The first thing to understand about help for homeless people is that, for the vast majority, there isn’t any. This is a reality easily established. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, “As of the January 2023 point-in-time count, the total number of people experiencing homelessness was estimated to be 181,399, and the state had only 71,131 shelter beds available—a shortfall of over 110,000 beds.”
Since “help” for homeless people almost invariably means the offer of a bed in a congregate shelter, that statistic alone should provide more than enough support for the claim that help for the homeless is woefully inadequate. Even if shelters weren’t full most of the time, a bed in a shelter isn’t always help in any ordinary sense of the word.
For one thing, shelters can be dirty, dangerous, or drug-ridden. Some are all three. A July report by CalMatters described shelters as “a world rife with reports of violence, theft, health hazards — and a lack of accountability.”
Three years ago, the California State Legislature ordered cities and counties throughout California to respond to complaints about shelters in a timely manner and submit annual reports about living conditions, including structural and safety concerns. As of July of this year, “only 4 of the state’s 478 cities filed reports: Fairfield, Petaluma, Santa Rosa and Woodland.” Of 58 total counties in the state, only Lake, Los Angeles, Orange, Monterey and Yuba filed the mandated reports.
Not all shelters are in crisis. Nonetheless, even those without glaring problems face near-impossible challenges. Significant percentages of the homeless population are mentally ill, cognitively challenged, or psychically wounded. Others are deeply traumatized from life on the streets. Typical shelter staff members have little to no training for managing such problems.
Despite rules against it, drug use is common at shelters. No one anywhere thinks we have enough substance abuse programs, just as we don’t have enough mental health facilities. Because of these shortfalls, shelters have become the default custodians of people in need of professional help because there’s nowhere else to go.
Those programs that offer help homeless people want and need, Family Promise, Downtown Streets Team and others like them, are overwhelmed by demand and have long waiting lists, putting the lie to the “they don’t want help” canard. And while it’s true that homeless people oftentimes refuse an offer to go into a shelter, they often have good reasons for preferring life on the streets.
In addition to the aforementioned problems in shelters — the drugs, the presence of severely mentally ill residents, and the lack of needed treatment facilities — many homeless people have had negative experiences in shelters. Predators lurk in and around shelters because many of the residents are easy to intimidate and shake down.
Cognitively challenged homeless people, dissocialized from years on the streets, struggle in the rules-dominated structure of congregate shelters. Most anyone with significant time on the streets becomes dissocialized enough to chafe at even the simplest regulations. Curfews, pet restrictions and prohibitions, and separations from partners and friends are onerous even to people accustomed to rules and routines; they can be prohibitive for those who’ve lived for years without such strictures.
The City of Modesto opened up a local park after the Ninth Circuit Appeals Court ruled (Martin vs City of Boise) in 2019 that people could not be forced to move from public spaces unless offered alternative sleeping options. The rush to grab a safe sleeping space was immediate and ongoing, one more example that homeless people aren’t just willing to accept appropriate help, they’re eager for it.
When park residents were moved to Modesto’s Outdoor Emergency Shelter (MOES), the encampment swelled to almost 500 residents before it was shut down. Some of those residents have been on the streets ever since.
The lesson we should take away from MOES, the waiting lists for Family Promise and Downtown Streets Team and shortages of housing and services is that most homeless people do want and need help. That lesson has been hard to learn for people who find it politically advantageous to insist they don’t.
Next: Why Homeless People Don’t Want Help: Part II
My son and I were homeless for about 6 months last year. I went to every shelter, outreach center and whereever else I was told to try, but not one single place, not for one single night the entire time we were homeless, there is no place, no shelter, no tarp on some poles or even a cardboard box available to a dad and his son to stay one single night out of my car. If they weren’t full or just not helping men with kids it doesn’t really matter. I was given the run around at every stop I made. The rental assistance program is a joke. I’d like to hear one story where it worked. Just one. One story of how someone was able to rent an apartment or shoebox or ANYTHING utilizing the counties rental assista ce program. I don’t believe it is designed to work at all. I mean down to the penny, it’s designed to NOT FUNCTION. I hope I’m wrong but it seems carefully crafted so that whoever will never have to worry about funding the program, because nobody can rent anything with the amount offered for rent. If somehow you are able to submit an application, expect the director of the homeless assistance program to come out and stammer about how there has to be inspections and verifications and how us hobo type folk could never grasp something so indepth and complicated, then change my address to reflect my son living in a lavish home( of course making us no longer qualifiedú for rental assistance!)…twice!!. The one and only problem keeping people from not having homes is that they are stupid expensive. It takes at least two people to rent a tiny apartment in Modesto, Ca. Coupled with a homeless program that seems to aim at not doing anything possibly considered as help.
You have hit it right on the nail! I am homeless and been for 4 yrs with a full-time job for the entire time with the same company. I’m tired of Newsom and his crocked ways. All the money that is supposed to go to homeless is instead lining their pockets. And now that audits have been requested Newsom is just kicking the dog (homeless). I’m tired of hearing about the homeless this and the homeless that when in realty it was never meant to help us. Newsom you wanna make some true changes with the homeless get rid of these fake lazy criminal entities and guaranteed changes will be seen.
I am a case worker and a Outreach Worker. I work in California at a shelter with 48 beds. I can say we are not perfect but we have done a good job helping finding permanent housing. We are at about a 50 percent success rate and if the clients do their part, and we also help with finding jobs. We work along side companies to help them get back to work. I am Blessed to help anyone who is homeless and get out clients back to living a normal life.
