I am so tired of living in an insane asylum; in a social experiment

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

.......and it's a point I make all the time to people who think homeless people should just rent a room somewhere. ..........

I don't remember anyone ever saying that the homeless should rent a room somewhere. What I hear quite often is that people should rent a room rather than be homeless. It follows the complaints that rent is just too darn high and it is forcing people to be homeless.

No, high rent is not really the basis of the problem, because normal decent people, when they can no longer afford rent will get together with friends and co-rent a place, or else they will look on Craigslist for an offer of a room for rent, and there are always plenty of those. If they have treated the other persons in their life fairly, they might have a relative or friend who will take them in. It's not an answer that will lift the homeless out of the gutter, it is a suggest to stop the downward spiral before the bottom is reached.

It's not a suggestion that is going to do much to help the severely mentally ill, or the far gone alcoholic or drug user. Bu it is one of the answers for the minimum wage worker who can not longer afford rent on his own.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

I don't remember anyone ever saying that the homeless should rent a room somewhere. What I hear quite often is that people should rent a room rather than be homeless. It follows the complaints that rent is just too darn high and it is forcing people to be homeless.

No, high rent is not really the basis of the problem, because normal decent people, when they can no longer afford rent will get together with friends and co-rent a place, or else they will look on Craigslist for an offer of a room for rent, and there are always plenty of those. If they have treated the other persons in their life fairly, they might have a relative or friend who will take them in. It's not an answer that will lift the homeless out of the gutter, it is a suggest to stop the downward spiral before the bottom is reached.

It's not a suggestion that is going to do much to help the severely mentally ill, or the far gone alcoholic or drug user. Bu it is one of the answers for the minimum wage worker who can not longer afford rent on his own.

Renting a room is unaffordable in the urban areas with the highest rates of homelessness, though. Workers do try to adjust, by renting farther out and commuting in. But that requires car ownership, something not all workers have or are able to afford, and haven't needed to because of decent public transit systems in those same urban areas. Some of these solutions aren't so simple and don't exist for some people.

[rodentraiser]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

I don't remember anyone ever saying that the homeless should rent a room somewhere. What I hear quite often is that people should rent a room rather than be homeless. It follows the complaints that rent is just too darn high and it is forcing people to be homeless.

No, high rent is not really the basis of the problem, because normal decent people, when they can no longer afford rent will get together with friends and co-rent a place, or else they will look on Craigslist for an offer of a room for rent, and there are always plenty of those. If they have treated the other persons in their life fairly, they might have a relative or friend who will take them in. It's not an answer that will lift the homeless out of the gutter, it is a suggest to stop the downward spiral before the bottom is reached.

It's not a suggestion that is going to do much to help the severely mentally ill, or the far gone alcoholic or drug user. Bu it is one of the answers for the minimum wage worker who can not longer afford rent on his own.

Maybe you don't remember anyone saying the homeless should rent a room, but I've had many a person say it to me when I was living in my truck. Have you ever been homeless? Because people say a lot of things to homeless people they'd never say to anyone else.

One thing you have to remember about roommates that everyone forgets: there's a limit on how many people can live in a house or apartment. So many people per bedroom is what I think it is. So if you have a one bedroom apartment, you may not be able to even have a roommate.

If you have a two bedroom apartment, the rent is more and even if you bring in a roommate, many landlords will charge extra anyway. I've known people who got married and were charged more rent when the husband or wife moved in and I know a single woman whose mother wanted to move in with her was going to get charged extra even though the woman already rented a two bedroom trailer. The reality is that yes, having roommates can cut the cost, but maybe not as much as you might think, especially since utilities will probably be more as well.

[Hemlock140]

I can understand why a landlord would charge more for more people, it's going to be that much more wear and tear on the apartment, and more use of any utilities that are included in the rent. There is also more risk, since often unrelated roommates have a falling out and one leaves.

People who have a job but still can't afford to rent a place are in a difficult situation, they have the option of moving to a less expensive area, but then pay might be even less, and it costs money to move. Without family in the area to help they can end up homeless, but they are not living on the 4th Ave or Pine St sidewalk or in the bushes along the freeway. They are in the Tiny Home villages, Tent City 3 or Tent City 4, working hard to save the first and last month rent.

The people in the "jungle" and under/next to the freeway are either mentally ill, drugged out, or just prefer that lifestyle. Many are offered help but refuse to accept it.

[rodentraiser]

I just read someone's take on this. It said: "The free market regulates itself! If people don't want to pay $1200+ a month for a one bedroom apartment, they can simply move to a cheaper apartment that doesn't exist."

It's interesting to note that during 2008 when people would apply for help in finding a place to live (some city in Michigan - I don't remember exactly now), they were referred to a camp out in the woods. The camp operated by one person being in charge and everyone there was homeless and living in a tent. Can you imagine being given this advice from someone in Social Services and even being given a map to the camp?

I hope things are better today, but somehow I don't think so.

People who are homeless but work are caught in a huge Catch-22. Where do you hang your work clothes so they don't get damp or moldy? Where can you wash your hair? What do you tell your boss when he sees you filling up a couple of gallon jugs with water? Will your workplace allow you to throw your trash away in their dumpsters?

Something as simple as draining a can of tuna can be problematic. And what is really a problem is that if you work, unless you live in your vehicle, you need to leave your stuff behind all day, every day, hoping it won't be stolen.

There's a reason it's easier to collect benefits from Social Services rather than work. And as for being drugged out, it's cold, it's damp, it's miserable, and you're probably hungry. In those circumstances, being a martyr is for idealists. The reality is life sucks. Why not just float on off? I would.

Many decades ago, Oprah Winfrey did a show on what were called "Shadow Women". This was before homelessness really became a household word. The show focused on women who lived in their vehicles and worked regular jobs, jobs that you wouldn't believe were worked by women who were homeless. One woman lived out of a small moving van. A couple weeks after the show aired, this woman committed suicide.

I don't think things have improved since then.