Ten Things You Need to Know to Live on the Streets

[BridgeTheGap]

This monthly feature was conceived by writer and Nation editorial board member Walter Mosley as a kind of do-it-yourself opinion and action device. Most often "Ten Things" will offer a brief list of recommendations for accomplishing a desired political or social end, sometimes bringing to light something generally unknown. The purpose of the feature is to go to the heart of issues in a stripped-down, active and informed way. After getting our visiting expert--or everyday citizen--to construct the list, we will interview that person and post a brief online version of "Ten Things," with links to relevant websites, books or other information. Readers who wish to propose ideas for "Ten Things" should e-mail us at [e-mail] or use the e-form at the bottom of this page.

For millions of Americans, the housing crisis began well before last year's front-page collapse. Bigotry and criminalization by an unjust system of policing and incarceration, combined with economic privation, have kept even the meager privilege of a subprime mortgage or slumlord lease out of reach for many. As the crisis unfolds, the number of homeless will grow.

Picture the Homeless, a social justice organization founded and led by homeless people in New York City, has joined The Nation to come up with a list of things you need to know to live on the street--and ways we can all build movements to challenge the stigma of homelessness and put forward an alternative vision of community.

http://www.thenation.com/article/ten-things-you-need-know-live-streets

[Newest Reality]

1. For those of us who are there

or on the brink, or even seeing how we could be on that slippery slope, this article is a great service.

There are mental and emotional hurdles to go through on that path, (as many are learning) and our culture is not very supportive of American refugees. The wilderness is tough, too; especially when you don't have the required skills or tools to brave it.

[Kennah]

2. I'll probably be able to avoid this ...

... when the wife, the kids, and I sleep on the floor in my Mother In Law's tiny place.

[Nay]

3. The main advice I would give someone who suspects that he/she may

soon be homeless is to not wait until you are physically thrown out of your house/apt before preparing yourself. It's hard to acknowledge to yourself that things aren't going to turn around, but the sooner you do that the better off you will be. If you can buy a used camper van, truck w slide-in, etc., before you are homeless, do it. I have been voluntarily homeless and was able to prepare a moveable 'house' to live in. I realize not everyone has these options, but many people do have resources at the beginning of their troubles and then lose them all as they try hard to hang on to their houses, find another job, etc., and they get caught at the end with NO resources. At the very least, trade in your present car for something you can live in before things get so bad you can't afford to buy anything to live in. My sincerest sympathies to anyone in this situation.

[cutlassmama]

5. yes, trade your car for a van or SUV. you never know when relatives

will tire of you/your children and not having their space and throw you out. Good to have a back up plan.

If you don't have a vehicle then get a tent for the woods.

[kickysnana]

4. Some things I noticed when I was on AFDC in MN...

1) You have to dress down but be clean. For some reason if you dress nicely you are suspected of not needing help or worse being a con artist.

2) I shopped outside our immediate area so that the people who were inspecting my groceries were strangers not neighbors. Here it meant in the suburbs as the clerks in the city saw themselves in you and were afraid and acted badly.

3) I always had a car except for the year I was physically unable to drive. At the time it was a $150 car with liability insurance only. One sister managed to go without car insurance for five years without getting caught, not something I recommend but survival is survival.

4) Be careful who you confide in. Be pleasant but not forthcoming.People believe they have the right to personal information about you. I found this out when I was in tech school to become self-supporting. When they could not turn me in for any illegal or negligent behavior a couple guys started lying about my personal behavior which put me in a couple very awkward and potentially dangerous situations until I figured out what was going on. Why?, because it was the 80's and jobs were scarce and they thought I would have an edge on them being female in the job search. (It didn't matter by the time we graduated nobody got a job in our field for at least the two years we kept in touch).

It really worries me with the new Welfare rules, cutting of services including bus fares, the GOP campaigning on new jobs and then slashing them instead and doing nothing to force employers to hire rather than pocket the cash. Now the schools are going down they used to be a good place for children to be now they are under siege and kids know it.

If Jesus were in those mega churches he would not have let them support what has happened to the poor, the young, the sick, the old and the disabled. Heck he wouldn't let what happened happen to able bodied people like 8 people for each McJob, no pension, no college, no health care.