Well my name is Eileen and I’ve been homeless since October 23, 2023. I’ve been living in my car ever since with my dog and 3:well now 2cats now(one of my cats jumped out at a car wash and I was unable to locate her):(
My fur babies are not meant to live in a car full time and I’m at the point of just giving up on “outreach & engagement” for “help”.
When I became homeless the following day I was given a #for SPIN in costa mesa whom got me connected with OC Health Agency:Outreach&engagement.
I was assigned a caseworker within a week of being homeless and since I had a job(bartender @Marie Callender’s in Orange) and a car but unable to get an apartment on my own -Rapid Rehousing was offered and signed me up and put on a waitlist.
I filled out, turned in, and completed any and all paperwork I was given and turned in. My case worker called about 3 months ago said there was an opening in the rapid rehousing program and the supervisor just had to approve her request. I was so excited and hopeful just to be crushed two days later that my caseworker was no longer employed with the program, and my new caseworker was full of unanswered questions and unreturned phone calls, and empty promises.
I’ve been threatened, abused, depressed, scared, sluggish, hopeless, stressed, and given the good’ol bird for my request for help.
I understand that we are in a crisis with how many homeless individuals are experiencing and going through life on the streets. Not to mention the fentanyl infestation among , mostly the homeless population that makes the choice to dance with the devil giving him the power over your life.
I’m sorry for writing a reply novel but I just wanted you to get an idea of my situation as well as what I’ve actively done to work towards and better my current situation. I just want to be able to say when I leave work,”I can’t wait to get home and get into bed”. My front seat has been my bed very uncomfortable bed for almost a year.
I’ve contacted every resource given, told about, or searched for in and around my area of Anaheim, CA (no funds, no openings, not enough staff or volunteers, As well as a two pet minimum for shelters).
If there are any resources, help, referrals, connections to non profit organizations able to help or you personally with my situation I would gladly take it!
You may email me @ [email protected] or call me at (714)5six1-4six5nine. Thank you so much and I hope to hear from you.
I’m not aware of any shelter that has a 50 percent success rate. Not even close. Maybe I’m wrong. What is the secret to the success that you supposedly have achieved. It must be a secret because I have never seen a success rate over 30 percent in California.
I have deep respect for you as a father and a human being. Your story has touched me, and a little easier to see why I can’t get any help. My husband and I have been homeless, living on our car for almost 4 months ths now out in the desert in NV.
We are disabled , son thru us out due to me telling his wife to clean her house I’m not a head maid anymore due to my injuries and husband has mental illness. He married into money, only 29 and forgot his true roots from Costa Rica living there for over 15 years.
I have been passed to 7 different case managers and still nothing to this day. I pray that by winter we have a place or we won’t be needing a place at all. Thank you for your words. Be Blessed
I have deep respect for you Christopher Freeman, as a father and a human being. Your story has touched me, and a little easier to see why I can’t get any help. My husband and I have been homeless, living in our car for almost 4 months now out in the desert in NV.
We are disabled , son thru us out due to me telling his wife to clean her house . I’m not a head maid anymore due to my injuries and husband has mental illness. He married into money, only 29 , and forgot his true roots from Costa Rica living there for over 15 years.
I went to Adult Protective Services to be told we are not vulnerable enough to get their help. They passed me on to NV Legal Services, then they passed me to Washoe County Homeless Services, to other case managers , RHA, and still nothing yet. I pray that by winter we have a place or we won’t be needing a place at all. Thank you for your words. Be Blessed
Interesting article and needed. This country is ignoring homelessness. Harris or Trump or Biden. They don’t care.
Or TRUMP
Saw your comment. I know this is not ideal but I moved to North Dakota with my daughter who is disabled. They have lots of programs here and are even paying people who are homeless rent for a year. And you could get section 8 very easily…
You are definitely right about that for sure and same thing here with women that are houseless and THEY REALLY REALLY NEED TO OPEN UP A NEW PLACE FOR US Houseless PEOPLES ON THE COUNTRY OF STANISLAUS LAND AFTER ALL THERE IS JUST Sitting THERE EMPTY AND FULL OF WEEDS
I myself was made homeless by an funky apt. I rented full of roaches and rats and it was nasty. I cleaned all vermon and bugs it was again nice but wires were faulty.
They gave us hours to move out. I had heard of hud but that I needed to have kids mine are grown so I went to see in 2 weeks here I am living in my own apt. Good rent now I have food and such before I was broke on the first. If you apply yourself you prosper I went thru all the appts and walk thrus etc it was a pain but in the end I wasn’t tossed to the curb as I have been in the past!!! Go try again good luck!
Wow..you are so right! Its a shame…
Very True. Don’t even bother with San luis obispo county -one of the most miserable places in America and hateful- at the least apathetic towards poor people. Even the older folks are told by cops ” we don’t want you here “. Who in hell are they to come off with that attitude and aggressive enforcement of the retarded county supervisors get rid of em attitude. Most of the poorest and homeless here are either long times residents or born and raised locals!!
