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homelessness Archives - Page 2 of 3 - ChangingMedia

Nov 07
0

This Is Not a Photo Shoot

By | Homelessness, The Race to End Homelessness | No Comments

Before I had the great banner that overlooks each post in The Race to End Homelessness, finding a picture to accompany what I’d written each week was always a struggle for me. Sure, if you Google “homelessness,” there are plenty of images that showcase poverty, but most were unusable for my purposes. Besides most of those images being copyrighted pretty heavily, I have a real issue with using people experiencing homelessness as objects of poverty. Most photos of this nature are taken without the consent of the subject in the picture, simply because the individual is experiencing homelessness. That’s why I found it particularly disturbing that a homeless man lay dead in Houston, Texas for nearly a full day — while passersby took pictures off him.

The man frequented the busy Houston area where he died, which was near multiples businesses and a college. Police estimate he was seen by several hundred people, but wasn’t moved until a policeman found the body.

A general journalist’s rule is that if someone is photographed at a public place, the photo can be used without his or her explicit permission. Laws exist to limit use of one’s image, but as anyone who has picked up a tabloid knows, cameras can follow you anytime you are in public. So what happens when “public” for one person is “home” for another person — someone who lives his or her life outdoors or in a shelter? As showcased by camera-happy Houstonites, rights to privacy disappear, and yet despite that exposure no-one called for medical attention as a man lay dying.

Houston’s police chief made the point that in an era where one’s camera and mobile phone are literally the same device, any one of the amateur photographers could have called for help- and potentially saved this man’s life. This apathy is likely not only a result of the man’s homeless status. The Bystander Effect suggests that a group of people are far less effective than an individual at reacting to an emergency situation, because each person thinks someone else will know what to do and will take care of things. As demonstrated by the loss of this Houston man, know to locals as “Big Guy,” we unfortunately cannot count on the masses to make an emergency call just because they notice the situation and have a phone.

We hear the horror stories all the time — someone’s car breaks down and no one stops to help, or someone screams in a full apartment building but no neighbors call the police. How can we break away from the bystander effect? Diffusing responsibility is dangerous — and not just for people experiencing homelessness. Acting as an individual is important. If you were hurt on the street, you’d probably prefer six people called for an ambulance than zero. People who live their lives or in the public sphere don’t have much leverage to prevent being photographed, pointed at, or harassed. At the very least, we can all keep an eye out or one another — and provide some help when we can.

 

Oct 24
0

Outlawing Spare Change

By | Homelessness, The Race to End Homelessness | One Comment

Some people are surprised to learn that I don’t usually give money to panhandlers. It isn’t because I don’t care about those experiencing homelessness. It is because 1. Working in homeless services (shockingly) doesn’t pay me enough to pull out my wallet every day, 2. I don’t carry cash nearly as often as I should, and 3. I can’t give away money to the clients at my job, even if I could afford to.

So today, when I gave a dollar bill to a guy with a sign and a battered Red Sox cap, it wasn’t because I thought it would end homelessness. It was because I am so disturbed by the legislation before Baltimore City Council this month that attempts to make panhandling illegal that I wanted to give a dollar away before it becomes too late. Also, I am really rooting for the Red Sox.

Several Baltimore laws already prohibit aggressive panhandling, but a new proposal would encourage police to put increased pressure on individuals asking for money. The bill would outlaw panhandling within ten feet of any restaurant or storefront. Anyone who has spent time in Baltimore will realize that this essentially outlaws asking for money in all of downtown. Councilwoman Rochelle “Rikki” Spector, who supports the bill, thinks these rules will put an end to what she deems the “atrocious behavior” of asking people on the street for spare change.

You’ve likely seen the cardboard signs, “Looking for Work,” or “Homeless, Anything Helps.” To me, these signs are people silently screaming for help, people who have run out of options. Asking for help is what we teach children to do at a young age, and yet Baltimore is considering taking away that right. If visitors to the downtown area don’t want to give money, they can — and should — calmly say no. Panhandling will not put an end to homelessness. It has no place in the The Journey Home, nor is it anyone’s ideal source of income. But on a day when someone is hungry, or needs bus fare, or shampoo, is it wrong to ask your neighbors for some help?

