Walk me through a homeless person's day

Factual Questions
1

Many of us see homeless people walking the streets, but I am curious how the day of a homeless person goes, and what resources they use to survive. Where do they eat, where do they sleep, where do they get clothing, where do they go to the bathroom? What happens if they get sick? Are homeless women under constant threat of being raped?

As a caveat in this discussion in using the term homeless, I don’t mean someone sleeping in a shelter for a few weeks so they can get things straightened out. I mean the hardcore homeless you see wandering the streets during the day or camped out under a tarp in the woods.

2

I’m no expert, but I’d really appreciate any insight actual homeless people might have. So, homeless people, stop being lazy and type out the log of your daily happenings.

I wait with bated breath for their responses. :slight_smile:

3

Not being homeless but having been on a few committees and such to study the homeless problem, here’s a few things:

They get some free meals and free food (like beans, rice, american cheese). They buy some fast food, they cadge some. Hunger is rare, malnutrition is not so rare.

They sleep in a doorway, or alley, or a lot in the back ways of parks, where there likely is a little tent town set up, not legal, but not being closed down either.

Clothing- they get plenty of free used clothing, but socks are in high demand. People don’t donate used socks.

They go to the bathroom in a public bathroom (in like a park), in the alley or behind a tree. They will wash up in there too.

If they are sane enough to think about it, they go to the ER at the County hospital. This costs the taxpayers a lot of $$. If they aren’t- someone might call 911 or they just die in a alleyway. Medical care they can get, dental care is tough.

In a tent city, it’s not so bad for the women,they often have a "boyfriend’ who will protect them. If they are attractive they may well be hookers, at least PT.

Many homeless have a income, often Social security disability- a lot of them blow their whole check on cigs and booze or drugs. They can get Food stamps.

There is often housing for them, but many hardcore homeless hate it due to the rules- they have to be fairly clean, no smoking, drinking, drugs or pets. They also are allowed only so much “stuff”.

Basically there are three groups of homeless: The “one paycheck away from being homeless” person who lost that paycheck- they often live in their car, or sometimes in real campgrounds in tents. They want help to get a job and back into a home.

The “I prefer the freedom” who don’t *want *to operate within society.

and the insane or drugged out who *can’t *operate within society

4

An interesting insight. I wear my socks until they have holes in them, then throw them out. It never even occurred to me how this impacts the needy. Now I’ll have to think about it a little - I may end up buying a boatload of socks for donation.

5

Actually, IIRC there are some board members who have been “homeless” for stretches, this came up in a thread many moons ago about what to give “beggars” if you didn’t want to give money … fruit I think was the answer.

And here is the thread, may give you some insight astro.

6

And then go to dental school.

I used to work at a liquor store which services the needs of homeless here in Simi Valley, Calif. Here in Simi, the life of the homeless person ain’t so bad. This isn’t downtown L.A.—you don’t have to worry about getting shot or knifed for five bucks around here. Basically, DrDeth covered all the bases. They get their welfare/SSI/disability checks the first week of the month, and anybody who is savvy enough to cash them will get their business, and lots of it. We made sure that we had several thousand on hand the day they came in with their checks, and they would return the favor by cleaning us out of booze, cigs, junk food, toilet paper, soap, and batteries, pretty much in that order. The medical plan is a pretty good one. One of our resident bums had an uncommon cardiac condition which he was told couldn’t be treated properly locally. They told him that that he should move to Oxnard, Calif. and be homeless there, because they had better facilities there to treat him.

There’s not much to do for entertainment when you’re homeless, so most of the day they just aimlessly walk or bike around town with their dogs. That’s all they do—just walk around. Don’t start a conversation with them unless you have plenty of time to kill, ‘cuz they’ll talk your ear off out of sheer boredom. If you mention that you don’t have a job, they’ll frequently invite you over for dinner and drinks and teach you the ropes, if need be. If you can, bring something for their dogs—they’ll appreciate that.

7

Yes, when we heard about it we bought a case of cheap socks, and handed them out along with the fliers and stuff. Very popular booth.

Another odd thing- homeless dudes don’t care much for apples- bad teeth make apples problematic. We found that out also. :smack: But bananas are good. Individually wrapped snaks are popular also, as Washoe sez.

I missed one small group of homeless- the day worker, often an illegal alien. When work is good they get together and rent a cheap motel room, often 4-8 guys in one room. But when work is slow they stay in the tent towns.

8

In a city where I used to live I think there was some kind of program where poor people receiving outpatient care through the local mental hospital could get free bus passes. I don’t know the details, but I rode the bus a lot myself and it was obvious that there were a number of homeless mentally ill people who’d just ride around all day. Many probably had a shelter to go to at night but had to be out during the day, and while riding a bus isn’t much it must be safer and more comfortable than hanging out on the street.

9

If one is homeless, where do you get said SSI Disability checks, etc. sent to?