You are absolutely right. I went through the exact same thing. My husband got a job in another city and county. It took us a year looking for a program to help us. We finally found a program and we were housed within 4 months after being homeless for 4 yrs. The city we moved from had little to no programs. There is more help where we live now. I thank God for the blessing
I thought this report was very right. I’ve been homeless for 20 yrs and now I’m handicap due to stroke and had to have brain surgery. I love what help I get cause being in a wheelchair it’s a matter of not getting robbed or worse. I cannot lie. My American public helped when I panhandled, which I very rarely do any more. Now they gave me housing in a totally bad area and it’s so hard as a ex convicted it’s tough. Listen people I’m so grateful for what I have and wish I could help everyone. The whole time I’ve been homeless I’ve learned that it could be better but no one will listen. I’m in my 60s and in a chair and it isn’t roses but in a bed roof over my head and warm meals and a safe environment for my girl. Now honestly, handicap or not, I would work always have but my prison past ruined me. But I believe in God and know that the government can do more but it takes trial and error to work it out. I personally know if the president would make it happen it would, but there are too many people abusing the help and you can’t blame no one but life for our bad mistakes. So Thanks to all of you for helping and trust your guts and help each other save our beautiful, strong country, that I would never trade for nothing. We have a gut feeling about the fakes and most of the homeless are no dope fiends losers they are ours and like every other country. Lets take care of ours and with God’s grace we will have a day of peace love and brotherhood. I’ve been proud for yrs. cause as long as we try its better then nothing at all. God bless my homeless family every night before I go to sleep I pray to God cause he may meet me soon and then as Angel I can fix our faults one on one with God.
Don’t forget to mention that they use the points in time counts to target sweeps.
Are you talking sweeps of areas around major cities all through our country of people mostly young people that often seen on missing person reports? Around our city this happens four times a year. They often start out as weekend warriors come to the city to have some fun. Each kid saying they are spending the weekend with there friend at their house. And vis versa. The ones swept up often right after they part ways close to home . But they are noticed and followed from the city. I pray every day for the young people who are just out to have a good time. And for those people who are vulnerable to the predators that lurk in the shadows. And as far as homeless programs they have so many holes in them it makes me wonder why that is and who is embezzling funds for personal gain. To the point that often bus loads of people are brought from other city’s to another to keep there homeless numbers up enough to qualify for federal grant moneys. All I can say is they do not provide the things they say they will and do have for their client(homeless). Even going so far as hiring and appearing to look like they are doing these things they say they will help people with. All I can say take a closer look at your local programs and city or townships public resource programs make sure your not voting or supporting those that don’t have the follow through on there purpose. Thank you
In the last five years this state has spent 24 Billion on the homeless crisis. The real question here should be where exactly did all that money go to?
The 24 billion went to known slumlords, greedy landlords, hotel owners, property owners, non-profits, directors of non-profits to buy cars and vacations to fund-raise, the “homeless gravy train” money was never meant to help anyone but the administrators who knew how to fill out the forms and jump through the hoops and schmooze to get it.
The only non-profit I know who actually helps people and is deserving of donations is “Homes on Wheels Alliance” or HOWA.
Right now they need insurance that will allow them to give dependable vans to those who need them and outfit the vans to be self-contained and off-grid with solar, refrigerator, cook stove, and bed.
There’s nothing wrong with a nice cozy, clean, safe vehicle to sleep in. Much preferable to renting at $3,000 a month from a slumlord who allows rats, bedbugs, and totally neglects their property, and fills it with problem tenants.
People should be allowed to stealth park quietly on the street and not be ticketed!
This is part of our California ( San Luis Obispo ) Homeless Union’s ongoing Lawsuit. Thousands .. maybe a million was squeezed out by so called service providers to help all including RV dwellers. What help did we get?? A place to park in a gravel lot with outhouses for a couple years and that’s it . A tiny percentage found sub adequate housing. Some have died. The rest are just waiting.. getting old. And then they shut it down. Sent us back out on the streets threatened with citations, they steal and impound trailers. Put no ( more) parking signs on every street in town. ( Wow. What a waste of money ) and in a couple weeks we won’t be able to park Anywhere. What is the point of this idiocy ??? Thanks gavin newsome -republican in disguise. I’m sorry We didn’t impeach you back when we had the opportunity. I’m getting close to 79. With a crappy SS income. What’s my future ??
– born and raised here. Had family ( paid for since day one ) Home stolen away from Me !!;
The agencies who get the money are not using even 50% on the homeless. I saw a PBS program recently that showed the breakdown. Homelessness has become a big money making industry with very little trickle down going to the homeless
Clearly, some sort of committee made up of homeless (or former)homeless people should be organized, with some of those Billions that are lining the fat cats who propose programs to help the committee create real solutions.
There’s the one’s who do have somewhere they can stay but don’t want to get sober and follow rules.. They rather run the streets getting high doing whatever they want.. Then there’s the one’s who don’t want to get off the streets due to their mental illness.. The streets is what they know and change is something they don’t know how to deal with..
I live in a building in the downtown Los Angeles skid row neighborhood that houses the Homeless Health Care needle exchange program. I have witnessed their employees giving out clean needles and pipes on a daily basis. This is not getting them off drugs.
That’s what they do. Otherwise the addicts re-use needles and spread disease. That’s what the needle exchange does. The diseases that can spread are horrific.
Can someone help me get off the street and get me in to a place?
Lets chat…[email protected]
You can be highly educated and have never used drugs and face homelessness.
Previous CA Nurse/AZ Nurse. My husband is a retired physician with colon cancer…..Yes, it does truly happen. 70 and 76 years of age.
So I was homeless since 2013 and no one would help me. I became homeless after losing my kids to CPS on some false accusations. I even lost my reunification rights to them because they wouldn’t give me any help. Well years went by and I finally get housed because of my mental health they promised me all kinds of help I’ve been in my apartment for about a year and a half but still not even half of what they said they’d do have they done. I mean the thought is great but start from the core people.
WOW, Valley Citizen:
These readers sure affirm the truth of this article. Thanks.
Housing first initiative isn’t working.
I believe you are right that drug use and hence crime is rampant in shelters – but that is what happens when you focus on bed and not harmful behaviors as the housing first has created …
Rock and a hard place though because many wouldn’t accept a bed if they couldn’t use their drugs and alcohol.
So what to do ?