I often hear that people are afraid the person they donate to will use the money for drugs or alcohol. More than once I have accompanied an individual into a sandwich shop or a grocery store and picked up the tab (as has Change-Engine contributor Robyn Stegman), but when I give cash, I don’t ask questions about where it is going. Giving money away is my choice, but how someone spends it is not.

If “atrocious behavior” means buying something to eat, talking to strangers, or asking for help, then I’d suggest that we are all guilty — and I’d hope for more, not less, of this behavior in Baltimore.

Sep 13
0

Sibling Rivalry: Ending Homelessness

By | Homelessness, The Race to End Homelessness | 4 Comments

Last year, I spent a lot of time planning an event that ended up going terribly. Between a water break road closure on North Avenue and a flat tire, two of the five presenters I’d scheduled to speak on homelessness at a local middle school cancelled an hour before the event. Because the format involved the speakers rotating through separate classrooms, someone needed to fill the vacancies. Reluctantly, a coworker and I stepped into the slot of the presenter. We offered up what we could about homelessness in Baltimore City and provided some information about different service providers and volunteer opportunities in the area. It was a lesson in both “how to fake your way through a presentation”, and “how to really confuse middle school students.” 

“Does anyone know of any homeless service providers in the city?” we’d ask, hoping to generate participation.

No response.

In order to get the ball rolling, we’d mention some well- known organizations.

“Has anyone heard of Healthcare for the Homeless? … or My Sister’s Place?”

“Your sister has a place?” Yelled one student. “Why don’t people go stay with her?”

The class was laughing at this jokester and chatting away amongst themselves before we could explain that My Sister’s Place is actually a transitional housing facility for women with mental illness, not a house run by any sibling of mine. At least that’s what it is in Baltimore. In Washington D.C., that’s the name of a housing center for women experiencing homelessness and domestic violence. There’s a My Sister’s Place in Gainesville, Georgia and Hartford, Connecticut. And it isn’t only female siblings that are getting support. My Brother’s Keeper is the name of agencies in Baltimore, Massachusetts, Texas, and beyond. Some focus on treating addiction, some on mental illness. Whatever the specialty, it is clear that there is an emphasis on supporting homeless individuals like they are family. For many individuals, people experiencing homelessness are family.

It was an offhanded comment, but the middle school student from last fall had a question I hear frequently. All he said was “Why don’t people stay with her?” But  the idea that “I could never let my son/mother/cousin/friend live on the streets,” is a sentiment I’ve heard many times. Usually, it is from someone who does not happen to have a family member on the brink of becoming homeless. While the words are meant to show support for a loved one going through a hypothetical tough situation, it is an easier promise to make than to keep. If you can financially and medically support someone who is struggling at the poverty level, that is excellent. But why should solving homelessness be the responsibility of the nuclear family of those with a mental illness, an addiction, or those who are unable to work?

I am certainly not about to waste time asking for minute changes from successful programs across the country. But if I were, I might suggest a better name for these sites would be “Your Sister’s Place“ or “Our Brother’s Keeper.” It might create a little less confusion about exactly who is responsible for ending homelessness.

 

Aug 01
0

The Race to Watch: New Orleans

By | Homelessness, The Race to End Homelessness | No Comments

This past week, I morphed into one of those annoying people who can’t get off their cell phone. No, I wasn’t playing a game or even checking facebook, but I still spent at least an hour a day obsessively refreshing twitter. This week, the National Alliance to End Homelessness held its annual conference in Washington, D.C. I couldn’t quite hear the presentations from an hour away in Baltimore, so I relied on the almost 1600 attendees — the most the conference has ever seen — to keep me updated.

To many, this probably doesn’t sound like a great use of a sunny week in July. It is surprising then, that the overwhelming message I took from an event on poverty, mental health, addiction, hunger, HIV/AIDS, veterans, and youth homelessness, was one of hope.

