More Homeless Americans Living in Cars and Campers

**FL Patriot** · 02-15-2010

Tim Barker never thought he'd have to live in his truck. Four months ago, the plumber was in a one-bedroom apartment in California's San Fernando Valley, with a pool and a Jacuzzi. Then, on his birthday in October, he and 199 other plumbers were laid off by their union, Local 761 in Burbank. Now Barker's son sleeps on the sofa of his cousin's one-bedroom Hollywood apartment, and Barker sleeps on the roof of the apartment building - or in his 2003 Ford Ranger pickup. "I'm 47, and I've never lived in my car," says Barker, a husky 220-lb. single father with sandy hair and a rapid-fire voice. In January, as torrential rains pelted the streets of Southern California, father and son were sleeping in the truck in San Pedro, next to the Los Angeles Harbor. "We were able to spend four nights in the Vagabond Motel, but for two nights we slept in the car," says Barker. "It was raining, cold, and the cat was jumping on us. We both got sick."

For people who cannot afford rent, a car is the last rung of dignity and sanity above the despair of the streets. A home on wheels is a classic American affair, from the wagon train to the RV. Now, for some formerly upwardly mobile Americans, the economic storm has turned the backseat or the rear of the van into the bedroom. "We found six people sleeping in their cars on an overnight police ride-along in December," says John Edmund, chief of staff to Long Beach councilman Dee Andrews. "One was a widow living in a four-door sedan. She and her husband had been Air Force veterans. She did not know about the agencies that could help her. I had tears in my eyes afterwards." (See TIME's photo-essay "The American Economy: Down and Out.")

"Cars are the new homeless shelters," says Joel John Roberts, CEO of PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) Partners, the largest provider of services for the homeless in Los Angeles County, which had nearly 50,000 people homeless in 2009. Of these, experts estimate that up to 10% live in vehicles - even though doing so is illegal in most of the county. A similar situation is true for many other regions across the nation, especially in the Sun Belt. A woman lives in her BMW in Marina Del Rey, a swank L.A. address on the coast. PATH outreach workers Jorge Guzman and Tomasz Babiszkiewicz say she was an executive recruiter until the Great Recession. "She was self-employed for 36 years," says Guzman. "Now she sits in the car with a blanket and reads. She has not told her daughter." (See the 50 worst cars of all time.)

Barker, the out-of-work plumber, has checked out shelters, motels and homeless-assistance programs throughout the Los Angeles area as he scrambles to find a roof for his son and him to sleep under. "We went down to a shelter in downtown, but it was bad - heroin, crack, smells. Randy looked at me and said, 'Dad, get me out of here. It's spooky.' Now I am trying to get assistance to get into an apartment in San Pedro so Randy can get back in school." PATH outreach workers are talking to Barker about his possible eligibility for federal assistance with rent and utilities under the new federal homelessness-prevention program. (See how the new federal homelessness-prevention program works.)

One problem Barker has discovered with living in a pickup truck is keeping track of things. "My cousin is our ace in the hole," Barker says as he stands in a crowded one-bedroom apartment that has seen better days. On his cousin's cluttered coffee table sits a worn yellow briefcase covered with union stickers; it's stuffed with unemployment forms, birth certificates, old utility bills and school application papers for Randy, a skinny 12-year-old who loves basketball. (Is 1 in 50 American kids homeless?)

People who fall into homelessness say it feels like a spiral. A layoff, a medical emergency or a domestic quarrel sets off a chain reaction of bad luck. And the risk of falling into the economic abyss has increased, even in better times. Writing before the housing bubble burst and Wall Street collapsed, Yale political scientist Jacob Hacker showed that the big difference between 30 years ago and today is the dramatic growth in income volatility. American family incomes now rise and fall much more sharply from year to year, and this is happening at the same time that public and private safety nets have eroded.

See pictures of the recession of 1958.

See pictures of Americans in their homes.

Some of the floating economic refugees, especially those from the middle and working classes, "do not think of themselves as homeless," says Susan Price, director of homeless services in Long Beach. "They think, 'I'm not that. I am just living in my car.' " In fact, living in your car counts as being homeless, according to the Federal Government. Peggy, 58, who lives in a small RV on a quiet Hollywood side street, says, "If I had known how hard it is to be homeless and how hard it is to escape, I would have called all my friends to ask for help. But I was embarrassed." She was laid off from her telemarketing job in January 2009. "It was the same day that 76,000 people were laid off. I did not feel alone. I liked my job. It was within walking distance of my apartment." Her mother gave her the nearly 20-year-old RV that houses Peggy and her dog Fluffy. Wearing tennis shoes and a leather jacket, Peggy says she misses her apartment but enjoys still being in the neighborhood. "I sweep the sidewalk and pick up the trash," she says. "There is a real sense of community here." (See more about the homeless.)