The majority of the problem is” mental instability” complete dysfunction that has turned into an epidemic of slothfulness and sorrow. “Major change” is needed in our approach to helping the wayward persons, assessing people’s core issues first , and transitioning them into programs that are suitable to each individual. Help them return to functionality introducing programs for rehabilitation and job training , encouraging people to transition back in to stability emotionally physically and spiritually. I believe in hands up not hands out that does not teach people to value what they have or themselves when we work for things it makes us creditable and gives us a sense of belonging and achievement which heals our spirit body mind and soul. Many of our systems are broken and need to be reformed.
The problem is the governor. He doesn’t know what he is doing.
He’s making it worse by inviting the countries homeless to California but not able to take care of our own. He really did that.
I stopped reading at” for one thing shelters are drug ridden and dirty”
I could write a long dragged out explanation but it’s to late. Our culture of “why should I put out any effort just serve me I’m a victim.”
You become a victim when you are at the mercy of the system and how it is designed to supposing help you but in many ways it retraumatizes you.
I have one question about the shelters and such that people say are full of predators and the like, who are those people? They are homeless people and people just like these people complaining, they are you, so take a look in the mirror.
Another issue that people don’t hear much about is when the homeless complain about the safety and conditions of the environment when there are rats, mold, roaches, expired/moldy food etc that they are kicked out or banned from the shelter it happened to me and when I contacted the news they denied everything fixed some of the issues but turned me away and lied to my face when there were empty rooms with door wide open all because I spoke up about being threatened harassed by residents as well as sexually harassed and then my window being broke by some guy who was high on molly and had mental issues yet he was allowed to be on the property is a reason we had to go from sleeping in our car and hotels for 7 months because I refused to stay at a shelter where staff talk down to you and the people in their cult like program received better food and got to pick from the donations while the ones who were just overnight got nothing they needed and were not allowed to wash clothes because they weren’t in the program these homeless shelters take advantage of the homeless by forcing them to work for them for free and even charging them monthly fees and saying when and where they can work they do this so they don’t have to hire someone there’s no system in place to hold these shelters accountable and their able to pretend it’s not happening and deny everything You even have those who make money taking donations for themselves when they truly are not in need makes me wonder if some pocket cash donations and not write it down when the person doesn’t ask for a receipt for their taxes which is another issue
Why doesn’t the government build separate fenced in secured camps for the homeless? Place the homeless with mental illness in one camp and another camp for the drugged out homeless? Hire camp security to keep the homeless inside and the drug dealer outside and the homeless fenced and secured.
Wow. It’s truly scaring that people like you walk round. So please think before you speak. You cant punish the mentally handicapped lock them in a fence area with security. Then what?
Let me guess you dont know… but at least they wont bother us. Im hoping u read this everyone and take the time to really think about it. what if it was you? Always being told their all on drugs or messed up in their head. Cause i am neither yet i was there. now i’m not. I’m only asking everyone to stop judging and open your eyes for one second.
They call that jail
Absolutely!…I’m a bartender and basically I babysit alcoholics…we need baby sitters to keep the peace..security to keep them safe..otherwise it’s chaos!
I’m currently homeless and have been for years due to never being able to keep a job because of my mental health. Lack of support and money eventually led me to live the way I started off . Yup left my parents house at 17 never looked back . Live in a tent and got good at salvaging trash . I eat everything out the trash . The food that gets thrown away is outrageous. And they lock and pour bleach on the food sometimes (Dollar General has this policy). Winn Dixie and Aldi have dumpsters outside with all the food you want . You have to get good at timing . That’s key to fresh food . I run my own business 3d printing stuff or selling stuff from the trash . It a meager living definitely not enough to use to pay rent or pay a mortgage (US) . In other parts of the world I wouldn’t be homeless. I’m not homeless in Germany. I’m a German citizen. No passports or id have been the main reasons for not having a job . In New Orleans most people are homeless and working. If your in the service industry. Basically I can’t pay rent anymore. I’ve already spent like 2 million on rent in the last 20 years. That’s too much . I should have been able buy land and house by now. Because of renting and having to spend all my savings to stay from being homeless. If I knew I could live for free I would have years ago. I had a plan to take trash and build a home. Well at 42 it’s time for that goal to be real. I’m currently building a house boat out of trash so I can live for free and camp for free . At least in New Orleans it’s legal. The old laws are awesome. Live on the water and camp anywhere on any bank for up to 2 weeks . Building the boat will be done on land that doesn’t belong to me by a body of water . So that I am just push off and call it a day . I have 2 storage units for keeping my tools and materials. I could benefit from more build materials. It’s coming to the point where I can’t afford my storage units and I will be outside with all my tools and stuff. I will have to scout out a camp where I can build a shed for my crap and then get to building. It won’t take long to build . I have everything else. Yes I have some money but that’s not for anyone but me. Not paying for anything. I’m doing this off the shear vanity of society. I want everyone to know that I live off of your vanity. If you turn a blind eye to it you are also letting it happen. 😈🚬
First off they cannot house all the homeless because then the government and those agencies had ajcla will shut down and all those people would lose jobs so that is not going to happen but secondly no one understands what it’s like first hand to be on the street the harassment the stress is unbelievable and secondly you wait forever to get help if there is help and what the news media says is not always the truth because they say they’re helping automatically will get people in and that is not true firsthand knowledge here please get to the core of it and understand why people get there and it doesn’t mean people are on drugs or alcohol that’s absolutely ridiculous I’m not mentally ill I’m not on drugs and I’m not a problem in that manner to society or anything else people do have events in their life that happen that take them down to where they end up being in that way on the street temporarily people that made $100,000 a year and the next thing they know due to a divorce or a sickness or something they end up in that position so people should not judge until they know what they’re talking about but thank you for being an advocate because for them to now criminalize being homeless or not having enough money it’s absolutely just the worst thing ever we need advocates to help the homeless
I agree. The people that got the 20billion California spent to fix homelessness have no incentive to end homelessness. Quite the opposite.