If you didn’t spend your week as I did, let me be the first to break the news: we’re in the middle of an underdog story. In my opinion, the big winner this year in the Race to End Homelessness, was New Orleans, Louisiana. A city I’ve criticized in the past for its frightening statistics when it comes to general homelessness, chronic homelessness, and veteran homelessness, NOLA has done something remarkable — changed their trends.

In 2005, New Orleans suffered one of the worst storms in recent history when Hurricane Katrina descended. The storm destroyed, among other infrastructure, much of the city’s affordable housing and service programs, leaving many homeless. An already serious problem in the city worsened, propelling NOLA to earn the title of the city with the second highest rate of homelessness nationwide.

Nearly eight years later, many former New Orleans residents are still displaced or struggling to recover, but homelessness has decreased significantly. Chronic homelessness has decreased by 47 percent in the city since 2009, and in some parishes this number is as high as 79 percent. Martha Kegel, the Executive Director of UNITY of Greater New Orleans and Stacy Horn Koch, Director of Homeless Policy in New Orleans write that, “New Orleans is on track to become one of the first cities to eliminate the long-term homelessness of people with disabilities, in line with the federal plan to end chronic homelessness by 2015.”

How did New Orleans surge ahead in the race? Kegel and Koch credit extra emergency vouchers, the city’s 10 year plan to end homelessness, and support from Mayor Landrieu as the key factors that have led the city to find and help those affected by Katrina. Service providers target the most vulnerable people and attempt to house them first. Search teams comb vacant buildings to find people dwelling inside and connect them with housing and services. When the storm displaced the city’s population, outreach teams went looking for them.

Numbers for  New Orleans are not quite back to pre-Katrina levels, but with 2,337 people experiencing homelessness today, things are much better than in 2007, when over 11,000 people were without housing in the city.

We can — and should — celebrate the progress happening in Louisiana. More importantly, we can learn from this comeback story. Each city faces a unique set of challenges when it comes to ending homelessness, but if New Orleans can move from one of this county’s worst natural disasters to end homelessness by 2015, there is nothing stopping the rest of us from making strides in the Race to End Homelessness.

Jul 18
0

No Christmas In July

By | Homelessness, The Race to End Homelessness | One Comment

I’m one of those people who is cold from October to May. I have sweatshirts reserved specifically for wearing around my apartment, and I once wore gloves to class. In the dead of winter, it is easy to understand why it is terrible to live outside. The snow, the ice, the deadly frost all make it nearly impossible to survive even in a temperate city like Baltimore. These conditions might seem like a long-lost memory from our vantage point in mid-July, but summer is just as dangerous a time to be experiencing homelessness — except fewer people are paying attention. When the temperature rises, most of us roll up our car windows and turn on the air conditioning, dividing us from our homeless neighbors.

Perhaps because of the holiday season, or because the cold is so inescapable in winter months, there is far more outreach to vulnerable populations at other times of the year. Organizations including the Food Bank, the Salvation Army, and the Red Cross report decreased donations and support in summer months, but need often increases during this time, especially because children are out of school and rely on their families for more services.

Some local efforts to support those experiencing homelessness are meeting the basic needs of those who don’t have their own AC, but only in very specific conditions. When it is 70° or 80° degrees, it is already uncomfortable to be outside for an entire day and night, but it isn’t until the thermometer hits 90° that cities will invite their homeless citizens indoors.  Cooling centers catering to people experiencing homelessness are set up in cities across the country, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and others. Often these sites are in public libraries, and offer some air conditioning and water.

I often promote housing as one of the most basic human needs, but the dangerously hot summer months serve as a reminder that this isn’t only a question of comfort or long term well-being and happiness — not having housing is an immediate health risk in July.

The option to cool off for a few hours — the centers are not open around the clock — is crucial to the survival of this vulnerable population. Also crucial are things like medical attention, access to healthy food, a place for personal hygiene, and the peace of mind that comes with having a safe place to live, but these are not made readily available. For now, it seems that all some cities can provide is a short reprieve from the blistering summer heat.

Jul 04
0

Who Do You Think You Are?