10

They hang out in the public library, use the computers for Internet entertainment, do a little reading, maybe a puzzle, use the bathroom, take a nap, etc. Talking to the librarian is a popular pastime. One guy I know likes to go through phonebooks.

11

You know…I’ve always wondered what percentage of " mentally ill" street people are classicly mentally ill, or more drugged out mentally ill. I have to say…I honestly think that we need to go back to mental hospitals. Activists can yap on and on about the wonders and glories of being included in (trumpet blare) MAINSTREAM SOCIETY (/trumpet blare), but there is the fact that there are just mentally ill people who are just so sick, they can’t function outside of a hospital/insistutional setting. It’s better that they live in a place where they can be taken care of and get meds…And I think there should be some sort of law saying that you shouldn’t be able to spend disabilty money on liquor or tobacco…sorry but that’s redic!

12

Another place that I’ve noticed them spending time during extreme heat, cold or inclement weather is public areas of some hospitals. Around here, if the temp goes much above 90 or below freezing, you’re apt to see a couple stretched out on chairs or benches there, bags by their sides.

13

For my life as a teen street kid.

8:30 am to about 9:49am: wake up somewhere with friend(s), collect and account for all belongings in case a “friend” stole something while you were sleeping, look for place to use washrooms that they will let you in to, use washroom both to use the toilet and to wash your socks, face and anything else you need to wash in the sink. Usually requires you have enough change to buy a coffee and perhaps a breakfast item, so you may need to beg for change.

10:00am: Get kicked out of place with public washroom, find place to beg for change.

10:01 to 11:59, keep moving while you try to beg for change for lunch, because you can’t stay still anywhere or business and police will ask you to leave. Collect at most $3 since everyone with money is at work, start walking towards a shelter that serves lunch.

noon to 12:30 listen to preaching about how believing in Jesus will make all your troubles disappear, while silently rolling your eyes since you have heard this so many times it is now a joke.

12:30 to 12:59pm finally eat small ham sandwich and orange tang for lunch again, and leave to find public washroom since the church bathroom is “occupied”.

1:00 to 1:59 drink coffee in fast food joint, and convince them to begrudgingly let you use the public washroom.

2:00 to 4:59pm wander around begging for change for food, beer, etc. Perhaps take a break in the library and have a nap or read the paper, find public park where you can quickly nap without police kicking you out, if it is cold, buy a ticket on public transportation since they have a heater, and nap on the train.

5:00 to 6:59pm - busy time for begging! Get out there & beg hard - you can’t go to the church for dinner, unless you want to sleep outside!

7:00 pm count change, and perhaps buy fast food for dinner, see if you have enough for skeevy hotel which has a courtyard where people throw used needles & condoms!

A - 7:01 pm to 10:30 am If you have enough for hotel for you and a friend (remember never to be alone - and these hotels change you way more for double occupancy), get it & get your key, and then get back to the street but they lock that door at 11, so be FAST if you want some beer or more food. Possibly get kicked out for having an extra friend in the room, listen to druggies next door fight, and other fun noises. Sleep onto of covers in your sleeping bag after washing everything you own in the sink & having a shower. Finally watch TV & fall asleep with it on because you can’t sleep when it is quiet any more. Sleep till 10:30 am when hotel knocks on door to kick you out. Do it all over again, but cleaner & with a bit more rest.

B - 7:30 pm to ??? beg for change to afford a few beers before bed, or more food, or some drugs to make sleeping in the squat or outside not as bad, or hope that a friend can sneak you into a room. Catch up with friends who may have become prostitutes, perhaps babysit a teen runaway and try to convince them to go home, perhaps get beaten up by jock types or other thugs who don’t like homeless people, perhaps have a fight with another homeless friend, finally get so tired/drunk/high at about 2-3:00 am that you don’t care where you sleep & eventually find place to sleep outside or in a squat, sleep in group of friends wearing all your clothes, and do it all over again.

14

PO box, General Delivery, or even a homeless advocacy agency.

15

I was this person once, very briefly. A little over a week. In that short experience, I was suprised at how difficult it is to live in your car without being harrassed by cops or security personnel. I’m not sure how a person does it. Anywhere you park, shopping mall, library, parking garage, you name it, I never slept through the night even once without parking lot security or a cop tapping on the window. Security just tells you to move on and that particular place is no longer ok to park and sleep. Cops of course question you, run your license etc. and tell you to leave.I’m sure if I had even a misdemeanor, I would have been arrested and my car towed. Then I would have been truly screwed had my jobless period become long term and no way to get my car back.

*Are * there any acceptable places for a person to sleep in a car?

As a side note: that experience years ago permanently burned in my brain the absolute necessity of having some sort of savings safety net.

16

In threads about the homeless, it’s often mentioned about them spending time at the library. I’ve never noticed this at my own libraries, but I’ve always wondered how librarians deal with this issue. The merely homeless might not be an issue, but extremely unhygenic people or people with mental problems could be awkward to deal with. What do they do?