The age group most likely to become homeless is people over 50. What does this tell you? That drugs and mental health are not the main reasons people become homeless. Its the policies of the governor that make everything here cost more than everywhere else. They push their green ideas that don’t make economic sense yet and the people foot the bill. Grocery bags being a perfect example of it costing us more and actually making things worse for the environment.
Thank you for all the great input. I was homeless (3 weeks a month)….for decades. It too was in SoCal, and do you know I never stayed at a shelter. For at least 20 years, sleeping outside, most of the month. Both are dangerous (shelter & outside)! Went through the bull of Social Worker faking she was trying to get me on Section 8 years & tears. Had my battles with the drugs and drinking. But you know, I just put that destructive behavior behind me.So grateful for my SSI/SSDI &, MEDICARE/ Cal-Optima. One evening, getting ready to bed down at my routine sidewalk, there it was.In my Email, my ‘Choice Housing Voucher’, it actually came through! Hang tough, don’t give up and try everything you can to get housed!
I also think that because govt workers can’t be fired like regular folk they are less likely to help you. Helping you requires them to work. Not helping you doesn’t and they get paid the same either way. Each role should be held accountable. How many calls did you get, how many people did you help, how many couldn’t you help and why, how many are waiting for help are just a few things I know they do not keep a record of. They should and then you can compare people in similar roles and hold them accountable. Get rid of the ones not doing anything.
You are so CORRECT about govt employees being slackers. The only possible remedy is to go after their immediate supervisors (& higher-upS…), rather than just “give up”…
The housing first model , needs to be cancelled and replaced with a “responsibility first” model.
But there’s no long-term profits in resolving problems.
That’s why we now have a $24 billion dollar homeless industrial complex.
See Shangri La Inc and their partners Step Up. Together they converted motels and created tax-payer funded drug dens.
They house criminals of all sorts; Drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes etc and they always use the “housing first” excuse when called out.
They work collectively with local city officials and police to keep it this way.
I know – I’m housed by them but you can’t function in these type of asylums or get a good night’s sleep to hold a job. You’re housed yes – but the losers mentioned above rule the community with impunity while apt mgrs turn a blind eye and create policies to squash all your complaints.
Even my mayor recognizes this but says he can’t fight it alone.
Hello my name is Michael and I am born and raised In Los Angeles county. I been homeless more than once and every time I was able to get back on my feet by using the resources in the shelters because most shelters in Los Angeles county have programs within the shelters but most homeless people don’t know because they don’t ask or do research. There are several programs in Los Angeles county with every kind of help you need. You have Salvation army , Catholic charities housing, LA mission, midnight mission, rescue mission, and that’s just a few I named that all have good Programs to help you get on your feet. And other resources like VOA. VOA is not only for veterans. Friends outside, county building, social services, these are all just a few I named.. so if you really want help the help is out there.
Get off your ass like I did and go somewhere you can afford.!! I was homeless but I had enough sense to leave that dump Calif and went to Biloxi, Miss. 2 bedroom house I have on the river with a swimming pool in the backyard with a 1600 ft dock all for 500dollars. So stay out there and keep crying or pack your bags.
Life has become tragic for far too many. I’m saddened that it takes such a crisis to see the suffering that people are going through and yet, some organizations are so bullish that they enjoy being above this fray.
Anyone at any time could end up here , just like the nurse with her physician husband who has cancer. Our epidemic is lack of humanity.
I’m a single female all alone feeling unsafe day and night on these streets homeless. I’ve been homeless since I was 13 years old. I’m turning 37 in November. This has been a very long and scary life for me. I wish I could get help with a permanent housing. No one wants to help me. I’ve tried calling everywhere and nothing. I’ve been in homeless programs and nothing. I’ve panhandle and nothing. I’ve slept in creeks, under bridges, on the side of buildings and yet still nothing. Anything I do is good for others but in the end I still have nothing. I WANT OFF THE STREETS ITS BEEN LONG ENOUGH I WANT PERMANENT HOUSING ASAP.
I live in the downtown Los Angeles skid row neighborhood and desperately want out. I am on social security but I am willing to work . Please respond ASAP.
Samantha,
What kind of work do you do? You’re young. Consider: Find a nice college in a beautiful area you like and enroll in something you love so much you would do it for free. Something outrageous, something totally different that you think you’re not good enough for but you would cry for joy to do. Theatre, acting, film, costume, sewing, art, drawing, painting, singing, mechanical engineering, auto mechanics, plumbing, electrician, bookkeeping, accounting, law, police training, jail training. Go to the EOPS office, go to the disability office and get tested.
They will try to get you into classes you won’t like but please only do what you love.
A dance or gym class or swimming class gets you free showers. You get healthcare almost free. Meals are cheap and you know how to survive.
Sign up for all the financial aid you can get. There’s free money (grants) and there’s money you have to pay back. That scared me so I never got a degree. I wish I had gotten it and put my future as top priority and not worried.
You’ve been beaten so far down you have nothing to lose and nowhere to go but up. Do what you love and put your happiness first. Don’t stay in the same place or with the same people. They don’t want you to be happy. Don’t call them. Don’t explain. Just disappear and move away.
Stay away from homeless people. Go to a rich area. “Live where the rich live.” Aristotle Onassis.
Make a mantra just for you and repeat it, “I deserve to be here.” Repeat over and over daily and shout it outloud at the beach or on hills.