By | Homelessness, The Race to End Homelessness | No Comments

My driver’s license expires in the middle of July. I’d been eyeing the date for some time now, dreading what was coming. Even though I’ve been in Maryland these past few months, I’m from Rhode Island, and my trip back to RI won’t be until after the card expires. I was putting off the phone call to the Department of Motor Vehicles to explain why there was no way I could make it to a Rhode Island DMV even though I still lived in state. I was pleasantly surprised to find that things have gotten easier since the last time I needed ID, and I was able to renew everything online.

I’ll still be stuck with the same dorky picture of me from when I was 18, but all I had to do was check a box that said yes, I still wear glasses, and send Rhode Island $40 and I’ll be legal to drive and drink and go to the bank uninterrupted. For others, it is not so easy. Individuals experiencing homelessness frequently find themselves unable to prove who they are, and this leaves them cut off from the services that are supposed to help.

When I ask people who have needed to obtain identification while experiencing homelessness, I hear the same paradox repeatedly: “You need ID to get ID.” It’s true, because a license application usually requires a birth certificate, a social security application usually requires a license, etc. Unfortunately, you also need identification to get food stamps, apply for housing, and even to get into some shelters or drop in centers. These are often the ticket to homeless services, but are so expensive — in both time and money — that they can delay someone from receiving services indefinitely. Furthermore, because they are so difficult to obtain, identification is a commonly stolen item inside shelters and on the street.

There are some programs in place to help with this conundrum. Some shelters, transitional houses, and day centers encourage clients to have their mail delivered to the facility and use the shelter address as their own when applying for a new identification care. While this is perfectly legal, it can sometimes lead to confusion or a delay in getting mail, because individuals are at the mercy of the staff to sort and hand out mail deliveries. This also ties the individual to one particular shelter or program, and could mean starting the process over again once he or she is housed.

In Myrtle Beach, all individuals experiencing homelessness are being issued a basic information card to help track the food, housing, and clothing they receive. This will help with access to emergency services, but the card isn’t the same as a federally issued driver’s license or ID card. Florida residents can now obtain a license or general ID without having to pay the state’s $25 fee, but still need to pay $6.25 for a birth certificate before they can get said license or general ID. In most states, individual organizations can provide some assistance in paying for ID cards, but funds are limited and cannot always meet the need.

In a culture that is so driven by identification cards, many people are unable to prove who they are. Instead of being recognized as a person with a name and a birthday who is an organ donor, these individuals are labeled only as homeless. Until the process of obtaining identification can be made more accessible, these people are trapped in homelessness, challenged to receive services and housing.

I’m incredibly glad that I didn’t have to explain to the Rhode Island Department of Motor Vehicles why I needed a new license from five states away. Still, I wonder why something as important as identification is no problem for people who live in two places, and a trial for those don’t have anywhere to call home.

Jun 20
0

Can You Play Them Home?

By | Homelessness, The Race to End Homelessness | One Comment

I bet you never sit around and think to yourself “Hmmm… I just don’t have enough places to spend my money.” Companies know this, and advertise diligently to compete for your every dollar. The same is even more evident in the nonprofit sector. Anyone who has listened to NPR during pledge season knows that fundraising is a never-ending project. Also, if you donate to NPR, will you have money left to give to United Way? The Red Cross? Your child’s soccer team? Your friend’s kick starter project?

One of the most relevant things I learned in college sociology wasn’t about a theorist or a new social trend. Carrying Capacity is a term that in Biology defines the maximum number or organisms a particular environment can support. In my field, it represents the maximum number of causes to which you can reasonably dedicate your time, effort and money. I am constantly learning about a new injustice or a worthwhile cause, but I can’t make it to every rally or donate to everyone, and you probably can’t either.

I haven’t asked him personally, but I believe the public’s carrying capacity probably had to do with why Mark Horvath, founder of Invisible People TV set out to do something different. Invisible People is an incredible movement that deserves more focus than I am dedicating to it here- but you can watch episodes online. Mark, who has experienced homelessness himself, set out to interview people across the country who are homeless- and to learn their stories. The interviews, some already available, are part of a larger film project called @Home. Like other documentaries, the effort has a fundraising page to raise donations. Unlike other documentary projects, half of the raised funds are allocated for the creation of… a video game.

