Why I Choose Streets Over Shelter
by Shannon Moriarty
Published June 03, 2009 @ 05:25PM PT
Why do people choose streets over shelter? For those who have never been without a permanent home, it's tough to imagine. The comments on a previous post about this topic have been enlightening, including one that was so insightful that I had to share it. "SlumJack Homeless" is a former property manager who has been homeless and living on the streets (read more about his predicament here). He shared his reasons for choosing to live on the streets:
Here are my reasons for choosing to remain "outdoors" rather than go to the shelters (which I initially tried):
1. Shelters usually require that you enter early in the eve and then remain there until early the next morn when you must leave. This can totally waste HOURs of otherwise possibly productive time, just sitting around in unpleasant to worse circumstances -- and a time when EVERY resource, including time, must be marshalled.
2. The shelters I've been to are designed to try to keep alcoholics, drug addicts and criminals from being able to do those things. I don't do those things, so the preventative measures simply needlessly and oppressively impose upon my own adult freedoms. Like going around the corner for a coffee in a cafe and looking for work or some other way to earn money using the wifi.
3. Literally "imprisonment" with some of the worst people. This is a lousy way to spend evenings and is COUNTERproductive. Or worse.
4. Property Impracticalities - I have a bicycle with a trailer attached. This is a GOOD solution to having to constantly carry around one's belongings. It's a LOT more useful, and less "unattractive" than the stereotypical shopping cart, etc. However, shelters typically do NOT offer any kind of secure options for one's belongings, usually severely limiting how much one can even carry in. This forces people to a ridiculous minimum of belongings... one of the factors that actually contributes to perpetuating a person's homeless predicament.
Also, you DON'T want other people at shelters to see what you DO own and have. There are many thieves that will then know what you're carrying around with you, many of whom you WILL run across later... at night, alone, etc.
5. The "solution" IS the "problem" - Shelters are often euphemized as "emergency shelter"... but the emergency is that you have nowhere else to just be and operate, so being AT a "shelter" is the emergency. And being in that predicament, even with the "help" of merely having a lousy place to sleep indoors, a disgusting bathroom and a gesture of a "meal" - AT BEST - just perpetuates your true problem.
While "outdoors" you can spend up until midnight or so at comfortable cafe's, with options to interact with intelligent and, possibly, helpful people. You can work on things that may actually afford a chance to get out of the jam. Use wifi. Etc. The "price" is that of some modest purchases, but then also having to find a place to sleep outdoors. This is becoming harder and harder to do, as cities virtually outlaw being homeless like that.
Thanks for sharing, "SlumJack Homeless."
End Homelessness - Change.org: Why I Choose Streets Over Shelter (13 June 2009)
homelessness.change.org |
