Reading this? It's about Homelessness

Homelessness.

What to do, what to know ...

It's not the first time for me.  I have hope it's the last time.  Over the course of the last 8 years (maybe more) I've been semi-homeless or actually homeless a number of times.

The only oddity most folks might find is that I have an A.A. degree; am well-read (or used to be); am Caucasian; am female; about to be 56; used to be able to work at well paying jobs; and can write - most times, eruditely.  Be advised, I'm not certain if this web-log entry will be eruditely or even provocatively written.  But read on!

To keep off the streets, I have house-sat; animal sat; and one time even managed to find work while living in space that didn't have toilet facilities, heating or cooling, with siphoned electricity -- though I paid rent for it and finally got thrown out of because the folks in the front house reported it to the authorities.  I've also worked and rented space from legitimate property owners twice in the last four years, the first time for 1 year, and the time now coming to an end for about 2 years.

Five to six years ago, I was in an emergency-shelter (not one of my pleasant experiences), for one-night, and wound up in an associate's living room from what I call sheer luck, until I was gifted with a long-term house-sitting situation.

So the fact that I've been dealing since January of this year (2010) with DPSS trying to find housing before I wind up on the streets on August 3 is not new -- except for the fact that I was asking for help from the DPSS.


Perhaps I should say, DPSS finds it an oddity apparently ... but then, there are a lot of folks that didn't use to be DPSS recipients prior to the economic downturn in early 2009.

So now you know a little bit about me.  Read on for the truly important information.

I've pulled together some links you may want to know about if Homelessness is close to you, or someone you know.  It's taken me some time to find them, and for that I feel chagrined, because my internet research skills are very good.  (There's no ego in my family, I have it all!  :)

I'm soon to lose my internet connection and land line (along with my room) so I want to get these online now, while I have the opportunity.

Make a difference.  Pass this information onto folks if you feel awareness of, or a connection with, the people who face the situation called Homelessness.

Invisible people (an interesting v-log to peruse through)
http://invisiblepeople.tv/blog
http://invisiblepeople.tv/blog/about/
http://invisiblepeople.tv/blog/invisible-people-homeless-road-trip/

End Homelessness
http://homelessness.change.org/

David Henderson's (a writer) thoughts on Homelessness  (I particularly like his story on "Social Networks Risk Client Privacy, Please Retweet")
http://homelessness.change.org/blog?author_id=460

Snapshot of Homelessness
http://www.endhomelessness.org/section/about_homelessness/snapshot_of_homelessness

The Wordsmith's Forge - Myths about Homelessness (a conversation amongst bloggers and writers espousing a number of views)
http://www.blogcatalog.com/search/frame?term=homelessness&id=67626ff40f045891eddea7929b438cef

The Mckinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (apparent Legal definitions of Homelessness for Public Services agencies to use in defining their actions taken)
http://www.hudhre.info/documents/HomelessAssistanceActAmendedbyHEARTH.pdf

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development  (I personally haven't found this to be to helpful -- it's part of what I call *The System* in other posts, but if it helps you or those you know ... Huzzah!)
http://www.hudhre.info/index.cfm?do=viewLookingAssistance


Image of question mark by Stefan Boudy, used with Creative Commons license of Attribution.