"I know I am homeless," says Agnes Cooper, 58, who parks her silver 2006 Chevy HHR hatchback at a local gym in Phoenix. "If [the managers of the gym] know, they haven't said, and I have not asked permission. When I first slept in my car, I was parking at a Burger King, but the young kids made fun of me, and I am not accustomed to children being disrespectful." Cooper says her passenger seat folds down flat and she sleeps well. She works out and showers every morning and says the gym is "the best thing that ever happened to my body." A series of physical ailments to her back, legs and wrists caused her to stop working as a registered nurse; that, coupled with the death of her husband, forced her from her apartment.

Cooper says she faces a choice. She receives $909 a month in Social Security. After her bills, she has $289 left, plus the $100 she now pays for storage. She could spend that money to move into subsidized housing, but if she did, then she would be nearly broke: little money for food, no money to give at Sunday services, no money to buy her grandchildren gifts and no money to give to others in need - things she does on a regular basis. Now that her health has improved and her back is stronger, she hopes she can go back to work, at least part time. (See how the new federal homelessness-prevention program works.)

Cooper's situation will be stable until she loses her car. Price says, "When people can no longer can afford to register their car and the police tow it, then people are on the street. That is the last rung. The towing and impounding charges are steep, and frequently people lose everything." Rudy Salinas, who directs the PATH outreach team in Los Angeles, says, "Allowing people to park on the street is a short-term solution. It is great for tonight, but not for next year."

"It's no fun living in your car," says Mike, a lighting specialist in the Los Angeles entertainment industry who has been out of work for a year. One of his last jobs was the Academy Awards show. "I don't have a job right now, in part because of my situation. Did you know that 50% of people who are homeless and living in their cars have jobs?" He keeps his vehicle registration current and parks his van on side streets on L.A.'s west side and in the San Fernando Valley. "You want to park where it is safe and inconspicuous. Not a busy street where someone might plow into you, and not a place where the bums will bother you," Mike says. "If the police hassle you, they'll impound your car and you'll lose everything. I don't want to find out."

**Davy Crockett** · 02-15-2010

So when are the White folks going to start protesting against 50% of all immigrants (both legal and illegal) on welfare and in public housing, while they sleep in their cars IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY.

We can fix the homeless problem for Americans by deporting every immigrant who is currently on welfare and using those funds for Americans. And I do not want to hear any bleeding heart telling me about some hispanic kid that will lose his parents because the kid is an American citizen, but his parents are not.

We all know that those kids are Americans only because their pregnant mothers broke the law by sneaking past the border for free hospital care just before giving birth. We provided the free hospital stay, but must we also be forced to pay for free room and board for the kid and all of his other relatives also?

Anchor babies - that is a whole separate topic that we will have to deal with. And that first involves throwing out the nine bums in black.

It is time that we take care of our own - FIRST.

**Linda Kelso** · 02-15-2010

There are almost absolutely no jobs out there and the ones that are out there, too many candidates are applying for them, so there are few opportunities for people to be working. This especially rings true in smaller communities where there are even fewer jobs (obviously) than in cities. People want to work. They don't want to sit at home, watching television and feeling useless. Men and women often feel very pathetic if they don't have a job to go to, and they feel absolutely awful when their children are wondering why isn't Mommy and/or Daddy working? And talk about having to go on social services (welfare) benefits and not wanting to (just so their children have medical care and have food), unlike the undesirable elements that we often have to encounter in life.

We aren't going to get out this recession for a long time and it's breaking my heart.

**MarkGator** · 02-15-2010

An outstanding post, Sigrid.

One of the things I've noticed is that as the economic stresses pile up, more and more women and men are willing to go after almost any work, but are told that they are "overqualified" for the job.

**Linda Kelso** · 02-15-2010

Originally Posted by MarkGator

An outstanding post, Sigrid.

One of the things I've noticed is that as the economic stresses pile up, more and more women and men are willing to go after almost any work, but are told that they are "overqualified" for the job.

Quite a conundrum, isn't it? "You are 'overqualified' for this job, but apply again soon when others become available." Disgusting! We have quite the problem on our hands.

**Linda Kelso** · 02-15-2010

Originally Posted by Former Liberal

I too am unemployed and have been for some time. There is few jobs and many applicants we all know but this is todays life.
Id like to see folks get back to basics. Farming, Family and Church could restore many values that sets us Whites apart from the other races. The Mennonites and other Germanic tribes who live independently all over North America wont feel these hard times so much.
At the end of the day, why the hell do i drive an hours and a half each way in traffic jams getting road-rage to get to a job i hate,,,to get the paper money to buy some food?
Id like to see the corporate world collapse and all the parasites at the top starve.
Im told by the old folks around here that you'll never see a Jew work the land and i believe them.

