in 1992. However, the self serving ambitions of a few gave no concern to the residual affects to millions along the way other than very inappropriate treatment!!?!

A recent (inappropriate) attempt at a "solution" (IE: complaints regarding the homeless) not only fails to solve problems, but creates new ones, and doesn't even ease the original problem (just moves it to additional areas). Examples of some complaints are urination, littering, drug and alcohol abuse, panhandling, etc. Consider being refused the privilege (should be a right?) to use a public restroom and another facility is 6 blocks or more with only a repetition. Eventually, common sense will dictate what will happen. (and what excuse do other people have!??) After experiencing this scenario for even less than a month, you'll just skip the first steps - go figure! Littering violations are not exclusive to the homeless (some well to do folks who obviously live in a home are notorious trash dumpers). Alcoholism usually starts in the home, and if you haven't noticed, proficient drug dealers can afford a house. Instead of focusing on the cause of homeless, it's become a sport to harass those who are, and create new laws to justify making criminals of those who were victimized by those who were so ambitious!! Connect the Dots and see the Reality of it all!!

In the 60's and 70's we learned not to typecast. (I.E. charge or accuse anyone for a crime because of color, religion or other categories that fall into discrimination areas). There are already concerns regarding discrimination against the homeless and economically disadvantaged, and the need to stop homeless hate crimes. All criminal charges should be applied for the crime committed... not generalized, stereotyped and unfairly targeting the economically disadvantaged. It only disrupts the potential for any improvement, and is a violation of Civil Rights to criminally charge someone just for being black, or gay, or Jewish, or..... "Homeless"!? Not all of us are drug addicts, alcoholics or otherwise derelict - some of us are used to working for a living. Categorizing living within one's means as criminal behavior is counter productive and lacks common sense. Those with inappropriate behavior had inappropriate behavior before becoming homeless!!

Awareness is necessary, not OF the homeless (they are all over everywhere!?), but be aware of the gross injustice and Civil Rights violations that have been beginning!! Reduce the increase of this population, instead of victimizing citizens further until there are fewer voices being listened to!? Attempting to recover from whichever of a variety of setbacks, dealing with these current economic imbalances, and accepting a humble existence will offer enough of a struggle without inappropriate interference from bureaucratic stupidity!!

I am ... A. John Doe Homeless

and these are my Viewpoints
of those "progressive" developments
of the Growth that has been
SOooo-OH!
"Good for the Economy"!!?

http://homelessreality.org/
Although I am located in North California, the following information and figures are proportionate throughout California: In... more

aJohnDoeHomeless
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0 responses

4 months ago

A Reality of Homelessness

Typically, governing agencies come up with the wrong solution to a given problem. An example is the focus on band-aids for... more

aJohnDoeHomeless
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1 response

4 months ago

U.S. Reports Drop in Homeless Population

WASHINGTON — The number of chronically homeless people living in the nation’s streets and shelters has dropped by about 30 percent — to 123,833 from 175,914 — between 2005 and 2007, Bush administration officials said on Tuesday.

Housing officials say the statistics, which the Department of Housing and Urban Development collects each year from more than 3,800 cities and counties, may reflect better data collection and reporting and some variation in the number of communities reporting on an annual basis. But the officials attribute much of the decline to the “housing first” strategy that has been promoted by the Bush administration and Congress and increasingly adopted across the country.

In that approach, local officials place chronically homeless people into permanent shelter — apartments, halfway houses or rooms — and then focus on treating addiction and mental and health problems. HUD defines chronically homeless people as disabled individuals who have been continuously homeless for more than a year or have experienced at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years.

Until cities and states began adopting the program, many of those people seemed to shuttle endlessly between shelters, hospitals and the street. The “housing first” strategy has begun to stabilize that population, officials say.

“We can all be encouraged that we’re making progress in reducing chronic street homelessness,” Housing Secretary Steven C. Preston said in a statement. “But we must also recognize that we have a long way to go to find a more lasting solution for those struggling with homelessness every day.”

HUD collects the statistics as part of its Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. The report said that 1.6 million people experienced homelessness and found shelter between Oct. 1, 2006 and Sept. 30, 2007. Individuals accounted for 70 percent of the people living in shelters during that time. The rest were families with children. About 13 percent of all homeless adults living in shelters were veterans.WASHINGTON — The number of chronically homeless people living in the nation’s streets and shelters has dropped by... more