“I am a wonderful, beautiful, wise, fantastic, funny, smart person. I deserve the best out of life, only the best, most wonderful opportunities come to me. I attract goodness, light and love and abundance. I bless money when it comes to me. The universe protects me and shines love down upon me! I banish all negativity from my glorious presence! Anyone who says I am worthless is banished forever and ever!!!! I will never say or think anything negative about myself ever again!!!”
There are so many people out there that have different reasons and issues and situations as to why they’re homeless. Very few people who become homeless take a stand to get back on track. The percent of homelessness is way too high. I can’t begin to say the problem with trying to find solutions for them. Some people believe homeless people are worthless. I really feel for those kinds it’s easy to point fingers. They haven’t considered what pure torture it is being out there living on the streets. Even with the fake help and shelters as they are. Sure send them there they will be ok. Really if u don’t know the real emotions that come with being homeless. It makes a person very bitter. It’s unimaginable what is going on out there. Things are out of control it has gotten to be nothing but greed in those who run the programs and homeless situations. Yes, we know who I am talking about.
I am homeless I have been denied housing for credit looked over and ridiculed because I’m begging to spend my ssi on a place I’ve been homeless for 31/2 years . And I’m tired all I want is a place I went to Texas gave up my place to be with kids came back the next day been homeless ever since
Hello I am currently homeless and have been for 5¹/² years. I am from St. Louis Mo. and I currently live in a homeless encampment in the downtown area very close to the Mississippi River it is not very often that we hear about anyone successfully getting housed and staying that way for long. And what makes it so much worse is if you are in a domestic situation the so called agencies that are supposed to help people get out of those situations name the requirements so outrageous that it is almost not worth going through all of the red tape to obtain their help. For the last 3 weeks I have been trying to get help from any domestic violence agency so that I could have the opportunity to get away from the situation I’m in and I have been pushed away from most all of them due to things such as my disability which is an illness I was born with and have no control over but pushed away bc of it. I’ve also been pushed away bc of my history of drug use common sense would kinda tell a person that the drug use is also part of the help I’m trying to obtain but still get nothing. Homeless people in general get stereotyped as people that are lazy and don’t want to work or horrible addicts but reality is that it takes a lot of work to live on the streets. I do more work in a 24 period than most 3 or 4 men and again when seeking help we get nothing
I quit from Sunday school teacher and the soccer Mom married with safety and security for 25 years I raised four beautiful daughters and my husband died and one day I woke up homeless on the streets of Las Vegas I spent 6 years there where I had guns held to me I slept behind garbage cans and don’t ever heat and was treated like I was a nobody yes indeed I have severe drama due to those 6 years and drug use is inevitable it masks the fear. They say after 1 year on the streets there’s only a 10% chance to get out. I got out I came back to Fresno California spent a year or so in and out of transitional housing due to my fear of being around new people. I don’t do very well instead of a place with strangers I’ve had my roommates have psychotic events in front of my face and I’ve been beat I’ve been stolen from I’ve had my car taken I married a man took everything I own while I was on the streets. He abused me seriously my kids don’t talk to me I am so alone I started when I was 46 and I’ve been in the hotels that they’ve redone in Fresno and it’s just like being in jail. We’re not allowed to have food in our rooms we’re not allowed to have a television I can’t hang anything on my wall to make it be like a home because I don’t want it to be like a home but that’s what we need is a home you can’t tell us that we can come and spend the night and leave at 6:00 in the morning and come back and hope that we have another bed for the night. I am now on eight different medications. I’m afraid to go outside to acclimate when you having facility takes me 3 days because I’m so used to being invited somebody’s home and paying them rent and then being thrown out in the middle of the night with somebody comes with more meth or more money. I can’t tell you exactly how many millions of dollars they have put into housing for the homeless but I’m telling you the average homeless person will never get that money you have to prove by being in a shelter in and out or being it’s a type of facility for homeless people for up to 5 years to get on the list for the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care I am now on the permanent supportive housing list and the rapid rehousing list. Do you know there’s only seven rapid re-housing places to stay here? I will never have my own room I am afraid every day of my life where I’m going to eat and where I’m going to lay my head. I was very humbled out there and people let me tell you something you could be the next one it can happen in the blink of an eye don’t think that you’re exempt. I hear all the time of people complaining because they’re messy so I went to a park to go get everybody to clean up the garbage they don’t have garbage cans to throw away the trash water fountains are turned off. When it’s 105 degrees outside girls are shut up with what they think are drugs but they’re being shot with poisoning. We are people. You can’t just leave us on the side of the road please next time you drive by and you see but you think it’s a normal person it’s probably me cuz I don’t look like I’m homeless. I don’t think one of you that look down upon us can make it on the streets one night there’s a whole other side of town here and I don’t think they even know we have a hopeless people here.
I couldn’t of said any better if i wrote it …its about time ..you put it together and got it out there ..but it needs to ho further we gotta get it to the right people and hope they will do something about it .. HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION are also why homeless people don’t use shelters ..mayor breed has her people running these city shelters the way they want to … Tenderlion housing clinic man i will testify against them any day ..they swear to help people truth is they help themselves by using people ..so now what? What can we do to help the homeless? I know i’m not the only one here that wants to help these people ..i got a great idea but i need people that want to help for this to work .If you would like to know ..contact me and i’ll send you the proposal …
Been homeless since October 2023 had applied for Project Based and Conventional Housing last year before I became homeless. Received a packet at my mailing address for PB February 2024 filled it out turned it in. Didn’t hear anything after that then just received the same packet 2 weeks ago filled it out AGAIN and turned it in. Then received a packet from conventional housing filled that one out as well and turned it in. Now let’s see how long it takes to hear from one of them again and actually get into a place. Been living in a hotel paying for it daily can only stay 21days at a time. So my friend and I have to switch off putting the room in our name. Now let’s see how long it takes to hear anything from housing and actually get into a place smh 🤦🏽♀️. There aren’t any programs that actually help u literally have to get up and do the run around urself and demand and demand until u can get someone that actually cares to do their job and help u unfortunately. Newsom didn’t use the money on homeless ppl at all Lord knows where it went it’s sad asf.. Thank God I just re applied to work for IHSS and a friend found me a client to work for. But will have to catch the bus and Uber to get to work unfortunately. & not everyone that is homeless is on drugs or has a mental illness or doesn’t want help that’s a bs excuse to not help the homeless.. Those that aren’t keep pushing and u will find housing sooner than later.