I wish you luck in your job search, Former Liberal. I know how hard it can be to search for and obtain viable and sustainable employment.

I wish you well!

**Davy Crockett** · 02-15-2010

Originally Posted by Former Liberal

Unity must be had to survive, to look out for our fellow White man. These hard times may bring our people together and help us keep our identy, cause Lord knows the leaders dont care at all about our survival.

Among the leaders who helped destroyed our nation are those reverends and pastors, and other Christian leaders who put their version of Christianity above that of the future of their own country.

Look at any third world invasion of White small towns and you will see a local church that aided in the clothing, feeding, and housing of those non-white invaders who eventually took your jobs, public housing, and welfare from you when you needed it most.

Up in Michigan, there sits a Lutheran Church that my grandfather personally built and my family help fund, that my family no longer are members of today.

Why? Because the newer members with their new pastor decided that it was now a "Christian" thing to bring in refugess from Africa.

The first pastor to pull that stunt, there were still enough older members to kick the pastor out on his ass and get a new one. But in the last 20 years, all of the pastors started preaching the "liberal theology" malarky and my family and others just left in disgust.

There comes a point when once a church becomes detrimental to your children's future, even if it is one that your own grandfather built, you have to refuse to support anymore.

**Andrew Jackson14** · 02-15-2010

Originally Posted by Davy Crockett

Among the leaders who helped destroyed our nation are those reverends and pastors, and other Christian leaders who put their version of Christianity above that of the future of their own country.

Look at any third world invasion of White small towns and you will see a local church that aided in the clothing, feeding, and housing of those non-white invaders who eventually took your jobs, public housing, and welfare from you when you needed it most.

Up in Michigan, there sits a Lutheran Church that my grandfather personally built and my family help fund, that my family no longer are members of today.

Why? Because the newer members with their new pastor decided that it was now a "Christian" thing to bring in refugess from Africa.

The first pastor to pull that stunt, there were still enough older members to kick the pastor out on his ass and get a new one. But in the last 20 years, all of the pastors started preaching the "liberal theology" malarky and my family and others just left in disgust.

There comes a point when once a church becomes detrimental to your children's future, even if it is one that your own grandfather built, you have to refuse to support anymore.

That what happens when you stray from the true teachings of the Bible. That is why I only listen or read stuff put out by Christian Identity/ Biblical Identity Pastors. They are the only ones truly willing to address the Jewish issue and talk about the difference between the races.

**MarkGator** · 02-15-2010

Davy Crockett wrote: "Look at any third world invasion of White small towns and you will see a local church that aided in the clothing, feeding, and housing of those non-white invaders who eventually took your jobs, public housing, and welfare from you when you needed it most."
--------------------------------
Let's not let off the hook those corporate money-worshippers who took away jobs of American workers to "outsource" them elsewhere in pursuit of the God of the allmighty dollar.

**Silver Stallion** · 02-15-2010

I wonder how many of these folks are sleeping in their Hondas and Hyundais?

Will they connect their sorry plight with their consumption of imports?

Hopefully they wake up to the fact that they have helped export their own job and growl at the government for change.

**Linda Kelso** · 02-15-2010

So will any other government come in and help me or my child eat or clothe ourselves?

I didn't think so.

**Linda Kelso** · 02-15-2010

Originally Posted by Former Liberal

Thanks for the kind words Sigrid, but im not alone in this. I dont worry so much about me personally, but us as a people and race. Unity must be had to survive, to look out for our fellow White man. These hard times may bring our people together and help us keep our identy, cause Lord knows the leaders dont care at all about our survival.

I know you're not looking for sympathy. Please let me know that you know that I wasn't thinking that. I KNOW how hard it is out there. I've witnessed it firsthand. My wish, for you, is that you have an "easier" time than others, because you want it more.

**Davy Crockett** · 02-15-2010

Originally Posted by Sigrid

So will any other government come in and help me or my child eat or clothe ourselves?

If you changed your name to a hispanic or negro name.

I am not joking.

A friend of mine here in Tennessee had enough foresight 20 years ago to check off "African American" on his son's birth certificate - his son's first name is Rebel. LOL.

Since Rebel graduated from high school, and with that birth certificate saying that he is "African American" he has been flooded with offers for free college tuition and federal aid.

