How I Became Homeless (Alternet)

[inanna]

My landlord's mistake became my nightmare—three kids, no house and too many nights on borrowed mattresses

December 26, 2014 | My eviction did not come with a dramatic pounding on the front door, like it happens in the movies. Just an unceremonious letter, lumped in between credit card offers and credit card bills. It would have been helpful if it had come in the form of a Howler, à la Harry Potter — literally screeching at me that if I was not out by that Friday, me and my belongings would be “forcibly removed” from the property. Instead the letter that contained my fate masqueraded as an innocent piece of junk mail. It remained unopened until I got home on a Monday evening around 7. In other words, in the four-day race to vacate my premises, I had pretty much lost one day.

<snip>

Finding a bed each night (and I’m using the term “bed” extremely loosely here) has meant driving between at least five different cities. I have slept in more places over the past several months than I’d venture to say I have in the last 10 years. The sandman has doggedly tracked me down in my car, on floors, couches, air mattresses, children’s bunk beds and in hotel rooms. I’ve shared a twin bed with one, two or three of my kids at a time.

<snip>

Finding decent, affordable housing has been the absolute bane of my existence. Although as a country we are clawing our way out of the housing crisis, its effects can still be felt in significant ways. With the drop in homeownership, the number of renters has spiked. In turn, this has allowed landlords to increase rental prices and be extremely picky with tenant selection. A single mother of three children with a fixed income isn’t exactly the Holy Grail of lessees.

When you find yourself in precarious predicaments such as mine you’ll also find suggestions and advice are handed to you as casually as breath mints. Have you thought about taking a loan? What about staying at a hotel? Surely you could find something cool on Craigslist. Each one of them makes me so crazy with sarcasm I want to slap my forehead like a cartoon character. Now why didn’t I think of that?! What a waste of energy: I spend all this time explaining yes, I’ve tried it, it doesn’t work, and instead of feeling supported, I just end up answering the same questions again and again.

Link: http://www.alternet.org/hard-times-usa/how-i-became-homeless?paging=off

[yeoman6987]

1. Sort to hear that

Hope you find something. Buying is better if you can do that. Why give money to others? Take some time and look for a home. Many places have decent homes for under a hundred grand. Good luck!

[Kalidurga]

2. So sad

that this happens hundreds of thousands of times everyday. Some people end up chronically homeless through no fault of their own. And it's solvable completely solvable that it isn't solved is an indictment on the system.

[Cleita]

3. Yet a relative of mine over Christmas told me they like the life style.

There's all kinds of services for them to eat, take showers; get a bunk. Panhandling is very lucrative according to her. If they really want jobs there are services that have computers that will teach them to use one and put in applications. This is not my first argument with this dummy so I just shut up. I don't think she's a cruel person, it's just that the propaganda from cruel people in the media has taken over the discussion. I give up.

[Kalidurga]

5. She might or might not be cruel

I lean toward cruel. Because there are places that will teach people the reasons that people are homeless. If they really wanted to learn about why people become homeless google could help them out on that front. It might be comforting to other the people who are homeless to make oneself feel less vulnerable as a person in a precarious situation myself I can understand that. It is true the media has pushed the meme that people who are poor or homeless only have themselves to blame, but this meme is not new to this century it has survived for hundreds if not thousands of years. You are wise to give up, she might be incapable of thinking for herself.

You are nice to give her the benefit of the doubt. I have rarely been accused of being nice in real life.

[jtuck004]

4. Maybe the next administration will put out as much effort for working families as this one

did for banks. We know most of the 10 million who fell into poverty during this administration will never leave it, including the children, many of whom will be malnourished, something that can never be fixed after a few years.

But our banks are reporting record profits. Perhaps that will keep you and your kids warm at night, or maybe you can find a steam vent outside of Goldman $achs.

http://thedailyshow.cc.com/extended-interviews/z9b8f1/timothy-geithner-extended-interview

Just don't tell the kids there is anyone in power that gives a flying rat's ass about them, or that they won't be in poverty when they grow up. It would take a fool to ignore what is in front of one's face now.

Happy Holidays, neighbor.