17

Eject these people for violating library rules, calling the cops to help if necessary. Almost all urban library systems now have published rules for conduct by patrons (homed and homeless alike) which limit time spent on computers, bans sleeping, bans using the restrooms for bathing purposes or befouling the bathrooms, and bars patrons with a strong personal odor.

18

If you’re desperate and absolutely can’t abide the thought of being out on the street, apply for a job with a National Park concessionaire. The working and living conditions are so deplorable that they’ll literally hire anybody.

19

I’m an organizer with the Ottawa Panhandlers’ Union, a shop of the Industrial Workers of the World. I also spent a year homeless, myself, about 15 years ago. I can speak, therefore, from both personal and professional experience.

Homelessness is a complex issue. There is no such thing as a “generic” homeless person. Each has her or his own story, and the stories, while often having common themes (I’ll get to that in a moment) are many and varied. Asking “What do homeless people do with their days,” reveals an underlying belief that they can be lumped together in a single homogenous group. It’s like asking, “What do women really want?” or “Why are there so many black criminals?” It diminishes the humanity of the group by denying their individuality, and so should be avoided.

As I indicated earlier, while each has her or his own story, there are some common themes. The most common of these themes are: sexual abuse, addictions. lifeskill difficulties, and mental illness. These often overlap; most have one or two, some have all four. In nearly all cases, what you find is that a homeless person lacks the social networks of those who have been able to retain housing. We found, when we started asking, that the majority of people on the street grew up in group homes. Think about that. While the number of people who grow up in group homes is a miniscule portion of the population, they make up the actual gross majority of people on the street. This is the biggest hint that homelessness is strongly linked to a lack of accessible resources which others take for granted, such as friends, parents, and family. In other words, the reason another person is homeless and you are not is largely because you operate with an invisible safety net which they do not have.

Once you understand all of this, you begin to see how the homeless spend their days: trying to obtain the resources you take for granted. These resources range from things you can probably imagine (finding a place to sleep, obtaining food and money) to things which would probably never occur to you (seeking entertainment for an otherwise grim existence, or trying to connect with an endless list of government functionaries from social workers to parole officers). The year I spent homeless, most of my time was spent either lining up (lining up for food, lining up for shelter, lining up for a welfare cheque, lining up to see a social worker, etc.) or trying to catch a bit of sleep somewhere before being caught and forced to move on.

Being poor is expensive and the poorer you are, the more expensive it becomes. This is because you can’t buy in bulk, you can’t transort anything large, you can’t own anything of any value (since it gets lost or stolen), and you have no way of keeping perishable goods fresh. Restaurants won’t give you water, so you have to buy drinks. No one will let you use their bathroom unless you buy something there. Fast food is the only thing you can eat which doesn’t require preparation which isn’t possible on the street. And heaven help you if you have addictions, because you’re the low man on the totem pole: by the time your substance of choice filters down to you, it’s been through the hands of so many middlemen that you’re paying double or triple what a college kid in the suburbs would pay. All this means you spend a long time hustling on the street. Whether that means panhandling and trying to dodge police, or chopping (subdividing your drugs and trying to find someone even more desperate than you to pay even more for it), or boosting (shoplifting), or sucking dodgy people off in an alley, it all takes a lot of time – and it’s all risky and unpleasant.

One other note I’ll add here is that being homeless isn’t black or white. Many of our members in the Panhandlers’ Union are what’s referred to as “marginally housed.” That means they’re living in crappy rooming houses or surfing couches, and generally paying so much for it that they are always on the verge of homelessness. A single unexpected expense, such as being robbed or getting sick and needing medicine means they’re out on the street again. Here in Ontario, welfare will pay up to $540 for a single person. Rent for a room starts at $450 here in Ottawa, and a two bedroom apartment starts at $1000. You can see that ANYONE on welfare is marginally housed, and can be expected to end up on the street at some point. And the same deadly cocktail of mental illess, addiction, shortage of lifeskills, lack of social network, and poor education which causes a person to end up on welfare conspires to keep that same person on the street, hustling.

20

Never had a problem finding a place to sleep in my car when I was homeless for a few months at the age of 18. With a blanket suspended over the front seat headrests and the back seat to act as a tent, I slept in Wal-Mart parking lots, side streets where on-street parking was the norm, truck stop parking lots, and highway rest stops. (Helped to live near an interstate and have a rest stop perhaps 5 miles away.) The truck stops were nice, since they often had showers available when I awoke.

People just assume you’re a driver who’s taking a power nap when you’re asleep at a truck stop or rest stop, and Wal-Marts are common nap places for RVers and other travelers. As for those side streets, don’t know why I was never hassled… I suppose it was because I was usually near a university, and people just assumed I was a student getting some sleep. Heck, as a student now, I often will sleep in my car for a few hours here and there in campus parking lots and garages, and still don’t get bothered.