Omg this articule is totally real.
I’m homeless here in Florida. I have Been in Lotus House ( shelter for woman with kids) in Miami Florida. We are numbers not people (government is paying). They don’t help. There are people working for a long time in that environment taking advantage of the donation. Since I came here it’s more stress. They have the same plan for everyone, even though the reasons for being here are different. The food is not the right option for kids and many times i have to feed my son (9 years) with yoghurt, because I didn’t qualify for food stamp for my income ( debt 25 thousand) but I can’t rent and I have to stay in a shelter dealing in survival mode and if you make logical request they send you to therapy or start a transfer for another shelter with less quality just to avoiding doing what they need to do as institution.
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects freedom of speech and in the shelter they take it from you if you want to have a bed.
It’s business!!!!!
Please evaluate how the funds are implemented. The people working there can make a real difference in other people’s life. We are part of the society with kids that could be your doctor or lawyer instead of a delinquent. We didn’t choose to live like this.
Do we need more social workers with more skills? Perhaps it costs too much money to hire the proper talent. I’m sure some social workers are a paycheck away from being homeless.
I used to be Homeless due to a Homeless Shelter making me leave w no explanation. For over a month on Library Steps it was so difficult. But in my opinion some homeless don’t want help because they aren’t ready to give up their Addictions and what they think is their freedom. Thier Freedom is only Bondage. Just my observation from being Homeless a few years ago.
The homeless is very profitable for the government. It all comes down to the all mighty dollar.
The ugly truth about life on the streets and in those so-called “shelters.” For a whole damn year, I bounced between three different shelters, and let me tell you – never again. What I saw in there, what I lived through… it’s enough to break a person.
You think the streets are rough? Try being trapped in a place that’s supposed to help you, but instead treats you like dirt beneath their shoes. The filth, the danger – that I could handle. But the way the staff looked at us, spoke to us? That’s what nearly drove me to the bottle.
Every f*cking day, it was the same song and dance. “Participate in this. Smile for the camera. We need our funding.” Like we were puppets they could manipulate for a few bucks. Never mind that I was busting my ass working, trying to pull myself up. No, that didn’t matter to them. All they cared about was their precious photo ops and bulls*it activities.
You know what’s rich? Most of those programs weren’t even meant for someone like me. I don’t have a drug problem. I’m not struggling with parenting. But there I was, being forced to sit through it all or risk losing my bed. And God forbid my job got in the way of their little charades – the threats would start flying.
So yeah, I left. For four years now, I’ve been calling a beat-up RV home. It ain’t much, but at least here, in this rusty old tin can, I’ve got my dignity. I work two jobs – you hear that? Two f*cking jobs – and I still can’t afford a roof over my head in this city. But I’d rather sweat and struggle here than go back to those shelters that profit off our misery.
This is the reality, folks. This is what it means to be homeless in America. We’re not lazy. We’re not choosy. We’re just trying to survive in a world that seems hellbent on grinding us down. So the next time you hear someone ask why we “don’t want help,” you tell them about the real cost of their idea of “help.” Because until you’ve walked in my worn-out shoes, you don’t know a damn thing about what we need or what we want.
What people don’t understand about the homeless: Prolong exposure to ostracism has a lasting effect within the homeless population. Such as mental illness, health problems, chronic anxiety, and difficulties in forming trusting relationships. And due to the stereotypes, that homeless deal with regularly, is that all homeless are dirty filthy homeless junkies. Homelessness is ostracism and prolong feelings of ostracism stems from lack of hope within society, ostracism, and from the psychological Intimidation in homeless shelters, law enforcement, government institutions, community, and most programs. Abusers who feel the need to control others take up positions in these jobs. As it is an easier way of life for them. By using ostracism as a form of a threat or punishment through psychological intimidation. When an abuser gains positions of authority, ostracism will have others following suit out of fear of being ostracize and wil abuse homeless people through psychological intimidation as well. Ostracism with the lack of hope, addiction will shortly follow. Due to the lack of self worth, an individual will display either outburst of wrath(which leads to incarceration and/death) or seclusion(which leads to overdoses and/or suicide). Studies show that hope and morphine have the same chemical reactions. The feeling of ostracism along with the psychological intimidation, a homeless person will find a sense of belonging with others he relates with. And that’s why tent cities get establish. They are not created with trust, love, honor, or freedom; just a sense of belonging. – Landtiller The Roaming Heyoka of Peace and Prosperity. May peace be your guide and love be your path.
As a a homeless person at a time in life I wanted help so bad and it still took me 2 years as a woman to receive housing. It’s sad that people who haven’t ever been there can talk about homeless people. They do have a community and they look after each other. You really want to know the truth from someone who’s truly been there to get correct information.