The funniest story that I hear from Rebel's father is the day that he and his son showed up at Knoxville's local minority fair for the minority give aways that you and I cannot go for and the negroes dropping their jaws.

Nothing they can do to prevent Rebel from getting in on the action because he has a legal document saying that he is entitled to it.

**Linda Kelso** · 02-15-2010

I would much rather have my child request a certificate or something that says she is "White" rather than a negro. Why? Because a negro isn't as articulate as she is.

Mind you, she is 4.5 years old.

I'm not kidding.

**Davy Crockett** · 02-16-2010

Originally Posted by Sigrid

I would much rather have my child request a certificate or something that says she is "White" rather than a negro. Why? Because a negro isn't as articulate as she is.

Mind you, she is 4.5 years old.

I'm not kidding.

I believe it.

Nothing wrong with gaming the system in your favor.

Back when I worked for the human rights department, certification division for the City of Detroit, I helped over 50 White owned businesses get certified as Minority-Owned businesses so that they will be able to bid on government contracts on an even playing field.

White folks are either going to have to put an end to racial politics or play the system themselves.

Rebel comes from a poor White family and that decision over 20 years ago has enabled their son to go to medical school on full scholarship, whereas it would not have been possible if they checked "White".

**Linda Kelso** · 02-16-2010

Originally Posted by Davy Crockett

I believe it.

Nothing wrong with gaming the system in your favor.

Back when I worked for the human rights department, certification division for the City of Detroit, I helped over 50 White owned businesses get certified as Minority-Owned businesses so that they will be able to bid on government contracts on an even playing field.

White folks are either going to have to put an end to racial politics or play the system themselves.

Rebel comes from a poor White family and that decision over 20 years ago has enabled their son to go to medical school on full scholarship, whereas it would not have been possible if they checked "White".

Jamie Kelso can back me up on this. I'm in the extreme upper Midwest. We don't have (yet) a major negro problem... yet.

I'm scared. And I'm single about it.

But, you know how it goes... at least, for now, the cold (usually) keeps out the negro.

And no, I don't capitalize negro. They aren't deserving of it.

**Davy Crockett** · 02-16-2010

Originally Posted by Sigrid

We don't have (yet) a major negro problem... yet.

I'm scared. And I'm single about it.

You ought to be scared, you do not want to be a minority and have the negroes rule over you.

I experienced that for 12 years in Detroit. Any White who says that Detroit is not that bad is flat out lying to you.

Every night, I could not go to bed without checking to make sure The Club was on the steering wheel, all my windows were securely locked, and the three deadbolts on the front door were in place. I went to bed every night hoping to wake up the next morning.

Even with all of the precautions that I took, I experienced stolen cars, armed robberies, two where I had a gun pointed at my head.

Tore up a fine pair of slacks because I had to defend myself downtown where it was supposed to be "safe".

And I cannot count the number of times that I had to replace a smashed windshield or side window. My car was shot at and I have had my windshield smashed one time from a rock thrown from a side street at my car while traveling down the Lodge Freeway.

None of the above incidents (except for the stolen cars for insurance reasons) were reported to the police. Every White person knows that the police will do everything to avoid reporting any negro on White crime within the city of Detroit.

My White neighbors found their stolen car two miles away and called the Detorit Police, but the police were not interested in helping. Finally after three weeks of trying to get the police to do something, a group of White guys in the neighborhood all got in a pickup truck with baseball bats and took care of it themselves.

I grew up in a small town in Michigan and wish I was still that innocent small town guy, but Detroit left a mark. I experienced the real negro neighborhoods and know what it will take to keep myself alive.

Most of you don't.

**Silver Stallion** · 02-16-2010

Originally Posted by Davy Crockett

My White neighbors found their stolen car two miles away and called the Detorit Police, but the police were not interested in helping. Finally after three weeks of trying to get the police to do something, a group of White guys in the neighborhood all got in a pickup truck with baseball bats and took care of it themselves.

.

I have a Hispanic co-worker who tells me that this is the way justice works in his home country of El Salvador, due to police corruption.

This is the type of third world we are heading into.

**MarkGator** · 02-16-2010

[quote=Sigrid;13765]Jamie Kelso can back me up on this. I'm in the extreme upper Midwest. We don't have (yet) a major negro problem... yet.

I remember watching an "American Experience" PBS biography of President Lyndon Johnson that included an exchange between LBJ and Hubert Humphrey on the issue of the original Civil Rights Act (both were in the Senate at the time, and Johnson was leader).

According to the film, LBJ says to Humphrey: "It doesn't take any guts to be for Civil Rights in Minnesota, Hubert. How many negroes you got up there?"

Liberals are great supporting issues and causes that don't affect them personally.