The idea was to create an interactive game that could teach players about homelessness and use social media to share what they learn about this issue. The @Home game went to Hackathon, where a team of programmers worked to create the app in just 36 hours. They also somehow found time to make a mini documentary about the process, and at 1:30 you can see the actual game interface and learn how to play. At 2:58 you see how to “win” the game: points can be redeemed for household goods and “move-in kits” that are then donated right in your own city.

Some might see this as a sad commentary on our society — we need to be tricked into caring, we are lazy enough to think we can rack up enough points to end homelessness through video game donations. Really though, this isn’t laziness; its carrying capacity, and we all have a maximum. The people who can create innovate ways to grab our attention are the ones who will get their message across, and this game uses real interviews to get the message of thousands of people into the phone in your pocket.

The game makers explain their goals for the project are to “entertain, educate and move players to take action on homelessness.” This is not a game in the same way that Angry Birds or Candy Crush is a game — this is a game that seeks to inspire you to do more.

Because the program isn’t finished yet, we’ll have to wait and see how video apps can impact homelessness — but I know I’ll be playing!

Jun 06
0

Couch Surfing: The Last Stop

By | Homelessness, The Race to End Homelessness | 2 Comments

I have this facebook friend — one of those people I used to know and do not keep in touch with much — who last week updated his status to ask if he could crash at someone’s place. “Help” he wrote, “I’m about to be literally homeless in New Jersey.”

At first, I was infuriated. How dare he pretend to be undergoing the same plight as the people I know who are experiencing homeless? As a middle class, college-educated guy I went to high school with, he couldn’t possibly be “really” homeless.

Then I did my research. As it turns out, couch surfing is a lot closer to homelessness than I originally realized. The 2012 Annual Report to Congress named “doubling up,” or living with a friend or relative as the most common previous housing situation for people entering homelessness. While most people can offer a guest room or at least a pillow for a night or two, many cannot afford a permanent house guest. Furthermore, living in such close quarters puts stress on even the best of relationships. For these reasons, a couch might be the last stop for someone before becoming homeless.

Does this mean everyone who finds themselves caught between a lease for a few days is entering the homeless system? Certainly not. Still, it is dangerous to believe that we or the people we know are immune from this experience. In the 2013 State of Homelessness in America Report, The National Alliance to End Homelessness stated that economic need has driven people to double up at higher rates in 39 states. From 2010 to 2011, New York State saw an increase of 26 percent in the number of households that doubled up, while Massachusetts rates increased by 25 percent. The ten states that saw a decrease in doubling up were mostly southern states, but also included Alaska and Kansas, both with double digit declines. Generally, those areas with lower property values did not see the staggering increases that the rest of the country experienced. This suggests that even when working, many individuals are unable to pay for rooms or apartments at the average market rate.

mapMap: The National Alliance to End Homelessness

Because the 2013 State of Homelessness Report uses data from 2011, some newer studies suggest this trend has started to correct itself as the economy improves. While moving off the couch is certainly an improvement, this group represents a “hidden homeless” population, because they are more difficult to count in homeless censuses or Point-In-Time counts for the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

As the economy improves — or as tensions run high with housemates, this population will begin to look for affordable housing. It is dangerous to assume that the current demand for housing is an accurate representation of the need for such homes. In 2009, the need for affordable housing outnumbered the amount of safe units by 5.5 million. Four years later, the situation has not improved. There are many people who have been waiting in the wings — friends’ spare rooms, basements, and living rooms — for a place of their own.

Affordable housing has never been prevalent enough or affordable enough for everyone, but it is more crucial now than ever. There is a large group of people that used to live independently, and likely have some income, who are ready and willing to become tenants and homeowners. They just need properties at the right price to let them do so.

My facebook friend found a place for the night and has since moved into a new apartment. Others, though, are still waiting for a place they can truly call home.

May 15
0

Building Bridges

By | Art & Social Change, Of Love and Concrete | No Comments

Art is a bridge. It connects the mind to reality.

One of the most powerful connections that art can make is between people. Art can bring the CEO next to a hipster in a stank bar to indulge in some tunes. Art can reach deep into our soul as we explore the fallacy of our thoughts on material things. Art can even connect us to people we may not know. Art that tells the story of the unknown is among the most powerful in creating change. When we bring light to mystery it allows us to see and navigate.