We should all be worried …very worried. If you cast a wide net and look at the new laws and expanded laws that Newsom has signed particularly August & September 2024 you will see where he is headed with this. He expanded the definition of critically ill to include: being unable to provide food and shelter for oneself. He also reinstated the involuntary commitment to a mental health facility where anyone be it a police officer, landlord, neighbor, or spouse can request a person be “evaluated” In addition the State will become conservator of that person meaning any money benefits they have will go to the state.
I cannot remember what ACT it was that he expanded but it was regarding mental health facilities from the Reagan Era. The writer of this column should investigate this….thanx
I have been housed for three years today Sept 17 I’m grateful for my spot and all the programs that led the way but what I don’t appreciate is the treatment and disregard and lack of responsibility the housing program and the misleading info about the program that I know one housing program is a nightmare and trap. Once u get into housing where it’s supposed to be safe and equal fair housing is far from it people either are living in denial or scared to speak up about the neglect and abuse of power to keep them trapped to stay funded why would any of my peers want the help of people who are doing the opposite and are treated worse and less than but they can say and do what they want it’s their words against ours so trapped and alone we are left while they have jobs they don’t do that can and will lead to us being housed but at a price or lose our housing in fault or not who cares right no one will investigate cause if they did some might still have there homes if the help was real the the more real the response from the at risk will truly be a real effort and genuine on both party’s can’t expect them to jump through hoops when in reality the system is what got them there and not give or do your part then is a failing system and so far the only one who has done more and beyond and got those numbers housed is Downtown Streets Team and they find the means to do it even with high demands. Too bad the community that brought them here don’t do their part or have the heart they have.
I’m a Canadian, but I do pay close attention to what happens in the United States. There are similar issues here with homelessness. People can become homeless for a variety of reasons. Neoliberal policies by provincial governments in Canada, who are pretending they are Conservative, but they aren’t, made things worse, over the last 30 years. Their concerns are for their wealthy corporate friends. More needs to be done to help the homeless. Affordable housing, and proper supports in other ways. Since the winters can be colder in Canada, and in parts of the United States, the homeless often go to places like Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, because the winters are warmer in those cities. It’s sad to see this.
We want help! Just not the “help” the city or state offers! The help they offer treats us more like prisoners with no rights than actual human being with freedoms!. I’d rather sleep in my car than a shelter because shelters have curfews of 6 pm, bed times of 10 and you can’t leave once you are there.
I can’t agree with any of you except for the person who wrote the article on many levels because when the pandemic hit I actually went into Project Room Key hotel program here in Los Angeles and it took me four hotels and apartment that was shared with another person for 2 years total time from started me answering the program to the day that I got my forever home was 4 years 29 days and 16 hours. M\many hoops jumped through and multiple case managers change over and because of that it caused to have hiccups in the process but if you’re really trying to you know change yourself I personally was a substance abuse with mental health client so the program that I’m linked to is through the department of mental health called Step up.org and I have to say that I am extremely supportive of everything that they do because my case manager has busted her ass for me Time after Time going above and beyond. They’ve been there for me more than anything and they’ve helped me out as best they could you know cuz there’s what their ability is. There aren’t enough shelters they’re never going to be enough shelters. But what we can do is a community is if you see somebody out there struggling encourage them to go and sign up with one of the homeless outreach programs and then go to the City council meetings that they have once a month and speak up. If you go and you speak up guess what eventually we will be heard. I’m actually doing outreach work with my own program and community. I have a one bedroom bungalow apartment that doesn’t share walls with anybody else. My furniture was all brand new when I move out of this apartment if I do move at any point the refrigerator and stove are mine so they go with me. I don’t owe anything and in the process of all this they’ve helped me to reconnect with my family and to be able to actually be able to look myself in the mirror. I refused the whole 10 years that I was homeless to ever go and stay in a shelter because I’d heard you know women being raped in them and people you know leaving dirty needles and other things. I never really camped around people I didn’t like or feel comfortable with I have a little dog that’s my service animal and if she didn’t like you got to go and quick. If you have mental health issues there’s a new proposition that has been put through and there’s the care act bill that they put through which means the cops can go and put you in a psychiatric hospital on a hold and you’ll be there for a minimum of 72 hours but there are so many different ways you can go and get help. I pray for every one of you out there who’s homeless still and if you’re in the LA area hit me on a comments and I will be more than willing to take time and meet up with you somewhere and give you examples and show you where you can get help and give you information that you might not get cuz they don’t always get every camp cuz they don’t always find everything anyways God bless you and my he walk by your side and go with everybody helping guide you! be blessed just live it one day at a time people that’s all we can do
I believe if areas are set up like camping areas and trash and dumpsters were provided. Also having an area to shower and get water. It can happen to almost anyone at anytime and the streets will eat you up. I have been staying on and off for over 20 years due to disability at a young age that led to drugs and mental health problems. Trying to jump through the hoops , laws and rules, regulations that are involved in the programs, can take years.Are you kidding trying to keep clean as in sober and clean as in clothes on the streets or in a shelter is about a 95 percent rate. I hope we find better and more effective and efficient compromise in the future. Moe
Like the article said mentally ill that need higher level of care but refuse to acknowledge it. What do we do? How do we distinguish between those that can make it with the proper “leg up”? than those that live in tent cities but still can’t pick up there own trash or manage to shower. Who deserves the help first.
Personally I’d be happy with a small piece of property where I could have a mud hut/ ten / trailer and properly maintain it then have to rely on the shelter system that only helps those that are ill and live off the state.
Also why do you have to have children to get help that’s a REALLY BIG PROBLEM TO the GROWING ECONOMY THAT CAN’T SUPPORT ITS SUPPLY AND DEMAND OF NATURAL RESOURCES let alone atone for what’s going on with the open boarders.