# Any ideas on how to survive homelessness? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 1, 2021, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185 "2021-04-01T22:36:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/61 "2021-04-04T02:02:06Z")
That organization sounds amazing and a model for any outreach group. Thank you for your work with them. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/62 "2021-04-04T02:15:11Z")
Not Autism Speaks. I imagine many non-autistic people wouldn’t know this, but Autism Speaks is a hate group. But thank you. Your other suggestions are helpful. ---
**Author:** ![pudytat72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@pudytat72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pudytat72)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/63 "2021-04-04T02:24:42Z")
Yikes! So sorry about the hate site! Maybe you can get a rental company to help you find a new place (be screening them for what you need so you don’t have to do all the work yourself- especially on those hard days) ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/64 "2021-04-04T03:12:36Z")
About your current residence, I agree that committing to another lease would not be healthy for you. Have you considered negotiating month-to-month rental? Landlord may not be amenable depending on the housing market there, and he’ll no doubt require higher rent. But it doesn’t hurt to ask. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/65 "2021-04-04T17:33:36Z")
My lease is up at the end of June, so I am permitted to stay here another couple months while I look for a new place. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/66 "2021-04-04T17:34:04Z")
It’s okay. I know that you didn’t know. Thanks for suggesting about a rental company. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/67 "2021-04-04T19:20:15Z")
I have a friend who always checks postings near a college for apartments or houses to share with grad students. Grad students are notorious for never being home. Anecdote: I was past student age, but I had a roommate who was a Masters (later a PhD) student in Biology, and I’d thank him for letting me have a single apartment, because he would be in a laboratory until 1 or 2 am every night and I would catch a glimpse of him every week or two. We both had annoying habits, but it wasn’t an issue. I had the apartment to myself. ---
**Author:** ![pudytat72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@pudytat72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pudytat72)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/68 "2021-04-04T20:00:57Z")
Graduate students (especially in the science fields) are the ones to share a house or apartment. They are older and more focused on their education and career. Undergraduate: much more risky! I live near a university and was considering advertising (for a tenant for my master bedroom) only to PhD. science graduate students. That said, I think a basement apartment sounds like the best idea for you. You have the space to yourself, and a bit more thickness in the ceiling (due to pipes and such) protecting you from the noise above. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/70 "2021-04-05T15:07:23Z")
Thanks, all. Sorry if I haven’t been very responsive in the past few days. I’ve been having very bad sleeping problems. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/71 "2021-04-05T16:08:35Z")
Emily, if you really do end up homeless, and want to have some non-perishable food that’s pretty good quality, [see here](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-perishable-food-if-anyone-needs-it/939448/2). ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/72 "2021-04-05T23:04:58Z")
I’m not sure if [this](https://www.211qc.ca/en/search?cat-id=11&sub-cat=transitional-housing&splitField5=English) will be helpful - but it’s a list of organizations offering different services including supportive and transitional housing. As far as I can tell, the organizations list websites and email addresses and the 211 page itself has an information and referral chat service. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/73 "2021-04-06T02:09:41Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > Thanks, all. > > Sorry if I haven’t been very responsive in the past few days. I’ve been having very bad sleeping problems. no wonder! you must be under so much stress. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/74 "2021-04-06T15:29:45Z")
Yes. And having no energy during the day is rough. It makes it very difficult to even just take care of myself and do the essential things. Not to mention being unable to have a full-time job. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/75 "2021-04-06T17:48:34Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I have a friend who always checks postings near a college for apartments or houses to share with grad students Riffing on that: I don’t know how rentals to students typically work in Canada, but in the US, leases usually run for a year - and in student-heavy areas there are often summer sublets coming available right about the time you’d need to move. That might at least buy you a few months to find something longer-term. As far as shared accommodations: This may or may not be a possibility but something where your room was in a separate part of the house from others - e.g. a garage, or basement, or the other end of the house: would something like that possibly be an option for you? At least if you spot a “roommate wanted” listing it may be worth asking. I’m relieved to hear that you have through June 30th - hopefully in 2.5 months you will be able to find something. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/76 "2021-04-06T17:56:40Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > Many people with autism find phone calls difficult or impossible. It might be better to ask the OP before assuming anything. Any Montreal-based Dopers willing to help EmilyG out with making actual phone calls? You could be on some kind of IM chat with Emily and just act as the intermediary. Hell, I’d offer to do the deed myself but I’m not even Canadian, and if any of the agencies require someone to speak French… well, my French is NOT up to the task and would likely result in the call being dismissed as a joke. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/77 "2021-04-06T18:36:10Z")
I have a local friend who is helping. Thank you 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/78 "2021-04-06T23:20:41Z")
Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/79 "2021-04-07T01:44:05Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > I have a local friend who is helping. That’s wonderful. I even teared up a bit, so glad to hear you’ve got people helping. I guess I’m saying we care; you’ve got a dorky but well-meaning community here. Keep bouncing ideas off us, and be open to our crazy concepts. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/80 "2021-04-07T01:52:49Z")
Thank you so much 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185/81 "2021-04-07T20:29:59Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > I have a local friend who is helping. Since you’ve got friends who will help, couldn’t you couch-surf rather than sleep outside, if it came down to it? while looking for something better? I know you have sensory issues that would make couch-surfing difficult and uncomfortable, but wouldn’t sleeping outside somewhere be pretty disruptive as well? And you’d be so much safer indoors. You’ll be so vulnerable to people seeking victims for all sorts of things. _I’m_ going to worry, and I just know you from here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ideas-on-how-to-survive-homelessness/939185.md?page=5)