In 1999 multidisciplinary artist Alfredo Jaar sought to bring to light a dark issue in Montreal. He used the amazing canvas of the Copula of the Marche Bonsecours to tell a story of homelessness in the city. “Lights of the City” thoughtfully considered how to draw attention to an issue that society would rather ignore. On many occasions portraits have captured the story of overlooked people, but “Lights of the City” sought to maintain the dignity of the subjects and not exploit their current circumstances. With respect, the instillation drew attention to the situation and suggested that it is only temporary.

As a monumental part of the sky line, the canvas was a beacon for much of the city. Jaar installed a hundred thousand watts of red lights into the copula. The lights could be flashed on with audience participation at several strategically located switches. The switches were placed in the office of an organization that serves the homeless, and several missions located within 500 yards of the copula.  Every time a homeless person entered any of the institutions they were welcome to flip the switch. This allowed the individual to be recognized without being humiliated.

Jaar created a connection for society. Just as a bridge cannot deliver us to our destination, his installation alone cannot eradicate homeless. It is on society to press onto our goal of a better life.

As a final thought I wanted to share some words from fellow Baltimore artist Gaia, on how to take this installation to the next level:

“Eventually all the shelters for homeless people in Montreal could be wired and connected to the Cupola. This way, a major landmark and historical monument in the city would be acting as a non-stop lighthouse, producing endless, painful distress signals to society.

With enough media coverage and public outrage and support triggered by these ongoing distress signals, homelessness could be completely eradicated from Montreal.”

IMAGE CREDIT. Wikimedia Commons.
May 09
0

Unaffordable Death

By | Homelessness, The Race to End Homelessness | One Comment

For most, the idea of cemetery dirt and gravestones represents the end of our lives. For Bratislav Stojanovic, a grave in Serbia has been home for the past 15 years. He isn’t the only one living among the dead — the practice of living in graves has spread to Cambridge and other cities where homelessness is on the rise.

Ironically, if Stojaniovic and other grave-dwellers are like most homeless people, their current graves could be the only ones they ever see. For most people experiencing homelessness, a burial is a lavish expense. Even a simple funeral can cost thousands of dollars. Thus, the requests some people have about death — from family plots to specific ceremonial music to the words that will mark a grave — seem not to apply if someone was poor in their lifetime.

As a caveat, it is not appropriate to assume that someone experiencing homelessness did not have family or friends with some means. Often, family members are notified of their loved one’s passing and the body is turned over to them. Hospitals and social workers can often find the people they need in just a few phone calls, because people living outdoors often need to carry all their belongings on them, so a business card can be retrieved easily.

But what if this yields no results? For the most part, these bodies are disposed of and forgotten.

In some cities, bodies with no family contacts are buried in a common grave. Sixteen states are now required to at least subsidize the cost of funerals for those who cannot afford them. The laws differ as to what can be done with the bodies, with some donated to research and some cremated. In Seattle, a service is held every two years to remember and bury the ashes of those who were unable to pay for funeral services at the time of death. A few other cities also host common cemeteries. The largest of these is Hart Island in New York, where an approximate 750,000 people (not all of them previously homeless) have been mass-buried since the 1860s. There are no gravestones at these cemeteries, and while there are records on file, pre-1977 documents burned in a fire.

Denmark has taken strides to equalize the way the homeless are remembered. Earlier this year, advocates for the homeless proposed a cemetery for the 5,000 homeless people in the county. The project is still in the works, but this final resting place is far more dignified than a discarded body or an anonymous common grave. City officials, advocates, and members of the homeless community collaboratively decided on the cemetery, which is slated to open this fall. Why is the city allocating funds for this plot and the statue that will accompany the graves? According to Ayfer Baykal, the city’s deputy mayor for technical and environment affairs, “Copenhagen should be a city for everyone.”

Could this attitude exist in other places? It seems unnecessary that poverty is a badge that a person must wear past the end of his or her life. Until we can end homelessness among the living, we could at least end it for the dead.